Hey there readers! I’m very excited to announce that today, Thursday, August 2nd, 2012, my post Helping Doesn’t Always Help, is going to be included as a feature spotlight on BlogHer!  My understanding is that it will be featured on the homepage, and in the Family section sometime around 2:00 pm PDT.

I am very excited and honored to have been chosen.  Thank you to Jenna Hatfield, editor of the Family section–follow her on Twitter @FireMom!  You can also follow @BlogHer and @BlogHerFamily.

**UPDATE**

In celebration of my first (and hopefully not my last ) BlogHer Spotlight, I will give a FREE download of the At The Beach Curriculum Theme to everyone who does all of the following:

1. Likes PlayingToDiscover.com on Facebook.
2. Follows PlayingToDiscover.com on Twitter.
3. Subscribes to PlayingToDiscover.com by email or RSS feed.
4. Leave a comment below letting me know you completed all of the above!

Once those tasks are complete, you will receive your FREE DOWNLOAD CODE!

I am going to go out on a bit of a limb here and guess that the biggest obstacles for most adults in this area are:

They Feel Silly

I can understand this, especially if you aren’t super experienced in pretend play.  Crawling around on all fours while making animal noises definitely doesn’t give the impression of a sophisticated socialite.  But kids will think that you are the coolest, neatest, awesomest, and every-other-good-kind-of-est that ever existed–and we all know that you’re not really cool unless kids think you are.

They Don’t Know Where To Start

Sometimes the lives of adults begin to be filled with all of those “important” things and they literally forget how to play.  If this is you, then you are fortunate that you have come across this post, because I am going to give you 5 FREE Pretend Play Pointers that are worth millions!  Yes, you heard me right–MILLIONS in, ahem, Monopoly money.  Okay, so they may not have any real monetary value, but they are truly invaluable in the sense that they will increase the level of relationship you have with kids by seriously impacting your coolness factor.

So here it is, what you all have been waiting for–

The 5 FREE Pretend Play Pointers!

1. Let children free play for at least 45 minutes to an hour.  Studies show that it can take children this long before they will start engaging in pretend play on their own.  Then just follow them in whatever it is they are doing.  This is an especially good tip for the inexperienced pretender.
2. As briefly mentioned above, act like a specific type of animal, and pretend to do the things that animal would do such as, make noises, eat, drink, run etc.  To be really extra cool, make yourself look as ridiculous as possible while doing it.  You will know you are doing it right if you hear lots of laughter.
3. Use empty real-life product containers to set up a dramatic play area.  For example, you can use empty food boxes to go grocery shopping, and empty dish detergent bottles to pretend that you are washing dishes.  If you do this with your own children, it won’t be long before they are such accomplished dish washers that you can actually put them to work doing real dishes, saving you time and money!  Now how is that for a great return on investment?
4. Pretend to go to different places.  The beach, farm, salon, store, post office, and zoo are all good ideas.  Make sure that you pretend drive to all of these places, and again, in no time at all your child will have gained so much driving experience that they will even be able to drive themselves!  Think of how great it will be when they can actually do the grocery shopping for you!
5. Pretend to be different kinds of working professionals, like doctors, lawyers, professional football players, entrepreneurs, etc.  This will help them learn the skills they to be successful in these types of positions, so they can make a lot of money to support you when you are old.

I hope you enjoyed some of the humor in this post!  But all jokes aside, pretend play is absolutely one of the best activities for children to engage in, and it really benefits the whole child.  One more bonus tip–allow the child to lead most of the pretending, but also occasionally offer your own creative ideas to help them expand and increase their own creative thinking.  Most of all, have fun and appreciate the opportunities you have to truly enjoy children.

What are your thoughts on pretend play?  Do you have any additional pointers to share, or memorable pretend play moments from your childhood?

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It’s interesting to me also, that the harder the job is, the more people think they could do it better than the person who is actually in that position–because that is what most criticism really is.  President of the United States?  Hey anybody could do that job, right?

Which brings me to the subject of this post.  In a society where we will not even refrain from criticizing the Leader of The Free World, we certainly aren’t going to make an exception for parents–people who have one of the most challenging and important jobs there is–and that is unfortunate.

It should be okay for parents to do what works for them.  What is it to anyone else if parents decide to breastfeed or bottle-feed?  If they co-sleep or not?  What they discipline their kids for and what they don’t?  Stay at home or take them to daycare?  Homeschool them or send them to public school?  It is certainly okay to have opinions on all of these things, and even personal convictions, but we shouldn’t put those on anyone else.  Some parents are more lax about potty-training than I am, but somehow I don’t think their child is going to go to kindergarten still in diapers.  Not only that, but just maybe they actually know something about their child that I don’t know.

We could all benefit from reminding ourselves at times that we don’t know everything, to mind our own business, and to respect the rights of others to think and decided differently than we do.  More than that even, to actually appreciate the differences in people.  If everyone always did what I would do, then how would I ever be exposed to new ideas that stretch my way of thinking?  I hate to think about where I would be if I had never been challenged by the thoughts of others.

