Reblogged from littlejacksons
Noah’s Nooks Pt I
Over the next few weeks I thought I’d do a few posts on activities that we do together and also incorporate photos of his little spaces that I set up around the house for him.
This is his reading tent.
Inside are his ‘hands on’ books. He has another set of books in his room that I read to him at bedtime that are not baby friendly to play with. Torn pages hurt my brain. Like many other mothers, I have a passionate desire for teaching my son to love literature and words.
We read together a lot, and Joe reads to him too. Noah loves it when Daddy reads, a little more so than Mummy! It might not always be books, we use every opportunity given as a readable moment. In shops, while cooking, everywhere there are words we are reading and showing them to Noah.
We set this little tent up for him to sit in and rifle through his book collection in peace and free of distraction. At first he wasn’t interested in his space but when left to his own devices, he ventured in and found all of his books inside and began to open the pages and yell at them. We always find him sitting in there now ‘reading’ to himself and pointing at the pages babbling away. It’s the foundation of something really special and I catch myself just peeking in and watching with a big happy smile.
Often enough the books come out and end up everywhere but that is ok, they get packed away at the end of each day ready for him to rediscover tomorrow.
I hope that he falls in love with being transported away in a world of paper and adventure, it’s one of the very best traits to be passed on, a love of reading.
Set a clear time reference for playtime. This way, your child knows when he gets to hang out with his friend. Toddlers have little concept of clock time, so saying “at 10:00 o’clock,” or even “soon,” will just cause him frustration. Instead, say, “after your nap” or “when we reach the slide.” Know when to quit.
Kids with waning energy usually end up in arguments (just like grown-ups). Politely make an exit by thanking the host Mom for a splendid date and promise more time together soon.
Play after rest. After all, relaxed kids make better hosts (and guests). If you notice kids getting fussy, it’s best to switch gears and suggest a different activity.
If your child’s the guest, pack your own toys and snacks. While it’s great to encourage kids to share, you can avoid toy standoffs by making sure your child has playthings he can turn to should his pal have a difficult time letting go of his. Relax. Seeing parents enjoy themselves creates a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere for kids, too.
Have them play host. Carolyn Mackler, a Manhattan mother of one, says, “Teaching kids to greet a friend at the door with a cordial ‘welcome to my house’ is a fun building block.
This is kids’ time; make it interactive, imaginative, and let it happen organically.” Stick around. Drop-off play dates are tough for toddlers struggling with separation anxiety. If you must go on an errand, keep it very short and do a quick run. Be sure to say good-bye, but don’t belabor it.
(via our365.com)
Create your own dinner theater
Shake up the sugar caddy
Colorful distractions
Build something!
