Henry is sometimes all business and no play.
He thinks a lot of things are ‘his job’.
As he often says, ‘It’s my job’ in his best man’s voice.
This day was no exception.
[His facial expressions in all of the photos show exactly his seriousness of the day. No smiles.]
Time for some free play.
I set out a bunch of bowls. One with some flour. One with some corn meal. I also set out a box of baking soda, a cup of water, a squirt bottle of vinegar and a set of old spices.
I believe it was Teacher Tom that I saw this from originally. He set out a bunch of materials like this with a classroom of preschoolers and gave them no direction. Step back to see what the preschoolers would create.
With it just being Henry, I have to play the part of another preschooler,
I can’t always just step back to see what he does. I like to let him play freely as much as I can, but he still needs encouragement or ideas to get him going.
Henry loved the spices. He asked me to help him open them, all I had to do was tell him once (with each spice) to just give it a little turn and it’ll open. Fine tuning those fine motor skills.
Henry poured and poured. Emptying a couple of containers completely.
Henry poured together more of the dry ingredients into one bowl. His mixture stayed in one bowl the entire time. [I thought there might be dumping back and forth, but none of that happened, and I didn't want to distract him from his thought process.]
Out came the vinegar. Or, as Henry kept calling it, the water. No matter how many times I corrected him, it was still water. Even after it hit the baking soda and fizzed up. The fizzing didn’t really get much of a reaction out of him. I thought he’d be more surprised. He just wanted to keep adding more, never realizing the science experiment he was conducting.
Henry stirred his mixture together. I helped a little because it was pretty thick. It was also pretty sticky. It stuck to the spoons. Henry didn’t like that. He had to clean it off right away with the ‘water’ (aka vinegar).
– Henry is 3 years old –
– George is 7 months old –
About Jamie Reimer
Michael loves to stir and mix too! He always has to help in the kitchen because he doesn't want to miss out on "his job."
I think that one is a little too daring for me… Although I know my daughter would love it!
What fun, I know Princess Pea would love this activity, she's always begging to stir things! (Her favourite kitchen helper job is whirling the salad spinner)
I bet he had a lot of fun! You must say, "It's my job" or your husband!
I have to try this one
This is such a fun idea. We are going to have to give this one a try this week!
I totally know what you mean about playing the role of another preschooler. My daughter really wants me to be part of what she does. I wish her preschool teachers were more like Teacher Tom.
We're going to do this in the summer!
oh, somehow I try to keep my girl away from kitchen. Maybe because she comes over every time I fry something. LOL
Thanks for linking in last week's High paw. Hope to see you again this week!
What a wonderful idea! Little M loves to cook (her Daddy is pretty talented in the kitchen). She is always saying "We need to add some Baking Powder." I bet she would have a blast with this!