Scrolling through the many wonderful ideas linked up in last weeks’ Kids Co-op made me smile too. It’s not just the creative ideas and stories that impressed me, it’s the generosity of so many people willing to share their stories of how they work, rest and play with their children.

WORK
There are some old-school ideas that have stood the test of time.
Like a Pretty Petunia reminds us of Alphabet Beads.

REST
NurtureStore shares a lovely craft for Mothers’ Day, complete with an anti-paint smudging device.

The Kids’ Co-op is co-hosted by over 60 (and growing) fun kids’ blogs. Add your child-focused link here and we’ll share your idea across all of our child-focused blogs and pin the best to our popular Weekly Kids Co-op Pinterest board (which has over 212,000 followers). You can also follow the Kids Co-op on Facebook.

The post Weekly Kids’ Co-op: Work, Rest & Play by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

Skills practised:

• hand strength
• using both hands together
• hand manipulation skills
• finger isolation

• Make a sausage. Put play dough on the table and with both hands roll play dough back and forward with fingers extended and a flat palm. Aim to keep the sausage an even width throughout. (As you can see below, we are working towards using both hands together).

• Poke holes. Extend the index finger of one hand and curl the other fingers into the palm. Using the extended finger, make holes into the play dough sausage.

• Push coloured beads into the holes.

Lesson Learnt: Simple things can be beautiful.

This post was shared in the following parties:

The NurtureStore Play Academy

It’s Playtime

No Time for Flashcards Link & Learn

Reference: Scott, B 2009, Hands Up.. to preventing handwriting difficulties, PLD Organisation Pty. Ltd, Australia.

The post play dough rainbow serpents by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.