The weather in June may not be as warm as we like but there is still the promise of summer in the air and that means learning and kindergarten readiness takes a backseat to vacation, or does it? The summer can be full of activities that are both fun and stimulating. We started the day with a GORF, a Good Ol’ Reliable Fort. It grew and grew so there would be room for all the items that were taken in bit by bit.
Children like to be both independent and still within range of attention when they want it. Parents often want to be able to supervise their children’s activities and, at the same time, would like kids to be able to play by themselves. A GORF can meet these various needs. It is one way that kids can be close, and have their own space. Parents can hear what’s happening inside and see the action when kids come out.
Inside this one, there was some cooking, “sleeping”, lots of singing, talking, and looking at books. It took quite a considerable amount of time to haul in the books and round up a few bits from the recycling. Unfortunately, the sleeping part only lasted for a few minutes but the rest of the time I was able to work at what I needed to do. Of course, the clean up took time but the mess was relatively confined. There was lots of imaginative play as well as problem-solving, planning, and other thinking skills.
GORFs can be made anywhere, inside or out, depending on the weather. Kids of various ages will play with their forts, and they are often a favorite loose-parts play activity. Does you child like to play with a GORF?