Adam at Play

Adam's play has really evolved. He's quite ready for lots of "big kid" toys like:

Lego

He got a few sets for Christmas, which was great. He could, for the most part, even follow the instructions and do all the construction with just a little help from Mom or Dad.

Lite Brite

Another hit from Christmas. Lite Brite is even better than when I was a kid. The pegs stay in really well, so we're not finding them all over the house and then half the fun for Adam is that he gets to remove the pieces with pliers.

Quadrilla marble run,

which he shares quite nicely with Naomi and with the many adults who also like playing. Notice the construction paper funnel. That was Adam's idea.

recombinations of toys.

Here, he has taped some cardboard strips and train tracks to the pantry. 

and then combined those with off-the-shelf marble run components.

Arts and Crafts

To my surprise, Adam is also showing quite an interest in arts and crafts, which is, I think being well-encouraged at school, even though it's not really our thing. Part of our weekday routine is that, before I open the apartment door on our way home from the daycare pickup, I ask Adam and Naomi what they plan to do after tidying their shoes and washing their hands. I have found it very helpful for each of them to have a constructive activity in mind, otherwise they default to antagonising each other as soon as I have turned my attention (away from them) to preparing dinner. Anyway. Often, Adam has a craft in mind. Like the day he asked to decorate paper eggs. And why not? It took me all of two minutes to cut up some cardboard from the recycling box and plop a bin of markers on the table. It kept both Naomi and Adam occupied while dinner shaped up. 

Arts and crafts are also popular whenever there is a special occasion. Because special occasions call for decorations, which I have to say is quite delightful. I often have more fun than I expected when I get involved to "help." I can't figure out where the pics are but we made a pretty kick-ass mixed-media Chinese New Year decoration. I should also take a picture of the mixed-media ocean-side forest that bedecks the wall above his pillow.

Adam is also really into board games and card games - notably War, Uno, Snakes and Ladders,

checkers

on a home-made board, and 

chess

on the upgrade home-made board. We have a real one but this one is labelled for quick set-up. Adam often plays solo - generating helpmates in which black trounces white. He also enjoys solving and creating simple chess puzzles. The interest in chess is of great delight to Gung-Gung. 

 Of course, 

reading

- any time, anywhere. This is at a party, for example. I've also seen him reading at the daycare playground. He didn't actually mention it until months after the fact, but he even received his class's literacy award at a school assembly, where they presented a literacy award, a citizenship award, and a leadership award for each class. Very serious about reading. 

very serious about reading.

and now about writing, which was a spectator event until a couple of months ago. Luckily, the writing is usually in appropriate locations like on paper and chalkboards. Which isn't to say we don't find writing all over the house. It's just that he's taped little notes all over the place, labelling things like the finish line for races.

We do play outside too, but it's rare that I have my camera at hand because I've usually got all three kiddos with me. Earlier in the season, Adam tried riding his bike without training wheels. But he wanted them back on right away. He just finished up two 13-week sessions of skating lessons, so I think Dion is hoping he'll try hockey next year. He is signed up for soccer for the first time this summer.