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SensoryEdge Kids Furniture and Educational Toys Blog
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Add a Little Drama to Your Child's Playtime
 Dramatic play is different than many other types of imaginative games. Instead of dealing with dolls and cars and trucks; your child is taking an active position in pretending to be another person entirely. Whether playing teacher, doctor, or explorer, dramatic play is an important part of a children's development for many reasons. First, kids use this type of play to learn about the world around them. The way your child's "character" is portrayed or how he interacts with those around him can give you an inside peak into your child's mind. For instance, if your son pretending to be a "daddy"; the way he interacts with his "wife" and "children" will show you how he perceives his own father (or lack thereof). If the behavior you see leaves you questioning a situation or event in real life, you know its time to take action. On the flip side, you can use dramatic play to get your own messages across. Do this much in the same way, only instead of watching your child's behavior from afar get involved in the game yourself. This will allow you to alter the scenario and reactions to display healthy resolutions to problems. That said, often times dramatic play accomplishes nothing but a good time for your child in which he can live and explore. You can encourage this by providing him with plenty of toys that make dramatic play more fun and exciting. One of our favorites is the Melissa and Doug Pirate Chest. Your son or daughter will spend hours on the open seas looking for buried treasure! Make it seem even more real by hiding the "gold" around your home and offer a special surprise to anyone who finds it! This type of dramatic play is not only entertaining, but allows kids to develop mental skills like memory and problem solving. Other toys include the pretend play food, where kids can learn healthy habits early. Encourage them to create toy meals then serve a healthy lunch to mom and dad. This is a great way to show children that eating right is cool! Instilling these habits early will set your kids up for healthier habits as they grow. Whatever toys you choose, allow your child to freely express any thoughts or feelings he brings up during dramatic playtime. Use this time to teach him healthy ways of expressing himself, dealing with emotions and interacting with others. Labels: dramatic-play, pretend-play, pretend-play-toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Monday, August 03, 2009
Real Learning On Pretend Play Camp Outs
You'd be hard pressed to find a kid who didn't love the concept of playing around in a tent. There's just something about being in such a private little space, sharing secrets with friends and telling stories that grown ups wouldn't understand. Finding the perfect play tent is the first step in enhancing this important childhood experience, but you can also use their love for the outdoors to teach them important survival and wilderness skills--even if you never leave your backyard! The number one fear parents have when their kids go for a real camp out (or anywhere for that matter...)? Getting lost. For those children who haven't quite earned their wilderness survival merit badges yet, give them a few pointers for staying safe during hikes and camp outs in the woods. Tell them to always stay close to other children and chaperons and to use the buddy system whenever possible. You can also give them a whistle to alert others if they become separated from the group. And, most importantly, if they do get lost, instruct them to stay in one place and wait for help. You can simulate this at your pretend campsite by having them go on a imaginary hike with everyone holding hands, shirt sleeves, or a rope that everyone can share. If your ears can take it, you can also let them go nuts with their emergency whistles. (found at most dollar stores across America) Have the kids practice "Stop, Drop, and Roll" around the yard, and inform them of ways to prevent fires from getting out of control at a camp out: keep flames within a structured barrier, avoid dry areas with lots of dead grass or brush, and always keep water handy just in case. Use your own pets, or the neighbor's golden retriever, to show kids who to respond to a wild animal. For bears, try and avoid them when at all possible. As you walk through the woods and around your campsite, make as much noise as you can by rattling pots and pans or singing campfire songs. This will help alert any bears in the area that there are humans present, and they will generally stay away. Close food containers tightly, and hang them high on specialized poles or tree branches. And, if you do see a "bear", talk to it in a normal voice and wave your arms so it can see that you are human. Try and walk away diagonally. If the bear does make contact, surrender by lying on the ground and playing dead. This will make a fun game for kids, as well as educate them for how to react in an actual dangerous situation. Now you can get down to the fun stuff. Sit around the campfire, real or otherwise, and show the kids how to tie knots, cook over a fire, and tell stories about your own camping experiences. Once the pretend camping trip is over, encourage them to get out with their play tent roll up their sleeping bags and practice what they learned. Now you can go on a real camp out knowing that your child will understand what to do in any situation. So get out and enjoy the wilderness...and don't forget the marshmallows. Labels: dramatic-play, pretend-play-tents, sleeping-bags-kids
posted by SensoryEdge
