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I’ve been reading a lot about sensory issues lately, and today I came across something that made me think.
The Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support Network posted on their page: How many kiddos here are never thirsty? Or always thirsty? Always hungry or never hungry?
My 6 year old son Joel has a sense of urgency about eating and drinking. He doesn’t seem to notice that he’s thirsty or hungry (or that he needs to pee for that matter) until it is the ABSOLUTE last second! Just like another person who posted on the thread, I’m not sure Joel feels it until he is extremely hungry or thirsty. Today was such a roller coaster ride of ups and downs that all came down to a late breakfast, a later lunch, and not enough snacks or drinks. After I had realized that his explosive meltdown and ensuing laying under the dining room table was related to him being too hungry. I asked him why he didn’t just ask me for a snack. His response? He wanted me to just know that he was hungry without actually telling me? I need to work on being better prepared with snacks on the weekends.
As for peeing, I think most of the time it’s just that he’s too busy playing to take the time to run to the bathroom. So when he does go, it’s a mad dash and panic to get to the toilet before he explodes!
Do your kids tend to have an urgency around eating, drinking and peeing?
It’s National Thank You month, and as a special thank you Peekaboo Beans is offering a $25 savings when you spend $50 or more! Offer ends tomorrow January 17th.
Here’s our monthly promotion!
Spend $150 and receive a free item of your choice from 6 pre-selected Peekaboo Beans items.
So many memories I have of my children involve them wearing Peekaboo Beans. I used to save the Beans for special occasions, but quickly realized that my children need to be wearing Peekaboo Beans ALL THE TIME! Here’s another memory to add to our collection, our annual Santa photo!
Our Director of Play and Founder Traci Costa recently shared this message in our monthly Beans Bulletin. It was a message I can so relate to, as I’ve been there – in a job that I was miserable in for far too long. I’m so fortunate to now be doing something that I love! Owning my own business as a Play Stylist brings me so much joy. Read Traci’s message about we can have it all; a job we love, a family too, and the best working environment in the world :
“How many of you had dreaded going to a job, have cringed when the alarm goes off, felt sad to miss out on an important event in your Beans lives. Or maybe you have a job that you love, but want something to channel your inner entrepreneur, a creative or social outlet, to be part of your community, to make something yours.
At some point, we have all been there. Paid our dues, put in our time for someone else, learned our lessons, worked hard, had a boss that didn’t treat people right. I have been there. It is one of the reasons I am so passionate about creating a working opportunity for women, and particularly for mothers. Why can’t work be fun, why can’t we make a difference, why can’t we embrace the people, create goals, achieve them in business and personally. Why can’t we be a stand for the best work environments for mothers, at the Playground or by creating self employment opportunities for women and mothers everywhere.
So I say it again, find what you do, and it will never feel like a day of work ever……create your own destiny, be your own boss, join a family that cares. Peekaboo Beans cares. I care.
So here I am today, asking you to help make a difference in the world, with me. Together. Let’s be the change. Lets:
We can have all this, we can do all this. All we have to do is share our story, share our passion. All we have to do is believe. But we have to do this together. One vine. Standing together through thick and thin. I will continue to spread the joy, to be a stand for our product and be a stand for my Beans and yours.
In love and play,
Traci
Looking for more? Find out how you can be a part of our team!
**CONTEST CLOSED**
And the winner is… #2 – Krista Birch!
Our long awaited Playjamas have finally arrived! Pick some up for only $58 including a cool nylon bag. What I love about these Playjamas is that they can also be worn as loungewear or playwear around the house. They are versatile, comfortable and so cute!
And guess what… they could be yours FREE! I am giving away a pair of Playjamas to one of my lucky fans! Here’s what you need to do to enter:
1) Leave a comment telling me how pajamas are a part of your Christmas/holiday family tradition (and what size/colour you would choose)
2) Sign up to my newsletter list – HERE.
3) Like my Facebook Fan page – HERE.
Contest ends on Sunday November 24th at 10pm EST. Can’t wait for the contest? You can always order a pair! I will honour FREE SHIPPING on any Playjamas ordered until November 24th. Email me vickyb.stylist@peekaboobeans.com to order.
Good luck!
This season Peekaboo Beans has launched a 2nd release of product available for our customers! These pieces compliment our full Fall 2012 Postcards from my Imagination catalog perfectly!
I’m so excited to share these 10 great pieces with you, I know you will love them! If you’d like to see the whole collection, email me vickyb.stylist@peekaboobeans.com
Here are some of my favs…
Wingman Top
Be chic skirt
(also available in pink)
Picturesque Pant
Resort Dress (also available in pink)
Did you know that you can get some Peekaboo Beans for your own kids for FREE when you host a playdate soiree? I’d love to book one with you and bring the entire playwear collection right to your home! Email me for more info: vickyb.stylist@peekaboobeans.com
One of my favourite shows as a kid was Mr. Dressup. This Canadian classic was such a big part of so many kids’ childhoods. I loved when Mr. Dressup opened up the Tickle Trunk and pulled out a different costume. I don’t remember having many costumes as a child, but I do remember loving to play make believe!
