Living & Learning
Not Up to Playground Standards? My Confession as a Playground Aunt
According to ASTM 1487 & the CPSC, we have two age groups for playground standards: 2-5 and 5-12. In addition, they have recently introduced another standard for playground manufacturers for 6-23 month-olds. In short, the playground standards are based on anthropometric data (comparative sizes/measurements of children at age 2, 5 &12),…
Snowshoeing Through a Gorge – Inspiration for Water Play – By Laura
When I was a young child in kindergarten my class would walk down to the Credit River in Misissauga, Ontario, every Friday morning. We would walk along the river and sometimes collect leaves, pebbles, sticks or pinecones for craft projects. We learned about the natural world by exploring and experiencing the sounds…
My Trip to Sweden (Germany Part 2)
I spent the last few days of my European trip in Sweden visiting my step brother, Simon and his family. Stockholm is beautiful at night (and I’m sure during the day too) and the countryside is picturesque. I really don’t think I’ve ever seen a more amazing sky at night with…
Rock Climbing & Other Challenges
Inverted climbing wall As a child I spent many hours on the swing in my backyard, talking to my friends, the trees. Of course I also loved to slide on slides (my favorite slide must have been at least 80’ long, located at High Park in Toronto –It’s no longer there and I…
Hula, Twist, and Charleston: Thinking in Motion with “Dancing” Play Elements
Play is an essential learning tool for children. It enhances the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. Being curious, I’ve taken a look into what play really is and why it is so important for human beings. The 2009 task force report from the Cambridge, MA Healthy Parks and Playgrounds…
Beach Series (part 3): To Cell Phone or Not to Cell Phone?
To take the phone or to not take the phone, that is the question. As I write that sentence, I think that this question is not a question at all to many. It is a clear “of course!” or “of course not!” I took my phone for an “in case…
Beach Series (part 2): Experience and Discover Life Through Nature Playgrounds
This is time where the caregiver can share their knowledge and experience of the natural world with their little ones in a relevant way.
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Beach Series: Need Things to Do With Kids? Try Playing!
It never ceases to amaze me how intensely the adults are playing along side their children: filling up buckets of water to pour into the pits that have been tirelessly dug out, carefully arranging turned over pails of sand to create the walls of a castle, patting sand and making proper use of the dry sand verses wet sand. I can’t help but smile because the adults are really having just as much fun as the children.
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Focus on Guilt-Free Play
…this way of thinking is natural for a child! In the “terrible two’s” stage children learn that they don’t have to do anything; they can say no! This stage is well known for being an important part of a child’s development of his or her autonomy. The same natural attitude goes for work and play: children can play for hours in the sand, digging, piling, toy trucking sand from here to there; baking cookies next to their aunt; and they take delight in sweeping the floor just like Dad. They have chosen the task and it’s easy for them to focus on the task at hand and even enjoy it!
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Learning by Playing: Cause & Effect Has Never Been So Fun!
I have seen children play on many different playgrounds. They are always attracted to anything that moves: swings, merry-go-rounds, spinners, see saws and spring riders. There is something about the action and reaction created that is fascinating and exciting for the child. Not only is the movement stimulating, but they get a kick from making…
