what is your play plan?

It is possible my family cracks regular jokes about me for the lengths I go to provide structure for how time will be spent.  There may even be a story out there about the time I made a to-do list for my mother (as a pre-K kiddo)...

No matter.

See, planning often works for me and it helps me maintain a mostly cool head.  And so, I have approached parenting in a similar fashion - being sure to construct a framework for what a child can expect to happen in a day and furthermore, highlighting points in the day when decisions or plans may be up-in-the-air.  In our house we have scripted the "morning routine," the "bedtime routine," and the "plan for the day" routine - all of which are subject to change as needed, of course.  But their placement in our lives makes for a common template from which to operate and functioning this way has a myriad benefits for all parties involved.  It has even been known to eliminate a transitional tantrum or two, which may be the most remarkable benefit of all.  Maybe.

However, a couple of years ago, our son started using the line, "I'm bored." 

awesome.

Unfortunately, no grown up's suggestions are ever a good enough replacement for the boredom once it is stated out loud.  So we got good at offering two choices:

1.  Stay bored 

or

2.  Come up with a plan for yourself

And this usually worked fairly well but was difficult for our son to grab onto himself and take ownership of.  Until...last year when I read Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's Nurture Shock book. After which we instituted the play plan to replace the come-up-with-a-plan-for-yourself option.

Here is how the play plan works in our house.

Ingredients: 

Child(ren) expressing boredom or

Child(ren) demonstrating discomfort with having a wide-open day for play

An exhaustive list of possible options for activity (a mixture of independent play and partner options)

A specified time frame

Piece of paper

Writing Utensil(s)

An open mind

Optional: A short list of must-do's (chores, appointments, or errands)

Instructions:

a) Using an open mind, specify a time frame for the implementation of a play plan

b) Encourage child to consider all the things s/he could do today and

c) Decide which activities in which s/he would like to engage between now and ___ o' clock

d) Specify whether s/he needs to include any must-do's

e) Have child write his/her plan down on piece of paper (using words or pictures)

f) Include times for activity duration

g) Review play plan with child and discuss (establish parameters for) items, as appropriate

h) Ready. Set. Go get your play plan on!

i) Redirect child to play plan, as needed.

The beauty is a play plan works for grown ups too - either to set an agenda (think: visiting in-laws) or to remind you that it is important to mix in some play with your must-do's.

What is your 

play plan?