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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?
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.
This is a guest post by Tonya Wright. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.
10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Book for Your Preschooler
Unless you are looking for a specific book, walking into the local bookstore or neighborhood library can be overwhelming if you have no idea where to begin! Preschoolers are vastly different from the toddlers they once were. Younger children are quite happy with books that have simplistic illustrations and minimal text. Somewhere around the age of three, and sometimes around the age of two-and-a-half, children began to crave more sophisticated literacy experiences. Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you are wandering aimlessly amid rows and rows of books!
1. Are the illustrations appropriate, engaging, and relevant? Young children are understandably drawn to pictures before text, so choose books that have photographs or illustrations that depict emotion and/or activity. See if the illustrations reflect and enhance the text. Also, ensure that the illustrations are appropriate and reflect the values you want to instill. For example, some of the Curious George books, depict smoking. That is not to say that you have to avoid Curious George books, (I happen to like the little guy) but whenever you select a book, you should be informed about what you are purchasing.
2. Are the text and the illustrations bias-free? Look for books that fairly depict children of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and abilities. Select books that do not perpetuate gender stereotypes. For example, in books about community helpers are the women depicted to be teachers and nurses while the men are depicted as fireMEN and policeMEN?
3. Is the text appropriate for my child’s developmental level? You want to choose books that have words that preschoolers can understand, but you also want to provide children with opportunities to learn new words as well. Preschoolers also like text that is predictable, rhythmic, and easy to memorize. And don’t be afraid to choose books that have NO WORDS! Wordless books offer great opportunities to create new stories over and over again!
4. Does the story inspire the imagination? Young children enjoy pretending; imaginary play is an important part of cognitive growth and development. Choose books that encourage children to think or imagine beyond the pages of the book.
5. Do you as the adult find the book interesting? As adults we often unconsciously pass on our own fears, likes, and dislikes onto children. Sometimes it is ok to choose books that YOU enjoyed as a child. Passing on your excitement and love for reading is a good thing!
6. Will your child be interested in the subject? Preschoolers enjoy books that describe experiences to which they can relate or ideas that they can imagine. Books about going to school, visiting relatives, or taking trips are relatable subjects for many young children. If your child has a particular interest, such as cars or horses, choose books on that subject. In addition, use books to expose your child to new subjects that they might not otherwise experience!
7. Does the book encourage interaction? Although not every book will be interactive, it’s a good idea to choose some that are. Books that encourage your child to follow directions, search for a hidden object, open/close flaps, or perform other actions help children to understand that reading is not a passive activity!
8. What is the purpose of the book? Select a variety of books that serve a variety of purposes. Some books are humorous, others are meant to teach a concept or moral lesson. Other books are written to give children information about various subjects and other books help.
9. Is this a non-fiction book, and if so, is it accurate? Preschoolers have a funny little obsession with they word WHY! Young children are natural scientists who have an innate desire to learn about the world around them. Encourage this trait by selecting books that will expand children’s knowledge about their world. When choosing non-fiction books such as biographies or informational books, do your best to ensure that you are selecting books that are easily understandable and accurate.
10. Will my child want to read this book more than once? Think of choosing a book as an investment. When you invest in a new car or a new couch, you plan on using those items over and over again. Think of a book the same way! When your preschooler asks to read his favorite book for the 100th time, realize that children learn with repeated exposure. So choose books that you and your child will want to read over and over.
Tonya Wright has over twenty years of experience in the field of early childhood education. She has taught preschool, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten. She has professional interests in Reggio Emilia, the project approach and the RIE approach and has a deep passion for early learning with a special interest in language and literacy. Tonya’s undergraduate work is in Early Childhood Education and Psychology and received her Masters Degree in Educational Technology. Tonya has been published in various national, state, and local teacher magazines and newsletters. She is a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Recently Tonya began her Room to Grow blog and she also writes for Literacy Connections.
Here are some on my tweets from this past week I’ve enjoyed around parenting and play.
They made me think, smile ,cry and take action. Hope they inspire you too. Interesting articles and blogs I have found this week via Twitter or my Reader.
If you tweet let me know your ID in the comments.
NAEYC Inventing Music Play Centers: http://bit.ly/74Dpwl (Young Children article) #musicmonday #naeyc #ece
#FF #parenting podcasters who leave you thinking and smiling @parentingunplug @vickyandjencom@annie_fox
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 24th Jan 2010: Dawn @paintermommy, multiple business owner and mother of 4 little ones shares how she fits it all in and finds time for play.
This is a guest post by Catherine Way. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.
What is a toy library?
Toy libraries work just like a book library, except that the items to be borrowed are toys, puzzles and games. Our toy library has toys for children from 0 to around 8 years of age.
At our toy library we pay a yearly fee and can then borrow 4 items for 4 weeks. We can borrow 1 large item (like bikes, rocking horses or a play kitchen) and 3 smaller items. There may be fines for items that are broken or returned with pieces missing.
Membership conditions – like costs and the number of toys you can borrow – vary from library to library.
How the toy library benefits my family?
Using a toy library allows us to
* access a larger variety of toys than we would ever be able to have at home – for example a wide range of different puzzles and board games
* access large toys (play kitchens, ride-in cars, rocking horses, large sports equipment and so on) that we can’t afford to buy or don’t have space to store
* try out toys before we buy them, so that we can be sure that the toys we buy will be used over and over
* find developmentally appropriate toys to challenge my children’s skills (And toy library staff are knowledgeable and able to recommend appropriate toys).
Other benefits of toy libraries
Toy libraries also often serve additional important community benefits and our fees contribute to these activities. For example,
* a meeting and play space for parents and children
* parents’ groups
* helping families to understand the importance of play in child development
* toys for children with special needs (which are often less readily available and more expensive)
* mobile toy libraries for people living in remote areas
What about the cleanliness and condition of toys that are borrowed again and again?
You might worry, especially with young children who still put things in their mouth, about the cleanliness of the toys. Toy libraries ask that you return the toy in the condition that you would like to borrow it. This means clean, unbroken, with no missing pieces and with batteries.
The advice my toy library gives for cleaning toys is to wipe the toys over with warm soapy water (don’t immerse toys with batteries). Use a nailbrush or toothbrush to clean in small nooks and crannies. Allow to dry in the sun.
Since I have a young toddler I usually also clean toys myself before letting my children have full access to them. And I disinfect any toys that I think are especially likely to end up in my child’s mouth.
The toys we borrow are usually in good condition. On the odd occasion that we borrow a toy that doesn’t work, I usually find it is a great teachable moment for my sons about caring for possessions.
Using a toy library has been a great experience for my family. It saves us money and help to keep toy clutter under control in our house. And taking my sons to choose toys has given me a great insight into what they are interested in and exposed them to a range of new toy experiences. If there is a toy library near you, I highly recommend that you go and check it out.
Catherine is a science educator and mother to 2 boys and loves to learn everything about anything. You can read about
play and learning at her place on Adventures With Kids.
The end of the year is a time for reflection in most homes. Same here on the play blog. Today I have complied a list of some of the posts that I loved writing this year because they were in response to something I had read or seen in the media.
These posts were near and dear to my heart for 2009
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books, (I happen to like the little guy) but whenever you select a book, you should be informed about what you are purchasing.
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