Cardboard, Tape, and Rags

Use a few simple household items to create a pretend playscape for the kids.

It was grey and cold today, and I pulled out the tape and created some paths (directed by Emma) for an animal habitat of their small plastic animals. We cut up a cracker box (and turned it wrong side out) to make tunnels, and used fabric scraps to “spruce things up”: blue jean pockets to serve as barns, circles cut out of the same pair of jeans for water, a bit cut out of a pair of Mike’s old dockers for a beach, and a piece cut out of a shirt with bleach stains for some grass/forest. The flower print “meadow” is the only new piece of fabric that we used, and it was a scrap from a pair of shorts I made for Emma a couple of years ago. Later on we added a piece of an old white towel to use for snow (Emma’s suggestion). Even Lily wanted to play:

MaryAnne Kochenderfer

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MaryAnne lives in Silicon Valley with her Stanford professor husband Mike and their four children. She writes about parenting through education, creativity, and play. Mama Smiles - Joyful Parenting is a space to share crafts, hands on learning activities, and family outings that enrich lives and bring families together.