Category: play

March 15, 2012

Making Up Some Play Ground

How ironic is it that sometimes I have to look up how to play? Isn’t that just an intrinsic pleasure that we’re all supposed to know how to take part in? But once you become a parent, it’s difficult to feign interest in certain things again like dollies, fake tools and tiny racecars. I’ve always loved making forts and playing with building blocks, but thinking about new activities stumps me sometimes. Isn’t that just wrong, that we lose that sense of playfulness in our adulthood? And that we can actually lose our pleasure for it?

I took the kiddos, my son and nephew, to the library recently and found a book that lists 200 activities for children. As I perused the pages, my sense of wonder was aroused. How could I have forgotten sidewalk chalk and skipping rope (for purposes other than cardio benefits) and beachcombing and flower pressing?Remember those parachute things in gym class? Everyone holds a piece, fans it in the air, then lifts it up and sits under it? I want that excitement again!

A few nights earlier, one of our copies of Scooby Doo did the “babysitting” (you know we have to do this once in awhile) while I occupied myself with dishes and other menial tasks of adulthood. I was pondering adulthood, particularly parenthood, and how the extracurricular could become curricular again. How could it be that I needed to research this? I also had to look up the lyrics to some of those old musical favorites like Hush Little Baby. What the heck comes after that diamond ring momma was gonna buy anyway? I remember mom telling us about how dad used to sing us to sleep by Silent Night because that was the only song he could think of. And sometimes I’m at a loss too. After hearing myself sing Twinkle Twinkle for the 820th time, I need me some new material.
I started with fingerplays. I printed off a pattern for felt finger puppets and found a book with fingerplays in it. Since I vowed to train my brain to toddler level activity, I now find myself devising little children’s story plots and painting primary-colored illustrations in my head.

Here’s a little fingerplay you can enjoy with your baby or toddler. It’s a touchy-feely game that keeps them guessing, plays with rhythm and rhyme, introduces them to a few body parts and types of touch. Completely hands-on, no material required. Just wiggle your fingers in front of them and do what the lyrics say:

These 10 fingers they tap tap tap. These 10 fingers they snap snap snap. These 10 fingers they clap clap clap. These 10 fingers they fold in your lap.

These 10 fingers they squeeze squeeze squeeze. These 10 fingers they tease, tease, tease. These 10 fingers they tap your knees. These 10 fingers they freeze!

These 10 fingers they tickle your toes. These 10 fingers they open and close. These 10 fingers they touch your nose. These 10 fingers they put on your clothes.

March 12, 2012

Two Opposite Weekends in Wisconsin

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Last weekend looked like this:

It was actually a really fun night. After what seemed like 8 inches of snow had fallen, I decided to go outside and start shovelling. I was soon joined by my big, little and four-legged boys. Once the sidewalk and driveway were all clear, we decided to take advantage of the highly-packable snow. We haven’t seen much of the white stuff this season (I can’t even begin to tell you how supremely odd this is unless you live here). It was 9 o’ clock at night, but we were having too much fun.

This weekend, it doesn’t feel like we’re in the same state. Today’s high was a mild 65, and Wednesday’s prediction is 73. Ahhhh. In all my 28 years, I’ve never seen a March in Wisconsin as beautiful as this one. Usually by March, we’re all pulling our hair out waiting for some green, warmth, and hint of life.

But we found our first bugs of the season, usually not seen until at least May.

And we had our first outdoor picnic of the year. I told hubster that I wasn’t coming inside all day, and he couldn’t make me. And I totally did. I might have even skipped church and Bible study (Dear God, please forgive me). I really felt like nothing could’ve made me feel more of God’s presence than a day like today. I grabbed another munchkin’ (Peanut’s cousin), and we played outside until the clouds started rolling in. I may have even gotten a little sun-kissed. Truly amazing!

November 6, 2011

Peanut Picnics #6

Our sixth picnic ended faster than it started. But hey, at least we got to eat before we left.

Those boys no longer cooperate with the camera either. Ha! Nice milk mustache, man.

This was probably one of the most random outings we’ve had yet. There was a squirrel checking us out.

The boys insisted I take a picture of a floating bottle.

But the water always brings an extra sense of wonder to those playful pups. And the weather was unseasonably warm for an October day in Wisconsin.

