DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 266 559 EC 181 721

AUTHOR Lange, Jenny; Zieher, ConnieTITLE An Invitation to Play.INSTITUTION' Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

Div. for Handicapped Children and Pupil Services.SPONS AGENCY Office of Special Education (ED), Washington, D.C.REPORT NO WDPI-Bull-6070PUB DATE 185]GRANT G008300526NOTE 45p.; Wisconsin State Early Childhood: Exceptional

Education Needs Project.PUB TYPE Guides - Non-Classroom Use (055)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Child Rearing; Disabilities; *Learning Activities;

*Parent Child Relationship; Parent Role; *Play;Preschool Education; *Young Children

ABSTRACTThe manual is intended to provide suggestions for

play to parents of young children with exceptional educational needs.Ninetaln types of t^tivities are described and pictured, includingmake believe with boxes, dress-up activities, kitchen p'ay, bubbles,small motor activities using beans and buttons, use of throw-awaymaterials, painting, activities with paper, stringing activities,coloring, tactile play, rhythm and music, play dough, water andsandplay, and outdoor activities. The final page presents suggestionsfor setting the stage for play (with information on play areas,materials, and clean up). (CL)

************************************************************************ Reproductions supplied by IMRE are the best that can be made ** from the original document. *

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF tDUCATIONLail

ED CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC) A k i. Ths document has been reproduced as

*carved from the person or organization

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141erbert .1. Grover, State Superintenden

originating it

Minor ehanges haw been made to improve**Production quality

Points of slew or opinions stated in this docu

ment do not nexessanly represent official MEposition or poky

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"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

seliad/A4.,ta.

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)"

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

An Invitation To Play

This is a booklet fox parents of young children with exceptional educationalneeds. It was developed through a state implementation grant from the U.S.Department of Education, Office of Special Education.

I

Wisconsin Department of Public InstructionHerbert J. Grover, Ph.D., State Superintendent

Victor J. Contrucci, Assistant SuperintendentDivision for Handicapped Children and Pupil Services

WISCONSIN STATE EARLY CHILDHOOD:EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION NEEDS PROJECT

Jenny LangeJim McCoyConnie ZieherHolly Dungan

Written and Complied by: Jenny Lange, EC:EEN SupervisorConnie Zieher, EC:EEN Project Co-Coordinator

The Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, handicap or national origin.

3 Bulletin No. 6070

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSA special thanks to the following people for their fine contributions.

Layout and DesignCoverPhotographyPublications .

Typesetting

Jill Howman... Jill HowmanNeldine Nichols.. Jerry Jackson. . Mark Aulik

We also wish to thank the following people who participated in the product development workshops:entitled: "Facilitating Positive Parent Child Interactions Through Play"

Nancy Amacher Muriel Dimock Carol Kiemel Connie OlsonKathleen Anderson Debra Dorn Cathleen Kuhtz Jan OnckenMary Barbeau Ann Dougherty Maureen Laileur Marshall PooleTeri Bartels Pat Durst Mary Luchterhand Jane ReichartNancy Beilke Candice Engelke Sharon Ludwig Paula SchmidtElizabeth Benning Jean Hilliard Put Lyntwyn Diane SimsLinda Bolles Jackie Hoffman Debra Mallas Kathy SommersMillie Bouche Sara Holzman Sue Marsden Kim StevensRegina Brayer Kay Ironside Lynn Matysiak Sandy TullyMary Bross Debbie Jones Jean Niels Rita WagnerLucinda Brye Kathie. K.Alner Susanne Nelson Frances WheelerSandy Corbett Dallas Kerzan Brent Odell Kathy Zeidler

Reproduction of Mater4als

Permission is given to any intlix 'dual in facility to reproduce An Invitaticn to Play in any desired quantity for local use.However, at no time shall the booklet be sold of a profit made on the use of this males ail. A charge may be made to recoveractual costs involved in duplication and dissemination if such a charge is absolutely necessary When duplicated or usedafter revision, full credit must be given to the Wisconsin EC:EEN Project, Department of Public Instruction, 125 SouthWeb:4e' Street, P O. Bo 7841, Madison, WI 53707.

This booklet was produced in part with funds from the United States Office of Education (USOE1, Bureau for Education ofthe Handicapped, Project Number 024CH3002, Grant Number G008300526, and funds from the Wisconsin Department ofPublic Instruction, DeafBlind V1C funds.

The opinions expressed in this booklet do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the USOE, and no officialendorsement by the USOE shall be infer red

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Who'sInvited:

Anyonewhowants

toshareamoment

andmakesome

specialmemories.

