Transform children's imagination into beautiful works of art.  Yes, it can happen! A child's creation is a masterpieces! 

Some crafts are child-centered, some involve more guidance from the caregiver, all are super-fun learning experiences!  Most crafts are the result of discussion (listening and verbal skills), planning (use of certain provided materials), and imagination (use any color, some variation in materials). 

Free-style art is a favorite of children and caregivers alike.  It allows pure, uninterrupted expression on behalf of each individual child.  Crayons and paper can result in amazing stories only known to that child. Ask the child what they are drawing.  Write down exactly what the child says.  When the child notices that you are writing down exactly what they are saying, the child opens up with even more elaborate descriptions of what he/she is drawing.  This is similar to "dictation".  Write exactly what each child says directly on the front or back of the drawing for a long-lasting, meaningful expression of art, feelings, language, and often humor, all at the same time.

Teacher-led crafts are also fun for the teachers, students, and parents.  Sometimes, parents of children enrolled in preschools feel that they should see more "product-based" activites.  It can be hard to convince some parents that the process is more important than the product!  And sometimes, especially during the holidays, parents may expect certain teacher-led/product-based projects - and that is okay too - most children love to create them too!

I encourage use of recycled or easily obtainable and low cost materials for most crafts.