October is Doc-Tober for Disney Junior! Your preschooler can see Doc McStuffins and her toy friends in new episodes on the Disney Junior TV channel and enjoy brand new Doc games and activities on DisneyJunior.com.au.

I knew absolutely nothing about soccer… then I became a mum. Our boys started playing soccer almost two years ago. Now, I understand just how fun playing soccer is. It’s a social, fun way to get kids moving about, to build up their fitness and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

I am a parent who has never played soccer before – and it was a bit overwhelming / intimidating to figure out. However, it is possible, and simple to just have some fun with a soccer ball in the backyard with your kids.

Five Soccer Activities For Healthy Kids

Here are some ball activities that are simple and fun; some ideas to get you playing soccer with your kids:

BUBBLES
Randomly place a few cones around your backyard. Each child needs a soccer ball. Dribble your ball (“bubble”) around the backyard. Use only the inside of your feet. Don’t let your bubble touch another bubble or cone; otherwise your bubble will pop. If your bubble pops, you have to do ten star jumps before rejoining the game.

TREASURE
You will need a few soccer balls (about 3 to each child) and a hoop for each child. Place the hoops randomly on the ground, with the soccer balls outside the hoops. On your signal, children have to collect treasure by dribbling the soccer balls into their hoops. Stealing balls from other people’s hoops is not allowed. The player with the most treasure wins.

PIN BALL SOCCER
To start the game, place a row of cones (bowling pins) across the middle of the backyard. Each child , stands at edges of the backyard, with the row of cones between them. Players should have about three balls each. The player that knocks down the most pins is the winner. When all the pins are knocked down, reset them and start again.

PIRATES
Choose someone to be a pirate. The pirate does not have a ball. Everyone else dribbles a ball around the backyard. Pirates try to tackle the ball away from the dribblers. If the pirate tackles the ball away from a player, that player becomes the new pirate.

ONE-ON-ONE SOCCER
Even in our postage stamp sized garden, we just simply play a game of one-on-one soccer. We place the ball in the middle of the backyard to start. The players then have to try and kick the ball to their goal area to score a point. We take turns, and tag-team to play each other.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Healthy Kids: Soccer Activities For Kids by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

This afternoon, I caught up with another school Mum as we were picking up our children after school. We talked about the school holidays that had been, less than a week ago. She had a wonderful school holiday. They went away camping and she did nothing – she didn’t even bring a book to read. Every now and then her children would run by her. They did what they wanted to, and she went along with it.

Upon reflection, I think I had that sort of school holiday too. We didn’t go away camping, (still yet to pluck up the courage and convince hubby) – but I would wake up late, (that’s 8am for us parents, right?), and I would have a chat with the kids about stuff to do during the day. The kids had more control over their days during the school holidays. 

Here is what I have learnt about including children in making plans for the day – when you give kids choice and ownership over their own learning, chances are they will be highly motivated, very engaged and well behaved. That’s not to say I let them run wild with making decisions. I’m still the parent. I am still the responsible one, (so no… we can’t go and explore the tide pools because there are high waves today, and I’m pretty sure we’ll get swept away, thank you very much). 

During our school holidays, we played, we gardened, we cooked, we went out and met with friends, we rested.

The planner in me still plans for particular learning experiences, but I allow my kids to move away from them based on their interests. I then plan based on my observations of their interests and skills. 

Play Based Learning

Play-based learning is often associated with being child-led; i.e. the power of play revolves around the child, using the the environment or context they are in and the resources available to them. However, the way adults intervene, (or knows when not to intervene) in children’s play, is a crucial factor in play-based learning.

Like any aspect of teaching and parenting, adults move fluidly between the roles of manager, facilitator and player as they engage with children to help them develop their skills, knowledge and attitudes.

As parents and teachers, here are five things to consider, as we move between manager, facilitator and player on that play-based learning stage:

{ONE} Let them choose.

They choose who to work with. They choose the resources they make use of in their play. They choose the location of their play. Children learn best when they are motivated and part of their motivation comes from being in more control of their own learning and following areas of enquiry in which they are interested.

{TWO} Let them be creative.

Foster creative learners by allowing them the time, resources and space to undertake possibility thinking and re-frame their perspectives. This isn’t so much about us teaching in creative ways, this is about letting them think outside the box.

{THREE} Let them be curious.

Children are mini-scientists, who discover the world about them through an enquiry-driven interaction. They become researchers as they collect and interpret information. Let them choose what they want to investigate and present.

{FOUR} Let them take risks.

Let them choose which problems to work on and how to work on their chosen problems. Let them plan and collaborate with others. Encourage them to be resilient and persevere in their problem solving. Let them come up with solutions and recommendations.

{FIVE} Let them connect with others.

Children are social learners. A key part of being a social learner is the communication between those playing, whether that is adult to child or child to child. Let them try out their ideas in a safe and secure environment while learning the rules of a range of different forms of communication including talk, body language and turn taking. E.g. we share our ideas and listen to one another; we talk one at a time; we respect each other’s opinions; we give reasons to explain our ideas; if we disagree we they to ask why?; we always try to be kind and loving.

