Mornings can be a whirlwind trying to get everyone up, fed, dressed, teeth-brushed and ready for the day. Children don't have the same concept of time as adults so it can be even harder to get everybody ready and out the door in time for work, school, or just getting outside for some fresh air. No matter how early the kids wake up, (thanks to daylight savings for making sure we are all up before the sun this week!), it can still be a challenge to get out in time. My challenge to you is to find some time during this mad rush to make time for play.
Playing everyday, even for ten mintues can seem tough. How do we carve out the time when we can barely make it to school on time? Squeezing ten minutes into the morning routine can actually help get you out of the door faster. How? Giving your child the attention she needs, will often increase the likelihood that she will comply with your requests. It is more enjoyable to spend ten minutes playing, than ten minutes (or more) trying to battle a willful child to get his shoes on.
For those days that it is just not possibility to make room for play at home, there are ways to transform mundane tasks into fun, educational and playful experiences. Car rides can go from dreadful to entertaining by singing your child's favorite songs, playing "I spy" or counting the number of yellow cars that drive by. Time spent waiting for the doctor will fly by when reading books, counting objects in the room or playing "I spy" with the waiting room magazines. Grocery shopping can go from dull to exciting by creating a scavenger hunt, allowing your child to push the cart, or pretending the shopping cart is a racecar zipping through the isles (just make sure to buckle your child in and watch out for the other shoppers!).
So take the "10 minutes a day, keeps the tears away" play challenge and let me know how it goes.
Playing everyday, even for ten mintues can seem tough. How do we carve out the time when we can barely make it to school on time? Squeezing ten minutes into the morning routine can actually help get you out of the door faster. How? Giving your child the attention she needs, will often increase the likelihood that she will comply with your requests. It is more enjoyable to spend ten minutes playing, than ten minutes (or more) trying to battle a willful child to get his shoes on.
For those days that it is just not possibility to make room for play at home, there are ways to transform mundane tasks into fun, educational and playful experiences. Car rides can go from dreadful to entertaining by singing your child's favorite songs, playing "I spy" or counting the number of yellow cars that drive by. Time spent waiting for the doctor will fly by when reading books, counting objects in the room or playing "I spy" with the waiting room magazines. Grocery shopping can go from dull to exciting by creating a scavenger hunt, allowing your child to push the cart, or pretending the shopping cart is a racecar zipping through the isles (just make sure to buckle your child in and watch out for the other shoppers!).
So take the "10 minutes a day, keeps the tears away" play challenge and let me know how it goes.
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