summer strategies

We are all happy that school is out and that Julia is here all day now. Despite it being just one more body in the house it's so wild how much the dynamics shift drastically among the kids. For better or worse, she enjoys playing mother hen to everyone and I'm realizing that we need to have a couple of very loose objectives for the summer months.

At the top of my short list is to try to streamline the afternoons when the three youngest are napping. Having special and dedicated activities for quiet time makes for a, "less fighting, more harmonizing" environment which makes me happy and hopefully more productive on the cleaning/blogging/dinner making/laundry folding front. We learned last summer that the it rains almost every single day during the summer months here in Florida and usually in the afternoon so I'm trying to encourage a bit of creative, imaginative, and independent (emphasis here) play beyond their usual backyard activities. 

So, with all of that said! You can imagine my excitement over Sago Mini releasing its first playset: Jinja's House this past week.

I made a big deal about setting a rug out on the porch because it was raining but still pleasant outside. The kids had been asking and asking and asking and ASKING to open the package that had come a few days prior and when we finally opened it -- it did NOT disappoint. 

The compact playset opens to almost two feet wide and comes with a variety of accessories (along with characters Rosie and Jinja) and provides endless possibilities for that sought after creative play. 

Jinja's House is thoughtfully designed with everything coming in mini "moving boxes" so the kids could enjoy moving Rosie and Jinja in their abode. They also included little play pizza slices which was right up Julia's tiny thing loving alley. 

Julia kept instructing Sebastian to go set the table in the "diving" room which you would tell confused him but being the people pleasing second born that he is, he obliged. Then they enjoyed some fine diving dining. 

I knew the kids would be big fans of Jinja's House and truthfully I thought it was more Julia's cup of tea since she loves to play house but I was pleasantly surprised when the little kids woke up from their naps and both Julia and Sebastian were both still happily lost in Rosie and Jinja's world. 

Because there are small pieces involved, it's important that we keep it up and away from Bosco and Phoebe which works out really well because ...

... everything fits inside the fold-up house and is held together by attached elastic making for easy clean up (my FAVORITE) and makes it transportable (hello airplane entertainment). 

I'm pretty picky when it comes to toys in this house and would never tell you about something we didn't absolutely LOVE and we really adore Jinja's House. If you're in the market for some summer time or anytime entertainment you can buy Jinja's House here!

Sago Mini is generously giving a Jinja's House along with a $500 Amazon Gift Card away to one lucky Camp reader.
 

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Thank you for reading and playing!