Being a grandmother brings back memories of time spent with my own sons when they were preschoolers. Then, as now, time was more plentiful than money; however, being forced to be creative in our playtime was, and still is, a good thing. Especially with the current economic situation, parents and grandparents are sharing tips that have worked for them as they help their children enjoy life without spending much money.
I have noticed that expensive toys often spend the largest part of their time lying in the toy box or closet. Although rotating toys helps, after the novelty wears off again, they must then be put up once more or even given away.
Toy companies are expert at advertising, but not always so clever at creating toys children can really enjoy. A lot of toys do not hold the interest of a small child. Some toys wind up and do their own thing while the child sits by and watches. Some are just too difficult to play with. My husband and I bought the biggest and best transformer for one of our grandsons, but it was so hard to put together, I'm not sure he ever played with it. I have discovered it is the simpler versions they like the best.
Children love to work with their hands. Give a child time to play in a sandpile with old margarine tubs, kitchen utensils (sifters, spoons, etc.) and he can create anything - forts, farms, trains, churches, or just plain mud pies.
When my children were small, unless we had to go somewhere, I didn't worry about them getting dirty. They loved it. In fact, on nice warm days, they could water the dirt and have extra fun with mud. This kind of dirt play is not only enjoyable for children, it also develops small muscle coordination and their imagination. Playing outside makes them more aware of all the good things God has created for them to enjoy.
Just as children love to play in dirt and sand, they enjoy play dough or clay. I found homemade play dough lasted much longer than the purchased kind. Cookie cutters and plastic items from the kitchen are great things to use with play dough.
A lot of throw away items hold charm for a child: old clothes, bits of wood (with no splinters), old wooden spools, spray can tops, plastic bottles (not pill bottles), and boxes of all sizes. Uses are limited only to the imagination of the child. Children love to create something of their own. One of my grandsons is especially good at making something out of practically nothing. I am always looking forward to seeing what he has created.
Furniture boxes make a great play house. We sometimes placed one on a patio or the corner of a son's room. It became his private domain - with endless possibilities - a hideaway, a spaceship, an office like Dad's, etc. I just cut out a door and a window and let my sons do the rest. They also often created a hideaway underneath the kitchen table, spreading a large blanket over the table and letting their imagination run wild.
I remember camping out in the backyard with our young sons. My husband spread a blanket over two lawn chairs and fixed a pallet underneath for the boys. We slept on cots beside them. We had snacks outside that night and even took our portable television outside on the patio. The boys loved it and slept soundly.
When my children were crawlers and toddlers, I installed childproof openers on the cabinets I didn't want them getting into and put all plastics and light tin pots and pans in the remaining cabinets. While I worked in the kitchen, they would entertain themselves stacking the plastic bowls, banging tin dishes together and even crawling into the empty cabinet for a hideout. I remember one time in particular when my oldest son was about seven or eight months old, his grandparents, his Dad and I observed as he stacked pots and pans together matching the right lids to the proper pans. He struggled with a drip coffee pot until he got all the parts together again the right way which took him a good ten minutes. During all this time, he was concentrating so hard that he didn't even notice that he had an audience!
When my children were crawlers and toddlers, I installed childproof openers on the cabinets I didn't want them getting into and put all plastics and light tin pots and pans in the remaining cabinets. While I worked in the kitchen, they would entertain themselves stacking the plastic bowls, banging tin dishes together and even crawling into the empty cabinet for a hideout. I remember one time in particular when my oldest son was about seven or eight months old, his grandparents, his Dad and I observed as he stacked pots and pans together matching the right lids to the proper pans. He struggled with a drip coffee pot until he got all the parts together again the right way which took him a good ten minutes. During all this time, he was concentrating so hard that he didn't even notice that he had an audience!
The most important of all is time a parent or grandparent spends playing with his child. I am so proud of my sons and their wives as they are taking advantage of every minute they have with their young children, recognizing that this stage does not last forever. There comes a time when a child is not as interested in spending all their time with their family, but for a preschooler or elementary age child, there is no one that can take the place of his parent.
During the important formative years, God made young children somewhat possessive of his parents in order to use this golden opportunity to influence that child for good.
During the important formative years, God made young children somewhat possessive of his parents in order to use this golden opportunity to influence that child for good.
Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children (Proverbs 17:6 NLT)
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