My grandson, who is 5 likes to help me. He finds something that he can dangle in front of Maisey or just stand in front of her and talk. He's partial to things he's made in preschool, many have sparkles of one sort another.
Yes, I would guess we have all been spattered at one time or another. I have used the spatter on occassion, I have the ReliOn Micro and it does fine sucking in the spatter.