Flowers can talk to your kids!

If you're kids are anything like mine, packing toys, or keeping their room tidy is probably not high on their list of priorities as a three and five year old. I suppose we could just say 'kid will be kids' and do it ourselves. Perhaps we feel strongly about making sure they form good habits, but are not totally comfortable with the constant 'nagging' to make it happen, or the overuse of rewards and consequences to enforce it. We're just try to guide them to form good habits, right? If there was a magic wand I could wave to give you the answer to how to make this happen, I would, but I do want to share a little experience that has helped in our house...in the hope it might be helpful to others too. 

I recently came across these words of Eckhart Tolle: "Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their own innermost being, their true nature."  When I heard it (coz, yes, audio books seem to be the only 'reading' I get time for these days) it resinated with me so much. The whole idea of beauty being so essential to our true nature. My passion for art is influenced so much by this whole concept, that the realisation of beauty in things (art in my case) helps us and others to see the true beauty in ourselves, others, and the world around us. 

So what's this got to do with our kids messy rooms you're asking?  Well the flowers will talk to them and tell them to keep the house tidy! WHAT?!?! Well, not literally! (that could be "Alice in Wonderland" kinda freaky!)  A while back I decided I would get quite a few indoor plants, and make an effort to have flowers in the house more often. I noticed somethings quite beautiful...apart from the plants and flowers themselves, was that the house became tidier around them. Ok, my kids didn't just magically change, and yes, the toy room get fabulously mess (as a good sign of fun had by all) but rooms with plants and flowers became tidier and easier to clean. My kids stated packing up more, I nagged less, and something changed. 

As an educator I have seen plenty of research and study done on how beauty in our environment is so important to children's learning, how minimal and natural are so beneficial to creating positive spaces, how a toddler's Montissory practice of 'leaf washing' can be used as a form of prayer or mediation...I could do on for ages (don't worry I won't). 

But I just wanted to share my little though on flowers and how they have helped make my home a tidier, happier place!

Also a few fun creative ideas with flowers:

1. flower press (Sow and Sow or The Small Folk sell beautiful ones) 

2. flower arranging

3. drawing flowers

4. paper flowers

5. Flower colour scavenger hunt

Check out my Instagram feed or Facebook page for others I'll be doing. Keep your eye out on my website for all the details of my SPRING FLOWER sessions for toddlers and primary school age kids.   

If flowers are your jam, I just want to do a shout out to a few fab artists I love who have current flower projects on the go:

Vanessa Vaderhaven - who's flower drawing workshops are something else! 

CJ Hendry - The amazingly talented artist who is currently leaving clues of her up and coming 'flower show' on her insta feed. I'm dying to find out more details!

Tess Guinery - who has released a beautiful little flower print (only available until Monday 29th July, 2019) and left a little 'trail of bread crumbs' to hint a project that may contain something to do with flowers....and even if it doesn't it will be worth checking out! 

(not sponsored in anyway - I just love their amazing work) 

Thanks for reading, and if you have had similar experience or try it out and notice anything, I'd love to hear about it! 

Helen