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Play Resources In Your Area

As I’ve been working and making connections for Encourage Play, I’ve come across a few in person resources that I think would be helpful for kids and their families. I want to support kids who struggle with social skills as much as I can online, but making connections in person is key. Since we have readers across the country and around the world, I thought I’d share a few different resources that operate in different areas.

Special Playdate

My favorite family to have a playdate with has a girl around my daughter’s age and a boy around my son’s age and they have similar interests, but that can be hard to find. Even if you have friends with kids, for whatever reason, playdates with your kids may not work. I’ve been looking at different ways to help set up playdates and I came across Special Playdate.

Special Playdate is a service that connects parents with other parents looking for playdate opportunities for their children. It was founded by Jane Reddig, who worked as a special educator in the New York school system for years. Like me, she noticed that kids were having trouble making friends and setting up playdates, and so she created Special Playdate. It’s for children with or without special needs so anyone can join and start connecting.

The other thing I really love about Special Playdate is that they also offers facilitated playgroups in New York City. This way, there’s a person monitoring how things are going on a playdate and can step in if necessary to help problem solve. That service is mainly in NYC right now, but there are plans to expand. Soon, they’re also going to have a list on their website of people all over the United States who offer in person playdate services. Check out SpecialPlaydate.com for more details and to sign up and start having playdates!

TimberNook

TimberNook is a nature based outdoor camp program that runs year round. TimberNook was founded by Angela Hanscom, a Pediatric OT by training and a mom. As she was working with clients, she wondered about the impact that just playing outdoors could have on the issues she was seeing with her clients. She is passionate about the importance of play, taking risks and especially being outdoors. She created a program to help encourage kids to play outside in nature. This program is wonderful, and I especially appreciate the social aspects involved while playing in groups outside in nature.

You know that I am passionate about the importance of play, and I came across TimberNook’s article about why children fidget and had to share. TimberNook started in New Hampshire and here’s a listing of where they will have camps by the end of 2015:

San Francisco, CA*

Southern Pines, CA

Lakes Region, NH

Barrington, NH*

Madbury, NH*

Brentwood, NH*

San Luis Obispo, CA

Atlanta, Georgia

Charlotte, North Carolina*

Miami, Florida*

Cleveland, Ohio*

New Zealand*

Cape Cod, MA

Long Island, NY

* = Available Now

If you are interested in starting your own TimberNook, you’re in luck! This fall, there will be a training in New England for individuals interested in bringing nature-based programming to their own community. Stop by TimberNook.com to find out more and see what they have to offer!

Lekotek Play Groups

I just found out about Lekotek on my recent trip to Chicago. Lekotek provides play based family time for families who have children with disabilities. Families can come in once a month and play together with the variety of games in the center. Lekotek provides Family Play Specialists to help support and assist families in learning to play together.

They also have a toy lending library. It works just like a library for books, except it’s for games. You can check out games to play for the month with your family and bring it back the next time you come into the center. What a great way to try new games and encourage play for families!

There are groups all over the United States, in Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. Check out more information and go play with your family!

Alison Ratner Mayer, LICSW

Alison has been working with children and families in therapy in Georgia for years and recently moved to Massachusetts. She has a particular talent for working with children in groups. She is doing amazing work in Norwood, helping kids connect and learn how to interact with one another. She offers lots of groups for children and young adults ages 4-22 and support for their siblings and families. She’s even started Music Therapy classes! If you’re in the Eastern Massachusetts area, check out her website, childtherapyinboston.com and contact her.

We are discovering so many great resources all over the US and the world! Soon, we will be adding a resources page to Encourage Play to help families find and make connections in person. What are some of your favorite in person resources around where you live? If you have one (or a few!) you’d like to share, please email us at [email protected] and it will be added to our resources.

#local resources #community resources for families

Connect with Your Child through Imperfect Play

Today, I’m so excited to be guest posting over at Imperfect Families about connecting with your child through imperfect play. Are you looking for some ideas of how to play with your kids but you don’t want to play Candyland? Check out some of my ideas for how you AND your child can enjoy playing together!

#imperfect families #playing with your kids

Guidelines for Imperfect Parenting

I’m so happy to have Nicole Schwarz from Imperfect Families guest posting today. Parenting is an exhausting, tiring job. Sometimes we get trapped into thinking that we need to be perfect parents all the time. The truth is, we all have good moments and bad moments. Nicole has some great guidelines for us to help reset when things don’t go as imagined and be awesome, imperfect parents!

The door slams shut as your kids return home from school.

Backpacks are thrown everywhere, papers are thrust into your face amid the persistent demands for snacks.

It’s too much. You snap. “Enough! Look at those backpacks, I just cleaned the living room…” The rant continues.

Suddenly, you notice three sets of eyes fixed on you.

Your thoughts turn negative, “Oh No! I blew it again! Why can’t I just stay calm??”

All is not lost!

We are parents, not robots. We have feelings, just like everyone else. We have good days and bad days.

