The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-12-22
GROWING WITH YOUR CHILD |

Just several years old isn't too
young to begin the fun Of giving
Christmas presents, and still bet
ter is the fun of making them
oneself. A few scraps Of lumber,
alabastine paints and q brush, clay
or plasticine, odds and ends of gay
papers-that's nearly all the mater
.ial the preschool child needs for
making his gifts.
In the nursery school or two-to-
five-year-olds make gifts for mother
and dad by pressing the imprint of
their chubby hands in q saucer
shaped dab of clay. A large safety
pin Is pressed into the back of the
plaque" before it is baked and
serves as a hook by which the fin
ished product may be hung on the
wall over parental desk or work.
table. The date is scratched light
ly on the back with pin. A more
elaborate gift is made with the CO.
operation of the staff photographer
who takes silhouette pictures Of
each child. These are pasted into
colored paper folders.
The undergraduates have more
extensive plans and work like small
Trojans on clay candle holders,
flower pots, tallow candles, wooden
pencil holders, footstools, book
ends, trays Sewing" boxes-and
even wooden wagons! They sew
tobacco pouches, purses and hot
pads, paste pictures and string
beads. A tray for plants is made by
sandpapering and painting a square
piece of wood, mailing two wooden
beads on each corner for legs, and
setting a bright clay vase on top.
It doesn't much matter what the
gift is-or what it looks like it isl
when it's finished. Our kindergart-
en- teachers aren't interested in
turning out beautiful products; the
important thing is that the child
conceived the idea for the trinket
himself and made it, every bit of
it, by himself.
OF course the recipient Of these
gifts understands how much actual
hard work, how much happy plan
ming and joy Of creating went into
that present-and how important 1t
is that mother, or dad, be pleased,
not amused, by the offering.
A grandmother of our acquaint-
ance told us she invariably receives
a toy set of dishes or a football for
Christmas and birthdays, but she
understands that these represent
the children's own, unhampered
choices, and that even grown-ups
are apt to give to the people they
like best the things they them
selves like. Of course the childish
gifts among these dime and toy
store purchases are not returned to
the givers-else the whole joy and
spirit of the project would be spoil
ed!
That reminds us to add creative
toys to Santa Claus list. These are
modelling clay and plasticine, cray
ons, showcard colors or alabastine
(Which does not stain clothing and
may be used on wood, clay or pa
PERI construction paper, blunt scis-
sors, colored weaving and sewing
materials.
And while we're on the subject,
don't forget toys for make-believe
Housekeeping toys, dolls, tools
garden implements, stout furniture
transportation toys, boxes for play
ing store, etc.; sense developers
(sand, color cubes and tiles, noise
makers); building toys; physical
exercisers (polished, waxed board
for sliding, sled swings, etc.,
games for indoors and out, and
music and rhythm makers "a real
photograph is better than a toy
one, tom-toms, triangle, toy piano
bells).
Good lists Of children's books are
published by the Child Study AS,
ISOLATION of America, and in Ter.
man and Lima's "Children's Read
ing" or your own library has sug'
gestions for YOU.