Why did I forget about this? Great playtime!

dulce de leche · 2006-04-04

I needed motivation to clean the kitchen and floor, but dd wanted me to pay attention to her. Of course, that is waaaaay more fun anyway But after awhile, I dumped half a cup of flour on the floor. She had a blast while I did the dishes, and I actually swept the floor afterwards Flour is such a great toy--inexpensive, easy clean-up, and it could keep her occupied for hours!

Lazyhead

· #2 · Apr 4, 2006

it is great. so is cornmeal. it even cleans up a little easier. i let my dd (age 2) stand on a chair at the counter and "help" with cooking. this basically means she eats whatever i'm making but often it's pretty funny and keeps her totally occupied.

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fremontmama

· #3 · Apr 4, 2006

Oh, that's a great idea. I will have to try that one tonight.

Dh just got a job where he is gone 5 evenings out of 7, so all of a sudden dd doesnt get to seem him in the evenings anymore. She needs stuff to keep her mind off of that. Last night no matter what we tried to play, she was not happy. The thing I finally found that caught her attention was playing with felt tip pens. And she didnt want to write with them, she just wanted to snap them in and out of their box. It was kinda fun actually, it's an old set we've had for a while and it's huge, about 100 pens (for $10, it was a great deal), so they made great noises clicking in and out of the package and stacking on each other. She was mesmerized.

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turtlemama77

· #4 · Apr 4, 2006

I do the same thing with oatmeal. About 1/4 cup in a container, add a couple spoons, and it's an amazing new toy that will keep dd busy until I can get dinner going. I'll have to try flour and cornmeal, too!!

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mommy2cias

· #5 · Apr 4, 2006

So are pinto beans. My ds loved playing w/dry pinto beans(or any dry bean I guess). Oh, I also used to pull up a chair to the kitchen sink, put some dish soap and a little warm water and let him splash. He'd spend hours up there...

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minicooper

· #6 · Apr 4, 2006

cornstarch and water

here's the blurb I found about it.

*******
For all of you with younger children or grandchildren at home this is kind of a fun little activity that will keep them busy for quite a while. It is called magic mud.

You mix one box of cornstarch with just enough water to get it all mixed together. Add food coloring to the color of your choice.

When your child first picks it up it is a solid. However, once they have it it turns to a liquid.

I did this for my daughter one day when we were bored and she played in the "Magic Mud" for a good hour.

I also took this one step further. I just had a 1/2 year party for my daughter (her birthday is the day after Christmas, so we do a 1/2 year party in the summer). I took 23 boxes of cornstarch and mixed it with water in a kid swimming pool. I put in enough water to be fun to play in and enough red food coloring to make the water and "mud" pink. The cornstarch mixture sat at the bottom of the pool and so the kids felt like they were walking in mud. It was also great fun to just pick up off the bottom of the pool and play with. The party was on Wednesday and today is Friday. My daughter has played in the "muck pool" so far everyday for no less than 2 hours. It was also the hit of the party.

Don't worry about stains with the food coloring. Some how or another the corn starch absorbs the food coloring and it does not stain your child or their swim suits. It was great fun and I just thought that I would share.
*******

fun fun fun

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Lazyhead

· #7 · Apr 5, 2006

yowza!! hours you say?? i gotta try it!

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bricorssk

· #8 · Apr 6, 2006

What a great idea!!!!!!!! Is my 17 MO too little for this? I am dying to try it (I am the one that actually wants to play with it!)

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damyen's mommy

· #9 · Apr 6, 2006

bricorssk 17 months isn't to young for the cornstarch. If they taste it, it won't hurt them. I used to do the corstarch with ds when he was 14-15 months in his highchair. He loved it. He got a lot on his face and in his mouth. It never hurt him

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dulce de leche

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 7, 2006

Ooooh! Can't wait to try the cornstarch recipe. Thanks!

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mcintyre1902

· #11 · Apr 7, 2006

This kind of stuff used to make me happy but now my husband works till 8 every night and I think: if I clean, who cares?

I'm getting a job and every one of you knows that the piddly, meaningless stuff we do during the day as stay home moms is SCREAMING for us to get out of the house and make real use of ourselves.

Too bad that means throwing the kids in the daycare slammer. Hope they will find love there.

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pumpkinsmama

· #12 · Apr 7, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcintyre1902
This kind of stuff used to make me happy but now my husband works till 8 every night and I think: if I clean, who cares?

I'm getting a job and every one of you knows that the piddly, meaningless stuff we do during the day as stay home moms is SCREAMING for us to get out of the house and make real use of ourselves.

Too bad that means throwing the kids in the daycare slammer. Hope they will find love there.

I am so confused by your post. Are you being sarcastic? ETA: (if not please don't answer, I would find it insulting)

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pumpkinsmama

· #13 · Apr 7, 2006

Not anywhere near as cool as the cornstarch, but right now DS is loving his $9.99 tent! ETA: with a new baby coming, I am really considering a playstand set up!

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Lula's Mom

· #14 · Apr 7, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcintyre1902
This kind of stuff used to make me happy but now my husband works till 8 every night and I think: if I clean, who cares?

I'm getting a job and every one of you knows that the piddly, meaningless stuff we do during the day as stay home moms is SCREAMING for us to get out of the house and make real use of ourselves.

Too bad that means throwing the kids in the daycare slammer. Hope they will find love there.

:BUGEYED:

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