Podcasts about pretend play

Pretend play is fun and a fundamental aspect of healthy child development! Join Rachel and Claire as they discuss the stages of imaginary play, why this type of play is so critical for a growing brain and body, and ways to encourage more pretend pay at home.

In this episode of Blooming Curious, we dive into the critical topic of building children's confidence in mathematics to combat math anxiety. Following up on last week's discussion with Dr. Aditya Nagrath, who highlighted that many children entering kindergarten are already behind in math skills, we explore practical strategies that parents and educators can use to establish a solid mathematical foundation in young children. From incorporating positional language into everyday conversations to engaging children in counting activities and hands-on math experiences, we discuss various methods to make math a natural and enjoyable part of a child's daily life. The episode underscores the importance of early math education in ensuring long-term academic success and reducing widespread math anxiety. Tune in to discover how everyday actions and simple games can make a significant difference in teaching children numbers and building their confidence.

How do toys shape who we become? Today, I sit down with a fascinating toy historian Chris Byrne who reveals the hidden power of play - from how different toys develop everything from relationship skills to problem - solving abilities.    We explore why true play isn't about reaching an end goal, but about embracing the pure joy of the journey. Whether you're looking to understand the art of playing alongside your kids or giving them space to explore independently, this episode will transform how you think about playtime. Join us for a rich conversation about rediscovering the magic that happens when we give ourselves permission to simply play.   After exploring the art of play with our toy historian today, I want to share something powerful with you. My book Fertile Imagination tackles a crucial truth: we can't guide our children toward imagination if we've lost touch with our own. I'll show you the exact framework I used to reawaken and strengthen this superpower – the same one that transformed both my life and my three sons'. If you're ready to rediscover your creativity and childlike zest for life, grab your copy now: https://bit.ly/fertilebook     In this episode, you will hear:    Play is a process, not a means to an end, and embracing it can reduce stress. Imagination influences every decision we make. Playing with toys helps kids develop problem-solving and relationship skills. Adults benefit from play too—it fosters creativity, joy, and innovation. Letting children lead playtime strengthens their confidence and creativity. Kids learn by doing, and unstructured play is vital for their development. In corporate settings, a playful mindset can unlock new ideas and innovation. Fear of failure limits creativity—kids don't judge play, and neither should we.   This episode is brought to you by:    Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Stretching Every Mom's Superpower For Maximum Impact – My book is available as a hard cover, paperback, and also as an audiobook. If you are on the go and wish to quickly jot down where you can purchase the book then head to: https://bit.ly/fertilebook.    If however you want to grab the audio version then head to the show notes to click the direct Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Imagination-Stretching-Superpower-Maximum/dp/B0CK2ZSMLB   About Chris Bryne   Chris Byrne has spent over 35 years in the toy industry, holding major marketing and creative roles before launching Byrne Communications, a consultancy specializing in product development, strategic planning, and marketing. A passionate advocate for the power of play, he has studied its impact on child development and creativity across industries. He has appeared on major media outlets worldwide, sharing insights on toys, play, and innovation. He also co-hosts The Playground Podcast, diving deep into the toy industry's past, present, and future.   SHARE this episode with fellow moms and entrepreneurs who want to bring more creativity into their lives! Chris's insights on play, imagination, and innovation are a must-listen for anyone balancing motherhood and career growth. Let's embrace play, rediscover joy, and inspire the next generation! Supporting Resources:   Website: https://www.thetoyguy.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetoyguy/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetoyguyofficial/ The Playground Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts Subscribe and Review   Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.    I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms. About Fertile Imagination   You can be a great mom without giving up, shrinking, or hiding your dreams. There's flexibility in how you pursue anything – your role, your lifestyle, and your personal and professional goals. The limitations on your dreams are waiting to be shattered. It's time to see and seize what's beyond your gaze. Let's bridge your childhood daydreams with your grown-up realities. Imagine skipping with your kids along any path – you, surpassing your milestones while your kids are reaching theirs. There's only one superpower versatile enough to stretch your thinking beyond what's been done before: a Fertile Imagination. It's like kryptonite for impostor syndrome and feeling stuck when it's alert!    In Fertile Imagination, you will awaken your sleeping source of creative solutions. If you can wake up a toddler or a groggy middle schooler, then together with the stories in this book – featuring 25 guests from my podcast Unimaginable Wellness, proven tools, and personal anecdotes – we will wake up your former playmate: your imagination!  Advance Praise    “You'll find reality-based strategies for imagining your own imperfect, fulfilling life in this book!” —MARTHA HENNESSEY, former NH State Senator    “Melissa invites the reader into a personal and deep journey about topics that are crucially important to uncover what would make a mom (and dad too) truly happy to work on…even after the kids are in bed.” —KEN HONDA, best-selling author of Happy Money    “This book is a great purchase for moms in every stage of life. Melissa is like a great friend, honest and wise and funny, telling you about her life and asking you to reflect on yours.” —MAUREEN TURNER CAREY, librarian in Austin, TX           TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Chris: I really believe is what we play with as kids really becomes, we become a lot of that. And we had a basement in our house that had a room in it, that had a window in it. And my brothers and I would create puppet shows. And we would do that. And we would just go round up all the kids in the neighborhood and say, you have to watch this puppet show. And they did. I mean, they were good. But it was really about storytelling. It was about connection. It was about making things up and just feeling very alive in that moment, feeling very connected to who I was at that time and being able to share that with other people. 00:00:43 Melissa: Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, your weekly podcast to inspire you to dream bigger. Plan out how you're going to get to that next level in business, find the energy to keep going, and make sure your creative juices are flowing so that this way you get what you really want rather than having to settle. Get ready to discover how mom founders have reimagined entrepreneurship and motherhood. Ever wonder how they do it? Tune in to find out. 00:01:09 Melissa: And stretch yourself by also learning from diverse entrepreneurs who might not be moms, but who have lessons you can tailor about how you can disrupt industries and step way outside of your comfort zone. I believe every mom's superpower is her imagination. In this podcast, I'm gonna give you the mindset, methods, and tools to unleash yours. Sounds good? Then keep listening. 00:01:36 Melissa: So how do toys shape who we become? Have you ever asked yourself that question as you are giving your child a toy? If that toy is going to influence their career choices ahead or the way that they are, their character. Today, I sat down with a fascinating toy historian, Chris Byrne. 00:02:04 Melissa: Now he is a 35 year plus veteran of the toy industry. He's held major marketing and creative positions earlier in his life. And he's appeared on TV talking about toys and play in the US and around the world. He's even been on the Live with Kelly and Mark show as a regular guest. And he has his own podcast, by the way, the Playground Podcast. 00:02:29 Melissa: So, Chris reveals today the hidden power of play, from how different toys develop everything from relationship skills to problem-solving abilities. We also explore why true play isn't about reaching an end goal, it's about embracing the pure joy of the journey. So, whether you're looking to understand the art of playing alongside your kids or giving them some space to explore independently, this episode is going to change how you think about playtime. So I encourage you to join us for this rich conversation about rediscovering the magic that happens when we give ourselves permission to just play. 00:03:10 Melissa: Okay, so before we jump into the conversation, I wanna just let you know that after the conversation, I would invite you to explore the art of play with my book, Fertile Imagination. Why is that relevant to you as a mom? Here's what I want you to know. It's really hard to guide our kids toward imagination if we've secretly lost touch with our own. So in my book, Fertile Imagination, I share with you the exact framework that I used in order to reawaken my imagination, play with my imagination, stretch my imagination, and strengthen what I believe to be our greatest superpower. 00:03:56 Melissa: So this framework is super simple to follow. It is guided and it is also provided in lots of really cool journaling question prompts in the book. And it's gonna be the same exact process that I used in order to really get back in touch with that little childlike spirit that all of us has, but maybe we forgot we have held quite tightly close to our hearts. 00:04:22 Melissa: So, I invite you to go ahead, rediscover your creativity, and see if you can find your childlike zest for life. Because I really believe that it's hard to teach our kids things that we may have forgotten are natural to us, and maybe came naturally to us when we were younger. So enjoy the conversation. The link to the book is available in the show notes where you're listening to this. Let me read the actual link so that you can learn more about my book, Fertile Imagination. 00:04:53 Melissa: It is a bit.ly link. So it is bit.ly/fertilebook. You can absolutely grab a copy right there of Fertile Imagination. If you wanted the audio version that is available exclusively via Amazon. So go ahead and check out the show notes for that link. Thank you again. And I hope you enjoy the conversation and let me know what you think at the end, I will share with you my top three takeaways that you can apply to your immediate mom life. Thank you so much. 00:05:28 Melissa: Chris Byrne. I am so excited to have you here on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. How are you? 00:05:35 Chris: I am very well. I'm so excited to be with you. Thank you so much for the invitation. 00:05:40 Melissa: I couldn't get enough of your TED Talk. I was like, oh my gosh, he's not just a toy historian. He's like a toy psychologist. I loved it. I loved it. So welcome to the show. Chris, I want to just start with the big, big question on my mind. Help me understand from your perspective, decades in the industry, learning about the art of play, like what is an imagination to you and do you consider it a superpower? 00:06:12 Chris: Well, I absolutely consider our imagination our superpower. It is the one thing that, really one of the many things that really define us as human beings. Nothing happens in our world that doesn't start in the imagination. It can be, what do I want for lunch? Or what do I want to be when I grow up? Or should I marry this person? Or should I have children? 00:06:34 Chris: Or whatever it is because we begin in the imagination and other kinds of animals, you just put food in front of them and they eat, it's instinctual. But for us, it's not- as humans, it's not just instinctual. We literally create our worlds on a daily basis and that starts in the imagination. 00:06:54 Melissa: I agree. And it's interesting because as a fully grown adult, I would say that when I was writing my book, Fertile Imagination, and I see it as like a superpower for moms who are technically adults. I feel like it's a topic that is seldom discussed amongst adults. Like, is this something that you are noticing? Or maybe, you know, people that have that childlike quality because of your industry? What's your take on imagination, the art of play, and being an adult? 00:07:30 Chris: Well, I think all of those are really critical to who we are, because play is really the act of asking a question, what if? What if I do this? What if I, you know, as an adult in can be, what if do whatever? For me, as a kid is like, what if I jump off this wall? What's gonna happen? You know, but we grow up and we have a little bit more, more adult kind of perceptions, if you will, for that. And it really is like trying to spin out a scenario. 00:08:06 Chris: So if I am going to take a new job, for example, what is that gonna be like? Who am I gonna be working with? And we begin to develop stories around things in our imagination. And those stories are very important because we really can't take action to make things real until we've imagined them as a concept. 00:08:28 Melissa: Yeah. And so, okay. So this is something that I'm struggling with right now. This is like real time, I need some help, get me unclogged sort of stuff. So this idea of having a story in my mind and having a vision I want to make real, the vision side of it is so hard right now for me to see, mainly because it's like, there's things that I've envisioned in the past, but I haven't made happen. So I don't know kind of like how to play myself to a solution or a vision or just kind of like, think with a little less of like the past, you know, like hindering this vision. 00:09:15 Chris: Right. It's a great, it's a great thing. I mean, I'm sorry you're going through that, but I think that if you look at how a child plays, right, when they get an idea and they don't sit there and think, well, if I just do this or I do this or I do that, it's going to be fun, right? They come, that's not fun. I'm done. I'm on to the next thing. And I think as adults, we should do that too. If something is becoming too much effort, if it's not working, then we just drop it and go on to the next thing. 00:09:47 Chris: And I don't think there's any harm or foul in that. And I think that when you look at a kid who is imagining and playing, they're not judging the play as they're doing it. They're looking at well, where did this take me and where should I go next from it? And it's a much freer, kind of more peaceful way to go through the world. 00:10:08 Chris: I mean, I talk about things that I've done that turned out to be mistakes. And I call them I said, well, that was a once in a lifetime experience. As in I don't have to do that again. I learned the lesson. 00:10:20 Melissa: Yeah. And I think, you know, approaching any problem from that perspective releases that pressure to get it right the first time. And it gives you like the levity to get back up and just be like, okay, let's go at it again. And I imagine like, cause I noticed also, and I know that this side of it might be a little bit more conventional thinking, but like, you actually bring these ideas into corporate settings, you know, the art of play. 00:10:51 Melissa: And I'm like, if I think about the different environments where it's not okay to play. It's not okay to make mistakes. Like how do you sell that idea of we're just playing right now and don't get frustrated if it works or not in like a corporate setting, you know? 00:11:11 Chris: Well, one of the things that's so interesting in a corporate setting is people come into a meeting or a brainstorming and they're focused on one specific outcome, right? So if you're focused on an outcome, you kind of end-run the process of play because play is a process. Play is asking, what if, you know, let's go down this road and let's go down this road and see what it is. So I always encourage people to be as off the wall as possible. I will give you an example that almost got me fired. 00:11:43 Melissa: This is a good one, okay. 00:11:44 Chris: And nobody will like it, but I was working with Ideal, with Ideal Toy Company and we had the Shirley Temple doll. And nobody, we had these porcelain $400 Shirley Temple dolls and Shirley Temple dolls were huge in the '30s and still with doll collectors, but nobody was buying them. And we thought, how do we get rid of them? And I said, well, why don't we put them on the QE2 and use them as skeet? Like people can launch the doll. 00:12:11 Chris: So the brand manager got really mad at me. And told me I was inappropriate. But as we talked more, we ended up doing a doll collecting event with Cunard that actually turned out to be good. So the idea is, go out there and play off the wall in a safe environment, obviously. So the idea of creating an environment where it's safe to play, where it's safe to have that sort of impulsive childish response to a situation is okay. 00:12:45 Chris: We would never have promoted that in a corporate sense. But the idea that we were just playing with ideas and being silly. That opens the pathway to being really creative and to seeing what could actually work. And then once you get that, you put the action steps in place to get to the next step. 00:13:05 Melissa: Yeah, I think just, you know, going crazy and just really trying to break out of conventional thinking and our very logical pathways in our mind, it's like first we do this, that, the other. It's almost like some sentences, right? And the way we like greet each other, it's so like rehearsed that to come up with something like, oh my gosh, I love your outfit. You know, it reminds me of like a toy soldier or something. It would be like way off, but it would start rapport, I think. Rapport or like, you know, people would be like, kind of weirded out. But I've always tried that. How can I not weird people out? 00:13:44 Chris: Well, it's, right, well, that's always a question, but I don't really worry about that too much. But I think that one of the things, again, as I was saying about process, but also getting over fear, right? As adults, we think, well, what if I get it wrong? Children, when they play, if you watch them play, they don't worry about getting it wrong. They just think, well, that didn't work. That didn't do what I wanted it to do. Let me do something else. They haven't built a hierarchy of judgment and really being unkind to themselves about doing something wrong. 00:14:19 Chris: And if you embrace play, there's really no kind of, you can't be wrong when you're playing, right? Some things may be practical, but there's imagination and there's spinning things out, things that might never become real, but then things that actually could practically become real. And the process of getting to that point is actually pretty joyful. 00:14:42 Melissa: And I think we could all use some more joy these days, that's for sure. Adults and children alike. So let's see, let's go back in time. So let's go back to the time where you recall maybe playing with a toy and feeling like an insane amount of joy. If you can think about, you know, your one moment or one of the moments, I'm curious to hear your perspective. 