Fun with Rice

Moving on from yesterday's whiny post ...

I discovered this fantastic blog called in the trenches of motherhood where a mother of seven (!!!) children shares her Great Mother Wisdom. I really like her dry wit and off-handed style. She acts like it is no big deal to be raising and homeschooling seven kids which, shit, makes me quake in my flip flops.

While I was poring over Chris' archives, I found this post on the joys of rice. So simple, yet such fun for a kid. Rice! To throw and scoop and throw and sit in!

Inspired, I gave Ella a box of rice, a big plastic bowl, and a cup. She played with it for over 45 minutes which, for those of you who have toddler-babies know, is a VERY LONG TIME. I played alongside her for a little bit, scooping the rice up in my hands and letting it sift through my fingers back into the bowl. I thought about those little tabletop Zen gardens where you tend to the sand with a little tiny rake. Then I took a gazillion pictures of Ella playing in the rice. (Good mom! Document all the precious moments!) Then I came to my senses and realized that she was occupied on her own and did not need my intervention, so I slipped away to the computer and got some work done.

The rice was easy to sweep up with a broom, it didn't stain any clothes, it wasn't sticky, and Ella couldn't hurt herself or the dogs with it. It entertained her for much longer than all those Leap Frog games with the flashing lights and annoying music. Rice just may be the best toy ever.