Playing comes natural to me. It wasn't until recently that I realized that some adults don't know how to play with their children. My boss is a medical professional and admits that she doesn't have an imagination. As a child, she dressed dolls but didn't act out scenes.
Upon revealing this to a friend of mine, who is a preschool teacher, she said, "Mel, not everyone is creative and imaginative like you. To us, it comes natural. Others have to learn how to play.
Okay, how do you play? Hmmm.
1. Get down on the floor at your child's level.
2. Engage in their play.
3. Pick up on what they are playing and add to it.
4. Ask open-ended questions (questions that don't have a yes or no answer).
5. Don't be afraid to be silly. Kiddos looove that.
6. Bring your own experiences into the play. My brother is in construction. When he plays on the floor with his son, he says things like, "We need to haul a ton of rocks today. Let's get busy."
7. Play is spontaneous and may not make sense to you. Don't question why a neat can ride on a flamingo (just an example), just go with it.
8. This is bonding time with you and your child. My father in-law always called Times like these "making memories".
9. Play can be short or long depending on the child. Don't make the stay longer if their attention span has up and went. On the other hand, give them enough time to play. If you know that you need to leave soon, give them a warning. Okay, we can play for 5 more minutes, then it's time to go to the store.
10. Remember they are only little for a short time. Take some pictures. Play with your child. Put your cell phone away. These precious moments won't last long.
See my etsy store for the photographed play mat. www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com
Have a fun and playful day
Mel
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