Make Your Own Office Play Set

Last year, Moriah got a teacher play set for Christmas, and it was definitely a favorite gift.  I noticed the same company also had an office play set, but it was much more expensive (which is odd, considering that it’s not much, really).  I decided this Christmas to make my own office play set for Moriah.  I knew she’d like it, because I had salvaged an old computer keyboard and a dead laptop my husband was going to throw away last year.  I thought the kids would enjoy pretending with them, and I was right.  The girls play with those things on a regular basis—more popular than most of their store-bought toys…and they don’t even really work!  I love when kids can just use their imaginations.

So, anyway, I needed to be able to make an office set on a budget, so I hoped to find a briefcase in a charity shop.  No such luck, though I plan to keep my eyes open for one.  Instead, I purchased a small case at a pound shop.  It has a handle and zips open.  It came with a calculator and a pad of paper, but I added several items.  I also used a metallic gold marker to put her name on it.

    Included in this set is a few old receipt pads (they were my grandma’s), a package of envelopes, a date stamper, an address/phone book, a pocket calendar, a pen, sticky notes, an old checkbook from a long-closed account, some little inspirational cards, and some fancy stationary, which I think I’ve had since the 80s.  The newer items were purchased at the pound shop, and the older things I found in storage boxes when I was back in the US.  I thought she might as well play with them!  She also has some old glasses frames to make herself feel secretary-like.       

Aside from her MP3 player, I really think this was Moriah’s favorite Christmas present.  I see it out every day.  She plays with it constantly.  I feel pretty proud of myself!

Imaginative Play Sets

I’ve found something new to make…something I may end up focusing on instead of sensory tubs.  I’ve just put together two sets, and Gabriela absolutely loves them (and so do her older siblings).  I first saw imaginative play sets at Homemade Rainbows, a website company (consisting of two former kindergarten teachers who are currently stay-at-home moms) based in Australia.  Their facebook page is HERE.  The sets they come up with, using recycled items, second-hand treasures, and some homemade pieces, are amazing!  I highly recommend checking out their website if you’re curious about imaginative play sets.

There is no way I could afford any of their sets, but since I have a habit of collecting a lot of interesting odds and ends, I decided to try my own hand at making some sets.  I also have a shopping list of things to look for next time I go to charity shops!  I used carpet squares for my first 2 sets, but I’m hoping to find some nice placemats to make some larger sets.  I took pictures of these to keep record of how I set them up, because eventually I’ll want to return these items to their proper places around the house.

The first is a garden theme:

This set consists of a miniature bench with a tiny bird and a kneeling girl ornament, a basket cart with strawberry and wooden watermelon, a tiny vase and tiny mug with flowers in them, a miniature tea set on a table made of tree blocks, a tiny sign, 3 felt disks, two white things (nuts or something) from potpourri, a necklace, and a card with a girl and garden scene on it. 

The second set is sort of Ukrainian with old-fashioned house miniatures.

This set consists of the wooden round building-shaped trinket box you see at the back left (not sure what to call it), filled with wooden beads, 3 matryoshka dolls from Ukraine (they’re all from larger sets, but I chose the smaller dolls to put in this play set—each one does have smaller dolls inside), wooden people decoration also from Ukraine, a wooden table and chair, a miniature coffee grinder, 3 wooden containers, each holding a red nut thing from a potpourri set, a clock magnet, a miniature sugar bag, and several wooden miniatures (mug holder with mugs, old stove, cat, pie, and oil lamp).

Gabriela played with these nearly all day.  While Gabriela took a nap, Moriah played with it during her recess breaks.  It was so much fun listening to the imaginative stories they came up with while playing.  Isaac likes setting them back up after the girls are finished playing.  All said, these were definitely a hit with my kids, and I intend to keep making play sets!

Russian Nesting Dolls

We're not studying Russia yet, but one day I decided to get down our Russian nesting dolls and let the kids play with them. Greg brought them back from 2 mission trips he took to Ukraine. Each of the kids has a set, and so do I! I wish I could get more--I think they're so unique! All 3 of the kids thoroughly enjoyed playing with them. It was a nice break from regular school work.