Last week as I put away the red sled made of cardboard we played with during Read. Explore.Learn JDaniel headed upstairs to grab Teddy and my husband’s turtle slippers (which now live in JDaniel’s room). He had another idea of what to do with the bubble wrap ski slope on the living room floor.
The slope wasn’t a slop anymore I was informed. JDaniel declared that it was now an area for Teddy to skate on. The turtle slippers were to be Teddy’s skates.
While Teddy seemed willing to try skating, his feet didn’t seem to agree. It was very hard to keep Teddy’s feet in the slippers. They just kept slipping out.
Teddy’s feet don’t have a large enough surface area to stay in the slippers. I tried to explain that to JDaniel but, the whole concept of the surface area went right over his head.
I suggested that JDaniel hold Teddy’s feet in the slippers. The pressure from his arm muscles might keep Teddy’s feet in.
JDaniel was willing to try this in fact he pressed down on Teddy’s legs as hard as he could. The slippers did stay on but, now his feet won’t move to do to the pressure.
It seemed Teddy would never be able to skate. There were just too many things for JDaniel to do to help him move and keep his slippers on.
Instead of getting frustrated, grabbing Teddy up, and flinging slippers, JDaniel did a very wise thing. He decided it was time to get more helpful ideas from me.
We discussed all the variables involved in Teddy skating down the bubble wrap with slippers. It was a very lively discussion. The kind many of you have probably had with your children when everything seems to be going wrong and every idea that comes to mind is a possibility.
Ultimately JDaniel decided it was my job to make it happen and his job to cheer from the edge of the bubble wrap. I really tried to keep pressure on Teddy and move his feet while sliding my feet behind his. This approach really should have worked. It really should have.
For some unknown reason, Teddy kept falling. He gallantly kept trying with me to make JDaniel’s vision come to be but, it just didn’t happen.
After several attempts, it was decided that we should put the bubble wrap away and try to have Teddy skate another day.
This post reminded me of my children when they were young. Their ideas of putting things together some time had my brain running.
I’m glad you’re nurturing his creativity and imagination!
Well, teddy was brave to keep trying! He looks like he got a good workout to boot.
what a wonderful mommy you are! You took a simple moment and turned it into a way to teach and play with your sweet little guy. You inspire me!!
That is soooo creative! I love that!
Love that Teddy wasn’t giving up without a lot of trying. What a fun way to spend some time with your son and his imagination. He is so blessed to have you.
fun picture!!
Great looking slippers!
Have a great Wednesday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2012/02/imagine-a-robot-asking-us-to-prove-that-we-are-not-a-robot/
How cute is that… Glad you two were able to sit and brainstorm. Teddy in the slippers reminded me of when Broxton put his John Cena figure in his sneakers! too funny 🙂
Oh that is just too cute! And I love how involved the discussion got on how to get Teddy to skate. 🙂
Stinky Cats
HA! That’s so cute!! Kids can be soooo creative! I love it!
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings!
Even though it didn’t go as planned it still sounds like you had a great learning activity. Those turtle slippers would be great for acting out Yertle the Turtle by Dr.Seuss. Thanks for sharing.
so CUTE! those are some seriously creative skates. : )
Darn, I so wanted Teddy to skate!
Dana
Another beautiful post of you and Jdaniel. He is such a smart boy.
It was a darn good try on both of your parts though. Darn that teddy.
poor teddy! I’m sure he tried his best…
Teddy is such a trooper! He tried and tried! :))
I hope Teddy has better luck skating another day.
Kids come up with the best ideas. It seems that rubber band or some other way to hold the slippers and Teddy up might have helped here 🙂
What a wonderful mom you are to such an imaginative young man!
On some days being a parent is the hardest job in the world:) You’re doing good, mom!
How cute! Poor teddy. I hope he has better luck another day.
I think I can, I think I can…a teddy will give it a try over and over…they’re cool and lovable like that! Great post!
First off, I love that your hubby has turtle slippers. How funny! Second, kids never play with their toys in quite the way you envisioned–it’s even better.
Come visit us at Layers of Learning.
My father always said we played more with the boxes than what came in them. Children have such wonderful imaginations. I think this is really cool that you encourage your childs imagination.~Ames
Great attempts to making it work…and even greater than that, are the “try and try again”, positive attitudes :o) …and also despite the inability for Teddy to have skating success…there still is another day :o)
Blessings & Aloha!
Happy to be visiting through Ms. Jenny’s Alphabe-thursday :o)
Very creative! And I love that JDaniel had such great persistence! 🙂 Deb @ LivingMontessoriNow.com
You have such great ideas. We might have to try this sometime!
The important thing is that Teddy kept trying!!
Love that boys imagination. He reminds me so much of my kids when they were small. They could play with nothing, or some small thing, for hours and hours!
What wonderful creative gifts he has! And it is so neat to see you nurture them!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful little fella with us!
A+
I LOVE IT~ And I love that those are your husband’s slippers, because I totally have the same ones. I’ll have to drag them out for my toddler to play with soon.
Such a sweet post. You are such a patience and kind mom. I’m sure JDaniel just loved spending time with you problem solving.