Kathryn

Hello all,

My second child Jude (almost 5) really enjoys hard, rough play. He likes to pretend he is a fighter, but really wants to make hard, physical contact! I'm keen to get some ideas, apart from one-on-one wrestling. I hold a pillow up to protect myself, but it can still get out of hand and easily lead to me getting hurt. I don't really find this kind of play all that much fun either, so the duration is never enough for Jude. I'm having trouble thinking outside the square with this one, but I know Jude Really needs this. Also, often Mia (8) and Rueben (2) will throw themselves in the mix. Then it's just way too dangerous for all! I looked at getting those massive, big body tyres, but they cost a few hundred each. I kinda think I need Something that will allow the kids to literally throw/punch all-chaotic-like (especially Jude), in a fairly safe environment. Ideas? Experiences?

Thanks all,

KathrynD
x

heather

Hi Kathryn,

I just had to respond because I KNOW rough play! I have 3 boys, 11, 5, and 1.5 and they are ALL extremely physical with each other! However, their needs are all very different. My eldest is very touchy and seems to need that physical contact with people. My 5 year needs more big muscle movement.

The baby just likes playing!

When the three boys get into the mix together I make it my job to make sure they are all safe. I'm there to pick someone up if they need it. To block the wayward foot before it lands in someone's face, to remind the older ones not to be too rough on the younger ones, and to make sure everyone is heard when they are ready to stop. It's exhausting for ME! But they love it and seem to need this time together.

Our solutions:

Oldest joined a wrestling team and has LOVED it for 3 years now
Safe places to wrestle with brothers,
An old couch they can rough play on
LOTS of Pillows (they like to ride them down the stairs)
blankets
Trampoline
Yoga ball
Hammock (something we NEED)
Swings (My 5 year old LOVES to swing)
Running races
Nerf or foam weaponry
Heavy bag (found it on Craigslist. GREAT purchase)
My husband. A few times a week I give him a nudge and say "please go wrestle with Skylar. He would REALLY like that. :-)

Heather
www.swissarmywife.net

******================================================================

--- In [email protected], "Kathryn" <kathryndubay@...> wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> My second child Jude (almost 5) really enjoys hard, rough play. He likes to pretend he is a fighter, but really wants to make hard, physical contact!

Michele Hanson

My 6 year old daughter likes to play the same way. We reserve one on one
wrestling for play time with her dad since I don't enjoy getting hurt. But
for during the day, I purchased two pairs of socker boppers inflatable
boxing gloves** and an inflatable punching bag. I think total we spent $40
on everything. Now we play fight and don't get (as) hurt. Since the weather
has been cold, we've been using these a lot lately. We only have one
inflatable punching bag but I'd recommend getting more than one...more like
3 or 4. I think it would be more fun for the kids to be able to run around
wildly knocking them down. Like a fight scene out of a Jackie Chan movie!
I'm also more aware of her need for vestibular and proprioceptive play
overall and try to provide opportunities for her to get those sensory needs
met in other ways, like on the trampoline or doing heavy work.

In peace,
Michele

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 6:08 AM, Kathryn <kathryndubay@...>wrote:

>
>
> Hello all,
>
> My second child Jude (almost 5) really enjoys hard, rough play. He likes to
> pretend he is a fighter, but really wants to make hard, physical contact!
> I'm keen to get some ideas, apart from one-on-one wrestling. I hold a pillow
> up to protect myself, but it can still get out of hand and easily lead to me
> getting hurt. I don't really find this kind of play all that much fun
> either, so the duration is never enough for Jude. I'm having trouble
> thinking outside the square with this one, but I know Jude Really needs
> this. Also, often Mia (8) and Rueben (2) will throw themselves in the mix.
> Then it's just way too dangerous for all! I looked at getting those massive,
> big body tyres, but they cost a few hundred each. I kinda think I need
> Something that will allow the kids to literally throw/punch all-chaotic-like
> (especially Jude), in a fairly safe environment. Ideas? Experiences?
>
> Thanks all,
>
> KathrynD
> x
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jeanette

My almost 5yo....Max...loves that too! I usually turn the punching/hitting play into "circus tricks". We have come up with so many cool tricks that we do together. There is a lot of hanging, pushing, pulling, flipping involved and seems to meet his need for "big" physical play...without someone being his punching bag. My 3 boys all wrestle with eachother, but I've helped them keep it safe since they were just learning to walk.

Jeanette Wilson

On Feb 17, 2010, at 6:08 AM, "Kathryn" <kathryndubay@...> wrote:

Hello all,

My second child Jude (almost 5) really enjoys hard, rough play. He likes to pretend he is a fighter, but really wants to make hard, physical contact! I'm keen to get some ideas, apart from one-on-one wrestling. I hold a pillow up to protect myself, but it can still get out of hand and easily lead to me getting hurt. I don't really find this kind of play all that much fun either, so the duration is never enough for Jude. I'm having trouble thinking outside the square with this one, but I know Jude Really needs this. Also, often Mia (8) and Rueben (2) will throw themselves in the mix. Then it's just way too dangerous for all! I looked at getting those massive, big body tyres, but they cost a few hundred each. I kinda think I need Something that will allow the kids to literally throw/punch all-chaotic-like (especially Jude), in a fairly safe environment. Ideas? Experiences?

