Thursday, February 19, 2009

Day 402 and Using What You Already Have

When you need something to do a project, is your first inclination to see if there is something you already have that you can use? Or is your first inclination to go buy it? I have to admit that often my first inclination is to go buy it. Yesterday, I was wanting to put together a "treasure" box for an activity with the children. It will be part of a new routine I am establishing with them and I wanted it to be pretty and fairly sturdy. I was thinking about those hard cardboard type treasure or gift boxes that you can buy. I was wondering if I could still find a heart shaped one on clearance since Valentine's Day had just ended. Then it hit me. I already had the perfect thing in my Valentine box. Last year, one of my parents gave me some candy at Valentine's. It came in this cool heart shaped clear plastic container. I kept it because it was neat but was not sure what I was going to do with it. So I made a sign that said "Tracy's Treasures" on red paper and then traced around it (I had also kept the paper inserts so I was able to use it to trace the right shape) and cut it out and made my treasure box. How often do we do that? Immediately think of buying something instead of using something we already have? Something to think about...

Oh, and on the treasure box, in case you're wondering. I have mentioned my admiration for Dr. Becky Bailey. In her ideas, she suggests using a treasure box with pictures of the children in it as part of your daily routine. You say a special poem or sing a special song about being kind to each other and everyone puts their picture in the treasure box. The children are my treasures and it is my job to keep them safe and their job to help me keep everyone safe. Keeping safe does not include just their bodies, it includes their hearts and their feelings.

5 comments:

Di said...

Wow, what an awesome idea! You are so creative....I would just be lost. And yes, I always buy instead of recycling.What a waste!

Mom Thumb said...

I love the treasure box! I'm a recycling freak. My family teases me because if someone abandons a glass of water, I'll dump it on a plant instead of down the drain!

Anonymous said...

That is such a great idae!

KiddoKare1 said...

Di, I am so NOT creative. LOL. 99% of the ideas that I use are ones I found somewhere else at one time.

Linda, I am not to that point yet, but maybe someday.

Anonymous (Mandy?), thanks!

Anonymous said...

lol yea i forgot to put my darn name again!