Roald Dahl's book The BFG has a special place in my family's heart since it was the first novel we read aloud by him. The book is about an orphan named Sophie who is snatched from her bedroom by The Big Friendly Giant. Together, The BFG and Sophie visit Dream Country and the giant shows Sophie his collection of dreams, which he stores in jars.
The BFG’s jars are the inspiration for this craft project — with some adult help, your child can make a Dream Jar to store his special dreams, thoughts, and feelings. Unlike The BFG, there's no need for the jar to only store dreams. Here are some other things your child can write down and put in it:
- Wishes (and dreams) for the future
- Moments from each day that make him feel happy
- Things that he is thankful or grateful for
- Things that your child has done well each day
- Favorite quotes or sayings
- Personal goals
This lovely Dream Jar is easy to make using just a few common household and craft supplies.
?What You'll Need
- A clean, glass jar
- Self-adhesive book cover or contact paper
- Permanent marker
- Scissors
- Gold craft paint (or other preferred color)
- A small piece of kitchen sponge
- Small squares of colored paper or decorative scrapbooking paper
- Ribbon (optional)
?How to Make a Dream Jar
Step 1: Have your child fold small squares of your book covering or contact paper in half. He can then draw half of a heart shape onto each piece so that the center of the heart is along the fold. (Of course, any other shapes can be used instead, like stars, circles, stripes!)
Step 2: Have your child cut out each heart (or other shape).
Step 3: Then, have him stick the hearts to the jar, placing them randomly until the jar is well covered.
Step 4: Using the sponge, have your child dab gold paint (or another color) all over the jar until the hearts are covered.
Step 5: Allow the paint to dry. Then, ask your child to carefully peel off all the hearts (a little adult assistance might be required). Tie a colorful ribbon around the top of the jar (optional).
Step 6: Help your child write his dreams and wishes on small squares of decorative paper, then roll them into tiny scrolls, and place in jar.
As The BFG said, "It's a little bit like mixing a cake....If you is putting the right amounts of all the different things into it, you is making the cake come out any way you want, sugary, splongy curranty, Christmassy or grobswitchy. It is the same with dreams."
Helping your child put words to their positive thoughts and wishes with a Dream Jar might just help him create his very own dreams for the future, too.
