The post Pretend Play For Kids – Brio Red Stove and More appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Most little girls have the dream of being a mum, feeding their baby and dressing up pretty. Actually no scrap that. A lot of toddlers, boys and girls, love pretend play.
I have written about why pretend play is vital for children previously on the blog, you should read it!
I know so many boys that enjoy playing ‘mums and dads’ just as much girls do. They look after their baby, go to work and even cook ‘dinner’ for their family. My son used to pretend he was a dad all the time, he also had a passion for cooking and he mimicked my husband and I every chance he got. (We are both chefs).
My 2 year old daughter has recently discovered her love for food and ‘cooking’. She fills up containers and uses utensils to make her creations but longed for a kitchen that was small enough for her to reach without the use of a chair.
This wish of hers came true when the most adorable Brio red stove was set up to surprise her when she arrived home from child care. She squealed with joy and has barely played with anything else since.
The Brio red stove comes flat packed but seriously only takes a couple of minutes to put together and requires only 2 screws! It was so easy to build.
The stove features a classic look and inspires role play in children. Offering a realistic appearance for children; the oven door opens, the regulator moves and the buttons turn with a clicking sound.
The stove top and oven is large enough that your child can put a few pots, small cupcake tray or as my daughter has proven – a fair chunk of her toy box inside!
I love the size of this Brio stove and oven because it isn’t overly large like the standard ones you see. This is more compact and perfect for toddlers and those with limited space in their homes. Approx. measurements: 51cm H x 30cm D x 41cm W.
At $75 the Brio stove is well built, sturdy and will see you through numerous children. You can view more about the Brio red stove or find your local stockist by clicking here.
Finding fun toys for babies that are durable and safe are hard to find. Especially if you want something affordable!
The Brio motion wobbler is fantastic and will have your baby engaged with its bright colours and the sound that is made each time the toy wobbles. Don’t be alarmed though at the thought of noise, this toy is quiet and offers only a gentle sound as the yellow ball taps the sides of the wobbler.
Another benefit is that it requires no batteries! The Brio motion wobbler is an educational infant toy that has been designed to help develop baby’s senses.
The Brio Toddler Wobbler retails for a low $12.95 which is fantastic given the amazing quality of this toy. Click here to see more information or find you local stockist.
Both of these products are Brio and after seeing the stove and motion wobbler shown above, I am surprised that I had never heard of the brand before now. They offer amazing products that are designed with a child’s best interest at heart and the quality cannot be faulted.
I am so glad parents have the option of trustworthy children and baby products like these. Childsmart provides parents a one stop shop for educational, fun and great quality products, check them out on their website, facebook and instagram.
Disclosure: I received the above products for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own or that of my children.
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]]>The post Imaginative Play – Melissa & Doug Sandwich Making Set appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Imaginative play is encouraged in children from the moment they are old enough to play. For most kids this is something that comes naturally. For others, they sometimes need a little encouragement. This is where the assistance of toys come in.
Last month I wrote an article about the benefits of pretend play for pre-schoolers and toddlers (check it out and share it if you haven’t already!); today I am going to review one of the items I mentioned in that post and let you know why it is a favourite.
Prior to having children, both my husband and I were chefs. Obviously this means there is a passion for food in our home that our kids pick up on. We expect in no way that they follow our footsteps or even share this culinary interest; however like most kids, at some point they have all expressed a desire to learn and incorporate food into everyday play. This is when products like the MELISSA & DOUG Sandwich Making Set come in handy.
Obviously we do not want to be making real sandwiches, picnics and snacks every minute of the day. Not only would that be time consuming but it would result in an extremely costly hobby as well. The sandwich making kit allows children to create their picnic lunch with their favourite ingredients, without any mess or fuss. With the choice of bread or burger buns, they can begin their food creations. Adding lettuce, tomato, cheese, capsicum, meat patty, etc. they learn about not just the order ingredients are placed but also about the individual food items as well.
