(Goblin is 45 months)
Connecting with kids doesn't have to be complicated. While on holiday Goblin and I went out to play on the beach. The sun was setting and it was getting close to bed time, but we took a little time to have some child led simple fun. 
I didn't try and lead the play, I left it entirely up to Goblin. He asked me to build a castle. As I turned out the bucket he stomped on the castles. Sometimes this would have annoyed me - I'm trying to create something for him and he is intent on destroying it. But instead of getting annoyed I shifted my expectation. He doesn't want an aesthetically pleasing castle. He wants something rough and ready that he can mash with his feet - sensory play.
So I 'speed built' sand castles on the spot and he crushed them. He really enjoyed being "allowed" to do this. But eventually he was ready for a change of pace and he asked me to build him a race track out of sand castles. We made a huge ring of castles and he ran around it in a circle being a car.
Then he lay down by one of the castles and started "shooting" things with his spade. We dug out a ditch and made a rampart at the front, and lined the edges with castles. Then I lifted him in and he lay in his pretend trench bang at imaginary baddies. I'm normally not a huge fan of 'war games' but I overlooked my squeamishness to let Goblin lead the way. I dug a simpler ditch next to his and we lay in the sand together shooting stuff until bed time. It was simple and fun.
I'm sharing it with
Awesome! The simplest activities are always the most fun. We love building and bashing down sand castles too!
ReplyDeletePS with all your holiday-ing you must come to Jersey?!
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard to step back and not direct play in one way or another isn't it? Well done you for having that control!
ReplyDeleteThe beach is a whole sensory experience and a place where a child's can naturally explore their creative and imaginative nature. I'm sure you both had a lovely time making some lovely memories to treasure, thanks for sharing with Country Kids.
ReplyDeleteI love that you realized you might normally be annoyed by the stomping and went with it anyways :) :) been there myself and it was a great moment to let go of the "must play this way" kind of feeling! What a wonderful spot to holiday!!!! Hope you are well!
ReplyDeleteBeing at the beach and having the freedom to create and stomp and play is just wonderful for kids! I love that you breathed through a few moments that normally don't sit well with you, I'm learning to do that too :)
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