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Monday, July 27, 2009
Get the Most Out of Story Time
We all know that reading to our children is important for their development, as well as building the bond between parent and child and instilling a love for reading at an early age. Even the youngest of infants enjoy hearing the rhythmic lull of a parent's voice as they read aloud the morning paper, a magazine, or book. You can keep their interest and fascination in high gear by implementing special rituals and routines into your daily story time. Choose books that are age appropriate. While infants that are three months old or younger won't really care what you read so long as they are being held and cuddled, older babies enjoy books with a set rhythm or rhyming pattern. Consider things like songs or nursery rhymes. Picture books are another good choice. Toddlers and preschoolers are old enough to appreciate a short story before bedtime, and will enjoy guessing what happens next; while older children and pre-teens are advanced enough to enjoy chapter books that will continue on for more than one sitting. For kids who are learning their alphabet, consider having story time on one of many colorful rugs or mats. There are several available that feature letters, words, and corresponding pictures to help children grasp new concepts. As you read a new word or letter, have your child find the corresponding letter on the rug. Don't limit story time to bedtime. Reading a classic fairy tale or story before bed is fine, but be sure to spend time reading and exploring new ideas, concepts, and information while he is awake and alert. This will encourage his participation in asking questions and finding the answers within the book. Encourage your children to read to YOU. Even if they are still too young to fully grasp the idea of reading actual words, babies and toddlers love looking at colorful pictures and pointing out shapes and objects they recognize. Labels: dramatic-play, pretend-play, story-time
posted by SensoryEdge
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Monday, July 13, 2009
Playtime: More Than Just Fun and Games
 We all know kids love to play games. Whether it's a board game, riding bikes, or hide and seek, your child probably seems like no work and all play. But what many adults don't realize, is that children aren't only goofing off and having a good time. Imaginative play encourages creativity, mathematical skills, and it helps kids work out everyday problems just like grown ups do. When you see your daughter playing with dolls, she's learning about human interaction and caring for others. Games like hopscotch encourage counting skills and taking turns. All of these are very important concepts to know in order to thrive as an adult. Help encourage your child's exploration and pretend play by knowing what to look for in a toy. A good toy doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. Flashing lights and singing puppies may seem entertaining, but simpler toys like blocks and climbing playground toys can be much more beneficial. When children play with more simply designed items, they use their imaginations more out of necessity and end up actually have MORE fun than with flashier items. A climbing toy isn't just a toy: it's a mountain top, a flying trapeze, and the surface of the moon all in one! Choose toys that are age appropriate. A toy that is beyond your child's level will not very enjoyable, and even worse, it might be dangerous. Manufacturers usually list age ranges on the packaging. Better yet, choose toys that can grow with your child. Pick toys that encourage thought provoking play as well as fun. Blocks, shoe tying games, puzzles, and memory games are all entertaining, promote healthy competition for multiple kids to participate in, and they never get outdated. Labels: dramatic-play, educational-toys, pretend-play
posted by SensoryEdge
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Just Imagine
 As a child, my imagination ran with the wind. While my grandmother was using all her might to pry my brother's fingers from the television remote and send him outside to play, I was begging her to let me stay out and play longer. Having a bicycle and a swing set at my disposal, I stretched the idea of make-believe and pretend to its limits. One minute I was a princess in her castle ordering her servants around, then next I was using my bike, neighboring driveways, and sidewalks to pretend I was a bus driver dropping off kids and picking them up to take them to school. Your imagination is quite the nifty instrument, but one in which only you can access. Imagination and creativity enhances the simple, yet powerful, skills you have. Problem solving, empathy, and ambition are the most important tools a person could acquire. At a Harvard commencement last week, JK Rowling received an honorary degree. When she gave her speech, she spoke of the importance and influence of the imagination. "Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation," Rowling said. "In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity; it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared." Think about how the world would be and what special items of technology we would be without had someone not been creative enough to consider the possibility. I am sure that you have heard that showing your child how to be creative is important. But have you really considered the impact of other peoples creativity? The whole wheel idea was pretty sweet, dont you think? Your child has all the potential in the world to tap in to those crevices and invent something great. Yet, even if that doesnt happen for them, it is no loss at all. Your child still benefits by being ambitious and having drive. So when you are sitting in the doctors office, be thankful that the doctors and nurses, who are taking care of you, know how to empathize and problem solve. Labels: creative-play, dramatic-play
