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UK Mum
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Hello there!
can anyone offer advice on how best to introduce this to my children? The eldest is 4.5 & the youngest is almost 2. We havent worked with beeswax before, so any hints appreciated.
Thankyou!
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Cici
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BUMP.
5.5 dd (doing "K" this year) and 3 yo ds.
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Christine - mom to 
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cathhomeschool
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I have *no* personal experience here, as I'm just looking into this myself. But I've read that some people let their kids play/model with the wax while listening to stories (or after the story is finished). The can create models to represent figures/elements in the story.
I do hope that someone else chimes in here!
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Helen
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| Posted: Sept 24 2007 at 8:09pm | IP Logged
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I've been meaning to order some beeswax for a jumpy four year old and read alouds.
Any recommendations?
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Ave Maria!
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Cici
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Well, I haven't actually let my children use this. But its what I ordered after all the buzz on some of the other threads.
I'm thinking I need to just take a deep breath. And give them some. I think I'll try one color to start with. I'm not sure if I'm suppose to let their "creative wiles" mix them up until it turns browny black, ornot.
I bought the stockmar package of 6. Paper, scissors, stone
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kjohnson
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We have had so much fun with our modeling beeswax. A fun way to introduce them to it is to give them a piece and have them hold it in their closed hands while you read an inspiring story (Elsa Beskow books have been our favorites lately). When the story is finished the warmth of their hands have had a chance to soften the wax and it is then easy to work with. At that point it's a great narration tool. Ask them to model a character or object from the story.
It's great fun and your hands smell like sweet, earthy honey when you're done. 
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Our children have used beeswax since they were 4 and 5. Sometimes you may have to "warm" it up in your own hands for them. It has been wonderful to see the kids skills unfold with using it. When they hit 9 and 10 they were modeling very detailed characters from the Redwall series and Lord of the Rings. My animal lover modeled animals from field guides.
Beeswax is VERY soothing for the children.
I just posted a picture of a beeswax character one of my boys made out of beeswax at our blog, catholicmoonlightinvermont.
I have a lot more photographs which I will locate. Beeswax became a passion in our household. I love it when that happens.
Blessings,
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missionfamily
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I let them use it during read aloud time...they warm it up while I read a picture book for the younger set and then model while read aloud to my nine year old. It keeps everyone in the room, reaping the benefits of both levels of read aloud, but keeps them engaged and focused. they have had beautiful results and really love it.
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cathhomeschool
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One question: Do you all keep these models that they make, or do you display them for a while and then let them reuse the beeswax? I can see it getting to be extremely expensive if we don't re-use!
I ordered the 100% modeling beeswax because I love the smell, but read that it is isn't as workable as the Stockmar beeswax. Katherine, Marianne and Colleen -- What kind do you use? (That was two questions... and I probably have more waiting in the wings..)
Marianne -- What a wonderful beeswax general! I can't imagine re-using something like that. Not only is it lovely, but it contains many colors and seems like it might be difficult to separate out.
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Janette,
We have been reusing our beeswax because it would be too expensive to continue to replenish. I just take photos of their creations and that way we can remember them.
I bought the Stockmar from Paper, Scissors Stone and am very happy with it.
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Katherine
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UK Mum
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Well, we had another go with it, during read aloud time. A book i have been reading, states to use a piece the size of the tip of your thumb, warm it, then give it to the child to hold whilst reading. We read hello harvest moon today, & dd made a wee yellow moon.
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mariB
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We do reuse a lot of the beeswax because it is expensive. Grandma has in the past bought each of the children their own beeswax for Christmas(they asked for it) We have a huge black box full of reuseable beeswax.
We used to get it from Hearthsong but now we get it from Oakmeadow.
I took photographs in the past of the shelves full of beeswax figures the kids made. ( trying to locate them.) Also, if you can find a jeweler that can cast any of the figures your children make for christmas gifts, it makes beautiful jewelry. Jewelry is made from wax models and changed into metal through a process called Lost Wax Casting.Remember though to keep the waxes little for making jewelry. The bigger the wax, the more silver you will need.
Enjoy!!!
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cathhomeschool
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Thanks for the feedback, ladies! I don't use the digital camera near enough. That's generally Tim's thing. I need to remember to take more pictures.
I love the yellow moon idea. :) Our moon here last night was not a big lovely harvest moon -- just a "normal" lovely moon. I'll file the idea away for late fall, though.
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missionfamily
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We save some for a few days, others for a seasonal display or the life of a certain read aloud, and some get balled up right away if the artist so chooses...generally though, everyone is very proud of his beeswax work and wants to keep it for a while, then the attachment fades, new ideas are born and theyare ready to move on, or they hold it so much it gets soft and falls apart  ! If they really like something they've made, I encourage them to try to make a duplicate from Sculpey which we can bake and harden to save for a longer time.
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Mary G
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OK, silly question maybe but do you only give them ONE color or can they do more than one -- for details or whatever. Can they blend two colors to make another -- ala yellow + blue = green?
I just got a catalog from A Child's Dream -- and my husband noticeably paled as I turned down page after page, muttering "this would be great" "ooh I like this", "I didn't know that book was available" .... the poor guy!
No wonder he and MaryM's dh cringe whenever we talk about 4real!
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Mary G wrote:
OK, silly question maybe but do you only give them ONE color or can they do more than one -- for details or whatever. Can they blend two colors to make another -- ala yellow + blue = green?
I just got a catalog from A Child's Dream -- and my husband noticeably paled as I turned down page after page, muttering "this would be great" "ooh I like this", "I didn't know that book was available" .... the poor guy!
No wonder he and MaryM's dh cringe whenever we talk about 4real! |
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Mary, we've never tried to blend colors, only because we're trying to make the beeswax last. But I'm now curious too.
BTW, that catalog is my favorite. I got our Felt Folk supplies from them. Their materials are beautiful.
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Mary G
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kjohnson wrote:
BTW, that catalog is my favorite. I got our Felt Folk supplies from them. Their materials are beautiful. |
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I love the idea of their wee folk extravaganza -- I'm thinking of doing something similar (definitely cheaper  ) for my Maggie for Christmas ... I really love the "look" of theirs!
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Regarding the mixing of the beeswax to make diffferent colors: The kids informed me it can be done. They also told me to be careful what you mix or it will look murky. They also told me you have to be patient. It takes a long time to mix the colors.
Their favorite color is gold. We haven't been able to find it anymore.
Anybody?
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Mary G wrote:
| I love the idea of their wee folk extravaganza -- I'm thinking of doing something similar (definitely cheaper ) for my Maggie for Christmas ... I really love the "look" of theirs! |
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I didn't order the kit, but just some of the supplies. Working with the wool/rayon blended felt is wonderful. And the cotton pipe cleaners are great. It's been amazing to see the difference it makes to use real fibers vs. acrylic. But natural fibers are expensive, unfortunately.
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BrendaPeter
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We used beeswax for the 1st time today (the Stone brand). My kids enjoyed it ALOT more than I did . I found it to be way too hard & I didn't have the patience to warm it up long enough to soften it. Maybe there's a lesson in that  ...
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: modelling beeswax
