Rubberband Balls and Other Sparks

I wrote this post about a month ago. I have no idea how I missed posting it. I will now. Note: Since then we have done several of the things on our list (see below) and we've found that making a rubber band ball is much harder than I remembered.

This morning Sloane found a handful of brightly colored, extra large rubber bands in my supply drawer. She was busily trying to wad them up in her hand, and I asked her what she was doing. She said, "I'm trying to make a rubber band ball." How cool!! I hadn't thought of one of those in years. Just years.

Her idea made me wonder... What other childhood projects, pleasures, joys have I forgotten? What new fun can I introduce into my little girl's life? What fun is Sloane dreaming of? What simple adventures can I plan for our family?

Here's a list of ideas that Sloane and I came up with. If it inspires an adventure or two of your own, please share them and let me have a little peek of your fun.

• Spend an afternoon making a book for someone having a birthday (Daddy's is coming up soon.)

• Drag out the craft supplies and make cards. Always include a silly joke and mail them just to say, "I love you."

• "I love to take beautiful pictures. Then I want to put them on paper and write about them and express my ideas about them." (Sloane)

• Play paper dolls. Better - make your own.

• Blow giant bubbles at eachother and practice your double bubble blowing. You have to catch a bubble on the wand and gently blow another one. It takes practice, but eventually, you can learn to blow a double bubble.

• Buy some Silly Putty and save it till Sunday, color comics day. Pick a silly comic, flatten and press your Silly Putty onto it. Bang it a few times with the flat of your hand; the noisier, the better. Now, stretch and distort the resulting image.

• Have a giant bubble-gum blowing contest. Winner is the one with the biggest bubble - that doesn't end up in their hair. Be sure to take pictures.

• Invite a few friends and have a Old-fashioned Board Game Night. Serve peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches, Cheetos, and grape Koolaid. Have gummy bears and HoHos for dessert. Don't forget to play Pick-Up Stix, Old Maid, and Go Fish along with LIFE and Uno.

We are headed off to Wal-Mart in a bit to buy some rubber bands. Those huge ones of mine she found? Well, we're saving those for the very top of the ball.