Archive - October 2010

Life with kids can get messy. I’ve had to curb my neat freak ways and let the blocks (and Lego pieces and dolls and picture books) fall where they may.  My kitchen these days looks like a toy store exploded and honestly, I’m ok with it.  As long as the bulk of it stays off the floor so I don’t trip while carrying a pot a boiling spaghetti water, I’m good. We have a “choice board” posted in the kitchen. This is where Avery’s activities are displayed for the day. This way she knows what to expect. It also helps to build language skills and provides her with choices. There’s rarely a day when she doesn’t select “kitchen play” as one of her free choice activities. Here’s the thing, kids learn by playing. Imaginations come to life in the kitchen and all children benefit from role playing and imitating.  Children, like Avery, who have speech delays benefit even more. We set up a play kitchen IN our kitchen.  It’s fully stocked with plastic dishes, utensils, pots and pans and plastic food of every description. When I’m in the “big” kitchen preparing a meal..what? I do so cook!…Avery is often right[…]