A Kids Day: A Simple Way to a Simpler Day

Last year I was looking for ways to simplify my daily life with my daughter but didn't know where to start. One morning my daughter's preschool (Atlanta Progressive Preschool) had a parent coffee and the director mentioned the book "Simplicity Parenting" by Kim John Payne during the discussion. I read it and found it was full of inspiring reasons to simplify my life as well as useful and practical ideas for how to simplify, from finances to food. So of course I found the website and facebook page too. Unfotunately I was having a tough time keeping my days in a simple rhythm...my bad habits had me running poorly planned errands; I wanted to change, but kept getting distracted. Then I came across Traci McGrath's Daily Rhythm Charts.

Daily Rhythm Tree Chart

I fell instantly in love with their beauty, simplicity and ease of use. Over the past year Traci and I have developed one of those unique-to-social-media relationships through our mutual interest in helping children behave better by first helping them feel better. She explains on her website A Kids Day "When my first child was three, I saw firsthand the importance of establishing a strong, predictable daily rhythm. A regular routine can work wonders - behavior is improved, stress is reduced, learning is increased." She also admits that she "needed some visual reminder to keep me in a routine." Phew! I wasn't the only one!

Magnets for the Tree chart; pictures help children "read" the activity

Having a strong daily rhythm is infinitely important in our lives, especially for young children. It allows us to  get things done on time, have less anxiety, and can even help us keep our lives simple. This daily rhythm may look different for different families; some may be more structured than others, and the number of activities a family chooses for their lives vary. But ultimately children thrive when they know "what's coming next."

Ladybug Rhythm Chart

Implementing a daily rhythm can reduce stress and improve behavior by meeting a child's underlying need for predictability. It also gives us as parents the opportunity to model treating people with dignity and respect. When we involve our children in  reviewing or planning the daily routine we show them how much we value them as individuals. Of course we can't always let them plan each activity (maybe we'd be at the creek all day or playing in a glowing bath...our cupboards might stay empty!), but our children will give us gentle, beautiful reminders to slow down and remember the important role of play in everyone's life.

Night Rhythm Owl Chart

The school year is beginning for many families, whether they are in public school, private school, or homeschool, and life can feel very full and chaotic for parents and children alike (and for those of you that unschool, this may feel true all year round). It's easy for family time to diminish in the flow of activities, and sometimes we need some help slowing down for ourselves and for our children. Traci's charts have been a simple and beautiful daily reminder for me and Addi to slow down and prioritize...and of course the ever-important planning as well!

Traci McGrath creates the rhythm charts at A Kid's Day and writes a blog Educated For Love. She has two boys, ages 4 and 1, who love digging in the dirt, collecting bugs, making up games and stories, and playing music; together as a family they love being outside and camping. I hope you'll check out her work and I know you'll enjoy it as much as I have!

Everything good,

Amy

Resources:

A Kids Day: http://www.akidsday.com/
Simplicity Parenting, by Kim John Payne
website: http://www.simplicityparenting.com/

You have read this article Connection / EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE THROUGH PLAY / Products We Love with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/a-kids-day-simple-way-to-simpler-day.html. Thanks!

As Simple As Sand

There is really not much to this post, at least not in the sense of setting up and adding this and that.  We get a lot of posts on our FB page asking for simple ideas.  Well, this is just a little reminder that FUN can be as simple as sand.  My son has really been loving his sand box lately.  Have you ever seen these??  Its blows my mind that anyone would pay $$ for something so easy to create yourself (and with things you probably already have on hand).  With temps in the upper 90s, I thought I would bring his sandbox fun inside.  He played with this for over an hour.  I left it out and it was revisited several times during the day - and its still sitting out (per his request), in anticipation of tomorrow. 

- AK (MESE, MECD)

 THE INVITATION

(based on the interest of the child)

 "I need to make a track"

 "They are working, Mommy.  I think they might be repaving a parking lot.  Hmmmmmm....where is the concrete mixer?"  (This made me chuckle because the parking lot of a nearby school is being repaved.)

 His play progressed.  He went and got his airplanes, cars, pirates, and treasure chest.  He kept drawing lines in the sand with his finger and telling me it was a map to the treasure.  :)

You have read this article Imagination with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/as-simple-as-sand.html. Thanks!

Glowing Paint

Invitation for my 17 Month old and 2.5 Year old

Neon paint, paper, brushes, black light

17 Month old loved this and she is NOT a painter. 

Of course making handprints

"Look, Mommy... hand"

Fun!

Body glow

You have read this article Adventures in the Dark with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/glowing-paint.html. Thanks!

Glowing Treasure

I set this invitation up to glow in the dark but it can be done with or without the light aspect.  

We used orange neon sand (my daughters favorite color)

Random objects... bottle caps, gems, rubber bands, etc

We used cut up egg cartons to collect our materials. 

I painted numbers on black squares with glow in the dark paint

Everything glowed by use of a black light.  

RL  

Invitation in daylight

Glowing Invitation  :-)  

Searching and collecting

You have read this article Adventures in the Dark with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/glowing-treasure.html. Thanks!