When:Whenever

youcanmakethe timetosetthestage

oreven

joinin thefun.

Where:Anyplace

thatallowsyouandyourchild

thespaceto

HAVEFUN!

Itis ourhopetheseactivities

willencourageyoutofindthemany

waystosharethe

precioustimeyouhave

with yourchildintheseshortandwonderful

preschoolyears.

Explorethemany

possibilitiesandhavesome

funalongtheway!

CONTENTSCome On In 1 Paper Capers 11

My Very Own Place 2 Stringing Along With Me 12

Make Believe With Boxe3 3 Color My World 13

Dressing Up 4 Fee lies 14

Kitchen Play 5 Rick, Roll, 'N Romp 15

Round 'N Round It Goes 6 Pat-A-Cake 16

Bubb lin' Bubbles 7 Splish-Splashin' Away 17

Beads 'N Beans 'N Buttons Ss_ndscape 18'N Bolts 8

Exploring The Great__Throvv-Aways or Play-Aways . 9 0 itdoors 19

Pic' A Paint and Paint A Pic . ... 10 Setting The Stage For Play 20

7

Come on in... Take a Peek...

You'll want to stay and play!

1

My Very Own PlaceA blanket over a clothesline, an

empty box, or a sheet over a table canprovide a little "niche" where childrencan play on their own. It's fun to havea safe little place to be alone with afavorite toy or to go on a pretendcamping trip.

9

If you're lucky, you might be invited in. A guestwho remembers to bring a snack for the owner ofthe hideaway will probably be welcomed withopen arms.

21()

Make Believe With BoxesEnter the world of make believe where a

cardboard box can become a truck, a train, or abus. With a few modifications, the box can betransformed into a tunnel, puppet stage or animalcage. Your child can push, pull, or build withcardboard boxes, both indoors and outdoors.

Remember to pick up a few boxes at thegrocery store and let your child use his or herimagination. If you have enough boxes, eachchild can have his or her own private "house" andcan decorate it as he or she wishes.

If a box is destined to become a television, helpyour child cut out a "picture tube" and supplysome aluminum foil to make the antenna. Later,the box might become a spaceship, and yourliving room the planet Mars!

12

Dressing UpSTOP! Don't give all those closet rejects away.

Set aside a few old clothes and pieces of jewelrythat your child can use. Keep them in a specialbox or drawer that is easy to reach. At first, yourchild may just enjoy playing with a big hat in"peek-a-boo" fashion or trying on a string ofbeads. (A mirror will double the fun.)

A hat, a worn totebag, a.,d an old vest cantransform your child into a telephonerepairperson, mail carrier, office clerk, or anyoneelse he or she wants to be. Provide a few propsand encourage your child to enter the world ofmake believe.

13 4 i4

15

t"... 7. i"I% '

Kitchen PlayHear the kettles banging? Smell the cheese

sauce? Feel the heat from the steaming macaroni?

The kitchen is a great place to learn about the fivesenses. There are inexpensive playthings in everycupboard: a wooden spoon, a plastic bowl, and a setof measuring cups are great fun for your child.Keep a box of those unbreakable items in the corneror under a table for his or her private collection.

Let your child help by filling, emptying, stirring,shaking, and of course, tasting the final product.Then, do simple clean up jobs together such aswrapping up leftovers inaluminum foil. Rememberto save the empty contain-ers for your child's "stash"of kitchen tools.

5

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16

JO/

Round N' Round It GoesGive your child different kinds of balls. Watch how he or

she reaches, grasps, bats, throws, rolls, bounces, and evenkicks them through the air. You can change ball play byproviding a board for a slope, a container for a basket, orempty milk carton for a target. The interesting thing aboutthis toy is that, just like your child, it never stays where youleave it!

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iquidlittle water canof enjoyment forBu are fun to chase

hands . . . or pop

em high up to the sor to the grounbig or little bubbles,just a few! Talk abouthape, and

Onflythem.

Beans N' Beads N'Buttons N' Bolts

Picking up beans, stacking checkers, sort-ing and matching beads or twisting a nuton a bolt are all great activities to helpchildren develop control over their fingers.

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Also, try playing simple games withthese items like "button-toss," "find onelike mine," or "hide the penny." Letchildren experiment, but be sure to stayclose by in case a button finds its way intoyour child's mouth ... and turns into a"belly button."

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Throw-AwaysOr

Play-AwaysSave egg cartons - they're great fir sorting; wipe out

coffee cans - they make great drums or banks; and don'tthrow out paper towel tubes - they're really a telescopein need of a pirate.

