One of the things I love about school holidays is the opportunity to think big about play. I aim to think of play, not only in sessions, but over days and weeks. Creating play environments is a perfect example of this because it starts with the building phase, then the play phase, and the play evolves with the environment. It’s wonderful to watch the kids play like this. The Summer days are long, so the children are particularly enjoy playing in the late afternoon, from 3.30 to about 6 pm.
Below is one of the school holiday activities the children enjoyed. We did it in two parts.
Part 1: Decorate an Outdoor Tree
Recently, the kids and I made handmade Christmas Tree decorations. As we finished each decoration, we hung them on the trees outside. The decorations looked pretty on the trees, so we left many of them there because they were cheap to make, and most decorations were made of relatively weather proof materials, for example, the pine cones, button wreath and chocolate case decorations. Spoons also make for a wonderful outdoor tree decoration; this is the spoon mobile we made last year: Fairy House or Pirate Trap.
This is a fun activity for kids in the lead up to Christmas. You don’t even have to make your own decorations: a box of cheap baubles work well too.
Part 2: Extend to a Fantasy Play Space
I’ve seen play space ideas pop up everywhere, like this one from Picklebums, and here at KleenexMums. I love the concept because it’s like making your own toys and is full of creative potential. The idea is to create a mini play environment with toys and items you have around the house. I’ve set out below an example on how we created a play environment.
1. Tree House
My son and I had previously painted a Santa House and we placed this between some branches to create the Tree House. A tree house can be made of a piece of wood, thick cardboard, painted or unpainted box, plastic container or anything else you can think of.
2. Fairy Food Cups
I attached mini patty cake cases on to a few leaves with craft glue. Later, while the kids were playing, I put cachous in. The kids thought it was such a fun surprise when they found them!
3. Fairy House Play Space
In a fruit box, we found a range of related items to create a fairy play space. It was the children’s idea to put pegs around the box. I pretty much gave them the concept and they ran with it. These are the materials we used:
- Box
- Pegs
- Piece of wood
- Wood chips
- Stones
- Shells
- Duplo
- Fairy
- Gift box
4. Set up
To make the area comfortable for the kids, I put down our Recycled Mat, and then placed our Strawberry Jam floor cushions down.
5. Toys
As the children played, they added toys, and other things like the bricks from the Rock Garden to the mix.
6. Packing up
Packing up wasn’t difficult. We left the outdoor tree decorations, packed up the mat and brought the toys, cushions and play space box inside. I wanted to make it easy to set up again in case the kids wanted to play the next day. In the morning, I found these two playing with the play box inside.
This sort of creative play takes a little effort to set up but I find the play lasts for days so is well worth it.
More School Holiday Ideas Posts
- Sunny Coast Kids: School Holiday Ideas
- KleenexMums School Holiday Activity Ideas
- 15 Adventurous Things To Do With Kids
- School Holiday Diary
- 10 School Holiday Ideas to do at home
- 10 Healthy School Holiday Activity Ideas
More Extended Play School Holiday Ideas
Rock Garden
OpShop Cubby
Photo Dolls
Snow Diorama
14 Comments
Julie
December 16, 2011 at 7:18 amMy in-laws just gave us the large box from mother-in-law’s new sewing machine. I have been thinking about what to do with it (I know the possibilities are endless!). Now I have another great idea. Thanks
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
December 16, 2011 at 4:51 pmYou’re welcome! You’re right: the possibilities are endless!
katepickle
December 16, 2011 at 8:39 amThe best thing about creating an imaginative play space is that it’s just a beginning… it’s a little something that you know your kids are interested in, which almost always turns into something even more wonderful once they start playing!
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
December 16, 2011 at 4:51 pmExactly. Thanks for all your inspiration Kate.
The Grass is Greener (plus giveaway)
December 16, 2011 at 1:20 pm[…] totem tennis equipment, play soccer, put large buckets out on the lawn for water play, bring inside toys out on a large mat on the grass, put up a cheap tent and let the kids play (they might even sleep out […]
Katriina
December 16, 2011 at 8:09 pmLots of great ideas – thanks!
We live in an apartment building without our own garden, so we focus on indoor play spaces. This week, my two girls built an elaborate cubby house in their bedroom using sheets pegged to chairs, and they have even created separate rooms (kitchen, bedroom, dining room, etc). It takes up most of their shared bedroom, but I have let them leave it intact for several days. It brings them so much pleasure to continue their game, and it’s such multi-dimensional play – they build the physical setting, they role-play, they dress up as different characters and use all kinds of props. Every day the game changes and evolves. Wonderful!
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
December 18, 2011 at 11:26 amLoved reading that. Perfect example. It’s all about the concept of extended play isn’t it. I believe kids learn so much from this type of play.
The Best of 2011
December 30, 2011 at 3:27 pm[…] Make a Magical Play Space […]
Imaginative Play Scene — Tree House
January 9, 2012 at 9:56 am[…] We extended this play scene into a magical fairy land. You can read about it in this post: Magical Play Space. […]
Family Dynamics: It’s like the Zipper
January 15, 2012 at 9:43 pm[…] magical outdoor play space (below) is a perfect example of this. My son created a road with the bricks from our rock garden […]
Imaginative Play Scene: Rock Towers
January 17, 2012 at 9:17 am[…] and I are having so much fun with imaginative play scenes this holidays. We recently created a Magical Play Space and Desert Island Play Scene and this time, we created a rock […]
Milk Bottle Lids: Tree House
February 25, 2012 at 10:50 am[…] Create a magical outdoor space […]
Saying “No” to Micro-Managing: What it Looks Like
February 27, 2012 at 7:38 am[…] imaginative games with the space to create. I help set up creative play opportunities, like this one, and then allow my children the space to play. I also provide many opportunities for my children […]
Hampton Swim School
June 23, 2015 at 11:37 pmohhh this is just adorable!! We have been collecting some unusual pebbles on our adventures so now I know what we can do with them these school holidays.