Finally, I have gotten to play checkers with my two oldest granddaughters and I had forgotten what a fun game it can be. What a nice, pleasant break from the electronic world and a walk down memory lane to days gone by. And the thing is--I hear they love it and play often together at home. I gave the middle girl one of those gift boxes with one hundred games in it for Christmas, and from what I hear, checkers is the one they play the most. In fact, I think it's the only one! Well, maybe eventually they'll venture out and explore some of the others in that box. Now, don't take this as a criticism of electronic games. I think they are quite fine (I play one of them myself), but it's not a good idea to have children hooked on them exclusively. Good old fashioned board games and good old fashioned outdoor games are a must in any child's life, in my humble opinion. And I am sure many others would agree.
Lovingly,
Nanna Maxine
Tricycle anyone? Great weather for it! Let's make sure the kids of all ages get outside to play and are not only staring down at electronic devices. Not that there isn't anything to be gained from these devices, because there is, but we don't want to let that be it. Fresh air cannot be competed with!
"We say that a girl with her doll anticipates the mother. It is more true, perhaps, that most mothers are still but children with playthings." ~ F. H. Bradley
I've been having some fun this week looking through pictures of little girls and dolls. Now anyone who had known me well in the past would know that as a child, I loved playing with dolls and had the same experience with my two daughters. Not only did they enjoy their dolls, but I enjoyed their dolls almost as much as I had my own. It is a definite fact that our dollies were, in fact, members of the family. Actually, they still are.
Now, in looking through these various photos and paintings of girls and dolls, I've discovered something. To the child, a doll can fulfill several roles. It can provide companionship, be a little "me" who can wear the same outfits, be a student, be a patient, and who knows what else. But more often than not, with the heart of a little girl being what it so often is, you'll find that this little make believe person is someone whom the child can "mother." Somewhere in the interaction between the girl and the doll, you will see it come out. And sometimes the pretend child is almost as big, if not bigger, than the real one. How delightful it is to watch the child's imagination and play. And we all know how important this play is; in fact it has often been called the child's "work." But it is in many ways usually preparing them for adulthood.
Now you may be wondering why this sudden interest in dolls to the extent that I would be perusing photos of them. Well, the reason is our new board at Pinterest. Having recently pinned an absolutely gorgeous vintage photo of a young girl and her doll, this whole idea of "playing mommy" was so apparent, it inspired me to do a whole board dedicated to the concept. So, I've been looking for pictures to put on it, and you won't be surprised to find out there are many to choose from. There are so many pictures of girls and dolls, however, that I decided to be rather choosy about it. You'll see that the focus is not on the dolls themselves, but the children. It's what the child is doing with relation to the doll(s) that I've been trying to capture, or something in her demeanor that caused me to gravitate to a particular photo. Sometimes, it's the look on her face.
You can just imagine how much fun this has been! And you'll even see a few pictures with a little girl and a real live younger person who's being mothered! Remember, we're focusing on the maternal instinct which comes out at a very early age. The board is here and the photo above is typical of what you'll find there: Budding mommies "playing," but in reality, preparing for the future.
Just for fun and because I pinned a good article today about getting your kids to laugh/giggle, here are a few jokes for you to tell your kids or they other people. Here goes:
What is the easiest thing to part with?
A comb.
How many men were born in 1920?
None. Only babies were born.
Why is a catcher's mitt like the chicken pox?
Both are catching.
What do you call a lazy doctor?
Dr. Doolittle
What do you call a rabbit with fleas?
Bugs Bunny
What is the difference between a shiny penny and a dirty nickel?
Four cents
What did Cinderella say while she was waiting for her photos?
"Some day my prints (prince) will come."
Okay, so they're corny. So what? All the better for your kids to tell.
(From Lots O' Riddles, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.)
I had completely forgotten about this game. I'd like to play with my grandchildren. Surely this would be a fun activity for you and one of your children. Or you could encourage a couple of them to play together. Let's not let technology take away the fun we can have together in such a nice way. Good one on one time for sure. And from there....to chess.
Just thought it's a good time to remind you once again of this great website which is full of riches for you and your children. Love gardening at your house? Then go here and the regular OFA site to take advantage of their gardening section. Start out here and go from there. Look around all over for info and fun for the family!
The general Farmers Almanac site is here.
1.
No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats..
2. When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3. If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the
second person.
4. Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5. You can't trust dogs to watch your food..
6. Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair..
7. Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8. You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
The Old Farmers Almanac kids section has some fun online puzzles your children might enjoy doing. You'll find them here. Hope they enjoy!
There is one thing modern technology hasn't ruined. We can still give our kids a blank piece of paper and a box of crayons and keep them occupied for who knows how long. And what benefits! The TV and computer have not yet taken away this wonderful means of encouraging imagination and quiet time activity. Do you keep the projects that your children so lovingly give you? You can always date them, punch holes, and start a notebook to give to them when they graduate from high school! Wish I had done that!And aren't coloring books wonderful ? One of the few things that is still cheap at that!Maxine
Baseball is the game I enjoy the most, even though this year my favorite team, the Philadelphia Phillies, is not doing very well. Above is the Phillies Phanatic, the team's mascot, and he's been pretty sad of late. Oh well, it's important that we all remember to take it for what it is, only a game, and make sure our children see it as just that. The guys who play are entertainers and certainly not heroes. There are many Christian Heroes whom we may hold before our kids who can be for them so much better as examples.But having said that, baseball is fun and it's a good and healthy activity for all ages. A very interesting site has been brought to my attention through one of my groups and I wanted to pass it on. It's all about the sport which is known as our national pastime and I think you and your children will like it if you like the sport itself. Enjoy it here.
