Today, I’d like to introduce you to another of my favorite bloggers. Amanda Morgan is an early childhood educator and the author of Not Just Cute on which she writes about child development and early childhood education. While Amanda is not a Waldorf teacher, she recognizes many of the important elements of early childhood education that we Waldorf teachers do, specifically the importance of free, unstructured play for young children and the importance of their sensory experiences.
Amanda is a graduate of Utah State University who holds a BA in both elementary and early childhood education and an MS in childhood development. She has a wealth of experience in classrooms ranging from preschool to sixth grade and has taught in private, public, and migrant schools. In addition, she currently teaches preschoolers and works as a consultant and trainer for a non-profit children’s organization.
This week at Not Just Cute, Amanda has been writing about the importance of fantasy play for children. I urge you to take a few minutes and read her wonderful and valuable musings on this theme:
Enchanted Learning: The Benefits of Fantasy Play for Children
A Part of Their World: Adult Roles in Child’s Play
Magic Words for Guiding Behavior: “Let’s Pretend”
In connection with her series on fantasy play, Amanda approached me about partnering with her to offer a Giveaway on her blog. Naturally, I was delighted! We decided to offer one lucky reader their choice of either a Princess Dress ($72.95 value) or Knight’s Costume ($31.95 value) from Sarah’s Silks; and another lucky reader will win a pair of Play Silks ($23.90 value) from Sarah’s Silks! Children’s costumes and dress up invite the kind of imaginative fantasy play that Amanda and I both feel is so important for children, and play silks are perhaps my very favorite Waldorf toys to encourage open-ended play and engage the imagination.
To enter, visit Imaginative Play Giveaway for details. While you’re there, be sure to read Amanda’s posts on Fantasy Play and have fun poking around. Then come back here, leave a comment, and let me know what you think!
45 Comments
My two princesses LOVE to dress up and would go crazy over this costume.
I love how your products encourage imaginative play.
Great tihiknng! That really breaks the mold!
I love the knight. I’m really lucky, my son is only 2.5 and has a great imagination. In one of your earlier posts you said children start imaginative play around age 4…not mine. in fact, that sounds old to me for most kids.
That princess costume would be perfect for my princess! 🙂
Already was a fan of Bella Luna Toys on facebook, but I also just “liked” Sarah’s silks too, so hopefully that means we are also entered into the play silks giveaway!
What a great giveaway! I liked Sarah’s Silks on FB and am already a fan of Bella Luna 🙂 Thanks!! We would LOVE the princess costume or the silks!
Another lovely giveaway! Thanks for introducing me to Amanda’s blog. With an almost 2 year old who is starting to love dressing up and pretend, I’m trying to get more inspiring clothing and accessories to play with.
Thank you for another opportunity for a wonderful giveaway! My boys would love the knight costume or playsilks!
Oh, I so agree. I wrote my thesis on play therapy. Play is so important for development and it seems like so many parents are focused on “learning” now.
Love the costumes! My kids love “performing”, putting on plays and dance recitals. The costumes are always part of the fun.
What a great giveaway, my boys would love that knight costume!
thanks for the give a way. My kids love to play pretend, and it makes me happy watching them do that. 🙂
ooh! great blog. thanks for the intro and the giveaway love. 😉
What great costumes! We would love to add one of them to our collection (our collection consisting of one costume!).
Sarah-
Just wanted to let you know that I am thrilled to read your posts and learn of more resources for natural parenting and play. It’s nice to have another way of thinking of things. I often share these posts with other mommas in my family to give them another alternative to the mainstream ways of parenting. I am often questioned about the way that I parent, and these posts give me good backup and resources to share and educate them.
Excited about the giveaway! Layna has enjoyed every single toy that I have purchased from Bella Luna Toys!
Kristinae
My kids would love any and all of these give aways! We actually have the knight outfit, but after so much use, it could stand to be replaced.
What a perfect addition to our “make believe.” Please pick me!
thank you for this opportunity. play is very important part of our day. it’s so wonderful to have these soft and luxurious colors as part of our children’s expression. sarah’s silks are our favorite toys around here. would love the change to add more colors or one of these beautiful costumes. thank you, viviane
What beautiful dress up clothes!
