Creative play (4)

This month we've done some super-messy play and some super-clean-and-simple play. Take your pick and let me know which one you enjoy doing most :)

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Whatever-is-out-of-date play

Ok so this one may not be very imaginatively named but it gives you a pretty good idea of the concept right from the start!

Disclaimer: this may not work well in an organised tidy house. You need a slightly disorganised chaotic kitchen where "use by" dates can come and go and *may* not get noticed straight away...

So this is what out-of-date stuff I found when tidying up our "baking" cupboard. 

- flour

- assorted decorating bits & pieces

- food colouring

Use whatever you have lying around and won't use in baking

This was very easy to setup. I poured flour into our plastic tray, laid out an assortment of decorating pieces, put some plastic animals/toys out and filled a pipette with food colouring and a small watering can with water. Set up done...

Initially it wasn't too messy. Doof enjoyed taking the flour and building it up into mountains. He then delicately dropped the little silver balls in a line and watched them sinking into the flour. Next the animals joined in the fun...

After that it got much more messy! It was the first time we'd used a pipette in our messy play so I had to show D how to squeeze the end. After that there was red everywhere... (my top tip - definitely wipe your kid's hands as soon as they leave the messy play area if you've been using food colouring!!). Next he loved using his mini watering can and sprinkling water all over the flour mountains. Once I gave him a spoon there was lots of mixing and a big mixture of floury gloop created. This was the perfect "quicksand" for his toy dinosaurs :)

D even had a friend join him for a bit this time :)

 
Quick note about the clear up... I found the easiest way to dispose of it all at the end was to actually add a bit more water so it formed one solid lump which could then go in the bin. 

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And for a less messy option...

Pipe cleaner play

I first saw this idea on Adventures of Adam blog and loved the simplicity of it. I was a bit sceptical though as it did look a bit too good to be true - that something so simple could hold D's attention - maybe Adam was just a very quiet well-behaved boy?

Well Doof LOVED it! We bought some multi-coloured pipe cleaners, pulled our colander out of the cupboard and that was it... away he went!

To start with he much preferred pulling them out as he found threading them in quite tricky. Now however he enjoys trying to feed them through and holes and then picks up the colander to see where they are appearing on the other side. I love watching his mind at work as he figures out how and why things happen :)

Since then we've "played" this game several times - thanks Adam!