Please explain playsilks to me

[citymama]

...because I just don't get it. I've never bought play silks (which I assume to be some kind of branded product). However, I have several beautiful and colorful silks scarves, and after reading about play silks here I've let my DD play with them. This is a kid who is heavily into imaginative play and can make something out of just about anything. She uses them to dress up sometimes but isn't particularly interested in them - no more so than any other fabric or item that's in our home. What do your kids do with them and why are people here always raving about them?

[KrisM]

Mine aren't a specific brand. I bought them 5 years ago from a WAHM.

But, they're capes, doll blankets, tents, skirts, etc. They're lightweight so work better than tying a blanket around them for the same purpose.

[crl]

Well, the one year old loves pulling them out of the basket through the handle. And she plays peek a boo with them. And she pulls them over her head and walks around that way. (It is kind of cool, I tried it. They are really sheer so there is the wash of color but you can still see.)

The seven year old uses them mostly to create landscapes (ie, blue is a moat) for his block set ups. He never really got into dress up and honestly uses them more now than when he was younger.

I really like them because over the years they have gotten plenty of play, not all at once like a plastic toy that makes cool noises and is a huge hit for a couple of weeks, but bits here and there that have added up to considerable amounts of playtime. Plus they are tiny to store and beautiful so I don't mind having them around.

They probably aren't much different than sheer silk scarves for play value, but I a not a scarf person and have never had any I wanted to turn over to the kids for play.

Catherine

[artvandalay]

lol.. we think alike. I posted this recently:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=395008

I think I"m going to try my hand at making them.

[wellyes]

I'm kinda with you on the playsilks. I mean, of course anything that encourages imaginative and open-ended play is good. But dyed playsilks aren't necessarily, IMO, better than any lightweight fabric. I've purchased a playsilk, I've given DD a few scarves of mine, I've given her a plastic-covered tablecloth to play with.... all about the same result. She plays with them a bit but doesnt' really care. I was really excited by the idea but in the end decided it's not something I'd spend a lot of money, time or mental energy on.

[citymama]

lol.. we think alike. I posted this recently:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=395008

I think I"m going to try my hand at making them.

Ah, thanks! I missed this one!


Well, the one year old loves pulling them out of the basket through the handle. And she plays peek a boo with them. And she pulls them over her head and walks around that way. (It is kind of cool, I tried it. They are really sheer so there is the wash of color but you can still see.)

Catherine

So Catherine, this makes me think my long skinny silk scarves aren't actually working as "play silks." Maybe there's a particular length/size that helps stimulate imaginative play and maybe there are accessories like the basket you mentioned that work as well. Do you have a link to exactly the kind of play silks set up you have (ie basket and all, how many, etc)? I could try and replicate that here. DD2 has really gotten into the "put the object in the box, take it out a different way, put it back in" game.

[crl]

My playsilks are from ds so I have no idea anymore where I got them. They are 36 inch squares in vivid colors.

They are stored in this basket

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20138431

from Ikea because it happens to fit in the cubby space of a piece of furniture I keep in the living room (discontinued "chicken coop" from Sundance catalog.). The cubby is just the right height for dd to pull the playsilks out through the handle opening or the top of the basket. She gets them out everyday and usually gets them right back out if I put them away in front of her. Of course, she also drags folded laundry off the couch faster than I can fold. ;)

None of this was a grand scheme, just happens to be what I have. We have also had old ties in the play stuff for ds in the past, which may function more like your skinny scarves. He got a fair bit of use from those being tails, but it was short lived. I haven't pulled them out for dd yet.

Catherine

[Uno-Mom]

I looked at that other thread. Several people used blanks from Dharma Trading company. But when I looked that up, there were many different fabric options.

Which ones are most similar to "real" playsilks? I though maybe the chiffon ones...?

[KrisM]

We've got them in various sizes. From 12x12 up to 36x36. I think the bigger ones get more use, but the little ones are used on dolls a lot. I'll see if I can remember where they came from.

[Melaine]

I looked at that other thread. Several people used blanks from Dharma Trading company. But when I looked that up, there were many different fabric options.

Which ones are most similar to "real" playsilks? I though maybe the chiffon ones...?

These are the ones, according to the product description. http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1741-AA.shtml

We do not have "real" playsilks. It's still on my to-do list, I want to make them. We have quite a collection of handmedown scarves that the girls play with fairly often. We have a few small square scarves that are definitely favored. I believe they are the true playsilks meterial, because they feel very different from the others (which are probably chiffon...?)

If I found a deal on playsilks, I would buy them, I just haven't seen anything super cheap and I haven't gotten around to dyeing them.

[TwinFoxes]

I gave my DDs a few sheer scarves of mine. They never use them. So I decided to skip the playsilks. I can see why kids like them, but mine just didn't.

[SnuggleBuggles]

They had play silks at Music Together that they used for some songs. Ds2 really never seemed that excited by them so I never bothered to buy any.

Beth

[AnnieW625]

:bag I don't either.....

I still haven't ruled out getting any but I honestly can't see getting the big size ones as long as we have the Aiden & Anais blankets because those are about the same size as the large ones so why buy larger ones for playing peek a boo with when we already have 4 A&A blankets? (which is what she uses to play peek a boo with anyways)

I have a piece or two of dyed silk from mine and DH's college mortar boards too that my brother made for me, and one for DH so they could spot us at our graduation ceremony so I think I might try that first before investing in more. I like the idea of the smaller size too because it's perfect for the car seat.

If you do decide to dye your own definitely follow Dharma's directions, they are great (I have done cotton with them and it's no fail so I am sure it's the same for dying silk).

[Globetrotter]

We just used old dupattas, which is perhaps what you're referring to :) DD and her friends still use them for bollywood dancing :tongue5:, plays, etc...