I was invited to write a blog post for Playground Safety Week by @voice_of_play on Twitter.
It’s a time of staying put, Covid19 has closed the playgrounds in our town some are even bound by caution tape. The virus is believed to live on surfaces for an extended amount of time and social distancing makes playgrounds a no-go for most communities. So how can you keep your kids safely active at home? You can do a few things to make sure your backyard play areas are ready for action! ● Check the weight limits on swings or hanging items and replace as your children grow. ● Store your plastic supplies in a storage place for winter or cold seasons. ● Check for any broken or sharp parts on toys or equipment. ● Keep sand areas covered to protect them from animals and weather. ● Children should have supervision. ● Check your trampoline for fallen leaves or sticks before jumping. If you have a backyard swing set Swingin' up to the Moon is one of our favorite activities. This is an old song and I first heard this original song from an episode of Barney when I was a kid. I love this song because it includes rhyming, opens up conversation about space and planets, and can be changed to fit your family. “I'm startin' slow And swinging real low But soon I'll be going much higher. Then I'll swing so high I'll be up in the sky And pretend that I'm a high flyer. She's swingin' up to the stars And she just passed Mars. She better look around soon. Because if she's not careful To watch where she's going. I might just bump into the moon. She's swingin' up to the stars And she just passed Mars. She better look around soon. Because if she's not careful To watch where she's going. I might just bump into the moon. She might just bump into the moon!!” Don’t have a lot of space, but want to work on gross motor skills? Practicing animal crawls back and forth can be a great way for the whole family to exercise together. Lions, Tigers, or Bears...Oh My!? What are some other animals you can think of to try? Bubbles are a great way to calm down if you are having a hard day of remote learning. If you don’t have any on hand you can make some using a dish soap mixture. Toddlers love watching the magic float around and then pop on the ground. Our dogs even love chasing the bubbles and trying to catch them. You can add some math practice in there with counting how many bubbles, how many seconds until popping, or how much dish soap it takes to make an effective solution. Sidewalk chalk is also in high demand! Though you can try to put it on your store pick up order. We’ve made messages for our neighbors and healthcare workers in our community. My four year old and I practiced letters, numbers, and played jumping games using chalk trails. I hope you’ll share some of your favorite chalk or playful activities with me on Twitter @playyay.
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With the announcement for #TeachBetter20 coming up in just a few short days, I took the time to reflect on all the marvels of #TeachBetter19 and tips I have for attending #TeachBetter20.
Last year I was able to score this amazing laminator on Amazon Prime Day! I also let my teacher friend in on it and we no longer waited in line for the laminator at school! Great for making center games or prepping at home in your PJS!
http://amzn.to/2u5Npm8
The Sand and Water Table is one of our favorite toys! It allows for parallel play or independent play. We didn't have shovels this year, but I had an idea to use these old Glad lids that had missing containers. Reuse where you can right?
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AuthorBreAnn Fennell is a mom, teacher, author, and defender of play! Archives
May 2020
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