Water Play

Is it just our kids? Or yours too?

Most play activities will hold their attention for no longer than 20 minutes. Some activities are much quicker (e.g. puzzle play - lasts as long as it takes to do one puzzle... don't even think about suggesting another one!).

But, as soon as we add water to an activity... voila... up to an hour of attention! Some examples:

1) Pretending to give dolly a bath (no water): 5 minute attention span

    Add water: 20+ minutes of play

2) General play in the cubby house (without me): about 15 minutes
    Paint the cubby house with water: 30 minutes+

3) Play with kitchen toys, or real kitchen utensils: 20 minutes
    Add water: Up to 1 hour

4) Build with blocks: 10-15 minutes
    Play with blocks/ stacking cups in water: 30 minutes

5) Pull weeds, dig in garden or sandpit, general "gardening": about 20 minutes
    Water the garden: until it gets so soggy you need to put a stop to it!

6)  Bubbles: (can't really do this without water): as long as mummy will keep blowing or until bubble soap runs out.

And, you can also:
* Wash the car
* Bath a pet
* Play in a paddle pool
* Go to the pool
* Run a warm bath (in winter), add toys, grab a magazine for mummy to read nearby, pop the kids in and play!
* Do the washing up
* Measure different containers (how much water will they hold?)
* "Clean up" with a spray bottle of water
* "Mop" the floor 

Do your kids love to play with water? Do you have any other water play ideas?

5 myths of Speech Pathology

Last week, Marita from Stuff with Thing, shared this excellent article on her Facebook page: Five myths about Autism. I don't have as much contact with children with Autism and their families these days, but I used to spend a fair bit of time talking with parents after a Paediatrician had given their child an Autism diagnosis. Some parents (understandably) struggled with the diagnosis, and would often argue that the diagnosis could not be true, based on the fact that their child was affectionate, or used eye contact, or... The "myths" really struck a chord with me.

This list also got me thinking about Speech Pathology in general... and 5 "myths" about Speech Pathology. Here are some that I have heard often:

1) Speech Pathologists just "play"

In 11 years working as a Speech Pathologist, I must have heard this feedback from at least 30 parents. One thing I learnt early on, working as a private therapist, was that I needed to be very clear with parents about speech goals and my rationale for what I was doing. Most parents are understandably reluctant to part with $60 for a Speech Pathologist to "just play" with their child for 30 minutes. (It is  more than $60 these days).

If you watch a lot of Speech Pathology intervention, it does look like play. With some clients, most of our early goals revolve around play. Play is fundamental to language learning (especially in the preschool years) and is also a great medium for working on other speech skills (pronunciation of sounds, fluency). Speech Pathologists (almost always) have clear, individual, client-targeted goals. We often target these goals using "play". We have solid, evidence-based rationale for using "play" in Speech Pathology sessions. If you are unsure of the goals, or the method your Speech Pathologist is using for your child... just ask!

2) Speech Pathology is all about flashcards

Another perception of Speech Pathology is that it is (or should be) all about flashcards or worksheets. Yes, we do use these from time-to-time when appropriate. Sometimes flashcards/ worksheets are helpful - especially for home practice purposes. Some kids love working through a worksheet or flashcards. But quite often, and particularly with our littlest clients, flashcards are not particularly effective. One-to-one unstructured or semi-structured play is usually more effective for language acquisition, speech sound development and targeting speech fluency in the preschool population. Book-sharing can be used in place of many "flashcard" activities. 

5 years ago, working in private practice, and as a non-parent, I often felt obliged to send my clients home with photocopied worksheets. These days, working in the public system (where parents are not paying for my services), I am more confident to often send my preschool clients home almost empty-handed (I usually only write up a homework sheet with a couple of tips/goals for parents to use in play). And, I have found this to be just as (often more) effective in terms of achieving our therapy goals.  Flashcards are not really that great!

3) Speech Pathology is for stuttering and lisps

Yes and no. It is, but that is a very, very small part of what most of us do. There are some Speech Pathologists who specialise in treatment of stuttering and do nothing else. But, most of us spend much more time working with children with delayed language development, or difficulties with social language use, or speech sound disorders. Speech Pathologists have a lot to offer in these areas, and sometimes (particularly in the area of language development), our knowledge goes unnoticed.

