“Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth.” ~ American Academy of Paediatrics It’s coming up to Christmas and you’re probably wondering what toys to buy for your kids. I think it’s helpful to remember that […]
‘Play with me!’ You may be a parent who loves to play with your kids, or you may be a parent who dreads hearing this refrain and then you suffer pangs of guilt for the rest of the day! Play is all about having fun! Any activity organised or unstructured that your child finds […]
Play is in danger of becoming a lost ‘art’ for families across the UK, as 21% of time-starved parents admit that they have forgotten how to play and struggle to engage their children in creative and imaginative activities that will help their development according to a new report. Lots of research has shown that brain […]
Many toddlers these days are tech-savvy, able to master the TV remote, computer games and hand held consoles from a very early age. Despite living in this world of gadgetry experts believe children should also be encouraged to have fun in the world of their own imagination. Kids love playing dressing-up games, role-play and make-believe […]
As regular readers of my blog will know I was a Deputy Head & Class Teacher for 25 years so I have seen quite a few playground toys fads and crazes in my time. From Ninja Turtles to those colourful loom wrist bands, to Tamagotchi pets I’ve seen them ALL. So, its no surprise that […]
Paying The Price For Our Parental Panicking Anxiety and depression; even suicide is increasing and it’s all because children feel their sense of control over their lives has decreased according to Peter Gray, a psychologist at Boston College and author of ‘Free to Learn.’ His research links the rise of emotional and social disorders with […]
I’ve just spent a morning talking on lots of radio stations around the UK about the importance of play as it’s National Play Day. A survey carried out by Zapf Creations UK the makers of Baby Annabell and Baby Born discovered that 1 in 10 parents only play with their kids for 2 hours a […]
Here’s a really comprehensiveand fantastic reference network of unique play ideas categorised according to the type of play and hosted at Childhood101.com
