Definition of play: engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose; engage in (a game or activity) for enjoyment; amuse oneself by engaging in imaginative pretence;
Since I make toys – and I’m a mother of a little one – I begin to grow more and more curious about playing. How children these days play, how parents interact and play with them, how can we play in a fun way with them, how playing can help children’s development…
For this interview I have the pleasure to introduce you to Blanca and her family.
Please tell us a bit about you and your family.
My name is Blanca, I studied Fine Arts in Seville and I specialized in Design and Engraving. I’ve been working on printmaking for more than ten years, but after my first child was born I dreamt about other ways or work; after my second child was born my dream came true and I created a handmade brand of child decoration named as Proyecto Pum Pum (Pum Pum Project). I live in a beatiful house in a village very close to Seville with my husband Alvaro and my kids Guile (4) and Julia (2), who are my source of inspiration and give me energy for working.
Best playground.
Where my kids can climb, jump and hang from something non stop for a long time.
In a free day what is your family favorite activity?
What we like most is riding on our bikes. We like also a lot spending one day on the beach, because it’s not far from home and when it’s sunny it’s a great option. And if we have to stay at home, making cookies or pizzas is a choice that makes us all happy.
How do you play with your kids? With what kind of toys?
We play several games, but what we like most is to sing or to make our kids laugh telling them stories or doing funny faces. We algo play painting or colouring, making handicrafts or reading tales. If I play with them, the star of all the games might be the last handicrafts kit I found in the shop, their fauvorite tale, the microphone, the organ, the colour box or the picnic set Julia uses to feed me with felt food.
What is your favorite toy? And from your children’s?
My fauvorite game is a wooden kitchen, with all its miniature gadgets; I always dreamt about having one when I was a child, but never had the chance, so I had to make it with boxes and aluminium foil. And by no means I used to like painting and drawing without stopping! I never got tired!
Guille loves playing with cars, altough he may get entertained with the last book from the library, the new puzzle or the Lego farm.
Julia loves her picnics, she has already three of them! She uses all of them and she spend her time feeding her dolls until they cannot eat any more!
When you were a child what did you play and with what toys? What was your favorite one?
When I was a child, I used to play with my dolls and I had a house for them that I decorated non stop. I also used to play a lot with cut-out figures. I have three brothers and we used to play together with the Lego blocks, to impersonate Indians and Cowboys, or with our toys. But what I used to like most was listening to tales with them, singing or dancing, and in summer we used to make tents and trenches with all the materials we found in the country where we spent the summer.
What kind of crafts/DIY projects do you like to do with your kids?
I enjoy a lot when Guille is ordered to do any craft from school; we always use paper, colours and glue for it. This year the main topic at his school is the space, and I’m willing to make Saturn or the Moon. And Julia always wants to take part, so we make everything doubled!
Your children prefer playing or watching tv? What they see in television influences how they play?
Guille likes television a lot, but he always prefer playing than watching TV, except the “Pizza Planet” moments when eating pizza while watching a movie is compulsory. Julia only gets interested in TV if there are animals on it. I think television has little influence on them.
What is your children’s favorite book? And yours (from their collection)?
Now their fauvorite book is “Good Night, Puntilla”, by Polly Dunbar, a curious story about a rabbit who doesn’t want to go to bed; they both love it. And to me all of them are my fauvorite! Each book is chosen with a lot ot love, ot it remembers me the person who gave it to them. Books are basic and a source of inspiration and imagination.
Please ask your kids “If you could choose to be a storybook character what would you be”? Why?
Guille says he chooses a pirate because he loves sailing.
Julia is a little young yet to tell me such things, but she now has a great time with a book about bears, so I suppose she would choose one of them.
Do you know how does your children play at school?
Guille plays a lot with his friend Pablo, and also Fernando and Claudia join them. He is very lively but very thin, so he doesn’t play any strong or hitting games; he prefers to run, to jump, or to pretend being a car team with his friends to do races to be the fastest. When they have time for game during the lesson, he likes a lot playing with blocks.
Julia is younger, and her game are more quiet; she likes animals and blocks.
Your kids prefer playing indoors or outdoors?
We have been living in a house for a year so playing outdoors is always funnier than indoors.
Does your kids like to create their own activities / games / characters?
They do, and the have a lot of fun playing together or creating stories, above all Guille who is very imaginative; since he was very young he is been keen on taking advantage of any toy or activity, so if there is any game or story boredom is impossible!
Sounds and music are important in your child playing?
They are very important, above all because they are important for us. We try that they are in contact with the music and the instruments. So far the organ and the microphone are their fauvorite.
Such sweet kids – really nice meeting your wonderful family and their play routines!
Blanca is the creator behind the blog Proyecto Pum Pum where she talks about diy projects, handmade techniques, decoration,… – you can also find her lovely handmade products here.
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I would really like to know how your kids play? What’s their favorite toy, the one they cuddle at night?
Please leave a comment below.