Please stop by Creative Playhouse after reading this wonderful post and browse through her posts. I love the post on spray painting leaves. The fall would be a perfect time to try this wonderful idea at home.
I’m really happy able to be a part of this guest post series. Its been great to reflect on the time we spend playing together and how that benefits us as a family.
Creative Play House Taking Time to Play
I’ve always tried to take lots of time to play with Jake (2.5 years old); letting him lead the way but always there to interact, assist (if he needs me to), and play along. Since Jake’s baby sister, Poppy, was born 6 months ago I’ve made even more of an effort to set aside time to play with him, but Jake has also been a little frustrated that he hasn’t been able to play with Poppy. He’s just lovely with her, giving kisses and cuddles, stroking her head, and passing her toys, but up until now she obviously doesn’t really play back or interact very much.
Now Poppy is sitting up and holding things and is starting to clear and so joyfully interact with Jake it’s fun setting up ways for them to actually play together. I was excited to receive 2 big bags of play balls for free; a kind lady in my community was giving them away. I turned our pop-up tent upside down and filled it with the balls and we have our very own ball pool in our play area.
Ball pools are great for all ages; its big sensory play, and lots of opportunities to explore shape, colors, movement, and physical sensations. And they’re just loads of fun!
They both loved it; Jake could jiggle Poppy around as he moved the balls, and they interacted a lot. There aren’t many activities a 6-month-old and a 2.5-year-old boy can safely enjoy together but this was fantastic, and I hope they start lots more playing together!
Katherine has a background in special education, and early years childcare, and has a BA and MA in the creative and performing arts. She blogs at Creative Playhouse about her children’s activities and interests, manages and writes a collaborative parenting blog, Mummyology, runs an online community of Mums in Jersey and a retail site Cherishable, and is a stay-at-home mum to Jake (2.5) and Poppy (6 months).
Very fun! We keep a big box of balls in the basement and on rainy days we set up the pop tent in the living room and fill it with balls. Always a hit.
I used to take the kids to play in places like that, but it would have been so much fun to have that in my own home!
I need to do this! my little guy would go nuts!
My kids always loved playing in these balls!
All kids love playing in these balls, my grandkids included!
=)
We still have these and my kids still love them like when they were babies…not that they are much older than that now!