Mainly because I get tired of using Thomas and Friends as my go-to resource for preoccupying Cole while I'm trying to take care of Bennett. Plus, I want to instill in my son the value of doing things and hands-on learning, not sitting in front of the television. The latter is a skill (if even) that kids innately learn and soak up way too quickly. One that I am not proud to admit I have aided Cole in doing.
It was time to get creative.
I finally started sifting through all of my pins for fun things to do with Cole. And I am going to share with you two ideas that have deemed themselves worthy of being passed along.
The first one I have done with Cole since he was basically old enough to hold a spoon and a bowl. I call it "Chef Cole". When he was really young I would lay down a beach towel in the kitchen (usually while I was prepping dinner myself), give him several big bowls filled with a little water, a whisk, a spoon, measuring cups.....and anything else that suited the day. He would splash, and bang, and play....allowing me to get what I needed done. As he got older I started giving him random things in my cupboard....dry noodles, beans....you get the picture. Recently, I saw a post where she actually took a muffin tin and filled it with a lot of what we already used but also incorporated fresh ingredients...such as slices of sweet potato, raw oatmeal, flour....I LOVED the idea!
And so did Cole. He had different ingredients to really "cook" with! And I had a bowl full of random mush in the end. It was great! Plus, he just loves pulling his step stool up to the counter next to me, and this way it keeps his little mitts busy instead of tossing things into whatever I'm making. Win-win.
The second idea was one of my first pins when introduced to the world of Pinterest. One that I have been meaning to make ever since we passed the "put everything in my mouth" stage.
SLIME.
I grew up getting the stuff every year when we went to a health fair. I looked forward to that little paper cup filled with ooey-gooey gunk. I would play with it for days until it dried up, and then anxiously wait for the next fair to come.
I never really thought about making my own until I came across it on Pinterest. This proved to be a bigger hit than I imagined. Cole loves to poke, pull, squish....and occasionally "add" his own ingredients....you know, bread ties, straws....things he finds laying around. It wouldn't be real slime without a bread tie.......
I keep it in a zip-loc bag and pull it out for him whenever we need a change of pace. And again, it only takes two ingredients (well 3 if you add food coloring). Click on this link to make your own slime.....even if you don't have kids make some, it's fun!
Now go make your kids some slime, otherwise they will entertain themselves with potatoes....
Look at that face of guilt.....
But then there is always this that makes up for the pile of potatoes....
Have fun!
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