Open Minds & Messy Hands
One of my favorite traditions, and my kids’ new favorites, is making ornaments for the Christmas tree. There are so many totally adorable ones out there, we tend to go more the route of kid-made and simple that we can keep and look back on for years to come. These
One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the smells. When I was little, my mom would put a pot of water on the wood stove with cinnamon sticks and cloves in it. The house always smelled so lovely. When it comes to holiday baking, the smells are almost as
I write often about the power of play on my site. It is how kids learn best, by engaging their senses and exploring open-ended, creative and dramatic play. There are many ways in which kids can play without toys, however, we all know how much kids love to play with toys,
Gift wrapping pretend play is such a fun activity to do with kids around the holidays, and perfect for building fine motor skills. Cutting, measuring, taping and decorating all incorporate math, art, and motor practice through PLAY. We have been collecting recyclables such as cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls and milk
The Christmas season is upon us, and we have a lot of fun in store for you! The 12 Days of Blogmas is a really fun way to get excited about the upcoming holiday season, read some awesome articles (discover new blogs) and enter to WIN an amazing prize! Spoiler
These Christmas sensory sticks allow for exploration through the senses of smell, touch, hearing and sight, and, they are incredibly simple to put together! Engaging all the senses is a really fantastic way to promote learning through play. Hands-on play and the ability to really explore materials creates lasting
Thanksgiving is wonderful time to celebrate with family. I immediately think of doing some Turkey Day crafting with my kids making table decorations or little gifts for family and teachers. Crafting with kids is such a fun way to get excited for a holiday, and a perfect time to open up a
These gratitude crafts and activities are the perfect way to open up a conversation about showing gratitude and being thankful with kids. Teaching our kids to be thankful for what they have is one of me most important lessons we can demonstrate. This doesn’t mean telling them to be thankful,
If you walk down a toy aisle for babies, the sight and sounds can be quite overwhelming. Many of the toys require more batteries than all of the remotes in your house combined. While babies love a toy that talks or sings to them while they play, there is great
This monster sensory bin is the perfect way to engage in pretend, Halloween play without being too spooky or scary for little ones. During the day, the eyeballs are fun to squish and look for, and then at night, they glow, which has quite a different effect! What a fun Halloween