August 12th, 2010 5 ways to calm the unsettledness of moving with children Posted by Melitsa in Articles, Education, Roundups, Seasonal play, Thought of the week, pretend play

Traveling unsettles children. They are out of their routines and everything is just different. We can’t always bend enough for their needs and that inflexibility leads to conflict.
We’ve just had one of these periods of traveling. Things are not as we expected, which is fine and normal. How would we really know how things would be? We’re adjusting and reformulating plans. Hence my absence from Twitter, Blogging and Podcasting. Trying to get back on track for next week.
One day at a time……….

This is a post I had started for July .

Here are a few toys and ideas to keep them encouraged and positive about the future.
1. World puzzle

Showing them different places in the world.
2. Balls

3.

Only One You
4.pretend play

5. spinny critters

The boys have taken a keener interest in maps now that their dad is round the other side of the world. So we look at different map types every chance we get. Who can find dad the quickest etc?

Balls are a great way to burn off energy.

I need to talk about Only you another time. But it helps when you feel like another fish in a big pond and you know noone.

Kids act out and play through new situations. What better way than through a pretend play set from the region.

Laughing helps …………..we couldn’t have survived this move or traveling without having lots of opportunities for laughter. While the makers of spinny critters probably wanted matching parts. I know this was a super ice breaker and mood lifter when you showed a mixed up animal. “Horse-o-lion”. OK we loved the jokes

These are some of the things we have done recently. What do you do to prepare your child for long distance travel or moving? Would love to hear.

June 15th, 2010 Where can I find play activities I can do with my kids? Posted by Melitsa in Articles, Sites to visit, play activities

There are all sorts of activity sites online. It’s hard to sift through and find ones that give you what you want. If you are a regular reader of the Play Activities blog you’ll know that this site has had a chatty cousin called Raising Playful Tots.  Raising Playful Tots is a podcast available 24 hours a day about play activities and mums making the most of their playtime.

I’m excited to share that working in collaboration with Nicole from Planning with Kids we both launched a new index of play blogs called Raising Playful Tots Index.

Complied in one place are bloggers who love Play. They promote Early childhood play with a variety of play activities and inspirational ideas for our under 8 children in one place.

Whether you are looking for new ideas, inspiration, things to do , babysitting tonight and need a helping hand, pop on over to the RPTI and enjoy the exciting play activities by parents and educators.

You will have a full play folder with a range of play activities from specialist to generalist. Waldorf play inspired to homeschooled, baby, toddler, preschool and School activities for you to dip into depending on what you are looking for.

There will be some familiar blogs and many new ones.

Check out the Raising Playful Tots Index, FAQs and About the RPTI for more information and claim your badge if you’re in the Top100. You can see one of the badges in the sidebar>>>

Thanks to Nicole also for her hardwork. It’s been a joy working with Nicole even though we’re actually continents away.

So that question…………….Where can I find play activities I can do with my kids?

Raising Playful Tots Index

June 8th, 2010 Talkback: Do you follow a play style? Posted by Melitsa in Articles, Thought of the week

When you see a recipe do you follow it completely or do you add a little of your own flavour? Are you the same with your play?

• I’m a big fan of experimenting and letting the children lead with their imagination.
• I love how they take everyday objects and use and reuse in many different ways.
• I love seeing what other people do and am influenced by it.

I can’t say when I came to those rules. I’ve glanced at Montessori books and recently spoke to an expert on Waldorf play, more to come on an upcoming podcast.

I want my kids to have fun with play and not let the learning be the driver.

How did you come up with your play style?

June 7th, 2010 3 summer places to visit Posted by Melitsa in Articles, Outdoor play, play activities

Your old school

You choose which one. Don’t live nearby? We don’t either. Photographs and yearbooks. But better yet they are likely to be online now. You can give your child a virtual tour. It’s hard for your preschooler to understand that you were their age and that you went to school.  If you are able to visit, take pictures and show them your route to school. Dig up a fun memory. Little ones need to have connections in the past and see how history develops.

An outdoor market

I still smile at, “  3 pound of Bananas for a pound!”. It’s what I grew up hearing as I went through my local market town on a Wednesday market day. Buying my fruit and veg in brown bags. The sights and sounds are amazing. Usually we’re on a mission to get everything and get out. But try one time that the market is the attraction. Meander and wander. It’s a sensory zoo of sensations so not for the faint of heart. Farmer’s markets holds similar promise. Find some strange fruit or vegetable to buy and try.

Photo credit:RKG

Top of a hill

Kids need to experience rolling down a hill. Running down a hill and falling, not like Jack and Jill though.

Grassy verges make for great rolling. The LO this weekend took off after his brothers up the steep hill in our local neighbourhood park. He stood proud as a peacock at the top looking down on me. Then burst into tears, for a short moment. I think he realised how far away we were. His brothers were still running. He was hesitating to come down by running. In fact, he stopped after a few steps and turned around like he LOVES to do downstairs.

Do your children do that? Bump down the stairs on their tummy at speed. Sounds terrible and you have to look every time because it really could be one of the coming down head first.

He lay on the grass. Arms above his head and waited. And instead of the usual whooshing down the stairs he just stayed there.

Alas no camera!

He got up and ran down the hill with a mix of laughter and fear………..hysteria I think sums it up. He made it down smiling, laughing,  crying and clung to my leg. I could feel his little heart beating away as I scooped him up. He wriggled to be down and looked at the hill. He’d conquered it. Looked at me and ran off along the path to the floating blossom.

Where would be your summer place to visit?