00:15:06 Chris: Well, it's really interesting because one of the things that I really believe is what we play with as kids really becomes, we become a lot of that. And we had a basement in our house that had a room in it. They had a window in it. And my brothers and I would create puppet shows. And we would do that. And we would just go round up all the kids in the neighborhood and say, you have to watch this puppet show. And they did. They were good. But it was really about storytelling. It was about connection. It was about making things up and just feeling very alive in that moment, feeling very connected to who I was at that time and being able to share that with other people. 00:15:52 Melissa: Wow, so that's interesting. So it's funny because I feel like maybe I was, because I was an only child for most of my upbringing, like a lot of the things I did were just on my own and I had to really figure out how to make something out of what was around me. So let me share like this one thing that I would do to just pass the time. And of course, like in the background, like there was like maybe Magnum P.I. playing or, you know, name- Hawaii Five-0, whatever my mom was into. 00:16:25 Melissa: So I would go to the closet and I would take out a shoebox. And I would proceed to create like a scene. So they're called dioramas. I looked it up because I was like, this is a weird thing that I just kept doing all the time. And then I would create little figurines and put like little slots, you know, on the sides and move the little carboards in and out, you know. And I was like, okay, I have to ask Chris, like, what does that say about me? I have no idea. 00:16:56 Chris: Well, I mean, I would say it sort of starts you as a storyteller, which is what you're doing today. You're telling stories and you're facilitating other people telling stories. But it's also, I mean, especially for children at that age, it's about trying to make sense of the world and the stories they tell us, like trying to make sense of relationships. I'll tell you another story. 00:17:18 Chris: Years ago, we were playing with some kids with Barbie dolls. And they had all these different Barbie dolls. And one kid took all the blonde Barbie dolls and they were making fun of the brunette Barbie doll. And we were just watching this and going, yeah, this is somebody who is working out a reality in their life. 00:17:38 Chris: And that is really what play is, because even as she, in this case it was a girl, became powerful in that situation, was able to stand up for herself, you're giving your brain the sense that you can actually do this. If you do it vicariously, you've already had that experience on some level. So that when you confront that in real life, it might be easier, or you might have a solution. 00:18:03 Chris: I mean, how many times do you go into a situation, an interview or whatever, and you've rehearsed what you're gonna say? And your brain already knows that. It's like visual, what they talk about in sports about visualizing, you know, the outcome. You know, you're already having that experience, which is so cool. Cause our brain doesn't know the difference sometimes between reality and what we imagine. 00:18:24 Melissa: I love that. I love that. And so, yeah, who knows what I was trying to work out? There are a lot of things going on in my home. I'll tell you that much. But yeah, I think, you know, that idea though, just like trying to work things out that, you know, maybe you don't have that first person experience with, but like doing it through the use of a toy. Have you noticed at a curiosity any sort of changes with the dynamics between toys and kids now that there's like AI sort of toys out there? 00:19:01 Chris: There are so many different types of play experiences. What we were just talking about is more traditional doll or action figure or stuffed animal kind of play where a child is really doing that. Some of the other stuff with AI or licensed space like Star Wars, Marvel, all of that is beginning to understand yourself as a capable human being. 00:19:23 Chris: So for example, if I'm a superhero, I can feel. I can have the feeling of what it's like to be a superhero. And I always say, if your life is all about mom is in control, eat your peas, get in the minivan, do your homework, suddenly if you're a superhero, that's very empowering. And then empowering as an individual to be able to confront the world in a different way because you're empowered. So it's very classical, the kind of totemistic idea that we take on the powers of the superheroes. 00:19:59 Chris: And even though we're not gonna fly, we're not gonna lift, we're not gonna pick up a truck, we're not gonna do that, you have the emotional sense of capability, which is really what it's all about. 00:20:10 Melissa: That's interesting. I think, I mean, I don't know. Now that I think about my kids, for example, their toy experiences these days is really YouTube videos and playing video games and things like that. And I wonder if that's also along the same thread of what you just said, feeling the different capabilities like running fast or jumping high, things like that. 00:20:37 Chris: I think definitely. I mean, it's, you know, YouTube videos are like today's cartoons, right, on some level. You know, I grew up watching cartoons and, and it was- so they're looking at who are my role models and who are, you know, somebody's doing something. Oh, I'd like to try that. And, you know, or oh, wow, they tried that, I'm not gonna do that, but what would it be like if I did this kind of thing? 00:21:03 Chris: So I think that it's a window on the world and people are always concerned about screen time and I'm never concerned about screen time so much as I'm concerned about what's on the screen. So that is what's being modeled through the YouTube things, things that you as a mom or a parent want your child to be consuming because it can be very supportive or it can be kind of dangerous depending on what kids have access to. 00:21:30 Melissa: Yeah. And it's so interesting what you're sharing right now, because I mean, I had Saturday morning cartoons, for example, and I ate a lot of cereals with all the dyes and all these other things. And my kids literally tell me, they're like, oh, we want to have Saturday morning cartoons just like you. But of course, it is that YouTube thing. And I limit it to SpongeBob. Like, that's appropriate for their ages right now. 00:21:54 Melissa: But I think that's so interesting, this whole idea of rehearsal and visualization and imagination. I wonder because when it comes to toys and just the way that they've changed through the years, how did, for example, Tickle Me Elmo, how did that support people in terms of capabilities or anything? I'm curious. 00:22:22 Chris: Well, Tickle Me Elmo was kind of an outlier in that, you know, in terms of classical play. Tickle Me Elmo became a fad, right? And fads take on a life of their own. They kind of jump the shark or jump from the toy industry because Tickle Me Elmo started as an entertaining little preschool doll for preschoolers, infants and preschoolers. Suddenly it becomes this whole cultural phenomenon that everybody has to have. 00:22:50 Chris: It becomes, so it's a fad, so it becomes kind of a marker in time. So if you were around for Tickle Me Elmo, and you remember that, it's sort of a springboard to your memories of what the latter part of 1996 was about, because that's when Tickle Me Elmo was really huge. So that's not really kind of play in the way that I talk about it a lot. That becomes a cultural event. And my other joke about Tickle Me Elmo, Tickle Me Elmo was $40 really, basically, or more. You know, you can have a Tickle Me Elmo and be really cool for a lot less than you can have a Birkin bag. 00:23:26 Melissa: Wow, yeah, that's true. That is true. It's so funny, this conversation just takes me down the whole nostalgic route. Like I'm thinking about my Steve Urkel joke pull doll. Do you remember that one? 00:23:39 Chris: Yeah, yeah, of course. 00:23:41 Melissa: Yeah, so anyways, I'm totally like aging myself right now. I'm like, oh, I had Steve Urkel and I had Popples and all the like. What do you think, you know, nostalgia? Let's talk about that. Because I feel like a lot of marketers use that, you know, in order to kind of like pull forth a certain generation, let's say. And I even feel like at a supermarket, like I'm like, I think they know who their shoppers are with the music. But let's talk about nostalgia. 00:24:09 Melissa: Like, and again, thinking about more quote unquote modern toys, you know, like. And back to like these like electronics, like do you think that it'll be the same sort of calling card, I think is the right phrase? Like when someone starts saying, oh, like, let's say 10 years from now, you know, what's the name of the- Stumble Guys? Like, do you think that people will say like a certain like thing on video games and it'll have the same emotional pull as like Tickle Me Elmo, Popples, or Cabbage Patch? 00:24:41 Chris: It's hard to know. The thing about nostalgia is it's really for adults, right? Nostalgia is for people looking back. When you're three and four, you're not nostalgic for much. You're not remembering much. Maybe you remember your pull ups, right? When you had your pull ups. But you don't, you're not really nostalgic for something because you haven't been around that much. 00:25:03 Chris: The challenge from a toy marketing standpoint is relying on nostalgia to sell toys. Because I mean, yes, there's a certain level of you as a mom had My Little Pony or Littlest Pet Shop or any of those huge hits, Masters of the Universe. And you want to share those with your child. But for it to engage your child's imagination, there has to be something authentic to them. It's not just, mom liked this, so I'm going to like it too. That doesn't really work. 00:25:31 Chris: Look at Barbie and how Barbie's been redefined over the years, because Barbie always reflects the culture at any given time. So in 1959, she could be a fashion model or a bride, right? Pretty much, those are the Barbie options. Today, there are hundreds of careers and there's hundreds of abilities. And Barbie, the Barbie line looks like the world kids are growing up in, just as it did in 1959. It's just a more diverse and broader world with more possibility for girls and women today than it was in 1959. 00:26:08 Melissa: So when it comes to the toy industry, who's actually using their imagination to come up with like what to make for the future? Like, is it a combination of kids and adults? Is it like who's actually imagining like right now, like in the Mattels, et cetera, you know, what's coming down the line like 10 years from now? It's going to be hot and cool. And like, how do you how do you imagine something like that? 00:26:36 Chris: Well, it's hard. I mean, I think I think it's like, you know, my crystal ball usually needs a shot of Windex so I could get a clearer sense. But it's more an art than a science, that's for sure. And it's looking at trends. It's looking at how are kids playing, how are they interacting, how are they socializing, what is fun to them, and what's going on in the culture at large. Because the toy industry always reflects the culture. 00:27:03 Chris: We're always reflecting, because kids, you know, most healthy kids, they aspire to being big. They wanna grow up and they want the things like their parents have. So back in the, you know, in the early 2000s when cell phones came out, you saw tons of preschool cell phones, right? You don't see that so much anymore because the preschoolers have a real cellphone. 00:27:25 Chris: But you see things that will allow them to feel like they are part of the culture and they are growing up into it and that they are older and perhaps more capable than they really are because that's an important imaginative tool to help in the maturation process. 00:27:41 Melissa: That's fascinating. So that's true. It was definitely a lot of like, I don't know, mommy and me things. Like you see them with like a cash register or like a Target cart, right? The plastic little one, right? Cause their parent is shopping at Target. And so I wonder because it's like, there's some habits that as a parent, like maybe we wanna shake off ourselves, but we're inadvertently doing a lot. 00:28:06 Melissa: So like the cellphone one, I'm like, oh God, yeah, mommy has a cellphone and now her child does too. And it's like, how can I stop? And it's a reinforcement, but I'm wondering, okay, so in terms of the future and in terms of toys, have you ever done or seen any sort of things where the mom was playing with the child versus the child was playing by themselves? Like any differences there? 00:28:31 Melissa: Because I would love to just kind of inspire a listener right now to consider the fact that actually getting lost in play with their child can be even more beneficial than just having your child play with a toy to the side and you're doing something completely different. 00:28:52 Chris: I think that is critically important. One of the things that we're talking to parents of Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids. And Gen Alpha was born 2010 to this year. And one of the things that parents talk about is some of the best part of their day is when they're playing with kids. And what I always suggest is that if you're playing with your kid, especially if they're a preschooler, let the child run the play and you respond. Don't tell them, oh, look at this, oh, do that. 00:29:24 Chris: And you don't have to teach, it doesn't have to teach them anything, right? It doesn't have to teach. Kids are going to learn. So really letting that child's imagination drive the experience because, you know, I think every parent has had the experience where your child comes up with something and you go where did that come from? 00:29:45 Melissa: 100%. All the time. 00:29:47 Chris: And it's because they're sponges and they're listening to their absorbing everything and then they're processing it to their childlike brains or their childish brains. So I think that letting the child do that, but being there and being in communication is really important. 00:30:02 Chris: When I was growing up and maybe when you were too, we had three different worlds. We had kid world where no adults came in and the kids were doing that. We had adult world where we weren't allowed, where the parents would do that. And then there was family world, which is dinner and vacations and being yelled at about your grades or whatever that was. 00:30:21 Chris: But those three worlds don't really seem to exist anymore. And parents and kids are much more integrated in one another's lives. I think that's an outcome of COVID. It's actually a very positive outcome from COVID. Because you as mom and dad, have fun with your kids. Come on. It's, again, back to the idea of process rather than outcome. They don't have to become an expert ball player. They don't have to become an expert thing at times. They can actually just learn and play and discover the world and share those discoveries with you. 00:30:51 Melissa: Yeah, I love that. And I think it's an opportunity for someone that has to think a lot in life and feels the stresses of life to kind of let go and just stop thinking and just going with what is. Be present. You know, be totally present. 00:31:12 Chris: Be totally present and just be open to what it is. It's trying not to, as I was saying, it doesn't have to have a definitive outcome. And the one thing I think we've lost track of, often in our culture right now, is the idea of embracing process. It's really okay to make mistakes. It's really okay to try something, as long as you get up and start again. 00:31:36 Chris: I mean, how many times have you, I was talking about, for me, I learned to ski late. And I'm a really mediocre skier. I'm enthusiastic, but I'm not good. And I had somebody who was teaching me and he said, Chris, eventually I was scared. Eventually you're gonna have to point your skis down the hill. So I did it, I fell a lot, I did that, but I was so eager to learn that I'd fall and get up again. 00:32:04 Chris: I had to learn how to get up, but that's the thing that I think is, you know, if you have an idea of where you'd like to go but embrace the process on the way there because who knows what you're going to learn and what you're going to discover. 00:32:16 Melissa: Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I think that's the key to any goal. It's just you have to really fall in love with the process as you head towards the vision the goal, you know, whatever it is that you're trying to accomplish. And I also love the fact that, you know, as with play it's like there's something that's so pure about it, you know, when left on unmanipulated. 00:32:40 Melissa: It's like as a parent, we might have this desire to like educate our kids up to wazoo with regards to like every educational toy out there and every moment with we're with them, we're teaching them another language or coding or something. But I think, you know, just being open to a little bit, you know, unstructured play and that time with your child has so many benefits. And I think, you know, Chris, the work that you're doing just stay connected to like play as just being fun and okay and positive is is really helpful. Thank you so much for the work that you've done. 00:33:18 Chris: Thanks. I mean, I really do think that it as I mentioned, joy before it really does open the door to being joyful and going, oh, wow, that's fun, you know? I mean, when was the last time you said, oh, wow, that's really fun. 00:33:31 Melissa: 100%. Yeah, for sure. Thank you so much, Chris. So where can listeners continue to learn about their favorite toys, about you, about what's up ahead in the toy industry? 00:33:42 Chris: You can come see the toyguy.com. That's probably the best way. And then on Instagram, I'm thetoyguy. So, yeah. And I post a lot of pictures from things like toy fairs and different things and things that are fun for me and that make me giggle. 00:33:58 Melissa: Thank you so much, Chris. Have an awesome one. 00:34:01 Chris: Thank you. 00:34:03 Melissa: My three takeaways for this conversation that you can absolutely take to the bank and apply in your home are, first, this idea that playing with our kids has benefits for our kids, but also for us, especially if you're a super busy mom. It helps put you in the immediate present moment. So that's a big, big perk right there. 00:34:25 Melissa: Second is this idea that it's all about the process as opposed to the final answer. And that's something that I know is hard to think about when you're constantly thinking about what's next in your life. So thinking about play as something that you're doing and it's a process instead of to put together that Lego piece might be a great shift in your thinking and could relieve you of the stress and pressure of getting things right. 00:34:54 Melissa: Second, no, actually my third point here, my third point would be that in terms of the benefits of playing, I hadn't realized how psychologically deep some of these toys touch the minds of our kids. So the simple fact that we are thinking about, you know, working out relationships when you're doing a diorama, which may have been the case for me personally or maybe you're thinking about whether or not you have skills like a superhero, which was something that Chris shared, I just never thought about how psychologically interesting playing with a toy could be. 00:35:32 Melissa: So you might want to reconsider this idea that playing with a toy is just a way to distract your child or keep them focused on something other than breaking things. There could be real psychological value and also something for you to just consider psychological opportunity when it comes to the choices behind the toys we put in front of our kids. 00:36:00 Melissa: So I hope you enjoyed this conversation. Again, this episode was brought to you by my book, Fertile Imagination. I am excited about it. It's a guide for stretching every mom's superpower for maximum impact. Your imagination is your superpower. That is why I had Chris on the show today. I encourage you to check out the show notes where you could actually purchase the book and let me know that you did. I am always available for conversation and any questions. Thank you so much and I appreciate you. And until next Tuesday.

