The Bean Counter

This week my Puddin’ became an official bean counter. When it comes to kids, sometimes the simplest of toys or activities are best. A while back when I was visiting the preschool he’ll be attending in the fall, I had a chance to see kids doing these types of activities first hand. While observing the classroom I noticed the children playing in what looked like two over-sized laundry room sinks. One was filled with fake snow with toys hidden under the snow and the other was filled with rice and different types of scoops, ladles, and small bowls.

During one of my recent daily Skype chats with Lisa (we talk a lot), I asked her for advice on some fun new things that I could do with Puddin’ inside the house since its so hot out. (The weather here in Raleigh has been so hot and humid this summer and the mosquitoes are relentless. Puddin’ and I both are like a walking mosquito buffet. Every time we venture out in the yard we both end up with several new mosquito bites on the face or legs. This keeps us indoors quite a bit.) She told me how she used to scoop beans with Peanut, how much he liked it and how that activity helped his development.

So, on my most recent grocery store trip I took Lisa’s advice and I looked for bags of dried beans and a metal mixing bowl. The beans were on sale so I got three bags of large lima beans and two bags of pinto beans. When we got home I poured all the beans into a plastic container, laid out all the utensils and watched Puddin’s eyes light up. At first, he wasn’t sure what to do but knew whatever the activity was that mommy was about to show him was going to be loud, messy and fun. He grabbed handfuls at first, of course spilling as he moved the beans from the big container into one of the smaller ones. Then, I showed him how to scoop and pour.

At that moment, the world opened up just a little bit more for my Puddin’. Scooping the beans with Puddin not only taught him something new but also taught mommy that he is ready to take on more complex toddler activities. The terrific twos has been a much harder transition for mommy. He still needs my help for so many things that it’s hard not to treat him like that little tiny helpless infant I brought home not so long ago. Scooping the beans has opened up the door to many other activities that Puddin’ and I can discover together.

Look out water color paints and Playdoh you’re next!