Sometimes I go all out and set up elaborate play spaces and activities for my kids. But some days I am all about making life easy and keeping it simple. Today was an easy, simple kind of day.
When Muski asked to get out water play this afternoon, I thought for a moment about finding the plastic tub and setting up the little table with towels and various accessories…. I also thought about just saying no. It’s cold and it wasn’t long before we had to leave for school pick up… Then I stopped and thought about how we could make this work for everyone, how we could keep it simple and make it easy.
I filled the kitchen sink with a little bit of soapy water, dumped in some dirty plastic bowls and cups etc and passed him an apron. Muski spent the next thirty minutes, washing, re-washing, stacking, and drying this dishes.
He got to play with water, and I got the dishes washed! Simple. Easy.
We are playing along with Childhood101′s We Play Link up again this week… Loads of great play ideas to share so go take a look!
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
great idea!!!
Looks like dish washing was a hit!
Mine love to help wash dishes, too. Found your blog thru the We play link ups.
hope you will come say hi on my blog, too.
:) Colleen
You are evil Kate, mo wonder we like you
Score one for Mom!! Now if we could just get them to think that doing the laundry was fun:)
Hehe why haven’t I thought of this before? Must try it…
Ah yes, the “you think it’s fun, but I’m making you work” routine! For it makes for a great time for them, but it takes me forever to sort the dishes. Perhaps I should just move to all plastic and Princess can do all the dishes? :D
I can’t believe how happy he looks! :D
I am all about keeping it simple. The children usually do better when things a easy and the clean up is easy too! Thanks for sharing. :)
Simple is always good, esp. when it involves learning how to do chores! :)
My sons love to do this – although I’m not sure that the dishes get any cleaner. And no matter that I’ve shown him lots of times, my eldest son puts cups full of water and upright in the dishrack to drain.
Decided to give your cool blog an award over at my blog.
http://sunriselearninglab.blogspot.com/2010/07/cool-awards-for-some-cool-bloggers.html
Look forward to reaidn more and more of your posts.
:) Colleen
Love these kinds of activities, especially when a chore gets done in the mean time.
We love this one too. What a cute photo of Muski :)
I took some pictures of a similar thing this week except my little girl was doing her washing up at our very old kitchen sink (soon to be renovated) in her red tu-tu. I thought about saying no too but she loved it so much.
Cute pics Kate.