Are you struggling to achieve your goals and live up to your full potential? Do limiting beliefs, fears, or negative emotions hold you back from success, health, wealth and happiness? Dr. David Snyder shares powerful techniques to reprogram your subconscious mind for rapid transformation. Through interactive exercises and proven NLP methods, Snyder teaches how to overcome blocks like procrastination, eliminate negative thoughts and feelings, and program your mind for maximum results. Learn to attract good people into your life, make more money effortlessly, and take control of your destiny! Standout Quotes: “You are not the way you are because of the things that happened to you. You are the way you are because of the way you recorded the things that happened to you.” – Dr. David Snyder “If you can point to where you feel it, you can change it.” – Dr. David Snyder “You are not broken, there is nothing wrong with you. The feelings in your body, the stuff that keeps coming up does not mean you're broken.” – Dr. David Snyder “You are the God or Goddess of your reality. You are the king or queen of your universe. And you have absolutely every right and privilege and authority to make any change that you want.” – Dr. David Snyder “Everything you experience is a product of a code that your nervous system wrote and is running? Well, if your system wrote the code, it can rewrite the code.” – Dr. David Snyder “There's literal magic inside of you waiting to be set free. Will you accept it? Will you embrace it? Will you go for it?” – Dr. David Snyder Key Takeaways: Practice the "frame game" technique daily to rapidly evolve your emotions, thoughts, and destiny through self-directed neuroplasticity. Use somatic techniques like pointing to feelings in your body and reframing pictures to methodically resolve issues, allowing deeper layers of related problems to surface for transformation. Ask yourself "What is the root cause behind this chronic issue in my life?" and seek to address psycho-emotional sources through techniques like regression, rather than just treating surface symptoms. Nurture your inner child daily with self-love, acceptance and empowering beliefs so that you can overcome limitations and break through to your full potential. Episode Timeline: [00:02] Pretend Play to Reprogram Your Mind [02:17] Unconscious Mind & Emotional Well-Being [08:41] Energy Psychology for Emotional Healing [15:34] Somatic Bridge Technique for Habits [22:11] Holographic Nervous System for Pain Relief [25:03] Body Mapping for Emotional Healing [29:45] How Memories Shape Your Emotions [34:32] Visualization for Pleasure and Power [40:17] Control Your Nervous System [44:30] Nurturing Your Inner Child for Happiness [47:00] Pleasure-Based Personal Evolution [51:49] Overcoming Limiting Beliefs with Neurology [58:22] NLP for Treating Cancer [01:03:42] Reprogram Your Mind for Growth To learn more about Dr. David Snyder and everything about NLP, visit: Website: https://www.nlppower.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidSnyderNLP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidsnydernlp

