Free Play

Do you remember the time when your parents let you walk to school alone at the age of 9? Do you remember playing out on the streets in the woods with friends and without parents hanging around? Do you remember when you did death defying stunts, jumping off high places, climbing trees, racing on your bike and no one shouting, "Don't do that you could hurt yourself."? I know I do. Yet so many parents these days restrict their children from free play because of risks some of which have been perpetuated by the media and the alarming amount of cars on the roads and the sue culture.

In the UK they are closing roads at certain times to allow children to play in a car free zone, allowing children to ride their bikes, to use chalk to create and play games and to build a sense of community in their areas, the sort of thing my parents had and so did I to some degree as a child. Even I have been become fearful of allowing my children to play out on our quiet street, I have to be able to see them, going past the driveway is simply a step too far. When I sit down and think about it, it makes me feel sad.

One of the things I noticed about moving to North America from the UK was the overwhelming amount of scheduled before and after school programs kids are involved with. Some get up at 5am to practice ice hockey some are playing soccer at 7pm at night, some do both. These children are young, the ones I have witnessed are under 8 years of age. It is an incredibly long day for kids, when do they get to rest their minds and enjoy their free time or have time to play, be creative without structure without adult guidance?

When my children went to school in the UK our after school activity would be to walk to the local park nearest the school and let the kids play. Sometimes a group of mums would take a picnic, let the children play whilst the mums worked together preparing the blankets and food and drinks. It was so much fun. we were outside, getting fresh air and it did all age groups a world of good. The kids could release some steam and enjoy time with their friends and the parents would get to know one another and build friendships that can at time be challenging when kids are rushed off to their out-of- school activities. I don't do this in Canada, kids are being rushed away, I am unable to build relationships with other parents because there is simply no time due to their children's heavy schedules, it sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?

The school my children go to in Canada has a wonderful forest that the kids are allowed to play in. They can climb trees, build camp fires, build art with sticks, splash in puddles, pick up worms, get outside and learn. They have to watch out for bears and coyotes and understand safety where wildlife is concerned, they observe owls, woodpeckers, hawks, eagles. We live in the suburbs, it is built up with lots of houses but there are places to go in search of nature. Not all schools have this luxury but I made a point of finding such a place for my children. Their creative play time is so advanced compare to where it was three years ago, it is a joy to watch.

Have you ever watched your kids play? Sometimes I would observe the children playing and watch them work together as a team, try and test new ways to do something and allow for idea generation from everyone in the group. It would soon become obvious who was the leader of the pack and how everyone naturally fell into place or how they would share the leadership role. This is what play should be about, no interference from over protective parents/adults, sometimes kids need to learn with their peers.

Some businesses are noticing the upcoming generations are not as creative, they are structured, conform to rules, because schools insist that they study hard, ready for tests, there is little creativity in that. I am already seeing more homework coming back with my child at grade 3, it is unnerving.

Why have we become so obsessed about structured time opposed to free creative play time? It certainly makes you think about what we are doing to our children in the society that we live in today.

Watch this awesome video about free play, it is inspirational.

Creativity Can

We recently went to the Mastermind Toys opening day in Coquitlam and they were handing out goody bags to the children. The packs contained some fabulous items including the Creativity Can. The Creativity Can contains all the items you need to make something out of a glue, paper, pipe cleaners and more. It really gets the kids imaginations going. My kids were starting to ask me, "What can I make mum?" but I refused to give them any ideas, they need to learn to think for themselves, all I said was, "Create what you want, use your imagination, it is not right or wrong, just play." Within seconds both my girls were creating. 

Here are some of the things they made. It may not make any sense to us but being creative doesn't have to make sense.

In the pack was a Playmobil game that hasn't been played yet.

A can that is about to be opened.

Reindeer's and butterflies.

Two wheel monster.

Being creative is fun.

A Girls Night In.

The beauty of having two girls is that I get to have a pamper night with them and the older they get the more fun it will be. There is nothing wrong with them experimenting with make-up and beauty products as they get older because women need to know these things. I do not wear make-up all the time and I do not spend ours fawning  over my appearance but now and again I like to pamper myself and now I have my daughters who can join in . Poor daddy gets to sit and watch while we paint our nails (he hates the smell too) and brush our hair and talk nail colours for next time.

The limit for the kids beauty night is bath, hair, nails and tattoos. But for them it is more than enough, it pains them to sit still while their purple painted toe nails dry. 

