My Girl and Me, Partnering in Play

Thank you LEGO® DUPLO® for sponsoring this post. Looking for creative play ideas for your little one? Find more play and learning inspiration at https://www.lego.com/family

I remember being pregnant with Essley and worrying (in addition to a million other things) that I wouldn't be good at playing with her. I'm sure that sounds ridiculous (now that it's been a few years, it admittedly feels a little ridiculous typing it out), but I'm just gonna go for it and be totally transparent here. I've always liked kids, but I wouldn't necessarily have described myself as a "kid person" before I had them myself. I enjoyed doing adult things (and still do, obviously), and I wondered if once Essley was old enough to engage in play together if I'd be easily distracted, or get bored immediately, or just not be a natural at child play time. I assumed it would just be something at which I had to work, but it wouldn't be something I instinctively loved, and that was okay.

Guess what guys? I was wrong. So wrong. I worried for no reason (which I've come to learn tends to most often be the case with worry in general), because not only do I absolutely treasure my playtime with Essley, I think I'm actually good at it. Really, I'm fairly confident that we're all good at it. Spending creative playtime with your kids (or any kids you love) is not only an incredible way to bond, it's also really fun. We were all kids once, after all, and I genuinely believe taking the time to partner in play with the little ones is therapeutic on so many levels. It's just the best.

Essley and I are both way into creating art, working on crafts, and building things, and it's those types of activities you'll most find us doing together. She also loves make believe and role playing, and we often end up in elaborate pretend scenarios with her toys and dolls. One of our favorite things to do together that involves both of these is to play with her LEGO DUPLO sets. LEGO® DUPLO® building toys are perfect for children Essley's age because they're specially designed for the small hands of little ones aged 1½ - 5 years. They're also twice the size of standard LEGO bricks, so they're safe for preschool aged kids. And playing with them is genuinely fun for me (and my husband), because I enjoyed LEGO bricks so much as a kid myself, and it brings back some pretty fantastic memories. It's also fun because there is little I love more than watching Essley's imagination in action.

While she does have random LEGO DUPLO pieces hanging around that she likes to use, lately she's been especially into her building sets (mainly her Big Construction Site set). She alternates between wanting to build it just like the picture on the box and making something completely different with the pieces. I have to say, there is something quite satisfying about putting the pieces together the way you're "supposed" to (sort of like a puzzle) - but I also love when she decides to come up with her own unique creations. It makes me so happy to see her use her imagination and explore different possibilities, and she's (usually; we are dealing with a 3 year old here) so sweet about delegating things for her dad and I to do with her pieces. It's also so cool to see her creating goals for herself as she plays, and getting so excited at the end of building something, knowing she achieved success in doing so. Play, as we all know, is essential for early learning, as it's the biggest way little ones learn about their world. And as parents, we're our childrens' very first partners in play! I feel like when we're doing this together, I'm able to truly witness her learning and growing, which is indescribably wonderful.  I love her so much, and I cherish these times where we creatively play together.

Are there any other parents who thought (before kids) they might not be good at playing with their children, only to find out they were absolutely wrong? Who else loves to use LEGO DUPLO products when you're partnering in play with your little ones?

Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Bubby & Bean possible. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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