What Four (almost-five!) -Year-Olds Do

1. Go sledding. A certain four-year-old in my life is into driveway sledding, since we have a very steep driveway. She claims that wipe-outs while street sledding aren't as bad as skateboarding wipe-outs because you wear much more padding in the Winter.

2. Get messy. Four year olds are very good at getting messy. This is perhaps why my daughter's favorite class at homeschool co-op this past semester was Gooey Pre-school Science.

3. Helping the baby nap by pretending to sleep for so long that you actually fall asleep.

4. Defy the laws of physics. Or, fall asleep standing up.

5. Hang out with friends. Everywhere. At home, the park, a friend's house, the theater, outside in freezing temperatures without shoes ... take your pick.

6. Build tall tall towers with your sister.

7. Fetch wayward toddlers and bring them back to their parents.

8. Have mamamilk. Usually in mismatched pj's, but that's not essential.

9. Eat "apple noodles" with your best friend. (Recipe for apple noodles: Use peeler/corer/slicer to peel apple. Gather long strand of apple skin and eat. Stretching it between two friends and munching to the middle recommended.)

10. Jump in puddles with your friends. 

Ok, I realize that one of the activities is not typical of a four almost-five year old. I do admit that she's a little old to be doing it, but it's so normal and natural that I don't interfere. Heck, I'd love to be doing it every day if I could. After all, naps are awesome!