What Is Open-Ended Play?

We often hear the term “open-ended play” loosely thrown around. We are told that this is the best kind of play… but what does it actually mean and how do we do it?
Open-ended play is play which is not limited to just one or two scenarios. It is open-ended and the game/activity/environment can change as the child’s imagination changes. For example, a stick from the garden will cause open-ended play as it can be a fishing rod, whipper-snipper, sword or lance. Whereas an electronic game-pad only allows a game with a set of predetermined rules to be played.
Providing children with resources that are open-ended will enhance their cognitive development and draw on their imagination. This will provide the basis for them to discover their own personalities and develop their own interests. It has been proven time and time again that extending on a child’s interest through their play will dramatically enhance their learning. Children’s enthusiasm for learning will grow as they can closely relate to what is being taught. Children will naturally become more engaged and wanting to learn.

By learning, I’m not talking about sitting in a classroom, I’m talking about playing in the garden, at the park or around the home. I’m talking about the lessons that can only be gained from experience – watching bugs, playing with sand, collecting leaves, stones and flowers.
You don’t need to spend a fortune on resources or toys to give your child/children the best foundation for learning and play. You may be pleasantly surprised to find you already have the key ingredients for open-ended play. Check outside or down the park and you will find an abundance of fantastic resources at your loved one’s fingertips. Check out natures playground to find these awesome (and free) toys:
• Sand
• Water
• Rocks
• Sticks
• Gravel
• Leaves

All these natural and readily available resources are classed as “open-ended” play materials as they can be one of many things. Each child will interpret their own use and this may even change from one play experience to another. Providing children with basic gardening tools is one way that offers that opportunity to explore these diverse materials.
I have spoken about wooden blocks before and the importance they have in a child’s life. I am yet to meet a child that has lost interest in them or doesn’t use their imagination during play. I know this because as the child grows, so does the type of masterpiece they create with their blocks. Why wouldn’t you invest in something long term for children if that’s possible? I mean, how often do children outgrow toys or they are no longer cool enough? Too often for my budget if you ask me!

Open-ended play allows children to grow and reach their potential. They are not limited by the primary function of the toy, but limited by their imagination. Toys which provide opportunities for open-ended play tend to have a longer playing life and certainly captures children’s attention for longer. If you find that your loved one is not engaged by an open-ended resource, try to encourage their imagination. Sometimes children need a small amount of prompting to get their creativity flowing (particularly children that are not used to using imagination). Sit down with them, get them (and their siblings) started, then sit back and watch as they take charge. Next time you’re in the garden, throw a shovel or rake in front of your loved one and get them involved. They will learn so much from it and create memories that will last a lifetime.

 

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Learning Through Play – Infographic

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The Healthy Eating Pyramid Has Changed!

The Healthy Eating Pyramid has changed! With so much information and so many people trying to throw advice our way, sometimes it’s hard to filter through the junk. I want to show you how easy it can be to make small changes to our kids diets to make sure they keep growing strong and healthy. Current figures show that the average Australian child gets 30% of his/her daily energy from ‘junk foods’. Nearly 30% of our nations kids and 63% of adults are obese or overweight. This is an endemic that is literally killing us and is something that is highly preventable.
Check out this pyramid published by Nutrition Australia (www.nutritionaustralia.com.au) – it looks different to the one we were taught at school.

Vegetables, legumes and fruit are our number one source of energy. They ideally make up 70% of our daily food requirements. Foods in this category are high in carbohydrates, fibre, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins. Try offering a variety of foods from this category – variety is the spice of life and will provide a wide range of goodness to help keep your child’s health in check. Older children, teens and adults should aim for 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of veg a day.

Grains form the second layer of the pyramid. Making small changes in this category can be subtle. If you eat white bread, try switching to multi-grain – you will straight away get an extra serve of grains a day. If you eat cereal, try porridge or a wheat based cereal. If you like to eat rice, give brown rice a go (or mix brown and white rice together). Remember, the less refined/processed, the better. Making these small changes will keep you and your kids full for longer and keep them over all healthier.
Dairy (and alternatives) and meat products should form an equal share of your diet. Dairy is vital in supplying your body with calcium, protein, vitamins and minerals. All the good stuff to make your kids grow strong bones and muscles. If you can, try a variety of meat products. Mix up red meat with white meat and fish. Eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes also form part of this category, so shake things up a bit. By including a variety in your diet, you will keep your body fueled for longer.

The top of the pyramid is healthy fats. Healthy fats are required by our body in moderation. They support heart health, brain development and brain function. Use unrefined olive oils and vegetable oils in cooking and spreads to increase our intake. Remember though, we get healthy fats from other parts of the pyramid in foods like avocado, fish, nuts and seeds.

