One thing I've learned

One thing I've learned, through formal education and simple observation, is that kids love to play!  That probably doesn't come as a big surprise.  What may surprise some of you, though, is that that's their JOB!  Kids were made to explore the world around them.  They were made to learn by trying, testing, experimenting, getting dirty, getting stuck, digging, climbing...the list could go on all day (and seeing as it's just now 4:30 am, that would be one long list)! 

Another thing I've learned as a mommy and educator is that somewhere along the line we tend to lose our play clothes.  I think we drop them in the laundry bin when we first become moms and then fold them and put them awy with our regular clothes and never look back.  So here I am, 5 years into this thing called "parenthood,"digging through my closet and praying that when I unearth my long lost play clothes, I will somehow miraculously be able to fit into them!

I've been making bold efforts these last few days.  I've stepped away from the computer a bit more.  I've worried a little less about cooking gourmet lunches and given into the "kid friendly" foods a bit mre.  I've laughed a little more, played a little more, and read a little more. 

The other day all the kids were napping and I got the brilliant idea to dye rice and elbow macaroni.  That could have been a tedious job for me, but I waited until the kids woke up.  I wish I'd taken pics as they were mixing the ingredients in their ziploc bags, but I was too busy squirting food coloring (green) all over my hand.  Here was our end product:

They were SO disappointed that they couldn't get their hands all over that mess-in-the-making right away!  I was afraid the food coloring would stain their clothes...hands...faces...  But I can't describe their excitement the next day when they found their creation in the sand and water table!

I mixed the kids' colored elbow macaroni with pinto beans and tossed them into one side of the table.  They each had a clothespin and instructions to move ONLY the macaroni to the other side of the table.  They tried so hard.  For a full HOUR the four of them sat at the table picking macaroni out of the beans!  The littler ones gave up first.  The oldest would probably still be sitting at the table if it hadn't gotten dark! 

The clothespins were a little hard to use, especially for the younger kids.  Next time we'll use tongs out of one of their games.  All in all, though, they had a great time practicing their sorting skills!