Your kids don’t need a super-parent, they just need you. Not the perfect version of you, they need the one with the faults and imperfections.

If you’re ready to embrace imperfect parenting, here are some guidelines:

Play:

Be goofy, tell jokes, sit on the floor and learn how to play Barbies or make a LEGO machine. Sure, it might be uncomfortable at first, but your kids will appreciate your effort.

Say “I’m Sorry”:

Apologize for your part in an argument or misunderstanding. Model the type of apology you’d like to receive from your child: “I overreacted, I’m sorry.”

Brainstorm together:

Show that you’re willing to explore new ideas by opening up brainstorming sessions with your kids. Hear their suggestions and give them a try!

Get it wrong:

Instead of worrying about saying the right (or wrong) thing, make an educated guess. If you’re corrected, say, “Oh, can you help me understand?”

Make mistakes:

Model the saying “everyone makes mistakes” by pointing out your own: “Oops, I poured too much milk” or “I interrupted you, please continue.”

Take it slow:

Your kids are learning every day, and you can be learning too! You don’t have to master every parenting skill right now. Focus on one or two things at a time.

Try new things:

If one piece of parenting advice flops, try something else. This shows your kids that the first suggestion is not always the one that will work best.

Be intentional:

Positive self-talk or a mantra can help you stay focused on a goal. Even though it will not be true 100% of the time, use it to get back on track.

Seek help:

If parenting is too much for you right now, it’s ok to find support. You are not a horrible parent! It shows that you want to make changes for the good of your family.

Offer help:

Chances are, there are other parents around you who could use some support. Instead of giving advice, encourage them, listen and find ways to help each other.

Back to the Story…

You take a deep breath, then say, “Oops. Sorry to yell like that! I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Let’s find a snack first, then I can give you my full attention. I can’t wait to hear about your day.”

Your kids learn that sometimes you feel overwhelmed. They saw you take a deep breath. They heard you apologize. And you still had a nice afternoon.

Wow. That’s a lot of teaching. Way to go, Imperfect Parent!

Bio: Nicole Schwarz is a mom to 3 little girls, a Licensed Therapist and Parent Coach. Check out her blog, Imperfect Families for more positive parenting tips and learn more about how Parent Coaching can help you find solutions to your parenting challenges.

#imperfect families #guidelines for parents

8 Books to Help Kids Manage Anxiety

Here are 8 great books to help children deal with anxiety. I've used these in both my professional life and my personal life and have found them to be very helpful. Read more about what I have to say for each book below!

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Classic about managing separation anxiety when kids start school. My daughter’s kindergarten teacher read this on our visit to school the first day.

When I miss you by Cornelia Maude Spelman

This is perfect for little ones who have a hard time dealing with the fact that they are away from their parents during the day. It suggests a couple of things they can do to help and reassurance that parents will come back at the end of the day.

Wemberley Worried by Kevin Henkes (Kevin Henkes also wrote Chrysanthemum, one of my favorite books!)

Poor Wemberley worries about everything, and then she gets really worried when she is about to start school.

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook

I love that when Wilma Jean’s physical reactions are described, they’re also illustrated. When is says she has knots in her stomach and her knees lock, her stomach really looks like it’s tied in a knot and there’s a real lock around her knees. I love the activity she does with her teacher, going over worries she can control and worries she can’t, it’s a great way to help kids manage their anxiety.

David and the Worry Beast by Anne Marie Guanci

David’s anxiety is a beast, and the more anxious he gets, the bigger it grows. David learns to control his thoughts, and his beast shrinks. There’s also a couple of pages for parents and kids in the back.

When My Worries Get Too Big by Kari Dunn Buron

This book is wonderful! There are several pages where kids can add in their own thoughts, worries and what helps them relax. This book also uses the 5 point scale to talk about stress and different ways to manage it.

What To Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner, PhD

This book goes through several ways that can help kids manage anxiety, including setting a time for worries, thinking about things that make you happy and resetting your body with activity or relaxation. There are some interactive places in this book, where a child can write down their worries, draw some images of things that might help, etc.

What To Do When You’re Scared and Worried by James J. Crist

This is one of my favorite books for kids to help them deal with anxiety. Near the beginning of the book is a checklist that helps kids narrow down what they are anxious about. The beginning of the book covers the basics of what anxiety is and how to help manage with coping skills. The next section of the book goes into detail about different types of anxiety kids might experience, including Separation Anxiety, Phobias and Panic Attacks.

What are your favorite books to help kids deal with anxiety?

#anxiety #coping skills

Random Acts of Kindness for Families

I love Random Acts of Kindness. I think it first started when I heard about what a local girl scout troop had done, completing Random Acts of Kindness. I loved the idea, and integrated it into some groups I was working with at the time. Recently, I’ve been doing acts of kindness with my family. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to try and think of a random act of kindness to complete. Here are several simple ideas to get you started. There are also websites where you can look for tons of other ideas for acts of kindness.

