Skittles

Inspired by some friends who went ten-pin bowling recently we jazzed up toilet rolls with wrapping paper before setting them up as skittles and rolling the ball to knock them over! 

However the reality with a 14 month old was she preferred to play with them and eat them over a game of bowling but she did try picking them up, threw the ball a couple of times and then she wore them as a necklace (the skittles made for a threading activity too). We will try this game again soon and eventually she will learn how it goes! 

Lavender Playdough

Inspired by my sister-in-law & niece this week, they have chopped up some gorgeous lavender and sprinkled it into their playdough mixture. A fantastic way for the senses to explore. Playing will be an even more relaxing experience as the smell of lavender is released as you roll and move the playdough about. 

Adding lavender flowers to the playdough has made a lovely arrangement, it looks so pretty!

Can't wait to try this with Monnie!

Messy Play Options

Monnie has cloud dough, water play & small ball play to choose from, this allows her sense of curiosity to develop as she chooses what she would like to play with. For me, I sit back and observe! 

By the end of the session she has combined all three plays together and I've been able to sit back and relax! In order to do this you need to trust your child to play without interfering. It's been incredible to see Monnie use some of the play we have done together but extend her own learning. For example she has got in and out of the water (without sitting down), stirred and poured the water, posted balls in the jug and then back into the water, picked up the cloud dough and sprinkled it into the water, and she has also come over to me, take my hat on and off before heading back to play!  

Ball Drop - Our Creation

My turn to make a Ball Drop. I started out by cutting and pasting (with a Royal theme) but Monnie's Dad was the real talent behind this creation. 

He used a coffee cup, coffee cup holder, toilet rolls, a paper towel roll and a drink bottle to make this! So far so good with some giggles (from Monnie) as the ball drops, the wider cup at top makes posting easier for her too! 

Ball Drop

I love it when a friend shows me her creative play idea, so I just had to share! Using a box as the base, tape on some toilet rolls and then let a ball drop (or any small object) from the top! This has been taped to a window for support, it probably took less than a few mins to make but can be played with for hours! 

Cloud Dough

Today we made Cloud Dough - which feels amazing! Simply take 4 cups of flour, add 1/2 a cup of baby oil and mix together. You will have a light fluffy mouldable dough for little hands to explore! Tip: take this messy play outside, the flour goes everywhere! 

Silky Sand

Today we covered sand in dishwashing liquid, added a little water and mixed it together with our hands to make a soapy, silky sand. Silky sand has a soft and frothy texture, it has a lovely feel to it that makes you just want to keep touching it! 

I think next time I will add glitter to make it sparkle! 

Baby Massage

Monnie is now 13 months old and I have the privilege of giving her a massage every night after her bath. We started this at around 2 weeks old. I have always made sure I save 5-10 minutes of her bath time to do this. It was hard when she started to roll and crawl (to keep her still) but her snuggly and a musical mobile (found on trade-me) helped her to focus and relax. It was also my persistence and keeping the routine going that eventually saw us through. 

This is my favourite part, seeing her lay on her tummy in complete relaxation. If you haven't given your baby/toddler a massage lately, give it a try. Through repetition and practice it will become a routine you will both find relaxing and enjoy. I hope it's a routine that will last throughout her childhood and beyond! 

Flower Salad

We went for a short walk and picked some colourful flowers to explore. Dad dressed Monnie today and her floral top inspired this activity, I love flowers and want to share this interest with Monnie. 

We talked about the size, shape and colour of each flower (I need to learn names), we smelt the flowers (Monnie tasted as she pleased), we picked off the petals, tipped the flowers out of tray (and then put them back into the containers), played dress up with the flowers (did you know a pohutakawa makes a good brush?) and let the flowers fall from different heights. 

The result was a colourful flower salad! 

Rainy Day Activity Box

Today I was about to throw a box out but after a scavenge around we made this activity box! 

This box has an envelope full of feathers for posting into hole on top, a ribbon is stapled on so little hands can untie the bow, there is bubble wrap for texture and stickers for colour. 

It's a box of fun for a one year old and I'm sure it will evolve over next few days as we keep adding bits and bobs to it! 

Colour Water Play

A couple of drops of pink and blue food colouring, a little water, some bubble bath, a paint brush and a bath toy = today's water play! 

You are living the highest standard of parenting; keep doing exactly what you are doing!

Did you see the article in the news the other day stating that 'Parenting guides 'make mothers feel inadequate' as they set standards too high.' At eat play grow our passion is all about inspiring your child’s development by providing you, as the parent or caregiver with tips and activity ideas to ensure you have the knowledge to make an informed decision for your child. It is important to note that we are not another parenting guide. No doubt you received someone’s opinion since the day you shared your fabulous news that you were pregnant, from strangers to friends and family. For some reason being pregnant means you are the property of others so therefore they think they have the right to tell you what they think. Well you are not the property of others, you are your own person and you stick to your ideas when deciding how you are going to parent your child. Remember your child is your child!  There is no right or wrong way; there is just your way so enjoy the ride as both you and your baby are learning together creating your very own special relationship – this is your parenting book.
 
In my classes and workshops I say to parents, “I am here to provide you with what I know (about different developmental topics) and then you can do with that information what you like, no one knows what goes on in your house and as long as you are providing a safe environment for your child to develop and grow then trust your instincts, because your instincts are right!” I have to laugh when people tell me, you are going to be a great parent as you have so much knowledge – well maybe, yes, but I am scared that too much knowledge could be a hindrance as like you I have seen the conflicting information but I guess my advantage is I have been able to learn from parents and what I have learnt is those parents who trust their instincts rather than ‘a particular way’ which is written in a book are much more in tune with their baby and they are having a lot of fun being a parent.  Watching them, I can’t wait!