play Archive

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So Many Ways to Play with Play Dough

This is a real (not staged) photo I took of my daughter, Honor, over a year ago.  She actually did fall asleep in play dough while playing … don’t worry I was right there observing, making sure she could breathe before

What We Did During Screen-Free Week

Wow!  That week was NOT at all what I expected.  I thought it was going to be hard … for the kids and for me, most especially for me when I needed to get things done and didn’t have a screen

Shadow Play: Day 2, Where does your shadow go when you are sleeping?

In our discussions and studies of shadows, we also watched Peter Pan (a couple bazillion times) and Disney Junior’s new special Peter Pan Returns on Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  With stolen/missing shadows being an important part of each movie, it

DIY Gel Boards … and Kids Co-Op LINKY

When I saw this awesome idea on Pinterest from Chasing Cheerios (could that blog name be any cuter?!?)  … I JUST had to give it a try.  DIY gel boards for fun, mess-free, sensory play … perfect for practicing pre-writing skills

Glow-in-the-Dark Bath-time Fun

Glow sticks in the bathtub!  Why not!  I got this idea a few months ago from another blogger (You’ll Thank Me One Day – Glow Bath)  And the kids just so happened to get Glow Sticks in their stocking this year

The Best of 2011

I came across this Blog Hop:  Best Projects for Kids 2011 … wanting to join up made me think about my 6 months of blogging thus far.  It’s been so much fun and has really inspired me to do tons of fun projects

Homemade Playdough Snow (and snowman accessories!)

This year Honor and Henry (with lots of help from me!) made Homemade Playdough Snow to give to their friends for Christmas. I followed this basic Playdough Recipe, but added in iridescent glitter at the end in some of the batches. Honor

Developmentally Appropriate Toys for children 2 – 5 years

This is SUCH a fun age to buy for.  Kids are finally mastering fine and gross motor skills … as well as the ability for imaginary play.  Here are some ideas for developmentally appropriate toys for children 2 – 5 years

The GAMES we PLAY … and WHY (part 3)

Here’s some MORE of our favorite games (and their benefits of playing them).  As opposed to parts 1 and 2, these games are a bit more educational and therefore I’m less likely to use them in a play therapy session.  However,

Duck Toss

Have any of those fun rubber ducks laying around?  We have several sets … including Halloween and Thanksgiving ones.  And other than them being a cute table decoration and/or give away at a party, we invented a fun, easy game with

The GAMES we play … and WHY (part 2)

Previously I posted a list of great “starter” games for kids  … Classic “Board” Games to Play with Three-Year-Olds … and WHY.  Here’s some more for when the other games are mastered!  I would recommend them for children 4 and older

Play Skills for Parents

When teaching a class on play therapy, I teach and quiz my students on basic skills of being a child-centered play therapist.  I also discuss using these same skills with the parents of my children clients to help decrease problematic behaviors