sunday afternoons are a delight - there's a general slow down in the usual flurry as the aromas of something slowly stewing or baking (yesterday it was meatloaf) fill the air and little hands are eager to be involved with everything.
yesterday, we were reminded all to well that no matter what toys one may have, nothing is as awesome as a game made by hand. not one to appreciate whining in any form, it was yet another opportunity for mama to think on her feet. enter an old priority mail box, duct tape, an industrial sized plastic tub from cottage cheese (where did we get that???) and the bowl of felt balls we've been loving since the holidays.
i used a utility knife to cut up the box keeping the edges in tact which made for a smooth rolling surface. then the blade went away as we taped the chutes together in a not-perfect-by-design manner. the girls added an old paper towel tube as a starting gate and experimented with the whole contraption leaned up against every surface in the house, each time creating steeper declines and louder woo-hoos! and i tell you what, our kid-friendly version of a marble run kept all of us entertained for the better part of the day. a few other play-related things i am loving ::
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candace's egg carton game (there are so many terrific ways you can interpret this),
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courtney's milk carton firehouse (i just got the book she recommended from the library),
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everything at the crafty crow and kid's craft weekly,
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the creative family - a book i find myself revisiting often, as it really does an incredible job of reminding us to embrace the play, fall into it and find balance.
i'd love to hear your favorites - new or old ideas, sites, books, magazines. xoxo