Thanks all,

KathrynD
x







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lyla Wolfenstein

this won't address the 2 year old, but if you can find a kid-friendly "brazilian jujitsu" or "submission wrestling" martial arts school, that would be *perfect for your 5 and 8 year old, i'd be willing to bet.

it's loads of fun, safe, and meets the tremendous sensory desires of so many kids.

warmly, lyla


----- Original Message -----
From: Jeanette
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Rough play advice, please



My almost 5yo....Max...loves that too! I usually turn the punching/hitting play into "circus tricks". We have come up with so many cool tricks that we do together. There is a lot of hanging, pushing, pulling, flipping involved and seems to meet his need for "big" physical play...without someone being his punching bag. My 3 boys all wrestle with eachother, but I've helped them keep it safe since they were just learning to walk.

Jeanette Wilson

On Feb 17, 2010, at 6:08 AM, "Kathryn" <kathryndubay@...> wrote:

Hello all,

My second child Jude (almost 5) really enjoys hard, rough play. He likes to pretend he is a fighter, but really wants to make hard, physical contact! I'm keen to get some ideas, apart from one-on-one wrestling. I hold a pillow up to protect myself, but it can still get out of hand and easily lead to me getting hurt. I don't really find this kind of play all that much fun either, so the duration is never enough for Jude. I'm having trouble thinking outside the square with this one, but I know Jude Really needs this. Also, often Mia (8) and Rueben (2) will throw themselves in the mix. Then it's just way too dangerous for all! I looked at getting those massive, big body tyres, but they cost a few hundred each. I kinda think I need Something that will allow the kids to literally throw/punch all-chaotic-like (especially Jude), in a fairly safe environment. Ideas? Experiences?

Thanks all,

KathrynD
x

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

De Stewart-Otto

At your son's age my son needed a lot of hard, physical contact --- basically proprioceptive input. I took two large square pieces of fabric, sewed them together keeping one side open for stuffing, stuffed the now sack full of old bedspreads, pillows, anything soft, then stitched up the side. I then used this huge pillow for jumping on and physical contact. One thing I did was to build an obstacle course that involved climbing a few steps (kitchen step stool) then jumping into the sack before crawling through a tunnel. I would then give my son an addition problem, like 2 + 2. He'd solve the addition problem then run through the obstacle course that many times. He felt very proud of his math, got his wiggles out on a rainy day, and received the proprioceptive input his body needed. Just an idea.

De






________________________________
From: Lyla Wolfenstein <lylaw@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wed, February 17, 2010 9:53:11 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Rough play advice, please


this won't address the 2 year old, but if you can find a kid-friendly "brazilian jujitsu" or "submission wrestling" martial arts school, that would be *perfect for your 5 and 8 year old, i'd be willing to bet.

it's loads of fun, safe, and meets the tremendous sensory desires of so many kids.

warmly, lyla

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeanette
To: unschoolingbasics@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Rough play advice, please

My almost 5yo....Max.. .loves that too! I usually turn the punching/hitting play into "circus tricks". We have come up with so many cool tricks that we do together. There is a lot of hanging, pushing, pulling, flipping involved and seems to meet his need for "big" physical play...without someone being his punching bag. My 3 boys all wrestle with eachother, but I've helped them keep it safe since they were just learning to walk.

Jeanette Wilson

On Feb 17, 2010, at 6:08 AM, "Kathryn" <kathryndubay@ optusnet. com.au> wrote:

Hello all,

My second child Jude (almost 5) really enjoys hard, rough play. He likes to pretend he is a fighter, but really wants to make hard, physical contact! I'm keen to get some ideas, apart from one-on-one wrestling. I hold a pillow up to protect myself, but it can still get out of hand and easily lead to me getting hurt. I don't really find this kind of play all that much fun either, so the duration is never enough for Jude. I'm having trouble thinking outside the square with this one, but I know Jude Really needs this. Also, often Mia (8) and Rueben (2) will throw themselves in the mix. Then it's just way too dangerous for all! I looked at getting those massive, big body tyres, but they cost a few hundred each. I kinda think I need Something that will allow the kids to literally throw/punch all-chaotic- like (especially Jude), in a fairly safe environment. Ideas? Experiences?

Thanks all,

KathrynD
x

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

AndreaT

I have 2 boys, 8 and 9, and when dad gets home, it is wrestle time. I don't watch, what I think is dangerous they think is fun. We also have a punching bag that has water in the base, so it can be moved from place to place. They put it at the end of the room and run full speed into that thing and try and knock it over. We also have full sparring gear (head gear, gloves, shin guards). This helps. We also have 2 mini tramps.

Good luck!

lalow66

my son loves wrestling.. he doesnt compete but just goes to practice with the other kids twice a week. lots of the boys there dont compete but enjoy the work out and the wrestling. my kids also like open gym at the local gymnastics place, they can swing, run into things, jump into the cheese pit etc.. we used to have two mattresses on the floor for the kids and they jumped on these all the time. my daughter used to spend alot of time rolling on the floor, running into things, rubbing against things.. I put her in gymnastics and it really helped. She still does these things but I have seen a decrease in it. She is more likely to do a few cartwheels as you walk along instead of lie down and roll around. we also have a mini trampoline and someone is usually jumping on it. I am trying karate for my 4 year old this week. He likes to kick and chop people. I am thinking of trying to get him a kind of punching bag or something for his birthday next month.