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 Audrey and her family.
Please tell us a bit about you and your family.
My name is Audrey. I’m from Belgium and I’m the mother of Mateo (5) born in Argentina and Lucie (2) born in Belgium. My husband is Argentine. We lived, studied and worked in Spain, Argentina and Belgium and love to travel. Now that we live here, my link with those countries is GLOBO Estilo Latino – a little ephemeral and itinerant shop with crafts and design products. I organize private sales sometimes at home sometimes in tea rooms. It’s a nice concept. I personally meet every designer and can tell the story of the product.
Best playground.
The garden and the kids playroom in our house. It’s pretty big, has a library with many many books and nothing is never tidy! You can imagine! Dolls, a little pink slide, a cars track, lots of little planes and cars coexist all together with dinosaurs and painting material.
In a free day what is your family favorite activity?
Having a ride with the bicycle or having a pic-nic outside when the weather is nice. They both always look outside through de window and scream: mom, it’s shinny! Let’s have a walk! Let’s go outside! Yesterday they asked me to make a little cabin in the wood to play.
How do you play with your kids? With what kind of toys?
Lucie is a little mom already. She loves to feed her dolls, give them a bath and take them all over in her little stroller.
Mateo is a big fan of dinosaurs. He knows the name of many kinds and likes to play with them. He loves cars as well and loves particularely 2 new ones that change color with cold and warm. It’s magic for him.
What is your favorite toy? And from your children?
My favorite toy is the wooden block construction toy for children and adults KAPLA . You can make so many diferent towers and houses with them. You can play alone or with others kids and be as inspired as you wish. The result is always excellent! We love to make the biggest tower ever with Mateo and his little sis Lucie loves to kick it to destroy it. We laugh so hard and make a new one all over again:)
When you were a child what did you play and with what toys? What was your favorite one?
I played with Little ponys and Strawberry Shortcake dolls. I still have some. I think the idea of a toy with smell is great. That’s why I also have Pinknounou’s lavender squares at home and as a gift because it always surprises everyone. It’s beautiful and smells great :)
What kind of crafts/DIY projects do you like to do with your kids?
We like to paint and use nature’s elements like leaves and flowers when we make crafts.
Your children prefer playing or watching tv? What they see in television influences how they play?
Playing!! We almost never watch TV at home. Neither my husband and I nor the kids. Sometimes of course, they watch a DVD that we choose all together. Too much violence and comercials on TV ;)
What is your kids favorite book? And yours (from their collection)?
The Magical Island from Marion Billet: the story of Loustic who has to pass through different places to go to his surprise birthday party following a treasure map. It’s very entertaining because he has a challenge in every place.
Please ask your kids “If you could choose to be a storybook charather what would you be? Why?”
Lucie would be Juliette the little dancer. She loves to dance. Mateo would be Mouk who makes a world Tour with his bicycle and discovers new countries and new people. His dream is to go to Australia to see real kangaroos and koalas.
Do you know how does your children play at school?
Lucie likes to take care of the little ones at daycare and Mateo plays with bicycles and in the garden looking for treasures in the ground with his friends.
Your kids prefer playing indoors or outdoors?
Outdoors but as we live in a rainy and cold country, we have no choice but beeing inside our home and have indoors activities. That’s why we have to be creative!!
Does your kids like to create their own activities / games / characters?
Yes they do. Mateo loves to invent new games to play with his friends and with us!
Sounds and music are important in your child playing?
Yes they are! We have many instruments at home to play. We love to go to kids concerts. We love the french kids singer Nomi Nomi. We also listen argentine music for kids to learn spanish. We have a great CD with all the tipical musics from Argentina: Canticuenticos. Even if you don’t understand spanish, it’s nice to listen and to watch on youtube. We try to open their mind to any kind of music and are looking forward to take them to international music festival during the summer!
Such a sweet family! – Many thank’s Audrey for sharing with us a little of your world!
The very nice Audrey has a beautiful webshop called GLOBO Estilo Latino filled with special things from the countries she’s been.
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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.