What favorite childhood memories come to you right away?
I have to think pretty hard to remember my favorite toys. In fact, I can’t even tell you one memorable birthday present item off the top of my head.
However, what does instantly come to mind is the memory of belly laughs. For example, I’ll never forget the whole family “talking” for characters on a muted TV (we still do this). Drawing faces on our chins. Producing our own “cooking shows” and giving full-out living room performances of The Nutcracker.
It’s pretty easy to sum up the common denominator here: creative, imaginative play (thanks to the space my parents created for that to take place). I’m willing to bet that some of your favorite childhood memories involved imaginative play with a loved one, too.
It’s not realistic for us to play with our kids around the clock.
Nor is it good for them. Independent play is important!
With constant notifications and pings, it can be really hard to block out the noise and even easier to plop our kids in front of the TV (don’t get me wrong — I grew up watching Sesame Street and it’s still on pretty much every day at my house now). Because sometimes, that’s the just the path of least resistance when I need to get things done.
After all, we are busy. We’ve got work to do, messes to clean up, groceries to put away, meals to cook, emails to answer, and the list goes on.
Oh yeah… and maybe shower? That definitely got put on the back burner when I became a mom.
So, when we are able to carve out some chunks of time here and there to spend time with our kids playing, how can we really make it count?
At the end of each day in our house, we all share our favorite part of the day and one thing for which we’re grateful. And it almost always has to do with moments of connection through silliness, play, and creativity. The types of things I talk about here on the Playful Heart Parenting blog.
Add all of those up throughout the years, and that’s what I want my kids to remember from childhood.
It’s what I want to remember of their childhood, too.
There are so many amazing parenting blogs already available.
I have plenty of qualms with the internet and social media, but I also know it’s helped me in motherhood. From empathy-based parenting (Dr. Becky at Good Inside or Big Little Feelings), easy recipes that satisfy the whole family (Yummy Toddler Food), to activity “hacks” for my little one (The Busy Toddler), there is a wealth of helpful knowledge out there for us parents.
So, why start my own?
A friend of mine recently said this to me:
“When Annabel [age four] asks me to play, I literally don’t know what to do sometimes. I’m just like… okay, wanna play blocks?”
Playing blocks is valuable time spent with your kid. But let’s be honest. Sometimes, getting down on the floor and playing blocks can feel like a chore, right?
What if you had a go-to resource for some ideas that actually sound fun to YOU as the parent? That stimulate your creativity? Make you laugh? Fulfilling to both of you.
Here, I talk about how to fully engage in creative, imaginative play with your child to get the most out of that quality time. Also, I offer ideas for creating space for kids to take your ideas and run with them on their own.
I draw from my experiences of growing up in a goofy, creative family, over a decade of working with kids in theatre education, and becoming a stepmom and mom. Then, I break down easy ways to sprinkle in this type of play throughout the day.
Some ideas are a little more involved and require some energy. But many are easy. Because, let’s face it. We are tired!
You’ll find free ideas, tips, and templates for creative play and activities to help you connect with your children and build those lifelong memories. I hope to inspire other parents to find their inner creativity, imagination, and silliness. To take my ideas and tailor them into versions that best fit their families.
By the way, my favorite ideas are on little to no budget and waste-free.
All you need is the willingness to have a playful heart.
Hi! I’m Mia.
Mom, stepmom, wife, songwriter, performer, and theater educator.
I love sharing ideas, tips, and templates for connecting with kids through low-to-no budget, waste-free, creative play.
[…] Why do I remember that little detail? Because we laughed so hard about it at the time. And THOSE are the kinds of childhood memories that last forever. […]