January 2nd, 2009

Posted by Melitsa in Education, play activities, Seasonal play, Thought of the week

Happy New Year!

How are your New Year’s resolutions for 2009?

This is the time of year we reflect on what’s go on before and make plans for the future. We audit our lives. Whilst you’re there making plans for a great 09 consider including a play audit for your children.

What type of play did you encourage? Should you encourage?
What opportunities did they have for

a) creative play?
b) outdoor play?
c) unstructured play?
d) unplugged play?

What did we love doing together?
What do we want to do more of?
What didn’t work well for our family?
Are there activities I want to try?
How’s our family balance of activities?
Are they doing age appropriate activities?

After your audit what’s your plan?

Share your ideas with others, discuss and come up with a plan. Where will you put your resolution? Tweet about it, journal it? Whatever you decide whether to go public or stay private with your resolutions celebrate all the great things you have done and look to the potential of what you can try to do.

I’ve shared part of our plan below………

*******Our family pledges to do more outside play. We love the idea of it. We go outside with play in mind but whether it’s the kids by themselves or with either one of us parents, we don’t last too long out there. Outside play didn’t happen enough in 08. I think we’d all love more.

Please share your outdoor activities for us as a family or for the kids to try.

Have a playful New Year!

Melitsa Avila is a former teacher, mother of three boys and military wife who talks about living an intentional play lifestyle using practical and everyday play activities to do with the under 5s. She publishes related ebooks & newsletters. Melitsa is the host and producer of a weekly Early Childhood radio show: Raising Playful Tots bringing parents and carers together with Early childhood practitioners. Thanks for reading!

Melitsa

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Melitsas website

Technorati Tags: New Year’s resolutions, play, unplugged play?

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This entry was posted on Friday, January 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 am and is filed under Education, play activities, Seasonal play, Thought of the week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

http://www.littlesheep-learning.co.uk Littlesheep

Oooh good post… I pledge that we will spend more time in play and I will not resort to CBeebies to keep the boys entertained as much!
http://leanandgreen.wordpress.com/ Mary

When I saw your comment on SimpleMom, I had to come here. Do you know the single huge mistake my husband and I made as parents was that we didn’t play with our kids? We worked so hard to send them to the best schools and provide for them that there wasn’t time for play. As they became teens, we struggled so much with rebellion and acting out. Our kids’ emotional tanks were empty and we couldn’t just magically make it happen after neglecting their real need to play as children.

I think the comment you made on her blog was one of the most important things any parent can do. It’s what gives you credibility in their little eyes and what builds the foundation for the other things you’ll want to teach them.

Now that I’m a grandparent and know better I make time to play with the grandchildren. We make up the silliest games and have the best time. It’s been healing for me too. But it makes me sad that I can’t ever have my own kids back as children to sit and play with them.

I can’t believe you have an entire blog set up for this – you are right on!!!

Mary’s last blog post..Just for today …
http://www.rolemommy.com Beth

I resolve to spend less time on my computer (unfortunately difficult to achieve) and more time doing activities that my entire family will enjoy. I may even try my hand a skiing this year – or at least staying warm while everyone else is skiing. And I’m going to lose the same 10 pounds I gain every year.
http://www.generalhysteria.blogspot.com Mia

Honestly, my absolute biggest plan for the new year is the same as Beth. I’m planning on spending less of their “awake” time on the computer, being addicted to the internet, and more time having fun with them.

Mia’s last blog post..Ben is 1…I Wonder Who He Will Become
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