Apart from one or two special items that my kids are really into, we actually don't get a lot of play out of our toys. It seems that kids can make a game out of anything, and if I can allow them to be occupied with other "things" and encourage their imagination and a bigger sense of "play" then I go for it. (As long as the mess is not too extravagant! See this bean experiment here...)
So for anyone wondering what my kids get up to when their toys just aren't hitting the spot, here are a few examples...
1. Let's use the chairs and stools to make a jail in the kitchen!
2. Mmmmm! Cinnamon and Sugar! Seriously, she was occupied with this little bowl for at least 20 minutes, and didn't even make too much of a mess. Nor did she eat all of it.
3. Oooh! Plastic containers! Admittedly this one didn't last long before he was into a "cooking" adventure involving juice, milk, flour, mustard, basil, nutmeg and parmesan.... I should have gotten a picture of that "cake" when it was done; Lucas and Elena actually tried eating it. Might have to guide the cooking a little more next time so it ends up somewhat edible.
4. Yay! Boxes to rearrange!
5. Let's play TV! On the air, a special episode of the Backyardigans, for about 5 minutes before they rearranged everything into an obstacle course.
Looking through these, it appears my kids spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Other things we do usually involve moving furniture in the living room to create "houses"or obstacle courses. Ok, who am I kidding, with four kids in our small-ish house and the baby paraphernalia, our house IS an obstacle course!
What do your kids like to play with?
I'm all for using the imagination more than readymade toys! When I was a kid, I used to play with twigs, spoons and leaves in the backyard. I did like my toys (although mom more than once bought things at the store that I asked for and I simply lost interest in them after a few days), but role playing and imagining and running around with other kids always made my day :)
ReplyDeleteSo, based on personal experience (and other people's, including yours!), I'm not piling up toys for my kiddo just yet! :)
Micah is always much more interested in every day things than any of his toys too.
ReplyDeleteI like the little t.v. idea, that is cute!
Micah is always much more interested in every day things than his toys.
ReplyDeleteI like the little t.v. idea, that is cute!
I agree that imagination combined with everyday objects can be an inexpensive, creative and fun way to occupy children's time. But I think we also sometimes tend to presume that kids automatically know what to do with the store-bought items. With the help of older children or adults, they can be merged and combined with other toys or objects into a multitude of activities. I.e., when I was a child in Canada we had boxes with chestnuts that became streets and roads and outlines of buildings along which toy vehicles and playmobile figures and tinkertoy sticks and circles were parked or moved. It is we that often need to get the "ball rolling" and then they take it from there into a multitude of ways and plays that we would never have imagined. My younger brothers could even convince me to move my dolls along those roads to a hospital, church or school. Everyday something new was devised, by adding or subtracting more elements - a couple of new (used) vehicles from the thrift store, food, buttons, stones, figures cut out from magazines...
ReplyDeleteWhat cute photos. My little girl loves to get into the pantry too. Problem is, I've caught her serving herself dry pasta. She played for the first time with flour and mixing bowls and spoons the other day and loved it. I was amazed that it could entertain a 2 year-old for nearly an house. Score!!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one, Taara. (That may come as no surprise, considering my blog lately about simplification of our life!) I am totally in support of letting kids make fun of their own without toys to hinder their creativity. Some toys, a few artistic or imaginative ones, can be great tools to help their play, but like you say, generally blankets, sheets, chairs, tables, boxes...all these things provide all they really want! Yay!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one, Taara. (That may come as no surprise, considering my blog lately about simplification of our life!) I am totally in support of letting kids make fun of their own without toys to hinder their creativity. Some toys, a few artistic or imaginative ones, can be great tools to help their play, but like you say, generally blankets, sheets, chairs, tables, boxes...all these things provide all they really want! Yay!
ReplyDelete