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August 6, 2024

May 29, 2024

From the Vault: Encouraging Independent Play: Why Unstructured Play Matters and How to Foster It

E:
227
with
Susie Allison
Founder of Busy Toddler

Today, we’re reaching back into the vault to revisit one of our most popular episodes! 

What if I told you that you didn’t have to play with your child all day? Moms put a lot of pressure on themselves to entertain their kids. They believe that “good moms” play with their kids as much as possible. But when we learn how to encourage independent play, we not only remove that pressure—we also give our children room to create, grow, and blossom. 

Today, I’m joined by Susie Allison, founder of Busy Toddler, to discuss what play is, why it matters, and how to encourage your children to play independently.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  • The Importance of Independent, Unstructured Play
  • The Real Purpose of Play
  • Intensive Mothering and the Pressure to Play
  • How to Start Backing Out of Play
  • How to Let Our Children Play Without Judgement
  • The Value of Open-ended Toys

To read the original blog post, click here.

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Tags:

Parenting, Play

Stage:

Postpartum, Motherhood

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OUR GUEST

Susie Allison
Founder of Busy Toddler

Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 1.8 million followers on Instagram. She's a parent of 3, former teacher, and has a Master's in Early Childhood Education. Susie is known for her easy kids activities, parenting support, and education tips.

Erica Djossa
Erica Djossa
PMH-C | Founder of Momwell
Erica is the founder of Momwell, providing educational resources and virtual therapy for moms. She is a mom of three boys and a registered psychotherapist. Erica’s work has been featured in the Toronto Star, Breakfast Television, Scary Mommy, Medium, Pop Sugar, and Romper. how they want it.
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