Play Ideas For Summer Days
We are mere days away from our summer breaks! Perhaps you, like me, are feeling both excited and a little apprehensive about all the time we parents will now have to fill with our kids on our own! Before any panic sets in, I’d love to share some of the secrets of how teachers at All Seasons set children up for success when we offer opportunities for play. As with most secrets about life, the play we organize at school is pretty simple when you get down to it.
Set the Stage
At All Seasons, teachers often utilize a practice developed by the preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy of creating “provocations” for our students. A provocation, also known as an invitation to play, is a beautiful arrangement of materials safe for children to explore and experiment with. The idea is that you, as the adult, pick the materials you’re comfortable with your kids playing with, sometimes around a theme or an interest they have. The beauty of a provocation is that it generally runs on its own after it is set up and introduced. You decide what materials to include and where to set it up. Messy play? It goes outside! Scissors? It goes in the kitchen next to your workspace so you can supervise.
In the sea of options for children to play with in our homes, a provocation set up on a table or in the center of a rug can help kids deepen and organize their play. Just as grown-ups can easily become overwhelmed by ‘too much!’ - mess, clutter, piles of paper - so can children become overwhelmed by all the toys they have at their disposal. Highlighting a few well-loved toys or materials in a new way can spark different ideas or help to re-engage kids with forgotten playthings.
The best provocations allow you to use what you already have! Here are some ideas:
Dinosaur Bath: a tub, water, dish/hand soap, scrubbers, dinos! (Substitute babies, animals, anything water-friendly!)
Stencil Discovery: blank paper, stencils, sharpened colored pencils, pencil sharpener.
Build a Bird Nest: materials from outside (perhaps children could collect these?!), bowls, stuffed birds.
Ice Play: Frozen water is wonderful in summer! Freeze favorite characters in a lump of ice. Can your children free them? Could you put Elsa, Anna, or a favorite figurine inside a water balloon and freeze it? What happens when you add salt? I wonder!
Paint those Amazon boxes: Flatten a bunch of cardboard boxes. Set outside with washable paint and brushes. (Or don’t flatten them, and stack to make a birthday cake?!)
Zoo/Cage/Garage/House: Halfway build a structure with whatever materials you have, leaving the rest close at hand. (Use Magnatiles, blocks, books, pillows, etc.) Place some figurines or animals nearby or perhaps one or two in or on the structure. Let your child take the invitation in whichever direction they choose!
Stencils and colored pencils
Great Materials Make a Difference
Sometimes the materials you include can really change the dynamic or direction of play. A few indispensable materials to consider might be:
Pots, pans, baking dishes, spoons, spatulas from the thrift store for kitchen play: They add an element of realism to plant, leaf, mud, or sand play. Kids love using adult tools!
Metal condiment cups (check Amazon or Crate and Barrel): They are amazing for potion play, collecting, pretend cooking, or sorting.
Pipettes: Add colored vinegar to baking soda. Or add watercolors to a cotton face pad, or an ice cube.
Mortar and pestle: Want a child to feel extremely important? Let them crush expired spices, sidewalk chalk, or seeds! This is an excellent hand-strength activity and allows for lots of freedom! Better yet, let them go at some basil, salt, pine nuts, and garlic - the beginnings of pesto!
Pipe cleaners: They can be indispensable! They can form shapes, be used as a base for borax crystal making, or allow for pony beads to be strung into bracelets and necklaces with minimal support!
A water dispenser that children can use on their own: The freedom to dispense water at will is huge for children. They can wash hands, make potions, water plants… without help!
Sidewalk chalk: Draw, grind to a powder for potions or watercolors, dip in water and draw to create extra bold colors. Children will come up with amazing ways to use chalk.
Magnatiles and small metal bits
Roles Matter
At All Seasons, children are our main characters. They decide how to play, where to play, and what to play. The teacher’s job is to observe, maintain safety and comfort, and ask questions! While playing alongside your child is an extremely important and wonderful thing to do, sometimes it pays to be an observer. Try “sportscasting,” in which you narrate what you’re seeing. For example, maybe your child is adding glue to buttons: “Wow! You’re adding just the right amount of glue. Where will that go? Gosh, I wonder what you’re thinking about making…” The idea is that you support their play, not dictate it. It’s a very strange feeling to set out a provocation and watch your child use it in a completely different way! But it’s also wonderful; you can learn so much from what your kids choose to do.
As teachers, we understand that children’s primary job is to play. This is great news for you, parents, because it allows you to sit and relax as you observe your children doing their best work. Step back, offer a comment or two, and allow yourself to observe the miraculous play they can create with the right provocations. Don’t worry if one you try doesn’t go as planned or capture their interest. Try another and soon you’ll zone into what they are most excited about!