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Alycia's avatar

A friend and I exchange childcare, which works out great for our only children that won't start school until September. This morning my son and his friend played in our 8x12 backspace that in the winter is full of mud, ice, bricks, sticks,plants and toy trucks. The kids had a blast and I got to hang out inside on my own and with my friend when she showed up. I am thinking we will build a little playhouse out there this spring and definitely try growing grapes.

Before they went outside, they made grand messes in the living room and my son's bedroom. That's my big advice-get over the messes. Everyone can clean up later.

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Kristine Neeley's avatar

I think having loads of paper and a variety of art supplies are helpful too -- and not being insistent that things stay spotlessly clean. Sometimes things, projects, etc, just stay out to confined places to be easily resumed the next day.

I find the unplugged life is just messier, but there's a beauty in that.

Ongoing play (like my kids' massive blanket for they built on a snowy week that became their Tolkien-inspired Hobbit hole complete with library and twinkling lights) requires me to relax -- the tradeoffs being it's a little louder and there are more antics and things to tend to later -- but my kids are having an embodied childhood and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

I hear all the time from other parents who "just can't deal" -- with the noise, the mess, the relational conflict that arises from play (especially in middle childhood) -- and don't foster device-free play... and then wonder at the complexities in their children's behavior EXACERBATED by being so plugged in.

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