How do you come up with play ideas for your kids? And, perhaps even more importantly, how do your kids come up with play ideas for themselves?

During holiday periods I, like many parents, plan ahead for games and activities we will get up to – using blogs I love (perhaps ones I’ve recently discovered via the Raising Playful Tots Index) but I also want to give my kids the tools to plan and create for themselves, and a rich vein of inspiration for my two kids comes in the form of picture books I read to them. Although it doesn’t always happen (and even when it does, it can be weeks after we’ve read the book) often my kids will create their own games and activities inspired by what they’ve read and listened to.

Three great books we’ve recently enjoyed (with my hope that they’ll sow the seed of inspiration when the time comes) are all about what can be done when it seems like there’s nothing to do.

Something to Do by David Lucas

Perfect for toddlers, this simply illustrated book is full of the adventures a baby bear gets up to having bounced on his dad complaining that there’s nothing to do until Dad finally gives in. Using a twig to draw, baby bear and his dad create places to explore, with no set agenda, just following the lines they make with their sticks.

Nothing to Do by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin

Stunningly illustrated with immense detail this book is a delight for slightly older children. Nothing to Do celebrates how wonderful it can be to actually have nothing to do; instead of needing to rush to this activity or onto another class, instead of always being timetabled, days where there is nothing to do are actually something to be relished. Such days are full of endless, exciting possibilities – as you and your kids pour over the glorious illustrations you’ll all come up with ideas of your own, from making toy ships to watching clouds, from making paper airplanes to re-reading your favourite books.

Let’s do nothing by Tony Fucile

A great all-rounder this book will have everyone in the family laughing! Two young boys have done everything they can think of doing and all that is left to try now is – quite literally – doing nothing. It turns out, however, that doing nothing is much harder than anyone had realised! The comic strip style illustrations are full of energy and there are jokes for the adults as well as the kids in this pacey debut from one of the animators behind Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

One of my stock go-to activities if we seem to have run out of anything to do is to put on some music and just dance with the kids. Here are some great songs that go wonderfully with these three fantastic books about doing nothing:

And if you do want to prepare some activities for your kids taking your cue from these books, here are some I think would work brilliantly alongside reading these stories:

Zoe Toft is a mum of two young girls and they really love words and they really love to make stuff.
Sometimes they make or do something and they want a good book (or poem / song / audiobook) that continues the game, that captures some of the magic we’ve enjoyed. Sometimes it’s the other way round and they read a great book which inspires them to get the glue and glitter out.

Either way, they’ve always got plenty of books around the house, boxes of “crafty stuff” and a desire to have fun. However, her memory is /terrible/ So Playing by the book is Zoe’s way of celebrating and reminding herself of many of the things they get up to as a family, of the books they’ve read and loved and that you might just fall in love with too.

What to do when “there is nothing to do”? is a post from: Play-Activities.com

Adults who take part in creative play as children are more likely to have a healthy diet and to take regular exercise, according to a new study.The research from the University of Ulster, which was presented at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference in Stratford-upon-Avon last week, surveyed 505 young adults about their experiences and opportunities for play during childhood.

Source: The Nursery World

Where do you stand? Do you think your lifestyle now is from what you did when you were younger?

I don’t encourage play to get these benefits but it sure is nice to know that there are knock on benefits.

Photo credit:carlol

Creative play then and now is a post from: Play-Activities.com

It’s all too easy to jump in the car to grab something from the supermarket. Or you’re late for an appointment so you bundle the kids into the car and make a dash for it. Only to find that somehow you meet a delay or road works.
Worse is when you are on a long commute home from a trip out and you get caught up in traffic. I nervously start working out the nearest toilet stops. Although having boys it’s not so bad it’s me I worry about. Sound familiar?
Do you turn off the car then on again? Do you chug along slowly so you keep moving or accelerate then sharply break? Am I in the right lane……..? That’s just me. But what happens to the kids behind.
These are our ” Traffic Jam” sanity savers or long journey savers. You usually find these in our car- always!  We’ve used them and now keep available for times such as these.

