Jun 20, 2013 | Anna, Childhood, enrollment, learning, listening, parents, Play, pretend play, teaching
Yesterday, my daughter Eliza (almost 4) and I went to work together. She had spent much of the morning quietly setting up an office in the small entranceway near our front door. When it was ready, she insisted I hurry. Mom! Don’t be late for work! We had a loose...
Jun 13, 2013 | Anna, Childhood, Children, comfort, mom, Play, play affordances, power, role play
Soon after the Boston Marathon attacks, I wrote a post called How Play Development Shapes a Child’s Voice. That day, my husband, our two young daughters and I spent the day in lockdown. This experience reminded me of how much solace we can find in play – not...
Jun 5, 2013 | Anna, Children, loose parts, playgrounds, pretend play
My family’s favourite neighbourhood playground was recently completely redesigned. At one of the first community planning meetings, I mentioned that wood chips are some of the best “stuff” of play. Imagine the odd looks. Really? Who is this crazy person? Please...
