When I was on maternity leave with my oldest son, Cheers was on right about the time I got him down for the first nap of the day. I got addicted to the show’s ridiculous ensemble cast. The well-developed characters were just what a lonely housebound mommy needed!

Cliff Clavin was a favorite character of mine since I’m a “know it all” too. So, the other day when I saw John Ratzenberger on WGN morning news, I was interested to find out what he’s doing these days. Sounds as though he’s angling for a political career and I have a feeling he’s a bit further to the right than I am.. But that’s neither here nor there…

Where Ratzenberger and I do intersect is our passion for tinkering. And our desire to see America’s children engaged, inspired and innovating. Here’s a great page from his site:

http://www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org/parents.cfm

“Want to do your part to keep America great? Do things around the home and let your children see you repairing, inventing, and finding solutions to problems. Children who see you work with your hands around the home are children who will tinker, and tinkerers are inventors, and inventors are the heart and soul of our country.”

Here are six skills you can build through play with your child, from the book Using Nice Words: Whether building a tower, playing a board game, or participating in organized sports, children can learn a variety of skills through play.

Following Rules and Directions:All games, whether a basic game of tag or a complex board game, offer invaluable opportunities for learning to understand and follow rules and directions. Consequences for not listening to and following the rules, such as disqualification for a false start in swimming or losing at crazy 8’s by forgetting which numbers and suits can follow other cards, are natural ways children learn the importance of rules and directions.

Patience: Games involve waiting and turn-taking which can be very difficult for children. Be sure to take your turn and include other children in turn taking when playing games. Point out the importance of positions involving patience, such as mid-fielder in soccer or outfielder in baseball. Illustrate through plays and scenarios that even though those positions involve waiting, they are critical. Most activities require practice to develop skills, which can be frustrating for young children. Teach the importance of persevering and practicing. These skills will not only serve the child in their current situation, but also later in life.

Manners: Sharing, taking turns, being a gracious winner or loser, and other important social skills can be taught and practiced through games and play. These skills are important both for developing friendships and, later in life, for working with others. Teach children to shake opponents’ hands, compliment others on good plays, and use polite words when someone is collaborating on a play activity.

Academics: Games are a fun way to encourage children to read, count, sequence, add, and subtract. In games and activities there are a number of opportunities for adults to increase their practice of these skills. Have children read the rules aloud, or deal, to practice counting. When tossing the ball in the back yard, count the number of times it is thrown back and forth or, during a soccer game, have the child stand on the fourth line.

Problem Solving: Building blocks, board games, and sports all involve a level of problem solving. Give children an opportunity to try things on their own first, then provide assistance as needed. If a child is struggling in an area, problem-solve ways to improve their skills. For example, trying a new stance in baseball, or thinking about where the other team is kicking the ball when they score a goal.

Conflict Resolution: Interpretation of rules, calls on plays, and opportunities for taking turns can all result in conflict. When children disagree during a game, practice skills for managing conflict. Teach children to take a deep breath, explain their understanding of the situation, listen to others, and then determine a way to resolve the conflict. When possible, try to prevent conflict by helping children review the rules in advance, determine who calls the plays, establish the order, etc.

CB ;-)

Relevant Links:

http://www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org/
http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/fixit/video/
http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/cliffclavin.html
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Cliff_Clavin#encyclopedia