Play-prompt to pop-up gallery

Thursday's leaden skies and intermittent drizzle forced us to abandon our planned expedition to a new art installation on the South Bank - Rainbow Park. Instead, while the children were tucking into their after-school snacks, I raided my stash of emergency play-prompts. One of the first things I spotted was a brand new spirograph set from Nan. So, out it came. 

Playing it cool, I said, 'Look what I've found. I don't suppose you'd like to try it out, would you?' They responded with oohs and ahhs, and can we really do this now? I love it when this trick works - they're putty in my hands.

I helped remove the packaging, my seven-year-old read out the instructions with an important air - he loves doing that, and we had a bit of a discussion about gears and cogs. And then, I'll admit a little reluctantly, I stood back and left them to it; my presence was definitely surplus to requirements. Although spirographs have been on the market since the 1960s, I can tell you that they still have plenty of appeal to at least two 21st century children - they simply loved this activity. And as they played and created, I noticed the rain stopping and the sun coming out. 

They were so pleased with their pictures that they decided to display them. I suggested, off-handedly, that they might make their own art gallery - and they were off on a new exciting adventure. Signing and displaying their finished pieces, writing labels, and pricing up their artwork - they busily got ready for the opening. The pictures looked quite beautiful against the now sunny window; their translucency giving them a luminous, rather ethereal quality.

Daisy ran upstairs to get their cash till, and then they displayed paintbrushes, paper and rulers to sell on the counter. At last the pop-up gallery was ready for the grand opening. Thank goodness Daddy was now back for the first viewing.

It's amazing how all this play and creativity flowed from just one initial prompt. It's just having that special something up your sleeve - that's the real trick. That, and an unexpected rainy afternoon. 

Voyage of discovery

[Image from Wallchan]

Testing and building,

Inventing and more;

Two scientists working

Like never before.

They called to each other,

'Nearly there!' and 'Here's mine!'

At last each revealed

Their new rocket design.

Spacesuits folded neatly,

Stored carefully within;

It was nearing the time

For the voyage to begin.

'Goodbye planet Earth!'

The countdown then started;

All engines were fired -

Astronauts so excited!

Take-off was smooth,

To Mars they now sped;

But encountering Martians -

Headed moon-ward instead.

With technical tweaks

And much zooming round space;

Safe lunar landings

Ended their race.

Moon-walking and leaping

And 'looking for Life';

And chiselling moon rock

With a wood-chip-like knife.

Soon it was time

To head back to the rockets.

Strapped in and ready

With rocks in their pockets.

Tummies were rumbling,

Space-food would not do;

T'was time to get home

for a sandwich or two.

I eavesdropped on my two little astronauts as they played out this fabulous adventure of their own devising. They were totally immersed for a whole hour - the only children in the frozen playground. Dedication to science and space travel? - possibly. Fantastic imaginations and a love of playing together? - definitely. 

Finding their flow

My children stayed up too late tonight. I had no intention of letting them play and play until they were woozy with weariness but to put it simply - they had found their flow. And I just can't bear to put a stopper on that magic.

Just before their proper bedtime, when I was folding clothes fresh off the washing line, Daisy was playing with the laundry basket. She'd already done her usual turtle impression and had used it as a boat when she asked me to look at what she'd been busy doing. She'd taken the long red ribbon from her hair (she was dressed as Snow White, as you can see below) and woven it, in and out, around the laundry basket. She explained that it was ever so much fun and asked for more ribbon. And so the weaving began - to make mummy the best laundry basket in the world.

Buddy got excited enough to join in with this ribbon-play when he found one long enough to attach between a door and a dining-chair. A few knots later he'd made a fabulous zip-line he called Atlantic Bridge and pretty soon miniature Spiderman was walking along, hanging and swinging from the bridge - saving various people from the baddies.

When Daisy had finished her basket she grabbed two small Barbie-type dolls and joined in the fray. One was Wonder Woman, the other a civilian in need of rescuing, and their play exploded into a full-on adventure; Mission at Ribbon Bridge. I added some music - the main theme from the Spiderman movie - knowing that Bud in particular loves having a soundtrack enhancing any exciting action.

