playidea box

Keeping a clean house.

My grandson loves to help with cleaning house especially using the vacuum cleaner.

Our vacuum cleaner seems to have a particular appeal. It’s a bright Ferrari red color, with a long black hose. It’s quite old now and very noisy – boys love noise.

Our machine has, with my grandsons help, developed quite a personality of its own. He’s very busy, complains about the rubbish that’s been left on the floor and often bumps into people and things. He’s called “Uva”.

Sometimes he refuses to clean up a particular piece of cotton or fluff. He says it’s because of the person who dropped it and not because he can’t do it.  We have to help with these bits.

Besides cleaning up Uva can be quite mischievous. If you’re not careful he will chase you across the room – just for fun. If there’s a ball around a game of “Uva ball” can quickly develop.

We’ve added some additional features to Uva including two large paper  eyes which have been stuck on his face.  A number three and a drawing of a house have been drawn on the box in which he lives.

Like all boys, my grandson was very quick in learning Uva’s controls. The large on/off switch was mastered at once. Cleaning in our house now demands a little more patience as the machine must be turned on and off rather a lot.

Safety Warning

Toys should meet the safety regulations

 for this age

Check particularly :

• Toys are sturdy, unbreakable, and unlikely to break into small pieces. They need to be strong enough for you child to stand on or in.
• Made from non-toxic materials.
• Have no sharp points or edges
• Are too large to be lodged in a toddlers windpipe, ears, or nostrils.
• Have no detachable small parts.
• Do not have parts that could pinch or entrap fingers, toes, hair etc
• Are not put together with easily exposed straight pins, sharp wires or nails.
• Beware of electrical parts and supervise play with these toys.

Can you name the Lost Boys?

One of my all time favorite stories is Peter Pan, by J M Barrie. I grew up with this book and it always seemed to be around our house when I was a boy.

Many times, I have been accused of following  Peter’s example and of never having really grown up.

Peter Pan ran away when he was born because he didn’t want to grow up. He now lives in  Neverland – where time stands still –  and is the leader of the Lost Boys. He can be gentle and kind, but is often mischievous.

The Lost Boys are:

• Tootles : who fell out of his pram when a baby. He is “not the least brave but the most unfortunate”.
• Nibs: who is smart and debonair.
• Slightly: The “brightest of the boys” because he can remember the days before they were lost.
• Curley:  Often in trouble with Peter –  “Guilty or Not”
• Twins 1 & 2: Each twin “cannot be described“ – because in doing so we would probably be describing his brother.

I loved the film “Finding Neverland” starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. I thought the scene where Barrie deliberately seeds his audience with young orphans was delightful. We grown ups need young children to show us the wonder in this world.

Extra, extra .. read all about it !

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