Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Pretend Play on a Dime -- Movie Day

After Emily and Clara went off to bed last night, Mark and I got to work on this ticket booth made from cardboard, masking tape, a tension curtain rod, an old curtain, some scraps of gold wrapping paper, a foam meat tray, and some LED Christmas lights. When Emily found it this morning, she was thrilled!


The "Open/Closed" sign is held on with magnets, making it easy for her to switch it around. Several times I would pretend to go to buy tickets, but have to turn around because the booth was closed, but Emily thought that was so funny!

Ah, now it is open again! I had a large box of styrofoam peanuts that we used as pretend popcorn. I think what made this so great for her were the Christmas lights. I love the LED lights because they use far less electricity, and I didn't have to worry about them getting hot.



I love how the entire ticket booth folds flat for storage. Kids and cardboard are a happy combination, aren't they?

19 comments:

Lindsey said...

Lovely idea! You know I approve of anything made with cardboard ;) I'll pluck up the courage to try it with my two, but I fear the foam peanuts, following last week and the week before's "snowing in the house" incident.

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Kitten Muffin -- Hahaha! They do tend to get everywhere, don't they? I wish we had the kind that disintegrate in water, but the real styrofoam was the only kind we had in the house. Clara was napping while all this was going on.... I have a feeling it would have been snowing in my house too, otherwise!

MaryAnne said...

This is a great idea! I think we'll be waiting on the foam peanuts also - the last time I let my kids play with those they broke them into teeny tiny pieces...

Christy Killoran said...

Okay, now that is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I want to play with it. What kind of box did you use? Can't I just send my kids to your house to play?

Mama King said...

I love all the details. I think kids do too! The sign with magnets is terrific and I am now filing that away in my brain. Hope it doesn't get lost!

This reminds me of a small movie theater I went to in VT. The gentleman sold us our tickets walked out of the booth to take our tickets and then got behind the refreshment counter to get us our popcorn. We couldn't stop giggling. He was probably the projectionist too!

Sherry Gann said...

This is adorable! :)

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Christy -- This was actually one of those display boards leftover from an old claymation project Mark and I did years ago. We used it as a backdrop for a very short film. I would have propped the whole thing up on our coffee table, but we are still enjoying the time machine way too much!

Together We Save said...

This are too cute.

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Mama King -- That is so funny!! I stayed in a hotel like that once. The same lady checked us in, cleaned the rooms, and worked in the gift shop!

LitLass said...

Great idea! My boys would love this.

DairyQueen said...

that is awesome!!

mum space said...

Valerie that is so great. I know, the cardboard and the littles, like a moth to a flame...

Petula said...

You are really very creative. I would have never thought of that. And I would have been concerned about the two year old taking the "popcorn" and putting it all over the house making more work for me.

Such a good idea though.

Nadia said...

lol i think this has got to be one of the cutest things ever!!! so creative and hey even MY imagination is going wild here.. i want one lol

Mommy Bear said...

What a great idea! I have to do that for my little bear when he gets older.

Val in the Rose Garden said...

You are just about the coolest mom EVER! That looks like a blast!

Val

Sarah said...

I love it! How you come up with your great ideas is beyond me :)

Staci @ Designing and Motherhood said...

That is so neat. I am becoming a follower of your blog. Wish I found it when it was summer....for stuff to do. Oh well Great content. Staci www.designingmotherhood.blogspot.com

SAHM of 3

Kimberly Farmer said...

I am just now coming across this particular post - what a great idea!

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