October is Attachment Parenting Month » 2011 Calendar of Play

2011 October 31 – Scavenger Hunt

art — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:24 +0000

It’s our last day of AP Month and our last day of the API online auction. If you haven’t placed a bid yet, this is the big day! And fitting right in with the day’s play idea, check out and bid on Pure Play Kid’s Scavenger Hunt Game!

We’re thrilled to share a final fun idea with you and a few goodies as well!

Today, create a list of interesting things to seek and find (bats? a spider? a black cat? a yellow submarine???!) and set out on a walk around the neighborhood, park, zoo or other fun place to see how many items you can check off your list! Bring a camera & a bag, collect some things and take pictures of others. Younger kids can hunt for colors and shapes while older kids might enjoy making and switching around their own lists with each other.

And as a parting gift of thanks for participating in AP Month’s Daily Calendar, today we’re hosting our popular AP Month scavenger hunt complete with hidden treasures! Here’s how to play:

1) Scroll back through the last 15 days of our calendar posts

2) Locate 5 newly marked “Giveaway Days”

3) Follow the instructions to claim the giveaways!

On your marks, get set, GO! and never, ever stop playing!

Thank you to our AP Month partner Pure Play Kids who enthusiastically shares our encouragement to never stop playing!

2011 October 30 – Ruffntuff

art — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:00:41 +0000

“Since sensory input is the raw material – the ONLY raw material for brain development and learning, it is vital that the multi-various sensations be organized quickly and accurately.

While most of us are used to thinking about vision and hearing as the main senses involved in learning, they are actually small in quantity compared to large pervasive inputs like the sense of balance and weight (vestibular system) and the sense of touch from the skin, which covers the whole body (tactile system). Other large sources of sensory data are the tendons, muscles and joints, known as the proprioceptors (proprioceptive system). These big sensory systems provide the essential unifying foundation for the organizing of vision, hearing, taste and smell.”

The Children’s Center for Neurodevelopmental Studies

Play is nature’s way of helping children develop, organize and integrate sensory experiences for optimal functioning. It’s also not hard to see how rough and tumble play fits in as it clearly meets so many of these needs in just one single playdate/mate!

Rough and tumble play is an exciting and fun way for most children to play and engage with parents and with all there is to be gained, see if you can find the “yes!” and go for it more times than not!

Many children love to be tossed, swung, twirled, flipped around, chased, faux tackled/captured and tussled and if not, attempts to engage in this type of play can provide rich learning experiences about your child’s particular needs and preferences. A conversation begins that can strengthen your relationship and help you engage with your child in ways that are not only fun for them, but respectful OF them.

Rough and tumble play also leads to a greater variety of learning that spans social and emotional development as well as the senses. Of course, as parents, we too learn in new ways to listen to needs, attune to body language and facial expression, talk about feelings and motivations, ask questions and model restraint, compassion and “good sportsmanship.”

So find the yes when they’re on the prowl to ruffemup and if you need a little boost, put a bid on an autographed copy of Larry Cohen’s new book “The Art of Roughhousing” available in the API online auction.

Proprioception relates to deep pressure to the muscle and joints. Gravity, heavy work and compression of the joints activate the proprioceptors. Proprioception is a building block for organizing sensory information.
Proprioception usually has a calming and organizing effect. Heavy work activities – any activity that uses the big muscles and compresses the joints.

Vestibular input is related to the balance system and the middle ear. The vestibular system is activated through movement activities. Vestibular: movement activities that stimulate the middle ear. Can organize or bring to heightened alertness.

Tactile: Activities that involve touch or oral choices. Light touch is usually not organizing. Tactile exploration can be beneficially coupled with deep pressure activities.

2011 October 29 – London Bridge

art — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:00:16 +0000

Touch can be an important feature of play and is one of the earliest ways we engage in play with our children. The benefits of touch continue throughout the lifespan and often our challenge as parents is how to keep up nurturing touch as our children grow. We’re pressed to discover new and acceptable ways to maintain this important and necessary demonstration of our care and affection.

Luckily, play is also an important feature of the human lifespan and a key feature of children of every age!

Today play some games of touch – remember London Bridge? Circle songs that include holding hands like Ring Around the Rosies and clapping games like Miss Mary Mack are contact games.

Don’t forget about the rough-and-tumble play! Many kids really enjoy and benefit from physical contact so break new ground today and give it a try! Chase and capture games are great and can be played at any age in ways that are non-threatening. Tumbling and acrobatics can be fun to try too. Ever attempted a family pyramid?! Remember Sumo wrestling from earlier this month? Keep at it and you’ll get better and have more fun and you might be surprised to find your earlier tensions have melted a bit!

Bid today on an Infant Massage kit on the API online auction!

Thank you to our AP Month partner Infant Massage USA!

2011 October 28 – Nature’s Toys

art — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:00:45 +0000

Spend some time today playing outside and considering and even talking about ways you and your family can get even more outdoors time. Has there ever been a better toy than a stick!?? What about open green spaces to race, ramble and tumble in or climbing trees or rocks to conquer? Or even just the bugs under rocks or the bird songs to hear and goodness, let us not forget the mighty and rich earth under out feet that longs to be dug, moved and wallowed in! (Can you hear it calling?!)

