We’ve talked in previous posts about the importance of play and how to support/expand the play with a child (see examples here and here). What happens when you are playing with a child and they make an ooops? Maybe they fill their pretend car with juice rather than gas,…
So you’ve been letting your child take the lead, and drive the play. He’s coming up with a few creative ideas but they tend to be the same ideas again and again. What do you do if you’re getting bored? Sometimes we can all feel a bit stuck…
There have been a fair number of articles popping up over social media about the importance of playground play. Playgrounds can be fantastic fun and they provide a multitude of learning opportunities! We’ve highlighted our top 6 below. Language Development. Children learn about ‘how things work’ and make meaning…
We have been hearing a lot of buzz about play-based learning in Ontario and, personally, I am quite thrilled about this. Current research has found play to be an essential vehicle for the development of children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical and communicative development. It’s all well and good that…
This week it was -17 Celsius in Toronto. I don’t know about you but I don’t do playgrounds when the temperature drops that low! So what kind of play can we do indoors that encourages the same kind of active, problem-solving, confidence-building, creative play? We’ve got a few ideas…
A camping tent in the basement. A snow fort in the backyard. A bedsheet draped over chairs in the living room. These three (seemingly) unrelated play activities are actually variations of one and the same and I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t enjoy this kind of…
Whether it is pretending to be a princess, dragon, or teacher, children love to play pretend. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky said “the child always behaves above his average age, and above his daily behaviour; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself”. (Alright, maybe 20…
Math – the same as fun? Hmm … Maybe when I was really young and busy counting my candies for snack, playing store or counting monopoly money I would have said math was fun, but as I got older – No way! Still when I hear the word math,…
Hmm… so many colours to choose from. Which one do we use for the ‘rouge test’? Do you ever wonder if your babies recognize their reflection in the mirror? This is a question my husband frequently asks. He’s worried we might be raising a vain baby because of all the…
Does your baby love looking at himself in the mirror? As early as 3 months old, babies show a strong preference for looking at people’s faces, and focus on them for longer periods of time. Why? Let’s face it – faces are pretty interesting! Our expressions change frequently, and…