Working from home is an incredible opportunity for Mums, especially whilst their learners are little, however maintaining productivity can certainly be challenging. The juggle with little ones needing attention, the desire for them to engage in meaningful play combined with the distraction of household chores and work commitments can make getting work finished difficult.
With a splash of creativity and a sprinkling of personal touch, we can establish fun, supervised play experiences that will engage your early learners in play, while you get your work hustle on and without the mumma guilt.
Here are our top ten ideas for you to try:
TABLE CUBBY/CUBBY HOUSE – There are so many wonderful places within the home that lend themselves to imaginative play. One of our favourites is a table cubby house. To make yours simply:
- Find blankets within the home or purchase a table cubby (we love the ones over at @Imagine 4 Kids) and throw over your dining table or lounges to create a cubby.
- Let the children bring their favourite toys with them and all eat morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea inside the cubby.
- Be sure to take some pics as they will make great talking points throughout the day and over the next few days and again in the years to come as your child/ren grow up and reminisce. To extend the play for a longer period of time, video the play and watch the video after.
SMALL WORLD PLAY – the creation of real life scenarios using small figures and objects. Small Worlds tend to be set up in themes (ones relevant and meaningful to the learners) eg. Farm, Zoo, Dinosaur, Construction, City and often include a sensory element (grains, water, sand, nature, pasta) which adds another dimension to the learning. You can find visual inspiration on our socials
STORY FRAME PROMPTS – paper with frames pre drawn on them for your little learner to add their own drawing inside it.
SENSORY TUB – a tub filled with a variety of different textured objects/materials that encourage learners to explore and discover with their senses. Ensure ingredients are taste safe if your learner is mouthing objects.
CARDBOARD BOXES – Cardboard boxes are one of my favourite toys as they are open ended and really simple to set up. They lend themselves to creative and imaginative play with lots of talking. They can turn into spaceships, cars, trains, shops, cafes, pirate ships and castles. The ideas are endless.
To make yours simply:
•Recycle/Purchase a heavy duty cardboard box.
•Allow child/children to sit in their box or around it to complete their artwork.
•Listen to your child/children engage in self talk and conversation-it would make for a lovely video.
COLANDER and PIPECLEANERS – create an invitation to play with a kitchen colander and pipe cleaners. Learners push pipe cleaners through colander holes to create their masterpiece.
PLAYDOUGH & FINE MOTOR TOOLS – pop out some playdough, accessories and fine motor tools and let your little learner create and use their fine motor skills.
STICKER CRAFT – a variety of stickers presented in an interesting way to encourage imagination and creativity. We love the sticker books that come with a scene.
LAUNDRY BASKET – laundry baskets are one of the most versatile and budget friendly play resources to have in the home. They can be building blocks or become a vehicle in imaginative play.
BLOCKS – building is an activity that requires imagination, creativity, patience, problem solving and hand/eye coordination. Places such as horse stables, farms, castles, cityscapes and towers can be a world of endless fun. Accompany the blocks with some figurines for an added dimension of play.
All PLAY Ideas require adult supervision at ALL times!
What play ideas work for you when you are working from home? Hit the reply button to share them.
