Let's Play!

"Play with them!" 

That's what my mom told me when I complained to her yesterday morning about not knowing if I could possibly home school our kids. My mom wisely reminded me though that right now what young children need most is time and space to play; real structured learning will come later.

My immediate response: "Play? How do I do that?"

I am not sure that I ever "played" as a child. My poor brother had to beg me to come outside and play with him because I was usually holed up in my room with a book. My idea of fun was learning something: I liked to memorize trivia and pretend to be a teacher and do workbooks. Yes, I was {and still am} a nerd.

My desire to play school has not ended; I simply have new pupils. However, like my little brother, these students prefer to run and draw and splash. And why shouldn't they? They are only kids. However, there is this ever-present voice inside my head that asks me: "Why isn't she reading yet?" And I start to get down on myself for not teaching her, for not knowing where to even start except that we read dozens of books every day.

My "31 Days of Play!" Challenge

So when my mom said, "Play with them!" The wheels started turning in my head, I pushed out {at least temporarily} my fears about my children being forever illiterate and started brainstorming ways we could play more together this summer. 

Notice I said "together" because I intend to play too! No reading, no surfing the blogosphere, no cleaning {ha!}. I need to learn how to relax and enjoy playing with my children, so that is what I intend to do.

Every day, beginning July 1st, I hope you will join us for "31 Days of Play!" We will have a new frugal activity each day from inside activities like arts and crafts and pretend play to adventures in the great outdoors like.  

Note: These activities will cost nothing or very little and most will require very little preparation because I am cheap and have only so much time in my day :)

I hope you will play with us in July!

Do you enjoy playing with your children? What are your favorite activities?

Blessings to you!

Keri

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com

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This post is linked to: The Better Mom Mondays, Teach Me Tuesdays, Time-Warp Wife Titus 2Days, Top 10 Tuesdays, Loving Our Children Tuesdays, Women Living Well Wednesdays, Raising Homemakers Wednesdays, Raising Mighty Arrows Proverbs 31 Thursdays, Beautiful Thursdays