4) Speech Pathology is a quick fix

Mostly, no. Speech Pathologists do not have magic wands. We have some "magic" techniques and strategies, but most of these work with time and practice. A child sees a Speech Pathologist once a week (at most), but their parents everyday. Parental input and practice is a key to success. Taking your child to Speech Pathology sessions is only half the solution. Home follow-up is necessary for most efficient progress. Some types of speech and language difficulties require a lot of intervention. The difficulties that are "fixed" within a couple of sessions are rare.

5) I won't worry about Speech Pathology until my child gets to school

Please, please, PLEASE don't wait! If you have any concerns about the communication development of your toddler, or your preschooler, contact a Speech Pathologist now. Early intervention has been shown time and time again to be the most effective form of intervention. Public health services prioritise early intervention clients, so, as your child gets older, waiting times increase (and many public heath services offered very limited/ no service for children over 8 years). As an example, where I work, we have a waiting list of approximately 4-5 months for under 3-year-olds, 17 months for 3-5 year olds and 2.5 years for school-aged children, up to year 2. Completely inadequate? Yes. But, this is the sad reality of service restrictions.

What myths have you heard about Speech Pathology? (or your profession- there are HEAPS for motherhood!)

Wordless Wednesday: If you go down to the woods today...

... you're sure of a big surprise...

...today's the day the teddy-bears have their picnic.

PS - love that Matt played along with the teddy-bears' tea party. He is usually more the wrestling type when it comes to play.

A rant about technology and kids

This is what we got our kids for Christmas (+ they got many, many more presents from extended family and friends):

This is what some kids from our play-group (siblings, aged 4 and 2) got:

When it come to our kids, we are pretty old fashioned on this one.  Our kids don't use computers, phones, or hand-held games. We will NEVER buy a preschool-aged child an ipad/ iphone/ ipod primarily intended for their personal use. Even battery-operated toys make me cranky.

I really don't care what the other kids from play-group are given for Christmas. Each to their own and all that.

But I don't like being harassed for the decisions we make as parents. Before Christmas, the mother of the iphone-receiving preschoolers told me; "Your kids will be disadvantaged if they don't know how to use computers when they get to school. A kindergarten teacher told me to get the kids independent with using computers before they start school".

Really? Really?

You mean it is better for my kids to be cooped up in their bedrooms by themselves, twiddling on an iphone than it is for them to be developing their physical, social and problem-solving skills as they play outside together? Is it more important for them to know how to turn a computer on than how to listen to a good book? Is it better for them to develop their "texting thumbs" on a keypad than to develop their hand and finger strength through craft, play-dough, drawing, or helping me put pegs on the line? Is it more important that they can operate a touch-screen than that they can retell a story?

I'm not silly. I know where the world is headed. Our kids will know more about computers by the time they hit high school than Matt and I will ever know.

But for now, can't I just let them enjoy the simple things?

And, are they really expected to know computers in kindergarten?

When is a stick not a stick?

When it is:

... an umbrella

... or a horse

... or a broom

... or a walking stick

... or a snake

... or a hose

... or a river...

I love watching my kids get creative. 

I am willing to allow a (small) level of risk to let creativity happen.  Some might disagree. 21st century health and safety regulators might prefer that I get rid of the stick and send my kids inside to watch Baby Einstein DVDs.

But then there would be no creativity to observe.

Do you let your children take risks for the sake of learning?

Wordless Wednesday: Paint with water

Painting without the mess and clean-up... 

A friend shared this idea with me over a year ago now, and I am so thankful for it. A jar or bucket of water and a paintbrush can can keep my big kids occupied for ages. The other day, they got busy 'painting' the cubby house. It was a very serious business.

 

Joining Aussie Wordless Wednesday

Someone lovely has nominated The Useful Box for the Circle of Moms' Top 25 Aussie Blogs list. I feel honoured to be nominated. If you would like to vote for The Useful Box, click on the button, scroll down the list until you find my blurb and click "vote". You can vote every 24 hours. I know I don't stand a chance, but it is a nice way for some new people to find their way here, and offer their insights, ideas and opinions too.

But my kids will miss out...

 

We are a family of do-ers.

It starts with my husband. He rarely sits still. He is busy at work, at church, at home, in physical training.... If he knows he will be at home for a morning or afternoon, he will give himself a (mental) list of jobs to do (mow the lawn, fix something, paint something, plan a family outing, go for a 20km bike ride...). I never need to be a nagging wife of the sort that is always asking for things to be done. Instead, I nag Matt to sit down and just chill out with us!

Although I protest, I am pretty much the same. I complain about how busy we are, but I don't like to be at home for more than one day in a row. Although I am an introvert (in that I need downtime alone to recharge), I like social activity in my day. I like structure and routine. I like going out - even just to do the grocery shopping. I have a mental structure in my head for every day (yes, even on holidays).

