Today I’m having to get my head around some extra-calm and gentle play; No1 child has been poorly, and needs something to occupy, entertain and support, rather than play that causes explosions. Poorly play is interesting idea in itself, it gives a little ’space’ in which the child can fit and helps them find their current limitations. This is true not just on the extreme end of the health spectrum found in good paediatric wards; but for those recovering from flus and tummy bugs at home.

Nest Building

A lovely thing to do, which helps children get all ‘comfy and comfortable’. Bring duvets and pillows down to the sofa, shape them into a little cave or nest for your fledgeling. Take in some books or a DS, a sippy cup and a favourite cuddly for a day slobbed out in style. Getting a little bell gives them the illusion of control as you take on a nurse-butler role.

Scrabble

Always a good standby, particularly as kids work out they need your full attention to play. For 5ups can I recommend Junior Scrabble as a useful starting point; and if there is really, really other things you have to do, for older kids there’s Scrabble on the DS which can be taken into their own quiet nest.

Stick People City

After the sofa nest my kids recover to the kitchen table, and we’ve been know to design Lowry-esque stick figure cities. Depending on your child you may be asked to join in or stay clear; but there are stories in every picture, which you may be lucky enough to be told whilst you prepare the obligatory hot chicken soup.

Hoping your little one gets well soon.

Enjoy… as far as you can

tag... play for today, play, 2up, 3up, 5up, 8up, be healthy

Spent some time with Girl No.1 this morning making some banana bread to take home with her. I’m a great fan of banana bread, as its a fairly frequent occurrence at ‘chez welikeplay’ to find some blackened ‘nanas in the depth of the fruit box. Not to self: check the organic box out on the day it arrives, do not resorting to in-box composting.

You will need
15 min messy time + 1 hour in the oven
3 or 4 squidgy bananas
a childs handful of diddy bits of apricot or sultanas or whatever is lurking in your cupboard
zest from a lemon if you’ve got it
100g butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
300g flour
bread tin

read on »

tag... play for today, 2up, 3up, 5up, 8up, be healthy, cooking

Pottering around 9rules I’ve stumbled upon Geek with Laptop’s posting on The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective a new web-based healthy life styles game.  Being a good play-pro, I’ve sneaked a quick go before letting No1 child loose on it.  And it was a quick go because of a cool feature; after 20 minutes or so it locks children out for an hour or so, encouraging them to do more than slob out with the laptop.

I did find it a bit US (in Blighty I’m not entirely sure if kids know what a granola bar is), though still thoroughly accessible; there is a part of me, raised on an interesting cocktail of E numbers in the mid 70’s and then irradiated and warped by the TV, which finds this a bit preachy.  But as the boys go to a ‘healthy’ school, with awards to prove it, perhaps its because they’re the ones usually picking me up on my battle with Dip-Dabs.

tag... play, 5up, 8up, be healthy

For those of you who need an introduction, here in the UK all childcare services - be they schools, local authorities, child centres, hospitals, nurseries, social services or childminders (like myself) - are now deeply immersed in the Every Child Matters framework. It started back in 2003, following the terrible case of Victoria Climbié, to ensure that no child fell through the holes in the services. As a strategy it has five aims, around which much of childcare and schooling is now being focused; you can browse this site for play ideas or reviews tagged with these aims.:

be healthy - stay safe - enjoy and achieve - make a positive contribution - achieve economic wellbeing

One of the founding principles of welikeplay.org was to provide ideas for play-professionals within such a framework, though it naturally lends itself to a rigorous approach to thinking about play in all its effervescence of activity.

We at welikeplay HQ hope this helps out. Do leave a comment here if this is useful to your setting, or you’d like to share good resources (I’m looking into How to Achieve the Every Child Matters Standards, though it’s school and child centre, rather than childminder focused).

If there is anything we can do to help out, let us know.

Brian

tag... play, be healthy, be helpful, enjoy and achieve, money matters, philosophising, stay safe

It’s the 23rd of September, the first day of autumn, and time to indoctrinate the next generation into my preferred extreme sport… leaf jumping.

The rules are simple, find a pile of leaves - collected by patient hands, or gusts of wind - and jump. There is no scoring, only a feeling of crunchy satisfaction. And I’m not alone, there is even a Facebook group devoted to the art. I can only hope this week brings some cold crispy days to indulge this pastime in.

Leave a comment dedicating yourself to this sport this autumn, or go admire our new Leaf Ninja T’s

tag... our shop, play for today, 2up, 3up, 5up, be healthy, nature, out and about