More Teddy Bear Fun

As I mentioned last week, Hamley (Em's teddy) and Yarji (Ed's teddy) had been dressed up and dragged into Em's 'school' game which has been on the go, morphing, changing and evolving for well over 6 months.

A new chapter has begun with the inclusion of the teddies, a spin-off of some sorts called 'The Teddy Bear Game' (original, I know!). It seems that dressing the teddies and getting them off to school every morning has inspired Em to create more of a story about where they live and how they get ready and so the new game was created.

As soon as the inspiration hit, I had to drop everything and help her to get out an old baby nursery that she used a lot from about the age of 2 til about 5.



We set it up in the loungeroom and she rummaged through a plastic container full of baby care items I had put together when she was going through her 'baby play' stage. It includes baby nappies, bottles, bibs, baby jumpsuits and cardigans, booties, empty baby food jars, spoons, and blankets.

She set herself up and included Hamley's dress up clothes. She was so excited and I was struck by how enthusiastically she resumed the same kind of play she used to engage in at a much younger age. Of course, the play itself has changed. Her story is much more involved and the play is far more organised and sophisticated, but all the materials are the same.

Em's play here is such a great example of how toys and play materials that are truly open-ended, can be adapted and used to suit a wide range of developmental stages and ages.

What toys do you have that will/or already do stand the test of time?

Come over and play at the 'Childhood 101' 'We Play' link up