A Little Project

My school girl was following me around a little lost and bored yesterday morning so I decided to give her a project to do. I suggested she make a book about 10 things she has enjoyed doing over her holidays.

She was very keen, so to get her started, we sat down together and made a list of 10 things she had done and really enjoyed. I wrote the list so I could help spell tricky words like "Aquarium" and "Federation Square", but I deliberately did it in note form so she would have to think through how to construct sentences when she came to write the book (this is something she has done at school and is quite capable of).

Next, we downloaded the photos we have taken over the last couple of weeks. She chose her favourites and I copied them onto a word document, making each photo passport size.



Then I stapled together 6 pages of white A4 paper that I folded in half, and left her to her own devices. She collected up her own glue, scissors and textas and set herself up to work at the kitchen table.

I was doing some work around the house, so I was at hand if she needed help with spelling or when she took a break to show me what she had done, but for the most part, she worked on her own for a good couple of hours.

Putting together a book like this is a great way to practice literacy skills in a nonthreatening, fun way. It's also a great opportunity for self-reflection and when the task is completed, it provides a sense of mastery which boosts self-esteem. It also kept Em absorbed and occupied for over 2 hours which not only helped develop her memory and concentration, but also gave me some time to get a few things done.

School's Out But At Our House It's In

Well, we are having a lovely break from the daily grind of school lunches, uniforms, dropping off and picking up. But here at my house, we haven't left school behind altogether.

We have had a school corner set up in our loungeroom for about the last 4 or so months and it has been used a lot in the last week since we got back from our trip away.

The school corner came about when I got an old school desk and some chairs from a friend. I set it up in the loungeroom when em was having some friends over to celebrate her birthday. It never got packed away because it became a great place for the kids to draw and create which saved my dining room table.

It wasn't long before Em asked me to get out her whiteboard so she could play 'schools'. I also added whiteboard markers, rulers, calculators, pens, pencils, stickers and a few notebooks. The area has been used almost every day since.

Sometimes Ed Is the student, sometimes her toys are, sometimes I am, and a lot of the time she plays there by herself. It's been a great place for Em to play out and process all that has happened to her in her first year of school and, during the holidays, it's been a great way for her to revisit what happens at school when she's thinking about being there.

This is what it looked like when it was first set up. It's not quite as tidy now...


When I ran my own kinder room I would always set up the dramatic play area as a classroom in the last term. It would give the kids a chance to play out the big change that was about to happen for them. It also enabled the kids who had older siblings and knew a bit about school to pass on some of what they knew to the students that didn't and it also allowed for questions and concerns to naturally come up and be dealt with.

I set it up much the same as the one I've done for Em at home only I would include uniforms, school bags and lunch boxes. All of these things need time and practice to get used to.

If you've got a little one starting school for the first time this year or have some bigger ones who are a bit bored and missing school, a school corner at home could be just what your house needs.

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December PP

I have an article in Practical Parenting this month. Actually, I'm pleased to say I have articles coming out in the next 4 issues, so stay tuned.

This month's is a really simple idea for sand play. Most kids love playing in the sand pit and I've written about an idea for imaginative play for all those animal lovers out there. It's on page 82 of December's PP, so have a look if you get a chance.

The Water Boy

When I found my little boy in the bathroom sink the other day, up to his elbows in water, I knew it was time to save myself and the bathroom and set up some water play (again!). I have done this for him so many times now and he really does love it. The weather is perfect at the moment, so I got out my plastic tubs, set up two tables (because his sister was home) and collected up all of the water toys I could get my hands on.


Usually I would set up something with a specific goal in mind, but he has done it so many times now, I decided to get the toys out and let him decide what path the play would take. This helps him use some extra thinking skills as he remembers what he has done before and works out how to achieve what he has planned.

Getting out quite a few different play things also meant that Em could play what she liked at her level and wasn't stuck with what Ed wanted to do.

They both chose different toys and played different types of games. Sometimes they worked together and played different roles in the same story, other times they went solo and did their own things. They both had loads of fun though and played happily for quite a long time on the deck. It was a great way to have them both busy while still allowing them to play at their own developmental level.

A Booklet for Early Learning

I've been working with a friend of mine this term who is a paediatric speech pathologist. We've written a program that we've been running at the local community centre called "Early Learners". It's a play-based language and learning program based around open ended activities that are lots of fun and help children to experiment, explore and learn.

We've put 20 of our favourite activities into a booklet. Each activity uses simple items that you would find around the home or could buy cheaply and is written up in a recipe format that it is easy read and follow. We've also included some tips on things you can say as a parent to promote learning and development. But the best thing about these activities is that, for the most part, you can set up the play and go away, knowing that your child is engaging in play that promotes learning and development. The tips can be used when you check in to see how things are going.

