I’m not gonna lie or even pretend to be the slightest bit put out: I LOVE our kindergartener’s family art assignments. Although it’s usually just the two of us (Li’l Bro & me) rather than all five of us involved, brainstorming and executing these assignments together has become one of my favorite monthly tasks.

Each month we get a theme, of sorts, and an accompanying assignment. November, we disguised a turkey, December, decorated an ornament; January, built a snowman; etc. This month’s assignment was to make an umbrella. So we used the provided template (already cut out of the white cardstock sheet provided, above) and made an umbrella… sort of. You see, the assignment also instructed us to “make it unique,” “be creative,” and “have fun.” Love words to a crafty creative mama, anyone?!

So Li’l Bro and I brainstormed about what we could do to be unique and creative and came up with turning it upside down… Which made it look like a boat… So we ran with it, and Li’l Bro took off in a flash:

He said the “dots” on the umbrella template would be windows (portholes) and I happened to have a sheet of fish scrapbook paper, so I drew a few scallops and he cut out the “waves.”

He also wanted a stick for the umbrella handle (err, mast) and a flag… which worked out just right because it was the perfect spot to add a bible verse, which I like to add to each month’s assignment: “The sea is His, for it was He who made it” (Psalm 95:5a).

So, add a few photos of him and his siblings, a little scrapbook paper, and some glue and duct tape, and we were off to the races!

Even writing our family name on the project became part of the theme!

Y’all. This is TOTALLY the joi de wheeee!

I can’t wait to see what we come up with for Li’l Bro’s May family art assignment! Remember when I shared Big Bro’s “May flower”? Wheeee!

So, what are your favorite projects with your kids? Do tell!