In the age of technology storm, when just a touch of the hand opens up a colorful virtual world, when both we and the children are "trapped" and lost in the screens of phones, TVs, iPads... then letting children run freely among the grass and trees, get dirty with clay, get covered in cake flour or shout with friends under the shade of green trees is like a luxurious dream, especially for children living in the city.
Coming to "A Day as an Artist", children can step out of the digital world, slow down, feel more and learn things that are not in books.
That morning, the children were able to leave their familiar classroom for a very different day, a day when they were allowed to get dirty, to be creative, to become artisans in their own way; the classroom was the Totto Chan experience area, where there was a brown pottery wheel, a red-hot stove with the fragrant smell of cake flour, a sewing table full of colorful fabrics and musical instruments made from familiar materials, ready to welcome the children to experience and explore.
In the large green space at Totto Chan, the handmade pottery corner is the first place that attracts the little ones to visit, their clumsy but curious hands are placed on the turntable for the first time, turning the clay to create strange shapes, excitedly creating products according to their own imagination. Under the careful guidance of the head teacher, next door, a group of friends are attentively learning how to measure fabric, cut, and pedal the machine, meticulously creating a pair of pretty pants.
In the distance, by the smoky fire, a group of older brothers and sisters rolled up their sleeves, learning how to stir the dough and make the cakes. The dough had to be stirred evenly and spread thinly on a round cake mold. Each cake was shaped by the hands of the artisans, then taken out of the oven and enjoyed by the "audience" immediately after completion.
On the other side of the lawn, a group of friends were practicing playing musical instruments made from aluminum bars, very creatively, with expressions of surprise and excitement. And then, they were free to play basketball, pickleball, swim, run in the garden, shouting and calling each other, no one was afraid of dirty clothes, no one was bothered by flour on their hands or messy hair, even new friends who were strangers quickly became "close friends" who could not leave each other's side for a moment.
In the middle of a sunny afternoon, a special Quang noodle meal is even more delicious when eaten together, discussing the crooked rice paper, the cracked ceramic bowl, the off-shoulder shirt...
These seemingly simple activities are the way for children to learn life skills, foster confidence, practice dexterity, and especially connect with each other in a real way without having to go through a computer or phone screen.
Maybe the shirt is dirty, the hands are covered in flour, the hair is messy, but the happiness of that day will be a wonderful experience and memory in the heart of every child. Because there are days like that, the day when children can live to the fullest, get dirty without anyone frowning and reminding. Being a little dirty is okay, as long as children are happy, learn from every little experience that no textbook can replace.
Let's take a look back at these fun "summer movies" that capture childhood memories of this summer!