A couple of times a week I convince myself it’d be a good idea to do some sensory or messy play with the baby. Although my past attempts haven’t been wildly successful (here and here), I always convince myself this time will be different.
So I had a quick word with my ideas buddy, Google and found a recipe for baby safe paint. In true me fashion I then proceeded to ignore said recipe as it called for corn flour which I didn’t have and cooling down time with I didn’t have patience for. Water, regular flour and food coloring it is then!
I whipped up five different colors, glanced at our white living room tiles, then at the Mummy who was opening her mouth ready to knock some sense into me and decided it might be best to take this activity outside.
I grabbed some scrap paper and sellotaped a big ‘canvas’ down, brought out the paints, a fan to drive away the mosquitoes and blow the 40 degree air around us and the Baby.
The first thing he did was point out that I hadn’t used enough sellotape by ripping up half the canvas and shredding it. I tried to interest him in the paint by smearing some on the paper myself which elicited a minute or two of dubious poking. Then he made his first break for freedom.
Undeterred I grabbed him, brought him back to the canvas and stuck more paint under his nose. A quick taste test confirmed that he didn’t really want any part in this activity and another bid to escape was had.
I grabbed him and stuck his feet in the paint, encouraging him to walk around on the paper. To this he pulled his new favorite floppy, arched back, toddler trick and slid to the floor complaining.
By this point the Baby was fairly covered in paint and had taken on the texture and attitude of a catfish which made trying to prevent him reaching the recently professionally cleaned, pristine car a tad more difficult. My back was killing me, the Mummy may have given herself lockjaw through trying not to say ‘I told you so’ and thus I decided to call it a day.
The whole Baby participation portion of the activity lasted a maximum of 7 minutes.
Will this deter me next time I’m feeling a little creative? Probably not.
Does my wife think I am clinically insane? Almost certainly.
Totally agree with the painting outside but I always wonder ….It is mean to just hose them down after?
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Not here, the water out of the tap is warm enough to run a bath with. In frigid UK temps….naw- they’ll survive 😉
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Oh bless you what an experience. hahaha Sounds like something would happen to me. Me and messy play never go together. lol My poor kids. Good for you for trying. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme
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No, I really can’t explain why I keep trying. Deep rooted insanity perhaps.
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Pinterest has a lot to answer for! They make it all look so effortless, but the meme that says about making it with yourself with $95 worth of craft supplies instead of buying it for $5 is closer the truth! Better luck next time! Love your drawings! #sharewithme
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Oh yes. I must say my favourite part of pinterest is those pinterest fails pics that pop up from time to time!
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Hahah – it is true – and I saw the photos which were almost as funny as the cartoons!
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Yes, at least the high level of failure was kind of amusing.
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Haha I love it! I tried painting with my 10 month old the other week. Fail. Washing him clean again? Bigger fail. Better luck next time, I’m trying dyed spaghetti next week…!xx #BrilliantBlogPosts
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Sounds much more sensible than the rainbow rice we did that we’re still finding pieces of weeks later.
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Love this. Damn Pinterest for making all their ideas look so easy and fun, when the reality is nothing like it. #FridayFrolics
x
http://www.beingmummyx.blogspot.co.uk
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Pretty much! But then I’m adding to it by posting the photos to Facebook and pretending I’m acing this parenting thing.
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You sound like me when it comes to crafts with the kids. All the gear and no idea. Bloody pintrest!
Thanks so much for linking up to #FridayFrolics
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Usually half the gear and no idea. Nothing like trying to do something complicated with substituted ingredients. Thanks for hosting!
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haha this had me laughing because I’m pretty certain we went through exactly the same thing when S was a baby! But we still try…because what else will you do all afternoon?! On rainy days? And when you can’t be bothered to venture outdoors?! Painting Amazon boxes always worked a treat here xx
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Yes. Sometimes baby time is slow time. Especially at the age he is now. I’m looking forward to when we can go and kill an hour or two at the park.
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Remember, kids only want to play with the things they’re not supposed to get into. You should have said no. Then it would have been a hit.
