"Sticky Fingers" Debut

When I think back to my early childhood days in the Methow Valley, creativity, freedom, imagination and fun come to mind.  There was no television in our house (not because of a parenting-philosophy but due to a lack of reception)...so the hours had to be filled with a lot of solo-play.

I remember spinning tales and worlds and stories for hours with my mother's Readers Digest magazines. Gathering leaves and sticks and stones to block up the trickling Pete's Creek. Running with Sandy (our cockerspaniel) underneath the canopy of pines, crunching fallen needles, looking up into the boughs for wasp nests.  Entire afternoons between lunch and dinner spent playing outside...often by myself.  Or inside with my pretend kitchen, plastic food, and baby dolls.  

These days fed my soul.  Sparked my imagination.  My childhood was absolutely ideal.

Roaming carefree amidst 30+ acres will never be Nora's experience.  Our trees sprout from concrete boxes. Flowers bloom in planters.  Dogs walk by on leashes or muzzles.  Walks occur on sidewalks.  I will never tell her at the age of five or six that she should go outside and play and come back for lunch.

But how can I inspire her to be independent, secure, and confident...despite needing to hover far closer than my mother did?

There has to be a way to bring some creative exploration into her life.  A few weeks ago, as I sat thinking about how I could infuse more free-spirited play into our lives, I was pointed in the direction of this website. Granted, these women appear to have unlimited financial resources, a bit too high of a threshold for mess, and much to Daniel's chagrin, seemingly no problem using nutritious food sources for play materials (for instance dozens of eggs cracked into a tub merely for the fun of it).

And since purchasing all the materials necessary for some of these projects seemed daunting, I thought why not create a co-op?  A collective of other moms with toddlers who all share a common vision for hostingplaydates and sharing in the cost of materials.

From this initial seed, the ball started rolling...emails and facebook posts were sent, an organizer meeting occurred, and 24 moms are now members of the merry co-op.

Fast forward a few weeks and "Sticky Fingers" is now up and running. Our very first sensory playdate was held on a gorgeous crisp fall afternoon in the park.  Super Mom, Natalie, who also scribes her creative mothering blog here, hosted the first playdate.

 

Nora getting her squish on with mounds of spiced homemade playdough.

 

 

 

Ruby wonders what I'm doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 Caroline presses out blueberry-flavored playdoughin the garlic press.  Amazing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Carrie snuggles her precious Ruby.

 

 Jennifer making footprints with Liam.

 

 

 

 

 

The talented playdough maker, Natalie, and her daughter Olive. 

 

 

Daniel's mother also joined us at the park.  She is a lovely woman of very few words...so not quite sure what she thought of Nora being barefoot in the cool damp grass, stepping in pumpkin-pie scented dough, squeezing out purple hair, and chewing on fallen sticks.  

I can only hope she doesn't think I'm too crazy. (She has no idea just how "hippie" I am at heart. How I went barefoot for entire years of high school...feet pitch black from walking, bells tinkling along the hem of my skirt...well, now she knows.)  

My desire for Nora to get dirty, messy, and sticky is strong.   I adored that aspect of my childhood and I'm excited to pass it on to Lulu Bell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loi's visit allowed us to dive head first into the packing adventure.  We are only a few weeks away from the big move across town...and I'm a bit overwhelmed with all that lies before us.  

But it will all get done and Daniel and I are so fortunate to have his mom and my mom happy to watch Noodle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's Nora making her first hand turkey with my mom. Certainly a keepsake for years to come. Doesn't everyone love a good hand turkey?

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Natalie]

Yay for Sticky Fingers! And yay for getting our kids outdoors, in nature, dirty, sticky, and full of wonder! I agree with you that this is definitely something that I want to instill in Olive. Looking forward to more sticky times! Hope your moving stuff is going well! :)