Taking the Time for Fun and Messy Play

I know a mother who does not like for her son to get dirty. She doesn't like for her son to play outside because he might get dirty. She doesn't let her son paint at home because he might (or will) make a mess. She says that is what daycare is for.

I feel sad for her, though I respect her point of view. I just don't feel the same way she does.

I can't imagine not painting with my son, or playing in a big tub of shaving cream. I can't imagine not watching my son splash in the water and play in the mud. I'm the mom who has four boxes of cornstarch and two boxes of food coloring in her pantry waiting for the next play inspiration.

I did hours and hours of "research" when I found out I was expecting. After reading many wonderful articles and many wonderful blogs, there were two things that really stood out for me. One was reading aloud to my son and the other was the importance of play.

Life does get in the way. I work full time and sometimes I don't feel like coming home and making a mess.

Though I must remember that my son will be little for only a short time. These are the most important years. The years he may not remember, but I will.

I want to remember his little fingers swirling around in vibrant colors of paint.

I want to remember the delight on his face when he shows me his finished masterpiece.

I want to remember the squeals of laughter when jumping through puddles.

I want to remember cleaning tiny but dirty hand prints off the white walls in our living room.

I will never forget because I promise to provide my son with fun and messy play whenever possible.....



Snowman in May....

Hello! I know that it's been awhile... Loads and loads of stress from work, personnel changes and such (still doing three jobs)... All I feel like doing when I get home is relaxing with my family. I'm also behind on my blog reading and commenting. So everyone that has stopped by to read and comment on my ramblings....I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I promise I will catch up.

My little guy is sick again... Which means we have spent this whole weekend inside. We relaxed on the couch all day yesterday. I think we watched more television yesterday than we had the whole month of April. At about 7:30 last night I hear a little voice ask, "Mama, I want to make a snowman."

My first reaction is to say no. It's May, it's ninety degrees outside... It's Arizona... Winter is over.... Who makes a snowman in May? I can think of a million excuses...Then I thought about it... My poor little guy was running a high fever all day, and he actually felt like doing something. He was really excited about this. So, I said okay.

"Mama, I want to make my snowman with buttons." So after cutting the body and finding the perfect paper for the background I pull the jar full of buttons out of the cabinet. This delights my son immensely, he loves my collection of buttons. I pour some in a glass bowl then hunt down the pipe cleaners for the arms.

"Mama, I want a blue hat and blue eyes." So, I cut a hat out of blue construction paper, and he picks his blue eyes from our collection of googly eyes. Now we are ready to assemble the snowman.

This is his project and his idea, not mine. He takes the bottom of the snowman, tips the glue to get it flowing.... after the glue starts to pool I say, "I think that is enough glue."

"No Mama, I need lots of glue." After that statement, I bit my lip and didn't say anything else. I just let him create. I helped him with the snowman's body placement, only because he asked. Otherwise, he did everything else. He even methodically put a dot of glue for each button placement down the snowman's body.

He was so proud of the finished product. He couldn't wait to show his dad who was at the grocery store when all this art making commenced. I'd like to think that it was more than an art project, it was an idea we made happen. It was a process, his process, and it was amazing to watch his idea transform into something concrete.

I love that childhood is magic, where a snowman can be made in May in Arizona in ninety degree weather. It was perfect.

Alice and Martin Provensen's A Book of Seasons

Winter is here and we are under a freeze warning until Tuesday. I think the high got up to fifty one degrees today. For Phoenix, this is cold. We are also feeling under the weather, so we didn't venture far from home today.

I have a love (and weakness) for vintage children's books. I collect them for my son, as well as for myself. I love finding books that I had when I was young, because opening the cover of that book, is like stepping back into time for me. I love sharing these gems with my son, even if I didn't read them when I was young.

Some books are complex, and some are just simple, but no less eloquent.

Alice and Martin Provensen's A Book of Seasons is one such book. Originally published in 1976 by Random House, it is a simple book about the changing of the seasons.

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

A look into a time when most all children spent their time outside. Playing, exploring nature, spending time with children from next door, or down the street, or across the creek.

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

 "Winter is here. Put on your boots. Find your mittens. You can build a snowman."

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

 "You can ride downhill on sleds when snow is on the ground. But look!...What is happening?"

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

"It's maple-syrup time. It's the first day of spring."

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

 "Spring can be rainy."

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

"Now you can be out of doors all day long."

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

Alice and Martin Provensen. New York: Random House, Copyright 1976

 I love how in just a few sentences, and beautiful but simple drawings, the Provensen's are able to explain the cycle of the seasons. My son loves this book, and never turns it down when I offer to read it to him.

This book reminds me of a simpler time, the time of my own childhood. Where we drank from the hose, played outside all day during the summer, even though it was hot. Ran around barefoot, spent hours on end at the farm, coming home extremely dirty, but happy and ready to go back the next day. We made mud pies, put on plays, and had our own carnivals. We made up games, and played and played and played, with no agenda.

This is the childhood I want for my son. A simple and delightful childhood. One filled with discovery, nature, play, imagination, and thousands, and thousands of stories.