Many of the food items and paper products youpurchase come in small packages and containers thatchildren can use for play. They can stack, sort, store,fill, and empty these items to their hearts' delight.Since they are throw-aways, no one cares if they getplayed-away instead.

23

Ak

24

Salt and FlourFingerpaint

1 cup flour14 cup salt1 cup cold water

v: at gmad?

Pic A Paint And tPaint A Pic'

Giving your child a bucket of water and abrush to "paint" the sidewalk is a great wayto introduce the joy of painting.

....

Many toddlers enjoy the tactile (or feeling)... experience of fingerpainting with a .0.

homemade mixture. Another fun activity ise to lay paper in a shallow box and place paintdipped marbles in the box ... then shake, '

**"f rattle, and roll!

1 drop liquid dish soapFood coloring or powdered paintWintergreen (a few drops)

Stir flour and salt into water, add soap and foodcoloring or powdered paint. A few drops of winter-green will take away the flour smell. The "paint" willhave a grainy texture.

wit, IP% dolb arit aiiks25 'NV ad; tar era %IV 10

LIWhen your child is ready to use commercial

paints, watercolors and tempera paints are ..).... available in most variety stores. While

famous artists may have been restricted to .0.

the brush, you can try strings, sponges,leaves, and even FEET!

oft. Jr. Ire"tap Clio t'ler. %AD

)010% 401111 A.4114:1

emir are nwl

Paper CapersSave junk mail, old maga-

zines, wrapping paper, andother discarded paper productsfor your child to pile, sort, fold,and carry to every corner of thehouse in search of a "mailbox."

Your toddler may also enjoycrinkling crumbling, crushing,and cramming scrap paperinto various sized boxes andcontainers.

Find a special place to storeold magazines so you can sitdown with your child to turn thepages together look at the pic-tures and name objects. Cut outfavorite pictures together andpaste them in a special scrap-book. To encourage language,ask your child to tell you something about each picture andthen write it down next to the picture.

27 11LEr

,.'

Stringing Along ith MeA bead is not the only thing a child can

string. Old curlers, empty spools, washers,buttons, macaroni and curtain rings aregreat for stringing.

23

u can pierceh an object,h styro foamr cups, it

1 for str.rs may

us pe cleanstr while thexpe ced childshoe ngs or yar

eg-toor

oretry

Gat bag of "tchild a necklahis or oom. Ycan m- methin

12

ngs with holes" and help youre, belt, anklet, or a mobile forngsters feel great when they

wear or share!

30

Color My WorldSpontaneous scribbling, marking, and making

random forms and designs are important steps inyour child's develolment. Encourage thiswonderful form of self-expression by providingcrayons or markers and lots of paper.

A child creates a great deal of art work beforedrawings look like houses, people, or other familiarobjects. Remember art does not have to berecognized as anything specific to be art ... it's theprocess, not the product that's important.

After a great deal of experimentation, your childmay combine the shapes and lines to make whatadults may recognize as a person.

"Look, I drew you!"

1332

Fee liesYour child can learn a great deal

about texture and form byhandling a variety of materials.

Through their sense of touch,children learn to determine if anobject is hard or soft, smooth orrough, or heavy or light. Ask yourchild if he or she likes feeling it.Soft and furry feathers, squishymud, and bumpy corn all generatedifferent responses.

Can your child identify objectsjust by feeling them? Put ablindfold on your child and askhim or her to guess what the objectis. Or, make a feelie box. Cut ahole in opposite sides of a medium-sized box and fill it with differentobj,:cts. Place the box in front ofyour youngster so that he or shecan reach but not see into it. Askyour child to feel and name theobjects in the box ... then lift thebox and see how many wereidentified!

33

Walking barefoot in the grass, crushing egg shells, rubbinghand lotion, or smearing vegetable shortening in a cake panare other sensory experie, ces that give your child moreinformation about the world.

14 34

Rock, Roll, N' RompMany children first learn about music by hearing their mother's voice

humming a lullaby or daddy singing the latest pop tune as they're rockedto sleep. The melodic tunes you sing about eyes, ears, toes, and fingershelp your toddler begin identifying body parts. Other fingerplays and

musical games like "LondonBridges" and "Ring 'Roundthe Rosie" not only teach avariety of concepts butthey're fun to act out withother people.

If your little one is in themood to form a band, you caninvent instruments with lotsof things from the kitchen. Acoffee can or oatmeal boxmakes a great drum and pietins become loud cymbals.So, turn on the radio, wind upthe music box, or put on arecord and encourage yourchild to clap, sway, or even

r = dance to the rhythm. Enjoy!