Join me, as we explore the empowering journey from traditional schooling to homeschooling. Discover the vital role of play and imagination in early childhood education. We address common parental anxieties about early academics and highlight the benefits of imaginative play and outdoor activities for young children. Emphasizing a balanced approach, we discuss how play fosters bonding, creativity, and developmental growth, advocating for a more holistic view of early education. In our conversation about the impact of technology on imagination, we uncover how boredom can be a powerful catalyst for creativity in children. We also provide practical tips for encouraging imaginative play, drawing on research and expert opinions, and share personal experiences to support children in unlocking their creative potential. Join us as we embrace boredom and spark creativity for both children and adults. Free to Learn by Dr. Peter Gray Scholastic: The Importance of Pretend Play Ignite Your Child's Inspiration by Dr. Nicole Beurkens The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development by Dr. Dorothy Singer & Dr. Jerome Miracle Recreation: The Importance of Imagination in Child Development  Tips For Building a Child's Imagination: Dr. Susan Irvine  Mayo Clinic Health System: Boost Your Brain with Boredom by Dr. Ashok Seshardri:  10 Simple Activities to Boost Your Imagination *Please note that some of the links included in this article are Amazon affiliate links. CONNECT with US Join the Private Facebook Group  Connect and follow along with Janae's Journey on Instagram @janae.daniels Learn more about School to Homeschool  

Pretend play is the ultimate brain builder. It's the magic potion that sparks language, supercharges social skills, and boosts emotional intelligence.The 3 top benefits of pretend play.Language Leaps:Pretend play acts as a secret language workshop for your little one. As they engage in imaginative scenarios, they're not just playing – they're experimenting with words, tones, and expressions. This playful chatter is a significant building block for their language development, turning every tea party and superhero adventure into a language-rich classroom.Social Skills Supercharge:Picture this – your toddler hosting a teddy bear picnic or sharing toys with imaginary friends. These make-believe interactions aren't just adorable; they're social training grounds. Pretend play helps toddlers grasp the nuances of sharing, taking turns, and understanding others' perspectives. It's a social skills boot camp that happens organically through play.Emotional Intelligence Boost:Behind those superhero capes and tea party tiaras lies a world of emotions waiting to be explored. Pretend play allows toddlers to express, understand, and navigate a range of feelings in a safe, imaginative space. It's like a mini therapy session, helping them build emotional resilience and empathy – crucial tools for a lifetime of healthy relationships.Remember mom, you're not just facilitating play; you're laying the groundwork for a confident, communicative, and emotionally intelligent little human. Embrace the magic of pretend play – it's more than just fun; it's a language and life skills powerhouse for your toddler.Links mentioned in this episode:Andrew Huberman, PhDhttps://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/using-play-to-rewire-and-improve-your-brainStuart Brown, MD, PhDhttps://www.nifplay.org/about-us/about-dr-stuart-brown/https://www.playcore.com/drstuartbrownCarol Dweck, PhDhttps://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=enhttps://www.ted.com/speakers/carol_dweckCLICK HERE - JOIN THE WAITLISTCLICK HERE - Building Vocabulary: Single Words to 2-Word Phrases GuideEmail: contact@HyerLearning.com

Today we are going to chat about the OWL approach.  It was developed by The Hanen Centre and is a great strategy if you want to follow the child's lead to learn more about what they like and how they are playing and communicating.  The OWL approach has so many benefits, which I will go over during today's episode. Topics Discussed: Following the lead of an autistic child Examples of following their lead Benenfits of following the autistic child's lead   Links Mentioned In This Episode: OWL approach from The Hanen Centre The Hanen Centre website More Than Words book from The Hanen Centre   Other Links You May Be Interested In: Autism Little Learners on Instagram Autism Little Learners on Facebook You can also join my free Visual Supports Facebook Group to “hang out” with like- minded educators and parents who want to take action and implement visuals at home or at school. Be sure to subscribe to The Autism Little Learners Podcast so you don't miss future episodes.  Plus, leave a rating & review on iTunes….this will help other educators and parents find this podcast!  CLICK HERE to leave a review on iTunes, then scroll down to “ratings and reviews” and click “write a review”.  THANK YOU!

Ever been curious about the best type of marijuana for our host Sam? Or wondered what Hercules and Zeta Warrior Princess could possibly have to do with a childhood fear of quicksand? We've got those answers and more in this fun and delightfully spooky episode of MinorityPlus1!We kick off the show with a Halloween-themed discussion, reminiscing about our favorite costumes from years past and building up anticipation for this year's spooky getups. Giving a warm shout-out to Don, our previous guest, we smoothly transition into a lively chat about black-owned businesses and the marijuana scene in Jamaica, even receiving listener advice about the best strain for Sam. Keep your ears peeled for our hilarious horror game tales and our tribute to iconic figures in the entertainment industry. And what's a Halloween episode without a deep dive into our favorite horror movies, villains, and Stephen King's universe? Get ready for chills as we compare notes on the likes of Freddie Krueger, Michael Myers, and Jack Nicholson's performance in The Shining. Laugh along as we share irrational childhood superstitions and fears, and join the debate on the merits of horror movie book adaptations. We also dissect the Saw movies, debate horror movie serial killers, and open up about our own Halloween experiences. Finally, we touch on self-identity issues and the sensitive topic of Dwight Howard's sexual assault allegations. Tune in for a thrilling ride as we juggle fun, fright, and some serious chat in this episode of Minority Plus One.

This is an expansion on the past episode I did as a general play skill review; I delve deeper into the stages of pretend play and why a child may not be engaging in skills as would be expected. The 5 Stages of Pretend Play in Early Childhood - Empowered Parents 'Pretend play' is important to kids' development - Sanford Health News This was an interesting newer article about behaviors within pretend play: A New Theory of the Progression of Pretend Play Development | Psychology Today

You don't want to miss today's episode about pretend play.  We'll start by summarizing the stages of play that we covered in the last several episodes.  Exploratory play, one-step functional play, and two-step functional play are leading children on the path to pretend play!  Now, let's chat about how we can nurture pretend play with our autistic child or students.  See you inside the show! Topics Discussed: Exploratory play Functional play Pretend play Using visual supports for play Links Mentioned In This Episode About Visual Supports:  Exploratory Toys List On Amazon Functional Play Toys List On Amazon Episodes 10, 11, 36 & 37 Mini-Trampoline Toy Playmobile Playground Toy Fisher Price Playground Set Pretend Play Toys Amazon List Themed Play Visual Supports Put Pretending Into Your Child's Play Booklet The Hanen Centre Other Links You May Be Interested In: Autism Little Learners on Instagram Autism Little Learners on Facebook You can also join my free Visual Supports Facebook Group to “hang out” with like minded educators and parents who want to take action and implement visuals at home or at school. Be sure to subscribe to The Autism Little Learners Podcast so you don't miss future episodes.  Plus, leave a rating & review on iTunes….this will help other educators and parents find this podcast!  CLICK HERE to leave a review on iTunes, then scroll down to “ratings and reviews” and click “write a review”.  THANK YOU!

