https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 21 May 2026 05:21:35 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1732570 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:52:40 +0000 Jenn23 1732570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do free play most of the day. We use the water table outside usually once a day, then go to the park 1-2 times a day, the pool a few times a week and then the rest of the time he just plays outside and inside with his toys. He isn't really into drawing yet (just loves his aquadoodle and magnadoodle mostly (not into crayons really). I think once he is a little older, then I'll have more crafts activities for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1732471 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:23:31 +0000 Mamaof2 1732471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: finger paint works but I prefer acrylic </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1732439 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:13:52 +0000 hilsy85 1732439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do mainly free play all day long. The only "structured activities" are if we do play dough, or use crayons or paints. But even then, the activities themselves are not very structured, since he doesn't seem interested in following my directions for how to make things out of play dough! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1732434 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:12:27 +0000 hilsy85 1732434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: that sounds fun! What kind of paint do you use for that? just regular finger paint? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731967 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:57:09 +0000 Bao 1731967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sorrycharlie: I don't see why not! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731956 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:54:26 +0000 sorrycharlie 1731956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: I wonder if you can use a 20% off coupon on the table and chairs I showed you..that would be awesome. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731951 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:53:26 +0000 Bao 1731951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sorrycharlie: we are hoping to get a small table and chairs for her birthday! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731893 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:38:30 +0000 sorrycharlie 1731893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: @Bao: that is a fun idea! my LO loves rocks. what is it with kids and rocks?</p> <p>she mainly free plays all day long. I take out "containable" activities (markers, crayons, etc) and seat her in her booster at the table as something different to do. if I let her have access, there would be coloring all over my walls and furniture :P </p> <p>she's not even 2 yet though. I'm sure as she gets older I'll have some things out for her. I'd like to get her a small table and chair set for Christmas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731885 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:36:52 +0000 Bao 1731885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: ok that makes more sense! A has access to every room in the house so there really isn't anywhere to put it where we are only sometimes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731869 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:33:39 +0000 looch 1731869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: He doesn't get bored with it, largely because he doesn't really have access to it all of the time...we're not in the kitchen that much, to be honest. And I rotate what is in that box, some times it is watercolors in a paint palette, other times it is finger paints in squeeze tubes, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731846 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:28:51 +0000 Bao 1731846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: oh good one! Maybe we need to go on a rock hunt this week! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731790 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:18:46 +0000 Mamaof2 1731790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: painting rocks is fun too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731781 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:17:26 +0000 Bao 1731781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: she is 22 months so has a decent attention span for her age! </p> <p>@looch: I could leave the stuff out, but I feel like she would get bored if she always had access, do you find that true with your LO? Love the pasta and dough idea! I think I will try that tomorrow :) </p> <p>@Mamaof2: I need to get more craft type supplies we don't have much right now, great ideas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731524 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:11:43 +0000 Mamaof2 1731524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't call these things challenging but things that are put away:</p> <p>Play dough/moon dough</p> <p>Colored rice - with lots of spoons and cups to play with</p> <p>Shaving cream - best to do right before bath time - I also let them add some finger paints for color</p> <p>Air Dry Clay - build something today and then paint it tomorrow after its dried!</p> <p>Making collages - use whatever you have on hand - glue, feathers, glitter, buttons, etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731489 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 08:57:07 +0000 Foodnerd81 1731489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>C has very little structured play. The closest we have is when I put some toys in an empty diaper box and she has to figure out how to tip it and get into the box to get her toys. Sometimes I feel like I should do more but really, unless it's her idea she is often not interested. That said, I'm thinking we will start taking a class of some sort in the fall just so she has something like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731488 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 08:56:51 +0000 looch 1731488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have a spot where you could keep things like paint and play dough out?</p> <p>I have a bin in the kitchen, it's got play dough/tools and paints/brushes/old coloring books that my son can use when he's seated at the kitchen table. I don't mind if he plays in there, because I can clean it up easily. When my son was smaller, maybe around 18 months, one of his favorite things to do was to stick pasta pieces into flattened out play dough rounds.</p> <p>Another idea you can do is to add some food coloring to foaming soap, my son loves to pump colors in the bath tub!</p> <p>I also converted an old shoe box into a shape sorter, I just cut out different sized circles in the lid and my son had a blast putting his play food in there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731479 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 08:54:16 +0000 travellingbee 1731479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How old is your LO? Mine is 15 months and honestly his attention span is so short, that I don't really do much in the way of structured activities. It just never seems worth it (set up/cleanup) for the amount of time that he will use it. But we go to various activities outside of the home such a story time at the library, swim lessons at the pool, gym time etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-play-vs-structured-activities#post-1731393 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 08:28:31 +0000 Bao 1731393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm just curious how much time out of the day your LO does structured activities vs free play. For example if you bring out things like paint, puzzles, sensory boxes etc. We keep activities tucked away and then I bring them out here and there throughout the week so she has something "different" to play with that she doesn't always have access to. All her other toys she has access to so I consider those free play. </p> <p>What structured activities do you do with your LO? I'm looking for new ideas to challenge her, she gets so bored! </p>