There are 11 play categories, from morphing to questing and from stretching to creating, and subsets of activities in each. "Play is our greatest natural resource in a creative economy," Richardson writes.  *Richards does have a few statements/interpretations that I do not fully agree with - but they do not diminish the benefit that the infographic is to play facilitation.

Richardson was part of the 2010 Frog Design Series - The Four Secrets of Playtime that Foster Creative Kids

The graphic will surely inspire you to think on how to stretch playful learning into another area of the day, the house, the yard, the grocery store, the car ride, etc.  Read it, Print it, Post it, PLAY IT!

I have been thinking about ways to explore music in ways with all of our senses.  I've been especially intrigued with the ritual of "cleaning and caring" for an instrument.  I want to create a learning exhibit that would celebrate the tactile and technical experience this excersice is.  One of the opening scenes of the Kids and Music film featured a six year old trumpet player cleaning her instrument at her home one evening.  This quiet, sensory filled experience was visually beautiful...NURTURING, ENJOYING, LOVING...a playful pursuit.

This film would be a great inspiration break - it's lovely to think how at any age, you can explore music with all of your senses...and the love of old Jazz is fantastic.

My most successful new creative attempt at handcrafted cards this year was my mass mailing of fabric covered postcards to announce a meeting I was having for the special needs ministry at our church.  I used a regular first class stamp instead of post card rate, but it went through the mail with no problems...and people attended the meeting.  I'll put a tutorial on how to make fabric covered cards on here another day.

I saw a blog post on childhood101 today about setting up a Christmas card writing station in your home. The station highlighted in the blog was a "hub for creativity and early literacy development" for a 5-6 year old, but the principles are applicable for any age...any home.

Included in the writing station:

Prompt cards for what to write - like to/from on the outside and Merry Christmas on the inside

Pre-folded, blank cardstock cards 

Christmas stickers

Sheets of Christmas paper

Pre-cut Christmas shapes

Christmas stamps and stamp pad

Pens, Pencils, Markers

Gluesticks, Tape

The blog author, Christie Burnett noted that she also "made name cards with a head shot of each of the children in her [daughter's] class as an aid for having a go at writing their names."  This idea is also great for other groups of people such as family members, friends, neighbors, people at church, community helpers, etc. 

Burnett also reminds us that "Christmas is such a wonderful time for promoting both creativity and literacy in authentic, naturally occurring ways."  I am excited to see how this simple reminder inspires us ALL to create and write with the tools around us...and the prompts that we want to communicate about this season.  To, From, Merry Christmas, Unto Us A Son is Given, Gloria in the Highest, Peace on Earth to All Men.

I've posted links before from the folkstreams website.  It's a documentary preserve of films examining American roots culture.  Today I found one on Collections - and it puts my "collectiong" a bit more in perspective.

To those of you who purchased...I am so honored that you chose one of my thinkingland products as something to be of use in your "playful" pursuits.  It was delightful to hear of sheep that would be going to houses to sit in kitchen windows, or a cupcake set that would be part of a new play kitchen set for Christmas. And now I have the privilege of finishing orders to be delivered in the next 10 days. 

To those of you who came to support me...I know you had to go out of your way, carry a lot, and take valuable time...but I treasured my time I got to spend with you in the context of a Christmas Craft fair.  I had fun with my friends...and made new ones.  It was a treat to get to know the family behind Frontier Family Farmhouse Soap Co.  They sell natural soaps, lotions, lip balms, salves and other wonderful natural creations.  If you still need items for gift baskets or your guestrooms...check out their Christmas Morning soap.

Thank you to the staff of First Church of the Nazarene, Nashville for putting on Christmas Fest 2011.

My etsy shop (this leads to) is working again...I will keep adding to it as I make new items.  Tonight I am finishing some needle felted ice cream that a friend ordered...it's turning out kinda neat.  I'll make an extra one and put it in the shop.

I tied a red balloon around the stem/beak to a gourd that had a head, neck, body proportion.  I cut out a bunch of colorful leaf shapes and wrote specific, individualized "I am thankful for..." statements with my family on each leaf that was then push-pinned in a fanned out "feather" pattern" to the round piece of cork that I found in the garden section at the hardware store.  I had drilled two holes on one side of the circle and threaded ribbon through it so it could be tied around the "fattest" part of the gourd.  (My granny said that as the gourd dried, she had to keep tying the ribbon belt tighter)

In case you want to make your own version...the supplies needed are few -

1 "goose neck" gourd for body, 1 red balloon for a gobbler, a garden supply cork round, paper shapes for feathers, push pins, ribbon, your own "thankful for"s.

I'm still learning how to use Etsy...so if you've gotten on to my "this leads to" etsy shop and found nothing in the store, I'm sorry.  There were sheep in there, but they've wandered off somehow.  I'll work on my shepherding.

Always feel free to just send me an email or facebook message to inquire about new things I'm working on and what I'm still up to.  Thank you very much for your support and continued encouragement.

I made a pretend felt cake for an adoption fundraiser silent auction this weekend after a friend urged me to do so with sweet enthusiasm.  Here are some pictures of the caramel apple cake.  I'll try to put some cakes up in the Etsy store soon.  Let me know if you have some flavor/color requests.

At last, it's simpler to buy thinkingland creations.  Visit the Etsy shop here.