Play

As much as we have enjoyed a few sunny days here and there, for the most part, the kids and I have been feeling some cabin fever. The little kids have seemed especially restless...and I've been looking for some new (or at least newly revisited) ways to entertain them.

We had a pompom fight. It lasted 10 minutes - tops.

I tried to introduce Cozy to painting with watercolors. She refuses to use the paint and goes straight from water to paper. ...and then she loses interest, because her picture is so boring. (I have big plans for finger-painting!)

The only real success I've had has been with playdough. I already had a bunch of playdough, rolling pins, and cookie cutters in the kitchen...we just never used them. After watching Meg's video of her toddler packing up his playdough (kept in a readily accessible spot), I thought we should give it another try.

The first thing I did was buy a toddler-friendly container for the playdough, which has made it so much easier to get out and clean up the dough....and whether or not it turns brown when you mix it depends on your color choices! Our blues, pinks, greens, and yellows mix in very artistic, pretty ways!


We also had to get placemats for our highly, highly textured table (probably the main reason we'd been avoiding our playdough!)

Now the littles can get it out whenever they want (which is several times a day). It keeps them at the table with my homeschoolers, busy and happy - cutting out stars and bunnies (those are the big favorites).


Last time we lost power (which seems to be happening EVERY time the wind blows), even the big kids joined us to play by flashlight. (It was way more fun than sitting around in the dark.) :)


Cozy - ready to roll. Remind me not to tell her to "smile" before pictures.


I think she's over-thinking it.


...looking forward to years of cheesy smiles.