[Lets Play] Dino Land

Activities like this, have ALWAYS appealed to Ronan.

He adores the confinement of the tray and I find he becomes engrossed in the little world inside. He can be transfixed for quite a while with this play type and that is always a win when you are a busy Mumma. 

I also find that if he gets a bit 'over' it I can suggest things for him to add to it and he is engrossed all over again. 

On this day we chose to stay home, we needed a day to just be, to spend time in our pjs, to not eat out of a lunch box, to play endlessly on the floor, to bake and wouldn't you know it today was the day that the utilities company decided to chop a part of a ENORMOUS gum-tree to prevent it interfering with the lines.

When we saw that they were leaving bits of branches on the kerb we jumped at the chance to grab some bits and pieces for various ideas we had... Ronan suggested getting larger branches for his diggers and trucks, I said if he can carry them he can take them.

But... because of the rain, we decided to make DINO LAND.

You will need:

• Assorted branches with leaves
• A tray
• Largish branches that could pose as logs
• Split peas/dirt/sand/shredded paper.
• Dinosaurs.

He played with it for HOURS... going to and fro from the table

He was able to just be... which is JUST what he needed.

Do you take days to just be? 

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[Lets Play] I Spy Jar

With the school holidays coming (I know!) I'm hoping to get a few posts up of quick activities of things to do at home over the holidays. School holidays can be expensive if you want to entertain the littles everyday, so here is a quick, easy AND CHEAP activity that can be done at home with stuff from in and around the home.

Here is what you need;

• A jar/container/zip lock bag
• An assortment of items that are a range of colours and sizes. 
• Rice or something equivalent... I just used what I had in the pantry

Hot tip... Take a photo of your items before putting them in the jar so your little one knows what to look for.

I then put the photo through photo shop and wrote in the Victorian hand writing font each of the items. R has taken a keen interest in writing and recognising letters recently, so I am utilising every opportunity to extend on that even if its just to demonstrate/name items in a picture. 

Here is what ours looked like.

If you do not have access to photo shop or the equivalent
then writing on the photo with a marker will do the exact same thing.

I put all the things in the jar and sealed up with some tape to seal it and washi tape which was just to make it a little more attractive really.

Then we played... half an hour... HALF AND HOUR later... we had found all the items over and over and over again... we then turned it into a game and chose two or three items for the other to find.

R has gone back to it several times over the last week.
I am also thinking of making a smaller one for our restaurant bag and when they become a bit old or he becomes a bit disinterested in it I will undo it and replace the items inside and start again. 

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[Lets Play] Jelly Play-dough

With the weather getting cooler and feeling the change in the seasons around us we have welcomed Autumn with open arms, I love the hot days I really do.. but I REALLY love the cooler mornings with a warm crisp day... there is something about it isn't there?

With the cooler days becoming more prevalent we are finding ourselves gravitating to more indoor play and with that brings a new mindset... A change in sensory play is needed...

Less water/slime/water bead focused, dirt/sand/mud play & other gross motor sensory things that require more washing (for me). 

We are now focusing our play on more smell/warmth/taste/sight and of course feel sensory play with a focus more on fine motor skills. There will be elements of outdoor play yes... I'm sure a muddy puddle or 2,475,341,385 will be jumped in.

But inside... For this week.

Jelly Play-dough... Oh the sweet/Tangy smell of Lime Jelly Play-dough.

This is something that I have always made. With years spent working in Early Childhood Education I have made PLENTY of batches of play dough... But this, this was always a favourite...

The full bold colours and the awesome smells. Whether it be the sweet smell of raspberry or the tangy-ness of the lime or lemon.


It is an absolute favourite around these parts.

Enjoy. 

Do you make your own play dough?

Ever tried it with Jelly?

What's your favourite sensory activity?

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Thank you.