Fun with... Toilet Paper?

We once bought toilet paper in bulk, and I don't mean 12 rolls at a time, I'm talking a linen-closet's worth of toilet paper.  It was a great deal.  And guess what - it was about as soft as sandpaper!  Now, 2 years later as we're getting through the last of our great purchase, I have no qualms about 'wasting' a roll on the kids.  One of the days last week we spent an entire afternoon playing with toilet paper.  I had a couple learning games in mind, but my kids (who were quite enthusiastic about playing with toilet paper) had their own ideas.  I'll share both...

With Halloween coming up, the girls (3 years old) enjoyed turning their stuffed animals into mummies.  But that wasn't nearly as much fun as wrapping each other up in toilet paper:

Some of my toilet paper ideas that we did not end up doing:

1. Measuring - use toilet paper as a measuring tool (count the number of squares to determine the length).  How many toilet paper squares to cross the room?  How many around your waist?  What about Mommy's waist?  etc..

2. Science - what happens to toilet paper when it gets wet?  Compare the strength of different brands of toilet paper. Turn on a fan and see the effects of wind on strips of toilet paper.

3. Art - use a medicine dropper and some food coloring to decorate toilet paper, use it in crafts just like tissue paper, make a mini-pillow out of felt or construction paper and stuff it with toilet paper, or try your hand at making sculptures with wet toilet paper.


4. Physical Movement - hang tissue paper from a doorway and have the kids jump and try to grab it, or use as streamers for dancing. 

Maybe next time.  Here are some of the ideas my kids had in mind..

 

Can you tell they had a great time exploring the properties of the toilet paper and being creative?  They especially enjoyed using it as a sled of their animals.  I was quite impressed to see the "finish line" that E tied around the furniture all by herself.  This was totally worth one roll of cheap toilet paper.  Maybe we'll do a Toilet Paper Tuesday once a month.