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The pride of creativity is oh-so evident in children.

It starts with making a poo-poo as an infant. C’mon. You know that look on a baby’s face when she’s accomplished an elimination that gets noticed.    And how very pleased is a toddler to present mom with a picture he himself crayoned in vivid color?  It’s a simultaneous look-what-I-did pride combined with the knowledge that they’ve pleased you that gives them a great sense of satisfaction.

What happens to that creativity as we grow up in the modern world? Shouldn’t it be something we encourage, hone and develop into useful skills?  After all, it wasn’t so long ago that creativity was a necessary part of life. Learning to craft quilts from worn scraps of clothing, for instance, kept your family warm in the long winter months.

Make the Pool Toss Game with your kids.

Future Craft Collective sets out to do just that — a return to the idea that creativity is a smart approach to living and to teach kids how to reuse materials available around them to craft wonderfully useful, fun and beautiful things.

Based in Austin, Texas, Kathie Sever and Bernadette Noll are the originators of Future Craft Collective – an organization that offers workshops and classes to children ages  8 through 12.   Not in Austin?  Their curriculum is available as well so that you may establish a kids craft initiative in your own city.

Bernadette and Kathie also contribute to the CRAFT Summer Camp series on Craftzine, where full instructions to create the super fun Pool Toss Game pictured above can be found.  Gather the materials and make it with your child(ren).

Bring that satisfied look back to your child’s face and give them the opportunity to say “Thanks. I made it myself.”