Fun and games

A wee while ago I had some cyber dialogue with driftwood and talk veered a little to the games the Smalls play here at BeanTowers. It made me think. These are the sort of games I remember playing with my sister when we were little and I really like the way that these sorts of things kind of go down in family history.

One game I remember playing with my sis I will not be explaining to the Beansprouts. It involved turning out the bathroom lights while we were having a bath and chucking wet flannels at each other. Inevitably the whole bathroom got drenched. But I don't ever remember being told off for doing this game. Either OldBean was blissfully unaware (g and t time?) or she didn't care. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of the Beansprouts games with you, giving them ratings out of five for danger, irritation to adult (ie me), hilarity, mess and duration. I tried finding suitable photos but mostly failed and of course since I started thinking about this post they have not played any of the games. Or the camera has been awol or out of juice. So apologies for a rather wordy read.

1. Dizzy Dogs
Spinning on the spot until you fall over.
Danger **** (particularly if the dishwasher door is open)
Irritation *** (when they are in the kitchen)
Hilarity ***
Mess * (unless a headcrackedopenonthedishwasher incident has occurred)
Duration*

2. Under The Covers
This is an early morning game which happens in Smaller's room as she is Not Allowed into Small's room. The BeanSprouts get into bed with every single soft toy they can find and anytime they hear anyone coming they shout 'Somebody's coming' and dive under the covers screaning and having a fit of the giggles. This game usually ends up with both Beans being naked. I don't ask.
Danger *** (often a head can be kicked in by a flailing foot)
Irritation * (unless I am woken up by crying before 7am)
Hilarity *****
Mess **** (clearing the toys away is a real pain at bedtime if you have forgotten this game has been played)
Duration*****

3. The Dog Game
Spread all the cushions on the sitting room floor. Tie a dressing gown belt around your brother's neck. Make him sit, bark, fetch an old baby rattle which doubles up as a bone and generally boss him about.
Danger ** (she's not so good at tying knots)
Irritation *
Hilarity ***
Mess **** (the cushions everywhere annoy me intensely)
Duration***

4. The Horsey Game
This is mostly played when they are bored of the Dog Game. Smaller suggests that she has a ride on Small as he is crawling round being a dog.
Danger **** (Small gets annoyed that he can't be the rider and stands up)
Irritation ** (unless there is an injury)
Hilarity ***
Mess *
Duration*

5. Deadly 60 in the garden
When I feel that the Sprouts Need Some Air, they get thrown out into the garden, often with much protest. However, this is usually one of the longest duration games they play together. The washing line is used to 'abseil' down the mulberry tree. The odd little playhouse is painted with water. Smaller talks the the green man at the end of the garden. Battles are fought with bows and swords.
Danger ***** I do keep an eye on them when the washing line is involved
Irritation
Hilarity ****
Mess
Duration*****

6. Hairdressers
This is a bath game. Nail brushes, toothbrushes (?) and flannels are used to do new do's on each other.
Danger * (unless you count scatches made by the nailbrush)
Irritation *
Hilarity *****
Mess *** (the water tends to leave the bath...)
Duration***

7. Dens Get all the pillows, blankets, duvets, cushions and rugs you can find and pile them up in a corner with all the softies available and hide. When your ma helps with some sheetage, all for the better.
Danger *
Irritation *** (this game mostly ends with the Sprouts falling out about how the game is played)
Hilarity ***
Mess ***** (have you ever known a 3 or 6 year old tidy up bedding????)
Duration*****

8. The Hammock Game
As with Under The Covers except played in the hammock in the garden.
Danger****(Smaller has a tendency to fall out)
Irritation*(unless softies are strewn about the garden and then it starts raining) Hilarity****
Mess**
Duration*****

9. Jelly Jelly Warp Warp
A very new game involving sitting on a parent when they have just woken up and chanting 'Jelly jelly warp warp' until the parent (me) loses it and chucks them out of the bedroom.
Danger* to***** depending on my mood...
Irritation as above Hilarity depends who is asking...
Mess*
Duration*



10.The Chasing Game
Running round in small circles trying to tag each other. This is ALWAYS played in the kitchen as I am trying to cook something or strain boiling pans.
Danger****(hot water and small bodies do not mix well)
Irritation***
Hilarity****
Mess*(we haven't had a trip to A&E yet)
Duration*

So there we are. The BeanSprouts TopTen of games involving only each others company and the odd prop. I am very lucky that the Smalls play very well together. Lots of the time though, there is bickering and they play on their own. When they do get together and do these sorts of games I just love it and actually writing them down will remind me in the future just how well they do get along. It also makes me realise that I need to take more video of them as they grow So Fast. Better go, Smaller's getting out the boxing gloves...