This article about Acornkids is written by,  Shireen Thomas-Stark, who is a Counselling Psychologist in Private Practice and specialises in Play Therapy and working with children in all aspects of emotional coping.

Children learn through play. Many skills are developed through play. Logical thinking, problem-solving and creativity can be developed and exercised through play. Play is a powerful medium to access their thoughts and communicate in way that they understand. As adults, if we learn to play with our children we learn to grow with them and develop strong relationships based on sound interpersonal connection.

Bathing is a common everyday routine. Acorn products enable parents to turn their bath tubs into a playground of learning and connecting in very unique ways. Each Acorn product is designed as an experience through which parents can access their children’s hearts and minds.

It often happens that as adults we forget how to play effectively with our children, or we run out of ideas. It’s great to have products pre-designed to allow the learning and connections to happen without much planning needed. Here are a few skill-based developments that are natural products of the play you experience with your Acorn bath products:

Creativity
Creativity is the building block of problem-solving. Problem-solving allows children to initiate responses to emotional situations in order to obtain control and mastery over their own feelings and responses to situations.

Soap Putty: What a great way to create objects from a ball of soap. Being able to create instills a sense of confidence in children. When those creations are useful and perform a function they become innovative inventors.

Kaleidofoam: Being able to manipulate the foam into pictures and patterns where there was previously just foam enables children to become the masters of their own fantasy.

Bath Crayons: Allows children the opportunity to create and master their own art. It is a non-threatening way to explore artistic possibility. The end result is easily washed off with no pressure of creating a lasting impression that may be open to judgement of any kind.

Emotional Expression
One of the chief coping skills in dealing with emotion involves the expression of our thoughts and feelings. The ability to initiate and maintain conversation is also a powerful tool for social confidence.

Surfs Up Fun Foam: This bath foam allows for conversation and language development regarding the animals discovered in your bath when searching under the bubbles. The same is true of people often there is a lot of emotion that exists under the surface- when we look for it or ask about it is amazing which gems may appear. This foam provides an opportunity to have fun together and have competitions of “search and rescue”.

Funky Faces: These stickers allow us to explore different expressions. The different situations in which we react differently can be discussed to facilitate emotional awareness. Initiating emotional discussion with children on a regular basis will create confidence in social situations and in accessing resources in difficult situations.

Flexibility
Flexibility involves the skill being able to generate alternative solutions to problems or situations. Being flexible allows children the freedom of adapting to the situations around them. Managing and embracing change is an asset in terms of emotional adjustment.

Angel Powder: A great product highlighting the possibility of positive change. Being able to initiate the change in the colour of their bath introduces the possibility of them being in control of certain changes within their experience.

Gloop: The possibility that things are not always as we expect them to be is perfectly illustrated by Gloop. Soap that is gooey and pliable allows flexibility in thinking and challenges our general expectations.

Super Slush: Super Slush allows children to experience the bath in a different textural environment. The process of action results in reaction is illustrated perfectly through its use.

Problem solving
Problem solving and decision making ability allows children the benefit of directing their lives and reactions to the world. Being able to work through a particular situation requires creativity and perseverance. When these qualities are present within a child their ability to regulate their emotional world increases as does their ability to adjust and be resilient in the face of adversity.

Angel Beads: Provide the opportunity for children to work to develop a solution or outcome. Manipulating the beads determines how quickly change occurs. A great analogy for the work we need to employ to solve issues

Bath Pops: Playing with bath pops reinforces the logical thinking process in order to reach my goal. Taking time to follow the steps and employing delayed gratification in waiting for the sponge to emerge allows a unique set of skills to develop.

This blog article was written by Shireen Thomas-Stark, who is a Counselling Psychologist in Private Practice and specialises in Play Therapy and working with children in all aspects of emotional coping.
Centre for Therapeutic Excellence
134 Cambridge Street Tel: 011 425-0688
Farrarmere, Benoni Cell: 084 86 999 86