Here are 10 simple calm down activities for kids to help them unwind at the end of the day or play with just before bed time.
This imaginative play set up is easy to put together and loads of fun! Make a river in your sandpit that really holds water!
Reggio Emilia, Reggio nature table, Spring, Natural materials, Sensory Play, Waldorf, Nature, Montessori, Nature Area,Kids spaces www.naturalbeachliving.com
This Play Foam recipe is simple and easy! Play Foam is a wonderful base for any sensory bin. With an addition of a few fun fillers
Imaginative play, playsilks, Waldorf,kids activities,kids spaces, Spring,Creative Play,Sensory play,beautiful toys,inspirational, www.naturalbeachliving.com
We've been always admiring the rustic look of Waldorf building blocks, and here is my DIY tutorial on how to build a set of nature blocks for your children.
This stunning collection of eight realistic birds is perfect for all sorts of outdoor adventures! The tactile, realistic detailing will inspire curiosity and conversation while providing lots of wonderful sensory feedback.
This image of concentric circles shows you how to Waldorf homeschool with rhythm. The rhythms around us can help, from the seasons to the days of the week.
We set up an activity to illustrate a few basic principles of the Montessori approach. Today we are continuing the series, exploring what some alternative education systems are like.
Make a dedicated play garden for kids to grow plants, enjoy sensory play and have a digging patch of their very own! Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to get stuck into gardening and enjoy outdoor play everyday. With Spring finally here, breathing a wonderfully sunny warmth and life into everything, we have been out in...Read More »
Sensory activities are great for any kid, and if you have a grandchild on the autism spectrum, he or she is sure to enjoy and benefit from sensory activities. Sensory play is comprised of such sensory activities and it helps develop a child’s senses as well as motor skills. I’ve met several kids on the... Read More
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Small world play fuels the imagination. For both children, and parents. When I start to think about a world I want to create for Q I start by asking myself these questions, what inspires me, what brings me joy, and what can I share with Q? This post I dive deep into small world play,Continue reading "20 Amazing and Fun Small World Play Ideas"View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
How does wildschooling differ from Forest School, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, unschooling, etc? Our complete guide to wildschooling breaks it down for you.
Sensory rugs are so great for children’s learning and very beneficial for their development. Children are usually very attracted to sensory rugs that stimulate their senses with different textures and […]
Objective: Creating simple sensory activities. Messy play encourages creativity, problem-solving, increases confidence, motor and social skills. Skill Development: Sensory Play Minimum age: Preschool Materials: Shovels, spoons Bowls, squeeze bottles, plastic containers Pitcher of Water Color Splash Liquid water colors {blue, purple} … Read More
These 51 simple sensory ideas for preschool help children learn through play and hands-on experiences with the world around them.
Learn how to make a nature table at home or in the classroom with these spring nature table ideas for kids.
Laura @inspiremyplay Founder of @inspiremyplay, Early Years teacher for 11 years and mummy to three gorgeous girls. I'm passionate about about the benefits of play in early childhood. This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and go on to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Please read my disclosure policy for more details. Engaging in small world play is so important for children. Not only does it nurture their imagination, it also enables them to explore new materials, act out scenarios from real life, build language, practice social skills and gain an understanding of the world around them. In the first of our Resources for Play series I share 10 of my favourite small world toys and resources. I love setting up small worlds for my children and I'm constantly inspired by the most amazing set-ups that I see on Instagram. The list of toys and resources you could buy to re-create them are endless. However most people's storage spaces and bank accounts are not! So I hope that this list, and indeed the whole of my Resources for Play series, will help you prioritise a few key resources that can be used in multiple set-ups and activities. It's worth remembering too that children need very little in order to engage in small world play- a little imagination goes a long way! The ultimate goal is to equip our children to play independently, so many of my recommended resources are chosen with creative, self-directed play in mind. Buy Small World Toys (Amazon US) Buy Small World Toys (Amazon UK) 1. Animals Our collection of animals and dinosaurs get used most days. They are the perfect accompaniment to open-ended play and encourage all sorts of small world play scenarios. We use them a lot in small world set ups but they are also used equally in self-directed play. I always recommend Schleich animals as I find them the best quality and most realistic-looking. I've tried many other cheaper brands over the years but none of them have matched up to Schleich. We've built up our collection over time and I always keep an eye on Amazon for good deals! Get your FREE ebook For more simple DIY recipes & ideas for sensory play at home download your Beginner's Guide to Sensory Play by subscribing to Inspire My Play today. Get Yours Now As well as our larger Schleich animals I also find it useful to have a selection of smaller minibeasts and sea creatures for small world and sensory play. Safari and Wild Republic are two brands that make some great sets that I would recommend. Safari also have a range of miniature figures in their 'toobs' collection, which cover a whole array of interests and topics. We have a few of their sets- the space toob is one of our favourite. 