Playscape Play Mats - How Do You Play?

"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning.  Play is really the work of childhood." Mr. Rogers

How often had you said to your children or had it said to you when you were a child, "I am busy. Just go play."?  As a preschool teacher, I am trained to know that play is learning.

For example, in the block area, when a child is building with blocks, he or she is learning shapes and balance and scale and spatial thinking and cause & effect and symmetry.  Or if a child is creating with playdough, they are working those small finger muscles that will one day hold a pencil.  Those little muscle need to be strong enough to hold up and control a pencil when writing.  So play is much more than meets the eye.

When I created my playscapes or play mats on etsy, I had all that knowledge of 20+ years in the early childhood field swirling round in my brain.  I needed a project, but I wanted it to have a purpose.  We often in the early childhood field about play with a purpose.

It's easy (trust me, I know!) to put a child in front of a screen to watch that favorite show, but where's the imagination?  Where's the creativity?  I remember playing with my little toys for hours, making up stories, going on imaginary adventures, getting lost in play.

I am glad that I grew up in a time before internet and video games and ipads.  We were allowed to watch very little tv, so we were on our own to entertain ourselves.  I set up entire scenes for the characters in my imaginary adventure to explore, sometimes get stuck in quicksand, and find treasure.

So how do you play with playscapes?  Trust me, if you put one out with a couple toy animals, the kids would know what to do.  They could work in the garden.  They could find bugs.  They could go for a swim in the lake or stream.  They could hide in the hollow log or find treasure in the cave.

Their little imaginations will take over.  A Playscape is a landscape for the imaginations.  "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

I think that we need to have less screen time and more imagination time.  Some children will immediately start playing.  Some children may need to have play modeled for them.  Don't worry about looking silly with kids - they love silly.

When I post photos to Etsy of my work, I am limited to 5 pictures.  I try to take 2 pictures of just the playscape then 3 staged for play.

Easter is coming, so I staged a Easter scene with flowers and chicks and eggs.  That's another thing I love to do. I like to secretly stage scenes for play scenes. So when that child wakes up from nap for example, they walk right into a scene that just beckons them to come play.

Or I rearrange their toys when they are napping or doing something else.  They see it, a lightbulb goes off, and their brain thinks, "something is different. let's find out what it is."

So how do you play?  What do you do to engage your children in play?  Play has a purpose.  Play is learning.  Play is important.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Princesses and Playscapes

I think the challenge sometimes is not doing too much.
Let me let you ponder that.
Don't do too much?
The world is saying have it all, do it all, but...when it comes to children, too much is too much.

Let me explain.  I believe simpler is better when it comes to toys for children.  I always say to new parents or grandmas, "Toys don't need to have flashing lights and sounds for kids to like them."  I think the toys that don't make sounds and have lights screaming are the best.

Animal toys, simple but detailed playmats, a few small toys from your child's favorite show or movie - let's let their imaginations take over, let's see what they come up with, let's see them shine.

You may not agree and that's okay.  I am just sharing what I have learned as a mom, as an early childhood educator of 20+ years.  Simpler is better when it comes to kids and play and learning.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Math Games Mondays - Buttons make great counters

I am not reinventing the wheel here.

Preschool teachers have been using buttons as preschool math counters for a looong time. But I recently discovered Jesse James Dress It Up buttons and my mind started spinning with the possibilities ~ themes and games and sorting.

I first found these adorable buttons at Joann stores then Meijer and Hobby Lobby. Dressitup.com has many many irresistible varieties. I am planning some Math Games Mondays with these cuties. 

Preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers tend to use themes.  Trust me, you will be able to find buttons to fit your theme with Dress It Up buttons.  No, I don't work for them and no, this is not a paid advertisement.  I just love these adorable buttons.  More ideas coming soon.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Buttons make great counters by melanieshanks featuring garden gnomes

Mommies, Daddies, and Babies

 Children are fascinated with Mommy and Baby animals and are always pairing them.  When I taught preschool, I would gather several pairs of animals and have the children match the Mommies (or Daddies!) to their babies.

 Without them even knowing, they are talking about animal families, life cycles, characteristics of animals, & more.  This is science.

 Sometimes, the babies don't look exactly like their parents.

 Sometimes, they do.

 You can ask open-ended questions to your child to get the conversation going. How do they look alike?  How are they different?  What sounds do you think they make?

 Something that always interests kids is sometimes the mommy takes care of the babies.  Sometimes, it's the daddy.  The mommy seahorse actually gives her eggs to the daddy seahorse.  He carries them in his pouch (like a kangaroo).  The babies hatch in his pouch then >POP< out! They are miniature versions of their parents and completely independent.

 Where do penguins live?  When you ask that question, you are opening up a conversation about habitats and where animals live and why.

 What kinds of baby animals live on the farm?

 Another thing you can do is this.  I found these animal cards at the dollar spot at Target. (I love the dollar spot!)  The photography on these cards is amazing.  Children can match the card to the animal toy.

 I love that the cards show the animal AND has the name written.  Bonus! Science + literacy in the same activity.

 Most of the animals shown at Schleich animals - ranging in price from $1.99 & up.  Exceptional quality, all hand painted.

 I am not sure if that baby camel actually goes with the camel shown but...kids won't care.

 I just gathered up random animals to match the cards.  Any like animals will work.

We've done Alligator through Zebra!

Learning through play is the best way for children to learn.  It's fun.  It's hands-on.  It's investigative.  It's lead by the child's interests - which makes it more interesting to them.

Have a Fun & Playful day!
Mel

Craft Day Tuesday - Felt Food

I went to Joann today to pick up some felt for Craft Day Tuesday and found a whole rainbow of happiness! So, of course, I picked up one of each color :)

 I have happy plans for this rainbow of felt, but I will save that for a later date.  Mean, right?  I promise that it will be worth the wait.

 For today, we are making felt food.  Cinnamon rolls to be exact.  Yum.  (Now I am craving cinnamon rolls.)  No sewing needed.  Easy peasy.  The kids can help with this one.  You need two shades of brown felt, ribbon, scissors (I use pinking sheers and regular scissors, and white puffy fabric paint.

 Cut the felt into strips. Mine are about 1.5 inches.  You can cut however wide you would like.  This will be the height of your cinnamon roll. The bottom is straight cut.  The top is cut with pinking sheers for a jagged effect.  You don't have to do this.

 Layer the two brown shades of felt and roll.

 I tie mine with a pretty ribbon - that way you don't have to sew it - but you could glue it and get the same look.

 Now drizzle on the icing...I mean, the puffy paint.  Sure does look like icing, doesn't it?

 Seriously, I want cinnamon rolls right now.  It looks good enough to eat.  Now, make a dozen or so and your little ones will be sooo excited to be little bakers for the take.  May I take your order please? Oh, yes.  I would like two cinnamon rolls with icing on top.

So sweet!

Have a Fun & Playful day!
Mel