Play With Me: Family [Part 2]

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr. - Mature Adults

This week of Play With Me: Ages 6-9 continues the Family series. The Play With Me: Family activities will help you and your child get to know each other and your family better.

Play With Me is a series of interactive and meaningful activities that you can do over technology with the children in your life. Before getting started, adult assistance will be needed to help collect and setup supplies for the children. Consider sending the supply list ahead of time so the adult can prepare in advance.

Activity: What's in the bag?

Supplies/Setup

• Paper bag-lunch or grocery sized bag depending on your need.
• 5 items that tell about you

Get a paper bag and put five items in it that tell about you. They can be things that tell about your life now or things from your past; things that represent memories. Your child should do the same. Keep the items in the bag when you are talking with your child over technology. Take turns taking the items out of the bag one by one. As you take each one out show it to your child and tell them about it. Tell them:

• What it is?
• When did you get it?
• Who gave it to you?
• What  did you include in your bag?
• What do the items tell about you?
• 
  What do the items mean to you?

One thing you might notice is that your child may pick all toys to put in their bag. This is okay; you can discuss why they chose each one and from there take the conversation in any direction you like. As you describe each of your items your child will learn about you. Children are very curious about grown ups, and who they are, what grown up things they enjoy doing and what they were like when they were children and young adults. This activity will help both of you learn more about each other and hopefully be a way to find things in common.

Next week's Play With Me continues the "Family" series! Until then, Stay healthy, Live well and remember to Play More with DPR!