Spring is almost here! Yay! And, that means we need to get our seeds going or we won’t have a garden. Ok, that’s a bit extreme because we can go buy starter plants, or whatever they’re called. But, I want Sweet Pea to see how plants form and watch them […]
Have you ever noticed that kids enjoy walking along things- lines, curbs, etc.? Whenever we go to the open gym at the gymnastics center, Sweet Pea enjoys doing the balance beam, so I thought it would be a good addition to our “toys.” Fortunately, my dad had some scraps […]
10 Easy ways to Play and Learn with Boxes I’m always looking for ways to get the most out of something (aren’t we all?!), and I remembered that kids love boxes, and we always have some lying around. So, I started saving our boxes and other recyclables so that Sweet […]
How we made the best of a rainy day, learned about gutters, storm drains, made comparisons, and used our 5 senses. Did anyone else grow up hearing that playing outside was “good for you”? We LOVED to be outside as kids. It was the one time we consistently didn’t listen […]
Marble runs are great for open-ended building. They’re an example of a STEM toy (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). And, they’re a lot of fun, both for the kids and the adults. But, what are the benefits to marble runs, besides fun the whole family can enjoy? […]
It’s a real challenge when our little ones have a tough time paying attention! Sometimes, it’s due to an actual diagnosis, such as ADD or ADHD. I recently received a question from a reader whose son started kindergarten this year, was recently diagnosed by his doctor with ADHD, and is struggling […]
No, I’m not having a party for my 3 year old. We’re not getting a face painter, fancy cake, putting up elaborate decorations, hiring a princess or two to come by, renting a bounce house, or anything like it. I’m not taking the “easy” route and having it at a […]
A playful learning activity occurs when children learn through play. It’s something children enjoy doing and are able to explore and be creative on their own. There are often very few directions or guidelines because it’s an open-ended activity. The activity in this picture is a playful learning activity because: […]