Show Notes: In this episode I share my answer to this question I hear often: Is it Neuroaffirming to Work on Pretend Play Skills with Autistic Children?   And my short answer is... it depends! Tune in to hear the things you need to ask yourself and keep in mind to weigh up a more personalised answer to this question.     LINKS:  Allied Health Professionals, you're invited to my FREE on-demand webinar: Neurodiversity Affirming Practice Kickstart - Register here to kick off or clarify your next steps on your Neurodiversity Affirming Practice journey! https://playlearnchat.com/free-neurodiversity-webinar/   Podcast Link: https://pod.link/1625478932 Website: www.playlearnchat.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/play.learn.chat Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/play.learn.chat

In today's episode, the focus is on play skills and natural environment teaching. Discover how to seamlessly incorporate teaching moments into a child's everyday life, both at home and in a classroom setting. Dr Mary Barbera highlights the importance of pretend play and introduces the valuable resource "Playtime Social Time" from the University of Minnesota, offering creative play scene ideas and organization tips for play materials.

On this episode of Playfully Faithful Parenting, host Joy Wendling explores the topic of pretend play and its impact on faith development in children. She discusses how setting up a conducive environment that sparks children's desire for pretend play can have positive effects on their cognitive abilities, language skills, understanding of different perspectives, social skills, problem-solving, and creativity. 

OTP: Pretend Play This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

How we work with our students if they don't remember something or aren't paying attention, how we encourage an environment where all our kids feel safe to participate and engage, how we support our kids who wait to be invited to play, and navigating pretend play.

In the wise word of Dutch “stick around” for this one. We answer questions about the how, why, when and where of pretend play these week. We loved making and we hope it helps guide you into pretend play with the kids you care for.

Pretend play is lots of fun but it's also a really important part of childhood. Play allows us to fine tune our development and learn skills that will ensure we succeed in life and against the predator!! We hope you enjoy this episode as we certainly did.

Each Friday Mary and Kim talk about two of their favorite activities that encourage and promote speech and language development.  From books and toys to games and songs, we talk about how we use each one and specific areas they target.  This is a GREAT way to build developmentally appropriate little libraries, game closets, toys bins and more!In today's episode we talk about some of our favorite pretend play toys!  Make sure you listen to the Episode before this, Episode 26, to hear why we love pretend play so much and why it's important for speech and language development. Some of our favorites:Our Generation Brand at Target - The School set, backpack set, school supplies setSchool calendar and weather pocket chart Melissa and Doug Standing Art Easel Plastic caddy for pencils, markers, stickers, etc.Learning Resources Hand PointersCheck out more information and all of our resources at www.thespeechsource.comFollow The Speech Source on Instagram  @thespeechsource

In this episode, Mary and Kim talk about the importance of pretend play, examples of pretend play, and ways to encourage and model pretend play for your kids.  Pretend Play ages and stages article referenced:The Land of Make Believe (hanen.org)Check out more information and all of our resources at www.thespeechsource.com Follow The Speech Source on Instagram - @thespeechsource 

Hello, today I'd like to play pretend and apply this tingly wooden and fake make up products on you! Enjoy :) ♥ #ASMR #GentleWhispering #pretend 4/28/22 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/maria-gentlewhispering/support

When was the last time you let your imagination take the wheel? As kids, our imagination created endless possibilities. An old blanket was a superhero cape. Pots and pans? A full on drum set! Imagination has the power to make the “ordinary” novel and exciting. In the wake of an increasingly digital age, however, many wonder, does imaginative play still hold the same space in children's lives? Hear from Dr. Laura Rubin, founder of Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center, about how imaginative play helps children process emotional experiences, build executive function skills, foster creativity, and more. She also shares how parents, caregivers, and educators can support their child's imaginative instincts. For more on imaginative play and children's mental health, check out the following resources: Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center: https://www.portsmouthneuro.com/ The Child Mind Institute: https://childmind.org/ How Re-Framing Our Experiences Can Contribute to Our Well-Being by Dr. Laura Rubin, TEDxPortsmouth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqpQ0iHBRSQ&ab_channel=TEDxTalks Make-Believe: Games & Activities for Imaginative Play By Dorothy G. Singer and Jerome L. Singer: https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/4417173  

It's true that we can teach language anywhere, anytime, BUT… some toys and activities are better than others for teaching a child to understand and use words! Learn the 5 considerations speech-language pathologists can use for choosing play themes, and then we'll discuss the 5 best pretend themes parents and professionals can use for toddlers and preschoolers with language delays. Join pediatric speech-language pathologist Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP of teachmetotalk.com for this 1-hour audio/video podcast episode, ASHA CEU COURSE #436 Best Pretend Play Themes for Building Language for Toddlers and Preschoolers For speech-language pathologists, other early interventionists, and parents of toddlers and preschoolers with speech-language delays Post with recommended toys and links Post for CE credit

In this episode, our host Shannon discusses Functional Pretend Play for the jargon of the day before being joined by Author, Healer and Autism World Autism Ambassador, Kameena Star!! Check it out! 18:35 Jargon of the Day - Functional Pretend Play 20:43 Pretend Play - Actual Definition 21:19 Pretend Play - Working Definition 29:10 What Do I get a Teenager on the Autism Spectrum for Christmas? Autism Live Gift & Toy Guide Information 30:54 Question of the Day - What was your favorite toy when you were a child? 32:42 Topic of the Week - Festival of Toys 34:02 Author, Healer, Autism Ambassador and Show Host Kameena Star Joins us! 34:55 About Kameena Star's Book and when it will be Released 40:25 Kameena Star's Healing Self-Care TV Show 44:00 Kameena Star the Musician, the Singer, the Performer 50:27 USC TRUST Study 56:45 Where to find Kameena Star's Content! 59:56 This week on Autism Live

Bryan tells Hoadley about his endless nights trying to get his daughter to sleep, they discuss the power weed couple known as Snoopy Doggy Doggy & Martha Stewart and wonder how Trump will call the Holyfield  fight. Then the gang wonders why they cannot get anyone to watch them on YouTube while "Jesse" calls Thanos and gets 2,000,000 views!! Finally, Bryan and Krissy find Thanos' cell phone number and give him a ring to pick his brain. LINKS:Want a TCB limited edition collectible sticker? Each series sticker is limited and first come, first serve. Click HERE to find out how!Or send a text or voicemail to 661-Best-2-Yo (1.661.237.8296)Watch this episode on YoutubeTCBTV-minusSponsorStreamlight Lending By SunTrust Bank (Use Code TCB for additional interest savings)DBSAlliance For Mental Health HelpMagic Spoon (Use Code TCB)FUM (Use Code TCB) Smokeless Pipe for Smoking SesationCastbox is the TCB publishing partner . Download The App Here!Subscribe to The Commercial Break Podcast Youtube ChannelNew Episodes on Tuesdays and now Fridays everywhere!Text or leave us a message: 1-(661)-BEST-2-YO  |  (1-661-237-8296)

Jeremy and Krista are slightly late but back to talk about irrational fears, baby visiting great grandparents, upcoming daycare open house, baby's first year milestones, how anxiety may hamper pretend play for parents, and more. Please rate, review, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast apps! You can contact us on Twitter @PUnpreparedPod and/or email us ParentallyUnprepared@gmail.com Links for reference: Baby's First Year Milestones: https://blog.owletcare.com/milestones-for-babys-first-year/ Mother Anxiety and Pretend Play: https://bit.ly/3x2pobQ Piano Kick Board Toy: https://amzn.to/3rB0krp --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pupod/support

Pretend Play - July 2021

In this one our host Shannon covers Functional Pretend Play for the jargon of the before discussing the question of the day with the live viewers! After that, Shannon talks about the topic of the week while taking viewer questions! Then, Shannon is joined by Special Education Attorney Bonnie Yates for another episode of Your Rights with Bonnie Yates, this time Bonnie discusses IEP, compensatory education and changes that have been made due to COVID!

In this one our host Shannon covers Functional Pretend Play for the jargon of the before discussing the question of the day with the live viewers! After that, Shannon talks about the topic of the week while taking viewer questions! Then, Shannon is joined by Special Education Attorney Bonnie Yates for another episode of Your Rights with Bonnie Yates, this time Bonnie discusses IEP, compensatory education and changes that have been made due to COVID!

In this episode, let's talk about the different styles of play that can help children with autism to learn, improve and practice new skills and abilities for everyday life. References: Gena, A., Papadopoulou, E., Loukrezi, S., & Galanis, P. (2007). The play of children with autism: Theory, assessment and research on treatment. In L.B. Zhao (Ed.), Autism research advances (pp. 1-40). New York: Nova Science. Grant, R., & Turner-Bumberry, T. (2021). AutPlay therapy social skills groups: A 10-session model. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. Hampshire, P., & Hourcade, J. (2014). Teaching play skills to children with autism using visually structured tasks. Teaching Exceptional Children, 46(3), 26-31. doi: 10.1177/004005991404600303. Jarrold, C. (2003). A Review of Research into Pretend Play in Autism. Sage Journals, 1(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361303007004004 Jung, S., & Sainato, D.M. (2015). Teaching games to young children with autism spectrum disorder using special interests and video modelling. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 40(2), 198. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2015.1027674. Kok, A.J., Kong, T.Y., & Bernard-Opitz, V. (2002). A comparison of the effects of structured play and facilitated play approaches on preschoolers with autism. Autism, 6(2), 181-196. doi: 10.1177/1362361302006002005. Rogers, S. J., Cook, I., & Meryl, A. (2005). Imitation and Play in Autism. In F. R. Volkmar, R. Paul, A. Klin, & D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders: Diagnosis, development, neurobiology, and behavior, 382–405. John Wiley & Sons Inc. Stahmer, A.C., Ingersoll, B., & Carter, C. (2003). Behavioral approaches to promoting play. Autism, 7(4), 401-413. doi: 10.1177/1362361303007004006. Links: Interactive Play Ideas for Children with Autism Video Playing with Toys Real Look Autism Video Structured Play Movement and Play A Parent's Guide – Teaching Playskills Preschool Activities for Children with Autism Learning to Play, Playing to Learn For more information, head over to Aspect Australia - www.autismspectrum.org.au. Disclaimer: I'm not a professional, just a student with a passion for autism.

In this week's episode, SPA's Anneke Flinn chats to Emeritus Professor Karen Stagnitti, from Deakin University, about the importance of pretend play for language development. Speech Pathology Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of lands, seas and waters throughout Australia, and pay respect to Elders past, present and future. We recognise that the health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are grounded in continued connection to culture, country, language and community.