"THE HARPSICHORD"

This post actually has very little to do with a harpsichord, but its what my son kept telling me he was painting.  That and "the biggest circle ever!".  I just love the fact that somewhere in that amazing mind of his, he saw a harpsichord in his work. 

It was a rainy day today.  We played in the rain for over and hour - putting leaves and flowers in the flowing water and running after them to the drain.  I wish I had pics, but I was too busy playing along (plus, it was raining - kind of hard to hold an umbrella and take pics at the same time - LOL).  After our outdoor adventures in the rain, we came inside and I set up an invitation.  Illuminating the easel.  I tried to black out the windows in the garage and then used the overhead projector to illuminate the easel.  I dont know if it was just the day or the coolness of the light shining through the easel, but my 2.5 year old son painted for a good 45 minutes.  The pictures really dont do it justice - it was a really neat experience.

All you need -

Easel

Projector

Paint

- AK (MESE, MECD)

You have read this article Paint Play / Rainy Day Play with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/harpsichord.html. Thanks!

One man's trash is another man's treasure

We have a space in our play room that hold's my daughter's doll house and play mobil.  This area gets used the most by my 2 year old.  She has a spectacular imagination.  Often, when we are out and about she finds things that she asks to take home.  A few weeks ago she asked me to save the protective cover off my coffee cup.  Without thinking I threw it out.  Later, when we got home she asked me for the cover... I learned my lesson!  

Yes, we will take home this leaf... it may be shade for animals one day.  

Yes, we will take home those "sticky balls"... it may be shelter for a panda one day. 

Yes, you may have my Reece Cup wrapper (LOL) it may be a bed for a duck some day.

Yes, we can save the old doctor's office sticker... it may be a rug for a vet office one day

Yes, you may use a couple baby wipes... they may be beds for a goat and horse some day.

Yes, you can take home that stick... it may be a trough for a pig some day.

This premeditated play is new to me.  It took me a while to "get it".  I'm glad I've opened my eyes to this wonderful world my daughter is taking me to.  

RL  

You have read this article Imagination with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/one-man-trash-is-another-man-treasure.html. Thanks!

Bubble Boy

Today we made a walk in bubble.  This definitely takes two people to make.  All you need is plastic sheeting, duct tape, and a fan.  We sealed the sides with the duct tape, left a hole for the fan and a hole to crawl in and out.  We played in this for so long that by the time we got out it was 6:00 and I had not cooked any dinner - oops - PIZZA NIGHT!  LOL   

This is what I used (Home Depot)
I used one sheet

 My son and I in the bubble.

Hole for the fan, hole to crawl in

 He was naked, so I had to blur out all of the nakedness.  This is inside the bubble.

 So cool!!

 Loving it.  He kept saying "wow, Mommy, its the biggest bubble ever".  :)

Tomorrow, we are planning to paint inside the bubble!!  

 "Hi Mommy"

 We brought in some balls (per request).

 Throwing balls in the bubble - he loved how they slid down the side "like a track".

Throwing ball into the corner.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE OTHER FUN IDEAS I CREATED WITH PLASTIC TARP
HERE & HERE 

****PLEASE NOTE:  As with all of our activities, this was SUPERVISED.  At no time was any child at risk in any way.  We only encourage parents/caregivers to do what they are comfortable with.****

Tape length-wise for a bubble tunnel

- AK (MESE, MECD)



:)

You have read this article Outdoor Play with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/bubble-boy.html. Thanks!

Squirt Squeeze Spray... Pump Pour Press

I had originally set this invitation up for my 17M old while she was napping.  She loves dumping, pouring, recently discovered how much she could squeeze out of her toothpaste tube, and took a great liking to the hand soap pump.  SO..... playing off her interests... I gathered up some containers I had around the house, filled them with water, and added a little bit of liquid watercolors to them.  My 2 year old caught a glimpse of it and it was downhill from there!  LOL  She actually REALLY enjoyed this.  :-)

RL  

The invitation

She went for the soap dispenser first.

Spray Bottle

Ketchup Bottle

Gallon jug

Squirt gun

Round 2 wasn't as pretty as everything was a lovely brown color.  LOL  However,  it was interesting to see her communication with me from Round 1 to Round 2, 3 etc.  The first time around she didn't say anything.  She just quietly experimented with the different bottles etc.  Round 2 was quite different!  

"Mommy, would you like to hear the bubbling sound?  This one makes a bubbly sound."

Talking away... telling me all about her discoveries.  :-)  LOVE her expressions.  <3

"This sounds like.... (puzzled look)... someone is peeing! (chuckle)  I want to do the pee one again!  Someone just peed, Mommy"  Gotta love them!  

"I think we can add some to this one maybe.  This one makes a little bubbly sound because it's little."

17M old woke up from her nap.  She couldn't wait to join in.   Looking a little rough!  She hasn't been feeling well these past few days.  :-(  

"These sound like cymbals.  Hear the cymbals, Mommy?"

You have read this article Outdoor Play / Water Play with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/08/squirt-squeeze-spray-pump-pour-press.html. Thanks!