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Connecting Family through Creative Play: Snapshot of Parenting with Purpose

One of the most comforting things a mother can find is a kindred spirit – another mother to share your joys, and also your worries with.  Someone who can inspire you and help you think more deeply about the type of mother you wish to be for your child.  It is so encouraging to know that there are like-minded individuals out there who can give advice when you are in need of it or just listen when you’ve had a rough day.

Out of the conversations that I’ve had with one such mother, I’ve come to realize that making a connection with your children can be more than just being with them and sharing in their daily routine.  These multiple exchanges with a mum halfway around the world has led to the focus of play – creative play – and how incorporating it into the daily rhythm of your family can bring you closer together and even add a little solace in an otherwise hectic day.

Kat, from Creative Playhouse, and myself, turned those conversations into a project – an eWorkshop that we are opening up to parents who wish to take on a 30 day adventure with us.   This workshop, “Connecting Family through Creative Play”, was created so that parents around the world could coalesce into a group and join in during our discussions about:

  • ways to get the whole family involved with play
  • how to find a balance between everyday tasks that fill up your to-do list and connecting with your child in meaningful ways
  • discovering fresh ideas and techniques that incorporate play into the daily rhythm of your family
  • ways to deepen your understanding of the benefits of play and how it can help your children, as well as yourself
Throughout this eWorkshop, we hope that you will find creative ideas that you can adapt to your family’s needs and interests.  These challenges and prompts will share lasting ways that you can connect with your children through an online community.  Along the way, we plan to explore family relationships and some inventive ways to strengthen the bond between parents and their children.

 

 

Because we feel so passionately about sharing our thoughts related to creative play with you, this eWorkshop is a pay-what-you-wish venture.  If you register, beginning on March 3rd you will receive daily emails from myself and Kat, with ideas and information on a specific topics, followed by an inspiration to play, and a creative family challenge.  You will also get access to an {optional} private Facebook group where you can connect with parents all over the world and share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns along the way.

Kat is a work at home mum of 2, to Jake (3) and Poppy (1), and hails from the UK.  She blogs creatively about her two passions, play and parenting, at Creative Playhouse and her collaborative blog, Mummyology.  She received her B.A. in Performance Studies and earned an M.A. in the Arts.  Her background includes early years education and special needs (with a focus in autism.) To learn more about Kat, click here or visit her Facebook page.

 

Gina is a stay-at-home mom to Grady (2.5) and has recently moved back to her hometown in Pennsylvania.  She started blogging in 2011 as a way to record her family’s memories and share ways to foster connections through play and inspiration.  She received her B.A. in Sociology and a M.Ed. in Elementary Education.  Prior to becoming a SAHM, Gina taught 4th and 5th grade in the public school systems.  To learn more about Gina, click here or visit her Facebook page.

Kim’s “Spin On It”
We often are asked how to prepare children for school and my first statement is PLAY!  When I read the title of this eworkshop I knew it was a place I wanted to be a part of and share with our readers!
We are so excited about this new journey that Kat and Gina are taking together in teaching this Connecting Family Through Creative Play ecourse.  With great anticipation, I’m looking forward to receiving Play Prompts and Challenges from them in my email and getting engaged with fellow Moms in the private facebook group all with the goal of understand the POWER OF PLAY!
I think that one of the best ways to validate what you do as a mom is to connect with other moms who are going through similar things as you.  It’s no secret you will find Amanda and me on the phone having a moment together about our children and the latest thing they’ve been up to.  Truthfully we see each other quite a bit but because we’re surrounded by kids and on the watch we barely finish a real conversation in person and rely on technology to get our thoughts completed.
I think every parent needs that person to bounce ideas off of.  At times you can find it in friends, moms groups or religious groups but sometimes it’s that kindred spirit you just connect with in a different way that validates your feelings and efforts.  Both Kat and Gina’s websites have inspired me to be a better parent to my children so I know this eworkshop will be packed with original and creative ideas to help you connect with your child through play.

Articles and Ideas for the Importance of Play

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Comments

  1. I think finding moms to connect with is so important and has been the most valuable thing I have gained from blogging.

  2. I am so glad that educators and moms like you encourage play and learning through play because it's something worth investing time in. All too soon, kids get too busy for unstructured playtime. I think there is a window where this is the most important thing of all — not practicing an instrument, learning a language, practicing a sport, or doing extra curricular academics. Is this window toddler to 3rd grade-ish?

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