The other day, the kids got their hands on my bag of stuffing. Strictly forbidden, at least without permission. They grabbed a handful, and before they could get into trouble they launched into this much-too-entertaining-to-interrupt game of using the stuffing to wash one another’s hair. Very silently, of course, because that’s how most toddler mischief is made.
Look at that look of concentration of Lily’s face! Johnny doesn’t seem to mind, either! Maybe they decided to celebrate the fact that they are finally all pros at getting their hair washed without bursting into tears! That’s a development I’m celebrating!!!
While attempts were made at washing all three children’s hair, Johnny’s  brown waves proved particularly irresistible to his sisters. Both Emma and Lily were very enthusiastic stylists, and Johnny was one a pretty happy customer!
Johnny was remarkably tolerant of Emma and Lily’s attentions – and I must admit that the end result is most charming, even if it’s mostly that smile and those eyes!
Does that smile remind anyone else of a toothpaste ad?
If you are wondering, well, yes, that little handful of cluster stuff did get all over the carpet. In little teeny tiny pieces! It’s incredible how much of a mess a single handful of stuffing can make! They probably played for half an hour, and spent another half hour cleaning up. But all three kids were pretty good about cleaning it up. Sometimes the mess is worth the smiles! Even if it takes about as long to clean it up as it took to enjoy making the mess!
When’s the last time your kids had so much fun that it was well worth the mess? Do you have a favorite non-messy children’s activity?
And, don’t you wish stuffing could make you this happy?! =)
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
LOVE the last pic of Johnny — priceless!! We’re not afraid of messy activities at our house — those are often the most FUN/memorable ones. :-)
Ingrid loves to play with stuffing, she uses it as snow for her guys. Suddenly her farm animals are skiing and making snow forts! Clean up sucks but doesn’t all clean up?? I think it’s messier when she does finger paints because she thinks it’s fun to get paint all over and then run over to look in the mirror. Which means she touches everything in the house with painty hands!!
I love messes like this! You kids make me smile…You have such a happy home! =)
Kids are so brilliant! Of course stuffing looks like shampoo suds, but I never would have thought of that. :-)
Looks like the mess was well worth it to them! How creative to pretend the stuffing was shampoo suds!
This is a fun post! I guess the last super messy but fun activity was making oobleck. And I always think that working together in the kitchen is well worth an extra mess generated by an eager helper. My favorite non-mess activity is Lego. Well, it can get messy, but clean up is not as bad if the building is contained in one room.
Lego play is a great one! As is cooking. And I’m sure Anna enjoyed making oobleck =)
That stuffing really does look like shampoo bubbles! :)
Hee hee hee hee, it does sometimes. There’s just something about stuffing a doll and seeing it come together.