Kindy Gym Fun

We went to our first kindy gym class today at the local PCYC and Gwen loved it. She's 2.3 now and technically meant to be in the "wonky walkers" class but we took a look at that room and both proclaimed it ok but boring with it's couple of soft gym mattresses, soft tunnel and three large car toys. There was music but there wouldn't be any "instruction" by the minder in the room. I've gotten to know lots of 2 year olds over the last few months and for  the majority of them this wouldn't have been much fun. They are bouncy and inquisitive and love creative play, epically when they are encouraged to pretend to be or do something.

So we went next door.

The Kindy gym class for 3+ year olds had trampolines, balancing beams, ladders, a big soft tunnel, trampolines, a "tower" to jump off onto big mattresses and did I mention the trampolines? For about 5 mins the kids were encouraged to be various animals, jump on a line of hoops and catch bubbles. I joined I on all of this. I did not feel even slightly silly to be the only adult getting into it. While the other mums sat passively around the room Gwen and I actively played together. I’d been ill for the last week and hadn’t been able to do much with her on our park trips and it was great to have the energy again to play.

When it all ended she really didn't want to leave so I made a point of asking the "Leader" if we could come back next week. It really made a difference to Gwen being ok with going, she knows that we'll come back some time soon.

Real World Tools

I've just started using tools with my 2 year old. We found an old set of shelves during the annual kerbside collection for large items. We've put it on it's side and have been converting it inot a long shelf for all of her things.

We started of with sanding down some edges. Traditional sanding blocks are too big for her hands, instead we wrapped a bit of sand paper around a branch block, or what some call a tree chip.

Then we pried off some of the extra moldings around the bottom with a hammer and chisel (I hold the chisel as it's razor sharp) while Gwen hits with the hammer.Then we salvaged a few extra screws and de-nailed the moldings.

Yesterday we bought the wood to add extra shelves and together we chose some paint to colour the shelves before we screw them in.

I love seeing her become so involved in something so real world, using skills that I too am only really learning for the first time.

Alphabet Turtle

Stickers are not a precious commodity in this house. I know some households who only allow the kids to have stickers for special deeds or occasions, but not us. I've always seen them as a fun way to develop fine motor skills, and creativity, and keep Gwen occupied by something that is completely hers, with no mummy interference unless specifically asked.

Shiny gold dot stickers often make their way onto unsuspecting feet, faces and clothing. Pink stars, or their lesser cousins the gold stars, might be played with for almost 40 minutes straight, being expertly arranged on some card then scribbled on with deliberation. Silver and black foam stickers sourced at reverse garbage get similar treatment and have recently found their way onto old packing tape cylinders and become armbands.

Yesterday we broke out the alphabet stickers and Gwen rummaged amoungst her things until she found a shiny rock wheich she dubed her "ABC Turtle." For the next hour he was expertly covered with all manner of ABC's, as was the mirror and her toes.

Mixing Colours

A neighbor was throwing away this amazing piece of packaging styrofoam. They seemed a bit mystified as to what we might want to do wth it but where happy to part with it before the garbage truck arrived. We got it home and I filled it with food coloring and water then provided Gwen with a big bowl of water and a cup then left her two it, watching from a distance.

A lot of these sorts of activities are hit and miss, I'm still not sure what she'll enjoy and what can be dropped in a moment in favor of something wildly more facinating. This one was a hit, she spent a good hour mixing colours, adding water and swirling things around. And she kept coming back to it all day. By the next day the play was more about breaking it up, standing in it and watching little specs of styrofoam float around, by the third day she was over it, but it was fabulous while it lasted.

In the backyard

We love to be outside and over the last 2 years we've been doing our best to make out backyard somewhere special for Gwen and friends to play. Freecycle has played a big part in that, its where we sourced her cubby house & swings.

A neighbor was recently getting rid of a climbing frame so we snaffled that too. Add to that a sand pit, a blackboard built by buppa, a shaded concrete area and an ever changing veg garden to forage in and it's becoming a very special place.

Paint Chip Stickers

Everytime we go to the hardware store we grab a few paint chip samples, and I've been wondering what to do with them as they float through the house. So last night I chopped them all up into smaller squares and laid out some sticky tape, sticky side up. My hope was that the Little One would be immersed in it for a little while and enjoy sticking them down in different ways.

Of course I had temporarily forgotten her capacity to think about these sorts of things creatively. After a few moments of placing and sticking she discovered that her dress and hair also stuck and made a very satisfying gently pulling feeling when she removed them....so she spent almost 20 mins laying down on the tape, face first, then peeling herself off it, then laying down again.

It looked like lots of fun! Soon after we had a little friend visit for awhile and they both delighted in the game. I've very temped to cover a wall in sticky side up tape just to see what she would do with it.