Hands on Play- Week Six

Week Six - Slide

When I was younger and would walk home from Hamilton Girls High School, I walked down Ruakiwi Road which had this huge slide on the side of the road going down to the lake domain.  This slide was steep - or at least seemed so to my younger self and I didn't always slide down it due to my caution or I should really say fear. 

At some point, and after a good (5 minute) search online I haven't found out when, it was moved from Ruakiwi road to where it is now on the hill in the playground of the Lake domian. 

George used to be scared of this slide and wouldn't even go down it with myself or hubby.  This year this changed and rather out of the blue.  He will now happily run up the path, climb the stairs and slide down while I watch on.

Grace wants to do everything her big brother does and will be up the half way up the path before I can catch up.  I'm not ready to let her slide by herself, maybe when she's 2 I might let her, but really when I think about it I probably won't.

Next weeks challenge: Jump in puddles

Hands on Play- Week Five

Week Five - Walk in nature

This challenge was easy to mark off this week as we went camping over the weekend.  We went to Kauaeranga Valley and stayed in one of the DOC camping grounds.  Most of the walks around the valley were rather long and a bit too much for the kids physical abilities but we did manage 3 walks.

Grace has got to the stage where she wants to walk everywhere rather than be in the carrier.  While this is great for her interdependence and I love how she wants to do so much for herself it does get hard when you're walking several kilometers.  After some bribery she did go on my back and even had her afternoon naps in the Mai Tai.

Next weeks challenge: Slide

Hands on Play- Week Four

Week Four - In the Kitchen

This challenge nearly didn't happen as we all were sick with a gastro bug for most of the week.  Lucky both George and myself recovered quickly so we spend one afternoon while hubby and Grace was sleeping making cake pops.

I had made the cake balls a couple of weeks ago and put them in the freezer knowing I wanted to finish them off with George.

George helped me shake off the excess chocolate after dipping the cake pops and then he covered them in sprinkles before the chocolate set. 

Grace wasn't left out either.  Yesterday I made bagels and she loved heaping me roll out the dough.  Everytime I make bread Grace rushes to help me with the dough.

Next weeks challenge: Walk in nature

Hands on Play - Week Three

Week three - Paint.

I know my kids LOVE to play with paint.  It's not usually about the end result, just the act of painting they enjoy.  The only thing.... preschoolers painting equals mess!!

I know I just need to suck it up and enjoy the mess with them, which is something I'm working on.  Even when I do get the paints out I usually have enough well before the kids and trying to clean up - including clean up the kids isn't easy when they don't want to help and just want to go back to painting.

This week I let the kids paint for as long as they wanted.  Grace had enough well before George did and just wanted to wash her hands which resulted in water play for her while George finished his painting.

As we were working on apples for Letter of the Week, I cut a apple in half and they used a half each as their paint brushes.

Next weeks challenge: In the Kitchen

Hands on Play - Week Two

Week two - Ride a horse.

Every time I take the kids to the supermarket Grace always heads to the ride on toys.  I usually have to drag her away screaming.  I've tried letting her play before hand but then she's unhappy the whole time I'm shopping as she just wants to go back, and also tried letting her play afterwards but then it's hard to get her to leave while carrying my shopping and getting her into the car to go home. 

So far a change I headed down to the supermarket with no plans to buy anything, only to let George and Grace play as long as they wanted. 

Next weeks challenge: Paint

Hands on Play

One of my goals for this year is daily hands on play with the kids.  This is something I do every day with them but I find that I'm not focusing on my time with them and mainly focusing on when I can finish playing with them and go off and do something for myself.  I've also found while hubby has been on holiday from work that I've been very lazy and keep directing the kids to their father.

Last year a blog I found and now read Hands on : as we grow did 30 days to hands on play and every day had a different challenge, each nice and simple and easy to do with your kids but also fun.

I'm going to use some of their ideas as a weekly theme for 52 weeks of hands on play with the kids but will have to get a move on as the first week is pretty much other.

I'll post the full list later but week one is... Pretend Islands

Hands on Play - Week One

Week one - Build a fort

A tent is a fort isn't it??  After receiving a tent for Christmas, it rained and rained most days.  On the 2nd of January the rain stopped but the forecast was for rain the next day so at 2pm I decided we were going camping, and we were on the road by 3pm. 

We drove to the nearest DOC (Department of Conservation) camping ground and was soon set up.  The kids LOVED it, George even put on a 'show' for us dancing in the lamp light just after we watched the sun set. 

We are going to go camping again this summer and I'm even thinking about going camping over Christmas this year. 

Next weeks challenge: Ride a horse