Nature Walk with Clothespins

We’re currently visiting my parents about 500 miles away who have a small but lovely garden. E is having a blast discovering everything, both inside and out.
My mom had a bunch of clothespins sitting on a table outside while she was taking the laundry inside, and E saw them and came up with a new game.
She took one or two at a time and walked out into the garden while I waited with bated breath to see what she wanted to do.
Nature Walk with Clothespins

She first tried to clip a clothespin to a daisy but didn’t have much luck.

Trying to pin a clothespin on a daisy.

On her search for more “clippable” spots:

Looking for a spot for her clothespin.

She found other plants she could safely clip her clothespins to but the lavender was her favorite. I loved how much time she spent on finding the perfect spot, and how careful she was.

Clipping the lavender.
Clipping the lavender again.
She wanted me to do one clothespin as well. {I actually reconsidered putting it there in order to avoid hurting the leaves after I took this picture… E only used spots where she didn’t hurt the plants without having to be told.}
Mama clipping the lavender.
Here’s the lavender’s new look after E was done 😉

Lavender with clothespins. 
I knew that E loves clothespins and that they’re great for fine motor activities but I never would’ve thought to use them in this way!
(E is 30 months old.)

What activities does your toddler come up with on her own?

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