Random Acts of Kindness we have done or want to do:

Donate books to the library - We took some of our old books to the library a few months ago, and now we have even more to donate.

Donate items to Goodwill from Kid World Citizen

Popcorn Surprise with a free printable from Coffee Cups and Crayons

Valentine’s Day Cards for Kids in the Hospital from the Idealist Mom

Do something nice for a neighbor - Our neighbors had a baby last year, and we wanted to do something kind for them, so we made them snacks and I made them a baby blanket.

Giving away homemade hearts from Meri Cherry

Burying Treasure at the Playground - I love this idea from Pennies of Time. We have some small toys in the basement, we’re totally doing this!

Gifts for Dance Class - We had such fun doing this!

Thank you note to the UPS driver - He’s so friendly and I order A LOT of things. Sometimes really heavy things. I think it would be kind if we wrote him a nice thank you card.

Fun items for kids at the park - We live right down the street from a park. We have some extra sidewalk chalk laying around, I think we’re going to leave some at the park for someone else to enjoy too!

Great Places to Get Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness

Here are 100 Acts of Kindness from Coffee Cups and Crayons

If you need some ideas for random acts of kindness - check out Pennies of Time - the entire site is dedicated to teaching kids to serve and doing kind acts. There are lots of great ideas here.

Boom Boom Cards - You can do random acts of kindness and track it online! There are different packs you can use as well.

Random Acts of Kindness.org is also a great place to start to get some ideas for acts of kindness to do with your family

Go do a random act of kindness with your family!

#random acts of kindness #RAK #family fun ideas #simple activities

Our Favorite Arts and Crafts Supplies

We love arts and crafts in our house! But you don’t need to have a ton of fancy supplies to have fun and be creative. I realized recently that my kids are always reaching for the same supplies, and they’re not always expected. Here are some of our favorite arts and crafts supplies!

Tape

We love all kinds of tape. We love duct tape, masking tape, scotch tape and packing tape. We’ve made roses on pencils out of duct tape, we’ve made hopscotch on our rug indoors with masking tape. We even made a DIY dry erase board using cardboard, packing tape and paper.

Cardboard

My kids love cardboard. We love the big boxes for making forts or small boxes for creating places for toys. The kids are working on a house for shopkins (these shopkins have so many housing options!). We even made a homemade foosball table the other morning. Whenever it’s time to start a new project, the kids run to the recycling bin first :-)

Makedo

I got these for Christmas for the kids. They’re fantastic. They are little screws and tools made specifically to work with cardboard. We got a couple of little kits to make things, but my favorite way to use them is just on plain cardboard.

Straws

We use both paper straws and plastic straws for all sorts of projects. I set up an invitation to play with straws and beads and pipe cleaners once, it led to some interesting results.

Paper plates

Did you know there are a ton of crafts you can do with paper plates? We’ve made farm animals, owls, butterfly crafts and containers for holding things.

Paper bags

When I was little, I used to love making puppets out of paper bags. The kids and I do that on a regular basis. They’re so much fun!

Sparkly Markers

We have the metallic crayola markers that we use all the time. The colors are super vibrant and sparkly. These are the markers the kids choose to use first every time.

Sticky notes

Who doesn’t love post it notes? We think they’re the best. My daughter found some flower shaped ones and used them to put up a treasure hunt for me. She also wrote her math facts on some and put them in her room. My son likes to use them as little art pads, drawing on one then sticking it somewhere and repeating the process.

Egg cartons

We’ve done some neat projects with egg cartons. We made jumping spiders and a caterpillar. You could even start seeds in them!

I hope this inspires you to look at everyday items in your house to use for art projects. What are your favorite arts and crafts supplies?

#simple activities #easy fun crafts

Taking Someone Else's Perspective - A Lesson with Legos

Do you all remember THE dress from earlier this year that blew up on the internet? I actually thought it was quite an interesting social commentary. It was fascinating to me that some people couldn’t understand that someone else could really see the dress as a different color. And were adamant in insisting they were right, while the other people were wrong. (By the way - I saw white and gold, what did you see?)

It can be hard to think about someone else’s view of a situation. Every person sees things differently. Think about if you and another person are standing next to each other, and looking in the same direction. You might be able to see a plane in the air, but your friend might not be able to because they are a different height than you or their view might be blocked by a tree.

Here’s a neat lesson for kids to help them try to take someone else’s viewpoint.

Lego Perspective Lesson

GOAL: To have one child create something with a set of legos and have the other child create the same thing. They have to communicate with each other to make this happen, WITHOUT look at the actual legos.

Gather up lego pieces and make sure you have two of each piece. Then separate the piece into groups so both children have an identical group of legos.

One child makes a design with their legos.

Then, here comes the challenging part. They have to communicate with their partner about what their lego creation looks like and have the other child make the exact same lego creation.

The child who designed the original creation could draw about it, write out the steps or say the steps out loud to the other child.