So I resigned myself to the late night - their playing was so brilliant. In the end, when I could see the game going on past midnight, I suggested they paused the action and continued before school tomorrow. They agreed to this only when I promised to keep the ribbon bridge in place until then. I agreed to that when Daisy said I could keep the ribbons on my beautiful laundry basket for as long as I wanted.

And so a deal was struck; I've got a super-glamorous laundry basket and the ribbon bridge survives another day. I just love it when they find their flow.

The shoemaker extraordinaire

I love it when I get to see my children's creative ideas flow out of them and straight into their play. This happened yesterday when Daisy a) retrieved two empty tissue boxes from the recycling box and b) decided it was time to play shoe shop.

She asked me, 'What do you want your shoes to do for you?' in the manner of Steve Light's The Shoemaker Extraordinaire, a book we'd read together at a friend's house about a week ago. I was meant to reply something along the lines of 'I'd like them to make me taller or faster or snazzier.' I was playing catch-up at this point though - not quite remembering the thrust of book - so Daisy vetoed all my early, more practical ideas; in the end I was allowed to ask for shoes that made me jump higher.

Then Daisy set to work cutting, decorating and lacing up the boxes to meet her specifications. Of course this was easy for her - she was, she informed me, the best shoemaker in the world.

Eventually it was time to open:

'Daisy's Jimna Shoe Shop

Best Shoe Shop In The World'

She made a sign for the door, set up a counter and fetched her cash till before I was allowed in. She measured my feet using a ruler and tape, and double-checked the type of shoes I had ordered. At last it was time for my fitting and I was presented with the finished footwear.

Yes, they were rather roomy and, let's face it, rigid - they were boxes after all - but Daisy was completely immersed in the pretence of the game. She was sure she had made me the ultimate jump-enhancing shoes, so I paid up my 20p eagerly - and jumped around the shop gratefully.

Watch out FitFlop - there's a new kid on the block, and she means business.

[How lovely to be featured on this week's It's Playtime - check it out for more fantastic play ideas]

The flu and the flying saucers

Last week I had such dreadful flu that I was out for the count for two days. As I emerged from my duvet cocoon, no longer delirious with fever but feeling rather ropey nonetheless, it was apparent that Bud and Daisy needed some fresh air, exercise and entertainment. I needed to pull something out of the hat. And fast. Here's how it happened in four fast-thinking steps:

1. I spotted two black polystyrene pizza bases ready for the recycling box (note to self: someone's been cooking ready-made pizza in my bedridden absence).

2. PING! - idea: they'd make great lightweight frisbees for Buddy and Daisy to throw around the garden (note to self: I will stay inside).

3. I remembered some shiny 'space-themed' collage bits and bobs from a craft activity a while back. Thankfully I found those quite easily and popped them onto our craft table along with a couple of glue sticks and some glitter.

4. 'Don't suppose anyone wants one of these special night time frisbees to decorate and play with do they?' My question was deliberately casual to entice my eldest, a most reluctant participator if he catches the merest whiff of craft.

Ta DAH!

This was the starting point to a wonderfully creative evening that could have been fraught with illness, misery and a whole lot of empty TV watching.

First there was some brilliant independent frisbee-making. I was barely acknowledged; I just drank water and hugged a hot water bottle. Then, keen to get outside to test out their flying saucers, Buddy and Daisy put on their shoes and coats. And yes - they did this all by themselves; that certainly doesn't happen in the mornings before school.

Excitedly and noisily, they threw their frisbees around and pretty soon some dramatic play developed with baddies and rockets, space exploration and planet hopping. I threw out their glowing glitter balls (recent presents from my aunty) and a whole new chapter began as I sat inside in the warm with a Lemsip.

You've got to love creativity. See how it can get you out of a tight spot and into a magical evening of high speed space travel round the garden galaxy? A classic adventure at home, just when we really needed one.

How much is that doggy in the window?

We're having a quiet weekend at home; I've got a cold, and am feeling quite ropey to be honest. Thank goodness Buddy and Daisy are being so lovely and understanding (most of the time) - they're warming my heart, and even bringing a smile to my face with their fabulous and funny playing.

A superb, epic game of Pet Shop is in full flight as I write. I'm really not needed at all, just fortunate to be within earshot of the story:

Buddy: If you buy the ring-tailed lemur, you get a rat for free!

Daisy: One of the rabbits, Mopsy, is not for sale; she does the cleaning round the shop - with a mop, of course - that is why she is so dirty.

