Parenting expert Tanith Carey is supporting Chad Valley’s movement that encourages parents across the UK to share play time ideas via social media using #100daysofplay.
Parenting on Female First
Tanith has put together a top tips list to the perfect guide to playtime.
1. Make the time to play: While it's true you'll never have more hours in the day, you can prioritise the time you do have. Children really do spell love - T.I.M.E. and playtime is one of the best possible ways to bond. If you’re able to spend a dedicated ten minutes to 15 minimum minutes each day of ‘special’ playtime with each child, over time you’ll see a big change in their behaviour.
2. Let them be boss: While it is fine to make suggestions, ultimately let your child decide what to play. If they call the shots, you will find they are less desperate to take control at other times. By giving a child a short period of time when they are in charge, setting the agenda and letting them tell the adult what to do, their need for power will be met and they’ll be less desperate to take control the rest of the time – and there will be fewer tantrums.
3. Praise your child six times for every one time you tell them off: The key to improving children’s behaviour is praise. The more the praise the better they’ll behave. Parents who give out the most praise have better behaved children that those who always look to criticise and correct bad behaviour. Whenever children are NOT behaving badly they must be doing something right. Catch them being good and tell them why you’re pleased with them.
4. Describe what your child is doing well: If kids don’t know why they are being praised for, they won’t know how to get a repeat dose. So it’s important to be explicit about what they did right. You don’t even need to include praise words like “good” or “well done”. Statements like: “You came when I called you” or “Thanks for letting your brother have a go” are often enough.
5. Make Chores Fun: Playtime can be found in the most unlikely places, even housework. If your home is a mess turn tidying into a game. Buy younger children a toy mini shopping trolley in which to put toys picked up from the floor. For older children crank up the music, switch on a timer and make it a race.
6. Eat Together: Studies show the most common denominator among happy, successful children is that they grow up in families who eat together. So instead of catering in shifts for adults and children save time and effort and sit down together to eat and chat.
Tagged in Child children fun activities