Boredom To Delight: The Troll Village

I’ve made all the cookies, shakes, smoothies, and pizza; and the kiddos are bored, and kind of negative. It is Day 7 of the Corona Quarantine. I am running out of ideas.

My dreams at night are filled with wacky things to do with my children~~who are taking over the house by day… Things like making 1,000 paper airplanes and throwing them at the neighbors and the cars that pass by. I am getting negative in my dreams, and I don’t like it!

Last night I dreamed that a truck backed up to the cottage and dumped 65 loads of filthy, smelly laundry in the Kitchen. Seconds later in my dream, the church youth group showed up (15 of them~~and the Minister). They were starving and asking for grilled cheese sandwiches. Anyone else have these nightmares?

I am putting on my thinking cap for positive solutions around here. I dug around in my Dollar Tree stash, and found these cute little Troll Gnome men. I started thinking about going out in the yard and making some pocket gardens with the kids. I gathered up all the random bird houses (I use them to decorate), tiny doll like furniture (we don’t have much since I am the only female in the cottage), and some delicate tiny house plants.

And this was the result…

A Troll Village, complete with a real Campfire (the kids’ favorite thing of all).

We found some sea shells and crushed them up (a thrill to do for the boys, who have a love of crushing and smashing things). We designed a little pathway to the Red and Blue Birdhouse, which has now been transformed into a Troll house.

We planted some Rose Moss and a few scattered Petunias around the “troll yard.”

The children made some stone tables and benches, and erected an

American Flag at the picnic area.

A tiny china set given to me by my friend Sue was laid out on the stone

table for Tea.

A scavenged tiny cast Iron pot and skillet were placed on the fire, and the

next hour was spent in search of items to brew in the pot!

Soup is on at the Troll Village.

It was a joyous afternoon, seeing the young ones create and think critically, devising a yard design and then creating pathways in the garden for the fairies and Trolls. Later, recipes for Troll’s favorite soup were tested.

Moms, have no fear! There are TONS of things we can do right now to enrich our lives, bond as a family, and fight boredom. This little creative activity has inspired my kids to many more adventures. My writer son is forming the outline of a short story about the Trolls and their little village. Many new and fun ideas were discussed as the children explained their day to their father at the dinner table. Plans are being drawn up for a tiny Troll Tree house, a Troll pool, and a Troll restaurant as I write this.

They say that “Necessity is the Mother of Invention,” and it is really true! I’d love to hear some ideas of things that you have done with your children during the slow times lately in the comments below.