Yesterday our family took a trip to the Museum of Civilization where there is the most amazing Children’s Museum. If you are ever in the Ottawa area, let me know and I will take you there! It’s a must see.
This photo of Canadian Children’s Museum is courtesy of TripAdvisor
As you walk into the Museum, your first destination is to the Theatre.
It is truly a miniature version of the real thing, with a ticket booth and play money (Joel’s first stop, he sold me a ticket for $40 and assigned me a seat), a back stage and dressing area, make up chairs and costumes gallore.
This is where all the fun happens… choosing the right costume, getting into the role and making an appearance on the stage! It was hard to leave this first area, my kids could have easily lost themselves for an hour. Here are some of their choice roles:
First we have the lovely Queen Mieka, full of grace and beauty!
And Joel the stoic tree… .
Then Mieka the Ram.. taking life by the horns. I think this one suited her well. If we’d had a few more kid with us we could have put on the most grand performance with a tree, a ram, the wind, the moon, a jester and of course the Queen!
But the fun didn’t stop here, the kids got to pretend to be construction works, rickshaw taxi drivers, fruit stand vendors, postal workers, shop keepers, and ship crew. By the time we finished our tour, they were wiped! What was so amazing to see was just how quickly they fell into role play; while they were building a wall as a construction worker, they talked about making sure the bricks were balanced and didn’t fall over, needing a hard hat and a vest to be safe, and when it was time to pack up the tools. When they were shop keepers, they quickly fell into roles of asking for my order and making change. When they were postal workers, they sold me some stamps and put my imaginary letters in the slot. It was so interesting to see the gravitate to parts of the museum they were most interested in.
I know my kids had a great time at the Children’s Museum, and although they may not have known it, I had just as much fun watching them learn while they played. My eyes were opened to it, and sat back and watched as they developed their ideas of the world.
My kids play so differently. My son Joel loves to zone out into his own world of makebelieve with bits of paper, receipts, calculators or knicknacks. He pretends he’s everything from a banker to a subway driver. I love watching him get lost in those worlds.
My daughter Mieka on the other hand is more into sensory play. She loves playing in the sink with bubbles. I fill the sink and give her a laddle, collander and some containers, and she’ll play happily while I make dinner. She’ll spend hours in the sandbox, or playing with playdough, and loves playing with her food!
Understanding how my kids play is helpful when it comes to putting together activities for them. I loved the explanation of Sensory Play for preschoolers over at www.notjustcute.com. It makes sense that our children are wired to receive sensory information from day one. Which explains why they dive in with their hands to explore new things. Amanda from www.notjustcute.com adds that by talking with them about what they are observing and sensing, we give them new language tools to connect with these more familiar sensory tools, building language as well as supporting cognitive concepts specific to the experience.
I took a look on Pinterest and came up with so many great ideas for sensory play. These will definitely be tried out at my house very soon!
How fun is this spaghetti sensory play WITH PAINT!
Source: Spaghetti Sensory Play
I know Mieka would love this idea! A bin full of shaving cream!
Source: Mamsmiles
How about a squishy bag? This is easy to do with some hair gel (from the dollar store), glitter and food colouring. Mix them all into a ziplock bag and let your child make letters and numbers on the bag. Hold it up against a window for a whole new tactile effect!
(Source: Play at Home Mom)
Some more ideas? A bin full of popcorn kernels, dried beans or noodles. One full of feathers or pom poms. A bucket full of plastic letters. Tools like tweezers, scoops, small cars, and sponges will also help with eye-hand coordination. How about a basket full of laundry (the other day Mieka rolled in it pretending she was covered in mud). The possibilities are endless!
Sensory play is so important in a child’s brain development. Think of it as brain food. Just say for example your child is playing in that tub of spaghetti, she is developing her sense of touch, which is the foundation for learning other skills, like being able to identify objects by touch, and using fine-motor skills. Sensory play also helps children develop new concepts; is it smooth or rough, wet or dry, bumpy or crunchy? Some questions you might ask while your child is engaged in sensory play: what does it feel like, smell like, look like. What can you do with it, how can you move it, where can you put it.
I think I’m going to take a look around the house and in the cupboards for things that are bumpy, crunchy, scratchy, soft and smooth and let the kids get dirty ! Will you join me? Let’s let our kids get right into it and messy!
It’s official, Summer Vacation is HERE! The weather has been fantastic so far, lots of sunny and hot days. We are starting to settle into our summer time routine, but I’m always searching for new things to keep the kids busy! Usually we rotate through our friends’ houses for play dates, make a few trips to the splash pads or museums, and maybe even a couple of day trips outside of the city.
I’d like to invite you to take part in the Peekaboo Beans Summer Play Challenge! It’s easy to do, just print out this poster, put it on your fridge or bulletin board, and check off everything you do! Share with us your stories, which ones your kids enjoyed the most, how did you make each activity your own? Whatever you want to say, we would love to hear! Most important of all, have fun and enjoy the time you will spend with your family!
