Play Types

hildren’s play is rich, varied, organic and constantly evolving. It can explore different types at the same time, flow from one to another and back again. As such, these definitions are by adults, for adults. They’re useful in helping us be more specific when we’re talking about play and play provision but will only ever capture a narrow aspect of the wealth of children’s play. This list is also evolving and should not be assumed to ever be complete.

There has also been controversy over the years about the last play type, Recapitulative. It is left off of some lists entirely but I have included it here (in spite of my own hesitations) because it addresses forms of play not found elsewhere in the list and because this controversy ought to be openly engaged with.More..

Child's Play Stations

Once upon a time, the school holidays were heralded by the smell of freshly mown grass, the sound of the ice-cream man and a feeling of time unbound, carefree days that stretched on forever. Today, we know the school holidays are here because there's an influx of aggressively hyped animated movies at the cinema and their accompanying games fighting for attention on the shelf.

It's a shift in perspective rather than reality and ever since my son first voluntarily picked up a joypad at the age of two, I've been fascinated by the way he plays games, the things he responds to in games, and the surprisingly frequent parallels with my own first gaming experiences. I'm old enough to remember being intensely jealous that a friend had a ZX-81, with its chunky monochrome blocks, while my son will probably grow up harbouring similar nostalgic fondness for the innocent days of the Xbox 360, when games were only high-definition and had to be purchased on funny silver discs. The games that tickle our fancy, however, aren't all that different.more...

• Cubby Houses
• Swing Sets

Play Areas in the Garden

The best children’s gardens are those that have the play areas integrated into the larger garden, as well as providing hiding places for kids (that you can still see, of course). Try making a teepee out of long poles and twine that can then be covered by climbing plants. Or you could create a “room” by planting a circle of plants of flowers with an opening in the middle. Some child sized furniture in the middle will really top it off.

Kids love to use the garden so don’t make it difficult for them to do so. Place a container outside that can hold all of their toys such as skipping ropes, balls, and sports equipment. A well-maintained lawn is a must and an area of the garden that the kids will always use. this could be for simple “chasey” type games or for games of soccer, football, cricket, etc.

Trampolines, swing sets, sand pits, slides, and climbing equipment are classic backyard additions that every child will love. Ensure their safety by placing the equipment carefully and installing soft surfaces below. Also make sure that the play equipment is located in an area that has shade. No child wants to play on plastic or metal equipment when it has been baked hot by the sun.

Playground Equipment Australia

Playground Equipment for Kids

You ensure that you install the equipment which is appropriate to the age of your children. Check all spaces open in the equipment.

The playset should have well defined playing fields which are assured safety. For example, you wouldn 't want a child slipping in bottom of the right-hand side in front of another child going up to the top another part of the playset.

By locating the equipment in your court, should have to you a zone of fall of 6 feet in all the directions. This would mean that the sector around your playset should be free from all the obstacles, such as barriers or bushes or hard surfaces, such as the pavements which could lead to worse damage in the event of fall. Also check the pointed objects, such as branches or stakes in the ground.

Playground Equipments

How to Understand Kids

Other parents give them the silent treatment. Since they do not want to speak to them, they do the same. More often than not, kids actually tell their parents what's happening in their lives with this. They sometimes want to tell stories to their parents about what's been going on but the parents also don't seem to want to listen. As parents, you should always have time for them no matter how busy you are.

Understanding kids may take time and there are also instances that you think that you really know them but you discover that you don't. Some parents bribe their children with kids toys just to be updated. Sometimes, children open up, sometimes they don't.

Play Equipment

Fun Kids Toys

Let's face it, kids today are harder to understand because they sometimes would not open up to adults. They seem to have their own little world and it seems as if adults are non-existent beings. There are parents that have given up in making their kid/s open up to them but they still wouldn't budge. So you think on what can you do to make your child do otherwise.

You can tell them that whatever secret they have is safe with you. Show them that you are a person that they can trust and that you are not their enemy. Assurance is the key in being able to let them open up to you. Also, just letting them know that you will not leave them is enough to comfort them.

playground equipment
Kids Furniture

Fun Activities for Kids

I always favor toys for children that are open ended. By that I mean the results are not predetermined. For example on a television set the images and the story unfold instantaneously before your eyes and nothing is left to the imagination. Ever heard the old saying? "Yeah I like the movie but the book was better." Well these toys are the original stories behind the mass produced tripe that lines the toy aisles of department store these days!

