Little pieces of paper

Every once in a whole my little scraps of paper pile up and it is time to send them to press: Here are some notes that I have written of activities to get young children interacting;
Group juggling
Pattern games
What has changed memory games
Name games including songs and movements
Parachute fun
Bubbles
Chalk
Art activities including: making natural mobiles, painting ( paper and wood as well as natural objects)

Playtime!

This summer we are inviting a flow of kids to our house.  Since our street is sadly without many youngsters I like to help organize playtime with others.  We have been having big kid play dates with other four and five year olds.  I am hoping this age distinction is not setting up hierarchal behaviors, rather I hope it is just allowing for uninterrupted big kid play. 

Then in order to promote positive open ended and imaginative play I try to keep a list of activities up my sleeves & also add new elements into the yard.  I also suggest always having a snack break & even an art activity (play dough, pastels and watercolors have worked well for us).  

Here are a few of the elements we have introduced so far:

The boys had an idea that kids would want to make tools out of cardboard so we had created a “creation station”… and one of my kiddos said, we could even make boats.   The station has grown and now includes scissors, string, a hole punch and pipe cleaners.  There is starting to be pipe cleaner art all over the yard. 

I set out a laminated card of Washington Birds  and when the kids discovered it and went bird watching.   

We have scrap wood all over the yard (without nails) and it is perfect for building/ stacking/ and painting with mud and also for making balance experiments and activities by putting boards on bricks.  This was a child’s discovery and a great way to explore fulcrums, balance & catapults. 

Last week I hid little animals and had the kids find them in the yard and then build an animal habitat. 

Some of the imaginary events that have occurred:

fishing with sticks (pipe cleaner hooks + fish)

tide pool games

play house

zoo & zoo keeper

The best play comes from the kids themselves so beyond props I try to stay at the periphery.  

The Adventure Begins

 My boys are enthralled with the Mercer Island Adventure Playground  They went on opening day and enjoyed being checked out  construction worker hard hats and toolbox.  They walked with pride and excitement to begin their projects- making an idea come to life with real tools.  

The first day they found a place to work that was on a hill.  It made all the measurements, sawing and hammering a bit difficult but nonetheless a bench and table were made.   Projects that were no where to be found just two days later- turned into something else.   I worried that they would feel frustrated to see their projects gone, but it just allowed them a clear slate for today.  

All around us kids and parents were busily working on projects.  I was amazed at the creative projects.  It was truly an adventure playground: kid made rides, forts and furniture.  As a parent I had to try to hold back my own concerns and fears and realize that the learning was greater than the risk.  The greatest challenge for me was the amount of boards I saw with nails sticking out of them.  Sometimes pointing straight up.  There were also many nails just laying on the ground.  There is a reason that you are not allowed in the fenced off area with sandals on: closed toed shoes only.  It is also why I am not yet allowing our backyard to become an adventure playground.  We like to go barefoot on occasion.  

I also realized that it took full concentration as a parent to make sure my kids knew basic sawing and hammering safety.  But, already by our second visit I was much more at ease.  

It is amazing that Mercer Island staffs such a great learning and play activity.  So far it seems that the staff is mostly new to the Adventure Playground concept themselves, but they were always present and are learning quickly.   When we were in need of assistance someone in a bright yellow vest was never hard to find.    They were always friendly and helpful.  It will be interesting to see how the playground progresses during the summer. 

If you are planning a trip- plan to make it a full afternoon.   The adventure playground is set with in a lovely park.  There is also a great trail nearby for hiking and exploring. 