The greatest change to the healthy eating pyramid is the removal of sugars and salts. When we were growing up, they formed the top of the pyramid. It is now no longer recommended that refined sugars form any part of your diet. Sugars are linked to an increased risk of weight gain, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In addition, sugar is considered ‘addictive’, which can have a flow on effect for children when they mature into adults.
We are all human though, and it is inevitable that we will consume these foods on occasion. We can limit it by steering clear of it in packaged foods and by reading nutritional labels. If the product looks processed, chances are it has sugar added to it – read the label and you will be amazed at how many of our favourites contain added sugar. If you have time, make your own sweet treats – that way you know what you’re putting in them.
Drink loads of water. Eight glasses a day is the recommended for the average adult – less for children. If its hot, you’re going to need more and if your sweating excessively, don’t forget those electrolytes.
Why not spruce up any of your meals with the addition of herbs and spices? Get the kids involved and grow their favourite herbs. It will bring your meals to life and reduce the need for jar additives like sauces.
There is no doubt about it, feeding our children is tough. Our days are incredibly busy – school, sports, activities, homework, housework, socialising, gardening and the list goes on. It is worth spending a bit of time working out which foods are best for our kids. Print out the pyramid and stick it on your fridge. Talk to your kids about it. Once you have the general idea, feeding your family will be easy – and the best thing, they may even eat less because they have the right foods going in and are feeling fuller for longer.

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No Fuss Toilet Training: The Poo Train

Learning to poo on the toilet can be difficult for both children and parents. I hope that this blog helps make toilet training easier for you and your loved one.

This is the story of one boy and his much loved ‘poo train’…

The time had come… toilet training was on the horizon. We were looking forward to when we no longer had to change nappies, but were concerned about the road that lay ahead. How were we to tackle this change? Surely it can’t be that difficult.

As it turns out, it didn’t take long for our son to learn to wee in the toilet. It was getting him to poo on the toilet that took longer. He would wait until he had a nappy on for sleep before he would go. We tried talking to him about it and encouraging him, but still he refused to poo on the toilet. I wasn’t concerned because I knew that many kids have difficulty with this, but I was determined to push on.

I knew that the only way I could get him to do it was to make him want to do it. Like most people, children respond well to praise and encouragement. They find it easier to work toward a goal if there is a reward looming. It’s why reward charts in schools and day care centers work so well. The reward is always there and the progress is easily tracked.

Our son loves trains so I thought I would make a reward chart that was train themed and stick it to the wall above the toilet paper. I called it a toilet train, but he later affectionately named it ‘My Poo Train’.

Set out like a board game, each time he pooed on the toilet, he would get a stamp at the train station. Each time he met a target, he would receive an additional reward. The trick was to give him rewards in fast succession to keep him motivated, and then stretch them out a little as time went on. So the first reward would come on successful poo #1. Then he would get a reward after #2, #4, #6 and finally #9. The rewards had to become more important as time went on, so I chose things that he really loves to do. Things that will make him feel special. The rewards I had (written in the yellow explosions) were choosing dinner, a weekend activity, planting a tree, breakfast at a café and finally he got to choose a toy from Boab Toys.

I was surprised at how well it worked. Once he got through the first couple of poos, and realised that it wasn’t as scary as it seemed, he got to 9 quickly. Remember, it’s about being positive and offering praise when there’s success. Mishaps will happen, but its about heading in the right direction. Its a new skill and like anything new, we don’t usually get it right the first time.

So, with a little creativity, you too can get your loved one to poo on the toilet without fear and tears. If you want to give it a go, you can use my template or make your own. Just add in your loved one’s name and write the rewards in the yellow. You can download the chart for free by clicking here.

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How To Get Children To Pack Away

Making a mess is fun! But what happens when it’s time to pack everything away?

As parents and caregivers, we often think encouraging children to pack away is more trouble than its worth. After all, we are faster, neater and we certainly don’t have augments with ourselves…
But, there is much more for children to learn from this than you may think. It’s about life skills – respecting others, respecting property and respecting ourselves.
Providing children with opportunities to learn life skills can sound daunting and unnecessary at a young age. But it doesn’t have to be! Simple tasks such as packing away can support children’s social skills through team work. It’s not likely you’re going to be able to say to your young one “pack those blocks up please” and expect them to just do it. Instead, helping children and role modelling will draw them in. Young children like to imitate and help. They will want to help you because they feel included and, with the right encouragement, they will also feel a sense of achievement.
You don’t want to turn this into a chore – instead make it fun. Try incorporating your loved one’s favourite things into the task. Get them to load their blocks into their truck and dump it in the box. Count the toys as they go away, tell a story about them or name the colours. You know your child better than anyone else, so use it to your advantage.
The language you use can also influence how well they pack away. Children crave encouragement and praise. They love attention and will do whatever gets them attention the fastest. While this is a massive topic, I’ll try to sum it up…

• When children do something negative and you criticise them immediately, they will continue this behaviour because they got attention for it.
• When children do something positive and you praise it immediately, they will repeat this behaviour because they got attention for it.

