What to do when your tiny explorer has chicken pox?

I arrived home from work to find my little boy covered in spots on his face, arms and legs. He wasn't feeling well. Poor little dude. So, we went to the Doctors who explained he was pretty certain it was chicken pox.

That night he only had 20 minutes sleep. We had even less!

Then he got conjunctivitis. 

Throw in teething!

What fun we had.

The spots are fading quicker than usual (still have my doubts that it is chicken pox, none on his torso!?!) his eyes , although itchy, are not glued shut now.

Even so, I feel anxious to go out and about to all the half term holiday activities we had planned... Just in case!

The sun is shining so we are off for a walk into the local town for food colouring (amongst other things) to make our own paint and have fun creating amazing masterpieces at home.

Paint!

Painting is so much fun when I use my hands and splat it! Mummy stripped me to my nappy and then I used my hands to make a work of art on a canvas. I explored the feeling of paint on my hands by squelching my fists and watching the paint oooooze out between my fingers. I investigated hitting the canvas hard and watching the paint splash up and cover just about everywhere. Some went on my face but it was non-toxic paint and I was very careful!

Messy Play

We decided we wanted some fun and, on a rainy day when staying indoors, what better way than squashing slimy pasta and squeezing squigy cornflour.

During his nap, I boiled spaghetti, drained it and let it cool.

Then I added cornflour, cold water and food colouring together and scooped the mixture into sandwich bags. (I secured these self fastening bags with tape so leakages were reduced!!!) the sandwich bags allow children to explore textures without creating a huge mess when you haven't time for the clean up operation messy play can sometimes create!

Covering the floor with a plastic sheet, I added the cooled pasta to a two part tray and left some out of the tray too. 

I placed the two squishy bags next to the tray.

Stripped to his vest, my little explorer then had lots of fun developing his fine motor skills and experiencing the textures of the pasta.

We also sang songs such as 'There's a Worm at the Bottom of my Garden'

Some pasta may have been eaten whilst Isaac was exploring, but, when you make the play specifically for your little one you can expect that and ensure their messy play is edible as well as fun!

We had lots of giggles exploring textures!

Welcome to the world of my Tiny Explorer

My little boy has turned one. I'm working full time and have been doing so since he was 6 months old (due to circumstances out of my control).

I love my job as a primary school teacher, My problem with working full time? I love my little boy more!

I love putting everything into what I do. My problem is I no longer can!

I love working with children, watching them discover, learn, explore and create. My problem is the paperwork that I bring home!

I love being me, a teacher, a wife and most of all a Mummy BUT I haven't yet got the balance right.

This blog is to explore my feelings as a full time working Mummy balancing the work I bring home and the fun, exciting things we get to do as a family during school holidays, the weekend and after work!

I hope it also helps me to find answers to how others manage it all!