365 TV-Free Activities: Crime Bites

We've been plowing through our year-long commitment  and today, our dining room became a small restaurant.  But first, I whipped up a batch of Play Modeling Clay (advanced, idea #248)

This is 3 cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of salt, 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar, 3 cups of water, and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, all colored and cooked up.  After combining the ingredients, I poured the runny results into a series of small containers, so I could color and cook them up separately.  Once I added the desired amount (I tend to double that) of food coloring, I heated up the pasty mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it started to become IMPOSSIBLE to stir.  Plopped it onto a cutting board and let it cool; it was ready to use after a few minutes of kneading.

I chose red, green, yellow, and brown for my modeling clay colors, because I thought they would be the best for making a luscious banquet such as the one you see before you. 

O, the whimsy! We all made a contribution. Tiny fries with tiny ketchup. Pizza! Chips! Fruit! A platter of chocolate chip cookies. A cob of corn, covered with individually sculpted kernels. And, how will somebody eat that crisp healthy salad in the blue bowl? Why, with the tiny red fork, of course.

Okay, so we got our food all set, now time for restauranting (idea #263). Instead of making a menu, Thomas' restaurant offered cafeteria-style dining, with a fun family atmosphere. You like it? Grab it, and pretend to eat it.  But first, you must pay with cash.  So, hit the ATM if all you brought was plastic. 

(Currency Games idea #146)  Yesterday, Henry made this little ATM with our big abacus and paper. He made a card, and money to go with it, all from cardstock. In the Currency Games activity, kids make money, decorate it symbols, and devise a value system. There is the basic unit; Henry went with the dollar. From there, the other bills were quantities of dollars, and the coins were fractions of a dollar, as it goes with the U. S. currency system. It could be switched around or the unit could be called something else. Something silly, like slap.  "That'll be 50 slaps, please." or "Hey buddy, can you spare half a slap?" 

Anyway, back to the restaurant.

Thomas was the proprietor/waiter and was happy to bring George anything that caught his eye, and refill his drinks, of course.

mmmmmmmm

mmmmm?

I wish this story didn't end with a heinous crime, but while George was enjoying his salty supper, a local thug wrecked the ATM and made off with all of the cash.  Thomas needs to hire some security, if he doesn't want to lose customers.  I nominate the pig.  She's strong, has a mean streak, and will accept anything edible as payment.  Even play dough salad.