Summer Treasures Collection Jars
It’s fascinating what you can learn when you talk to children. Closed questions don’t usually get you very far in seeing into their worlds, but open-ended questions, like “What was your favourite..,” can be very revealing.
My son is still at the age where he likes to chat with me about what he is learning, and I’m grateful because he sees things in such a different way than I do. I hope that in some way he can hang on to that enthusiasm and curiosity as he grows older. And I’m always looking for ways for him to express himself in an unguided manner.
One of the ideas to inspire communication is to start a Summer Treasures Collection Jars for the family, and especially for my son, for all those items that have tickled his fancy and stimulate memories. My jar is filled with beach and garden finds, like seashells, seed heads and feathers. I encouraged my son to collect whatever was a memory for him and I was surprised at the choices.
There are stickers, so many stickers, because he both loves stickers and also picked out the ones that were meaningful to him. There is a birthday card with an elephant that reminds him of the strange wires at the playground that look like an elephant.
There are buttons from a craft day and another from his birthday party. There is a googly eye that is leftover from our adventures eye-bombing in the neighborhood. There is a rock magnet that we purchased at a handmade market on vacation and a few other odds and ends that he can’t quite explain.
We will leave the jar open as the summer continues, and the memories will be able to freely flow in and out. Then in the fall, when the seasons change, we will close up the jar and store it on a shelf. Until one day when he wants to take a trip back to this summer and remember what was important to him.
I love how this activity has given me insight into my little guy’s head and plan to pass on these jars to his pals’ parents, with the instruction to let their kids collect whatever they want that can fit into a jar. The parents can then watch, listen, and discuss it with them. They may be surprised at what they learn.
Used In This Project:
- Rectangular Labels • I chose the “Lil Bug” style in lime.
SHOP OUR ENTIRE KID’S COLLECTION >
Stephanie Rose is a gardener who lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she has grown over 100 edibles, 400 perennials, and countless other plants in her small urban yard; a hobby that continues to grow with each season. Stephanie writes DIY garden projects, yummy recipes and crafty goodness at Garden Therapy where she hopes you will find something to inspire you to get outside for a little, well, garden therapy.
