and Panda Soup and Horse Soup too.
I’m still struggling back onto my feet after a bout of the flu so playtime challenges abound. LP is clearly ready for her fun improvamama to come back and replace her ready-to-lie-down-a-mama. ImprovDad has a heavy teaching schedule which includes most evenings and it seems like the hours between quiet time and bedtime are going incredibly slooooowly.
Which makes it all the more fun when we find that wonderful, spontaneous moment that LP can explore.
It all started with a pepper experiment which I thought LP would be fascinated by; however her interest was in adding the pepper to the water and she asked for more spices. Fortunately for LP, we have way too many containers of long expired spices so as her sous chef, I guided her to those choices (ones I could say “yes!” to) and we were off! Some containers had shakers that she could use and others I poured some into her hands so she also had the tactile experience of the different textures. Cardamon, basil, thyme, dillweed, curry, paprika, pepper soup, anyone?
She called her first batch “Bog Baby Soup” complete with tea leaf bog babies floating around. (“The Bog Baby” by Jeanne Willis is a current favorite around here) She asked for bowls and ladled out enough for all the bog babies and then was ready to start on the next batch.
She poured fresh water into the bowl and set to work making “Horse Soup” — with additions of spice rub, soy sauce and the outside paper from garlic, in addition to repeats of many of the other spices. My favorite moment was when she looked up from stirring and said, “Here come the horses!” She spooned up bowls for her favorite horses and then, of course the pandas needed to be fed.
She was so engrossed in making Panda Soup that she didn’t even want to help knead the pizza dough and make the pizza (except to ask for some dough to put in the soup).
Like many fun activities at our house, it involved more mess than originally planned for…next time we’ll be cooking for the bog babies, horses and pandas outside AND I’ll set her up with more autonomy over the spices and condiments that are available.
I’m participating in the WeePlay link up over at Childhood 101…lots of fun play ideas to check out there so click on over!
Lovely! Makes me hungry!
How on earth are you able to blog??? You are one amazing mama, improv-a-mama or no.
sometimes I hardly can! Other times it is a wonderful distraction. Or helps me to step back and look at the bigger picture instead of staying completely caught up in the moment to moment grind (which is how things have been feeling) And now…well, it also serves as novel-writing procrastination.
This kind of play still keeps my almost 4 year old occupied for ages. Get better soon!
Thanks for the healthful wishes, Jade. I love to think of LP doing this kind of play for a long time to come too, so good to hear about an older kiddo still engaged with it.
What awesome fun and a great way to use your out of date spices, we have a pantry full of them 🙂
Thanks for linking up to We Play.
Thanks Christie and thanks for We Play…much fun to be a part of!
I love this post – it sounds like the way we play at our place. Provide some materials or tools, perhaps a tiny bit of inspiration, step back and let the magic happen!