This is a challenge, because you have to think about how the other person sees the lego pieces. Would you describe the lego pieces in the same way? How do you accurately describe how to arrange the pieces?

The second child creates the same design as the first child made.

Then the children switch roles. The second child now takes a turn creating a design and explaining it to the first child.

This is a very challenging activity, especially depending on the level of pieces the design has.

To make it easier, use fewer pieces or make sure every piece is a different color. You can increase the challenge by adding more pieces.

Here are some other resources related to empathy:

Empathy Video - Kids explaining the meaning of empathy

Perspective Taking Lesson - A lesson found on Speech Lady Liz with actual shoes to help kids understand someone else’s perspective

Teaching Empathy through role play - An awesome blog article from The House of Hendrix where the kids actually role play being in someone else’s shoes. What a neat idea!

Teaching Empathy in Schools - How schools can work on teaching empathy through using a jigsaw classroom, a type of cooperative learning

Stand in My Shoes book: Kids Learning About Empathy - A great read for kids about empathy!

How do you talk with your kids about empathy?

#how to teach social skills #perspective taking #legos

Kids Working Together

Summer vacation is coming up for us (only 2 more weeks until school is done!) and I’ve been thinking about how to help the kids get along. Recently, there’s been a lot of picking on each other, and typical sibling squabbles. But my concern is that when they’re both home all day long that it’s going to get a little more intense. I want them to realize that they can enjoy each other’s company and not be combative with one another.

I’ve discovered that a cool way to have them come together is to work on a shared goal, maybe even against their parents! They could be on the same team on a board game, work to create something together, or solve a problem together. Recently, I’ve been choosing to focus on activities that make my own kids work together. Here are some ideas:

Playing a board game as a team

We got out Memory (a game we’ve been enjoying recently during family time) and they worked together against me. They helped each other out when they were trying to find matches on their turns. They put the matches they got together and they totally beat me. They even did a little victory dance.

Making a catapult and try shooting it into a target

We got out some materials to try to create a catapult with what we had at home. We tried legos, popsicle sticks, rubber bands and a spoon. While they were each working on their own catapult, they helped each other problem solve and got excited when the other person’s actually worked.

Paper airplane target practice

We made a couple of types of paper airplanes and tried to get it through the doorway leading from our living room into the hallway. They decorated their planes so it was easier to keep track of whose plane it was. Maybe someday I’ll actually put up a paper target for them to get through.

Work on a puzzle together

Sometimes when they’ve been arguing, it makes sense to switch the activity. We recently did this with success. They were getting irritated with one another, so we took a break and started to work on a puzzle of the United States of America. They finished the puzzle and their spat was forgotten.

Make a balloon rocket and see how far you can make it go

My kids got really excited that we were doing this activity too. I set up the activity (it doesn’t take a lot of materials, so that’s wonderful) and then we went outside to test it out. They had to work together to figure out the best place to put the string and to coordinate timing. They worked quite nicely on this project!

Work on a collaborative art project

Sometimes working to create something together can be helpful. We picked up these cool nuudles (corn noodles that stick together if you wet them slightly) and they worked together to make a house. They also worked nicely together sorting the colors and cleaning up the extra nuudles for more projects later.

Go on a scavenger hunt

We love to take walks or just be outside in nature. Sometimes the change of scenery alone can help. Occasionally, we pick something that we’re going to look for on a walk, like how many butterflies we see, or how many chipmunks or how many different colors. If we remember to bring our camera, we even take pictures to help us keep track.

Go to the park

Some of the most peaceful times I had last summer when we were in Toronto were when I took both kids to the park. We’d go to a park and there were always a few other kids there. They would play together with the same group of kids, or sometimes just play by themselves. Being in a new place, meeting new kids and running around exploring was a great way for them to interact positively and work together.

Does it always work perfectly all the time? No, but it’s a start. What activities do your children like to do together?

#kids working together

A Peek Inside our May Subscription Box

As some of you know, Encourage Play started a subscription box service in January. I wanted to give people a more in depth peek inside what goes into one of our subscription kits. Here’s a look at what was in our May subscription box!

May’s theme was Flexibility

What exactly is flexibility in people? It’s not about being physically flexible, but more about having a flexible brain. Part of it is being nice but it’s so much more than that. It's being willing to not go first, not be the one who's always in charge, not be the one who's always telling the other person what to do or what you will play when. It's giving other people a chance to have it their way instead of having it your way all the time. When kids are flexible they tend to do better in social situations. It makes other people feel good and other kids want to be around a kid who is flexible.

However, you also want to make sure that your kid isn't being too flexible. They shouldn’t always let somebody else have a turn first, always giving somebody else the first choice of what color they want to be when playing a game or always having somebody else go ahead of them. You’ve got to find a balance.

Here are two playdate activities designed to help kids think flexibly and have fun!

