Every now and then I get a glimpse into the mind of a child. As I wrap up my 20th year teaching, I reflect on the moments I’ve captured in what I liken to the Golden Snitch of kid wisdom.
All the magic wraps up with a little open-ended time and end of year provocation I call ‘The Big Why: Why Create?’ We could all be asking ourselves this question each and every day from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep. What I am going to share with you, is the miraculous answer that could take one shiny little creative bling and turn it into something bedazzling in your life. I bring this up every year because my students and I are about to embark on a summer of creation, and if we set the stage up right, we all have the potential to move mountains.
As an educator, I see it as my job to plant the tiny little seeds that could go on resting dormant all summer long. I take those seeds and stick them in the dirt on the very last day. It’s a trick to hook them and lure them into holding and honing what we’ve done even as they leave my classroom. This mission is not a totally selfless one. I’ll admit I get some real gems to take into my summer that help me see with fresh new eyes. I take these bits of wisdom as advice to follow and I want to share them with you! There is truly something magical about what they tell me!
Warning: You are about to embark on a journey into a child’s mind. Take this sneak peek into the creative masterminds they truly are and use it to foster your own creative worlds. Perhaps these ‘kid-wisms’ can give you and your creations liftoff and that extra something special that you need. Fellow creators, prepare to meet the muse!
When asked The Big Why: Why Create? Here are some of this year’s answers:
“Creating is my own magic showing up.”
“It’s like you can have rainbows made of cotton candy. Creating can be made of whatever you want!”
“It’s so many colors and shapes. Every new idea different than the last.”
“It builds up inside you- like Legos and once you get going and building, nothing can stop you.”
“Every piece of what you build is a part that matters.”
“It doesn’t always help to follow the rules. You might not always find the perfect fit. Break the rules and set it free.”
“Mistakes are good. Make mistakes on purpose. You can just fix it along the way.”
“And, it’s fun to break the rules!”
“Take it apart if you have to and start over.”
“Erasers were a good invention.”
“The pen was a better one.”
“You get supreme powers. Making stuff up is like gluing stuff together or using tape to put it together.” (You can never have enough of a supply of tape)
“Creating is the best time you can have with yourself.”
“The cycle of creating is forever.”
“No one can take it away. If they try to, you just go find somewhere else to bring it back. It’s there, it’s everywhere all the time.”
“The world would be empty without it.”
“It’s like you take your head, you plant it in the world and more heads can grow out of it.”
These are compiled from actual quotes from children. Take them into your world and see what we all can create!
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