Mae and Ida have been collecting things and putting them into things for a while now. Cut up pieces of paper in a ziplock bag (which end up all over the floor), acorns in a bucket (which end up in the bottom of the stroller), dried up pieces of playdoh in a plastic Easter egg (which end up mixed into brand new playdoh, which ends up in the garbage), and the latest craze: locust pods in an Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs lunchbox, courtesy of Blue Sky Studios. I was determined that these would not end up stuck to the bottom of my feet as I walk barefoot in our apartment – bringing nature into our house has not always worked out well for us as a family.
Mae had a great idea, after noticing they made noise when you shake them. So she shucked them, got the beans out, and made them into a shaker noise maker all by herself during quiet time today. I was so proud, because she came up with this all by herself. But I was also really happy because it occupied her for 45 minutes, which meant I could eat my red cabbage salad in peace, and by ‘peace’ I mean Charlotte grabbing at my leg. But still, it was nice to have only one kid whining at me for a moment.
Below are pics.
A bean from the pod.
Many beans from the pods…look at them all!
Shaking her booty, shaking the maraca.