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This month, we’re exploring the theme of play & toys—because play is the foundation of learning.
Theme Email
Week 1
Focus: Observation - how does my kid play?
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This week is nice and light, but you still need good data to work with going forward.
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"Play" is one of those topics where people can say the same word, and mean something different. So here in our membership bubble, we're going to break it down!
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Weekly Challenge:
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This first week, take the time to zoom out and really notice how your kid plays. Not just what toys they reach for, but their behavior and energy (see what I did there?!) when they play.
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Think about:
- What toys is my kid reaching for?
- What kind of play does my child engage in, with or without toys?
- What outside factors influences the way my child is playing (other people, times of day, me?? etc)?
- Are there themes my child is drawn to?
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What we are going for here, is a more holistic view of how your child plays. Knowing all of you, I think you'll have loads of quick answers for this already! See if you can go one level deeper throughout the week, and do it from just a little bit further back ;) ​​​​
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As always, please feel free to share as much or as little as you feel inspired to in our WhatsApp Community!​​
Week 2
Focus: ​Toys, Setup, and Access
You've heard it before, "Rotate your kids' toys so they don't get bored and you don't have too many at a time." Yeah, that's a nice idea Linda, but are you coming over to do it for me??? Get real! And by the time it's "rotation time", there are 100 new toys taking over the space the rotated toys would have taken.
Rotating toys is a nice idea, but it's not the only idea.
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I want us to think a bit differently about toys this week. Think in terms of independence and success. What does it look like for your child to play with something successfully - be it a plastic dinosaur or a video game or arts and crafts, from start to finish.
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Now, is the home set up to aid that success? ​
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​​​​​​Weekly Challenge:
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Think about and try to decide some limits around play with paraphernalia for your home. Clarify the expectations - i.e. how much can your child reasonably clean up without support - and see if there are solutions that can shift their play (which should include clean up! just gonna give you that answer right there!) to 100% (eh, 90% or better) autonomous.
Keep in mind that visual overwhelm and decision fatigue is very real, for you and your child. Having a successful-for-your-household-setup is every bit as important for you as it is for them.
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Consider:
- How are the toys stored?
- Does your kid understand the storage system?
- Are there any playthings that cause specific and significant stress?
- What things do you find yourself having to clean up on your child's behalf, and why?
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As always, please feel free to share as much or as little as you feel inspired to in our WhatsApp Community!
Week 3
Focus: Conflict & Overwhelm
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Play isn't always rainbows and butterflies. Play often leads to conflict and meltdowns, even if your kid is the only one in the room!
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Now, that by itself is not a bad thing. I know everyone is familiar with the phrase "kids learn through play", and that is exactly what this covers. The resulting conflict from play is part of that learning.
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But that also doesn't mean it has to take over your life and ruin everyone's day.
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Weekly Challenge:
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This week, see if you can zero in on either the types of toys, or situations/constellations that bring about conflict or overwhelm. Remember, look for patterns of behavior, not one-off situations.
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Think about:
- What types of toys are present
- What rules are in place (i.e. what game rules your child or their friend made up)
- How many personalities are involved at the time
- Expectations
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We're not looking to necessarily cut anything out. Ideally, we're looking to name a stress point and reverse engineer the lead up to it, so we can modify the outcome.
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Can't wait to hear from you in our WhatsApp Community!
Week 4
Focus: Support vs. Intervention
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You've observed your child's play, taken stock of the setup, and have a good idea of what's working and not working during play time for your kiddo. Now, we look for ways you can offer support, before needing to fully intervene.
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Depending on your child's age and ability, this can look like a few different things. For a toddler, this might look like you modeling safe or engaging play. For an older child, this might mean setting up routines to make it clear when play can happen, vs chore time.
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Weekly Challenge:
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Your challenge this week is to examine what you can do that keeps you in the "support" role, rather than the "fixer" role. Support looks like modeling, teaching, engaging, role-playing. Fixing looks like intervention, "stop/no", removing toys, moving the child.
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Over the next week, see if you can catch yourself before a "fix", and turn it into a support!
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And please, keep us updated in the WhatsApp Community!