| Do you ever get frustrated when your children | | | | *Play in "play tent" |
| don't play with certain toys in their room? | | | | |
| Do your children ever come to you and say, | | | | *Read a book |
| "I'm bored?" | | | | |
| | | | *Snack |
| I came up with a fun idea that we implement | | | | |
| on school holidays or vacations. I call it | | | | *Computer Game |
| "play stations." For me - this idea solves | | | | |
| two problems in one. | | | | *Polly Pockets |
| | | | |
| 1)It allows my children to play with toys | | | | *Lite Briteand so on. |
| they haven't touched in a long time. | | | | |
| | | | The only rules are that they have to at least |
| 2)It keeps them busy for a few hours. | | | | play with the item for a few minutes before |
| | | | moving on; and they must pick it up |
| What I do for "play stations" is so simple. I | | | | completely before coming to me for something |
| make a list for each child of things to do or | | | | new. |
| play with. I incorporate crafts, chores, and | | | | |
| even allow them to play with a sibling's | | | | My girls actually ask me if they can do "play |
| toys. | | | | stations" sometimes. It helps give them ideas |
| | | | when they can't come up with any of their own |
| A sample list for one of my daughters might | | | | and it shows them that they can play together |
| look something like this: | | | | in the same room without having to play the |
| | | | same thing all of the time. |
| *Dollhouse | | | | |
| | | | I give them each different lists with some of |
| *Color a picture | | | | their favorite items, not-so-favorite items, |
| | | | and sometimes a fun thing to do with me is |
| *Brush cat | | | | included on the list as well. |
| | | | |
| *Barbies | | | | "Play Stations" has been a creative idea for |
| | | | our family. Give it a try and see if it works |
| *Play with sister's horses | | | | with yours, as well. |
| | | | |