Ive been thinking about what children need in order to learn and grow:
- love, warmth, and security
- freedom to explore
- freedom to try
- trust from their caregivers
- time...lots of time
- quiet and peace
- moments of solitude
- conversation, conversation, conversation
- outdoor play / encounters with nature
- touch / affection
- new places and experiences
- stories, songs, and poems
- pictures to ponder and talk about
- understanding
- gentle instruction
- realistic boundaries
- something to love and care about (a pet or "lovey")
- rhythm: daily, weekly, and seasonal
- wholesome food
- sleep
- freedom to imagine and get messy
- support for their ideas
- connection to Spirit
I've been talking to Brandy, who has a great post about children and "things", which has made me think about my five children and what materials have been really valuable to their growth. Here are the material items that I think truly aid the development of children (note that many of these items are already in most homes or can be made, while the rest are fairly inexpensive):
- access to safe kitchen items: pots, pans, wooden spoons and bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- water to splash in, measure and pour
- a little table
- crayons, pencils, paper, scissors, glue, and watercolor paint
- tape
- playdough, rolling pin, and cookie cutters
- blocks
- balls
- soap bubbles
- playsilks, old baby blankets, or cloth scraps for pretend play: capes, forts, tents, etc.
- a simple soft doll
- small objects to collect and sort (beans, macaroni, buttons, pebbles, seashells, beach glass, acorns, pine cones, feathers)
- stuffed animals
- tape
- bicycle
- jumprope (I buy a length of rope from the hardware store, cut it to length and knot the ends)
- little people (wooden peg people are really inexpensive and can be painted)
- child size tools: shovel, pail, rake, broom, mop (older kids love screw drivers, hammer, wood and nails/screws)
- did I mention tape?
- appliance boxes (always save them until they are loved to the point of disintegration)
- sand
- books
That may seem like a long list, but take a look at it again--how many of these things are already a natural part of your home and life? Of course, every child is unique. Your child may require a longer list or a shorter list.
In thinking about the needs of children, I also thought about what children don't need:
- critics
- punishment
- unrealistic expectations
- electronic anything
- lots of organized play/lessons
- constant direction
- early academics
- uninvited teaching
- judgment
- being pushed to perform
- junk food
- noise
- inconsistency
- ridicule
- harshness
- parental over-attention or inattention
- anxiety
- products marketed to them (licensed toys, food, etc.--we should all fight to make this practice illegal in our country)