Sometimes, however I worry about how all this 'activity' will impact our children. While Matt and I thrive in our busy-ness, I am becoming conscious of how much activity I schedule for our kids. It is already a big struggle for me, and I know that as our kids get older, it will only get worse.

 

There has been so much talk lately about how having less structure is good for kids. Unstructured, free play-time, without adult participation, provides opportunities for kids to use their imaginations, and improves their social, emotional, physical and mental development. Over the past 3-4 months, my two bigger kids have really increased their unstructured play-time together (without me). I really love watching my two bigger kids play this way. But, sometimes when they are involved in their play, I feel a little bit aimless. They don't need me. I'm not helping them. I'm not scheduling them. I'm not teaching them. I'm not even driving them somewhere.

Particularly as they get older, there are so many good things for kids to get involved in. There are church groups (there are weekday groups at our church for kids from Kindergarten age in addition to the Sunday program). We wouldn't want to discourage those organising these programs by not having our kids involved. There is music (I learnt piano from age 6, and I am keen for our kids to learn too). There is organised sport. They have to learn to swim. They might enjoy drama. Or art. Or cooking classes. Or...   

But, what if we didn't encourage participation in m/any of these? What if our kids just came home from school and played (and we had more time as a family)?  I love this idea in theory. It feels right to me. The experts tell me this is the way to go. But I can't shake the feeling that they would miss out on something.

How do you feel about structure for kids? Have you found a good balance?

30 minutes to turn your daughter into a butterfly

We attended a (very fun) 2nd birthday party on Sunday, with the theme of "jungle animals". When I first discussed the party with Miss 3, she insisted that she should go dressed as a pig. Pink pigs are a favourite here at the moment.

I had started putting together a bit of a pig costume - ears attached to a head-band, a cardboard snout and a spiral type tail. Then on Sunday at lunch-time came a late costume change - Miss 3 decided she wanted to go as a butterfly. (She finally admitted that a pig - at least a pink one - isn't really a jungle animal, although by this stage I had stopped trying to convince her)

Under most circumstances, I probably would have made her stick with the pig costume, but I had a brainwave about how I could make a butterfly, and, with about 90 minutes to party-time, I wanted to give it a go (Plus, I thought it would be quite cute for both girls to be matching butterflies!)

So, here is how to make a (no-sew) butterfly costume in about 30 minutes (about 50 minutes to make two). If you are clever with this sort of thing, you could probably do it even faster.

1. Cut out two wing shapes with cardboard. I placed the two pieces of cardboard on top of each other so the centre join would be the same length without measuring.

 2. Cover each half of the wing with some fabric

3. Wrap like a birthday present, fold and staple the edges

4. Staple the two halves together

5. Tie, or staple some elastic onto the back (front?) of the wings and make two loops for arms to go through

6. Make antennae by using a head-band, and wrapping pipe cleaners around the top

7. Wear a skivvy and tights with your wings and antennae

8. Join your "elephant" brother (and many other jungle animal guests) and par-tay!

Join Jess at Diary of a SAHM

Wordless Wednesday: Memory

Joining Wordless Wednesday

Playing Memory with a 2 and 3 year old may be a little bit ambitious. It was amazing how much insight I gained into their different learning strengths the first time we played though. (And also, how much insight into my (low) patience levels...)

Hurry up mummy!

Miss 3 gets quite competitive these days

Mr 2 has to put both cards right in front of him before announcing "same" or "not the same"

Not the same (but that's okay - not too competitive yet)

Miss 3 is not too happy when Mr 2 gets a pair!

Our "freecycled" cubby house

I think I have mentioned that we have pretty friendly neighbours around here. A few weeks ago, another of our neighbours (not the ones with the tangelos), offered us their old home-made cubby house. It was sort of a win-win situation. His kids are now in high-school. He wants to do extensions to his house and needed to get rid of the cubby. He didn't want to see it dumped because he had put so much effort into building it. We are the only family with small kids at this end of our street. We weren't really in the market for a cubby... until we were offered one for free. 

The only problem was getting the cubby house into our back yard. 

In the end, this is how we got our cubby house. Thankful that our neighbour has lots of resourceful mates:

Pretty exciting to have this happening in the backyard!

And, ta-dah! Our cubby house in place. It even matches the colour scheme of our house and yard!:

Chillin' on the verandah (excuse the hair)