I don't mind the daily mess my boys make. You know, the one around late morning that you promoted because Pinterest had a great idea with paper plates and paints that snowballs into puzzles, little cars and Legos every where. It really doesn't bother me. I have read the post about "excuse my mess but my kids are making memories". I get it. I like it. However, I can't help but clean up the mess in my head before they are even half way done. So, here are a few tips that can help make the clean up process easier and less stressful. Let the messy fun begin!
PAINTING:
Start by putting paint in an egg carton. A color for each egg hole. I like to leave a few empty for mixing colors. Let them paint. When they are done, just leave the brushes and paint in the egg carton and close it up. When it is time to paint again re-open the same carton and add fresh paint. I repeat this until the carton has had it and then I start a new one. This keeps painting simple and requires very little clean up. I sometimes run the brushes under water if I am feeling ambitious but usually I let the paint dry on the brush and when it is time to paint again the fresh paint loosens it up. Recap: Put paint in egg carton. Paint. Close up carton when finished (paint and brushes). Open to reuse and add fresh paint.
PLAY DOUGH:Start but not letting them play with it. I am kidding... but I am pretty sure Satan himself created play dough. My kids love it and it keeps them occupied for hours so I manage through my love/hate relationship with it. The most important rule for kids when playing with play dough is to designate a place for it (mine is a coffee table that I don't mind a never ending cycle of play dough residue on it). I also have a rug underneath the table. This rug has seen 2 potty training phases, silly puddy and 3 boys spilling stuff on it. I will remove the rug when they leave for college. Recap: play dough stays on the disgusting table over the disgusting rug. Also, any play dough that I find off the table goes in the trash. Another tip, make the dough and don't dye it with color. Right now I have a million little embedded pieces of turquoise play dough in that disgusting rug that I mentioned. The homemade dough isn't as sticky and seems to come out of carpet easier.
BUBBLES:
It is soap and water. This should not be stressful but somehow between the youngest sitting in the tub of bubbles and the middle one dumping the solution it has become a chore (and costly). Sometimes, I just don't have it in me to enjoy them making memories. In this case I make bubble solution in a big bowl and set it outside with the boys. As soon as it gets dumped or used up we are done. Period. Throw all the accessories/wands in the bubble solution bowl, put it up and walk away. Recap: Make solution in a big bowl. Only buy/make accessories that fit in said bowl. Use or spill all the solution. Put all accessories back in bowl. Store. Walk away. Repeat.
CRAFTS:
This is similar to the play dough tip. I have a big boy craft table for my oldest. It has scissors, glue, glitter and all things very messy to clean up. He can play/create all he wants as long as he "cleans up" when he is done. The big rule here is: he has to keep it on the table or in the general area. Here is the best part...put it where you can close the door. That way the glitter all over the floor isn't one more thing you need to clean up. If you don't see it... it doesn't exist, right? I also I have a table for the little ones. It is where the "paint in egg carton" comes in to play. Recap: using your breakfast bar, kitchen or dining room table is usually what makes craft time stressful because you have to clean it to eat. Designate a craft zone and deem it a disaster area.
PAINTING:
Start by putting paint in an egg carton. A color for each egg hole. I like to leave a few empty for mixing colors. Let them paint. When they are done, just leave the brushes and paint in the egg carton and close it up. When it is time to paint again re-open the same carton and add fresh paint. I repeat this until the carton has had it and then I start a new one. This keeps painting simple and requires very little clean up. I sometimes run the brushes under water if I am feeling ambitious but usually I let the paint dry on the brush and when it is time to paint again the fresh paint loosens it up. Recap: Put paint in egg carton. Paint. Close up carton when finished (paint and brushes). Open to reuse and add fresh paint.
(we have used this carton 3 times)
PLAY DOUGH:Start but not letting them play with it. I am kidding... but I am pretty sure Satan himself created play dough. My kids love it and it keeps them occupied for hours so I manage through my love/hate relationship with it. The most important rule for kids when playing with play dough is to designate a place for it (mine is a coffee table that I don't mind a never ending cycle of play dough residue on it). I also have a rug underneath the table. This rug has seen 2 potty training phases, silly puddy and 3 boys spilling stuff on it. I will remove the rug when they leave for college. Recap: play dough stays on the disgusting table over the disgusting rug. Also, any play dough that I find off the table goes in the trash. Another tip, make the dough and don't dye it with color. Right now I have a million little embedded pieces of turquoise play dough in that disgusting rug that I mentioned. The homemade dough isn't as sticky and seems to come out of carpet easier.
play dough recipe:
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 .5 cup boiling water
food colouring (optional)
3 drops of glycerine (optional)
Add it all in a bowl and mix it all up
BUBBLES:
It is soap and water. This should not be stressful but somehow between the youngest sitting in the tub of bubbles and the middle one dumping the solution it has become a chore (and costly). Sometimes, I just don't have it in me to enjoy them making memories. In this case I make bubble solution in a big bowl and set it outside with the boys. As soon as it gets dumped or used up we are done. Period. Throw all the accessories/wands in the bubble solution bowl, put it up and walk away. Recap: Make solution in a big bowl. Only buy/make accessories that fit in said bowl. Use or spill all the solution. Put all accessories back in bowl. Store. Walk away. Repeat.
bubble recipe:
4 cups Water
1 cup Dish Soap
1/4 cup Corn Syrup
(because it is too expensive to keep up with my kid's bubble solution dumping problem)
CRAFTS:
This is similar to the play dough tip. I have a big boy craft table for my oldest. It has scissors, glue, glitter and all things very messy to clean up. He can play/create all he wants as long as he "cleans up" when he is done. The big rule here is: he has to keep it on the table or in the general area. Here is the best part...put it where you can close the door. That way the glitter all over the floor isn't one more thing you need to clean up. If you don't see it... it doesn't exist, right? I also I have a table for the little ones. It is where the "paint in egg carton" comes in to play. Recap: using your breakfast bar, kitchen or dining room table is usually what makes craft time stressful because you have to clean it to eat. Designate a craft zone and deem it a disaster area.
(the CDA, aka Central Disaster Zone)
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