Playful Practice: Make Space for Exuberance

Doing art projects out in the world (library, special events, etc) is a challenge for my LP. She is all about the process and exploration of materials and usually those art experiences are about product. LP wants to feel the paint, glue and glitter on her skin and explore it completely with her hands.  Her [...]

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Bring on the Glue Gun

Full credit to Teacher Tom for this… See his blog posts here and here for inspiration and ideas for how to give little people the opportunity to work with hot glue guns. Things went pretty much as he described, she was so intent on her project that when she did touch the too hot glue, [...]

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We Play: Panda Milk Substitute

One of LP’s current favorite books is  How Many Baby Pandas? by Sandra Markle. It is a great combination of cute pictures and panda facts.  LP is particularly entranced by the idea of the pandas that are raised at the Wolong Giant Panda Breeding Center or in zoos drinking milk substitute from bottles or lapping [...]

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We Play: The Evolution of a Story

Yesterday the Little Person and I were looking at photos and videos on my computer.  She was particularly interested in the videos and we had a great discussion about the difference between pictures which are still and videos that movie. I asked her if she wanted to make a movie and she said, “Yes!” When [...]

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The Pig-Shaped Dog

We landed home a week ago after 3 weeks on the East Coast immersed in family visiting (with a dash of friend visiting thrown in too). I have finally finished unpacking, catching up on laundry, emails and other misc. stuff, almost finished sending out holiday cards and have caught the obligatory holiday season cold. So [...]

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Bog Baby Soup

and Panda Soup and Horse Soup too. I’m still struggling back onto my feet after a bout of the flu so playtime challenges abound.  LP is clearly ready for her fun improvamama to come back and replace her ready-to-lie-down-a-mama.  ImprovDad has a heavy teaching schedule which includes most evenings and it seems like the hours [...]

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Playful Eating

I realized  that in true grown-up fashion, I was making saying “yes”  too complicated. LP was in horse mode at lunch the other day (which she has been for most of the day recently except  for breaks when she is an otter or a rooster) and wanted to eat grass for lunch.  So I made [...]

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When Things Do Not Grow as Planned

LP’s favorite thing in our wee garden this year has been the carrots. Unfortunately, most days she does not want to eat the carrots (and does not want anyone else to eat the carrots).  I’m really not sure why because this girl will eat anything that she can pick herself — tomatoes and peas, of [...]

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Say “Yes” when you mean “Yes”

LP has taken up grunting a sound that is close to “yeah” instead of saying “yes.” It bugs me. So I started paying attention to what I actually say when I mean “yes.” I say a lot of things — ok, sure, uh huh, yeah, in a minute and soon. I nod. I do what [...]

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Red Light, Green Light…Purple Light!

We three are  adjusting back to life at home (complete with post-vacation/travel tantrums). It was a wonderful trip to visit Grandma and Auntie K and then travel together to Orcas Island to visit with family there too. Lots of delicious time to play and explore tidepools and meet animals (such a highlight for LP! Chickens [...]

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