Choose Your Own Adventure

Last week, when the AC died in our van - and then the alternator died while in the mechanics possession (probably from them putting in a bad compressor and then trying to run the darn thing), the littles and I were stuck at home.
I thought it would be fun to let each of them have about an hour to boss the rest of us around and choose whatever activity they wanted to do with everybody else.

Their eyes lit up, "You mean WE get to choose whatever we want to play and EVERYBODY (minus Daddy who was asleep) has to play it too?"

Don't misunderstand, they choose what they want to play every day, I'm not a crazy person. But this was a chance to be totally in charge and have everybody participate.

Sable went first. She would choose a tray of toys in Rome's room, we'd all play for maybe 5 minutes then she'd start to gather up everybody's toys put them away and pick out another tray.





Then she led us to her and Capri's room and did the same thing, including "make Capri sing while we all take pictures of her".



Rome was up next. He went straight for his fire truck and instructed us all to be firemen & policemen. We were to go around the room, "putting out fires". I took the job of setting up characters to save, while Capri made sure the perimeter was always secure with cops. This game was ENDLESSLY fun for Rome, and we had to finally suggest that maybe all the fire's were out and we should play something else.
Blocks were next and we were told to build houses. So we did.





Except for Sable who opted to make trouble and eat the microphone.



Capri knew what she wanted to do the MOMENT I first explained the activity.

HOUSE, she declared.

And so we played house, and I didn't even have to be Mom. I got to be a sister.

Polly Pockets were next, but by then Sable needed a nap and Rome wanted to play "his computer games" so we opted to let Sable sleep and Rome leave so that Capri and I could play Polly's alone. It was for the best, Sable is the queen of destruction.
I neglected to take a single pic of Capri's Choose Your Own Adventure. But here's the cutie pants herself.



While I have to admit that playing with toys is not my all time favorite activity, this was a GREAT thing to do with the littles. I'd read about a family that gave each child an entire DAY to be in charge. We'll work up to that. For now, they're content to get to run the show if only for an hour.