Melissa & Doug toys have been a part of our family’s culture for many years. As a mom of two young children, I value the mission behind the brand, the quality of the products, and the assortment of play options they have for children of all ages. And as a long-time active consumer of the brand, I love that their products not only encourage play but also facilitate learning as well.
“Provide a launch pad to ignite imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover themselves, their passions, and their purpose” – Melissa & Doug’s Mission
Melissa & Doug toys really do grow with families over the span of childhood, which create life long memories between parent and child. The power of positive attachment between parent and child through play is remarkable. All it takes is opportunity.
Play is so instrumental in helping children build social and emotional skills, relieve stress, build language, and learn core strategies on how to take turns, share, and follow directions. Play also helps brain growth and allows children the freedom to get lost and discover who they are. Play is also a fundamental way for children to express themselves. Without saying a word a child can create an imaginary world for themselves and get lost in their own creative space. Over the years there have been so many times I have just watched my children in awe of their play.
“Play is a child’s language and toys are their words” – Gary Landreth
When a new client comes to me one of the first questions I ask is how much does your child play? The second question I typically ask is how much do you play with your child? I have worked with thousands of children and their families over the years prescribing play as part of therapeutic treatment for an assortment of diagnosis including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and Autism. To learn more on my thoughts about the importance of play click here!
I strongly believe play begins at conception and as early as your child begins to grow in the womb play should be a part of their every day life. I also believe that play is a vital part of childhood development. Play continues to play an imperative role throughout adolescence and even adulthood.
I am sure it does not surprise you how much I value the power of play. As a nationally recognized registered play therapist and licensed marriage and family therapist, play is my expertise and I incorporate into my everyday routine professionally and personally. In fact, the first words my children say as soon as they wake up is “play” and it couldn’t make my heart feel any more fulfilled.
I intentionally incorporate play with my children as a part of our lives each and every day, and my children have grown up on Melissa and Doug toys. With toys spanning for children of all ages, they have been able to move into each developmental stage with new toys and adventures using their imagination and creativity! With electronics taking such a big role in our daily lives and budgets cutting back play time at school, play is more important than ever. Which is why I strongly stand behind Melissa & Doug’s mission to #takebackchildhood.
And now, I am ecstatic to share that I have been invited to be a special guest of Melissa & Doug this week at the FAO Schwarz opening in New York City at 30 Rock! As a part of the experience, I will be exploring what goes on behind the scenes at Melissa & Doug’s showroom and having the ultimate experience of sitting down in an intimate setting with Melissa and Parents Magazine to talk about the importance of play. During this roundtable conversation, which I have been asked to lend my expertise in helping guide the discussion (pinch me, please), we will be tackling the topic of how we can encourage and incorporate play to spark our children’s imagination and creativity in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives in a screen-dominated world. This experience is a dream come true, and I am so honored to be a part of it. I may or may not have danced and sang in delight when I got the news! You’ll also want to stay glued to my social media this week to capture a glimpse into the day’s adventures as well as see all the behind the scenes highlights from our discussion AND then come back to the blog for a full recap of the event – I will even be hosting a giveaway just in time for the holidays that you won’t want to miss…more to come!!!
This post has been sponsored by Melissa & Doug.
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