For myself I replaced the tattoo with a face mask which scared the heck out of the kid at first, they thought I looked like a skeleton. While I waited for the green mud to dry the girls wanted a glittery fairy tattoo placed onto their arm.

Nails

Lovely fairy tattoo

Glittery tattoo

Birthday Celebrations

I am not sure how a birthday ends up being a drawn out week event but somehow we manage to do it each year. Both my kids are summer babies. It is very hard organising parties with school friends when everyone is on vacation so I have to arrange a party for friends before they break up for the summer then one with extended family and a day when we go out as a small family unit. 

A few of the presents

Every girl likes Frozen

Party table

Homemade gluten free cake

Pass the parcel

Some of the gifts

Science for Kids

One of the birthday gifts my eldest received was a science kit. The science kits are awesome for kids. The Steve Spangler Science creations can come in individual packs or single packs. I have bought these products before and my kids love them. The one my daughter received had a a number of experiments, each one with at least two options. There are crystals that expand but first you need to add the colour tablets in first to colour the water then add the crystals. Watch it fizz, expand and change in colour. There are colour beads that change in different types of light. Snow that expands but it must be measured correctly or it can get slushy! Dry sand even when wet and a dino that expands in water and over a period of time. There is a leaflet that explains why and how it works. 

I give this kit a 10 out if 10. 

First Aid Kits for Kids - Me4Kidz

I was in my local pharmacy store when I stumbled across a travel sized first aid kit for kids. It is a little bigger than a glasses case and includes stickers for being brave kids (I assume), band aids, sanitizes, gauze and a large band-aid. It is a really handy kit for taking out on day trips and packaged in a nice bright colour. There are a number of colours to choose from however the store I went to only stocked orange and green. When supplies run out it will be easy to refill. The easy to grab box which fits nicely in a small-ish sized bag will keep everything in one place and keep the dirt out.

I haven't used it yet. The only thing I would add to it is Polysporin or Savlon cream. Come to think of it I am not sure I can get Savlon in Canada but I do have some at home.

The company name is me4kids.

Me 4 Kidz

Contents

We started to personalize ours.

Monster High Doll - Home made rooms

We were looking for an arts and crafts idea to get the kids imaginations going. When we looked on YouTube we found an awesome video which I have posted below. Taking inspiration from the video we created our own version as shown in the photo's below. Lots of craft paper and either cardboard or foam board. Really anything you can find.

Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson once did a presentation at Ted Talks, this particular video has had the most views of any Ted Talk speakers. I have watched this video many times. I think it is so inspiring, so thought provoking, interesting, insightful. It certainly makes you reconsider the schooling systems, teaching methods, children's development etc. Sir Ken is also a great presenter, amusing but serious and not at all patronizing.

 I do believe schools kill creativity not in the early years but certainly at secondary level. I won't give my opinion on this but he makes some valid points.

I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

  

Interview with the kids

Last year I interviewed my kids. Click to view the original blog post.  I forgot all about it until today when I went through my old scribbles. I said I would do this again and now they are a year older it would be nice to see what they say and compare it to last year. Bare in mind that the kids are in a new school so they will have different friends.


Interview with Melissa age 7 and Victoria age 5:

What is your favourite colour?
M: Pink and Purple
V: Purple and Pink

Who is your best friend?
M: Alexis, Saffy, Chloe, Diana, Neha, Ava
V: Cara, Alexis, Enchante, Hoodo, Deenoo

Do you like your school?
M: Yes
V: Yes

What do you like best about school?
M: Having fun, math games
V: Playing with the magnets, playing with Cara and Alexis

What is your favourite subject?
M: What is a subject? Art
V: Art

What was your best thing(s) about Christmas?
M: Opening presents
V: Opening presents

What sort of work would you like to do when you are all grown up?
M: Scientist
V: Go to work on a train like daddy, Ice cream girl

Which toy is your best?
M: Furby, Meh Kah
V: Furby, Bee Bah, love my big teddy

What do you most like about having a sister?
M: Playing on the trampoline
V: Playing pillow fights

Questions for me:

No questions other than they like to have mummy and daddy around.

Valentines for Kids

Valentines in North America is very different to the UK. In North America it is encouraged that children love each other; it is all about friendship which I think is fantastic. However in the UK it is very focused on getting a date and how many cards you receive, very much a popularity contests; it is awful.

We are embracing Valentines by adding to a tree all the people who we love and are special in our lives. For my little lovelies I have picked up this five foot poster with heart shaped paper, you can add names to the paper and stick onto the tree. I can't wait to see what the kids put on it. I have already added to it to get them started.

