Documenting Delight: day three hundred and fifteen {fridge marble run}

{a magnetic fridge marble run to complement our first marble run creation}



{this creative play moment was bought to you (us?) by Finn's lovely Aunty. She bundled up all the supplies for this craft project and gave them to Finn during our last stay at her house. what a thoughtful gift huh!}

Documenting Delight: day two hundred and eighty {getting creative with cars}

This morning Harper spotted a picture of a character from the movie ‘Cars’ and wanted to find out what its name was. Like all kids from the Google generation she held my hand and took me over to the laptop to get her answer. Finn joined us and I found a cool site that had all the characters in a slideshow. We went through each one (who knew there were so many!) and talked about the different colours and features. I suggested that they get the car mat out and play with their cars. Finn responded:

“But we only have two of the ‘Cars’ characters”  (said with a sad puppy dog eyes)

I was just about to launch into my ‘we all need to be grateful for the things we have’ speech when Finn piped up:
“What about we get out our cars and pretend they are ‘Cars’ characters!”

Yes! Please do that! What a great solution!

So Finn and Harper found cars in their cars box that had similar colours to the ‘Cars’ characters and gave them names.

“Look this one can be Lightening Mcqueen!”

After they had exhausted all the characters Harper started creating names for the remaining cars.

Harper: This one will be ‘Motor Rinky’

Finn: Good name Harps. Good name.

Documenting Delight: day two hundred and seventy eight {mud pie kitchen}

Our mud pie kitchen has been in the pipe-line for a while. Preparations began here and this week it was open for business.  It was slow-burner at first but after a few days sloppy mud creations were in full swing. This week was all about seeing what kind of play Finn and Harper would generate from this new feature in our backyard. As always my two surprise and impress me with how engrossed they become in this type of creative play. Soups have been boiled on the stove, mud smoothies were blended, mud juices were poured and after all the cooking was done Harper created a sink where the dishes could be washed up.

I wasn’t sure how Mr clean and tidy would go with all of this but I am happy to report he has been quite keen to make a few of his own creations. Of coarse Harper took to it all like a duck to water. Her enthusiam has lead to a little taste testing though, which may be taking things a little too far I think. New rule Harps: Mud pie kitchen creations are for looking at and admiring, NOT eating!

Documenting Delight: day two hundred and seventy {careful selection}

Now that warmer days are ahead, I am aiming to decrease the inside crafty play and get my two to embrace our big backyard. Look out kiddies you are going to be hearing the phrase “Alright, everybody outside!”  a lot more over the next few months. While we have been tidying up our garden I have been thinking about outdoor play opportunities for Finn and Harper. We have lots of grass, a sandpit, a new see-saw, a veggie patch, no trampoline (*gasp*), water tray table and a ball pit. It’s a great starting point but I am looking for ways to encourage their love of imaginative play, to support it in an outdoor setting.

Harper has recently made a new friend, and during a playdate with her mate Evie  I was inspired by the creative outdoor playspace that Evie’s mum, Jess, has created for her two young children. One feature was a mud pie kitchen located in a gorgeous hidden corner of their backyard. I had seen a few pictures here and there on Pinterest but it wasn’t until I saw the kitchen in action that I knew it could work in our backyard.

Jess pointed me in the direction of the local second-hand goods store Tiny’s Green Shed as a way to gather a few cheap items to get the kitchen up and running. For $20 we got an old wood tv cabinet (which I plan to turn into a kitchen stove), a big bag full of metal pots, pans, cake tins, spoons and jugs….oh and somehow a wine rack was snuck in by Lachie. Pretty good value I thought.

Harper took the kitchen equipment selection seriously. I would hold up my suggestions and she would say “Nah, not good enough”, place her head down and continue hunting.

I think we may have a op-shop expert on our hands.

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and fifty two {finger painting}

{oh i'm sorry, did you say finger painting? i thought you said hand and arm painting}

Documenting Delight: Day seventy eight

Little fingers picking up passengers from the bus stop.