Monday, June 24, 2013

We're Going to A Quilt Show. Because I Said So.

Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it. –Winnie the Pooh

One of my goals for this summer was to spend more time doing things with the Not-So-Little Bugs. The past two summers have been new territory for our family with me working, and to be honest, they've spent an embarrassingly large number of hours with the electronic babysitters. I adjusted my schedule and the number of hours I'm working, made charts of weekly chores and activities and have made myself most unpopular with the enforcement of time-limits on screen time and the near-constant stream of harassment encouragement to my children to complete their daily tasks and to branch out and do some new and different things. I've offered options and made suggestions of things I think they might like to do and they're pretty luke-warm about everything. Since there's nothing they want to do we're going to a quilt show. Because that's what I want to do.

The response to this news was less than enthusiastic.

So I'm giving them an assignment to complete while we're there. My purpose is two-fold. First, I want to be able to spend more than 5 minutes looking at the quilts before hearing, “I want to go home now.” Second, I want it to be fun for them too.

Their assignment is a Quilt Show Scavenger Hunt. I've never seen one and I'm not really sure if I'd heard of such a thing before deciding that's what I wanted to do to make it interesting for my kids. I looked on-line and it isn't an original idea, but I could only find announcements that there would be scavenger hunts for kids at certain shows, but not any actual lists. And since I haven't been to this show yet {and it closes tomorrow}, I'm making it up as I go, here. My list contains things that I think will help make the quilt show more relate-able to the Not-So-Little Bugs. But, I've also put a few "technical" things on the list, so they can learn a little. I'll have them take photos of the quilt they think fits an item on the list while we're there. When we get home we'll look at the photos together and I'll have them help me put together a post about the quilt show later this week.

I won't require them to find every item on the list, but I want the list to be long enough to keep them entertained so that I can enjoy the quilts.

Find a quilt that reminds you of Summer.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Spring.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Winter.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Fall.
Find a quilt made for a specific holiday.
Find a quilt with your favorite color in it.
Find a quilt that only has two colors in it.
Find a rainbow quilt.
Find a quilt that you would like to have on your bed.
Find your favorite quilt.
Find a wholecloth quilt.
Find a quilt with a blue ribbon on it.
Find a quilt with pinwheels in it.
Find an appliqué quilt.

It's a start, but I think I need a few more things on the list, so if you have a suggestion, please leave a comment! And if you've done a Quilt Show Scavenger Hunt, I'd also like to know what worked and what didn't.

6 comments:

Vicki said...

Sounds fun! Is this perhaps, a quilt show located close to where you live?? :)

Lane said...

I think that's an excellent idea and while I wouldn't normally suggest it, a competition with a prize might make it more interesting. Syd used to do them all the time. Usually they are tailored to small children and to the quilts hung in the show. Find a bear when they know there is one in the show. Anyway I like your more generic one. How about find feathers, hand quilting, machine quilting. Enjoy the show. Wear headphones if you need them to leave you alone. Lane

Anonymous said...

find a quilt with a cat/dog/animal on it
find a quilt that is a movie/tv theme
find a quilt tham most resemble's mr. bug's personality
find the ugliest quilt

Shay said...

Completely brilliant idea ! I sincerely hope it gives you the time and peace to have a decent look at everything the quilt show has to offer (and that the bugs have a good time finding everything on the list)

PS. We are so kindred spirits - I do picture shopping lists for Little P to keep him engaged when we go shopping. Works a treat!

Paulette said...

This sounds like a great plan. I hope it worked out and you had time to enjoy the quilt show.

mom said...

We recently went to a quilt/car show. guess which part we spent the most time with? However there were more cars than quilts. They had us vote for our favorite quilt which took some looking and re- looking and thinking and time but then dad said he would just vote for my favorite. oh well it was a fun day anyway and the weather was perfect. I wish for temperatures like that all year long!