Play Date Activities

Invitation to Create:

Pipe Cleaners

Beads

Using your flexible mind, create anything you want with these two items. It could be a person, a creature, a structure or anything else you can think of. Here's a picture of some of our creations.

Flexible Pictures

Silly Putty

Paper

Pencils

Using a blank piece of paper, draw or write anything you’d like on the paper using the included pencil. Then take the silly putty and spread it over the paper. Then carefully peel the silly putty off the paper and the image will be on the silly putty. How cool is that? Now you can stretch it and bend your picture.

Family Activity

Included in the kit is a flexible brain. This brain can be used to talk about flexibility. Have the kids gather items made of different materials. Items from outside might include a rock, a leaf, a flower, a stick, etc. Some example items from inside include pillows, legos, stuffed animal, cars, etc. Set a limit on how many items, 5 - 10 total. Once all the items have been gathered, work together to figure out which items are less flexible than the brain, and which items are more flexible. How many items are harder? How many are softer? Is anything the same flexibility as the brain?

When you talk with kids about being flexible, focus on finding a balance. You don't want to be too soft (like a pillow) but you don't want to be super rigid (like a rock). Discuss examples of how to be flexible in different situations, like while playing a board game, or getting ready for bed with your sibling, or doing a craft with someone.

I hope you enjoyed your peek into our May kit. June’s theme is working together. Sign up by June 21st to receive this month’s kit!

#subscription box #being flexible

Social Thinking: Unthinkables - Worry Wall

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Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking is a great way to talk with kids about social interactions and teach them expected ways to react to situations. I’ve discussed The Unthinkables Rock Brain and Glass Man before and given some resources you can use to talk with kids about how to defeat them. Worry wall is another Unthinkable that kids (and adults!) have a hard time managing. Here’s a quick lesson and some resources you can use when you are talking about Worry Wall with kids.

Worry Wall Lesson for an Individual or Group

Materials Needed:

Green Construction Paper

Red Construction Paper

Glue

Tape

Marker

Take red and green construction paper and cut it into brick sized pieces. Glue a green piece to a red piece. Tape it on a flat wall or surface in a brick pattern with all the red surfaces facing out.

Start by talking about Worry Wall and how he takes over kids brains and makes them worry too much. Generate some ideas of what kids might worry about. It can be worries they themselves really have or worries they think kids may have. They could have worries about home or school, family or other kids. For example, a kid at the end of the school year may be worried about who their teacher will be next year. A kid might worry about who they will sit with at lunch, or if a friend will be in their classroom. When they mention a worry, write it on one brick. Keep going until all the bricks are filled.

Now it’s time to defeat Worry Wall! Pick up each worry and generate ideas as a group for defeating worry wall. Write the strategies you’ve come up with on the green side and place it on the wall away from the red bricks, visually taking the “wall” apart. Keep going until all the bricks are flipped to the green side with positive strategies for defeating worries.

Resources to Help Defeat Worry Wall

Videos:

Mr. Worry - Based on the Little Men book, Mr Worry worries about everything. Then he meets a wizard who tells him to write down his worries and he stops worrying! Unfortunately his worries come back. It’s a great teachable moment to talk with kids about how defeating worries is not a one time thing. Chances are, you will get more worries over time and you’ll need to continue to work on defeating those worries. You just need to develop strategies to defeat them

Wemberley Worried - This is such a cute video based on the Wemberley Worried book. It would be helpful for younger kids as they are starting school and have some worries about it.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation from Inner Health Studios - I’ve used this progressive muscle relaxation with kids during therapy before, and they enjoy it. It’s a great way to calm the body and reduce anxiety.

Websites:

www.stressfreekids.com - Lori Lite created a whole system for helping kids manage anxiety. I love her book The Angry Octopus - which is a book that walks kids through a Progressive Muscle Relaxation exercise.

Relaxation Downloads from Dartmouth - a whole set of relaxation, stress relief, progressive muscle relaxation and even classical music to help calm anxiety and stress.

Book:

What to do When You’re Scared and Worried - A great resource for kids, families and counselors. The beginning of the book focuses on smaller worries, and then there are chapters dedicated to Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Attacks, Separation Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s written for kids, but it’s good to work through the book with an adult.

Action Plan for Counselors:

Use the Worry Wall Lesson in a social group or lunch group for the kids that tend to worry or feel more anxious. If kids need a little bit more 1:1 attention, take a few minutes and meet with them separately to talk about their worries.

Action Plan for Parents:

Ask simply “Is there anything that you worry about?” and see what they say. Ask if they want help trying to figure out ways to defeat their worries. If they do, work together and think about some ways they can manage their worries.

What are your favorite resources to help kids with worry?

