"Just" Playing....

When I am building in the block room, please don't say I'm "just playing". For you see, I'm learning as I play, about balance and shapes. Who knows, I may be an architect someday.

When I'm getting all dressed up, setting the table, caring for the babies, don't get the idea I'm "just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play; I may be a mother or a father someday.

When you see me up to my elbows in paint or standing at an easel, or molding and shaping clay, please don't let me hear you say, "He is just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm expressing myself and being creative. I may be an artist or an inventor someday.

When you see me sitting in a chair "reading" to an imaginary audience, please don't laugh and think I'm "just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I may be a teacher someday.

When you see me combing the bushes for bugs, or packing my pockets with choice things I find, don't pass it off as "just play". For you see, I'm learning as I play. I may be a scientist someday.

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle or some "plaything" at my school, please don't feel the time is wasted in "play". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to solve problems and concentrate. I may be in business someday.

When you see me cooking or tasting foods, please don't think that because I enjoy it, it is "just play". I'm learning to follow direction and see differences. I may be a cook someday.

When you see me learning to skip, hop, run and move my body, please don't say I'm "just playing". For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning how my body works. I may be a doctor, nurse or athlete someday.

When you ask me what I've done at school today, and I say, "I just played", please don't misunderstand me. For you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to enjoy and be successful in my work. I'm preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and my work is play.

~Anita Wadley

http://justplayingpoem.com/

Holiday Playful Planning Page!

Download this Holiday Calendar and plan some playdates with your Beans!

How Kids Learn......

I recently read a study on a group of 4 year olds. They were asked to stand as still as they could. Most could not stand for even a minute. But when asked to play make believe that they were guards manning a station, they could stand for longer than 4 minutes. In the same experiment, they were asked to memorize random unrelated words - which they all struggled to retain. Then they played Grocery Store and were asked to memorize a similar list - this time though, they were able to remember twice as many words.

Lesson learned - Spending more time on dramatic play will significantly improve their levels of self control, their language skills, social skills and processing skills.

With children it is all about PLAY!!!

FUNDRAISER - for Anaya

What scares me

If you are a fan or a follower of Peekaboo Beans, you know that I am passionate about the "Power of Play". As many of you know, I have two Beans of my own and I love to watch them explore the world, learn and grow. My journey to motherhood was long and challenging, and it gave me even more perspective on the blessing that I have in my life.

I want my children to be children, to have a childhood, to not feel the pressures and stresses of a fast paced world at such a young age. There is enough time later in life to experience this.

I parent in moderation. Candy in moderation, Technology and TV in moderation, I believe a healthy balance - not all or nothing.

So tonite as I was getting Cailin's homework organized and packed up, I flipped through the pages of her work as every parent does, taking in all her ideas, artistic creations and school work.

In the pile, was a book I bought for her while travelling recently to Banff. It was sweet note book that I thought would be great for road trips, or travelling - with a nice pack of pencil crayons in a neat tin box (I am a office supplies geek). It posed questions, like draw your family, draw your best vacation, draw your best friend.

I enjoyed seeing all her crafty pictures and smiled with that sense of motherly pride. I turned the next page to see the picture posted here. "Draw your favorite toy". She answered in picture - "I Heart IPAD".

Insert Mother "GASP".

And then my fears of how our world is changing, and how play is becoming a lost art, validated itself right before my eyes.

Obviously that was the first thing that came to her mind, when posed with the question. With ALL the lovely toys, dolls, puzzles, games and simple treasures she has - this is what she answered.

I remember my parents said to me, "come home when the street lights come on" and I long for that for my children. Yet we fear the saftey of our neighbourhoods and question our insticts of letting them go into the world and to fall down and get back up, and we become the "helicopter parent" - a buzz word for their day and age.

Yet they need to play and fall in order to grow.

So I ask you this - do the same things scare you?

Peeka BOOOOOO Beans