Giving New Meaning to Parenting

I belong to a category of women that I call “The Anti-Crafters.” I’ve tried so many of them – sewing, knitting, counted-cross-stitch – you name the craft and I can tell you a disaster story for it.

When I had my daughter I knew I wasn’t going to be the mom who kept the glue and glitter at the ready for a great big afternoon of cutting and pasting. So imagine my surprise when I found myself clutching a receipt from The Huge Craft Emporium for $100.

Yes, I spent $100 on foam stickers, card stock and feathers. Inspired by my daughter’s desire to “make sumpthin’” at all hours of the day and night, I stocked the house with the supplies needed to keep my refrigerator decorated from now until eternity.

One afternoon during The Poo’s nap, I was picking up the craft-a-palooza and an idea came to me. I’d “make sumpthin’,” too. My 22-month-old has tremendous verbal skills, and watching her brain grow and sizzle with words got me thinking about how I could help her embrace the magic of numbers, as well. I hate math and I want her to be the exact opposite of me in that way.

I made an Ice Cream Number Match game. It is as easy as pie a la mode. I promise.

Take some heavy card stock or construction paper. Make five cones and five matching scoops. Label each cone with a number form one to five. Label the scoops to match. On the back of each scoop, place a corresponding number of symbols. I used stickers (remember the Huge Craft Emporium Shopping Spree), but you could use shapes or dots, too. I suggest laminating the finished cones for durability.

Viola! Instant number matching game.

If you really want to get crazy, take an empty diaper-wipe dispenser and use decoupage glue to cover it with images of ice cream cut from magazines, or use cleaned-up wrappers from a store-bought ice cream treat. Store the game inside.

I know, I can’t believe I did it either.

[tags]craft, anti-crafters, teaching math skills, number matching game, toddler game, parenting[/tags]

Amy is a freelance writer and mother to a spirited toddler, The Poo. She is learning to love the Midwest and to survive being the wife of a doctoral candidate at UIUC in Champaign-Urbana, Il. She blogs with dreadful regularity at Chicken And Cheese.