Category Archives: play

Outdoor Play: Making Potions

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

My eldest daughter has been an avid potion maker all her life.  We are always finding concoctions in her bathroom and when she was young she would leave them on the windowsill of her bedroom or on the side of … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, children, early education & play, imagination, outdoor play, parenting, parents, play, pre schoolers, science, sensory play | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Golfing with Toddlers at Willows Run Golf Club: 8 Things a Toddler Can Learn From Playing Golf.

Posted on April 26, 2013 by

Today I met with a group of mums and their toddlers to play golf at the pitch and put, Willows Road Golf Course. All of the children were new to golf and most of the children were below the age of … Continue reading →

Posted in days out, early education & play, families, games, Life in the US, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers, toddlers | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Outdoor Play: Making Muddy Footprints Isn’t Always Easy.

Posted on March 23, 2013 by

I had a bit of alone time with my middle daughter. We thought it might be fun to try to make muddy footprints. Do you want to make shoe prints or do it in bare feet. Her face lit up … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Happy 40th Birthday to The Hungry Caterpillar – 10 Hungry Caterpillar Inspired Activities

Posted on March 20, 2013 by

To celebrate the 40th birthday of one of the world’s most famous picture books, I have 10 Hungry Caterpillar inspired activities. Maths: Build caterpillars from dough or clay. Count the number of segments that make up the caterpillar. Play a matching game … Continue reading →

Posted in books, early education & play, imagination, literacy, music education, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers, science, singing, teaching, wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Child Initiated Play – Playing with Shaving Foam

Posted on February 21, 2013 by

‘Dad can I play with your shaving foam?’ Yes of course *mum goes to fetch a tray. Can we have some toys in it? Yes of course, go and see what you can find.

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Outdoor Play:Water Painting

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

Getting my children to put things away when they are finished is often a struggle but sometimes it has its advantages. A tub and paintbrush were left on the driveway. After a few rainy days it inevitably filled with water. … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, imagination, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers, toddlers, writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Steady Beat Action Rhymes

Posted on February 19, 2013 by

My Children are big fans of Beat Baby and love to play rhyming games. Some of these activities and the way they help with early literacy development are documented in a previous post about Musical Games . Recently we were … Continue reading →

Posted in active learning, communication, early education & play, imagination, literacy, music education, play, poetry, pre schoolers, teaching | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Outdoor Play: Finding The Alphabet in Nature

Posted on February 17, 2013 by

Having recently discovered some of the amazing hikes in the Seattle area we are really keen to encourage the children to appreciate the wonders around them. My kids love outdoor play, especially in the woods but a 4 mile steep … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, literacy, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Playing with Ice

Posted on January 5, 2013 by

This is a great activity for water trays in pre-school settings but works even better outside, if you are in a cold climate set up a water tray outside and let nature do its work. Other Ideas and Questions to … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, play | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

A Musical Family Christmas with Jingle Bells Music Book

Posted on December 20, 2012 by

My idea of the perfect family Christmas is a little clichéd but involves mince pies, mulled wine, a roaring fire and singing around the piano. This is becoming a reality in our house.  With an array of instruments including piano, guitar, … Continue reading →

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