Sticker books

These are a big favourite. There is a stall in a local market in the UK that sells sticker books. Whenever I’m home or anyone is coming over I beg ask them to bring a stack. All on different themes. With 20-30 pages they fit nicely into the pockets of the car seats in front of the children or into the stroller. Always something new and different in them. We reserve the 400 page mega sticker books for home or heavy-duty waiting. These little sticker books are often switched out and rotated.

Magnetic books

I’ve talked about Muddle Farm before and we love it in the car for the imaginary stories the boys make. They don’t always use the background and the stories are hilarious. We take an animal and start a story. Try the one where the pig goes to the beach for the day. Someone starts that story and everyone chimes in with the rest of it.

Hangman and Memory games from Melissaanddoug

It’s not always easy to play games together even though we’re altogether because we have a third row in our car so someone can’t see. So many of our activities are for one person. However memory game is successful because you can pass the board back and forth and everyone can see if you’re cheating. (such a big deal for the under 5s). The BG started with hangman at 5. We played the original version and a modified version. The modified version is he uses a book to find a word. Uses the word for his hangman so he knows the word and its letters. He had to have a go at saying it too.

Audio books

We have a few Barefoot Books story CD’s and Scholastic book club CD’s. Both groups have paperback books that fit in the car so the kids have many ways to interact. They can follow along or listen or read independently. I love listening to them read the stories out loud, especially the MO who’s memorised the “ping” sound to turn the page. You can also make your own audio books. We love the little engine that could and have this book in our collection. For $0.99 you can get the 7 minute download of this book from Audible kids.

Break out the post- it notes

Create your own art gallery and stick on the glass.

Trace on the misty glass

With all that heavy breathing, you are sure to have foggy windows. Make shapes, feet, bunnies on the windows using your fingers. The only problem is sticky greasy fingers but for me it’s worth it to clean the glass down the line.

Usborne find books…

The boys love the big books of things to spot.

How to draw books…

They love the thumbprint books,

Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book: Make a World and Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Animals

What standbys to you keep in the car for your little ones?

Photo credit: K2D2vaca

8 things to do when stuck in traffic with the kids is a post from: Play-Activities.com

This is a follow up on the pretend play post to yesterdays: Getting past superheros and princesses

Photo credit: Dalla*

What to do?

React and get rid of all commercial pretend play dressing up clothes
I don’t think this would teach them anything but to covet and long for these items even more.
Limit the amount of play with commercial dressing up clothes from licensed products
This I now do more intentionally. Those items just disappear from their boxes for a time and the drs, vets, jesters,firemen, king costumes etc that are now lurking at the bottom get an air out and play. Yes they do ask me where their other costumes have gone with worried faces. They are old enough and used to rotation of toys that they understand that they will be back. They do come back.
Introduce pretend play ideas
It is never too late, in my opinion to introduce fun and new ways to play. You can turn a child’s fascination and joy into another direction by showing them new ways. Now they may not want to do or continue to do what you suggest but the willingness of you to suggest and play with them  usually is enough for them to give it a try out.

You have to get into it and really go with your best acting skills. Your child knows you so knows when you’re being half-hearted, as we know with them. Bluff and enthusiasm covers so much doubt and our feelings of inadequacy as parents. They don’t care that your voice is off key or that your costume is lame or your story making needs more structure…………we cripple ourselves with that worry. They love the interaction.

Here’s what I am going to try

• Note 3 books that they love in the next week that are not to do with a superhero, which shouldn’t be too difficult given that less than 3% of our books are like that.
• Think about the characters in those stories
• Think about what I have around the house that I could use for the characters. With these 3 rules. Everyday items, keep it simple and easy to reproduce again.
• When we/they read those books I’ll introduce my character with a new voice. Perhaps I’ll continue the story or go before the story.
• Now since it’s not a mum show I’ll ask lots of questions to get them into the story. “What will happen to him next?” Where should he go? How should she do that? show me where the secret house is located? Tell me what happens next…… gradually easing out of the story and letting them continue.

Now they have a framework of a story and how to get there from a common storybook to pretend playing in costume and role. It’s not my story and neither will I say, that’s not how it goes.

