With the weather turning a cooler, we've been hunkering down a little bit more. Fall is that in-between season when you pack up the water toys, but it's not quite time to bring out the snow gear. This year, as I was packing up the kiddie pool, I got this gut feeling that Chuck was not quite ready to say goodbye to her beloved summer water playthings, and that got my mind working overtime. Basically, it ended up with this phone call:
Husband: What are you doing tonight?
Wife: I'm going to the gym and to the hardware store.
Husband: What do you need at the hardware store?
Wife: Birdseed.
Husband: We have birdseed leftover from last winter.
Wife: I need more.
Husband: How much more.
Wife: About a kiddie pool's worth
To answer your question, "yes, my husband thought I was insane." I've seen seeing a bunch of sensory tubs on Pinterest and floating around the blogosphere, so I was feeling a little inspired. Karen and I thought long and hard over what to fill the pool with. At first we thought of feed corn, but after many many phone calls, we couldn't seem to locate a small enough batch. I reminisced about swimming through rice, but it was just too wasteful. Then Karen mentioned bird seed, and it just clicked!
So, we did what any normal moms would do, we spent our Friday night at the gym and the hardware store feeling our way through the aisle of birdseed. In case you're wondering, it takes about 40 pounds of birdseed to fill your average 12 gallon swimming pool.
Sunday morning, the sun was shining, the leaves were blowing, the air was crisp, and Chuck and I anxiously waited for Lucas and our buddies to arrive. We dragged all 40lbs of seed down to the back yard, pulled the string on the bag, and dumped it right into the small blue pool. Karen & I had made all kinds of educational guesses as to what would happen next. They ranged from "this will last 10 minutes", to "they are going to have SO MUCH FUN". We were slightly skeptical of where this playdate would land on the "fun-o-meter"
I am pleased to announce that all four kids dove right in! The filled up buckets over and over and over again. Drove trucks through the seeds. Explored the seeds with their hands. We had kids from eighteen months to over three years old happily occupied with a pool full of birdseed for a good 45 minutes. That is about an eternity in mom-years. They were so occupied that the three of us moms looked at each other and wondered "why didn't we arrange for some sort of adult playdate?" Or, at the very least "why didn't I make a pot of coffee for my adult guests"
I can sit here and list the five million reasons why filling a pool with birdseed is great for the kids (it helps with their cognitive development, social skills, physical skills, communication skills, …. I really could keep going), but sometimes its fun to sit back, and watch your kid actively learn and experience something new! Chuck was truly in her element! She loves filling containers, so this activity was perfect. Lucas loves digging with his trucks, and the seeds provided a happy alternate to the dirt and sand that he is familiar with.
Karen & I did make our best educated guess on what to fill the pool with. Here's a helpful check list you may want to take to the hardware store with you when the mood hits! Have fun and happy exploring!
- What does the material feel like?
- What does the material smell like?
- What does the material look like?
- What does the material sound like?
- Would you mind if your kid ate it?
- Does your kid have any tactile preferences? (For example: Chuck HATES sticky things, so filling the pool with whipped cream may have to wait a while)
And, don't worry . . . we are working on about a thousand ways to re-use 40lbs of birdseed!
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