Pallavi Goorha Kashyup and Anany

Pallavi Goorha Kashyup, who runs the PR firm PG Communication, has been actively engaging her daughter Ananya in such projects since she was three. It led to the six-year-old winning various competitions, having honed her skills in the domain early on. For the past month, they have been working on a range of artworks including rock art, pencil holders, key chains and book marks.

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Artwork made by them

"We dedicate two hours to this each day. Once you cultivate this interest, you'll notice how your child comes up with their own ideas," she says. The Kandivali resident also states that these tasks have boosted Ananya's concentration levels, motor skills and sense of colour combinations. It also gives her a chance to relive her childhood since her mother was an artist. For parents new to the activity, Kashyup, 40, advises starting simple. "Begin with drawing and colouring. Also, use materials that you already have, for instance the plastic containers lying around at home can be decorated. This makes the child environmentally aware as you're also upcycling them," she says.

Get innovative

Shreya Naik Kapoor

"Try doing joint projects. Use a bigger canvas and take turns to complete it," says Shreya Naik Kapoor, owner of Label Masala, a brand that delves into stationery, clothing, accessories and garment upcycling, and also conducts workshops for parents and kids. Given that kids can get restless at home and have trouble sleeping, she states that the best time to work on art and craft is post-lunch so that children can creatively exhaust themselves to sleep. She suggests the following DIY ideas:

Play dough made by Kapoor

Make play dough
All you need is a bottle of hair conditioner, maida/all-purpose flour and food colouring. Take the desired amount of conditioner and add food colouring as per your requirement. Add an equal amount of flour to the mixture, stir and gradually knead like you would for a soft dough. Add more conditioner in case it's too dry.

Ice painting. Pic/Youtube

Indulge in ice painting
Take a cup of water and pour it into an ice tray. Mix paint in the individual cubes. Insert a toothpick or a candy stick in each cube and freeze till it turns to ice. Remove it from the tray once done and use the sticks with the cubes attached to them like a paintbrush on paper.

Origami candies. Pic/Pinterest

Origami fortune candies
Cut a rectangle out of paper. Take one of the shorter ends and stick it to the opposite one so that it forms a rectangle, a little less than half its original size. Stick one end of this and through the other, insert a strip of paper with a message written on it. Stick the second end as well and press the structure on either side to give it a 3D look. Use a scissor for zigzag lacework on the edges. Now, hand the candy to your child. Let them tear it open and discover the message.

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