Crayola Creativity Central - Early Childhood Creative Experiences

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Explore community services. Walk to a neighborhood post office. Go to a library story hour. Introduce people and places.

Blocks and boxes naturally enhance children’s creative play. As part of a community helpers theme, children create fire, police, and gas stations; hospitals and clinics; libraries; schools; and other familiar buildings.

Community helper props in pretend play encourage children to try new roles.

1. Choose a job or building in your neighborhood that fascinates you.

2. On a large index card, draw the person or place, or write its name with Crayola® Washable Markers and Multicultural Markers. Make more than one card if you like.

3. With a Crayola® Glue Stick, attach your card to the end of a recycled cardboard shoe box or other small box.

4. Play with your building or person in the blocks area. Construct a village with friends and their boxes. What vehicles help people do their jobs? (fire trucks, bookmobile, buses)

Children paint boxes or cover them with construction paper. Make cardboard people to stand in Crayola® Clay. Elaborate, creative projects lead to far more learning.

Make a neighborhood 3-D floor map. Start with buildings. Expand as children gain experience with community helpers. Label streets. Encourage detail.

Invite people in the community for a friendly, hands-on visit. A firefighter or police officer in uniform might read a story or let children climb in an emergency vehicle.

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