year of play Archives - NurtureStore

Does starting school mean the end of play?

By Cathy James on September 11th, 2010%

Back in January I resolved to make 2010 our Year of Play. I’ve been thinking about this again this month as L has started at school. In last week’s Play Academy link-up I talked about wanting to make sure the girls still have lots of opportunity for playing, as well as schooling. So this weeks Twitter Tips are dedicated to having a playful return to school. The Twitter Tips get tweeted on a Friday at 8.30pm and in previous weeks they’ve started great twitter conversations, with people swapping ideas. The main thing I love about blogging is it being a forum to get inspiration and encouragement from others, so please feel free to add your own ideas in the comments or on our Facebook page. Join in, swap ideas, go play!

How to have a playful Back to School

#goplay Twitter Tip #1If you’re using after school clubs check how playful they are: do they offer free play after a structured school day

#goplay Twitter Tip #2Make the school run fun: cycle, scoot or play i-spy. Leave a little earlier to let the kids play a bit before class

#goplay Twitter Tip #3 Set up a play invitation in the morning to entice the kids to play before they switch on the TV

#goplay Twitter Tip #4 Rediscover some old school favourites such as conkers or fortune tellers

#goplay Twitter Tip #5 Consider how many clubs to join so after school play time isn’t lost in a busy schedule.

#goplay Twitter Tip #6 Encourage playground fun by packing a skipping rope in the book bag. Ready for Ten has a great skipping tutuorial

#goplay Twitter Tip #7 Plan family time for the weekend: it doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant but do make sure it happens.

#goplay Twitter Tip #8 Consider screen time. Could your kids live without TV for an hour, a day, a week? What could they play instead?

#goplay Twitter Tip #9 Locate the park nearest your school and stop off any day day you can on the way home. Enjoy some #playoutdoors

#goplay Twitter Tip#10 Instead of only setting up a homework area set up a play area too. Add untoys & let them #goplay

How do you feel about the balance between school and play time? How do you manage homework at the weekend? Do your kids attend a playful school?

Happily shared with Top Ten Tuesday.

Play Academy #5

By Cathy James on September 3rd, 2010%

Use the linky below to add your post to the Play Academy

Our summer holidays are drawing to a close and my Little is starting school on Monday (oh my!). I feel very strongly that our play should keep going. B is moving up to the Juniors and although her school offers are great curriculum including play, art, music, drama and experiments I think it’s inevitable that her lessons will become more and more about schooling. September always feels like the start of the year to me, so I’m keeping in mind my resolution to make 2010 our Year of Play, and we’ll certainly be limiting our after school clubs and weekend commitments to allow plenty of time for playing. How do you feel about finding a balance between schooling (or home educating) and play?

I’m looking forward to getting even more inspiration from your Play Academy ideas this week – hope you’ll add a link.

1. Add your post to the Linky below. Remember to link to the individual post rather than your homepage. If you are not a blogger please visit the NurtureStore Facebook page and share your photo there.

2. Go and visit some of the other blogs on the Linky. Leave a comment and say hi. Get ideas. Tell them you’re visiting from the Play Academy.

3. Add a link back from your own post to this Play Academy – your readers can then come and get ideas too. You can use the Play Academy badge if you like.(Grab the code from the column on the left.)

4. Come back next Friday and swap some more play ideas. The next Play Academy linky will be Friday 10th September.