November 6th: SK Showcase and Weekend Links

Photo by Leonid Mamchenkov

Friday is Showcase Day here at Simple Kids, and this week Bonnie (Teaching Pirates) submitted an example of a practical way that we as parents can always be connecting our children’s play to what they are learning:

We all know children learn from play. Every now and then its nice to pause and observe this in action.

My pirates are currently train-obsessed. Over time, their train play has become more complex and detailed. Sometimes I join in, contribute my ideas, answer questions, but mostly they just go for it on their own.

So what can be learned from train sets?  Here’s a few observations that come to mind:

Setting up the track
~ measurement and spatial concepts
~ shape and size
~ negotiation, sharing and listening to other people (when working together)
~ planning skills

Playing
~ the need for rules and systems
~ taking turns, patience
~ how magnets work
~ social skills for working with others (through role play – our trains all seem to have names and characters)
~ language relating to city/country life, trains, people, traffic, accidents, the list is endless depending on which way the game goes!

So cherish their play, encourage it, and let them guide you to whatever they are ready to “learn” next.

Thank you, Bonnie!

Don’t forget to check the Showcase FAQ – you never know what you might be inspired to share.

And now, your weekend reading:

Simply Practical

SugarDoodle: Thanksgiving Thankful Countdown
Steady Mom: How to Get Out of the House
La Vida Dulce: Why I Pay My Kids in Monopoly Money (via Musings of a Housewife)

Simply Delicious

Fix Me A Snack: Stuffed Dates
simply breakfast: (egg in a hole)

Inspired Projects

Kids Craft Weekly: Simple Cards
Scribbit: How to Make Corn Husk Dolls

Inspired Images

beauty that moves: i took a walk yesterday
GardenMama: The Lion, The Butterfly, and The Frog

Inspired Words

API Speaks: The Messages We Send Our Children
Zen Family Habits: The Secret Life of High Energy Parents

What did you read or write this week that you might like to share with the SK community?