DIY Milk Carton Dollhouse.

This is part of a sponsored collaboration with the California Milk Processor Board and DiMe Media.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Did I ever tell you I used to be a preschool Teacher?  Well, if you’re new here, that was my life for a good 14 years.  It was an unforgettable experience to say the least.  There were so many things I loved about being a preschool Teacher that I still miss today, but there are also others that remind me why I left the preschool center scene.

One of my absolute favorite experiences during that time was watching children get creative. In the Early Childhood Education field, we are taught to focus on the process of an art piece, not the product.  In other words, we should allow a child to work through the process of creating a piece according to their own interpretation, not what the final product is supposed to look like.

This is a difficult concept for many parents (including myself) and educators to understand because we are so focused on symmetry, cleanliness,  purpose, conserving resources, minimizing waste, etc.  We forget, however, that creating art involves the use of language, creativity, color recognition, concentration, memory, hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.  While it’s ok to assist them with difficult tasks, keep in mind it doesn’t matter what the end product looks like as long as your child is able to exercise the above life skills while creating something they can feel proud of.  Milk cartons and jugs make a perfect blank canvas for this!

We always have one or two milk cartons and jugs in our recycling bin at home, so we made miniature dollhouses out of milk cartons!  The process was so much fun because we all were involved.  I made one ahead of time to give them an idea of what they can make themselves, but once they had the materials in front of them, that’s when the fun began.

They talked about what they were making, what they were going to draw, where the windows should go, what kind of door they wanted.  Best of all, they worked together as a team, sharing, and negotiating when it came to applying the stickers they picked out themselves.

Spending time together as a family like this, helps build a better future for our children.  So why not join the fun and create your own work of art with your children? It’s simple!  Watch the video below to see how we made ours.  Then head on over to the official Toma Leche, Milk and Art Contest, page on Facebook by clicking HERE to submit your own creations for a chance to win some cash!

You could win $2,000 for your child’s education with a milk container! If you live in California , turn it into a work of art and send it to : facebook.com/tomaleche to enter the contest.

See contest rules here.

Don’t forget!  There’s a bonus giveaway happening here on Spanglish Spoon as well (California residents only)!

Visit the Toma Leche Facebook Contest page, then come back and leave a comment telling me which was your favorite entry for chance to win 1 copy of The Artful Parent craft book, plus a $25 Amazon giftcard!  The giveaway ends at 12am on June 5th, 2015.

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