#unthinkables #social thinking #worry wall

Gardening with Kids

One of my big goals this summer was to get back to gardening. Before kids, I gardened every spring and summer and enjoyed all sorts of fresh vegetables. After kids, it got a little tough to get out consistently, so I stopped doing it for a couple of years. This year, the garden is back in full swing. I’ve wanted to get the kids involved with gardening too. Here’s what we’ve done together:

The kids picked out what they wanted to plant

We went as a family to get the plants. The first time we went, we got some more frost tolerant plants since it was earlier in spring. We got lettuce, cauliflower, carrots, radishes and lemon thyme. I’ve never grown cauliflower or radishes or carrots, so it’s all new for me too as we watch the plants get bigger and bigger. We also picked up butternut squash and zucchini seeds (my favorite!)

Later on, we went back to pick out some strawberries, cucumber and a big tomato plant. Then we also picked out some smaller flowers for our fairy garden. Because they got to pick plants and vegetables out, the kids are invested in watching them grow. They like to check on the gardens with me, to see what’s growing and to make sure no weeds have taken over.

We planted together

My daughter is able to focus on the task longer, because she really is excited about gardening. After we got our last batch of things to plant, she was ready to put them in the ground immediately. My son needed to take a break and do some running and bouncing in the backyard. It worked out for everyone (for the most part). I kept an eye out for him while getting things organized for the garden and planting with my daughter.

We take care of it together

They help me by watering the garden. They take turns holding the hose or using the watering can. Occasionally, there are cries of "she got to do it last time" or "I didn’t get a turn yet". But we are able to make it through all that. We have to water all the time, so everyone will get plenty of chances.

We’re making a fairy garden

We have a big tree in the back of our yard that is a perfect spot for a fairy garden. We are starting on it piece by piece. So far, we have cleared the area (which took about 3 lawn bags full of sticks) and we just planted some flowers back there. Over the summer, we plan to add more parts to our fairy garden, like a door made out of popsicle sticks, and maybe a little swing. It will be an activity to keep us busy throughout the summer.

We’re also making a bean teepee

I’ve wanted to do this bean teepee for soooo long. My son picked out the beans. They’re sprouting and soon we’ll need to add the string for them to climb and create the teepee.

We started some flowers from seeds

My daughter loves flowers. She picked out some marigold seeds and sunflower seeds. A few years ago, we had the hugest sunflowers in our front yard. It was amazing to see how big they grew and our neighbors got a huge kick out of them too. I wonder how big they’ll grow this year!

If you love gardening, try getting your kids involved. It’s a great way to spend some time together doing something outside. If you’ve never tried gardening, try it with the kids. It’s always wonderful to try something new together with your family.

Here’s my gardening Pinterest board. Look and get inspired :-)

Follow Encourage Play's board Gardening on Pinterest.

#gardening #summer fun

Calming Jar for One

A calming jar with everything you need! Included is a jar and glitter paint. Just add water!

This activity is a calming jar, which is sometimes called a mind jar. You shake up the bottle and watch the glitter & other materials settle on the bottom. It’s a great way to slow down and can even be a mindfulness activity. To make your jar, pour glitter paint into the jar until it just covers the bottom of it. Add warm water. Put the cover on and shake to help the ingredients combine.

Managing Feelings Play Date Kit

Playdate Activities

Zen Garden: 2 portable containers, sand, rakes and smooth stones

Calming Jar: 2 bottles and glitter paint - just add water!

FAMILY ACTIVITY

Coping Skills Checklist

APRIL'S THEME: MANAGING FEELINGS

The theme was Managing Feelings. The ability to manage different feelings that occur on a regular basis is such an important skill for friendships, but sometimes it’s hard to learn. This is something that adults can struggle with as well. It’s important for kids to learn how to manage feeling frustration, anger and disappointment safely.

For our play date activities, I wanted to have a couple of activities that would help kids learn to manage feelings. I picked two activities that I know from experience help kids calm down.

PLAYDATE ACTIVITY: MAKE YOUR OWN PORTABLE ZEN GARDEN

The first is a portable zen garden. Making a zen garden can be a great way to calm down, relax and focus. A zen garden is supposed to be simple and uncluttered. You can use the rake to make ripples and patterns in the sand, and you can add in the stones as well. The best part of this garden? It’s portable! Place the cover on top and take it wherever you want!

PLAYDATE ACTIVITY: CALMING JAR

The second was a calming jar, which is sometimes called a mind jar. You shake up the bottle and watch the glitter & other materials settle on the bottom. It’s a great way to slow down and can even be a mindfulness activity. To make your jar, pour glitter paint into the jar until it just covers the bottom of it. Add warm water. Put the cover on and shake to help the ingredients combine.

FAMILY ACTIVITY: COPING SKILLS CHECKLIST

The family activity was a coping skills checklist. One of my favorite ways to help kids learn to manage their feelings is by discussing coping skills. In order to get an accurate list of coping skills, you’ve got to start figuring out what works and what doesn’t. It also makes sense to figure out new things they haven’t tried yet, to increase their list of coping skills. I included a checklist to help families start exploring this.