For more on adventure playgrounds: 

Adventure Playgrounds
http://adventureplaygrounds.hampshire.edu/index.html

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/adventureplayground/

Early Childhood Nature Games

I am trying to write down some of the games that the boys have played in these past years with other friends and teachers because this time is so fleeting and I don't want to forget the wonderful learnings both the boys and I have experienced.  Also, as an educator I want to be able to remember them and adapt them.   I have been very inspired by the teachers at the Arboretum.  They do a wonderful job of creating simple games that connect to the themes the children are studying.  The teachers are great mentors in less is more during early childhood.  Many of there games are based on the "run and find" theme.   For example, last week we were studying colors in nature.  The teacher had the children each take a paint chip (color) square and find that color.  Then, they came back to her and got a new color.  All the children had a wonderful time playing this game & parents were involved by their child showing their glee.  This game can have many versions: it can simply be run and find something with a specific attribute such as wet with dew, soft and fuzzy,  rough.

Another delightfully simple game that the boys have played include make a bird nest out of grass and twigs, hide it, then come and get food from the teacher.   If the kids want they can choose to be a specific type of bird.  One of my boys was a chickadee and the other a crow when we last played this.  They ran back and forth, back and forth to and from the teacher many times trying to get "food" for their baby birds.    I am thinking we may play this game today at big kid Monday!

My favorite days are when they close roads to cars and the pedestrians take over.  In Seattle they have a Summer Streets Day in each neighborhood when this happens.  it is glorious to revel in the  open space and the quiet.  So much of our lives are filled with noise that to have it silenced is a remarkable and peaceful event.

On Saturday our family rented canoes at the UW Waterfront.  It just happened to be on a day that the 520 bridge was closed; meaning that trip to and from and around Foster Island on Lake Washington was remarkably quiet.  There was not the whir of traffic, or the jostling of the bridge joints as cars went over the freeway to Montlake.  Instead it was mostly quiet , just the sound of the red wing blackbirds, the quacking of ducks, and the calls of Canadian Geese as we paddled past. 

I was slightly nervous about taking two children out in a canoe.  Due to UW waterfront policies each boy had to ride in a separate boat with a separate parent— as there is a three person limit for canoes and the four person rowboats were all checked out.   However, the boys did a terrific job. They each sat in the bow and were very enthusiastic about the short yellow paddles that were provided for them. 

I am thankful that the boys are learning about the Lake Washington ecosystem.  We have hiked much of the area near the waterfront. The boys have even searched for water bugs in the water with nets.  Now they experienced this place by water. They were experiencing it from the other side.  The trip allowed us to see more ducklings and goslings than we could count, a blue heron, red wing blackbirds, and two beaver lodges.  We also saw the long line of cliff swallow nests that lined the sides of the 520 off ramp. 

My wonders are: how do we get all children to know so intimately this place we live in?
Does it change we drive- when we know the amazing world your road is passing through?

Versions of Games: Red Light/ Green Light

In my next few posts I am going to write about versions of summertime games that I have led or observed recently.  Games are great in that they pique children's interest, get them playing together, and can lead to imaginative play as well as healthy movement.  The challenge is always to make sure that kids get to do all the roles.

One of the things that I have noticed is that kids love the traditional games and with small variations you can adapt them to a subject you are focusing on or various age levels.

Recently, I have been experimenting with versions of red light/ green light and how to make it fun & not always just a race.  Of course for some the competition is the fun.  However, there can be a balance.  Ultimately everyone loves to lead and the kids love the power.  But, it depends on what purpose you  are trying for- how to set it up.  I have notice that some children truly enjoy getting "to become" and animal.

Here are a few ways I have played it:

High tide (green) low tide (freeze)  All the children choose a sea creature to be as they run. The leader is a sea gull.  If she catches them they go back to the staring line.  Seagull makes gull cries and flaps her wings.

Owl and mouse.  At the hoot of the owl the mice must freeze.

Stop and Go with leader using just sign language.  In the version my son taught me yesterday, if one person continues after the go sign is put up everyone returns to the start. It makes it a bit more of a cooperative challenge.

This game can also be made into a game such as fire in the forest, where all children choose to be an animal.  The it calls out "fire in the forest" and the animals must run from one side of the forest to the other-  if you become tagged you are a tree ( you put out your arms out but cannot run).

Games can be simply transformed; like folk music they are meant to be owned by the people. The main goal is fun and connection.