Why? sensory and messy play?

Take a look at these photos below, do they intrigue you?

 

Kids need to get messy. Kids need to explore, get their hands covered in goo, and play. They need to play to learn, they need to learn through play. There have been studies done that show if a child is set in a classroom and made to be a strict student from an early age, they have no upper hand advantage over a child that was allowed to be a child and play to gain their knowledge. When you hear the term "learning through play", don't think of a kid sitting there rolling around a car and compare it to a kid sitting at a desk being drilled by flash cards and worksheets. That is not what learning through play is. Learning through play is taking normal learning concepts and making them fun, interesting, expressive, artistic, in depth, creative, hands on, customized, and nurturing. The children are still learning all of the important basics that they need to know, just in a way that is better for them, their heart, mind, body, and soul. Have you ever heard of or read an article, or maybe saw a movie about an overworked child that stresses so much over academics because they are pushed so hard and then desire to work so hard that it starts to have lasting effects on them and their sanity?  What is positive about that? What is positive about forced learning, or forced therapy for a child with a disability, like Autism? If a child is miserable, feeling overwhelmed, upset, angry, or frustrated, are they really learning more than a child who is allowed to learn through play at a pace that works for that individual child?

Have you ever heard of:

1. Montessori Education
2. Waldorf Education
3. Reggio Emelia approach to education
4. A book called Einstein never used flashcards

If not, I deeply encourage you to check all of that out. It is well worth having the knowledge.

There is a world of knowledge out there, put to life through the inspiring and enlightening blogs of hundreds of dedicated and intelligent parents. You can find thousands of links to these wonderful blogs on Pinterest.com 

There is a really great article on Not just cute about how sensory play is science to children.  The article states that children explore their world through the use of the Scientific Method, or Scientific Inquiry.  Not just cute also explains how sensory play is so important to preschoolers here.   

You can find dozens of wonderful Montessori inspired sensory, learning, and play experiences on Living Montessori Now.

Learning through play has a lot to do with the materials and toys that you provide to your child as well. You can read a little about that here and you can see many examples of great materials and toys here.  These are not your average toys.  I had to search high and low and do a lot of research to be put into the right direction to find them. I hope you enjoy checking them out.

I made a list of really great blogs, check it out here. I plan to expand this list very soon. In fact if you know of a blog that should be on this list, please do email me at [email protected] with that information. I will be more than happy to check out the blog and more than likely add it to my list.

Now I would like to show you examples of wonderful messy, sensory play, learning through play, a little Montessori, a little Waldorf, a little Reggio Emelia, and a LOT of fun!!  I only hope that you will take a few moments to review the links I am about to present to you. I only hope that you will learn something from reading this blog post. I only hope that this blog post and all of the links I have presented in it to my blog and others, will inspire you to have some awesome messy fun with your children.  Thank you for reading, and thank you for looking at the links.

These are just a few examples: 

Messy, sensory play
A splash of this, a dab of that
Trampo-swing and Tarzan swing
Everything must glow
Waterbeads and flowers
Flower sensory
Firefly jar and bloopy gloopy blacklight paint
Oooey gooey black light sensory bottles
Ice ice baby
Squishy, sprinkly, smushy, fun
Sprinkle bubble, pour, squish and more
building, creating, exploring
May the force be with you
Roads, trees, and light
Glow and play
Totally awesome fun
Glow and flow
Space monsters
Light table worksheets
Pouring, building, playing, creating
Color and light
rainbow volcano
Super messy fun playdate

Reggio Fridays

Learn through Play Linky is NOW Reggio Fridays!!!!! 

 I hope you will join us each Friday and post your Reggio Emilia inspired play and learning blog posts!!! 


SEE THE LATEST REGGIO FRIDAYS  HERE

revisiting Einstein

I am re-posting my post from 9/10, entitled Einstein never used flashcards

I am really glad I read this book!!  you will be too if you read it!!

from 9/10


A friend just sent me this link, I find it very interesting. I think I will definately order and read this book. It really has some good points and interesting approaches to early learning.  The vast majority of my Mommy facebook friends and many of the Moms in my playgroup have all chosen to send their children ages 18 months - 2 years to preschool very early. I had never heard of this before.  Some said it was because they felt their child would benefit greatly from going to preschool at age 1 as opposed to age 4. Some said it was because they had a new baby on the way and wanted to spend one on one time with the baby. Which I had never heard of doing either! Some said it was because they had a new baby on the way and did not want to have to care for two at once. They felt it would be too much for them to handle.