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True that! My other trick is to start tidying up, that usually has him rushing back over to make a mess again!
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Ah I so identify with this… Have crazy creative idea, toddler makes huge amounts of mess whilst being engaged in the activity for approximately 2.5 seconds, spend the next hour cleaning up whilst swearing never to do anything so ridiculous again, then seem to forget all this next time a crazy idea pops up and start all over again… *sigh* (it’s all good fun though, right?!?)
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Oh yes, stressful, annoying, wasteful fun.
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Lol, you know what I have learned about sensory play… ? leave it to the nursery! 🙂 But they do have fun, even if just for a few seconds! 🙂
#brillblogposts
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Yes, I agree….until next time.
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The Mother says – Your blog is fast becoming a favourite with me. This has made me giggle and brought back some memories of some of my toddler inspired ideas. Great post 🙂 #sharewithme
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Thanks! I’m glad so many other people are suffering from the same parenting crazies as I am!
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I remember feeling exactly like this, so much hastle for a tiny amount of activity. They do love it though, no matter how much it seems otherwise.
Huge congrats on being a MADs finalist 🙂
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I’ll take your word for it 🙂 Thanks, I’m thrilled.
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I am scared of sensory play, i like the idea of it on pinterest but i don’t have the patience for it in real life i know i’m a bad mum #sharewithme
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A bad mum? No way, more like a sensible mum! Honestly I’ve tried a bunch of different things and they’ve all been a complete waste of time. I’m just psychotic enough to keep trying.
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Haha this is great and I can totally relate. We had similar when we did edible finger painting..
and then i decided to try cloud dough, in doors.. yep that was fun
so much dough, so little dining room uncovered. #sharewithme
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Haha. Yes. Similar story over here with rainbow rice. I knew it wasn’t a good idea before I started making it but I am a lesbian drawn to rainbows like a 4 year old girl drawn to pink.
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Sensory play. Bloody nightmare! Not worth the effort in your home I’ve learnt the hard way. Better leave it for elsewhere I say. Loved the post as always #sharewithme
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Yes. That’s what I am made completely aware off after the fact. I just have the magical, creative (*ahem- bullsh$%*) idea in my head that I can’t seen to shake.
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Oh yes I have a lot of those magical bullshit notions still knocking around in my head just need to knock the remaining ones out haha!
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Not sure I’ll ever be able to let them go. Still persisting during parenting highlights like catching vomit in my hands and multilayer poonamis
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I’m just so glad that the whole ‘sensory play’ idea was not fashionable when my kids were little. Even this post sends my OCD into overdrive! Well done on giving it a go though and amusing us into the bargain 🙂
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I’m a kindergarten teacher by trade so I’d probably be indulging my insanity even if it wasn’t the current buzz phrase. My poor wife struggles a bit, I think, OCD-wise. I feel like I haven’t had a really fun day unless I end up covered in paint, glitter, water or mud by the end of it.
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Ha ha! I had exactly the same experience the other day, except with regular paint. Which called itself washable, but totally wasn’t! You are more crafty than me, kudos! The sellotape on the floor trick didn’t work for me either 😉 x
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I should have known. My baby hasn’t yet met a piece of paper he felt deserved to be shredded. Not so crafty, just not sure where to get baby safe paint here. I knew any paint would prove irresistible to the Baby and he’d have to give it a quick taste test.
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Hehe ahh hopefully it will get better after this, I really didn’t mean to chuckle at this post but it was so funny 🙂
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That’s OK. I’m laughing too….so I don’t cry.
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I always think it’s a great idea to do things like this, but then really regret it afterwards. I’m just not the crafty type. #sharewithme
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I like to think I am the crafty type but perhaps I’m an older kid….or adult crafty person.
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haha this is brilliant, I think it’s great that you keep trying. This sounds like when I make attempts, we bought a tuff spot with the intention of doing more things like this, but I’ve not quite taken the plunge. So funny, great post #sharewithme
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Glad you enjoyed it. Great I keep crying or crazy? I’m leaning toward the latter.
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