2. Peg People It's difficult to find good quality people figures for small world play so I prefer to use peg people most of the time. You can buy plain wooden peg people really cheaply online and paint them yourself. On the whole I tend to keep my peg people simple so that to a child they can be anything (firefighter, nurse, astronaut etc...). I painted these in rainbow colours using acrylic paint and they've lasted really well. Buy Peg People (Amazon UK) Buy Peg People (Amazon US) If you're feeling up for more of a challenge you could try painting more details on like I did for these Frozen peg dolls. Again I painted these using acrylic paints and then acrylic paint pens for the detail. If DIY isn't for you there are a couple of wooden toy brands who do great sets of peg people, like these ones. 3. Artificial Grass There's something about artificial grass that just brings small world play to life! We have a large piece rolled up under our sofa and a smaller piece that I cut up to fit into one our circular trays. It's great to use with train-track, building blocks or for farmyard play. If you think you would find it difficult to store a roll of this some green play scarfs make a brilliant base for small worlds and fold up really small. You can also use blue ones for water. 4. Roads & Railway Track Road or rail tape is great to have to hand when setting up small worlds. It's relatively inexpensive and also great to take away if you're travelling. Another option is to invest in some Way To Play rubber roads. These are brilliant for larger set ups and for using with sand and other sensory play. We also find our railway track gets incorporated into a lot of small world play. 5. Vehicles It's always useful to have a stash of vehicles for small world play. Below I have included links to some of our favourite sets. 6. Glass pebbles I find myself using these glass pebbles in lots of small world set ups. They come in a range of colours but the blues & clear set I find most useful. We use ours as sea, rivers or in some icy/ snowy set ups. I also get a lot of use out of them as a loose part for number and pattern activities. These glass pebbles need to be used with supervision as they could be a choking hazard. 7. Trees & Greenery There are so many options for trees in small world play. We have several sisal trees that come with a wooden base. They look fairly realistic and we use them a lot. Other options include buying a set of DIY wooden trees that you can either paint yourself or leave natural. If you have a bigger budget there are also some gorgeous wooden tree sets by the brands Blacks Toys and Reduga Grez 8. Log Slices This is another simple resource that I find myself using again and again. I bought these log slices in two sizes- 5-6cm and 11-12cm. 9. Shells & Pebbles Shells and pebbles are so useful for beach, river and pond small worlds. Our pebbles get used for lots of other set-ups too. Most of them I've collected ourselves but we don't get particularly exotic sea-shells locally so I've supplemented our collection with an excellent pack from Amazon. 10. Building Blocks A good set of building blocks are just so useful for open-ended small world play. We made our own set of pyramid building blocks. You can read about it on this post. I also find our DIY wooden houses get a lot of love. You can find the tutorial here. Organising Our Small World Resources There are some small world resources that my kids have access to all the time, others that are rotated into our play space and a selection of resources that I usually hold back for small world play that I set-up. Animals, peg people, a few vehicles and building blocks are all kept out permanently. They are used most days, one way or another, and are key to so much of my girls' imaginative play. There are other small world toys that we rotate in and out of our play space such as the train track, tree house and doll's house, depending on their current interests. The log slices, shells, pebbles and other natural materials are usually kept stored in my small world resources box and brought out for specific set-ups. They occasionally get rotated onto the play shelves to use in their own small world play set-ups, but this hasn't been possible recently because many of them aren't appropriate for my almost-2 year old to play with without direct supervision. If you'd like to learn more about setting up a playroom or play space check out this article from Porch.com: Expert Advice to Design the Ultimate Kids Playroom at Home I hope you've found this post useful! If you have, please do pin it for later reference. To be the first to hear of the next post in our Resources for Play series you can subscribe to our blog updates on this page.
