Shanta, the support staff in the department of Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology at MOSC Medical College, surprises me with her creative instinct and skills.
Whenever she finds an in between time, she goers to the hospital stores and collects card board boxes and chats with the professionals about what she can make out fo them for use of children. Ms Rainu, the psychologist is ready with her ideas and encouragement.
This has become a significant activity in the department that it is about to evolve in toy a parent education programme about paper-craft with used articles act home.
An interesting aspect of this is that children can make their toys and play with them. When they get access to more unused articles at home, they can increase the toy collection.
A child therefore becomes a designer and creator of toys.
How special it might be for children to use their own creation for play!
It can become a group activity when children from the neighbourhood can gather and make their own play items. I came across three children making auto house with cardboard box.
The market driven toy industry is popular and flourishing.
There is a huge prospect to make paper-craft as a major source for children to express their creativity in toy design. We have about forty items Shanta made during the last one month.
During my child development training in 1986, one skill I picked up was to make useful household furniture from paper. The corner seat that I made from paper mash while at working at ASHIRVAD Child Development Centre, Chennai lasted for 12 years. It was attractive and user friendly.
One cause I intend to champion is paper-craft for children. I wish a video can be made for U tube on this theme, which might be timely at a time when children are home bound due to the COVID pandemic!
I wish schools would pick up paper-craft as a regal activity in the art classes!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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