See the watch on his arm? I guess this could be considered foreshadowing to what happened, but that is actually a “potty timer.” Thanks Pull-Ups!

The boys did get to play for a few minutes though.

We got to play for about 5 minutes. Momma included. They put me on one of those spinny playground chairs. But my feet couldn’t even reach the ground. And those things are engineered to keep spinning to infinity. I had to cry out between fits of laughter for them to stop me.

That’s when I noticed the wet spot down the legs of the boy who insisted on wearing real underwear to the park. And that was the short end of that. Thank goodness I had an extra Pull-Up in the car.

October 23, 2011

Peanut Picnics #5

It took awhile to find this local park. I knew whereabouts it was, but couldn’t pinpoint it. We weaved through quite a few roads. Just as I was on my way to a different park, I took one last turn and got just as excited as the kids to have finally found it.

There’s a playground on one side of the street and a huge open football field on the other side. My son was yelling “Go Pack Go,” even though the field was populated by the little leagues.

The boys noticed some “balls” from one of the trees. They gathered as many as their little arms could carry, up to the elbows. They had the whole park going with ball games. One tiny boy put a ball on the bridge and started jumping. They played ski-ball on the slides. They played catch. Amazing what one little gift from a tree can do for the entertainment of tiny people.

My nephew has told his mommy more than once that she’s not allowed to come along on our picnics. This is something he only does with his cousin and auntie, so there!

October 6, 2011

Peanut Picnics #4

It was raining when we went on our 4th picnic. But we had a nice shelter to keep us covered. Our picnic quilt ended up being my goofy nephew’s cover-up until we ran back to the car for his jacket.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned with our weekly picnics it’s that keeping children at the table when they’ve just arrived at a new adventure is next to impossible. Especially when they see a playground out of ~~the corners of their eyes~~ their huge staring eyes and turned heads. I really wish I could drum up the same level of excitement about a different corner of town as they do. I’m learning. These tiny tots are teaching me.

After eating, we explored our territory and found more unexpected trails! Right at the mouth, we saw a beaver or woodchuck or other similar wood-gnawing animal. As we got closer, we noticed a little animal trail that went from one side of the path to the other through two small openings. Around the corner, we saw a chewed up branch. I love finding these little clues to animals’ lives while we’re not watching.

We also came across a small slow-moving stream.

The rain came down off and on during our walk, but we just stopped under the trees when it sprinkled. We climbed logs, scoped out the fallen trees and imagined magical lands beyond the scope of the trail.

We also got a little goofy while we waited out the showers.

When we got back, Tom and Huck (ha!) finally, finally got to play on the toys. And this, my friends, is how you teeter-totter when your legs are a bit too short to reach the ground yet.

While the boys were playing, I was busy collecting pretty acorns. These beauties were scattered everywhere around the park. I have some little leaf-shaped plates that would make the perfect showcase for these. Decorating for fall makes me feel so giddy.

March 8, 2010

Backyard Adventures

Peanut and I took a nice long walk on Saturday, and you know what they say about having kids? The old cliche about how you see the world in a different way again? It’s a common miracle many of us get to experience every day. As Peanut and I walked a simple stretch of about four blocks, we found entire worlds in between.

First, there was the choo-choo. We watched that and listened to its sound until it was out of sight, walking backwards at times. A little further down the road, we gawked at a burned-down house. Peanut was probably just wondering why that house looked so goofy. I wondered about our own home and all the tiny little belongings that we take for granted and where the inhabitants of that home found themselves that morning and what had to have been racing through their minds.

As we continued, the little ramps that slope from the sidewalk to the street were like mini hills for Peanut. Each time we approached one, we ran down it really fast and he giggled like it was the most comical thing. I suppose those little ramps are big hills for those tiny little legs.

Then, we went on a squirrel-watching hunt. There were two comical characters in a tree near the still-frozen lake, chasing each other. We sat watching those guys for a good five minutes until the crows called. We tried to imitate their sounds and follow their flight paths until we came across the playground.

After plenty of swinging, sliding, climbing, hiding, peeking, running across unstable bridges, and “driving” the fake truck, I finally had to tear Peanut away so we could head back home.

There’s just something about a quiet Sunday morning with very little traffic, light beams bending across the road, very little sound except for the birds, a tiny hand in your hand, the little bits of dirt decorating his knees, and those baby blues taking it all in. There’s nothing more sublime.