The moral of the story – ignore negative behaviour and praise positive behaviour. This in turn builds a great self-esteem and sense of worth.
So, no matter how small the achievement, acknowledge it. If your child has put a block back in the box, recognise it and then immediately encourage them to place another in there. Try saying something like, “Well done. Look how well you are packing away. Did you want to get the blue block next?” When you master what your child responds well to, you will find that all those little negotiations become easier.

You may be thinking how hard it will be to break through to children with this new habit. But believe me, this one will be worth your while! Imagine not having to tidy the toys any more. Even better, imagine a teenager keeping a tidy room or doing the dishes…. Instill good habits now and it may pay dividends later!
I hope I have inspired you to persist with your child’s packing away habits. So, the next time the toy box is empty and you can’t see your floor, turn it into a game. Count the toys, name the colours, use trucks to cart the blocks back to the box. Now is the time to make tidying fun!

 

Visit Boab Toys to find out more.

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Project Blocks Form the Foundation of Growth

How can something as simple as just a few blocks keep children engaged for hours at a time?
I recently watched as a younger child played with wooden blocks. The fun started when he tipped them out of the box they were in. The banging and clashing as they tumbled past each other and then hitting the ground instantly captured his attention. His face was lit up with joy.
As I sat back and watched him more, he began stacking the square and rectangular blocks upward. He may have stacked them five or six blocks high before they would unbalance and crash down. The tumbling sound was different than when he first emptied them out of the box. He was excited about the mess he created and then began to restack them – again only getting a few high before they crashed to the ground. I then noticed that an adult went to him and helped him stack them higher. With the adult guiding him, the tower rose quickly. This time, they were stacked 10 or 12 blocks high and the crash was even louder. The little boy loved what he was creating.
I always notice that towers are the first things that children build with project blocks. They like the challenge as they work out gravity and balance. Then they might start to arrange them to make fortresses, castles and vehicles. As children develop more, they tend to want to create structures rather than just make noises with them. This reflects their growth as their imagination craves a new challenge each time.

Children working together to make structures can be very rewarding as they begin to learn and become more familiar with new ideas. They will learn valuable social skills such as negotiation, language, expressions of emotion and gain a sense of well-being. With a shuffle of a few blocks, castles can become ships and ships become road trains. The play space can easily evolve and children’s imaginations cause shifts in the stories they are creating.
Working in the early childhood industry, it is easy to tell which children are left to play using their imagination and which children are played with all the time. I recall one child who was not able to be left to draw or play in the sand as she found it was not stimulating enough. The girl required attention from the carer all the time. I was told this girl had an abundance of toys at home which allowed for closed play. These toys serve only one purpose and limited the child’s imagination to that purpose. Once the child had mastered the toy, its useful life had expired and she needed a new toy to keep her stimulated.
On the flip side, I also remember a young boy who would happily play with limited resources. I suspect he didn’t have many ‘commercialised’ toys at home and he was able to make many things out of the same objects. A simple stick he found under a tree started as a fishing rod, then transformed into a hiking aid, and then to a sword. The boy’s imagination allowed for the impossible to happen.
This level of imaginative play is a vital part of children’s growth as it forms the foundations for their ability to learn and create. In Albert Einstein’s words – “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world”.
So, why will wooden project blocks keep children engaged for hours at a time? Quite simply, it allows them to use their imagination…
Boab Toys stock a fantastic range of wooden blocks and other imagination inspiring toys. You can visit their webpage by clicking here.

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Play Dough Recipe – What’s the secret?

Play dough is one of the simplest, yet best ways to encourage children to use their imagination and develop fine motor skills. In my experience as an early childhood educator, children gain so much from being able to model, create and express themselves through play dough.

It really is a fantastic way to encourage hours of open ended play and learning. To add another dimension to moulding shapes and objects, throw in some cookie cutters, stamped rollers or anything that will leave a pattern. Children will go bonkers!
Parents often comment that play dough is hard to make because it becomes too dry or doesn’t mix properly. I am going to show you how to make the best play dough you and your loved one have ever had.
And best of all, it is perfectly safe for children and will take less than 10mins to make.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour
4 tablespoons Cream of Tartar
1 cup salt
2 cups boiling water
3.5 tablespoons cooking oil
A couple of drops of your favourite food colouring (or natural dye)

     

 

Method:

1. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl
2. Add water, oil and food colouring and mix using a spoon until combined
3. Use your hands to knead dough and to ensure it is thoroughly mixed. I like to use gloves because the mix can be a bit hot.
4. Give to children and join in on the fun!

 

The secret to this recipe is in the oil. The oil will prevent your dough from having a dehydrated feel and make it last longer when its being played with.

Play dough will dry out in the air, so it’s best to store it wrapped in cling wrap.
To shake things up a little, you can use a variety of colours. Try mixing food colouring together to create new colours or adding sparkles to the mix.
Now you have the basic recipe, your play dough is only limited by your imagination.

For more great ideas, check out Boab Toys online

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