Every child learns through play. Play matters and there are so many ways to play and learn.

The post Play Matters: Supporting Play Based Learning by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

Four bedsheets, sewed together into a large parachute; little ping pong balls are flying everywhere in the air. Twenty three to five year olds having the time of their lives, giggling , chasing the once airborne balls. “It’s so simple, and they love it,” said a mother, while she captured the moment on her phone camera.

Play is enjoyable and play may be simple, but play is fundamental to every interaction and connection children make in their early years. Play is the way in which children explore and experiment with emotions, social interactions, new ideas and learning.  If you’ve been following me at Lessons Learnt Journal for any length of time, you’ll know that play and games for kids has become a huge part of my world.

I have had four kids within the space of three and a half years. I have seen the importance of play in the context of their holistic development. Providing children, especially in their preschool years, with play opportunities is crucial in developing their curiosity, experimenting and risk taking. These play opportunities allow children to explore who they are, and allow them to grow as confident learners.

The saying, the days are long, but the years are short, rings so true. How quickly those preschool years fly by. Some of our favourite preschool activities feature our range of home-made play dough; large scale painting and painting requiring finer motor skills; playing and working outdoors in our garden; hunting for creatures large and small; and of course making our own dinosaur fossils.

We have fond memories of play because of there is an amazing play loving blogging community who shout out from their virtual roof tops, the most creative, fun, engaging activities for kids. I am so grateful when other parents share what has worked for them. I love being inspired by great ideas, trying them out and seeing my children play, learn and grow.

After the success of the Zero to Two Book of Play. there were requests from readers for an eBook of playful ideas for three to five year olds. We heard the requests and are thrilled to share with you the Three to Five Playful Preschool eBook. It is stuffed to the brim with tried, tested and loved playful learning ideas for preschoolers. This amazing resource has:

• Hands-on, play-based learning
• Inspiring ideas, but really practical and everything all in one place 
• Great photos, step-by-step guides, all things you can easily try at home
• 25+ ideas for preschoolers, ten printable resources (inc. city scape play scene, My First Journal pages, recipe card, numbers game, weather chart printables, alphabet play mats, unique hand-drawn art pages, conversation cards, block building challenge cards, bookmarks) and additional links to over 50 more activities
  
• Great range of activities: hands-on, learning through play, math, language, literacy, science, art and play.

Check out this video for a sneak peek of  the Three to Five Playful Preschool eBook.

To celebrate the release of Three to Five Playful Preschool, the eBook will be $6.99USD for one week only. After the 25th May, 2014 you can purchase the eBook for $8.99USD. You can buy your Three to Five Playful Preschool, on any device, and download the eBook when you are ready.

(You can buy the book anywhere in the world. Paypal will take care of any currency conversions.)

Happy playing, because #playmatters!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Games for Kids: Three to Five Playful Preschool eBook by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

True story: Another kindergarten teacher visits my class while we were doing some bubble art. During lunch, in the teacher’s staffroom, he asks if I have more play ideas. I say, “Yes,”… (of course!) lol. If you’ve been following me at Lessons Learnt Journal for any length of time, you’ll know that play and games for kids has become a huge part of my world.

I have had four kids within the space of three and a half years. I have seen my children thrive as we embraced the world of play-based learning. Kids have a natural enthusiasm for learning through their natural curiosity about the world around them. They are keen to learn, with inquisitive minds. When watching and hearing them play, I find it fascinating to think about the complex processes that are happening within play.

Play is appropriate for humans of any age. I will always treasure the memories of my babies and toddlers playing and drawing in their big cardboard box and making a collage with sticky back paper. I will always keep a ball in our home for baby ball games, should we have baby and toddler guests. 

I know how tricky it can be to find games for kids, (especially when you are sleep deprived). I know how valuable it is when other mums share what has worked for them. I love being inspired by great ideas, trying them out and seeing my children play, learn and grow.

I’m super chuffed to be one of the authors the Zero to Two Book of Play. I’ve seen the published version and it’s simply amazing.

• It’s filled with inspiring play ideas that are really practical and doable!
• The photos are beautiful.
• There are simple, clear step-by-step guides for things you can easily try at home.
• There are 25 ideas for babies and toddlers, and additional links to over 50 more activities. 
• There’s a great range of activities: the classics, things with a twist, sensory; all with a focus on play, backed up with lots of learning.

Check out this video for a sneak peek into the Zero to Two Book of Play.

To celebrate the release of the Zero to Two Book of Play, the eBook will be $6.99USD for one week only. After the 16th February, 2014 you can purchase the eBook for $8.99USD. You can buy your Zero to Two Book of Play, on any device, and download the eBook when you are ready.

(You can buy the book anywhere in the world. Paypal will take care of any currency conversions.)

Happy playing, because #playmatters!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Games for Kids: Zero to Two Book of Play by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.