SOMEWHERE
SAFE TO PLAY
by
Colleen Moulding
In
an ideal world we would all love our children to play in
a large sunny garden with a swing, a sandpit and a
tree house. Sadly reality often paints a different
picture. High rise flats, postage stamp gardens and
rainy days can mean finding somewhere safe for children
to play is often a major problem for Mum. Yet somewhere
to run around and let off steam is a real need for
children.
If
the weather is fine, a ball, a Frisbee or a kite and a
safe open space are all that's needed, although you can
double the fun by taking a friend and a picnic too, but
for a large part of the year a hall is the best
alternative. Firstly, check out what is on offer in your
area. Community centre or church hall notice boards are
often a good starting point as Mother and Toddler
groups, playgroups and Bumps and Babes clubs advertise
there and are usually pleased to welcome new members.
Sports centers are also worth investigating. As well as
pool fun for all ages, there are often skating and
dancing sessions and sometimes ball pools and soft play
areas.
Exercising
at home can be fun too. Stretching like a cat, prowling
like a lion, walking like a monkey and wriggling like a
snake won't take up much space, yet will have little
ones giggling in no time. Flexibility is the key word to
finding space to play within the home. A little used
dining room or large hall can be a daily used playroom
with just a little rearranging and covering of
furniture. Many garages, first cleared and checked very
carefully for sharp tools and dangerous car or garden
chemicals, can do double duty as bike riding space for
toddlers and somewhere to paint or play with sand on wet
days.
You
can put up some of their pictures to cheer the place up
a bit and paint the floor with garage floor paint if
dust is a problem. It is sometimes possible to fence in
a drive or car standing to give a really useful amount
of skipping, riding and ball bouncing space. Some
friends of ours, desperate for play space for their two
girls actually moved out of their large bedroom and into
a neatly fitted out box room so that the children had a
large nursery cum playroom where games could be left to
return to and friends entertained, and now , one year
on, vote it a much better use of their limited space
than the original conventional layout.
This
can also be worth considering when two young children
have a bedroom each. Would they be happier sleeping in
together for a few years with their very own playroom
next door? Using the furniture as part of an obstacle
course can be great fun on a rainy afternoon. Use
cushions as stepping stones and a rug or duvet to
scramble under. Make a string or wool jump tied between
two chairs. Or a bed can become a pirate ship with
pillow "islands" in a stormy sea leading to a
larger duvet "treasure island".
Dens
under tables or behind sofas will never be short of a
resident, especially if you add a torch, comics and a
few toys too, yet are easily made by throwing a duvet or
large sheet over a table or the backs of chairs. A
smooth shelf or plank of wood makes an indoor slide if
placed carefully on a sofa or the bottom few steps of
the stairs with a pillow at the bottom.
A
useful addition to most children's bedrooms is a piece
of hardboard cut approximately to the size of the bed
(most diy stores will do this for you for a small fee)
giving a large flat surface which is ideal for laying
out towns or train sets, doing puzzles or playing with
all those toys that just won't go along properly on the
carpet. The added bonus is that the board should slide
away neatly under the bed when the games are over.
©
Colleen Moulding 1999
Colleen
Moulding is a freelance writer living in the south of
England. She is also the owner/editor of All That Women
Want.com <http://www.allthatwomenwant.com>
a magazine, web guide and resource for women everywhere.
You have permission to reprint this article in your
newsletter or on your web site provided that this
information is included and you send an e-mail to
editor@allthatwomenwant.com telling us where it will be
used.
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