| Teaching, reading, playing games, taking walks,cooking and doing crafts with kids are things that come pretty naturally to me, but sitting and playing with toys somehow seems harder. I know I'm not the only one and I'm not sure why it is that way, but kids sure like it when you take the time to do the thing they want to do. The older kids always had each other , so it surprised me at first when Ryland was looking for someone to play toys with. His speech therapist also suggested that we use the process of play to help him progress with his use of language (grammar, things like opposites, etc.) We had this train set out and I took a little time to sit with him and before I knew it a story began to grow. We needed pennies to buy blocks to build towns and the bucket of plastic animals for a farm and wolves in the wooden tree forest. A boy was taking a train ride for his 8th birthday and choosing his favorite animal when the bad guys attacked..... and he became a police kid, and the train crashed..... Sometimes I can be so focused on accomplishing things or not letting the mess get to out of control. Today was a good reminder to me how time to play is good for both of us. My sister Rebeca, wrote her thankful blog (featuring my cute nieces and nephews) today about children's imagination. We must be kindred spirits! |
2 comments:
Of course we're kindred spirits!
I have a harder time just playing too. I've been trying to make a point of spending more one on one time with the kids, doing something they enjoy. Today Peregrine wanted to play lego with me, not building it, but playing with the things he'd made... alien forces and that sort of thing. It was a challenge for me, but we had fun. Your train time sounds great.
I often wonder why we lose the ability to easily play as adults? Thanks for this reminder that it's important to try. I need to do this more with my nephew.
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