Creating Artwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Families: teaching children to bring renewal and give understanding to others.

Kids can serve right from home by creating artwork for those in need of encouragement.  Gather craft supplies and allow creativity go wild.  The recipient will receive a tangible piece of love that can be displayed.  Kids learn to take a moment out of their own lives to give to someone else.

To Those Experiencing Grief:  Sometimes a funeral home visit can be overwhelming for young children.  Children are also extremely attuned to what is going on in the world around them.  If a relative or family friend is experiencing loss, a thoughtful picture signed by a child brings comfort to the recipient.  This also provides a way for the child to express their feelings that a loved one is experiencing loss.

To Those Experiencing Health Problems:  Often those that are experiencing illness are confined to a hospital room, their house, or another space of healing.  A cheerful picture from a child can be displayed and bring a little sunshine to a temporary dwelling.

To Those Far Away:  Good, old-fashioned mail does not arrive in mailboxes nearly as often in this digital age.  Nothing warms the heart of a grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc. as a letter with artwork.  The miles are bridged with this gesture that shows family they are on your mind and close to your heart.

To Those Celebrating a Milestone:  A birthday, welcome to the world new baby, a graduation, or any milestone can be made sweeter with a homemade card.  Homemade Christmas cards or Valentine cards can be a weekend family project.  A piece of artwork- just because- can also be a special surprise to someone’s day.

Add Extra Special Love:  If children are able, have them include to and from on the card.  Sometimes, these pieces of art, take center stage in a recovery room or home refrigerator.  Allow your child to use their favorite means of expression whether that is crayons, markers, water color, or chalk.  Personalize the cards, if an uncle especially loves motorcycles, include one in the picture.

Creating artwork is an inexpensive way for families to give. 

Children become accustomed to taking time out to let someone know they care.

 

Using Sesame Street as a Tool

Families: teaching children to bring renewal and give understanding to others

The colorful puppets of Sesame Street have been a part of family life for forty-three years.  Inevitably tough issues need to be faced in families.  When children are young, an added comfort to parents or loved ones words of assurance, might be the beloved friends from Sesame Street.

For Parents:  Go to the Sesame Street Website for parents.  Choose the topics and activities link where featured topics are highlighted.  Click the view more button, here you can choose from a variety of issues and find videos and discussion questions.  Watch these short videos together and talk about what you and your child observe.  All material is child-appropriate and developed by professional educators.

Learn about bully prevention by watching The Good Bird’s Club and work through the provided discussion questions.  Tackle challenging issues like grief and dealing with feelings.  Sesame Street strives to be relevant and Families Stand Together touches on job loss, something many children have experienced in their families.  Other excellent resources include material about: healthy eating, saving, spending and sharing, hygiene, exercise, and preparing for doctor visits.

Diversity: At Sesame Street Workshop you can view a World map with your children. The map marks all the places in the World that broadcast Sesame Street.  Talk with your children about how kids all around the world speak different languages and live in different ways.  Even though there are many differences children everywhere love the characters of Sesame Street.

Our Impact highlights the work Sesame Street workshop has done and continues to do around the world to make a difference in the lives of children.   Takalani Sesame Street of South Africa features a character named Kami who has HIV.  In a world where this is children’s reality, Kami can soften fear and promote understanding.  In the United States, a new Sesame Street character named Lily was introduced due to the job loss the United States has faced.  Lily visits a food pantry and is food insecure, meaning she does not get three meals a day.

The World somehow feels a little smaller when the hands of lovable puppets join us together.