Oct. 9, 1965- In a world void of heroes, kids will create their own. Fuller loves to tell stories with his characters. His cars zip around the room, his action figures go everywhere he goes. When Fuller becomes the “Hero” his characters are always ready to save the day. Zadie the Hero tells stories using her dolls and animal characters, they are her friends and they each have their own story to tell.

Character based play is another important element of well-balanced play. Action figures and animal characters are great tools for kids to express themselves in story. Character based play develops strong verbal and communication skills and it’s fun to hear the children’s narratives, songs, and stories. These characters give children the freedom to craft their own stories, create their own environment, and interpret life through play.

When your child becomes the “Hero” they are ready to save the day! The “Hero” loves fire trucks, farmers, and adventures in space. They love vehicles, boats, and just about anything that floats. The “Hero” loves to splash down in the bathtub at the end of the day.

When selecting toys for the “Hero” look for character and play sets that seed the story and don’t complete it. Look for characters made from more natural materials like wood, rubber, and modern eco-plastics. Character based play doesn’t need to last 800 years in a landfill!

Tips for the “Hero” 1. Create your own play set, let the kids decorate cardboard box house! 2. Create a character bin which is easily accessible 3. Bath time is storytelling time, look for characters for the tub! 4. Introduce characters made from natural materials – wood and rubber. 5. Characters are great for travel on the go play (restaurants, airports, vacation)

Kids already have the best job in the world, to play. It’s full time work and the way they play shapes the way they grow. The toy box is the child’s first toolbox. Toys are meant to inspire kids to draw, build, explore, tell stories, play games, and ultimately save the day.”

It’s our job to provide the tools and make sure they use them every day.

Your child is an Artist, a Writer, an Inventor, the Sportster, and a Hero. We hope you take some of our suggestions and share some of your own. Life has a million recipes and this one we really like. Have fun and remember to support these five personalities at play with the right projects, the right toys, and the right encouragement. As parents we strive to provide a balanced diet from the healthy food groups and play should be no different.

I hope you enjoyed a peek into the world of Benjamin Barlowe and the BeginAgain workshop.

It’s a nice day today, time to head outside and play.

Sept 13, 1965- I built a few puzzles for Zadie and Fuller this week. They’ve been twisting their brains trying to solve them all morning. It truly is exercise for the mind.

Learning, exploration, and construction toys sharpen the pencil of the mind. They teach early concepts like colors, shapes, numbers, and sorting and lead to more complex operations in language, math, and science. Learning through play is different at each stage of development; don’t concentrate heavily on teaching reading while neglecting the other skills that children need to develop at the same time.

When children transform into the “Inventor”, they want challenging play. The “Inventor” loves to solve puzzles. They love to explore the world and ask many questions. The “Inventor” loves construction toys, experiments, and anything the flies.

Toys for the “Inventor” should offer ways to learn, explore, and build. Themed puzzles are great for developing fine motor skills, problem solving, and even memorization. Construction toys are open-ended and offer both fine motor and cognitive fun. Science toys are fun and educational and most don’t need batteries!

Tips for the “Inventor” – Puzzles are challenging and suited for a variety of ages. – A magnifying glass is a simple learning toy, great for exploring. – It’s not always about learning to read. – The library is local, free, and kids love to spend time there.

Project for the “Inventor” – The Treasure Hunt

What you need: 1. Your child’s favorite blanket 2. Small collectible objects such as coins, characters, game pieces. 3. Your very best pirate voice! ARRRGGHH!

One way to play: – spread the objects out of the floor and cover them with the blanket. -  challenge your child to trace and touch the objects without peeking underneath. – see if they can identify each object by name. – if they get it right they get to keep the object. If they guess wrong, it goes to the pirate!! – be sure to use the pirate voice to encourage play.

The “Sportster”

Sept 14, 1965- Thomas Jefferson said, ” A strong body makes the mind strong”. Zadie and Fuller were ready for some active outdoor fun after a long day with their new puzzles. Today we rode bikes, played hide and seek, and most importantly we spent the whole day outdoors. It was a great day for exercising the body and mind.