Make foam playdough with just 2 ingredients. Find out how to make playdough with shaving foam. Plus, printable rainbow playdough mat!
The Grimm's Large Rainbow is one of the most popular and versatile wooden toys around. But what exactly is a Grimm's Rainbow? Is it really worth the money? What age group is the Grimm's Rainbow suitable for? How do I play with it? Find answers to these questions along with 25+ Rainbow Play Ideas in our Ultimate Guide to the Grimm's Rainbow.
The fantastic benefits of mud kitchens for early child development through sensory play, role play, imaginative play, maths and hands on exploration! We are huge lovers of outside play and learning and have spent many a happy hour watching the kids splosh about with water, build with wet sand, dig in the dirt, plant flowers,...Read More »
Share Wildflower Ramblings!Children need to move all day long! They cannot be expected to sit or stand in one place for more than ten or so minutes (longer time can of course be expected as children grow older). But as for my seven year old, I will continue to keep our lessons short and engaging!...
A fun collection of the best Simple Baby Play Ideas.Babies can explore colour, shape, texture, and sound with these easy play ideas for your baby.
I cinque sensi sono alla base delle più innovative e valide scuole didattiche, dalla Montessori alla Waldorf sino a Reggio Children: stimolare i cinque sensi nei bambini non significa infatti solo renderli più attenti a ciò che sta loro attorno, ma aiutarli nella scoperta del mondo e nell’apprendimento di moltissime materie, poiché le competenze che acquisiscono attraverso vista, udito, tatto, gusto e olfatto tornano loro utili durante tutta la vita. Nelle Scuole di Reggio sono quindi fondamentali gli spazi dedicati all’apprendimento attraverso i cinque sensi: guardate che belli questi luoghi sensoriali, e prendetene spunto per ricreare un angolino in casa vostra! Ecco 10 spazi sensoriali in stile Reggio Children da cui prendere ispirazione: i luoghi per imparare attraverso i cinque sensi possono essere replicati anche a casa Il primo che vi proponiamo stimola moltissimo il tatto, poiché prevede diversi materiali: innanzitutto la sabbia, ma anche i leggenti e gli animali di plastica. Fornite tutto ai bambini e lasciateli giocare e sistemare i materiali come meglio credono, favorendo sempre il gioco libero. (foto 1 http://miradasypolaroids.blogspot.it/2014/05/ambientes-escola-congres-indians.html?m=1&cuid=f72db26904fcff4110d950bc2687758c) Di nuovo sabbia, ma stavolta di trama più grossa: riempite un bel contenitore con della ghiaia e poi appoggiateci sopra dei tronchi levigati (attenzione alle schegge: fatelo fare ad un falegname!). Di nuovo, i bambini potranno utilizzare lo spazio come luogo per giocare liberamente e creare le loro ambientazioni. (foto 2 http://veurepensarisentir.blogspot.it/2012/01/leducacio-reggio-emilia.html) L’erba sotto le dita è una sensazione bellissima, no? Utilizzatela come base su un tavolino baso su cui poi appoggerete materiali naturali trovati nei vostri viaggi o nelle vostre scampagnate, come conchiglie, rametti o fiori. (foto 3 https://it.pinterest.com/pin/223913412697046462/) Con dei vecchi copertoni potrete realizzare dei piccoli tavolini per attività varie. Puliteli bene, poi copriteli con della iuta e al centro mettete dei contenitori nei quali disporrete tutti i materiali naturali (e non) che i bambini potranno utilizzare per giocare: pigne, rami, fagioli… (foto 4 http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/2014/07/these-are-few-of-my-favourite-found.html) Questo spazio è bellissimo perché si trova all’aperto: cosa c’è infatti di più stimolante per i cinque sensi del giocare e disegnare immersi nell’aria aperta e nella natura? Se disponete di un bel patio non potete farne a meno: basterà adibire un tavolino con tutto ciò che potrebbe rivelarsi utile