Earlier this evening I hosted my weekly workshop for 5 and 6 year olds with The WRITE STUFF Kids Club in Buncrana, Co. Donegal. This is a younger group which was requested by a parent from one of the older children in Buncrana. It’s an age I never envisaged working with but one which is proving so very rewarding.
Tonight we were making Valentines Cards (all were made for Mum and Dad) and I wanted the children to focus on words as opposed to images on a card. Together we came up with a poem for their cards. It simply read:
I’m happy you’re my Mum and Dad. I hope that you can see. I’m really glad to have you as. Part of my Family.
The children then designed hearts, balloons and other images for their own specification to decorate the said cards.
As always I then engaged the children in a discussion. I explained to them all what it means to have ‘a heart of gold’. I then proceeded to ask the children to tell me about someone they know who has a ‘heart of gold’ and why they feel this person has such. The responses were as follows:
Sara Jane (aged 5) – my friend Amy who sits at my table at school. She’s kind to everyone even if she doesn’t know them.
Jonathan (aged 6) – My Mum because she looks after people. ( I later discovered that Jonathan’s Mum is a nurse)
Kian (aged 5) – My Mammy has a heart of gold because I love her.
Peter (aged 6) – My Daddy has a heart of gold because he loves me.
Eili (aged 5) – My teacher has a heart of gold because she is lovely.
I don’t doubt that everyone who reads this will agree with me that these young children are very perceptive and intuitive. This is how their little minds think, and how wonderful they really are. This is our future and we really need to nurture these amazing folk. I learn from them all and I think we can all learn from our children.
Happy Valentines Day for next Tuesday everyone and I hope these little folk have inspired you, just a little. They have me.
GMcC
North West Culture Gal 