I have been reading pinning a bunch of articles on pinterest about activities for little ones and have been feeling particularly motivated to do these activities with my Miss K since she’s going to be starting school soon.  I worry that she’s bored at home and her development is stalling because I’m often busy with housework or caring for her little sister.  One of the activities that kept catching my eye was doing a cornstarch and water sensorial activity.  They did this at Miss K’s former montessori and it looked like fun.  Today was going to be the day that we did it (I’m so cool).

I read this blog and it looked like the kids loved it!  I’m so cool.  I’m going to do this for my kids.  So I gathered up the requisite materials.  I had a sheet (because I’m so smart) that the girls could sit on.  I poured water into a pitcher and grabbed the cornstarch and a baking pan to mix it in.  This was going to be great!  Miss K was interested in doing a “project” and actually looked up from the iPad when I told her what we’d be doing.

First I let them feel around in the cornstarch.  It’s an interesting texture so I thought they’d like it.  They did.  Cornstarch got on the baby’s face and hair.  I’m not thrilled but I’m ok (I’m cool, remember?)

Then I poured the water in and started to mix it.  Miss K is all up in there, like I hoped she’d be and Super S (who’s 6 months old) is shrieking for some unknown reason but also wants to be all up in there.  This is going to be great!

Miss K says “I need to wash my hands.”  Uhhh…you’re supposed to want to get dirty.  You’re a kid, remember?  I tell her to wait a bit.  Meanwhile the baby is all over the pan and I’m a little concerned she’s going to fall face first into the cornstarch.  She’s still crying and shrieking but still feeling the pan’s contents.  Miss K does what she always does when she needs to wash her hands.  She claps, splatters, and then shakes her hands furiously.  Now the cornstarch is everywhere.

And the baby looks at me like “WTF, mommy?”

Why is everyone freaking out?  Baby is crying.  I go to get a towel to wipe them down a bit.  Miss K decides she’s going to go wash her hands.  Did I mention she’s dripping and shaking her hands all the way to the bathroom?  I stop her and put her back on the sheet.  Baby’s still crying loudly.  Isn’t this supposed to be fun?  I tell Miss K to “WAIT.  STAY PUT.  STAND ON THE SHEET.”  I take the baby in my lap and wipe her down a bit.  I take off my pants because they’re just getting the baby messy all over again.  I look over and Miss K. is drizzling the white goo all over the sheet and its surrounding areas (which, clearly defeats the purpose of the sheet).  And when I make eye contact, she does what she always does when she needs to wash her hands.  She claps, splatters, and then shakes her hands furiously.  She’s been repeating her mantra “I need to wash my hands.” What I don’t understand is that she doesn’t seem to be enjoying it, says she doesn’t like it but then won’t stop putting her hands in it to make more of a mess.

I scoop her up and put her in the bathtub for a water sensorial (if I weren’t so cool, I’d call it a bath but we’ve clearly established that I’m cool).  Without turning on the water, I run back out to the living room, grab her crying sister and rush back to the bathroom.  Again, I have to ask: Why is everyone freaking out? She’s reaching for the faucet fully clothed.  So I help her take off her clothes with one hand (since the other is holding the baby).  The water sensorial is much more successful than the cornstarch  AND water sensorial.

All’s well that end’s well, though, because within 20 minutes of the first picture I took, Miss K was beautiful, back in her element with a book and I had this (oh emmmmm geeeeee.  I love her):

and this (oh emmmmm geeeeee.  I love her too:

but unfortunately I also had this:

I’m so. not. cool.

I’m glad we did it though.  I wish they had enjoyed it more but it’s another adventure we can log in our memory banks.   Stay tuned for the next hare brained adventure from crunchycake!  Oh, and I blame pinterest.  Effing pinterest.  I’m going to do a series of blogposts called “Effing Pinterest.”  It’s ruining my life and the lives of millions, I tell ya.