per il gioco e le attività, avendo cura di fornire sempre materiali super differenti tra loro per stimolare, appunto, tutti i sensi (soprattutto il tatto). (foto 5 http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/2010/06/more-beautiful-images-from-reggio.html) Per grandi spazi, grandi idee, come quest’albero portato in casa per avere sempre la sensazione di essere immersi nella natura: il tatto è stimolato dalla corteccia, l’olfatto dall’odore di resina che gli alberi portano con sé, la vista dalla bellezza di un così bell’elemento. (foto 6 https://it.pinterest.com/pin/429671620673910708/) Se avete raccolto un po’ di pigne, utilizzatele appese sopra allo spazio di gioco come uno stimolo ulteriore. I bimbi, anche quelli più piccoli, si divertiranno a toccarle, a muoverle, e diventeranno parte delle loro attività. (foto 7 https://it.pinterest.com/pin/76701999882521735/) Se all’esterno avete un bel giardino, bellissimo da fare costruire ai papà è il percorso per piedini nudi: sassi, ciottoli, piantine morbide, legni… Camminando si sentiranno tutte le forme e le consistenze, e si allenerà anche l’equilibrio. (foto 8 https://playathometeacher.com/2016/06/25/diy-sensory-path/) Sempre fuori, un gioco assolutamente stimolante è la tenda di nastri, nella quale i bimbi possono nascondersi, giocare, estraniarsi per un attimo. Colori, consistenze e profumi della natura fanno da cornice a questa semplicissima attività. (foto 9 https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/92/1b/12/921b1203b53bb8d91bb747b138d70bc1.jpg) E infine un altro angolino in casa, semplice ed efficace, oltre che bellissimo. Per stimolare ogni giorno i cinque sensi basterà lasciare a disposizione dei bambini, in maniera ordinata, delle belle ceste piene di materiali differenti, recuperati o raccolti. Magari per voi non hanno senso, ma per un bambino che sta scoprendo la vita sono il mondo. (foto 10 https://it.pinterest.com/pin/437130707560487851/) Sara Polotti
This circle is based on The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers (there’s also a wonderful updated version called When the Root Children Wake Up by Audrey Wood). Oh, how we love this story! The text in quotes is pulled from the von Olfers book; the circle play and au
A fall nature table is a natural learning center in Waldorf and Montessori education. They provide an easy way for children to study nature and the season of autumn. They are a great tool for nature study, sensory activities, and imaginative or loose parts play. Use these fun DIY fall decor ideas to help children learn through play at home or in the classroom.
Sensory Fort - a perfect invitation to play. Our part of Building Blocks and Acorns Fort Building Challenge. Visit www.youclevermonkey.com for more information.
Hace unos días te hablé en el blog de algunas ideas de juguetes naturales clasificados por edades. (Puedes recordarlo aquí) Estamos ya con la Navidad en modo ON y hay una especie de fiebre consumista juguetil... Jugar con la naturaleza es mágico; trasmite el valor de lo natural al niño, estimula su creatividad, despierta sus sentidos, da protagonismo al niño y, de verdad, que muchas veces son mejores juguetes que los "comprados". Cuando preparé el post de los juguetes naturales por edades me dí cuenta de que quedaba un poco cojo. De que faltaba algo. ¿Cómo presentar esos elementos de juego naturales al niño? En la naturaleza todo es orden y caos a la vez, el niño puede experimentar un juego libre que le da oportunidad de agudizar su ingenio, de pensar, de imaginar, de investigar... En casa (o en un espacio de juegos) la cosa cambia. Hay que tener un orden en un espacio limitado, y me faltaban ideas para enseñarte sobre cómo presentar esos juguetes naturales. No soy una experta en pedagogía Waldorf, ni comparto toda su filosofía, pero creo que puede complementar y combinar muy bien, en algunos aspectos concretos, con