An active child will lead a more active life as an adult and the health benefits of this are incredibly important. In a world with super-sized meals and 24 hour cartoon channels, active play helps avoid obesity and it’s pitfalls. Encouraging outdoor play gets kids off the couch and away from video games and passive toys. Other benefits include improved balance, speed, and dexterity which helps to develop a child’s confidence as well.

When a child jumps into the role of the “Sportster” it’s time to get off the couch. The “Sportster” loves to run, jump, and tumble around the backyard. The “Sportster” loves to play games, keep score, and will ride bicycles until the sun goes down.

When selecting toys for the “Sportster” look for games that get the whole family involved. Parents that take part in exercise are great role models for kids. There is nothing better than family fun time with kickballs, flying discs, and other backyard games when summer time arrives.

Tips: – Cut back television and replace that time with engaging outdoor games. – Games like tag, catch, soccer, and hide and seek are simple and fulfilling – You don’t need toys to play outdoor games, you just need imagination, creativity, and a pair of sneakers. – Kids never say no to a trip to the playground or park.

Game idea for the Sportster – Kickin’ Putt

What is needed: 1. Two kickballs 2. A flying disc 3. Backyard or park with some open space

How to play: 1. Throw the flying disc to set the “Target” 2. Each child kicks their ball to the target like they are playing golf. 3. Count the shots until they hit the target, lowest score wins. 4. Pick up the flying disc and chuck it. 5. The kids are now ready for the next round.

Up next, the “Hero” saves the day…

June 22, 1965- Storytelling gives confidence to a child’s imagination. Zadie and Fuller played “ghost hunters” today and it surprisingly ended with a summer time lemonade party. Strange play indeed but it was rich in storytelling and full of adventure and excitement as it unfolded. It crossed boundaries from adventure and ended with an imitation of everyday life. The kids were in complete control of the story and their experiences helped to write the script. They are the “Writers”, I am the audience…

When your child switches to the “Writer”, they move into the role of storyteller. Children happen to be natural storytellers. What seems like plain old fun is also developing  social,  language, and leadership skills that are important building blocks for kids. Storytelling builds confidence and allows kids to understand the world they live in. This type of play allows kids to test-drive their emotions at the same time as their creativity and that is a great workout for the brain!

The “Writer” loves to tell stories. They love secret plans, lemonade stands, and blanket fort headquarters. The “Writer” loves to play with friends, both real and imaginary. The “Writer” loves to create characters and imitate the world they live in.

When selecting toys for the “Writer” look for play sets that seed the story but don’t complete it. It’s the child’s job to finish or embellish the story. Some role-play toys are great for letting kids imitate everyday life, especially Mom and Dad. Dress up sets are great for more imaginative and fantasy play. When your kids dress up, encourage them to perform for you. A child that grows up performing will be more comfortable presenting or speaking in public as an adult.

Tips: Introduce group and social play around age 3. Cardboard boxes – they are the ultimate prop for storytelling. Keep old hats, costumes, sunglasses, and clothing for dress up fun. A dress up box is easily accessible and great for impromptu storytelling. Encourage your kids to put on performances at family gatherings. Play sets that imitate everyday life are great tools for storytelling.

Project Role Play: “The Lemonade Stand”

What your need: 1. Cups, Pitcher, and Spoon. 2. A table or cardboard box for the stand. 3. Imagination 4. Customers (kids or parents participation)

With summer time upon us, a Lemonade Stand is a great way to encourage role-playing. Kids love to build their own stand, make the drinks, and be the server for mom, dad, or friends. Encourage conversation to sharpen their storytelling and verbal skills. Using real or play money is a great way to reinforce the identification and calculation of money.

Tomorrow we check out The Inventor…

April 8, 1965- Pablo Picasso once said, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain one when they grow up.” I watch Zadie and Fuller create fantastic drawings of butterflies, robots, and even their own inventions and hope this creative expression continues for the rest of their lives. My goal is to help make this happen.