35 15 36

*

r TncookedI ,y Dough

2 cups flour (sifted) 14- tablespoons cooking oil

4- cup salt (add last)

4 cup water Food coloring (optional)

Mix and knead all the ingredients togetheradding a bit more water if needed. Put in an airtight container and keep in refrigerator.

37

Pat-A-Cake"Play dough" is dough to play with ... poke,

pound, push and pull on. Encourage your childto use his or her hands to squeeze and let go.Show your toddler how to roll dough intodifferent forms to create something special.Rolling pins, cookie cutters, pans, and otherequipment from the kitchen items allow yourchild to pretend to bake just like mom or dad.

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111%)

s Spli7Splashin' AwaySummer days provide a great opportunity for

you and your child to wade, splash, and cool off ina pool or at the beach. When that's not possible,the bathtub, a dishpan of water, or even thekitchen sink gives your child a place to pour, stir,dunk, float, fill, and measure ... or just get wet!

Plastic cups, bottles, funnels, sponges and otheritems that float are just a few things childrenenjoy playing with in the water. And you canalways throw in a bar of soap for some good cleanfun!

1740

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6*.f.r.:$1...

SandscapeThe wonderful thing about sand is what it can

become. When dry, sand pours and sifts like flour, butafter a rainfall it can be packed and shaped into asandcastle.

Even very young children enjoy grabbing handfuls ofsand a:.-t, v T,.hing it slip through their fingers. Giveyour child ariety of utensils to play with in the sandand watch rim or her make pies and cakes and other"sandy delicacies."

The sandbox is also a great place to make roads,mountains, and tunnels, or to dig for buried treasures.Hide something In the sand and encourage your child tosearch for and identify the object.

18 42

_A

ExploringThe Great Outdoors

Oh, what great treasures the outdoors holdsfor your child: op

frogs and flowers0Wde..,Fir

berries and birdsikants exk and apples

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The list is endless! ea .ffigtea iI43

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As you walk through a backyard, avacant lot, or park talk to your childabout what he or she sees and hears.Take time to feel the rough bark of a treeor smell the aroma of a flower. Askquestions that require more than a yes orno answer. All this will help your childpay more attention to the wonders ofnature. Take a sack lunch along and,after the picnic, use the empty sack togather seeds, leaves, and other items thatcan be taken home and pasted on a pieceof cardboard or heavy paper.

44

111."111"11111PmPler..."1111117

Setting The Stage For PlayYOUR CHILD

Consider how your child is feeling when yousuggest a play idea If your child is excited, youmay want to choose a quiet activity, such ascoloring, puzzle play or sand play; if he or she isbored, you may want to chase bubbles or dress-up in old clothes

Keep in mind that when a child is not feelingwell, he or she may want to return to the earlierstages of play or simply crawl into your lap andlook at a book with you.

Encourage your child's efforts rather than judgethem; it's the "doing" that's most important to achild--not the finished product.

Praise your child for trying, experimenting, andusing imagination in play. (i e., "You're such aclever boy" or "I'm so proud of you for trying")

Encourage growth and variety. If your childseems to choose the same activity because it'ssuccessful and "safe," introduce new materialsand activities that will also prove to besuccessful and expand on them

PLAY AREA

Provide enough space to do the activity andmake sure the space is available for the lengthof time needed

Keep materials/toys in the same place so yourchild can find them. Vary the materials fromtime to time.

Make sure the area is safe (no sharp corners tofall on), and where an adult can keep an eye onthe activities.

PLAY MATERIALS

Consider your child's interests and skill levelswhen selecting toys and materials Let yourchild be a part of the selection process.

PLAY MATERIALS (Continued)

Consider materials that can be used for morethan one skill (i e colored blocks for the olderchild--for stacking, counting, and colorrecognition).

Be sure the materials are safe and durable (nosharp edges, not small enough to swallow, andnot easily broken).

TIME

Provide adequate time to spend on an actia,ity;allowing for set up, activity itself, and clean up.

You may want to schedule a specific time eachday or each week for "special play."

CLEAN UP

Alert your child that playtime is almost over sohe/she can finish the activity (i.e. "We'll bepicking up soon, so finish what you're doing.").

Praise your child for heaping to put his/her toysaway.

Encourage your child to help clean the tableafter painting or fold the clothes after dress-upand put them away.

If your child decides he/she is not ready to cleanup, gently encourage your child and KEEP CALM.Giving your child a choice while cleaning upgives them the impression they are in control.Try this tactic: "Do you want to put the hat orthe shoes away? Do you want to put the redbeads or the green beads in the box first?"

ABOVE ALL HAVE FUN!

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