You Rest, I’ll Entertain The Child

“Oh God, look at the beauty of that sentence! Say it again, ‘You rest, I’ll entertain the child’. Oh, what a sentence! From its subject to its predicate, from its clause to its object, I attach myself to every element of this sentence.

I wouldn’t get tired of hearing it from morning till evening. When I hear it, my ears become ‘coarse’ to hear phrases like ‘Sale Days Have Begun’. My hands reaching for discounts won’t see any change. Thank goodness, I heard this sentence, thank goodness, thank goodness, thank g…

But wait, just a minute! If you’re saying, ‘But where is that brave one, that lion cub who will tell me this?’ Here I am, I’ve come, I’m an expert in this matter.

Who am I? I’m the wizard who has sorted the GAMES by their colors. I am the Colorful Wizard. Now I’m here. I’m with you.

Don’t get the feeling that ‘Our lord would enjoy with us’. Every time I click on your screen, you’ll earn a 30-minute break from ‘life’. So, you’ll spend quality time with your child and you won’t get tired. Moreover, you’ll do it while resting. How? Let’s get started.

Game 1 / Newspaper

Actually, this work consists of four parts. I’ll write the first part along with its reason at the end. Let’s start with the second part.

1- Newspaper Dance:

Take a newspaper page. Tell your child, ‘You’re this newspaper, whatever this newspaper does, you’ll do too.’ Then, move the newspaper page left and right, expecting your child to do the same. Turn the newspaper page, jump it, lay it down, fly it… and more, it’s up to your creativity. (Pay attention, you’re doing all of this while sitting and sipping your coffee… please). Then, turn all the movements into a dance. Play a suitable rhythmic song, let your child imitate the newspaper to the music while you sip your coffee. (I usually use the instrumental ‘Kan Çiçekleri’ by the master Zülfü Livaneli, or the instrumental and anonymous folk song ‘Genç Osman dediğin bir küçük uşak’).

2- Talk About The Newspaper:

“What is a newspaper? Why are these pictures here? Who takes these pictures? Why do they write underneath? What are the people who do this job called? What does news mean? Do newspapers have good news or bad news?” Ask questions according to your child’s age, and fill in any missing information about the topic. Of course, provide age-appropriate information. (Look, you’ve started your second coffee…)

3- Let’s Make A Newspaper!

After all this information exchange, give your child 4 blank papers and ask them to prepare 4 different news stories. You determine the “location and emotion” of the news. For example;

* A sad news about space.

* A happy news about forests.

* A surprising news about seas.

* An intriguing news about superheroes / Barbie.

If your child knows how to read and write, let them draw the picture and write what the news is about in their own words. If your child does not know how to read and write; let them say it, you write it. Write their sentences as they are, don’t correct them. (While your child is making these four news stories, relax with your feet up on the couch… What do you mean, it’s our duty)

4- Break Is Over!

Take a cardboard where you can fit these four news stories and stick the news onto the cardboard. Leave a bit of space at the top because you’ll write the name of the newspaper that your child will find there. Your newspaper is ready. Hang the newspaper in a visible place.

The first part of the work is a game called ‘Comet Foxes’. If you’re wondering why I skipped it, you’ll understand when you watch the first episode of my ‘Colorful Wizard’ YouTube channel. If there are two or more children around, ‘Comet Foxes’ will serve as a lifesaver for you. Well, that’s enough break, get up and do some work