#managing feelings #subscription box

Simple & Fun Activities with Balloons

We started going to a new dentist a few weeks ago and one of the prizes at the end was a HUGE balloon. They’ve lasted a while. My kids love balloons and ask to play with them frequently. Here are some simple ideas for playing with balloons.

Soccer

Pretend like the balloon is a soccer ball and kick it gently back and forth. Because the balloon is so light, you just need a gentle kick. It can be a pretty active game depending on how large your space is, since the balloon goes every which way and you’ll have to track it down.

Tennis

Pretend the balloon is a tennis ball and bat it back and forth using tennis or badminton rackets. If you don’t have any handy, you can make your own. All you need is two paper plates, something for a handle (like popsicle sticks or chopsticks) and duct tape. Then start the game.

Balance

My son has named this one The Tricky Game. Using one homemade tennis racket or your hand, try to balance the balloon and walk around. Challenge yourself to see how long you can hold up a balloon. You can vary the walking speed or make things more challenging by setting up cones to move around. Use a timer to see how long you can do it.

Don’t Touch the Ground

Try to keep the balloon from touching the ground by continually batting it back and forth. Pretend the ground is like lava :-) See how many times you can bat it back and forth before it touches the ground. It’s also a great way to practice counting.

Twirl it

Spin the balloon in your hand by flicking both wrists at the same time and then let it go. It makes the balloon swirl and twirl quickly. It’s really neat to watch.

Balloon Rocket

All you need is a piece of string/yarn, a straw, some tape and a little room. You can tape the straw to the balloon, put the straw through the string, then blow up the balloon. Let the balloon go and see how far across the room it will go!

Next time your kids have a lot of energy that they need to get out, try playing with a balloon. It can get the kids moving and is super easy to set up.

What balloon games have you tried?

#balloons #easy activities #simple play

Using A Treasure Hunt to Work on Social Skills

I love to set up treasure hunts because it’s awesome and fun. But did you know you can actually use them to help kids work on social skills?

What social skills can a kid work on by doing a treasure hunt?

It’s a great way to work on picking up on clues around us. It’s also wonderful practice for kids to work cooperatively, take turns, and problem solve.

Why do kids need to be able to pick up on social clues?

Kids need to practice picking up on clues from others in different social scenarios. For instance, they need to be able to pick up on the social rules for playgrounds and at recess. They need to understand that they shouldn’t walk through a basketball game or cut the line in a four square game. What are the social rules for swings? Where do you wait for your turn to go on the swings?

It’s also helpful for kids to be able to pick up on clues in school. If all the kids in class are sitting quietly working in their math book, your child would benefit from picking up on those clues, take out their math book, look at the board for page numbers and start working.

I created a treasure hunt for our February Subscription Box, and it was a ton of fun. I set up a treasure hunt for my own kids after school one day. While they were doing homework, I wrote in the specific spots where to find the clues - on clue #1, I wrote the location of clue #2, on clue #2, I wrote the location of clue #3, etc. Then I hung the clues all over the house and set up a treasure to find at the end. In order to make it easier to locate a clue, I also put a color hint on the clue. To make it a little more fun, I made the color clue hidden under a layer of scratch off paint, so the kids had to use a coin to reveal the color clue.

Initially my son was not interested, but my daughter was totally gung ho. But my son loves to play anytime he can with my daughter, so as soon as she picked up the first clue, he joined right in. She can read and he can’t, so they determined (with my help) that she could read the clues and he could scratch off the color clue to help find the next one. They both kept searching for the clues. My son kept finding the clues before scratching off the color clue, which bothered my daughter a bit because he wasn’t following the rules.

They ran all through the house together and finally came to the treasure - a spy kit :-) Then they spent a little time working on secret messages. It was a fun activity for the kids to do for an after school activity.

Have you ever done a treasure hunt with your kids?

#social skills activities #social skills #kids activities

Resources to Understand Sensory Challenges

Have you ever heard these words?

I think my child has sensory issues.

He just got a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder.

That child struggles with sensory integration.

There are so many different words people use to talk about sensory issues. And if you’re ever on Pinterest, you have probably seen ideas and projects about sensory play. But what does that all mean? I have to admit, when I first started hearing about sensory, it was confusing. Here are some books and resources I’ve found to be informative and helpful when talking about all things sensory.

What does sensory processing mean?

What does “sensory” mean? Here is a brief explanation of what the term “sensory” means from The Inspired Treehouse.

The Sensory Spectrum is a wonderful resource to go to for all things sensory. I found this video briefly explaining sensory processing on there.

Is it Behavior or Is it Sensory? - An awesome series of posts on Golden Reflections Blog helping to clarify between behavior issues and sensory integration issues, because it can look so similar.

Accepting the Reality of Sensory Processing Disorder - This is such an honest and open look at a family learning about sensory processing disorder from Look We’re Learning.

Here’s a short video clip of Temple Grandin briefly explaining her own sensory sensitivities and the importance of addressing these issues.

