Say, YES! Say YES to pretending to be a pirate! Say YES to an invite to a tea party! Say YES to be willing to time travel! When it comes to playing with your child – treat it like a lesson in theater improvisation and say YES AND…!
I had an opportunity to talk with former theater actor, teacher and author, Christopher Mannino, about his new book, Making It Up – A Revolutionary Way to Bond with Kids Through Play. It is his 30th book – not too shabby! Unlike his fictional endeavors, this one delves into helping parents create memories with their children through the power of play. And he has had plenty of practice being the Dad of young children who happen to be living abroad.
Christopher, a TEDx alum, wants to emphasize to his readers that children are like sponges, constantly eager to learn. Parents simply need to be present and engaged in the moment with their children. Additionally, it’s important for all of us to learn how to pivot in our lives, particularly in how we connect with our kids.
As a psychologist who believes that children should play more on the playground and do less homework, I was thrilled to chat with Christopher about his journey as a parent, an author, and an advocate for parents and children to forgo the screens and simply create a safe space for play. He talks about the art of “anchoring” – creating a safe memory that brings an instant recall of joy. And just like improv – you don’t need many props (toys), if any. Just an active imagination and using the power of “YES AND…”
I would be remiss not to mention that Cory Reid, provided excellent illustrations honed important points and also provided some humor!
Below are two short videos of Christopher explaining “anchoring” and “YES AND…”. The link for the full interview (minus the bloopers), is also below.
Some Amazing Takeaways From “Making It Up” for Parents and Professionals:
- Say Yes and…
- Say NO but…
- Avoid questioning the intent
- Stay in the moment
- Don’t plan ahead
- Toys are not necessarily your “friends”
- Always carry your anchor
Christopher also shared some tidbits on his journey to becoming an accomplished author. It is a fascinating story of a young boy in rural America finding himself immersed in books, only to dream of becoming a writer. And he did!
Watch and learn about Christopher’s journey as an author, how and why he created Making It Up, and much more on YouTube. This is The full video interview with captioning capabilities. YouTube video
Check out these links to learn more about Making It Up – A Revolutionary Way to Bond with Kids Through Play!
Instagram: @ChristopherMannino @CoryReid_Illustrator @FamiliusBooks
