It's Playtime Tots “It’s Childs Play

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Playtime Tots

“It’s Child’s Play!” This phrase is used to dismiss the importance of something or refer to it as being easy, but child’s play isn’t easy and, in the words of Maria Montessori, “Play is the work of a child”.

Working their bodies and minds, play allows children to learn and grow at a significant time in their development, but it also puts a lot of pressure on mums and dads to support their learning. This has been even more evident since the pandemic.

Schools and Nurseries were closed, play dates with friends or trips to playgrounds were not allowed, Baby and Toddler groups weren’t running (and a lot still aren’t!), so the pressure of entertaining our children 24/7 at home was definitely on us. Plus, as parents, these times that the children are playing are when we get to seek advice, support and reassurance from other mums and dads about our child’s development or behaviour.

It’s hard work! It isn’t a case of putting a child in a room full of toys and them playing happily for hours. Children are curious, they strive for adventure and need constant stimulation. We have a world of information at our fingertips thanks to the Internet, which can help, but is also overwhelming trying to work out what kind of activities to offer to help their development, as well as working out if it is suitable for their abilities and then find the time and all of the resources to set them up. Offering a range of play and learning opportunities gives children the foundations to learn. This is easy in an Early Years Setting such as a Nursery School, Playgroup or Baby and Toddler group with lots of space and an array of resources to hand. The environment is also designed for learning, so most children easily engage in the activities, but at home, it is more of a challenge.

I am an experienced Early Years Practitioner and have spent years working with children in a Nursery School, as a Private Nanny and as a Class Activity Leader. However, lock-down was still tough on me, so I can only imagine how hard it must be for the mums and dads who haven’t got the background knowledge I have. I have always been passionate about supporting families and, in particular, other mums. Motherhood is tough and sometimes lonely, so by using my knowledge and experience, I founded It’s Playtime Tots to support them. I help mums with their child’s learning, development and behaviour through play at home which is simple but fun. I am an advocate of child-led play and really encourage my mums to embrace this too. By observing a child’s abilities and interests, we can plan and create activities which will not only engage them fully, keeping them entertained, but also enhance areas of their learning, development or behaviour at the same time.

I provide a free support group on Facebook, posting weekly activity ideas plus general

tips and advice to help with play. I also create tailored play plans and a 1:1 play support service too. My 1:1 Play Support sessions are popular as I not only suggest lots of play and activity ideas to do at home based on what their child enjoys but I also give lots of advice and reassurance which mums are missing from meeting up at groups.

Since launching in August 2020, It’s Playtime Tots has already helped lots of families. I have supported mums with children who are slightly delayed in hitting their milestones, such as their speech or walking unaided, as well as helping deal with unwanted behaviour, like tantrums or throwing items, and also mums who just need some new inspiration on what to play.

Michelle from Norfolk approached me for ideas on how to entertain her toddler during the winter months. She is now armed with a list of ideas but also feels a lot more at ease about her son’s development and behaviour, in particular, his speech and throwing of objects which came up during our call. Michelle said, “Karen had ideas that never came to mind. They are perfect for what my son likes, so she really did listen. We don’t see a health visitor or anyone like that, and to have the reassurance has made me feel loads better.”

For parents who are finding being stuck at home and entertaining their babies, toddlers or

preschoolers challenging this winter with the uncertainty of another lockdown looming over us, my top tips are: 1. Choose open-ended toys that have lots of ways to play rather than one purpose. Some examples are: ▪ Blocks ▪ Balls ▪ Baskets, bowls and tubs ▪ Wooden figures 2. Enjoy a variety of activities. Some examples are: ▪ Imaginative play - set up a café, zoo, pet hotel or a post office ▪ Arts and crafts - grab paint, glue, cardboard, feathers, stickers and anything else that takes your fancy to get creative. ▪ Sensory play - enjoy exploring different textures, smells and sounds. You could play with jelly, foil blankets, lights and shaving foam. 3. Keep active! Toddlers need 3 hours of physical activity a day. Suggested ways to keep active are: ▪ Get outside - go for a walk, head to the park, go riding on scooters or bikes, and run around making big bubbles with giant bubble wands. ▪ Dance - pop some music on and throw a dance party or enjoy an online class. ▪ Games - play homemade basketball with a laundry basket and small light plastic balls, play chase, and make an indoor obstacle course.

I am over the moon that It’s Playtime Tots has been so well-received and am looking forward to sharing more of my ideas for playtime and supporting lots more families along the way. If you would like to join my group on Facebook or book one of my services, you can find more information about It’s Playtime Tots at www.itsplaytimetots.co.uk

Karen Sidell

Early Years Practitioner and Founder of It’s Playtime Tots.