There is certainly room for offering advice, and I believe most parents appreciate it–but criticism serves a different purpose all together.  It’s purpose is not to help, but to belittle–to point out faults and to assert one’s own superiority.  With very few exceptions, all parents love their children and want to do what is best for them.  Is this not what matters most in parenting?  I believe so.  Parents don’t need critics, they need support.

- Stephanie

Rayne: Queen Water Supplier of The World

by Elizabeth Rooks

Rayne is an ambitious little girl with a highly active imagination that takes her on many adventures.  On this particular adventure, Rayne meets Cora the cow, Dale the dolphin, Betsy the bird, and Bella the butterfly.  Being convinced herself that she is their queen, and the queen water supplier of the world, she sets off to educate these animals on how important she is, and how she is the very reason they have food and shelter.  Rayne’s self-important view, however, seems to be a bit of an obstacle for her.

Here is an inside look:

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  I appreciated the way facts about rain were woven into the story.  I think it is generally appropriate for kids K through 4th grade, but could also be suitable for some preschoolers who really enjoy books and have a longer attention span.  Even though Rayne is a bit self-absorbed, to say the least, she is charming, and I would definitely be interested in reading more of her adventures.  I think Rayne’s character has a lot of potential to share many lessons in a creative and imaginative way.

Rayne: Queen Water Supplier of The World can be purchased through Amazon.com (Affiliate Link) or through the author’s site – www.elizabethrooks.com.

Elizabeth Rooks was born in Haiti and came to the United States at the age of seven.  Learn more about her by checking out her bio.

You can also follow Elizabeth Rooks on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Disclosure:  I was provided with two free copies of Rayne: Queen Water Supplier of The World to review, one of which is being donated to the Clara Fields Multicultural Literacy Program.

In my classroom, it is somewhat of an unofficial rule that you must try it yourself before I will help you.  A common scenario is as follows:

A 2-year-old girl approaches me, presenting an article of dress-up clothing and asks, “Miss Kohler, can you put this on for me?”

“Let me see you try it first,” I reply.

“But I can’t do it!” wails the desperate young girl–her face downcast, shoulders slumped forward, mouth pouting, and eyes of the gloomiest sort she can possibly muster.

“I think you can do it!  I will help you if you need me, but you have to try it first,” I say in my most encouraging, I-believe-in-you voice.

Reluctantly, she seats herself on the carpet.  In goes her left leg, followed by her right.  She uses her hands and slowly moves the costume so her left foot sticks out the left bottom hole.  The corners of her mouth are no longer turning downward, and the wrinkle between her eyebrows is gone.

She focuses intently on the task at hand, improving her cognitive and fine motor skills as she works the fabric around her right foot.  Her right foot goes in a little bit easier than the left.  The corners of her mouth start to turn up slightly and her eyebrows are now slightly raised as she realizes her accomplishment.

She stands up, and works her large muscles, improving her large motor skills as she pulls the costume up with all of her strength. Her left arm slides in easily, as does her right.  A huge grin takes over her face as she looks up at me.

Triumphantly and most proudly she proclaims, “I did it, Miss Kohler!”

“I knew you could do it!  Good job!” I respond, with an excitement that matches hers.

She persevered, and accomplished something that she thought was unattainable.  This is a moment that I would never want to rob her of, by jumping in to “help” right away.  Sometimes, with all of our “helping”, we are in fact, not helping at all.

Thoughts?

If you enjoyed this post you might also like these:

1. 5 Free Pretend Play Pointers Worth Millions
2. Parents Don’t Need Critics, They Need Support
3. We Played, We Learned

In celebration of this post being spotlighted by BlogHer, I am giving away a free At The Beach Curriculum Theme to everyone who completes the following:

1. Like PlayingToDiscover.com on Facebook.
2. Follow PlayingToDiscover.com on Twitter.
3. Subscribe to PlayingToDiscover.com via email or RSS feed.
4. Leave a comment letting me know you have completed all of the above.

Once you complete those steps, I will send you a code for a FREE DOWNLOAD!!

You Will Need:

• 2 Cups flour
• 1 Cup water
• 1 Cup salt
• A few drops of vegetable oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 Cup sand
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon

In the mixing bowl, mix the flour, water, salt, vegetable oil, and sand until it is thoroughly mixed.  Enjoy!

I had the best time with my 2-year-old class today.  We played, we learned.

While we were enjoying outside time we pretended we were at a restaurant.  We took turns being the server and the patrons.  We ordered food, ate it, and paid our bills.  We used giant frisbees for serving trays.  Through this play we learned about taking turns and serving others.  We developed our cognitive skills by practicing critical thinking and creative problem solving.

The first thing we did when we ventured indoors was a Roly Poly Relay!  We split into two groups and rolled and rolled and rolled across the floor.  Through this play we developed large motor skills.

“Teacher Stories” time is a favorite in our class.  Today I read Owl Babies (Affiliate Link)–three times in a row.  Through this play we learned to listen and ask thoughtful questions.

