Paper Mache

Ok so Monday I thought we would do something really fun.  I looked up how to make paper mache, I knew you could use glue and water for the mixture, but I was hoping for something a little more kid friendly if possible.  I found a very easy recipe, of 2 parts flour to 1 part water.  I thought great here we go its easy today.  Well, we I joking myself, you don't do paper mache with toddlers!  I am still cleaning up spots today and that was 3 days ago.  I was thinking, we would make a cute project for Remembrance Day, where we make paper mache army hats.  I was so wrong, my older to kids (one is just about 4 and the other just about 3)  had a blast doing it, but they used so much glue mixture, it would have taken a month for the hats to dry not 2 days like I had planned.  My oldest boy, yes boy!  Wouldn't have anything to do with the glue, I tried to get him to help me make one, seems how he is only 2, I knew he wouldn't be able to do it himself.  The moment he put his hand in the glue he cried cause he was dirty,  we worked for a few more minutes and it wasn't happening for him.  So I cleaned him up and off he went to play.  My babies also had a blast getting dirty of course we had it in both their hair, the chairs, floor and yes even my hair had some in it.  So in the end most of the kids loved the mess, had a bath afterwards and my house was a disaster!  I didn't even attempt to clean off the table cloth, all I did was roll it up and toss it out.  Good thing it was just a plastic one I was thinking a little!  So if you ever get the great idea to do paper mache, how about you wait till the summer, do it outside, and maybe try it with older kids not babies and toddlers.   It was a project we tried, it failed and now its on my not to do list.