In the past couple of months, we have reached that stage in a small boy's life where we have to 'make things'. For many months painting and play-doh satisfied the making urge but, although Mr M is now painting figures (see his first effort above - and, of course, it's a portrait of The Wiggles), we seem to spend our weekends 'making things'. Last weekend I was called on to make a 'Batman helicopter'. We have also made cars and boats for Mr M to sit in, computers so he can play 'Libraries' ('What book would you like today? Let me check ... you're in luck!'), his first book and special beds so he can have 'a rest'.This phase is a challenge because I have never been 'crafty'. Except for doing a bit of knitting, I don't experience the urge to do craft. I don't make softies or scrapbook or sew. And I haven't yet organised myself a 'really useful box', although I am often inspired to get one after watching an episode of Playschool. But it's amazing what you can create with a few yellow straws and a toilet roll or two. Aluminium foil comes in handy too. And I know I'm going to get better at it, because I have years of making ahead of me. I've been warned by friends - I won't be able to get away with a school project about volcanoes that doesn't include building a model of one.
Sometimes, though, a boy is left to his own devices. This is most likely to be when his mum is just crafted out. And that's when the creativity really begins. Here is Mr M's first 'installation', a creative stacking of toys in the kitchen that took hours to get just right. All those toys have been placed very deliberately in the 'sculpture' simply to create a thing of beauty (in someone's eyes at least). And if you look very carefully, the final object to be placed was a small boy himself.