What a wonderful giveaway! I would love the chance to win this for my son I’m homschooling and my dayhome children
My girls love to dress up and pretend so I know they would love either the costume or the silks! What a great giveaway!
I have a giveawa going on at my blog too!
http://www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com
Small but cute…
What a wonderful giveaway! I would love the chance to win this for my son I’m homschooling and my dayhome children
I forgot to mention on my last comment I went to both facebook pages and liked them. Sorry for the double entry 🙁
I own a child care facility and have a little one myself. My children would love either one of the dress-up outfits. Plus I would love to win it for them!!
Well, not sure how to approach this, but my first reaction is how great to see so many people respond. Then reality: that reduces my chances of winning an outfit! (however, if I end up lucky, I’m not choosy; have both a boy and a girl). But this does seem an excellent venue to voice an observation made this morning while dropping off my 4 yr old at Waldorf camp this morning: the teacher brings her 3 teenage and pre-teen children with her to help out on a daily basis. Where else would you find children and their mother interacting so respectfully of each other, being attentive to each other’s needs and carefully keeping young camp children in line? It’s been wonderful to witness over the past few days and this family has been a powerful inspiration to remind me that the teen years do not have to be this loathed time when indeed, a Waldorf-inspired home and education pays off and is worth pursuing in its goals on a daily basis.
I wish I would have had one of these costumes when I was a child! The philosophy behind imaginative play and being creative is so true…My son wears costumes at home more than clothing!
Thanks, Cindi
I wish I would have had one of these costumes when I was a child! The philosophy behind imaginative play and being creative is so true…My son wears costumes at home more than clothing!
Thanks, Cindi
Cool! That’s a cleevr way of looking at it!
We LOVE pretend play and costumes around here! Simple toys and games are the best, we are trying to remember that every day. Thanks for the chance 🙂
I’m always looking for fun new things to add to my dramatic play area in my classroom! I have been following along on the “not just cute” blog and have been loving the suggestions, ideas, and reminders that have been in all the posts! Sometimes it takes reading one of her posts to remember what I learned in school and remember to APPLY it in my class!!! love, love, love it!
My kids dump out boxes and baskets, and play with the containers instead of the contents.
I have often heard of these products and this is a great opportunity! My daughter loves pretend play but we haven’t the funds to get something quite so elegant as these. Thank you for the chance to win them!
This is what we need – an iisnght to make everyone think
I’ve been following the Not Just Cute blog from the beginning, and am happy to find your site through Amanda’s. What beautiful costumes! My princesses would be thrilled to win one—thanks for the giveaway and the great blog!
So happy to hear about another rockin blog to follow. Her blog is great and I look forward to checking in regularly. I have a little knight here who is without armor. ; )
Thanks for the opportunity !
So happy to hear about another rockin blog to follow. Her blog is great and I look forward to checking in regularly. I have a little knight here who is without armor. ; )
Thanks for the opportunity !
I have an aspiring knight and princess here who live in their own fantasy world when they play together. It is magical and healing.
we love dress up and love to see our son’s imagination at work. he would love to get a real costume and really let his imagination soar.
I love reading her blog, and was excited that she introduced me to your products! Your costumes look wonderful, and I’m sure inspire lots of play times!
Thanks for a wonderful opportunity!
What a generous giveaway! My daughter would adore that costume.
thanks for sharing your. wonderful toys with Not So Cute
The costumes are wodnerful!
I just remember those days when mom would allow us to dig into the old chest box with old clothes of our grandpa. I saw a vest and a a cowboy hat. My big brother got his also. Me and my brother made a pact that when bandits will come along and if he will be captured I should always be the second in command though we only have each other. We imagine we are a company of cowboys. Great post mam.
Such a good tips, t’s nice to have another way of thinking of things. I often share these posts with other mommas in my family to give them another alternative to the mainstream ways of parenting, Thanks for sharing.
I am often questioned about the way that I parent, and these posts give me good backup and resources to share and educate them.keep posting