Homemade block play

Many thanks to Becky Arenivar for this guest post!
So many webinars, but so little time!  It’s hard sometimes to make space in our busy schedules for another webinar, but they can really pay off big time and I have the cute kid pics to prove it.
After attending Read, Play, Grow in Sept. 2015 with Rachel Payne, I was inspired to hold an Early Literacy Play Date at the Prescott Public Library.  I used Rachel’s wiki almost exclusively for activity ideas and instructions.  I did go to Pinterest for ideas and instructions for Baby Sensory Bags and did some googling when my tunnels kept falling over, but planning time was greatly reduced due to Rachel’s amazing resource.
Homemade marble drops
We had great attendance and the event was so much fun!  We invited home daycare providers and teachers from local daycare centers.  We also e-mailed invites to all families in our 1000 Books database.  We promoted the event as a way for parents and caregivers to learn about low-cost and easy activities they could do at home that would promote brain development in children from birth to age 5.   To that point, we provided print outs of the activity instructions for parents to take home.

This event was so successful that we are planning on having at least two Early Literacy Play Dates per year.  Rachel’s wiki has dozens of activities, so it will be my go-to resource for future Play Dates.

Inspired creative play



Note:  If you wish you could be so inspired, check out the recording of the webinar!