posted by SensoryEdge
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Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Sleepovers
 Sleepovers were so exciting when we were children? Staying up until the wee hours of the morning, or at least until the parents got mad and told you to go to bed. Giggling and playing games, watching movies, keeping each other entertained; ahh, the good ol' days. Take a trip down Memory Lane and remember what it felt like to be a kid and carefree. Give that same great feeling of joy and comfort to your children. Make sure that they get the best times out of their childhood, they only get one. So for those little darlings, add to their sleepovers with one of our fun and colorful selection of Sleeping Bags. A wide variety of colors and designs, themes, and prices are available. Choose the best one for your child from over 100 models. From trains and plains to stars and flowers, there is one for every child. So pick one out for your child and invite their little buddies over, pop in a movie, feed them some popcorn and enjoy their excitement! Labels: dramatic-play, sleep-overs, sleeping-bags
posted by SensoryEdge
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Saturday, April 19, 2008
Building Self Confidence in Your Child
 Do you have a child that doesn't want to play with other kids or participate in activities? It may not be that your child is a wallflower, she may just lack self confidence. Building self confidence in a child is paramount to helping her be a successful and well adjusted adult. Children with self confidence are a lot less likely to be pressured into less than positive activities by other kids once they reach their teenage years. How to build self confidence in your child is another matter. No one has to tell you that all kids are a different. Many parents comment how their own children can be different as night and day. However, any child can benefit from a self esteem boost. Finding something the child does well and can feel that they excel at will help build confidence. When you get toys for your kids, make sure they are age appropriate as giving a child a toy that is too advanced for her learning level can lead to frustration and a loss of self esteem for not being able to "work" the toy or use it. Art is a wonderful way for many children to develop self esteem. Show your child pictures of the works of various great artists from the past. Your child may be frustrated that her artworks don't look like photographs, and you can show her through the work of Monet or Picasso that art doesn't have to look like a photo - it's about the story the artist wants to tell. Try various avenues such as chalk, pastels, markers, crayons and it's even better if you have an art desk that its their size. Post his or her displays her works in the place arond the house and watch the giant smiles. This will create a sense of pride and build confidence that mommy and daddy think the product is good enough to display for guests. Labels: art-table, dramatic-play, Guidecraft, KidKraft
posted by SensoryEdge
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Saturday, February 02, 2008
The Groundhog Said Six More Weeks of Winter....
 Today was Groundhog Day and if that little critter is accurate, he foretold that the United States will be experiencing another six weeks of wintry weather. If you have spirited little ones, the prospect of another six months cooped up indoors and keeping them interested and entertained can seem daunting. The fine folks at Bazoongi have a wonderful creation that will stimulate young imaginations as well as allow your kids to learn while they play. The Learning Cottage Playhouse has so many features to keep your kids busy you'll be amazed at how much fun and learning has been packed into this design. The attention to detail is outstanding. The doors and windows open shut for an impromptu game of "peek-a-boo" and your little ones will also learn concepts such as "inside" and "outside" and as you're well aware, study after study has shown that learning done through play is much more easily grasped by the child as well as retained. More features on the playhouse include a padded door, shutters and roof in case your kids decide to engage in a little light hearted horseplay and in case that cup of apple juice you asked not to go into the playhouse sprouts legs and finds its way in there and spills as things tend to do; the floor of the playhouse detaches and is easily cleaned. There is so much to learn in the playhouse too! A clock with removable hands lets your kids learn to tell time and create scenarios around time ("You're late for school/work!"); other features include an interactive coat with zippers and velcro attachments so little ones can practice dressing themselves. There's a fun side game with learning to match numbers and letters that is on detachable squares so they can be removed and reused over and over. Ideal for when your kids want to play school. The playhouse also has a learning shapes section with a soft-fill circle, square and heart. If your kids have wanted to practice tying their shoes, there is also a shoe laces feature and last but not least, there is a read and match color words game to play. Keep your kids busy over the next six weeks and beyond with their own fun playhouse! Labels: bazoongi toys, dramatic-play, learning-toys, make-believe, pretend-play, toddlers, toddlers-toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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