They all have different reasons and ideas. I had never heard of raising children this way. I suppose I would have been living on easy street with my older 3 kids if when every new baby was born, I sent the one at home off to school. I have a daughter who was born April of 1996 and a son in October of 1998, and then a daughter in February of 2000. I kept them all at home....through the good times and the bad.  We went to playdates, on educational outings, did some learning at home, bought some workbooks for extra learning...and mostly just played and had fun.

Fast forward 8 years later I had twin boys. My older 3 were already well established in school. The latest buzz is that even my Mommy friends that do not have a new baby on the way or a job are sending their kids to preschool in the next few months. I don't plan to, I plan to home preschool them and just have fun for the most part. I guess this book will be very helpful for me! Every mom will raise their child the best way that they can, some need to put their kids in school at age 1 to do that.   I guess now since it has become the normal and popular thing to do, it is the right thing to do. I am going to keep on doing the wrong thing and wait until age 4 for preschool. In the mean time we will enjoy some light home preschooling starting at age 3 with some good old fashioned playtime mixed in as well and from now until then it is play, play, play!

Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn -- and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less

Einstein Never Used Flash Cards

Here's the message that stressed-out parents are craving to hear: It's okay to play!

In fact, it's more than just okay-- it's better than drilling academics. After decades of research, scientists and child development experts have come to a clear conclusion: Play is the best way for our children to learn.

Children who are prematurely pushed into regimented academic instruction display less creativity and enthusiasm for learning in later years.

Children who memorize isolated facts early in life show no better long-term retention than their peers.

Children who learn through play also develop social and emotional skills, which are critical for long-term success.

Somewhere along the line, we've gotten off track by stressing academic products and programs to our preschoolers. Thankfully, Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff have a simple remedy for our children that is based on overwhelming scientific evidence from their own studies and the collective research results of child development experts.

Einstein Never Used Flash Cards goes beyond debunking the myths spread by the accelerated-learning industry. Parents and educators will find a practical guide to introducing complex concepts through smart, simple, and loving play.

For every key area of a child's development (speech, reading, math, social skills, self-awareness, and intelligence), you'll understand how a child's mind actually learns. Then you'll discover exercises (40 in all) that will showcase emerging skills and leave your child smiling today-- and prepared for tomorrow.

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D, is a member of the psychology department at Temple University, where she directs the Infant Language Laboratory and participated in one of the nation's largest studies of the effects of child care. The mother of three sons, she also composes and performs children's music.

Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Ph.D0, is the H. Rodney Sharp Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware, where she holds a joint appointment with the departments of linguistics and psychology and directs the Infant Language Project. She has also been a recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship and is the mother of a son and a daughter.

Together, the authors were featured on the PBS Human Language series and are the authors of How Babies Talk.

Diane Eyer, Ph.D, is a member of the psychology department at Temple University and author of Motherguilt and Mother-Infant Bonding.

Review:

"Although the research-laden text is sometimes dense, parents will find a valuable message if they stick with the program, ultimately relieving themselves and their offspring of stress and creating a more balanced life." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"[A] treasure trove of information and advice. A trustworthy parenting resource from two highly respected scholars." Linda Acredolo, author of Baby Signs

Synopsis:

Play Is Back

Reassuring to parents and educators, Einstein Never Used Flash Cards shows why-- and how-- to step away from the cult of achievement and toward a more nurturing home life full of imaginative play and love of learning.

