We all know how obsessed with different TV shows our little ones can get. Instead of feeling bad about my son’s screen time I’ve tried to use it as an imaginative play tool. If I can let him watch an episode of something and then use that as inspiration for a morning/afternoon play session I count that as a win!
The first TV inspired play station was “Postman Pat”
Postman Pat Play Sessions
Watch Postman Pat episode
Play Session 1: We painted a carbon box that I’d cut a mail slit out of and door with red paint.
Play Session 2: We picked 6 teddybears then drew a picture of each of them on a envelope
Play Session 3: We put the enveloped in the box, then my son emptied the postbox and delivered the envelopes to his teddies that I had positioned in different rooms in the house.
Play Session 4: We played postman outside. I loaded the envelopes in the tray of my sons trike and then we delivered them to the teddies that I’d positioned outside this time.
The second TV inspired play station was “Fireman Sam”
Fireman Sam Play Sessions
Watch Fireman Sam episode
Play Session 1: Paint/Draw a fire on a A3 piece of paper
Play Session 2: Hang the painting outside somewhere. If you have dress ups, dress up as Fireman Sam. I gave my son a spray bottle filled with water and put it in the tray of his trike. I also gave him a play phone. I pretended to ring him and tell him where the fire was, he then proceeded to ride on his trike to the fire and spray the painting of fire with the spray bottle.
Play Session 3: Place red blocks (fire) around your play area. Then using a firetruck of other car play Fireman Sam racing around and pretend putting out the fires (red blocks)
Finding Nemo Play Sessions
Watch part or all of Finding Nemo
Play Session 1: Paint 2-3 pieces of A3 paper blue, if you have a scraper us this to create a wave pattern.
Play Session 2: Using foam under the sea stickers, stick onto the blue painted paper and glue on green tissue paper strips for seaweed.
Play Session 3: Fill a bucket with water and place 3-4 water animal toys in the water. Then using a net fish them out. (make sure you don’t leave your child unsupervised around water)
Play Session 4: Blow bubbles outside
Play Session 5: Create a paper-mache Nemo. Blow up a balloon, and glue orange card board strips on to it. Once try paint on black and white stripes and glue on some google eyes.
Have fun
Mumma Z xxx
