Nearly Instant Gratification

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with William's second grade class. I was asked to do a spring craft - heaven forbid I just have them make spring chicks out of paper plates - nope - not me.

WE talked about the history of origami - and I read Lissy's Friends by Grace Lin to the class. The I taught them how to make a dog and a swan. I wasn't really sure what to expect - would the oh-so-sophisticated youth of today turn their noses up at the simple joys of making an animal out of a piece of paper? Would they thing the story too childish?

They loved it! I gave out so many extra pieces of paper and showed them how to make a square out of a regular sheet of notebook paper. It was so much fun. (BTW - I purchase my paper from Kim's Crane. I highly recommend it! Shipping was prompt, but they are moving across the country now and will be closed until the end of April.)

Are we coming up on the nearly instant gratification part yet??? Yeah - we're there - chill...



Today my dear friend and fellow room-mom called me to tell me that her son has not stopped making swans since yesterday afternoon! This morning she woke to a room full of beautiful colored swans. This made my heart happy! I wonder what it is about the mind of a child that they will make a bazilllion of the origami animal that they have learned - adults usually make a few until we master the folds, but then grow weary of it - children will just keep on making them - I love that about them. They are not afraid of excess...