Keeping a Stash of Potentially Useful things

The other day I bought some 2nd hand, wide, rainbow elastic.  I don't have a project for it yet, but the children have already played quite a few games with it.   I'll put it into our storeroom soon, and one day we'll need it  I'm sure.

Years ago someone gave me a roll of thick clear plastic.  I didn't know what I would use it for immediately,  but some time later I had a Great Idea.   My Great Idea was very successful and everyone enjoyed it for a while.

Last week I was tidying our library (two of the adjustable shelves had fallen over from the weight of the books, so it was time for a tidy up and a clean out) and I found an very old school atlas that I'd bought very cheaply from a sale somewhere, for some reason.   (I know it was very old because I used the same edition when I was in school).

So, with the old atlas in my hand, and the roll of thick clear plastic I embarked on The New Great Idea.


The ingredients you will need for The New Great Idea are:

-   one clean table

-   one old atlas, or any interesting book, posters, maps etc   The first time I did this idea I use an old Bible.

-  a roll of thick clear plastic, or a thick clear plastic tablecloth

And there you are.  Easy as that.  Our 6 year old was helping me with the sticky tape and the scissors.  As soon as I had finished he said "Now, where do we live on this map?"

I was so pleased!  I hadn't been talking to him about it as I was doing it - he knew they were maps, he knew which ones were New Zealand, and he wanted to know where we lived!  

This afternoon as was tidying in the kitchen, the children started a game of calling out places in the world and seeing if the other could find them.

Our 10 year old ran to get the magnifying glass, and world map off the lounge wall, and said "I LOVE geography".  

I hadn't said a word!  I just set it up, and off they went.  Yay for natural education!!

And yay for keeping a stash of potentially useful things!!!