la filosofía Montessori. Este es uno de ellos. Transmitir experiencias a los niños a través de elementos naturales de juego es, al fin y al cabo, lo que nos dice María Montessori; Los materiales Montessori están muy pensados y preparados para ser correctivos, aislar dificultades, fomentar la autonomía y la experiencia sensorial del pequeño. La naturaleza es una escuela de valor incalculable para un niño, y creo que sus elementos complementan a la perfección el aprendizaje del niño a través del juego. Los niños son puros y su creatividad no tiene limites, pero la nuestra, lamentablemente, sí. Por eso, hoy, quiero darte inspiración sobre habitaciones, espacios, rincones con elementos de juego naturales. Creo que estos juguetes naturales no pueden faltar en casa y que son tremendamente valiosos (y gratis) MESAS SENSORIALES NATURALES: Una forma de presentar elementos de juego naturales es a través de mesas sensoriales. Cuanto más grande sea la mesa más posibilidades de crear. Puedes Disponer los materiales para que los peques experimenten, o crear submundos como ves en algunas de las fotos. (Submundo del Ártico, Egipto, la Selva... Creatividad al poder) Fuente :veurepensarisentir.blogspot.com.es Fuente: stompinginthemud.blogspot.co.uk Fuente: vistaquartz.com Fuente: playbasedlearning.com.au Fuente: mybloglittleacorns.blogspot.com Fuente: stompinginthemud.blogspot.co.uk NOSOTROS: En casa tenemos una mesa sensorial pequeña. La compramos cuando el peque tenía un año, y de momento nos ha dado ratos muy buenos de juego. IDEA: Un montón de veces veo dudas sobre dónde comprar mesas sensoriales de este tipo. La verdad es que las mesas que venden del estilo a la que nosotros tenemos suelen ser de plástico, la nuestra fue una ganga que no pude rechazar; ¡19.99 Euros con tapa y dos sillas!. Hasta ahora, nos ha ido muy bien en tamaño. Pero, de cara a la próxima primavera-verano me gustaría ir un paso más allá, y comprar algo parecido a lo que te he enseñado en las fotos. Después de mucho buscar lo más parecido que he encontrado ha sido esto en Amazon, pero la verdad, que no es nada barato. AMAZON Ahora te cuento mi plan B. Lo que voy a hacer es comprar de cara a la primavera una mesa de huerto. No son támpoco baratas, pero por unos 100 Euros podemos encontrar mesas ya muy grandes de madera. Mi plan para adaptarla al peque es cortarle un poquito las patas para que quede a su altura (también las hay más bajitas). Yo las tengo ojeadas en estas web www.tumesadecultivo.com. Seguro que hay muchas opciones en el mercado y de precios muy variados, así que cuando investigue en profundidad ya te contaré por cúal nos decantamos. Esta es de Agroterra BANDEJAS SENSORIALES: Otra opción, quizá más asequible para interiores, es presentar los elementos naturales de juego en bandejas sensoriales temáticas. Por ejemplo podemos preparar bandejas sensoriales sobre las estaciones, sobre San Valentín y buscar frutos en rojo, sobre la playa, el río, la montaña, sobre cualquier cosa que se nos ocurra... BANDEJAS / PLATOS CLASIFICADORES: Otra opción de juego es presentar los distintos elementos en platos o bandejas clasificadoras y que el niño juegue a clasificar, a quitar, a colocar, a poner... Esto le va dando al niño una capacidad de observación. Fuente: scoop.it DISTRIBUIDOS EN CESTAS EN ESTANTERÍAS A SU ALTURA: Para presentar los elementos de juego naturales en casa, lo mejor es situarlos de forma ordenada y a la vista del peque. Lo ideal es que los elementos que le presentemos sean seguros para su edad, y estén accesibles en todo momento. Las cestas son una buena opción. Permiten al niño sacar y recoger todo por sí mismo. Fuente: nurtureonementor.com thebettermom.com CONSTRUCCIÓN DE ESPACIOS NATURALES DE JUEGO SIMBÓLICO: Las cocinitas exteriores naturales les dan muchísimo juego. Con poco, pueden pasar horas entretenidos, un poquito de agua, unas ramitas, hojas, tierra, algunas