We had some time before nap, so I let the kids use my camera to take pictures of themselves.  They worked really hard pushing the little button on the camera, and trying to hold it properly.  We took pictures making funny faces, then sat down together to look at them all.  Through this play we developed fine motor skills and social emotional skills.

Later in the day we played with elbow macaroni in the sensory table.  We worked together to fill buckets with noodles, and then I held the bucket and poured the noodles into their eagerly awaiting hands while they squealed and laughed in delight.  Through this play we learned to work together, and had some excellent sensory experiences.

Children are happiest, most content, and most agreeable when they are engaged in creative play.  How did you play and learn with your kids today?

The last month has been pretty busy here at PlayingToDiscover.com, mostly with getting the website completely up and functioning.  Although I am certain there will continue to be some tweaks and updates made, I am glad that this part of my recent endeavor is finished.  I think.

At any rate, now seems to be a good time to announce some things that will be up and coming here.

First of all, I am very excited about my guest post, Early Childhood Education – What is Most Important?, that will be featured on Mommyhood From The Heart, on Thursday, July 5th.  Be sure to check it out and leave a comment with some feedback.

I also wanted to let you know that the next themes to come out will be:

• At The Beach
• Summer
• Community Helpers
• Under The Sea

While working hard on those, I also have a goal to post at least two blog posts a week.  Please leave a comment and let me know if you have any questions about anything preschool aged children related, or any questions about PlayingToDiscover.com.

Have a great July!

Because it is most important, let’s talk about safety first.

Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen!

Don’t forget the sunscreen!  In this day and age, most of us probably have this covered, but it’s so important to go over anyway–especially considering the  FDA’s New Sunscreen Regulations.   One of the most notable changes is doing away with the label “water proof,” as no sunscreen is truly water proof.  Sunscreens that are SPF 15 or lower will also carry a warning label stating that they do not prevent skin cancer or premature aging.  It is recommended that consumers look for products labeled “broad spectrum,” because they provide the most coverage.  Also, for children you should use a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30.  When outside, sunscreen should be applied every 30 minutes for maximum protection.

Hydration

Staying properly hydrated is always important, but it is especially so during a heat wave.  When it’s hot, your body can lose a lot of water quickly, leading to dehydration.  Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink lots of cool water, and avoid caffeine.  Have scheduled water breaks for young children.  Children usually drink small amounts of water, and if they are very involved in their play, they forget to take a drink.

Keeping it Light

Dress your kids in lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.  This will keep them much cooler and more comfortable.

Signs and Symptoms of Heat-related Illness

Heat exhaustion is characterized by:

• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting

Heat Stroke is more serious and is characterized by:

• An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F, orally)
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

Check this page from the Center For Disease Control for more information about heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Staying  Cool

During the hottest hours of the day, stay inside.  If you do not have air conditioning, go to a public place that does.  Local malls, stores, and libraries are all good places.  You can also check with your local county health department or Red Cross to find out about any heat shelters in your area.

Having Fun!

Now for the good part!  Here are 10 things you can do even when the mercury is rising up into the red  zone.

1. Play outside during the earlier morning hours or late afternoon or evening.  Set up sprinklers, pools, and slip-and-slides for outdoor water fun.  You can also use water balloons,  spray bottles or squirt guns, or even just the hose!
2. Hot, humid days are perfect movie days!  Instead of popcorn have popsicles!
3. Local libraries and children’s museums usually have events going on, and are great places to go for something to do while staying cool.
4. It may be too hot to go camping outside, but you can bring that fun indoors by setting up a small tent or making an indoor fort using furniture, blankets, pillows, etc.
5. Along with your indoor fort, you can have an indoor picnic on the floor!
6.  Make ice cream sundaes with all the fixings.
7. Make real lemonade–1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 cups sugar, and 2 quarts of water. Yum!
8. Paint with colored ice cubes–take an ice-cube tray, fill with water and a few drops of food coloring, then freeze.  Once they are frozen, use them for painting as they melt.
9. Bring water play inside by “swimming” in the bathtub.  Or fill a storage bin with water and give your child cups, turkey basters, medicine droppers, etc. for scooping and pouring water.
10. Last, but not least, get creative with some dramatic play.  Pretend to be a meteorologist giving the local heat report,  an ice cream truck salesperson, or a beach lifeguard.

Have any ideas to add?  Feel free to leave them in the comments section below!

1. Science Experiment For Kids – Frying Eggs On The Driveway
2. Need to Cool of Your Kids?  Here’s 10 Fun Outside Water Games to Play

You Will Need:

• Patriotic paper plates – two plates with identical patterns for each child.

Instructions:

1. Take one paper plate and cut it up into puzzle pieces. Older children may be able to assist with this.
2. Mix up the pieces and give them to your child.
3. Allow the child to put the puzzle together using the other plate as a holder.

Discussion:

• Talk about how to match up lines and colors when doing a puzzle.
• Talk about any special activities the child may be doing for the Fourth of July.

Did you do this activity with your kids?  How did you like it?  Feedback is appreciated!