Nature can be one of the best playgrounds and the vastness of the possibilities is simply ageless, but many professionals today worry that our kids just don’t get enough time in the great outdoors. How can we change that? What are the benefits anyway?

Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder” says, kids who spend time in nature also tend to play more creatively and handle stress more effectively. No one is absolutely sure why, says Kuo, director of the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory at the University of Illinois and a mom, but it appears that nature “fosters a kind of gentle absorption — almost a meditative quality — that seems to be deeply rejuvenating.”

Do you hear the birds calling you to play?

Bid today on a one-of-a-kind package from everyone’s favorite earth mother Peggy O’Mara,editor of Mothering.com .

Thank you to our AP Month partner Mothering.com!

2011 October 27 – Play with your food!

art — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:05 +0000

Who said you can’t play with your food?! Plan a meal today that allows your imagination to take over. Create a forest of broccoli that is covered in “snow” (Parmesan cheese or ranch dressing), serve an octopus (1/2 hot dog with spaghetti inserted, then boiled), a monster veggie plate, or let your child create their own wonderland of food. Have your kids tell a story as they eat this plate full of imagination.

Today is a Giveaway Day! Type “tag!” in the comments to enter for today’s giveaway drawing of a LEAN Online Parent Course!

2011 October 25 – Roll with it baby!

art — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:00:14 +0000

Surprise your kids today by throwing around some toilet paper rolls! Take turns becoming a mummy. Pretend you are winning the big race and break through the tape. Become a sports star and run into the field breaking the banner. Create snow from the squares and have a snowstorm in your house! Sing “Let It Snow” and forget about the mess while playing with the kids! Collect the squares ans use them for small nose blows and of course, small toileting needs!

Today is a Giveaway Day! Type “tag!” in the comments to enter for today’s giveaway drawing!

2011 October 24 – “No hide” and seek

art — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:39 +0000

Whether you have a baby and play peek-a-boo, or a 12 year old who knows the perfect place to hide hide-and-seek has been a favorite for ages. However, today, play a variation of this classic and just “forget” to see your kids! Accidentally sit on them, make the bed with them in it, fold the laundry with them in the middle, pick them up as if a piece of furniture, and always ask “WHERE IS JACK?” This can bring a smile to their face and make your daily tasks more playful.

Other ideas for playing hide and seek with younger children include hiding objects like an Easter egg hunt and of course, helping your child into a safe hiding place then pretending not to find them! Many younger children love to “hide” in the same place over and over and enjoy “tricking” their parents!

Listen in tonight to our playful teleseminar with Lu Hanessian! Register now! Playing with the kids tonight? Register now and listen to the MP3 anytime!

2011 October 23 – The Great Taper

art — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:56 +0000

Wanna have some REAL fun? Get over all the expensive toys and go buy some different widths of painters* or masking tape and let the frenzy begin!

Tape is easily applied and removed from floors and furniture and can be used to create roads for toys, pathways for people, and gameboards for creative games. Get into the tape craze and help the kids or come up with your own variations.

Doorways are optimal for learning about spiderwebs. Little ones can just create their own designs, and older children may want to do some research to see how spiders create them. After construction, everyone can gently throw tape balls to create a new sticky game!

*Painters tape is generally blue and less tacky/more easily removed. Artist tape is also great, low tack, multicolored and various widths.

Bid today on VIP tickets to see The Doctors and meet Dr. Jim Sears!

Thank you to our AP Month partner Ask Dr. Sears!

2011 October 22 – Shadow Play

art — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:00:46 +0000

Shadow fun can be had in the sun or inside on the wall with flashlights. Find objects and make different shadowy shapes, design shadow puppets and put on a show or measure your shadows and draw them on the driveway. Shadow play can incorporate storytelling and science as even the youngest children can begin to notice the position of the earth and sun and the effect on their shadow. Playing with shadows might make then less scary for those who tend to be afraid of dark and shadowy things. Play a shadow guessing game!

But whatever you do, don’t overshadow my shadow!

Need new ideas for family fun? Bid on the Family Night Game Package in API’s online auction!

Thank you to AP Month partner Million Minute Family Challenge.

Today is a Giveaway Day! Type “tag!” in the comments to enter for today’s giveaway drawing!

2011 October 21 – If you build it, they will come

art — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:00:57 +0000

Every play fort? Have everyone join in for this construction project! These great and simple creations can occur inside or outside. Take some pillows and some blankets, chairs, tables and build a fort (or two!) to play in with your kids. Now you can take their lead, and use it as your play structure. Is it a castle? A rocket? A boat? A treehouse? A submarine?

“..And our friends are all aboard, Many more of them live next door, And the band begins to play. We all live in a yellow submarine…”

Bid today on beautiful heirloom building blocks on the API online auction.

Thank you to our AP Month partner Fred Donaldson, international play expert and founder of Original Play.

Today is a Giveaway Day! Type “tag!” in the comments to enter for today’s giveaway drawing!