Mixin' It Up

A home day to start the week this week. The girls and I spent a lovely time together downstairs in the garden this morning. We did sand play, swings (hanging upside down), chasing, reading books and quiet fine motor activities at the table. A friend gave Miss M a bag she had to decorate as a gift for her birthday so that was a lot of girlie fun to do together too. We have recently purchased a new round kids table from Ikea which has opened up more opportunities for different types of play downstairs. I enjoy varying the girl's play settings sometimes....books in the garden, play dough in the shade etc.

We need to head back upstairs most days for an 11 o'clock feed for Miss H so I set up some more quiet activities for Miss M to keep her busy while I did that. Easel painting, threading cards, chalk drawing and Mega Bloks were on the list of fun today but the best fun was a cooking activity that I thought Miss M could try all by herself. Really it was just a whole lot of fun and sensory play mixed in together.....literally.

I set up bowls of flour, cocoa, icing sugar, rice and coconut. Then I found measuring spoons, a wooden spoon, a small jug of water and the salt shaker. Miss M was beside herself with the chance to mix whatever she wanted to and use the twisty salt shaker all by herself. Of course the end result wasn't at all edible but the fun came from creating. Actually a BIG sloppy mess was made but thankfully most of it was kept to the bowl. Miss M played with this activity for a very long time so Miss H was able to enjoy a quiet, long feed.

To extend the activity.....

• Sing 'Stir Up the Pudding' - from It's Playschool CD
• Try different ingredients next time around
• Read 'Spot Bakes a Cake'
• Bake something together - a cake or biscuits
• Do measuring activities
• Pouring fun in the water trough