Sensory Processing Myths - 5 Things OT’s want you to know from The Inspired Treehouse - Love this! If you go on Pinterest at all, you see a lot of stuff about sensory play. This post is great for explaining what sensory play actually is, and integrating play into sensory experiences.

Books on Sensory Processing

So many books have been written about sensory processing. Here are two of my favorites that I’ve read so far.

Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel, M.A, OTR/L and Nancy Peske - What a phenomenally helpful book. I love that it’s written by an OT and a mom who connected while the OT was working with the woman’s son. It’s detailed and informative about everything sensory and written in a clear way to help people not familiar with these topics.

Understanding Your Child’s Sensory Signals - Angie Voss, OTR - This book is such a great resource. It’s broken down into sensory signals. For example - hides under bed, under table, in closet, or covers ears at loud noises. For every sensory signal listed, she gives a sensory explanation for the behaviors and ideas to try to help manage that sensory signal in a regulating way.

Sensory Based Activities

Sensory Starter Kit from the Dollar Store - A great list of what you can get at the dollar store to start sensory play from Fun at Home with Kids.

25 Sensory Hacks for Vestibular and Proprioceptive Input - from And Next Comes L. I love to DIY, and this is a great list that gives options for DIY projects vs buying.

Check out Sensory Summer on the Jenny Evolution - a series of ideas, crafts and activities you can do related to sensory during summer vacation. I’m going to keep checking it out for summertime inspiration.

15 Must Follow Sensory Blogs - Dayna from Lemon Lime Adventures gathered a great bunch of Sensory Blogs to follow - what an awesome list of resources! Lemon Lime Adventures is also a great resource too!

Here is my Pinterest Board full of resources for learning more about this world.

Follow Encourage Play's board Sensory on Pinterest.

Where do you go to find sensory resources?

#sensory #sensory processing

What to do when a playdate goes wrong

You’ve taken the time to set up a playdate. You found a potential friend, you invited them to play at your house or at a playground and things are going really well. Then, something unexpected happens. Maybe it’s an argument, yelling, or even hitting (eek!!). What do you do?

Monitor

In order to effectively intervene, you need to be monitoring what’s happening, especially if this is a first playdate. You don’t know how the kids are going to react or interact with one another. Stay close by and keep an eye and ear out for their interactions. You don’t need to be in the same room with them, but you also need to be able to get to a situation quickly if you need to.

You know your child best, and you know their warning signs when things are starting to escalate. If things start to get too feisty, be prepared to move in.

Everyone Pause/Everyone Freeze!

When you do go in, have everyone freeze. This way, you can assess exactly what is happening. Give them clear and concise directions to move away from one another. If they are fighting about a particular item, have them both step away from it.

Quick Calming Activity

Emotions are probably running high at this point, especially if things got physical. Have the kids do a quick calming activity. Explain that you’re just going to take a minute and calm down. Here are 5 quick calming activities that you can do. Chances are, you are upset too, so make sure you model and do the calming activity with them.

Have them take 5 deep breaths

Get a drink of cool water

Blow bubbles

Use a calming jar

Do a body calming exercise - Here’s one I’ve used plenty of times over the years.

Sit or Stand up straight and cross one foot in front of the other.

Put your hands out straight in front of you, palms facing out.

Cross your hands at the wrists and lace up your fingers.

Bend your elbows and gently turn the your laced hands towards your body.

Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and breathe gently for a minute.

Quickly debrief with the kids

If you’re not sure exactly what happened, ask each child to briefly explain what happened in their own words. Tell them they each get a turn to explain what happened and to be respectful and not interrupt each other. Acknowledge hurt feelings and unexpected actions. And then figure out what to do next.

Switch activities

If you do need to step in because it’s not going well, transitioning them to a different structured activity can help ease tension and keep things positive. It could be a board game or an art project. Even switching the place where they are playing can help. Have them move rooms, or switch from inside to outside.

Hang around close by for a few minutes

Sometimes when kids get into an argument or physical fight, things can escalate again. Stay closer by and watch how things are going. This way, if you need to intervene again, you’re easily available. Also, you can monitor the kids - Do they seem to be continuing to get calmer? Excellent. Do they seem to be escalating again? Maybe it’s time to wrap it up and leave.

Know when to leave

If it’s gotten to a point where it’s too escalated, and the kids aren’t able to play together cooperatively, then give yourself permission to call it a day.

Make sure the adults communicate

If the other parent is there, include them in these steps. If they aren’t there, give them a debrief of what happened. Be honest about what happened, how you intervened, and how the kids responded.

After the whole thing is over, debrief 1:1 with your child

Talk with your child about what happened and what they can do the next time. This would be a great time to use the social autopsy to figure out where things went wrong and come up with a plan for the next time.

People make mistakes, arguments happen. It doesn’t mean you can’t ever have a playdate again with this person. This can be a teachable moment for everyone, and kids can learn how to manage when an argument/fight happens in a positive way.

Have you ever had a playdate go wrong?

#playdates

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