Nuggeteer At Play with RyLee and Crew

RyLee is a child development specialist, mom to three Nuggeteers ages 6, 5, and 3, and today, she shares how their family loves to play with their Nugget. Her blog and Instagram page, @purposefultoys, focuses on learning through play, open-ended toy selection, and child-led play.

This Combo Just Felt Right

We recently started collecting felt pieces. Our new favorite bedtime routine consists of the girls each selecting a felt story and book combo to use with our Nugget in our little reading area. The girls take turns placing their felt stories in sequence on the Nugget as we read a story. We love that this activity brings us together as a family in a comfortable and calming space before bed.

Headed to the Movies

I don’t know about you, but our visits to the movie theater look a little different since the pandemic. We created an extra fun movie night at home using our Nugget cushions as the perfect recliners to visit the “movies” in our very own home! 

The girls not only loved relaxing and watching the movie, but they loved the freedom of being able to jump up and down and sing along with the movie the whole night long.

Watch Out: The Floor is Lava!

Magic happens with pretend play. I remember pretending the floor was lava when I was younger and now watching my children engage in similar activities is not only nostalgic, but beautiful. I love seeing the world through their eyes. One of our favorite ways to use our Nugget is by creating different forts to use with “the floor is lava” game and song by the Kiboomers. The girls love to be silly as they shake and dance along with the song, but hurry to Nugget safety once the floor turns into lava! This time the girls were pretending to be princesses with their Nugget castle. They had to be careful though because the dragon outside of the castle could instantly turn the ground into lava with its fiery breath! (Be warned though, this particular activity may last all day long.) It’s silly, fun, and incorporates a lot of movement, music, and play.

The Doctor is In

Role play is how children make sense of their world, and a favorite activity for us is the doctor’s office. While there are things that make going to the doctor seem scary at times, reenacting some of those experiences can help children work through those fears in a fun and safe way. We like to turn the Nugget into a patient table, and even add a sheet of paper to make it feel more like a doctor’s office. My girls love going through the steps of waiting in the waiting room, getting called back for measurements, and using our stethoscope to check breathing. They even take a look into the patient’s mouth and ears like they see their own pediatricians do.

Thank you to RyLee and her family for sharing their favorite ways to play with their Nugget! Follow along their adventures at @purposefultoys on Instagram.