My Artgirl, Faith, likes to keep me up to date on the "real" world. Without her, I wouldn't know what happens on network TV, what toys are currently popular with kids, or what the latest computer games are all about. Okay, actually, despite her best efforts, I still don't know much about any of it.
I know there are recent findings saying computer games are excellent for developing fine motor skills, and rapid hand-eye coordination. This seems like a very useful bit of training, especially if you want to train young people to kill "monsters", without questioning a faceless entity's say-so that they are indeed monsters. I find that kind of disturbing. I find it disappointing that the only way to keep kids interested in a computer game that involves building worlds, seems to be to have them defend their worlds against monster attacks. Oh, never mind that my brothers and I built countless Lego forts, then bombed them with marbles (though we were only demolishing buildings, not killing inhabitants, which didn't exist in Lego in my childhood).
Sigh. There are a few small souls out there somewhere who should be relieved that I was never lucky enough to be a mom, 'cause I'd be hopelessly uncool. Faithie thinks I'm "the fun grown-up", but that's because I only get to control how she spends an hour and a half each week. This project was my rebuttal to Minecraft. I wanted her to get a taste of all the steps involved in designing tangible things, with a reminder that peaceful worlds can be fun places to play, too. She's actually quite the Peace Girl in real life, and she did think this project was fun. She even said she's planning to build more model houses at home, now that she knows how.
Score one point for the puny human art teacher.
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| To build an actual model, you have to start with a vision, and draw up a plan. Faithie first painted her favorite setting, mountains, forest and stream, then the perfect house to go in it. Getting into the spirit of the thing, she decided her little world would be made of cookies and candy, and would be called Sweetland. |
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| Next step in building a model is creating a pattern, which involves a lot of measuring and fractions. Faithie isn't especially fond of math, but she got the hang of it, and once she saw things folding into 3-D, she even got a little enthusiastic about the math. |
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| Who knew a fifty cent sheet of tag board could be as interesting as a fancy schmancy computer game? |
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| Last year, when she built a gingerbread house, I thought Faith might be the up-and-coming architect, but clearly I was thinking too small. I'm seeing the cool, hip, young real estate developer, ready to sell me a sugar-coated plot. And I said I wasn't buying into it...hmm. |
Please be sure to leave comments below, especially if Faith's adventures inspire you. If you have questions about any art or craft project, do feel welcome to email me. If I know the answers, I am always happy to share. dawnmariedelara@gmail.com.
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