Union Square Play

One of my favorite things about playdough is the sensory element it gives to play or a making experience that allows children to change something that already exists. Children make sense of what they see and hear in the real world through their play, so these are great opportunities to play through some things that are happening in their world. Try adding playdough to a toy barn or dollhouse. Get the animals ready to go outside and play. Give them shoes, a sweatshirt, a ha...t--maybe even a mask? Time for the animals to go to get ready for bed! This is a great wind down activity for the end of the day before your bedtime routine begins. Make the animals pillows and blankets out of dough and tuck them in.Chelsea Milkman, @the_dough_project

Today’s #BookSense activity by @beboxkids in collaboration with @playagainreads: Through this unprecedented time, there is nothing I want more for my son than happiness. Touched by this week’s book, I reflected on a past BeBox Kids activity that is completely open ended, focused on the process not the product, and with so much possibility for a multidisciplinary learning environment. As a young child, I offered my son pom poms and cotton balls for sensory play. There is jus...t something about them, that makes me happy. They offer so much entertainment and work for a range of ages, with the creative engagement adjusted based on development. When my son and I first used them, we touched, sorted, counted, talked about colors, threw them in the air and laughed (that was our favorite part!) Such a simple material offers so many ways to work and play with your child and have them do the same, independently. Pure happiness. As my son grew, I added other materials to use with the pom poms. A container for sorting, velcro curlers for them to stick to and one of our favorite materials, contact paper. Watching as my son experienced the same material in a different way filled me with joy. He had the opportunity to lead his own learning and I had the opportunity to support him. Bringing happiness then and continuing to, every day.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, expecting mothers will not have the labor and delivery experience that they planned. We want to let moms-to-be know that we are here, cheering them on. Coronavirus may be keeping us all physically apart but, in so many ways, it has also made the world feel that much smaller. To learn more about what Union Square Play is doing for parents and little ones, visit unionsquareplay.com