One of the best things you can do for your kids…
Nothing.
Sometimes it’s true, it’s best to do nothing. Don’t plan a play date, don’t set up an activity or schedule an outing. Scheduling free time for unstructured play is one of the best things you can do.
The beauty of allowing free time for unstructured play for your children is you never know what is going to come of it! It’s fun to see where their curiosities will take them.
Today V decided that it was Mr. Dragon’s birthday! Who knew?! He was turning 7! She got to work straight away deciding what she needed to do to pull off a party in such short notice! She set out a plan: get party hats out, make a birthday party sign and prepare loot bags. In fact she even found an activity to be played ‘at the party’!
Before getting the party hats, she had to determine how many she would need which involved counting all her animal friends. I asked if she included herself and her sister in the number she had come to which led her to recount all her friends plus herself and her sister.
Next she pulled out the paper and pencil crayons and delegated the sign making to me! She coloured it in and stuck it to the wall with tape. Then share thoughtfully prepared the loot bags for each of her guests and guarded them so that her sister would get into them!
Children’s play flourishes when we ‘let it’ rather than ‘make it’ happen.
~ Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne, M.Ed.
The party was a great success! Judging by the picture, I think it’s safe to say a good time was had by all!
What happens at your home when you allow time for unstructured play?
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