Other things to encourage a range of role playing pretend play ideas I wish I had done at the beginning

• Added sheets, pillow cases and lengths of material to their boxes. Shown them how the green duvet is grass today and magic carpet tomorrow.
• Bought some ends of materials with various textures or visited the charity shops for sheets, curtains, ropes.
• Visit the charity shops and allowed them to browse with story telling in mind. That funny shaped cup could have held a secret. Bought unusual things to add to their box.
• Discovered Sarah’s Silks
• Encouraged any of the places we visited like the Parent coop and preschool to encourage dressing up as characters from stories. The only dress ups actively encouraged was Halloween. Kids did come all the time dressed up in wellies or other costumes but there wasn’t a special day like World book day or a specific broad theme, like the nativity that you couldn’t sneak a superhero costume in. Although I’m sure there were a few princess costumes doubling as angel costumes.
• Read The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World

I do worry about their story telling abilities if they are left to play superheroes and princesses all the time.

As parents and carers we need to be active encouraging a range of play opportunities. I’m looking for ideas. How would you and how do you deal with the Superhero/Princess invasion into their pretend play.

Getting past the Superhero and Princess play is a post from: Play-Activities.com

Imaginary play, dramatic play, dressing up, dress ups, pretend play so many different names for almost the same thing.

Do your children like to dress up?

Photo credit: Angelina

We were lucky enough to be visiting extended family in the UK when we bought our first dressing up costume fully made.

Before then we just pretended.
Seeing such obvious pleasure we started receiving dressing up clothes for birthdays and Christmas with the same zeal. And so their dressing up chests began.

But what if we had started with the basic pieces, I wonder would we be in the same situation now?

Let me backtrack a little.

Living in a play void

It’s not an excuse I felt I lived in a play void.  At the time I didn’t have influencers as I do now or people who would hold me accountable for this or that style of play.

The play around me was of the electronic kind heavy with passivity. This was the new shiny toy for everyone.

I was new to the area and didn’t have the connections to ‘my people’ you know the ones you always find that are just like you in a new area. We were all trying our best and flitting from one thing to another.

We take for granted what we have around us like good friends and influences but I  missed having a book section to browse. We had a great library but without books already there how do you know which books to browse if you don’t know the section or the section is empty.  So like countless mothers and women before me and since, I do the best I can with what I have, my memories and thoughts.

Way to encourage pretend play

• Not having much else to do . We instead read books a lot because they weren’t in short supply.
• We liked to do voices and  act out sections by saying, ” show me how the elephant was moving through the jungle?”
• We used everyday items as we saw them to be something. We would often hear and still hear in our house. “Hey look at this, guess what I am?/this is?” as we would have a long sleeve not yet on dangling from our nose, stooped back ( elephant)

So we liked to fool around and pretend play.

We didn’t however get into grabbing everyday clothes from our wardrobes.

The kids did when they were at the grandparents house because they have amazing wardrobes that go back decades and you can find some really interesting things hidden in there. ( I still remember the platform shoes from my childhood. I used to wear. Still around for my boys)

What changed?

We jumped from the imaginary play that used pure imagination to costumes pretty quickly and here is where I think we missed the foundations.

We were good at using toys to fuel our imagination and books. We played restaurants and car wash but not really characters or people. So when the costumes arrived this void was filled with superheroes in our case.

Is this type of pretend play bad?

Clearly they love their superheroes but their play stagnates. The superhero always wins out and saves some helpless person. While I let my sons play this, I don’t think I would be able to stop them frankly or want to, I do think this is what they crave but I do draw the line at how often they play.

Even with the countless books we have read together and now have around them this fixed pretend play isn’t pretend play at all but rehashes of programs they have watched. In a household were TV is limited I still note how pervasive TV and marketing has taken hold in our household.

The question is what to do next? What do you do to keep your play real? Do you actively influence the pretend play in your home? Is too much play really a bad thing?

I’m looking for ideas. ……… one place I’ll start is with the Simple Kids post this week.

Getting past superheros and princesses is a post from: Play-Activities.com

Technorati Tags: Imaginary play, dramatic play, dressing up, dress ups, pretend play

You’re not the boss of me!

Mothers get a bad reputation in parenting, life, behaviour. I think you name it , it is probably our fault somewhere down the line. There is the constant competition and feeling like we are being judged. After a time you get your own groove, find friends like you and realise that you can only do your best. Work and family life, inside or outside the home is what you make of it. There will always be people who do different things.

Play is no different.

