As a former preschool teacher, I value materials as inspiration and tools for learning. Having studied the Reggio Emilia philosophy, I am attracted to authentic materials and loose parts. Of course, we have our fair share of toys. It's an eclectic mix of plastic, illuminating, singing toys with all the bells and whistles alongside solid wood, Montessori-inspired puzzles and fluffy stuffed animals. There is a little bit of everything. And Kz loves all of them.
But you know what he loves more? Measuring spoons. The remote control. My sweatshirt string...
It always fascinates me when Kz picks a new favorite play thing because who knows what it will be? Sometimes it is actually one of his toys. Most often, it's a piece of lint or a crumb that he sneakily found on the floor.
Lately, I've noticed a pattern in Kz's favorite things.
1) They have handles or are small enough for easy toting while crawling and cruising.2) A part of them fits perfectly in Kz's mouth.
Like so...
Kz loves this little wooden hammer. He can hold it in his hand (check!) and can fit part of the top portion in his mouth (check!). He's been lugging this thing around for weeks. Kz also loves these Mega Blocks. He's not ready to build with them yet (though knocking them down is always fun), but he carries one under each hand while crawling and you guessed it, eats the tops.
Maybe these golf balls don't look like they fit Kz's criteria, but give them a closer look and yup! They fit perfectly in the palms of his hands while he crawls and their dimples make a great texture for gnawing.
My son is like a little hamster.
Hallelujah! My kid likes books. He actually looks through these and loves turning the pages. And he doesn't even bite them. (Maybe sometimes).
These fit the criteria. You get the gist by now.
Here is the one exception!!! Since he was born, Kz has loved this stuffed toy. We call him Monkey Friend. He was a gift and has always made Kz smile.
He screeches whenever he sees Monkey Friend and goes in for a big hug and ...
Nope. He's not eating his nose. That's a kiss. Yes it is. I swear. Oh come on...
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what a cute post. My son liked gravel. He used to hord it in his cheeks when I wasn't looking. He never swallowed it (fortunately) but th enumber of times he'd randomly produce it from his mouth and I'd be horrified because I didn't even know it was in there.
ReplyDeleteI'm sharing your post on the SPP pinterest board