A small practical story from today

The children (1 and 2-year-olds) were to make potato prints on canvas. After several of the kids have done it, I try to bring in a 2 year old who preferably just wants to play with cars.

He refuses and will not let go of the car.
"Do you want to paint with the car then" I finally ask.
He looks at me a little puzzled, but nods and joins me over to the table. It won't be potato printing, but car track art. One of the other children sees it and then he also wants to paint with a car. He eagerly paints on the road, and there are traces criss-crossing. While he paints, a third child stands and observes him. This is a child who doesn't usually want to participate in these kinds of activities because he doesn't like getting paint on himself. Now he wants to paint anyway, by car! And eventually he wants to paint with a lion and a leopard! The animals make tracks in the picture. This turned out to be a nice painting session, even if it turned out a little differently than planned. Sometimes you just have to do things in a different way.