The Day She Taught Me How to Play Again
(Play-Based Learning – for both of us.)
She handed me a block today.
One single wooden block.
And looked at me like it was the most important invitation in the world.
So I sat.
Right there on the floor.
In the middle of laundry piles, next to a cold cup of coffee,
and I said, “Okay, show me.”
I used to think play was a filler.
Something we did after the important stuff.
But now I know —
play is the important stuff.
Not just for her.
For me, too.
At first, I tried to “guide” her —
“Let’s stack them high!”
“Can you match the colors?”
But she just banged two blocks together,
laughing at the sound,
then rolled over and tried to wear the bucket as a hat.
And just like that,
she reminded me:
Play isn’t about achieving anything.
It’s about being inside the moment.
Now our living room has a soft play mat we never fold up.
There’s a basket of open-ended toys —
blocks, soft balls, stackers, and things I don’t even know the names of.
But to her, they’re possibilities.
We have a rainbow silicone stacker that turns into a bridge, a crown, a tunnel.
She doesn’t follow the “intended” design.
And I don’t stop her anymore.
Because watching her create without limits
has helped me stop narrating everything,
and just join in.
There’s music, too.
Not always kids’ songs.
Sometimes jazz.
Sometimes a rain sound playlist.
She taps her foot, claps off-beat,
and once tried to dance with the vacuum.
I’m learning that when I let her lead play,
she’s not just building towers —
she’s building confidence.
She’s learning about space, rhythm, choice.
And I’m learning how to loosen up, laugh more,
and let the floor stay messy for a while.
Open-Ended Toy Set
Soft shapes, no flashing lights — just quiet creativity. These are the toys she reaches for again and again. And somehow… they’re the ones I do, too.
Silicone Rainbow Stacker
It’s not just a stacker. It’s a crown, a tunnel, a magic arch. Whatever she dreams that day. And honestly? It’s beautiful even when it’s just lying there.
Foldable Foam Play Mat
Safe, soft, and lived on. Ours has yogurt stains and crayon marks — which means it’s been loved properly.