In this episode I discuss and define MENTAL REHEARSAL- your “mind's eye”. How to tap into your inner guide and reconnect with your childhood imagination. I give you tangible techniques to be able to move a step closer to your dreams and find with your passion. Want to ask Dr sogol a question_ email her @ pahlavansogol@gmail.comfollow us on facebook page to engage with a community of likeminded people like you:https://fb.me/pahlavansogolmd 

Pretend play has many names. Some of these names are: imaginative play, creative play, make- believe play, fantasy play. ... When children are playing pretend they are playing 'as if' something or someone is real. They are creating a situation where there is more going on that what is literally happening. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Pretend play has many names. Some of these names are: imaginative play, creative play, make- believe play, fantasy play. ... When children are playing pretend they are playing 'as if' something or someone is real. They are creating a situation where there is more going on that what is literally happening. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Pretend play offers young children the opportunity to explore and develop their understanding of themselves and the world around them. Through imitation and imagination they build a deeper vocabulary, hone motor skills, and develop problem solving strategies. Listen as Jen and Alaina talk about all the benefits of pretend play and share strategies for caregivers to create spaces that support and enhance this emerging skill.Resources:https://www.patagonia.com/stories/why-is-unstructured-play-crucial/story-33448.htmlhttps://www.scholastic.com/parents/kids-activities-and-printables/activities-for-kids/arts-and-craft-ideas/importance-pretend-play.htmlhttps://www.pentagonplay.co.uk/news-and-info/why-pretend-play-is-important-to-child-developmenthttp://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/The-Land-of-Make-Believe.aspx​

Speech is canceled and these strategies will help you find your child's unprompted spoken language faster than therapy! If you want to watch the video and see the visual demonstration that goes with this episode, visit my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/PTkzaFD0Hi0 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wavesofcommunication/message

Here’s some for you, bunny. Now hedgehog wants some more! Some for me, too. And you, too, Mommy! Because pretend play, imaginative play, and fantasy play is SO hotly debated in the Montessori community, I get TONS of questions about it. Parents want to know — if a Montessori education emphasizes the real world, is there room for playing pretend? Or is that a waste of my child’s time? Today I am answering two questions about pretend play, and if you’ve been wondering, I hope you’ll find some answers for yourself in there, too! Join me in a discussion about child development as we explore the benefits of pretend play and what to do when our children want to play with cars or dolls all day. Love, Aubrey P.S. You can find everything you need for this podcast, including some pretty detailed show notes and links to resources RIGHT HERE.

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Stage 3: Play Schemes in the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. First we discuss the benefits of the Stages in the curriculum and the overall goal of Stage 3.  We go on to discuss the expectations, selecting targets, prompting, positioning, reinforcement, initiating play, feedback following play, generalization, and mastery. Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum, or to sign up for one of our training webinars for the PPLAC. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com References:    DiCarlo, C. F., & Reid, D. H. (2004). Increasing pretend toy play of toddlers with disabilities in an inclusive setting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37(2), 197-207. Goldstein, H., & Cisar, C. L. (1992). Promoting interaction during sociodramatic play: Teaching scripts to typical preschoolers and classmates with disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 265-280.  

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Stage 2: Chaining Play in the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. First we discuss the benefits of the Stages in the curriculum and the overall goal of Stage 2.  We go on to discuss the expectations, selecting targets, prompting, positioning, reinforcement, initiating play, feedback following play, generalization, and mastery. Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum, or to sign up for one of our training webinars for the PPLAC. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com References:  Jahr, E., & Eldevik, S. (2007a). Changes in solitary play following acquisition of cooperative play by children with autism. The Journal of Speech and Language Pathology–Applied Behavior Analysis, 2(2), 182-189. Lifter, K., Ellis, J., Cannon, B., & Anderson, S. R. (2005). Developmental specificity in targeting and teaching play activities to children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Early Intervention, 27(4), 247-267. Rutherford, M. D., & Rogers, S. J. (2003). Cognitive underpinnings of pretend play in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33(3), 289-302.  

Becoming symbolic is linked to language development in toddlers and preschoolers. The best way children demonstrate this emerging ability is through pretend play. Many late talking toddlers, particularly those with red flags for autism, have difficulty learning to play. In this one hour audio/video podcast, join Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP of teachmetotalk.com as she explains the 7 steps for teaching pretend play skills to toddlers. See demonstrations with specific toys to walk you through the process. Therapists - get CE credit for listening to or watching this course. Details at teachmetotalk.com podcast #382. 

This week's episode is all about a great breakthrough moment for Jackson - he engaged (unprompted!) in pretend play. Hear all about that story and why pretend play is often challenging for kids on the spectrum in this episode.  I also talk about how it emotionally affects me, personally, that Jackson doesn't easily gravitate to pretend play since playing pretend is actually part of my chosen career. 

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Stage 1: Single Agent in the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. First we discuss the benefits of the Stages in the curriculum and the overall goal of Stage 1.  We go on to discuss the  Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum, or to sign up for one of our training webinars for the PPLAC. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com References:  Barton, 2015 Lifter, Ellis, Cannon, Anderson, 2005    

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Pretend Play and Language Assessment   First we discuss the research on pretend play and how we developed the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum (PPLAC). We go on to cover the purpose, layout, and scoring of the PPLAC full and brief assessments.  Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum, or to sign up for one of our training webinars for the PPLAC. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com References:  Barton, E. E. & Wolery, M. (2008). Teaching pretend play to children with disabilities: A review of the literature. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 28(2), 109-125.  Belsky, J., & Most, R. K. (1981). From exploration to play: A cross-sectional study of infant free play behavior. Developmental Psychology, 17(5), 630-639. Casby, M. W. (2003). Developmental assessment of play: A model for early intervention. Communication Disorders Quarterly 24(4), 175-183. Fenson, L., & Ramsay, D. (1980). Decentration and Integration of the Child's Play in the Second Year. Child Development, 51(1), 171-178. doi:10.2307/1129604  Lewis, V. Boucher, J., Lupton, L., & Watson, S. (2009). Relationships between symbolic play, functional play, verbal and non-verbal ability in young children. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 35(1), 117-127.  Lifter, K., Foster-Sandra, S., Arzamarski, C., Briesch, J., & McClure, E. (2011). Overview of play: Its uses and importance in early intervention/early childhood special education. Infants & Young Children, 24(3), 225-245.  Saracho, O. N. (1999) A factor analysis of preschool children's play strategies and cognitive style. Educational Psychology 19(2),165-180. 

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Essential Skills to Sociodramatic Play 5 Elements of Play: Discuss the 5 elements of play in the PPLAC and definitions of the 3 essential skills to sociodramatic play.  Initiating:  We review the definition and research we have conducted on evaluating and teaching initiating.   Responding:  We review the definitions and research we have conducted on evaluating and teaching responding. Expanding:  We review the definitions and research we and others have conducted on evaluating and teaching expanding.   Garcia-Albea, Reeve, Reeve, & Brothers, 2014; Deitchman, Reeve, Reeve, & Progar, 2010; Craig-Unkefer & Kaiser, 2003; Liber, Frea & Symon, 2008; Wolfberg, Bottema-Beutel & DeWitt, 2012; Howes, Phillips & Whitebook, 1992; Goldstein, Wickstrom, Hoyson, Tamieson & Odom, 1988; Murdock & Hobbs 2011; Zanolli, Daggett, Adams, 1996 Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com  

En esta segunda parte de la conversación con Lucía Suárez seguimos hablando de la imaginación, de la fantasía (tema controversial), del juego y terminamos hablando de la creatividad y el papel de la educación Montessori en el desarrollo de esta. Hablamos también de una clasificación de los juegos según ESAR de la mano de un post del blog Born to be Pank que pueden encontrar en el siguiente enlace: https://www.borntobepank.com/metodo-esar-clasificacion-juegos/ También les dejo los datos de algunos estudios con los que nos hemos documentado para este episodio: "Playful Learning and Montessori Education", Angeline S. Lillard, American Journal of Play, volume 5, number 2, winter 2013 "The Development of Imagination and the Role of Pretend Play", Sarah Werner Andrews, 27th International Montessori Congress, Presentation Summary, July 24, 2013 Les recuerdo nuestras formas de contacto: Facebook: Hablemos de Montessori Instagram: @hablemosdemontessori Twitter: @HabDeMontessori Mil gracias por escucharnos!

En esta segunda parte de la conversación con Lucía Suárez seguimos hablando de la imaginación, de la fantasía (tema controversial), del juego y terminamos hablando de la creatividad y el papel de la educación Montessori en el desarrollo de esta. Hablamos también de una clasificación de los juegos según ESAR de la mano de un post del blog Born to be Pank que pueden encontrar en el siguiente enlace: https://www.borntobepank.com/metodo-esar-clasificacion-juegos/ También les dejo los datos de algunos estudios con los que nos hemos documentado para este episodio: "Playful Learning and Montessori Education", Angeline S. Lillard, American Journal of Play, volume 5, number 2, winter 2013 "The Development of Imagination and the Role of Pretend Play", Sarah Werner Andrews, 27th International Montessori Congress, Presentation Summary, July 24, 2013 Les recuerdo nuestras formas de contacto: Facebook: Hablemos de Montessori Instagram: @hablemosdemontessori Twitter: @HabDeMontessori Mil gracias por escucharnos!

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Advanced Play 5 Elements of Play: Discuss the 5 elements of play in the PPLAC and definitions of the 3 advanced play targets.  Rotating Play:  We review the definitions and research we have conducted on evaluating and teaching rotating play.  Combining Play:  We review the definitions and research we have conducted on evaluating and teaching combining play. Character Roles:  We review the definitions and research we and others have conducted on evaluating and teaching character roles.   Watson & Fischer, 1980; Terpestra, Higgins, & Pierce, 2002; Thorp, Stahmer, & Schreibman, 1995; Goldstein, Wickstrom, Hoyson, Jamieson, & Odom, 1988 Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com  

Welcome to this listener requested episode. Thanks, Nicole! "Ideas for the mom who wants to connect, but HATES imaginative play" Have an idea? Email me at Play4life.Christy@gmail.com  or find me on Instagram here or there.   Listen for my 4 tips on pretend play.  I'll share with you two ways to say yes AND two ways to say no.   Self-Care Action: Sing a holiday song, loudly and off-key.  My favorite song to sing right now is this mash-up of the 12 Days of Christmas. The 2018 version is on their new  CD on Amazon (affiliate link).  Not convinced?  Read more here: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/find-your-voice-through-singing/   Play Idea: ABC Game.  1) Pick a broad general topic--food, animal, song titles, peoples names.  2) Start with the person who said I'm bored first.  The first person says a word that starts with the letter A.  The second person says letter B... 3) A more complicated version is making the person say letter A, letter B, letter C...   Want more?  Check out the website!  www.Play4Lifemoms.com Want play ideas over email?  www.subscribepage.com/play4lifemoms  

Cindy and Alison tackle a sensitive topic on today's podcast. Sensitive but necessary ....