Lego
This is amazing and ranks very highly for me in terms of creativity. Our top lego activities at the moment are all space based with rockets being the most popular. But we have had a lego bakery with an eskimo theme and a crocodile for the baker, many different zoos, castles, bridges, cars, houses, and even a lego rollercoaster!

Toy Cars
In the dirt, on the mat, in the sand, in the bath and even up the wall. Cars are busy everywhere in our house some days! Although there is often a lot of crashing going on my kids have recently discovered the joy of constructing jumps and once this happens, the play moves to a whole new level of exciting.

The Bug Catcher
Dun dun... Yep moving right along to scientific studies now and there seems to be nothing more riveting that the capture of an insect.

Puppets
I love the dialogue that sneeks out from behind the wings of the puppet theatre during rehearsals. Talk about giggle... but puppets don't have to be conventional, we recently made some very lovely puppets from brown paper bags and you know often the more restricted the materials the more imaginative you become.

Dolls
Well yes I had to mention it because they are quite open ended... Barbies. The activities that I love to see kids doing with Barbies are the role playing ones where the content is really positive.

Dress Ups
Whether it's my clothes or Daddy's the fun is always on in the land of dress ups and you can extend this play to fashion parades and relay games, sewing activities and birthday party themes! This is an age old favorite for sure.

Kids Toys :

• Cubby Houses
• Swing Sets

Kids Birthday Parties Places

Kids birthday parties are special occasions for family, friends and the star of the party. Choosing a location can be tricky. Will it fit your budget? Do you want an inside or outside location? Is it accessible and easy to get to for your family and the other invitees? Think of the party activities your child will want. Does she prefer indoor party games? Does he like sports and want outdoor party games? This can help you pick the perfect party spot.

If it's a smaller party, you can have it at home, inside or out in the yard. Yards are great for BBQ's with hot dogs and hamburgers. Add some chips, pretzels and soda, and you have a nice inexpensive party.

If you have a pool, swim parties allow the kids to cool off if it's hot outside. If you don't have a pool, consider a lake or beach near your home.

Another option is a local park, complete with picnic tables, volleyball nets, swing sets and areas that children can play. These areas often have grills so bring some hot dogs and hamburgers.

If your city has a waterpark, this is great fun for the kids as well. Once again, there's usually pavilions or areas to have a picnic lunch once the partiers are done playing on the water slides. Inform the other parents beforehand on the cost. Maybe one will want to accompany the party group.

An amusement park is also a good idea. Kids can ride their favorite rides then gather together for some good food and birthday cake. Make sure the parents of the attendees know the cost of the park rides so each child can pay his own way.

Kids love pizza! Rent out a room at your favorite pizza parlor. It's extra special if the pizza place has video games or other kid games to play.more....

• Little Tikes
• Hills Outdoor
• Home Accessories

Outdoor Toys For Healthy Kids

In an age when more and more children are spending most of their time inside in front of the television or computer, finding ways to encourage your kids to spend time outside playing actively should be a real priority. Exercise and fun outside at an early age are important to health and the development of good habits, and they'll help your kids burn off some of that extra energy, too. Of course, just going outside into an empty yard with nothing to do can be pretty boring. That's why there are so many great outdoor toys to choose from on the market.

From little babies who are just discovering the world of the outdoors to older kids who still want to play, there are all kinds of great outdoor toys. If you choose yours carefully, you don't have to worry about getting too many - look for toys that your kids are really going to play with, instead of the ones that are just a passing fancy. Buying toys meant specifically to be used outdoors will help your kids stay entertained, let them release some of that extra energy, and keep the toys in better condition than if you'd just used indoor toys and taken them outdoors.

Wooden and plastic playhouse are great fun for kids of all ages. There are plenty of playhouses available for children from toddlers to middle schoolers, with appropriate sizing and safety measures. For playing house, private clubhouses and lots more, these are a lot of fun and will last many years. Climbing frames and jungle gyms can also be a lot of fun.more...

• Cubby Houses
• Swing Sets

Durable Kids Toys For Your Child

What happened to toys that last? If you are over 50 then perhaps you remember that the toys you had as a child lasted many years. Even those that are in their mid to late 30's may even still have one or two toys from childhood that they can pass down to their kids. But how many children's toys do you see today that you can say the same to?

With the every growing need for higher profits and lower spending, most often you will find that toy you buy your child is made in some other country like China. But what kind of quality are those kids toys? And although plastic can take many years to break down, the structure is often compromised quickly and rendered useless. Furthermore, with the electronic age, expecting your digital toy to last a few generations is just not going to happen.

