Fishy Fun

I woke up this morning with no plan. No schedule. No idea how I would keep a toddler happy and busy for hours on end. As I walked to the refridgerator to get the milk for our cereal, I spotted a community calendar and was reminded of our public library's preschool story time. So, after breakfast we got dressed and headed out.

Courtney sat down with the other children in the preschool room and listened intently as the librarian read story after story about fish. They sang songs and danced fishy dances, then headed out to a cluster of tables to work on a fishy craft. Courtney had a blast sticking sequins to a paper fish, and after a quick trip to the sink to wash the glitter glue from her hands, we headed home. I felt a little sad at the idea of ending such a fun time. What would we do for the rest of our afternoon?

I had a plan. We headed home and had a fishy lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches (cut out like fish, thanks to a large cookie cutter), goldfish, and a movie- Finding Nemo. Courtney had so much fun cutting out the bread shapes and watching the movie. The fishy theme carried on and worked great! It kept her busy... at least until she decided she was finished playing fish and was ready to play Cinderella!

I am a firm believer in the statement, "Fun is what you make of it." I strive to find ways to make everyday life a little more fun for Courtney and me. I want her to learn that fun is all in our attitudes. It's the little things we do that make life more interesting. For instance, when we have pancakes, I mix up the batter and then pour tiny toddler-size portions into measuring cups. With just a few drops of food coloring, we make "rainbow pancakes".  Courtney LOVES them! It's the same with the fishy themed lunch & movie. It took very little effort to put together something special for my kiddo.

My blog title, "Mama is a verb" is very important to me. It reminds me every time I log on that motherhood is more than just feeding and clothing a child. It's an action word. It's about doing, not just being. Now,  I understand that many of you have more than one child. You may be thinking, "Oh, great- you say that now: DO a little more, but what about all that I already do? You only have one child. It's easy when you just have one!" I'm sure you're right. I won't know for a few more months what it's like to make rainbow pancakes for two kids, one of which may not like pancakes at all.

The fact still remains, no matter how many children you have, fun is what you make of it. One child or five. It's the little things we do each day that make a difference in their attitudes, their lives and their perception of the world around them. If you are scraping for ideas to keep your toddler busy, I recommend "The Toddler's Busy Book" by Trish Kuffner. It's full of games, crafts, songs and recipes that are perfect for little ones. Adapt the ideas to your child(ren). Make life more fun for your family. It doesn't have to be expensive or take months of planning. Try starting small. Take a nature walk. Sing a silly song. Get out the cookie cutters and go to town on your favorite recipe.

We reap what we sow in our childrens' lives. Every day I have to stop and ask myself what I'm sowing. What am I teaching her? It's so tempting to sit my child down in front of Dora for the afternoon, but it seems that on days like today- when I put in a little extra effort- she tends to play more, imagine more and smile more. Her creativity blossoms and she has a better day. Hopefully, by the little things I do I'm teaching her that she has the ability to keep boredom at bay and that ultimately "Fun is what you make of it."