It’s no secret that I can be pretty passionate about orphan care, missions, and the like. There is something else I’m passionate about, playtime! Before I became a stay at home mommy, I worked with an organization called Healthy Families. Healthy Families does a lot, and does not get the credit (or funding) deserved. The quick, watered down version of what they do is provide education and support to families of young children. Part of the education component is to teach parents the importance of playtime.
So here’s a fun post for all you mommies, daddies, nannies, etc. Go play with your kids! In case you don’t believe me here are some articles that explain just how important playing is…
10 Reasons Why Play is Important
10 Reasons Play Makes Babies Smarter
So here are two super, easy ways to get creative with playtime. First up, sensory discovery bottles. *I apologize for only having low quality phone pics*
So incredibly easy. I made three of these for Nora during nap time. Remove the label from some empty water bottles. Then add whatever fun things you can find around your house. The possibilities are endless of what you could fill your bottles with. One of our bottles has water and dice (Nora’s personal favorite). Another has a 50/50 mixture of water and baby oil with a few drops of food coloring. The last one has ribbon from a gift bag and some beans for sound. Seriously, how easy?! If you are putting liquid in your bottle I would recommend using a bit of glue to seal the cap on just in case. I used Goo Gone to remove the labels, so if you do that of course be sure to wash them well.
Because it’s not fun until you can put it in your mouth, right?
The next playtime activity, is brought to you by a sweet 8 year old I get to hang out with twice a week. Sprinkle some baking soda on a pan. Fill some small bowls with vinegar and a few drops of food coloring. Give your kiddo a pipette or medicine dropper and let the mad scientist come to life!
Again, this is SO easy! Yeah, I know. I have one baby; you have seven. I should just wait until I have a few more then see how much time I have for playtime. You can come back and say, “I told you so” then, but in the meantime, get to playing! 😉