Buddy's rabbit is allergic to lettuce, and needs medical attention.

They've made a bug house for the butterflies and creepy-crawlies.

Daisy: Everyone loves our pet shop 'cause it is so so famous.

Buddy: This guy's* nocturnal. (*the ring-tailed lemur)

Buddy: This is where the rats sleep. They are very good at balancing.

And now it's Christmas Eve in the Pet Shop. Letters to Father Christmas have been written and everyone's asleep.

This has been great medicine. But I'm just off to the kitchen; time for some actual medication. A cup of spiced mulled wine would do the trick but I know, I know - it's not actually Christmas time yet. Too bad; lemsip it is then.

Zero to hero

Today, I took my youngest (age 3) to the V and A Museum of Childhood's Wondertots. Its Superheroes session was full of great activities and all the children seemed to enjoy it. And yet it left me cold. I suspect my feelings towards it were influenced by my post-election state of mind. But while I came away feeling flat and uninspired; Daisy came away with a rather nice superhero cape (as photographed above).

After nursery, Daisy proudly showed Buddy her cape and persuaded him to play. It was then that the creative seeds sown in the Wondertots session began to germinate, as my two favourite superheroes swooped in, truly saving the day. First, Superboy and Supergirl sourced their power gadgets; toy cameras caught baddies and sucked them in until they'd learnt their lesson. And they used their torches to hunt out the baddies from under the chairs and sofa.

Daisy became Superflick - the girl who could fly to Mars (using her cape) and make flick books work. She became Superclimb Girl with a special rope (a scarf) attached to her dress to lift her up to the tops of mountains. Buddy remained the amazing Superboy, with incredible strength and the ability to fly using his (invisible) cape. They showed off their super-jumping, super-stealth and super-gadgets until dinner time.

After this we watched The Incredibles on DVD and during the credits Elastigirl (mummy), Dash (Buddy), and Violet (Daisy) showed off amazing super powers in expressive movement and dance.

So, maybe I was unmoved by the powers of the V and A today, maybe I did have the post-election blues, but happily I was completely saved by my children's creativity and enthusiasm. They helped me find the escapism I needed, cheering me up no end. I doubt they know it, but they really have performed some great superhero work here today.

Box of delights

It was with such excitement that we opened this box today. Daisy, just awake from her nap, was especially keen to investigate its mysterious content. First, a lot of straw, but then such treasure was to be found; from lettuce, chard and spinach, to strawberries, courgettes and tomatoes. Not the fruits or vegetables ready to eat, but the baby plants ready to plant and grow. Gulp.

Now, I had been expecting this box of delights (it was a lovely present from my sister from Rocket Gardens) but what I wasn't prepared for was the sheer quantity of plants it contained; we are simply not equipped for its bounty. We managed to coax each little light-deprived plant from its covering and, still on their base of cardboard and straw, we watered them well. This turned out to be enough gardening for my two today and their attention drifted away from the blinking and stretching baby greens to the huge box in which they had arrived.

While I pondered the problem of how to accommodate an allotment's worth of plants in our tiny garden, Buddy and Daisy had a fine old time playing with the now empty box. They played hide-and-seek, brilliantly faking-up the mystery of where the other was hiding - oh, they're in the box, are they? Again? Then they used the box as Buddy's work, Daisy's house, their wedding venue and a car. Eventually a take-it-in-turns-to-jump-out-of-the-box game evolved (which needed a bit of mummy-refereeing to ensure fairness). This game made them laugh so much Daisy got the hiccups.

To extend this activity, I taught them the Jack-in-the-box rhyme:

One person curls up small in the box...

Jack-in-the-box

Still as can be

Lift up the lid

What do you see?

It's a .... Jack-in-the-box!

Jack pops out of the box, arms waving saying 'Boo!'

Then other things hid in the box; a car-in-the box, a piggy-in-the-box, a kitten-in-the-box to name but few. We practised the sound and action of the thing-in-the-box before each turn. Great fun.

And while all that was going on, I think I worked out what to do with the plants. There's a brand new raised flowerbed, currently plant-free, in a very sunny patch of Buddy and Daisy's school playground. Our newly acquired plants would thrive there. And Buddy and Daisy would still get to see them grow. I'll investigate further tomorrow.

Now that's thinking outside the box.