Homemade Muffins

Ethan has been taking imitative play to the next level lately and has been wanting to not just play like I have been playing, but wants to actually do what I am doing right beside me. Earlier this week, I was making dinner and Ethan wanted to bake some muffins... some "real muffins.... with lots of and lots and lots of different ingredients." I set him up with a muffin tin and a handful of spices from the spice cabinet (he focused mainly on Cinnamon). He even put them in the oven, checked them, decided that they were not done, put them back in oven, and then finally brought them out and declared them done. He was very proud.

... ended in Ethan's first Electric set.

Months ago, I had come across this electric kit at the local cool kids toy store at the mall. It has big chunky pieces (for little hands) and used snaps to connect everything. I tucked it away in my head and said "when he is ready, this will be his."

After his coming up with the idea for a merry-go-round with a motor, batteries, and a switch on his own, I decided that it was time for the snap electric kit (Snap Circuits). I went to the store when he was at the Red Room, but alas, the store had sold out. Not to worry, Amazon.com had plenty in stock. A few days after I ordered it, it arrived, and one day after nap, Ethan and I opened it up and began playing...

What began with a Merry-Go-Round...

About 2 weekends ago, Jody and Nana took Ethan to a small town traveling fair in Nowrich, VT. It was not publicized online at all, there was just a bunch of rides in the school grounds and a sign out front. Anyway, Ethan had a blast! The two highlights were eating popcorn and riding on a Merry-GO-Round that had "Cool Cars" on it. He rode it twice... once in a FIRE TRUCK.

In the days following the ride on the merry-go-round, Ethan told me that he wanted to build a merry-go-round. He kinda mentioned something about a motor and a switch, but I disregarded it. So, with a little team work, we made the model merry-go-round below.


It turned out that Ethan was quite disappointed with this merry-go-round and wanted one with a motor, batteries, and a switch. I said that I had gotten rid of my box of out electrical parts a while back (which I thought I had). Ethan told me it was in the storage space.... I trudged out there, and LO, and behold, there is was -- chuck full of wires, plugs, switches, and a few left over motors from taking things apart. So, again, with some team work, we put together a new merry-g0-round. (see below)



Needless to say, Ethan loved it and played with it for several days (it is still in the "active play" pile of stuff). He liked to take little things, put them inside the merry-go-round and watch them spin to the edges. Out merry-go-round, goes a lot faster than a standard one that "little guys" ride on.