New Year clean-up

I am trying my hardest to teach the kids to keep their belongings tidy and place them in a spot where they can find them. It is a battle.

However, here is one of my ideas, I would like to call it a solution but it will probably be a temporary solution, kids are notorious for being untidy and have time to play but not for clean-up. Besides, kids should be kids and not have to worry about these things too much but a little nudging helps. But when my girls do tidy their room they are spotless, I love it.

They have a an art desk with draws but instead of placing the art materials in a orderly fashion it is all displaced and spread over several draws. So now we have a paper draw, a pen draw and paint draw and materials draw and these lovely little pots are for easy access for everyday needs, $1.25 each.

Ice Skating for Kids

  

I just love how kids can take a task and get on with it. Should they fall they get back up, nothing phases them too much. It has been a few years since we took the kids skating, well actually I skated as a kid but have not been on the ice since. The girls are taking to the ice nicely. Lots of tumbles but they are learning to get back up, not to be defeated and practice, practice, practice. 

I love the lessons in life.

Vancouver Zoo

A fantastic, hot summers day at Vancouver Zoo was had by all. My eldest got to handle the baby bird pictured, a kestrel which was in-training and I was able to handle a 2lb owl, it was lovely. We saw the lions fed and we saw many animals, like giraffes, a black panther and hippos.

It is a lovely kept zoo with a great environment. It is lovely to walk or cycle around and there is plenty of food available for your little gannets. Definitely going again. 

Back in Canada

Another epic return to Canada. Moving back to England was lovely; able to be with my parents at any point and the kids were able to visit, cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents. My kids met a girl at school who's mum ran a livery yard, so they were able to visit and ride the ponies. I also got back into the saddle. But we had to come back to Canada due to work and it was a sad and stressful return, particularly as the kids were settling into a school routine, making friends and enjoying the countryside fresh air and having access to London.

Our return has been a good one, we have had amazing weather and we are doing a lot of great things with the kids, posts to come.

xxx

Interviewing my kids

I love the Artful Parent, the author of the site, Jean, shares inspirational activities for kids, including art, baking and creating. More recently she interviews her children and I though it would be a great idea to have a go and interview mine. It is a great way to get conversation going and to listen to what they have to say and think about what is is they are telling me.

Interview with Melissa age 6 and Victoria age 4:

What is your favourite colour?
M: Pink and Purple
V: Green and Blue

Who is your best friend?
M: Millie, Hannah and Amelia
V: Abby and Violet

Do you like your school?
M: Yes
V: Yes

What do you like best about school?
M: Playing with friends and working hard
V: Playing with toys and my friends

What is your favourite subject?
M: What is a subject? Writing and reading.
V: Painting and glitter, sparkling

What was your best thing(s) about Christmas?
M: My doll and my lion and having a nice family. I like my slinky.
V: New toys that Santa gave me, slinky, I love my princess doll and my teddy.

What sort of work would you like to do when you are all grown up?
M: Working on a computer and writing. Writing a book. Learn about new things.
V: Play on a computer, look out and see fish.

Which toy is your best?
M: My lion.
V: My teddy

What do you most like about having a sister?
M: It is fun with my sister and she does what I want sometimes. To play together.
V: Playing ball with her and airplanes.

Melissa wanted to add a question:

Why do my mum and dad work so hard?
M: To pay for the house

Victoria wanted to add a question:

Why does my mum take me to school?

V: Because you do.

Rocking Horse

My Sweat Pea and Sugar Plum have a fantastic little rocking horse that I got from a car boot sale for only one pound sterling. After much deliberation we decided to call her Maple Syrup. Why Maple Syrup? Well she looks like the colour syrup, a nice rich brown and has a flaxen main and the tail, (the tail has fallen off) and since we love it on pancakes and both my kids were born in Canada we thought it appropriate.

There will be some adventures on this little rocker I am sure.

Fairy paintings

Happy New Year 2013!

Time has flown and I have been busy creating and organising and getting through some challenging times but I am feeling up-beat for this year and have been creating with the kids.

Latest WIP, fairy paintings with sequins for a bit of glam.

First stage:



Second stage:


MM 6 yrs, Mum, VM 4 years.

Puppet show

There is nothing more fun than watching children put on a performance. One Christmas present they received was this wonderful, portable stage with finger puppets. It certainty gets their imagination going.