Category: Play Ideas

1. Keeping fit and healthy in 2021-Part 2: Children’s physical health.

   Posted on 8:50pm Tuesday 2nd Feb 2021

   Keeping fit and healthy in 2021-Part 2: Children’s physical health.

   Written by Sheila O’Reilly
   Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows

   In my previous blog, I explored a variety of ways to look after our children’s mental health. Of course their physical health also needs our attention, particularly at the moment during lockdown. Even prior to this lockdown, my little girl hadn’t returned to swimming, tennis or dance lessons as most activities weren’t happening or I was too anxious to send her. So I’ve been trying to ‘think outside the box’ to be more creative in getting my girls moving every day.

   We get outdoors for a spell every day unless it’s really pouring down! We all need the fresh air for our mental health, as well as our physical health. To make walks more entertaining, I will usually have a focus for their attention such as a scavenger hunt, looking for nature clues, a colour hunt, bird spotting etc. They are much more enthusiastic when there’s a challenge involved (and will walk a lot further too!!)

   

2. Keeping fit and healthy - Part 1: Children’s Mental Health

   Posted on 4:00pm Friday 15th Jan 2021

   Keeping fit and healthy
   Part 1: Children’s mental health.

   
   Written by Sheila O’Reilly
   Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows

   
   Well it may be a new year but here we are back in another lockdown! Working from home, juggling parenting and homeschooling our children is quite a tall order for us all and no doubt the pandemic is taking its toll on our stress levels and mental health. We must remember too that this time is so challenging for our little people. They are missing their usual school routines, extra-curricular activities, mixing with their friends and getting out and about as a family. My own girls have accepted the changes in routine surprisingly well, but there have been tears and frustrations at times too when birthday celebrations have been cancelled, trips to the play park aren’t possible and swimming lessons or trips to the cinema are missed.

    

    

3. Ways to Play - Yellow Door "Lets Investigate Stones"

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 2nd Dec 2020

   Ways to Play - Yellow Door "Lets Investigate Stones"

   These unique resign stones are one of our most popular toys here at The Wooden Play Den. They are suitable for outdoor and messy play and can be washed easily. They are all approximately 7cm x 8cm  The footprints range are double sided with the animal on one side and the footprint on the other. The sets available are: 

   • Safari
   • Farmyard
   • Woodland
   • Dinosaur
   • Polar

   Other stones available which are one sided are:

   • Bugs
   • Fossils

    

   

    

4. The Benefits of Playing Games

   Posted on 1:00pm Monday 30th Nov 2020

   The Benefits of Playing Games

   By Sheila O ‘Reilly @rascals_and_rainbows
   
   I introduced games to both my girls at age 3 and they really enjoy playing together. Board games, card games and games like Hape Ocean Rescue, are a great way to explore winning and losing with your child and an opportunity to teach them about playing fairly, following rules, taking turns and dealing with success and also disappointment.

   

5. Glitter Storm Review

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 15th Nov 2020

   Glitter Storm Review

   Naomi Morris (@naomimorris16)

   We have had our tick-it glitter storm from the wooden play den for quite a while now, and I just love how it gets used in so many different ways. It really is an open ended toy and can help take a child’s imagination to another dimension.

   

   My 4 year old absolutely loves to watch the moving glitter after giving in a shake. She then likes to hold the glitter storm up to her eyes and investigate the world around her whilst peering through the glitter. It also gets incorporated into small world play on many occasions, it has been a sky scraper, a tree and even a bulldozer! It’s good to know that a child’s imagination knows no bounds!

   My 9 year old on the other hand tends to use the glitter storm as a tool to help her relax and calm down. She will shake the tube to get the glitter to swirl round and sit watching it as it slowly settles. This is a great strategy she has developed to help her met her sensory needs.

   In contrast when I have used the glitter storm with the children I work with who all have a diagnosis of autism and sensory processing difficulties, they too have all found different ways of exploring the glitter storm. One of their favourite activities is exploring it on the light box alongside the tick-it rainbow blocks. The moving glitter always draws them in to the activity. Another firm favourite is rolling the tub down the ramp in class, this has been great for prompting fine and gross motor skills as well as turn taking with peers.

   I continue to be amazed at the different ways the children use the glitter storm and how it supports their learning through play.

   We now have a dedicated section on our wesbite for Sensory Toys. 

6. The benefits of small world play

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 2nd Nov 2020

   The benefits of small world play
   
   By Sheila O’Reilly
   Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows
   
   Small world play is a favourite with my girls.  It is a wonderful way to let young children act out real life scenarios and also use their imaginations to create fantasy worlds.  There are many benefits to children's learning and development through small world play and it is an important component of play in early years settings.