Have you listened to moms at the school gate and felt you didn’t measure up? They were doing things and talking about things you wished happened in your family? What did you do next about it? Brood on their words and become bitter, reflect on their ideas and extract the essence that would work for your family. How we react and what we do makes us important.

So it follows what we don’t do and don’t react to will have a significant bearing on our families.

Early childhood is a crucial time to develop good habits for our children. It is also the craziest time with more children added, probably the tightest time financially and women everywhere trying to decide work in the home or work out the home, with many not having any choices.

It’s a tough time emotionally adjusting to children, making new friends and being in this new situation. Who you have around you is crucial to your own wellbeing as well as your child.

This is illustrated in the Millenium study:

Dr Kirstine Hansen of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at London’s Institute of Education, research director of the Millennium Cohort Study, analysed the Foundation Stage Profile results of 10,600 children, born in 2000 and 2001, whose development is being tracked by the study.

She found that children who are exposed to any kind of formal childcare are at an advantage in all aspects of development by the end of their first year at school.

My first thought was another study making me choose which side of the fence I’m on. Vindication for some parents and sadness and failure for the other side. Again as parents and mothers in particular we feel like we’re in the playground listening in and realising we don’t do any of those things. We feel like we’ve failed our child so young.

Instead of being paralyzed by our fears. Let’s face it we make mistakes all the time and make better choices all the time. There is something about parenting that makes us so unforgiving of ourselves and others. So many people feel judged by their parenting style or actions. Where is the discussion about how we do things with each other?

The article goes on to state that maternal education was a significant factor of all outcomes. What we decide to do matters! The article makes the case that reading to your child everyday and sending them to a formalised childcare setting before they are 5 will help reduce the gap in attainment once they are all in school.

We can have many reactions to that piece but will you do something for your family and your child? Do you recognise that you’re great in some areas and not in others and would you seek others to do this for you? Personally, I had a long struggle with that one. Do I think I can do it all! No I know I can’t but I still think I know what’s in the best interests for my children.

How can I make the right choices?

photo credit: Sandra Leidholdt

Build up a network of friends that challenge and support you. Be wary of those that zap your energy and bring drama, too much drama to your life. Hold close those that challenge you to do better and question what you do seems strange in a friendship to some but how do you change if not by being prompted and shown. How many of your friends do you look up to? Who challenges you and asks questions that leave you thinking? How many are happy with their status quo and who isn’t and not doing anything about it either?Keep an eye on your friendships to keep the right balance around you.

Read widely. Non fiction books are not for someone else. Fiction isn’t just for children. Wherever you live and whatever your circumstance reading lifts the mind and changes your attitude and direction in life. Audio books, newspapers, foreign correspondents documentaries show you things you may never experience and most importantly give you a perspective on your life.

Quit feeling that everyone is judging you for your choices.  We all start from somewhere. Choose to see the other perspective, hold your tongue at times, be around people that share your views but keep in touch with those that don’t. Above all don’t take things so personally.

Take out the good.

For that article , for me, it was that I need, whatever my background, to set up good reading habits with my child. Not worry about what I haven’t done but decide today how I can do this. Maybe you realised you’re not as playful as you thought you would be as a parent or not as patient.

What we do next is the important thing. … if this study says one thing to me it is that maternal influence is very important.What we do, say and how we guide and lead our families

Our mother’s attitude will colour our families attitude, thoughts and behaviours.

What helps you make the right choices for your family?

This post is part of the Moms’ 30-Minute Blog Challenge

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• Researchers track lives of 19,000 British Children (guardian.co.uk)
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• Cost of raising a child more than £200,000 (telegraph.co.uk)

How important is the mother’s attitude? is a post from: Play-Activities.com

Thanks for the entries this contest is now closed

I have a few favourite books that I have out a lot ,read and comment about. I was talking to a friend the other week and we got to talking about how hard it is to find books that teach and are practical. As the conversation went on I knew I had to share my top favourite book Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn–and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less

Cover via Amazon

We were walking and talking.  As we got home I was happy to show the book but really couldn’t give up my dog eared copy. I was wondering if we could make a virtual parenting play list……..what books have you read that you feel every parent should read?

Since this is a blog about play books that are play related would be great but parenting books in general are fine.