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Object of Play Symbolic Play:  We review definitions of symbolic play McCune-Micholich, 1981; Barton & Wolery, 2008 5 Elements of Play: Discuss the 5 elements of play in the PPLAC and definitions of the 3 objects of play.  Components of symbolic play: Review of the research on the various components to symbolic play/object of play.  McCune-Micholich, 1981; Casby, 2003 Object substitution: We review the research on object substitution including ACI Learning Centers research on typically developing children and teaching children with autism.  McCune-Micholich, 1981 Imaginary play without objects: We review the research on imaginary object including ACI Learning Centers research on typically developing children and teaching children with autism.  Stahmer, 1995; Taylor & Iacono, 2003  Assigning absent attributes: We review the research on assigning absent attributes including ACI Learning Centers research on typically developing children and teaching children with autism. Ingersoll & Schriebman, 2006; Taylor & Iacono, 2003  Development of symbolic Play: we discuss the developmental sequence of object of play and the overlap with category of play Belsky & Most, 1981; Watson & Fisher, 1977; Ungerer, Zelazo, Kearsley, & Kurowsit, 1981; McCune-Micholich, 1981; Fein 1981; Fenson, Kagan, Kearsley, Zelazo, 1976; Smith & Jones, 2011;  Language: we discuss the correlation between symbolic play and language development.  Fein 1981; Charman & Baron-Cohen, 1997; Casby & Ruder, 1983; Barton & Wolery, 2008; Casby, 2003; Smith & Jones, 2011; Taylor & Iacono, 2003; Thorp, Stahmer, & Schreibman, 1995; Kasari, Freeman, & Paparella, 2006 Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs for listening to this podcast, or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com  

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: Agent of Play Pretend Play definition: We review definitions of pretend play Lifter, Ellis, Cannon, Anderson, 2005 ;Lifter, Mason, & Barton, 2011 Deficits in children with autism and developmental delays: Discuss common deficits observed and the research supporting behavioral interventions to teach pretend play.  Ungerer & Sigman, 1981; Lewis & Boucher, 1995; Lifter, Ellis, Cannon, Anderson, 2005 Importance of teaching Agent of Play: Review of the research on the importance of agent of play and the different agents of play observed in typically developing children.  Lifter & Bloom, 1989; Wolery, 1991; Lifter, Sulzer-Azaroff, & Anderson, 1993 Agent of play in the research: We review the research on different agents of play.  Lifter, Sulzer-Azaroff, Anderson, & Cowerdy, 1993; Watson & Fischer, 1977 Agent of play in the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum (PPLAC):  Self as Agent: review the research, discuss research we have conducted observing typically developing children and teaching children with autism, and implementation in the PPLAC Ungerer & Sigman, 1981; Fein, 1981; Belsky & Most, 1981 Passive Figure: review the research, discuss research we have conducted observing typically developing children and teaching children with autism, and implementation in the PPLAC Watson & Fischer, 1977; Watson & Fischer, 1980; Fein, 1981; Belsky & Most, 1981; McCune-Nicholich, 1981 Active Figure: review the research, discuss research we have conducted observing typically developing children and teaching children with autism, and implementation in the PPLAC Fenson, Kagan, Kearsley, & Zelazo, 1976; Watson & Fischer, 1977; McCune-Nicholich, 1981; Belsky & Most, 1981; Stokes & Osnes, 1989; Lifter, Mason, & Barton, 2011 Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com        

Join Ben Lima for a conversation with Sandra Russ, a distinguished University Professor and Louis D. Beaumont University Professor at Case Western Reserve University. Her research has focused on understanding how pretend play is involved in child development and in child psychotherapy. She is the author of Pretend Play in Childhood: The Foundation of Adult Creativity (2013), American Psychological Association. Edited by Andrew Oh

We begin by reiterating the importance of pretend play and discuss the 5 elements of pretend play.   We get into our main topic today, categories of play, and discuss the 3 categories of pretend play: familiar, observed, and community.  For each category of play Nancy and Melissa break down the research and provide examples.  We look at the core deficits of autism and what barriers we have seen when failing to target the appropriate category of play. It all wraps up with a discussion on data collection and implementation.   Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum.   We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com   References: Casby, M. W. (2003). Developmental assessment of play: A model for early intervention. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 24(4), 175-183. Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis(2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall. Jahr, E. &. (2007). Changes in solitary play following acquistion of cooperative play by children with autism. Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis(2.2), 182-188. Lifter, K., & Bloom, L. (1989). Object knowledge and the emergence of language. Infant Behavior and Development, 12(4), 395-423. Lifter, K., Ellis, J., Cannon, B., & Anderson, S. R. (2005). Developmental specificity in targeting and teaching play activities to children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Early Intervention, 27(4), 247-267.

Psychologist and research professor Peter Gray had spent years studying the biological foundations of emotions in rats and other mammals. But when his 9-year-old son had an angry outburst in the principal’s office, Peter was moved to tears and soon found himself shifting his research focus to studying education from a biological perspective.   Peter's conclusions about what is missing from children’s lives in terms of pretend play and exploration without adult direction are addressed in a powerful way in his book Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant and Better Students for Life. Whatever the age of your children, Peter’s conversation with Marti & Erin will lead you to careful reflection on how to support your children’s success and happiness.   Think about the past week. How much time has your child spent playing without adult direction? How about doing pretend play (dramatic play) with other children? What did you learn in this Mom Enough interview about the benefits of this kind of play? How can you create more opportunities for your child to exercise creativity through free play?   For Peter’s Psychology Today blog, click here.

Creative Education was established in 1989 when Joyce Keelan, an engineer and mother of three, could not find appealing, educational toys for her children. She started the business by creating the Pic-A-Puppet Velcro puppet kit that went on to win the prestigious Oppenheim Toy Portfolio’s S.N.A.P. (Special Needs Adaptable Play) Award. Although this product is long since gone from the portfolio, it did inspire the name for the company and the focus on “Pretend Play” that forms the basis for the dress up costumes in the line today. Great Pretenders was born. Joyce still heads the financial, design and product development aspects of the company with 3 warehouses and over 40 employees globally. 

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: What is Pretend Play. We begin by discussing playroom organization including the the toys and play schemes we have set up at ACI Learning Centers to most effectively target pretend play. We go on to discuss various definitions of toys in the research and toy selection. Looking at the complexity of toys we discuss abstract toys, sociodramatic toys, toy combinations, and the number of different actions that can be completed with a single toy.   We wrap things up discussing the gender differences in toy selection and preference.  Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com   References:  Cherney I.D., Kelly-Vance L, Glover K.A., Ruane A.M., Ryalls B.R. (2003). The effects of stereotyped toys and gender on play assessment in children aged 18-47 months. Educational Psychology, 23(1), 95-106. Doctoroff, S. (2001). Adapting the physical environment to meet the needs of all young children for play. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 105-109. Edwards, C. P., Knoche, L., & Kumru, A. (2001). Play patterns and gender. Encyclopedia of Women and Gender 2, 809-815. Klemenović, J. (2014). How do today’s children play and with which toys. Croatian Journal of Education. 16(1), 181-200. Lieber, J., & Beckman, P. J. (1991). The role of toys in individual and dyadic play among young children with handicaps. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 12(2), 189-203. Trawick-Smith, J., Wolff, J., Koschel, M., & Vallarelli, J. (2014). Which toys promote high-quality play? Reflections on the five-year anniversary of the TIMPANI study. Young Children, 69(2), 40-47.   Venkatesan, S. (2014). Availability of toys for children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Disability Management and Special Education, 4(1), 58-70.

Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. Today we take on the topic: What is Pretend Play. We begin by discussing definitions of play and the variance of terminology in the literature and different types of play.  We go on to discuss the developmental stages of play, including the history of play taxonomies and ACI Learning Centers Developmental Sequence.  Looking at the correlation between play and language we discuss the developmental sequence of language and the pre-requisites to language including, joint attention, gestures and babbling. We wrap it up by identifying the various types of language in play.  Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information, to earn CEUs, or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com References: Barton, E. E., & Wolery, M. (2008). Teaching pretend play to children with disabilities: A review of the literature. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 28(2), 109-125. Barton, E. E., & Wolery, M. (2010). Training teachers to promote pretend play in young children with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 77(1), 85-106. Beaulieu, L., & Povinelli, J. L. (2018). Improving solitary play with a typically developing preschooler. Behavioral Interventions, 33(2), 212-218. Charlop-Christy, M. H., Le, L., & Freeman, K. A. (2000). A comparison of video modeling with in vivo modeling for teaching children with autism. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 30(6), 537-552. Dupere, S., MacDonald, R. P., & Ahearn, W. H. (2013). Using video modeling with substitutable loops to teach varied play to children with autism. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 46(3), 662-668. Hall, S., Rumney, L., Holler, J., & Kidd, E. (2013). Associations among play, gesture and early spoken language acquisition. First Language, 33(3), 294-312. Kasari, C., Freeman, S., & Paparella, T. (2006). Joint attention and symbolic play in young children with autism: A randomized controlled intervention study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(6), 611-620. Lifter, K., & Bloom, L. (1989). Object knowledge and the emergence of language. Infant Behavior and Development, 12(4), 395-423. Lifter, K., & Bloom, L. (1998). Intentionality and the role of play in the transition to language. Transitions in prelinguistic communication, 7, 161-196. MacDonald, R., Sacramone, S., Mansfield, R., Wiltz, K., & Ahearn, W. H. (2009). Using video modeling to teach reciprocal pretend play to children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42(1), 43-55. MacDonald, R., Clark, M., Garrigan, E., & Vangala, M. (2005). Using video modeling to teach pretend play to children with autism. Behavioral Interventions: Theory & Practice in Residential & Community‐Based Clinical Programs, 20(4), 225-238. McCune-Nicolich, L., & Carroll, S. (1981). Development of symbolic play: implications for the language specialist. Topics in Language Disorders. McCune, L. (1995). A normative study of representational play in the transition to language. Developmental psychology, 31(2), 198. Mills, P. E., Beecher, C. C., Dale, P. S., Cole, K. N., & Jenkins, J. R. (2014). Language of children with disabilities to peers at play: Impact of ecology. Journal of Early Intervention, 36(2), 111-130. Orr, E., & Geva, R. (2015). Symbolic play and language development. Infant Behavior and Development, 38, 147-161. Palechka, G., & MacDonald, R. (2010). A comparison of the acquisition of play skills using instructor-created video models and commercially available videos. Education and Treatment of Children, 33(3), 457-474. Reagon, K. A., Higbee, T. S., & Endicott, K. (2006). Teaching pretend play skills to a student with autism using video modeling with a sibling as model and play partner. Education and Treatment of Children, 517-528. Sani-Bozkurt, S., & Ozen, A. (2015). Effectiveness and efficiency of peer and adult models used in video modeling in teaching pretend play skills to children with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 71-83. Ulke-Kurkcuoglu, B., Bozkurt, F., & Cuhadar, S. (2015). Effectiveness of Instruction Performed through Computer-Assisted Activity Schedules on On-Schedule and Role-Play Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 15(3), 671-689.

