Toddler Activity Disaster

I don't usually write posts about the activities that don't turn out so well, but this morning's activity was so awful that I just had to share.

It was supposed to work like this (I read about the idea in a book):

1. Using masking tape, mark several familiar shapes on the carpet.
2. Using different actions, tell the child to go to each shape. (run to the square, hop to the triangle, etc)
3. Child runs, frolicks and plays while learning her shapes!

M did not think this sounded like fun. (I think partly as a reflection of the terrible twos- following directions is something one has to put up with all day to stay out of trouble- it is NOT a fun game). I didn't want the time and effort to be a total waste; so I told her that she could give ME directions for moving from shape to shape.

That was mildly more interesting to her- but only mildly. I should have just given up on the whole idea, but I was stubbornly determined to make it fun. Knowing how much she enjoys it when we turn somersaults together, I told her that she could tell me to somersault to the different shapes.

Apparently my tumbling ability needs a little work. Instead of saulting to the diamond, I catapulted crookedly into M, kicking her in the head with my feet and sending her flying backward into the wall. Poor little girl...I'm afraid this incident has ruined our somersaulting fun for a long while!