If there’s one thing i’m thanking the good-weather Gods for, it’s the ability to chuck the children outside in the afternoon when everyone’s nearly had enough. F & S were being fairly ‘full-on’ yesterday come 3.30pm, and there’s only so much “Mummy, come on, pretend we’re in a supermarket, MUMMEEEEEEEEE!!!!!” I can take. Freddie might have been heading to Asda; I was heading to an asylum.
Enter: Outdoor Water Painting. 2 paint brushes, a bowl of warm, soapy water et voila- never ending ‘paint’ that dries quickly and requires your child to paint over “the bit you’ve missed, darling”, again and again, especially if the sun is shining, and drying your ‘paint’ particularly quickly.
Indeed, I was curious to see how long this would hold their attention, as I had a shit load of ironing to do (joy!) whilst watching them through the open patio doors. I discovered this last summer, and it has been a big favourite ever since. This was the first time since last year that they’d been able to do it, so I was hoping the novelty would give me a breather to crack on.
Child Number 2 lasted a whole 24 minutes (yes, I was timing). Child Number 1, ‘painted’ for an almost absurd 40 minutes, before realising that his sister wasn’t coming back to help him finish the job, and all the cajoling in the world wouldn’t stop the pre-tea tiredness meltdown.
We can’t push our luck, eh?! Overall, big thumbs up.
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