The foundation of play starts with creativity. Creative play develops imagination and this shouldn’t stop as we get older. Artistic expression is open-ended fun and allows children to explore on their terms as there are no right or wrong answers with art. Introducing crayons, pencils, scissors, and tape are not only fun but also essential for fine motor skill development. The act of creating art is far more important than the final product, although there is nothing better than your child’s art!

The “Artist” loves to draw especially animals. The “Artist” loves to collect special things they find along the way. These items can be used for their art or may serve as the inspiration.  When your child becomes the “Artist” it’s essential their tools are accessible. It’s our job to ensure easy access to a full arsenal of creative supplies.

When selecting toys (tools) for the ARTIST look for art kits, stencils, and plenty of paper. These supplies offer open-ended play and stencils allow kids to learn shapes and draw animals at a young age. This type of art also helps sharpen their storytelling. Encourage the “Artist” to draw their favorite animals and find stencils that allow them to trace and color. Try not to rely on coloring books as art projects as the art is already predetermined. Stencils allow for composition, coloring books already tell the story (that isn’t that fun!)

Tips for the “Artist”

• Look for toys and artistic tools that offer an open-ended experience
• Look for recycled paper sources for drawing. If you cannot locate recycled paper, please look for paper solutions that are FSC certified.
• Create an art cabinet – where kids are free to access art supplies on demand.
• Crayons, pencils, paper, and tape make a great gift anytime.
• Be excited about every piece of art your children create.
• Take your kids to the local art museum.

Project:  Numbers / Letter Art

What you will need:   1. Paper or poster board 2. Colored pencils or crayons 3. Scissors 4. Tape or magnets to hang the art.

Setup up the paper/drawing board and lay out the pencils or crayons. Parents – start by drawing a chosen number or letter in block lettering on the page (try 1 to 10 or the letters of their name). Let the child decorate, design, and color the number or letter any way they want. Have the child cut out the letter/number and post it to the wall or refrigerator.

See if they can do the whole alphabet as 26 distinct pieces of art. This creative activity reinforces letters or numbers and looks great on the walls too!

Tomorrow I will introduce you to the Writer…

June 6, 1961- It seems to be raining pitchforks and hammer handles today.  It’s one those rare Colorado days stuck inside the workshop staring at projects that need tending. Instead of working, I find myself mesmerized watching my grandchildren, Zadie and Fuller playing “Pirate” with just broom handles, paper hats, and a cardboard box. The story they tell is wonderfully engaging and imaginative. Zadie is the “Writer” leading the play as the main storyteller. Without notice, Fuller heads off to build a tower with his building blocks, he is now Fuller the “Inventor”. He skillfully designs and builds with a huge smile on his face. Across the shop, Zadie has now picked up crayons and is transformed into the “Artist”. With her masterpiece complete, it’s now time to burn energy with the jump rope, Zadie the Sportster has arrived at the workshop.

I shoot a glance around the room and see Fuller’s building block towers surrounding Zadie’s lemonade party, wood puzzles, kickballs, crayons, and play sets strewn about the room creating a daily obstacle course. These kids are busier than ants at a picnic, but there is a pattern to this chaos. It seems children at play bounce from one play personality to another at fantastic speed. From creative play one minute to role-play the next. It’s just a matter of time before learning, active, and storytelling play are covered. I distinctly see 5 personalities at play and Zadie and Fuller switch to these personalities, as they desire. As an inventor, I now create toys that cater to each of these 5 styles of play.

This is “A WISH for well-balanced play”.

A is for ARTIST – creative open-ended play. This is where imagination is born. W is for Writer – role-play and storytelling that creates a sense of the world they live in. I is for Inventor – play designed to teach, explore, and build. Exercise for the mind. S is for Sportster – play designed to get kids moving. Exercise for the body. H is for Hero – character based storytelling

Some parents focus too much on learning toys (Inventor), some focus on primarily sports based play (sportster). By selecting toys, games, and projects that focus on ALL 5 of these play personalities – a child will receive the tools that develop the whole child. It’s a well balanced diet of fun!

Come back tomorrow for part two – Introducing your child the “Artist”