Purchasing cheaper made toys is fine for a family with only one or two children, as long as they don't care about how long they last, but what about the larger family? I know a family that has five boys ranging in age from two to twelve. They understand the need for longer lasting toys like wooden toys, or other sturdy built items. What they have discovered is although money always seems tight, they know what they bought for their first child will still be around for their fifth. However, finding the right kind of safe wooden toy is very important.

What makes a toy attractive to a young child? If you have a beautiful wooden truck or pull along toy, what a child likes and needs to see is some color. The perfect children's toys are brightly colored. These wonderful wooden play things will allow for many hours of fun for your children and last long enough so that all of your children can enjoy them. However, you must be careful that the paint used doesn't have any traces of lead or other harmful chemicals.

The best way to do this is to check the product label, or if you're painting it yourself, check the label on the paint to ensure it is child safe. Most young children will not only play with their toy, but also check out how it tastes and feels in their mouth. Therefore, in order to have safe wooden toys, either purchases them from a company that specialized in these types of toys or paints them yourself.......Article Source

• Cubby Houses
• Kids Fitness Equipment
• Swing Sets

The Theory of Cubby House

I have a theory about cubby houses. I am indeed refering to those magnificant inpentrible structures we engineered as small humans that protected us from monsters, boogie men and siblings. What they really did is created a small kingdom which we could monitor, control and call our own.

All of the happenings in our little kingdoms were known. What this did in our minds is to isolate us, it was a space we had conqured and protected. Our thoughts turn internal. The ongoing homework, chores and aliens were not here in this cubby house, just us in our own little kingdom. Perhaps it was just funky to close the world off?

I don’t think we have changed much as adults, we don’t of coarse build the forts of folded newspaper, bed sheets or card board boxes but we still have our cubby holes. What do I mean? well let me explain. Let’s look at the cubby house/fort/kingdom as partial sensory deprivation. We can’t see as much of the environment around us, perhaps can’t hear it. Maybe we just choose not to collect data from some of our keen sensory devices, either way we are somehow isolated.

As adults what situations does this happen in? I think you will find there is a few. Rain is often a good trigger for this feeling, you vs world, isolation etc. Consider driving in heavy rain. There is lots of noise blocking out external sounds, the rain itself blocks some of your vision. It just you and the cabin of the car vs everything outside – your in your cubby hole. Add in some cool tunes and the music sounds more rich, more alive then every before.more...

Kids Furniture Ideas

When investing in your kids furniture, there are a few things to keep in mind: durability, adaptability and fun. Kids' interests change quickly and they grow just about as fast, so it's important to shop smart. Most kids only need a bed, dresser and a desk with a chair.

You want something that's going to last. Even if your children don't share a room, a bunk bed is nice, because it gives them a place for friends when they spend the night. Dressers are pretty basic, but to add fun to the room, buy a used dresser at a yard sale, strip it, and paint it solid color. Then you can get stencils, decals or stickers and let your child decorate it to fit their taste.

Fun is important to kids. There are many imaginative furniture styles, such as beds shaped like cars or other things.

School playground equipment faces being scrapped

KIDS' play equipment at schools and parks in Moray – paid for by parents after fundraising campaigns – may have to be scrapped if it fails to make the grade.

Concerns over health and safety risks posed to youngsters could force "unauthorised" climbing frames, seesaws and slides to be ripped out.

A review of jungle gyms and other play equipment is being carried out by Moray Council after concerns were raised over the suitability of items bought and installed by the community at Findochty Primary School.

A meeting between parents and council officials was called on Wednesday night by Councillor Anne McKay (Buckie). Villagers heard that a health and safety check had highlighted areas of concern and that although the children have not been stopped from using it in the meantime, it will have to be replaced.more..

Swing Set Safety

Children's swing sets must be properly selected and assembled to prevent serious injury.

Here are recommendations on choosing and assembling a swing set, from the U.S. National Safety Council:

• Make sure the equipment is very sturdy, and look for sets that can be changed or upgraded to accommodate your child's growth.
• Secure the legs of the set in below-ground concrete. If you use anchors that come with the set, keep them below ground. Make sure all cables are taut. Cap any screws or bolts.more...

Swing Set on School Roof

Six high school seniors in Brookfield, Wis., will not be at their graduation ceremony because they built a swing set on their school's roof, an official says.

Superintendent Matt Gibson said the Brookfield East High School students were arrested for the senior prank and received three-day suspensions that will include Saturday's graduation event, Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV reported Friday.

Nate Hoaglund, one of the students punished for the prank, insisted the joke did not result in anything being damaged.

