The magic of skillful hands
Clay modeling and pottery activities are indeed amongst the best ways that can help develop senses of touch, sight, smell, hearing; and also a number of skills in children. They polish both, fine and gross motor skills; self esteem; problem solving skills; self expression; discipline and pride. Clay also has a uniquely therapeutic quality that helps children settle and calm down, while retaining their attention for hours. In a bid to promote sensory development in children, improve their creativity and enrich their lives by boosting confidence, Staford Preschool, Chowk organised a potter’s activity at its premises on Friday, February 2, 2018.
Children were greatly fascinated as they observed the potter spin his wheel; heard the sound it made; smelled the earthy scent and participated in making small flower pots under the potter’s guidance. Since clay is easy to handle for small fingers, and it is a forgiving art form; it gave children the opportunity to quickly learn from their mistakes. If the shape of the object that they were making got distorted, they rolled back the clay into a ball, and started over again.
The engaging process of giving shapes to wet clay captivated them to the extent that they resisted returning home even after the school hours were over. What delighted them most was that they were allowed to take home their self-created pieces of art — a flower vase each.
All in all, this activity, which was organised based on the belief that clay is an essential element for nurturing a child’s growth, proved to be a great learning experience for all kids. They remained engrossed at creating their own masterpieces while their imagination took over.