The sandwich making kit is a 17 piece wooden set that includes 16 sliceable pieces and a wooden knife. The pieces velcro together which not only holds your child’s sandwich in one piece but also adds a ‘crunch’ sound when cut with the knife. Mimicking real life lunch! Just in case you are concerned about how to store the pieces when not in play; the sandwich making set comes with a wooden serving tray that makes the perfect organisation box for sandwich pieces when not in use.
Poppet (Miss 2) is a food fanatic and loves nothing more than getting out her Melissa & Doug sandwich making kit. She will continually make ‘lunch’, eat it, make it again, feed it to someone else and the process just repeats. In the past few weeks, this kit has undergone an extreme taste test and is still in perfect condition. As I have come to expect from Melissa & Doug products; they are built to last! You can find the mentioned sandwich making kit here at child.com.au.
Want 20% off? To receive a 20% discount off Melissa & Doug products – use discount code: MND20.
Disclosure: I received this product for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own or those of my kids.
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]]>The post Benefits Of Pretend Play For Preschoolers appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Don’t dismiss pretend play for preschoolers or toddlers because it doesn’t interest you. This is a crucial part of learning for kids. Read this to understand how!
Your child constantly sees you completing mundane everyday tasks, but to them it is not boring jobs. To them you are doing amazing and complicated activities. They want to learn how to be as amazing as you and this is where the benefits of imaginative play begin.
Pretend play helps children of all ages improve skills they need later in life but because they can advance these talents through fun activities, they will enjoy it and continue to grow. Here are just some of the ways creative play can benefit your child:
• Encourages imagination – the ability to be creative and make up scenarios that can be acted out, allows children to not only be original but also permits them to express themselves in a way they feel comfortable whilst allowing their imagination to progress.
• Social skills – when playing in a group environment, pretend play encourages team work and cooperative behaviour. This is important for their basic social skills to develop and encourage flexibility with ideas.
• Thinking – this is relevant to social skills because when playing with others, not everything is going to happen the way your child expects or wants it to. This allows your child to problem solve and consider other possibilities to achieve a solution. This is often how they develop the skill to improvise!
• Inspires them – playing gives kids the ability to be whatever they want to be. They can be a fireman, astronaut, mum/dad, shop keeper and absolutely anything else that makes them happy! This joy and imagination stimulates their senses and encourages them to further explore possibilities that they previously hadn’t considered.
• Language skills – pretend play offers children the ability to improve their language skills by talking, listening and sharing their emotions. This is so important to the development of a child because it is something they will continue to use for the rest of their life!
Children learn a great deal by simply watching how people around them interact. By mimicking common scenes they witness at home, they are enhancing their cognitive skills and developing behaviour that is appropriate later in life. While imaginative play is something children will learn to do on their own; you can certainly do things to further their interests. Many of which require minimal effort on your behalf!
• Designate room – not everyone has space to assign an entire room to pretend play but most can reserve at least a corner. This is a great idea if possible because it gives your child the space they need to pretend. By filling ‘their area’ with old containers, a bench or table with a sheet over it, boxes, old phones and even dress ups; it is ready for creativity.
The items in this area do not have to be new or costly! Your child will decide whether it is a kitchen, space station, shop, etc. and will ultimately make it whatever they want.
• If you have a new baby in the family, let your child help or copy you complete the parenting jobs. For example: if you are changing a nappy, let them also change their babies (aka doll) nappy or feed it when it is hungry. They want to be involved and are learning each and every time they pretend to be like you!
• If you are doing the washing, vacuuming, making lunches, gardening, etc. – LET THEM HELP!
• Play with them – if they want to play doctors, be the patient. If having tea parties, drink the tea. Place your order and let them bring you your food. Let them be the mail lady. Whatever the situation is – ENCOURAGE IT and BE EXCITED with them!
Childhood is full of learning and development. There are so many options that allow kids to learn while having fun; for more ideas on how you can get involved with imaginative play (click the link).
It is critical to a child’s progress that they are encouraged every day; so make pretend play for preschoolers important to you too.
This is an S1 POST in collaboration with Child.com.au.
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