Most of my friends know that I am a planner and organiser. When it comes to school holidays, I plan lots of activities for the kids and most of them involve an outing of some sort. This could be anything from something specific booked in advance to the simpler activities such as a scooter ride at the beach or a stroll to the park at the corner of our street. The other day a friend asked if I ever stay at home? It made me realise that I really like getting out the house with the kids. This is partly due to my personality and also to some extent a way for me to be more present with my kids. When I am at home there are always endless chores and I am often distracted when playing with the kids, as I am naturally drawn to ticking off my list and getting things done.

This past Thursday, we had a day at home. After a few weeks of fun (but sometimes quite tiring) activities out the house, it was a much needed day of no plans and just the three of us. The kids had recently seen the New Year’s eve fireworks in Melbourne, so I suggested we have a go at this firework painting activity that was recommended to me by my sister in law.

Out came the paints, the mess mat, the materials and the painting T-shirts, we were ready, set, go!

The kids were right into it, painting gorgeous firework designs…for a total of about 2 minutes….and then their “kid artistic intellect” kicked in. The fireworks all amalgamated into abstract artworks signed by these young artists, hands became paint brushes, the paint-filled plates became giant stamps, the mess mat became the colourful background and their bodies became blank canvas’s begging to be painted.

 

As our painting activity evolved, so too did the bursts of laughter, every time a new way of using the materials was discovered. The fireworks were soon forgotten, but this memory of being a kid, where anything and everything is possible, will be remembered for a long time.

And as for me…I am definitely going to spend more days at home with these two.