flores y tenemos todos los ingredientes para hacer un plato delicioso... Si tienes espacio exterior es un "must". No sólo puedes crear cocinitas también puedes crear pistas para coches, pequeñas montañas, túneles de lavado y todo lo que se te ocurra... abcdoes.typepad.com picasaweb.google.com ¿Y qué me dices de las casitas Waldorf? Están construidas totalmente con elementos naturales. Son tan especiales... Esta es lo más genial que he visto en mucho tiempo... castleofcostamesa.com RINCONES NATURALES DE EXPERIMENTACIÓN: Los rincones de experimentación permiten al niño investigar, sacar conclusiones y dar rienda suelta a sus intereses sobre la naturaleza de forma autónoma. Se trata de facilitar al niño todas las herramientas para que, de forma autónoma, pueda dar rienda suelta a su interés, a su curiosidad. En el rincón de experimentación podemos poner libros sobre naturaleza, microscopio, lupa, linterna, prensas, pinzas, botes, pinturas... Y todo lo que le sirva al peque para conocer más en profundidad la naturaleza. Es un aprendizaje vivencial que surge del interés del niño. pinterest pinterest pinterest pinterest RINCONES DE ESTACIÓN: En casa siempre tenemos un espacio para el rincón de estación que va variando a lo largo del año. Nuestro rincón de estación siempre es manipulable; el peque puede quitar poner, jugar... Y siempre incluye elementos naturales de juego; Piedras, piñas, conchas, frutos... Pincha aquí para ver cómo hicimos nuestro RINCÓN DE PRIMAVERA Pincha aquí para ver cómo hicimos nuestro rincón de verano Pincha aquí para ver cómo hicimos nuestro rincón de otoño ESPACIOS NATURALES DE JUEGO EXTERIOR: Cuando salimos al parque siempre pienso que ojalá hubiese en la ciudad parques "más naturales", donde los peques pudiesen reconectar con la naturaleza. Mientras tanto, nosotros nos vamos a las afueras de la ciudad cada vez que podemos a disfrutar de la tierra, del aire puro, del agua, de las piedras, del barro... Los troncos son una alternativa que puede dar mucho juego en el exterior, te dejo algunas ideas. letthechildrenplay.net Fuente: taoofcraft.typepad.com 1001gardens.org letthechildrenplay.net EN MESAS ESPEJO: Este recurso es muy típico de la pedagogía Reggio Emilia, tenemos muchas ganas de probar algo similar en casa. Siempre ten en cuenta que los espejos que utilices sean irrompibles para que el niño pueda jugar con total seguridad. cadwellcollaborative.com SOBRE LA MESA DE LUZ: La mesa de luz es un elemento ideal para ensalzar y dar protagonismo a los detalles. De esta manera el niño puede ver en todo su esplendor cómo es una hoja, o los surcos de la arena... aneverydaystory.wordpress.com Encuentras la fuente en las leyendas de las fotos. Te animo a crear espacios de juego natural, tanto en el exterior como en el interior de casa, en la medida de tus posibilidades. Nosotros, en verano creamos una estación de materiales exterior para ir guardando y ordenando elementos de juego naturales; piñas, piedras, palitos... En casa tenemos una terraza y en cuanto hay un rayito de Sol la aprovechamos a tope. LA NATURALEZA ES EL MEJOR ESPACIO DE JUEGOS PARA NUESTROS HIJOS ¿Qué te han parecido las ideas de presentación de juguetes naturales? ¿Me das alguna idea más? Te animo a comentar. Entre todos nos enriquecemos ¿TE HA GUSTADO EL POST? PUES SÓLO TE PIDO UN FAVORCITO COMPARTELO POR FA Si quieres saber más sobre el día a día con mi peque puedes seguirme en facebook, twitter, y pinterest
Some benefits of walking barefoot include; proper foot mechanics, kinesthetic awareness, sensory stimulation, foot flexibility, and strength.
Circle time includes songs, verses, movement activities, and games. Does it work for homeschooling? Yes! Here ideas for how to do circle time at home.
THE BEST HANDS ON LEARNING HUMAN ANATOMY ACTIVITIES, SENSORY PLAY, FREE PRINTABLES, MONTESSORI, and so much more. Perfect for a Unit Study & Biology Lessons