Contest

• What parenting book is your Top 3 must read list? It touched you in someway and you talk about it all the time or would recommend it?
• Leave the book title ( and author if you know it) in the comments. If you can share a little bit about the book that would be great but optional.

For an additional entry

• Tweet: @playactivities My must read parenting book ” add your title”

Contest is open to Canada, US and Europe. Is there an Amazon in Australia? Void where prohibited.

Contest is open today, Monday 15 February and closes Midnight Sunday 21st February 2010 MST.

Winner is chosen by random.org.

Winner is contacted via email left in the comments. It’s automatically captured once you enter it once in the second box. ( name, email, comment)

Winner must reply with postal address within 48hrs otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Looking forward to your entries……………………..

(Disclosure: I will be buying and sending the book. )

Raising Playful Tots is an Internet radio or Podcast available 24hrs a day . Host: Melitsa Avila of Play Activities. Download each episode yourself visit each show notes to do this or have iTunes do this automatically for you.

Week 7th Feb 2010: There are no mistakes in Art! Help! You want to try Art but oh not really…. MaryLea of  pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com shares her inspirational art ideas for the little ones and shares some practical ways to try Art suitable for all levels and stages. Listen to the show .

Keep up to date with new show by signing up for the newsletter. When you sign up for the newsletter you get a free 11 page special report 10 ways to extend your child’s play. New show on Wednesday!

Einstein never used flashcards contest is a post from: Play-Activities.com

Nothing like a bit of inspiration to get you going right?
Of all the sessions to talk about this is the one I want to share.

Blissdom’s Keynote speaker did just that. Kevin Carroll from KevinCarrollkatalyst.com was talking my language. You see he was talking about the importance of play. Yep we were a bunch of adults so you probably wonder how can a keynote speaker ,speak to a roomful of Blissdom peeps and fire them up so? ( and make them shed tears). Kevin is a powerful storyteller and gave life lessons through play.

Take away for me

While all these 7 simple truths work so well in our adult lives. You may wonder how did I get so far from some of these things yet I see it in my little ones all the time?

• It is never too late to power up that playful spirit.
• Never too late to play with your kids.
• Never too late to start a new playful habit.
• I love these lessons for me but love them for your children as well.
• Find your own red rubber ball.

As you read through the truths below imagine how these not only translate for you but how you can build them into your child’s lives so that play remains and endures.

7 simple truths learned on the Playground

Commit to it.
“Until one is committed there is always hesitancy..”
“Commitment. Don’t talk about it. Be about it.”
What is your “Want to…”?
What do you want to do? What is your intent and purpose?

Seek out encourages
Stay away from energy vampires …”We know they are discouragers”. “aka Monday moaners”.

“Who is that person that will challenge you but also lift you up?”

Work out your creative muscle
You need to be agile and fit ,work that muscle. What do you do to recharge your creative muscle? How do you replenish, feed yourself to be confident and creative?

Not a Box

Prepare to shine
“..Put in the time and hard work because you believe that hard work never goes unrewarded”.

“Believe in that “.

Speak up

“A closed mouth don’t get fed”.
Open up and let people know what you need; share your hopes and dreams. You never know who’ll be there with you.
Have courage.
Dream
Look out for the encouragers or who could help you?

Expect the unexpected
“Keep your eyes open. Forever curious eyes.”  have eyes of wonder and know possibilities come.

……………The redballproject.com. Watch the video……..

“Expect and respect the unexpected”.

Maximise the day

“You are given a gift of 86400 seconds in one day…..to make a difference….manifest a dream into reality.”

Anything is possible…Your circumstances  don’t dictate someones destiny.
Each day is a gift.

To get you in touch with your playful side with your children some Blissdom friends to check into:

Allie @notimeforflashcards | Amber @becausebabiesgrowup |Janna @theadventuresofmotherhood | Kim@momtriedit |Kimberly @raisingolives |Marie@makesandtakes |Melitsa (Me)@raisingplayfultots |Miranda @Keeperofthecheerios

I hope you’ll check them out……and find your big red rubber ball!

How do you keep a playful spirit raising a family with the day-to-day stuff that makes up our lives?

Blissdom keynote: Kevin Carroll talks about play is a post from: Play-Activities.com