So, It Stains...

  I know it's been a hot minute since I've posted anything--but it's been an extremely busy time for our little family. Today, though, I had my nephew, Chase, along with Madelyn, and I pulled out an idea I'd been saving....a jello sensory bin. I love bright colors, so I had stood in the grocery isle for some time contemplating the various pros and cons of every color of jello imaginable. And, now, today, my time had come! It was finally the "right time" to break out the jello!!

 I tried putting it in a mold, but even after several hours in the fridge, it wasn't completely ready to serve. So, I popped one of the little jello cups out and tried that. At that point, Chase didn't have a lot of interest in the goings-on, and Madelyn struggled to pick it up. She tends to grab things very tightly, and it mostly squished through her fingers. Personally, I thought she'd like the feel, but it irritated her more than anything else, since she couldn't seem to get a good grip.

 Madelyn couldn't figure out what I was doing with the camera, so she patiently indulged my attempts to capture her interested expressions. (P.S., aren't our boys handsome in the background?? They were really just being vultures, in the hopes that I would look away and give them half a chance to eat the jello.) I finally decided that the jello in the mold didn't HAVE to be completely ready, since the intention wasn't to eat the jello anyway. Honestly, it turned out way better to still be partially liquefied. The thick, squelshy mess drew Chase's attention, and Madelyn loved moving it all around in the bin.

 It helped that there were some big, thick chunks that were pick-up-able--Chase really liked pinching it off in pieces, and Madelyn was into whatever Chase thought was cool!

Whatever he was doing HAD to be at least as much fun--if not more--than what she was doing. I had a little trouble trying to keep her from taking it out of his hands--and a little trouble convincing him that sharing his clumps was a good plan. But, overall, they played in the bin really well together. Especially considering this was Chase's first go 'round with the sensory bin at my house.





Overall, this was  great game and held their attention longer than I might have expected...one little caveat, though. The jello seriously stains the skin. Madelyn's whole bottom, from waist to toes, was stained bright red, even after a bath. After the second attempt to get it off, though, it was light enough to mostly not notice. :)