Pretty regularly I see posts in online parenting groups saying “My child loves to pretend, and they always want me to participate.  I dare not tell anyone else, but I CAN’T STAND PRETEND PLAY.  What should I do?” In this final (unless something else catches my interest!) episode in our extended series on play, Dr. Ansley Gilpin of the University of Alabama helps us to do a deep dive into what children learn from pretend play, and specifically what they learn from fantasy play, which is pretend play regarding things that could not happen in real life (like making popcorn on Mars). We’ll discuss the connection between fantasy play and children’s executive function, the problems with studying fantasy play, and the thing you’ve been waiting for: do you HAVE to do fantasy play with your child if you just can’t stand it (and what to do instead!) If you missed other episodes in this series, you might want to check them out: we started out asking “ whether we should allow our children to take more risks (https://yourparentingmojo.com/riskyplay/) .   References Bergen, D. (2013). Does pretend play matter? Searching for Evidence: Comment on Lillard et al. (2013). Psychological Bulletin 139(1), 45-48. Buchsbaum, D., Bridgers, S., Weisberg, D.S., & Gopnik, A. (2012). The power of possibility: Causal learning, counterfactual reasoning, and pretend play. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 367. 2202-2212. Carlson, S.M., White, R.E., & Davis-Unger, A.C. (2014). Evidence for a relation between executive function and pretense representation in preschool children. Cognitive Development 29, 1-16. Gilpin, A.T., Brown, MM., & Pierucci, J.M. (2015). Relations between fantasy orientation and emotion regulation in preschool. Early Education and Development 26(7), 920-932. Hirsh-Pasek, K., Weisberg, D.S., & Golinkoff, R.M. (2013). Embracing complexity: Rethinking the relation between play and learning: Comment on Lillard et al. (2013). Psychological Bulletin 139(1), 35-39. Hoffman, J.D., & Russ, S.W. (2016). Fostering pretend play skills and creativity in elementary school school girls: A group play intervention. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts 10(1), 114-125. Krasnor, L. R., & Pepler, D. J. (1980). The study of children’s play: Some suggested future directions. In K. H. Rubin (Ed.), Children’s play: New directions for child development (pp. 85–95). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Lancy, D. F. (2015). The anthropology of childhood: Cherubs, chattel, changelings. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. Li, J., Hestenes, L.L., & Wang, Y.C. (2016). Links between preschool children’s social skills and observed pretend play in outdoor childcare environments. Early Childhood Education Journal 44, 61-68. Lillard, A. (2011). Mother-child fantasy play. In A. D. Pelligrini (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the development of play (pp. 284–295). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Lillard, A.S., Lerner, M.D., Hopkins, E.J., Dore, R.A., Smith, E.D., & Palmquist, C.M. (2013). The impact of pretend play on children’s development: A review of the evidence. Psychological Bulletin 139(1), 1-34. Lillard, A.S., Hopkins, E.J., Dore, R.A., Palmquist, C.M., Lerner, M.D., & Smith, E.D. (2013). Concepts, theories, methods and reasons: Why do the children (pretend) play? Reply to Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek and Golinkoff (2013); Bergen (2013); and Walker and Gopnik (2013). Psychological Bulletin 139(1), 49-52. Ma, L., & Lillard, A. (2017). The evolutionary significance of pretend play: Two-year-olds’ interpretation of behavioral cues. Learning & Behavior 45, 441-448. Paley, V. (2009). The importance of fantasy, fairness, and friends in children’s play: An interview with Vivian Gussin Paley. American Journal of Play 2(2), 121-138. Pierucci, J.M., O’Brien, C.T., McInnis, M.A.,...

Download Welcome to the pretend play podcast. A podcast focusing on the research and application of pretend play and language skills. We begin by discussing deficits in play identified in children diagnosed with autism, language delays, or other developmental delays. We talk about functional play, the absence of elaborated play acts, and the use of gestures and vocalizations in play. We go on to discuss the correlations between play and language and the importance of targeting them simultaneously. In addition to language, play effects other developmental domains including cognition, social, self-regulation, school readiness, and more. Looking more toward applications we address some common barriers we have encountered to teaching children appropriate play skills. As well as the necessary components that need to be in place when programming for pretend play.  These components include looking at the developmental sequence and the importance of a systematic approach. To close things out we look at the importance of identifying play as a separate domain and the knowledge you can acquire by observing, assessing, and teaching pretend play. Thank you for listening! Please visit our website for more information or to purchase the Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum. We encourage everyone to reach out to us if you have any questions about the show or suggestions on topics you would like to hear more about.  You can reach out through Facebook or e-mail Melissa at Melissa.Schissler@concepts.com References: Baron-Cohen, S. (1987). Autism and symbolic play. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5(2), 139-148. Barton, E. E., & Wolery, M. (2008). Teaching pretend play to children with disabilities: A review of the literature. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 28(2), 109-125. Casby, M. W. (2003). Developmental assessment of play: A model for early intervention. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 24(4), 175-183. Charman, T., & Baron-Cohen, S. (1997). Brief report: Prompted pretend play in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27(3), 325-332. Ingersoll, B., & Schreibman, L. (2006). Teaching reciprocal imitation skills to young children with autism using a naturalistic behaivioral approach: Effects on language, pretend play, and joint attention. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(4), 487-505. Jahr, E. &. (2007). Changes in solitary play following acquistion of cooperative play by children with autism. Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis(2.2), 182-188. Lifter, K., Ellis, J., Cannon, B., & Anderson, S. R. (2005). Developmental specificity in targeting and teaching play activities to children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Early Intervention, 27(4), 247-267. McConnell, S. (2002). Interventions to facilitate social interaction for young children with autism: review of available research and recommendations for educational intervention and future research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 32(5), 351-372. McCune, L. (1995). A normative study of representational play at the transition to language. Developmental Psychology, 31(2), 198-206. Mills, P. E., Beecher, C. C., Dale, P. S., Cole, K. N., & Jenkins, J. R. (2014). Language of children with disabilities to peers at play impact of ecology. Journal of Early Intervention, 36(2), 111-130. Pierce-Jordan, S., & Lifter, K. (2005). Interaction of social and play behaviors in preschoolers with and without pervasive developmental disorder. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 25(1), 34-47. Rowe, M. (2010). Shaving cream and cowboys: A descriptive study of play differences between typically developing and developmentally delayed preschoolers. Education Research and Perspectives, 37(2), 64-78. Thiemann-Bourque, K. S., Brady, N. C., & Fleming, K. K. (2012). Symbolic play of preschoolers with severe communication impairments with autism and other developmental delays: More similarities than differences. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(5), 863-873. Thorp, D. M., Stahmer, A. C., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Effects of sociodramatic play training on children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25(3), 265-282. Williams, E., Costall, A., & Reddy, V. (1999). Children with autism experience problems with both objects and people. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 29(5), 367-378. Yoder, P. J. (2006). Predicting lexical density growth rate in young children with autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Speech-Language Psychology, 15(4), 378-388.

Join pediatric speech-language pathologist Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP as she continues the series Selecting Therapy Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers. In this episode, she explains how pretend play develops in toddlers and what to try when that's not happening. Read the written summary here. 

Join pediatric speech-language pathologist Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP of teachmetotalk.com as she continues the series Selecting Therapy Activities for toddlers and preschoolers with language delays. When we match our activities to a child's developmental level and strengths, and strongly consider his likes and even dislikes, we maximize that child's participation and motivation, two very important components of an effective therapy program. In today's show I'm outlining the 4 steps I use to introduce early pretend play to toddlers.  See the written post at teachmetotalk.com for the links to toys on Amazon so you can stock up and get ready to play! 

Pretend play is one of the most essential experiences for learning and growing in early childhood. It is the "dress rehearsal" for life, for the day-to-day challenges in childhood and in shaping grown-ups-to-be. Halloween makes all that play a shared adventure in schools and neighborhoods. Let's use the time before and after Halloween to celebrate imagination, big fantastic stories and the power of play!

Like Autism Live on Facebook at http://facebook.com/autismlive Today's Jargon is: Functional Pretend Play. Functional Pretend Play involves toys that resemble real life item, like a play kitchen or a toy phone. Children love to play pretend and these toys help them to strengthen skills required in real life. Autism Live is a production of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), headquartered in Woodland Hills, California, and with offices throughout, the United States and around the globe. For more information on therapy for autism and other related disorders, visit the CARD website at www.centerforautism.com

Like Autism Live on Facebook at http://facebook.com/autismlive    Today’s Jargon is Functional Pretend Play!  You may not know the term but you’ve definitely spent some time in a toy store aisle that featured Functional Pretend Play toys.     Sign up for Autism Live’s free newsletter at: http://www.autism-live.com/join-our-email-list.aspx    Autism Live is a production of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), headquartered in Tarzana, California, and with offices throughout, the United States and around the globe. For more information on therapy for autism and other related disorders, visit the CARD website at http://centerforautism.com