I was having trouble thinking up ideas for Paul's playdates and our baby group, so I went to the book store and found this really great book of toddler activities. As soon as I started reading it I realized two things:
1. This was all cool stuff I used to do with my siblings while I was babysitting them
2. I have become entirely too serious and adult-focused, otherwise I would never have forgotten some of this really great stuff!
One of my favorite activities when I was a kid was to take some of every spice in the kitchen and mix them all together with water/oil/vinegar/etc. I would stir everything up and hope it would turn into something awesome or maybe even explode, but neither of these ever happened. I had a thing for chemistry, I guess... Anyway, that activity is most definitely NOT in this book, but this one is:
Squishy Bag
3 cups water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
Food coloring
Ziplock bag
Boil the water. In a separate bowl, add cold water to the cornstarch to make a paste. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the boiled water. Cook and stir until thick. Add food coloring and allow to cool. Pour into ziplock bag and seal. Children can squish the bag without opening it.
Hopefully this and the 364 other art/craft and outdoor projects will serve to entertain Little P and his playgroup buddies while developing motor skills, language and imagination. I hope that it will also serve to stimulate my imagination, as being a grown up has apparently taken it's toll on the kid in me!
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