The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-06-09
CHILDREN'S DESIRE
FOR HAPPY ACTIVITY


(By Mary F. Wilcox, Teacher Of
lanual Training, Westboro, Mass.)
Cnlldren like to De active. Of course
lere are things that the chi.u must
> whether he likes to or not, but
<.lere is much of entertainment and
development that he can gain through
the activities he Graves.
Training comes through activity.
The use Of tools may furnish endless
opportunities for helpful, happy activ-
ity. The remark of one little girl who
used to visit me is significant, II like
to come up here, because I can do
things"
Because the child does enjoy Great
ing and doing, he learns unconscious
ly; and how much there is to be learn
ed through the ends of the fingers!
Skillful hands, concentration, obser-
walton, forethought, judgment, are
all developed, and best of all, respect
rather than scorn for manual labor is
implanted in the child when he is
young and impressionable.
In making gifts to children, give
them toys or tools with which they
can create. Most children cannot
have complete work bench nor join
class in manual training, but any
normal child can get hours of helpful,
happy activity from the use of such
aids as can come within his reach. A Z
hammer, saw, some nails and a few
small pieces of wood; paper, scissors
paste, colored crayons or water colo
paints are all splendid mediums fc1
self-expression. Let the child's VOL
be supervised sufficiently to gui
his activities into doing whatever
does well, and for some definite o
ject. Method in activity is of tt
greatest Importance, whereas annie
activity neither entertains the chi
for any length of time nor does
help him to develop skill and conce
tration. Let whatever the child NAL
be something which, from his vie
point, is worth while.
Not long ago bought a playtAy
circus for boy; it consisted of
erel sheets with the outline of ~
ferent animals. l gave him boz
the best colored crayons, pain
scissors and some paste. With Ii
supervision, he cut, put together
colored one animal at time
then we began frieze for his RI
by FASTING them on to a strip of n
trail tinted paper about ten inI
wide. He was delighted with the
cupation. 1t called for careful Ell
ton with scissors, appreciation
shades of color, imagination, and
of AL, he felt that he was ere
something worth while.
OF course there are children
are not interested in making toy ~
nous ehold objects, but any ~
should learn to use his hands BY
ing certain regular home duties IS
responsibilities. Even a small
feels the pleasure of self -reliancAS1
self-respect that come from RESP
bilitity for some regular duties
child of three or four can put E
and care for his own toys even V
it might be easier for his mother t;
so. Ownership entails responsib
and it may also develop generos. ~
for without possessions, how can
share? AS soon as child has +
responsibility placed upon him, ~~.=
begins to develop self-confdence and
self-respect; he becomes an intelli-
gent individual who thinks for him.
self and feels for other people, who
senses and respects the rights of
others.
Only as our children are taught to
appreciate the feelings and regard
the rights of others can the citizens
Of the future become more humane
and lawless reconsideration be rele-
gated to the past.