In my day, there was no risky play. Play was PLAY! Well, okay, maybe there was inside vs outside play or quiet vs noisy play, but none of this safe vs risky play. Scrapes, bruises, the occasional broken bone were taken in-stride and accepted as just part of Life for a growing child. Oh did Dylan have it right! Sometime after the 60s, when it came to children’s PLAY, the times were a-changing! Children naturally want to test their limits. Unfortunately that natural inclination has too … [Read more...]
PLAY for ALL at the Child Safety Fair
Sing, Sing a Song-Why Singing is Important
Singing: I think it’s one of our inalienable rights, something everyone should be able to fully engage in and enjoy. Unfortunately too many (my husband being one) have been told at some point in their lives…usually as a child…that they can’t sing and, traumatized, they stop. That is flat out cruel. YES, some people have better pitch than others, so what! Singing makes you feel good and is good for you by exercising your lungs and heart and releasing endorphins...Nature's feel-good hormones. So … [Read more...]
Why Playing Hopscotch is Important
Hopscotch, and NO I’m not thinking about the coding curriculum, but the childhood game! Think about the movements required in a typical game of hopscotch: Players throw a marker ... stand... hop... stop... bend... pick up... straighten up... leap... jump... hop... hop…land... turn... and repeat. Not only do they do all those movements, but most of it's all on one foot! Hopscotch: Challenging AND Fun Hopscotch is a game children have played for years and years. Ever wondered why it’s … [Read more...]