The activities are really simple ideas like different ways to paint and dramatic play scenes to set up for your child to play in. But what makes them so valuable is that it's simple, basic open-ended play experiences that children stay involved in and get the most developmental benefits from.

The booklet costs $15 AU plus $2 p&h within Australia or $5 for overseas postage. If you're interested in purchasing a copy, you could leave a comment or contact me via my email - belinda.butler@optusnet.com.au

*Apologies if you've emailed me about the booklet and I haven't replied, I've been having problems with my email address and haven't received them or any comments. If you'd still like a copy of the booklet, we have a limited number left, please email me at belinda.butler@optusnet.com.au

A Change is as Good as a New Toy

As I've mentioned earlier, we have a few dolls' houses around the place and one of them (a plastic fisher-price number) is usually a permanent fixture in our lounge room. Ed would pull it out every so often as a house for his cars, but Em (who it belongs to) hadn't visited the house for quite a while.

This changed this week, when the dolls' house took a little trip to playgroup and then ended up in our sitting room rather than in it's usual spot in the lounge room. This has breathed new life into it for Em who has played with it everyday since its shift.

She sets up the most elaborate play scenes and has left me wondering - what is the appeal? It's funny how moving it's location helps her to see it again after ignoring it in the lounge room for a good few months. It makes me consider what other toys we could move around and whether buying new toys is always necessary?.....

Toys for Baby

I am lucky enough to be god-mother to a gorgeous ten month old little girl and looking after her always gets me thinking about how important play is for babies. Just the simplest toy or item from around the home provides an opportunity for learning, skill development, exploration and experimentation.

I have a bunch of baby toys still in Ed's cupboard. I have got rid of quite a few, but there are some that both the kids enjoyed so much (and still do on occasion) that I haven't been able to part with them. And it's a good thing too given that I still regularly have a baby in the house.

The wonderful thing about babies is that they'll play with just about anything you give them. Everything is new and wonderful, so chances are they'll pick it up, have a shake and a good look, put it in their mouth and move it around a bit. If they like it or are interested, they'll hold on to it for a while and have a bit of a think about what else they can do with it, if they don't, they'll put it down and move onto the next thing.

I've learnt a few tricks over the years about engaging babies in play and I thought I'd share some of the things I bear in mind when I'm getting toys together for my god-daughter. Here is a photo of the group of toys I gave her last time she was here.



Tip 1. Don't give a baby too many toys.
They get overwhelmed really easily and I always found that giving my babies a lot of toys would mean they spent less time exploring each toy individually and would randomly move from one toy onto the next. A few specially chosen toys at a time is a much better option.

Tip 2. Include toys that they can explore and experiment with.
The stacking cups and ball you can see in the picture are loved by every baby who comes into contact with them. The ball is easy to hold and chew, can be thrown or rolled and babies are intrigued by the multitude of holes and ways it can be held. The stacking cups can be used lots of different ways too and it's great to include a dummy or smaller (baby safe) toy that can be put inside the cups.

Tip 3. Always include a book and a furry friend.
Books for babies are wonderful. They learn very quickly how to turn pages and hold the book the right way up so that the pictures can be seen properly. I have taught a few children in my time who can't handle a book correctly at aged 4, it's something that comes with exposure and practice and I personally don't think kids are ever too young to start.

Soft toys are fantastic for developing motor skills and eye hand co-ordination. Babies also love to sit and babble to their furry friends which is great for early language development. Soft toys can also be very reassuring for a baby who is getting used to sitting by themselves to play with mummy just out of view.

Tip 4. Put everything into a baby-safe container.
This creates an activity in itself as baby takes each item out and then puts some back in. Some babies will really enjoy including a lid that can be taken off and put back on. You can see in the picture I've used a small plastic storage container, but empty shoe boxes and large metal mixing bowls work just as well.

Tip 5. Include some items from around the home.
Babies are drawn to everyday items. I think it's natures' way of getting them to learn about the environment they live in. They have an intrinsic desire to seek out items, explore them and find out how they work. It's a beautiful thing. You can see I've made some shakers using grains and soft drink bottles, put some crinkled up catalogue paper into a knee hi stocking and thrown in some empty plastic fruit and yoghurt container. It's not surprising that these were my girl's favourite toys!

It's REALLY REALLY important to note however, that everyday items have not undergone the stringent safety testing that baby toys have (obviously, I know, but it needs to be said!) Babies should always be supervised when they're being given something for the first time and the item should be continually checked for wear and tear and possible safety hazards. Never give a baby anything that is small enough to fit into a film canister and always listen to you inner voice - if you have the slightest doubt about something, take it away.