articles

Kid-created Valentine's Space

Do it with any holiday!

By Sara McGill, Macaroni Kid Brandon PM February 10, 2011

A few years ago I was in a MOPS group with a lovely woman who mentored us and homeschooled her two grade-school-aged children. She always had such wonderful ideas for things to do with her kids. I admired her ability to come up with such creative ideas.

One day she told me about the welcome table. In her house there was a small table near the entry way that both her son and her daughter would decorate on their own. If it was Christmas, Easter, Halloween, whatever, the kids decorated. And during the in between, they decorated for the season. The children took pride in decorating their table, and when I stopped by her house once for a visit, I knew why.

It was October and the table was decorated for Halloween. It was covered in a Halloween fabric as a tablecloth. There were spooky figurines and decorations, and a pumpkin bowl filed with jack-o-lantern shaped Peppermint Patties. Each guest was offered a candy by the children, and I of course took one.

It was a very inspiring activity, and I saw how it showed those children how to be hospitable towards others as well as show off a little creativity. And this year, I finally a) found a great space to have such a table, and b) decided my daughter was old enough to have her own space to decorate.

See the photo to view her decorating prowess. I took the liberty of making a wall space as well for seasonal artwork--bonus, I finally found a way to make that saved art useful! It's complete with a candy dish of red and pink treats. (She has already offered items to my neighbor twice.)

Happy decorating!