Playdate {Music Mayhem}

I'm going to start with a warning: this Playdate is not for the weak of mind or spirit. The kids have been gone for 4 days, and I'm still finding beans in every orifice of this house.  I just stepped on a jingle bell and let out the cry that only the mother-who-has-stepped-on-a-Lego will understand. 

But, part of being a toddler mom means you have to throw all logic out the window, and gleefully embrace their tiny creative minds. 

I may be projecting my restlessness onto my daughter, but this polar vortex has left me with a major case of the winter blahs. Chuck and I have gotten pretty lazy lately. At least one of us has watched a couple too many episodes of "Daniel Tigers Neighborhood". I knew we needed to shake things up this weekend {pun intended}! I needed a plan. 

I collected all kinds of recyclable containers during the week: tin cans, yogurt tubs, fruit packages,

paper rolls, sushi boxes. By Wednesday, I knew we had enough stuff to make "something".  

On Thursday I texted some of our friends, "Do you want to come over on Saturday around 4:00, we're making musical instruments". I must not be the only one out there who has been sucked into the polar vortex, because I received 2 insta-yes's. There was no turning back now. 

On Friday, I walked the dry goods aisle at the grocery store trying to pick beans and rice with a nice tambour. We got black eyed peas, kidney beans, split peas, and Carolina long grain rice.  Some jingle bells and pipe cleaners from the craft store, and I was pretty sure we had the makings of a percussion section.  

On Saturday, during nap, I got everything set up. I rolled a big sheet of paper on the floor, dumped a pile of recyclables, and placed some bowls of beans and rice on top. Once everyone arrived, we set the kids loose. 

This year, I have found myself in a bit of a scramble looking for fun indoor activities.  One of the things I love about outdoor play, is allowing Chuck to simply play and explore.  Although, this playdate took place in my living room, I tried to incorporate a bit of that freedom. With a little guidance, they all got the hang of it. Lucas dumped bowls of rice and beans. Chuck filled and refilled containers. Everyone enjoyed making their own shakers!  Listening to the different noises that all the materials made.  The grown-ups kept tinkering and sharing our musical experiments with our kids.  Watching Chuck discover what noise a jingle bell makes in a tin can made my heart go all mushy. 

After about forty minutes, the kids moved onto something else. The grown-ups were straightening out, when Karen looked at me and said "look, they're doing what we hoped they'd do!" And there they were, bopping around with their instruments and rainbow tambourines singing "ring around the rosy".  It may still be 8• out there and snowing, but for a brief period of time, my home was warm and filled with music.

I knew my friend was bringing her older daughter, so I made a little project especially for her: a Rainbow Tambourine!  Check out how I made it on Instagram @luckct !