"An elegant summary of what mind and brain science can tell us about child development and learning. The reasonable and reassuring implications the authors draw from this research provide a much-needed corrective to the hype and distortions all too prevalent in the popular media. Finally, the truth!"--John T. Bruer, Ph.D., president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation and author of The Myth of the First Three Years

"Parents eager to know what to do-- and even more important, what not to do-- to help their children discover and take advantage of their hidden talents will find this well-written book a treasure trove of information and advice. A trustworthy parenting resource from two highly respected scholars!"--Linda Acredolo, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and author of Baby Signs and Baby Minds

"This book makes it easy to be a good parent! It explains how, by nurturing your child's love for learning through play, you will foster initiative, creativity, curiosity, empathy, and self-esteem-- in sum, a happy child. Isn't that what we all want? Indeed, I gained many new insights into how my 4- and 2-year-old daughters are engaged in learning through their own magical play."--Janet Rice Elman, executive director of the Association of Children's Museums in Washington, D.C.

"Although parents know that the early years are learning years, just what that means has been confusing-- until now. Einstein Never Used Flash Cards makes practical sense of the vast number of technical studies and hyperbole of advertising claims. It explains in clear, compelling, and scientific terms how learning really takes place. This book is a must-read for parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers, pediatricians, and policy makers-- in other words, all those who care about and for the next generation of children."--Ellen Galinsky, president and cofounder of the Families and Work Institute in New York City

Synopsis:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 269-286) and index.

About the Author

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D., is a member of the psychology department at Temple University, where she directs the Infant Language Laboratory and participated in one of the nation's largest studies of the effects of child care. The mother of three sons, she also composes and performs children's music.

Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Ph.D., is the H. Rodney Sharp Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware, where she holds a joint appointment with the departments of linguistics and psychology and directs the Infant Language Project. She has also been a recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship and is the mother of a son and a daughter.

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bears, beads, & letters

Here are a few pics of some sorting Graham was doing on the light table tonight.  During this time, Parker was sitting under the table playing a preschool learning game on my iPhone.  Graham hogs the iPhone a lot, so Parker snagged the opportunity to play a game or two.  I have 3 folders of learning games set up on my iPhone for them.  Graham and Parker have a few cute light table manipulatives that we use for various learning exercises from time to time.

sorting overhead transparancy bears into little glass jars

sorting letters of their names into "name jars"

Graham, playing with pop beads and geometric shapes

making a snake

concentrating!

snakes tuens into necklace!

a pic with the hipstamatic app

circle!

putting it on by himself

being silly with Haley!

http://astore.amazon.com/gptwinsmom-20

Bed Time Disco Party

Today was very long and full of outings, We had a playdate with our playgroup out in the yard . Then Graham requested to go shopping at the dollar tree to get more plastic frogs. So we loaded up after lunch & a quick house tidy. We had never been to one of the larger dollar trees before. The one closest to us is quite small but still has great stuff.  We shop at the dollar tree for some of our learning through play materials. I had purchased some glitter bugs and frogs at the dollar tree the day before, and surprised them with the bugs and frogs in their sand table this morning. They  saw them, light up and promptly hoarded them so they didnt have to share them with their playmates on the way to our yard for a playdate.  I can understand not wanting to share your new frogs and bugs. We had lots of cool stuff in the sand box already, including some spiffy new gold pine cones(another dollar tree find)! So, I had thought about it and said well I guess I will need to go and buy more frogs and bugs so that they leave a few in the sand box for playdates and outdoor play. Graham heard me say that and decided he was itching for a dollar tree shopping spree.  Mind you, there was no intentions of a shopping spree. However, Graham and Parker have never been to the dollar tree, especially not a HUGE one, and they normally are in a stroller, wagon, or shopping cart when inside a store.  We walked in the doors of dollar tree and it was ON!  They went nuts finding awesome stuff that they wanted.  They started with acrylic santas, and an acrylic glitter bear. Then it was off to the toys, they picked bugs, frogs, sea creatures, and something else which I can't recall right now.  Then they quickly scurried from aisle to aisle and before we knew it..... they wanted the whole darn store.  However we did not buy the whole store.  One thing I picked up was a cute little red and blue mini trash can which is PERFECT for their play area!! Graham decided it needed to be his official party hat of the night though.  I am hoping tomorrow it can go back to its normal purpose of becoming the play area trash can.  Thank goodness it was never used because after a cool glow in the dark bath time. the trash can became a party hat. Oh what fun it is to be three.  ;)

So we had to get out their new belated birthday gift, a disco party light and I got out some blue water beads as well as their bath disco balls.  Lotsa Fun!!