The students have asked for a different punishment for their actions so they can still attend their graduation.

"We have people speaking at graduation and relatives flying in, we didn't want to affect the families of the people that wanted to watch the ceremony," Hoaglund told WTMJ-TV.more..

Expensive Cubby House

3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in this cubby house for just $109,000. Now thats a bargain. But they didnt mention anything about the slide. That would be a selling point in my opinion. Funny Real estate people!

Cubby house project successful

Building and Construction students from Macintyre High School have returned to their younger years and designed and built two magnificent cubby houses using funding and support from the Northern Tablelands Industry and Education Partnership’s Adopt a School program.

Industrial Arts teacher Nick McLoughlin said the program was designed to forge links between school and industry and has helped the students develop skills they will use for life.

“Even if the boys don’t go on to a building or construction related career, they have learnt so many useful skills.

“They wrote up the costs of the project, sourced quotes and fixed any problems they came across, all of these skills will be useful in later life.”

The students split into teams of three to complete different parts of the two cubby houses after they built scale models of what the finished project would look like while in year 9.

Student Josh Warner said building the cubby houses was good fun and has taught him a lot about the practical side of building.

“I don’t know if I would go into construction in the future, but now I will know what to do if I ever need to build anything, big or small.”

Building and Construction was only offered for the first time at Macintyre High School last year but Mr McLoughlin said due to the success the students have had in building their cubby’s, the course would be back again.more..

All about Swing Sets

The seat of swing sets are made of various materials. You can find seats made of flexible canvas, plastic, wood, heavy vinyl, and rubberized tire treads. Any of these will work well for older children. The most ordinary backyard swing set is the use of a wood board that is hung by chain or rope from tree branches. Older children are able to swing high above the ground.

Swing set safety is top priority, it is very important to pull out the owner's manual and review with the children the rules. Children need to understand the rules so everyone can play safe. When shopping for a swing set or play structures make sure all components & accessories are engineered & manufactured to meet or exceed current safety guidelines for residential playground equipment.

PlaySafe Kids are the Distributors and importers of Swings set, Children's Slides, Cubby houses, play centres, playground equipments, Ride-on toys and more direct to the public. For more information visit http://www.playsafekids.com.au

Safety in the Garden

Kids love to play, but play equipment such as swings, trampolines, and monkey bars can lead to falls so it is a good idea to ensure that there is a soft surface for them to land on such as mulch or a thick lawn. Ensure that play equipment is located away from pathways, patios, or garden edging.

Kids love to use the garden so don’t make it difficult for them to do so. Place a container outside that can hold all of their toys such as skipping ropes, balls, and sports equipment.Trampolines, swing sets, sand pits, slides, and climbing equipment are classic backyard additions that every child will love.

Don’t just stick to the traditional items either. Look for something unique that the kids can play on that may just become a backyard feature in itself. Also make sure that the play equipment is located in an area that has shade. No child wants to play on plastic or metal equipment when it has been baked hot by the sun.

Kids Bedroom Furniture

Growing tots with their peculiar needs and ever-growing minds learn faster than we ever can imagine. It is a good idea to decorate your child’s room to stimulate and inspire creativity. Imagination plays a great role in developing your child’s mind and it is a great idea to fashion kids room to be safe, bright and beautiful to encourage creativity.

Modern kids furniture should evolve around themes that inspire versatility. It is important to look into factors that show equilibrium in terms of style and functionality. Kids toys and accessories should be carefully selected for different age groups for you get toys that fulfill on norms for a particular age. You can come across a plethora of modern kids furniture that is fashionable and trendy.

Kids Chairs and Tables

Kids chairs and tables should be decided after looking into practical details. Does your child need the table for writing and study, or also to keep the computer. Computer workstations for children allow great space functionality with draws and open work area for writing. Chairs should be well-designed allowing the right posture while studying. Look for details while rounding up on the best option. Ask questions as it always helps. You can ask someone about the practical details, someone who has kids and that should be great piece of information.

How to Make Cubby Houses

Do you remember the cubby house you used to have as a kid? The one where you used to have a secret knock and a secret password, just to get inside the front door? The cubby house did not remain a cubby houses for long; not with your imagination! It became a Pirate ship sailing the Seven Seas, or a submarine, exploring places you could not even pronounce because they were imaginary! It was a truck and a sports car, a bus and an aeroplane. There was nothing that darn cubby house could not be.

So, just before your own kids start to drive you to distraction, you decide it would be a wise thing to maintain your sanity, and build them a cubby house of their own.