Don't Do This!!

Recently I saw a blog where a parent set up her young daughters with mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons and beans to "cook." I'd never used beans for this purpose so immediately bought a ten pound sack of pinto beans and set up the activity for my children. I try to have a rich sensory activity for them every day and this seemed like a good one. The girls loved it and measured, poured and stirred most of the morning. I took pictures and we laughed a lot. The activity also provided opportunities for conversation and for planning what to do next with the beans. When they finished, the beans swept right up, unlike play dough which sometimes sticks to the floor.

About an hour later, Nellie's nose started running and she said she didn't feel well. It looked like she was catching a cold and it was coming on fast. I thought about calling her mother at work to come get her but it was so close to nap time that I decided to go ahead and lay her down and see how she felt when she got up. But after her long nap Nellie didn't feel any better. Her cheeks were flushed and by now her snot had turned milky and she looked like she was getting a fever. Her mother would arrive soon so I gave them a snack, which she ate, and put on a movie for them so Nellie could lie down. She seemed fine, wasn't crying or anything. She just looked flushed and I had to keep wiping her nose.

As soon as Nellie's mom arrived, about three thirty, Nellie burst into tears. Her mother expressed amazement because Nellie was fine in the morning when she dropped her off. I've seen colds come on this fast so didn't think that much of it.

But the next morning Nellie's mom told me they had spent hours in the emergency room during the night. Nellie had pushed a bean up her nose and it took five people to hold her down in order to get it out. The bean had turned mushy so getting it out wasn't an easy task. The doctor told her that beans have something in them that irritates, one of the worst possible things to put up her nose. Even a rock would have been better and easier to get out.

I felt so bad. In all the years I've watched over children I've never had anything like this happen. I'd never heard that about beans. Who would have imagined such a thing?

So, I hope others will read this and take heed. No more playing with beans for my children. They still love to "cook" and they make individual portions of play dough and like that activity just as much. So I will include the recipe for the play dough.

No-Cook Clay Dough (Individual Portion)

1 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
1/4 c. water
1 tablespoons alum or cream of tartar (optional)
A few drops of food coloring

The child measures and pours into a medium bowl, all the ingredients.
Child stirs with a large spoon until the ingredients become easier to mix and the food coloring is well-mixed with the other ingredients. S/he may need help the child adding more water or flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is firm, not too wet, and sticks together.

3. Have child knead and squeeze the mixture until a smooth dough is made. At first, you might need to spread a small amount of flour on the table to keep it from sticking.