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Views From a Step Stool

Open Minds & Messy Hands

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Acorn Balancing: Outdoor STEM Challenge for Kids

Acorn Balancing: Outdoor STEM Challenge for Kids

October 25, 2017 By Katie Chiavarone Leave a Comment

This acorn balancing fine motor activity and outdoor STEM challenge is a great way to practice fine motor skills, all while building persistence and grit. Each day we walk outside and see TONS of scattered acorn tops that have been tossed aside by the squirrels. One of our favorite ways

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Filed Under: Elementary, Fall, Learn Through Play, Outdoors, Preschoolers, Toddlers Tagged With: acorns, fine motor, persistence

Bug I-Spy Busy Bag

Bug I-Spy Busy Bag

August 29, 2017 By Katie Chiavarone Leave a Comment

This i-spy busy bag is great for young learners as well as ‘big kids’. Also, because it’s contained in a small bag, it’s the perfect busy bag for on the go. We use busy bags for quiet time at home, long car/airplane rides, and waiting rooms. They are life savers. Plus,

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Filed Under: Learn Through Play, Preschoolers, Spring, Toddlers Tagged With: bugs, busy bag, fine motor, i spy

Fine Motor Bug Activity for Preschoolers

Fine Motor Bug Activity for Preschoolers

August 7, 2017 By Katie Chiavarone Leave a Comment

This bug activity for preschoolers encourages attention to detail and fine motor skills, as kids hunt for bugs hidden in moss. The addition of tools such as tweezers and magnifying glasses makes this experience really fun for toddlers, preschoolers, and beyond! *This post contains affiliate links. Set Up Your Bug

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Filed Under: Learn Through Play, Preschoolers, Sensory, Spring, Toddlers Tagged With: bug unit, bugs, fine motor, insects, preschool

Garden Pretend Play with Printable Vegetable Puppets

Garden Pretend Play with Printable Vegetable Puppets

March 13, 2017 By Katie Chiavarone 3 Comments

This fine motor garden pretend play activity is perfect for preschoolers! They are learning so much from this project, from vegetable identification, how plants grow and even fine motor exercise perfect for those pre-handwriting skills! Gardening with kids is so valuable.  We did this activity for the Virtual Book Club

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Filed Under: Elementary, Learn Through Play, Preschoolers, Spring, Toddlers, Uncategorized Tagged With: fine motor, garden, kids activities

Christmas Tradition: Spot the Decorations Game with Free Printable!

Christmas Tradition: Spot the Decorations Game with Free Printable!

December 12, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone Leave a Comment

My favorite family Christmas tradition as a child was going on a drive to look at Christmas lights. We would pile into the car, put on the Christmas tunes and go for a nice drive. My siblings and I always liked to point out the most decorated houses and spot

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Filed Under: Christmas, Holidays Tagged With: activities, christmas, fine motor, Games, Holidays, Homeschool, kids activities, preschool

34 Fine Motor Activities to Improve Pincer Grasp

34 Fine Motor Activities to Improve Pincer Grasp

August 11, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 3 Comments

Did you know that you can improve pincer grasp without a pencil? It’s true. There are plenty of fine motor activities that build the muscles in small fingers to help with future handwriting skills. Here are quite a few awesome ones to give little fingers a workout! Fine Motor Activities for

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Learn Through Play, Preschool, Sensory, Uncategorized Tagged With: fine motor, fun, Homeschool, kids activities, moms, play, preschool, toddler

60+ Awesome Activities for 1 Year Olds! {Tested and Loved}

60+ Awesome Activities for 1 Year Olds! {Tested and Loved}

May 11, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 7 Comments

Looking for activities for 1 year olds? You can find TONS of activities for toddlers and preschoolers to do from fun sensory play to fantastic busy bags. The only problem is that a lot of this awesomeness is not geared for one year olds.   Toddlers and ‘1 year olds’

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Babies, Edible Sensory Play, Learn Through Play, Mess-Free Sensory Play, Sensory, Toddler Arts & Crafts, Toddlers, Uncategorized Tagged With: 1 year old, activities for 1 Year Olds, Arts and Crafts, fine motor, gross motor, Homeschool, kids, kids activities, moms, parenting, sensory play, toddlers

Plastic Easter Egg Counting Game for Preschoolers

Plastic Easter Egg Counting Game for Preschoolers

February 16, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone Leave a Comment

By adding some numbers to plastic Easter eggs, kids are encouraged to count and use fine motor skills in this fun Easter egg counting game for preschoolers.   There are so many uses for plastic Easter eggs! This activity encourages counting, matching and fine motor practice. I first saw this Easter

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Filed Under: Easter, Holidays, Learn Through Play, Preschoolers, Toddlers Tagged With: Easter, fine motor, Homeschool, kids activity, learn through play, learning activity, preschool, projects

9 Ways to Complete Worksheets WITHOUT a Pencil! FREE Christmas Printables

9 Ways to Complete Worksheets WITHOUT a Pencil! FREE Christmas Printables

November 10, 2015 By Katie Chiavarone 4 Comments

   Are you anti-worksheets for preschoolers? I am a HUGE believer in learning through play and tend to stay away from traditional worksheets. That said, I like to take their content and use the worksheets in a number of creative ways without a pencil! I attempt to find ways that

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Christmas, Elementary, Holidays, Learn Through Play, Preschoolers, Uncategorized Tagged With: arts, christmas, crafts, fine motor, Homeschool, matching, pre-writing, preschool, printable, toddlers, worksheets

Feeding Frankenstein: Upcycled Halloween Craft

Feeding Frankenstein: Upcycled Halloween Craft

October 12, 2015 By Katie Chiavarone 6 Comments

We love upcycling toilet paper rolls! This simple feeding Frankenstein craft can be used a number of ways. They make cute indoor Halloween decorations, or can encourage fine motor practice and counting. We used them for all of the above! Check out how below. Frankenstein Craft What you Need:  

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Halloween, Holidays, Learn Through Play, Preschool Arts& Crafts, Preschoolers, Toddler Arts & Crafts, Toddlers, Uncategorized Tagged With: counting, fine motor, frankenstein, game, Halloween, Homemade, toilet paper roll, upcycling

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Welcome to Views From a Step Stool!

Welcome to Views From a Step Stool!

I am a mom to three little ones and love to create and explore every day with them! We have open minds and messy hands, come join in our adventures!

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What’s New

  • Summer Olympics Bingo Game Printable
  • Constellations for Kids: Constellation Coloring Pages, Flashcards and Science Experiment Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Printable Favor Toppers
  • Drawing Garden Game to Print for Kids: Roll and Draw!
  • Printable Valentine’s Day Lunchbox Jokes

What’s New:

  • Summer Olympics Bingo Game Printable
  • Constellations for Kids: Constellation Coloring Pages, Flashcards and Science Experiment Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Printable Favor Toppers
  • Drawing Garden Game to Print for Kids: Roll and Draw!
  • Printable Valentine’s Day Lunchbox Jokes
  • Valentine’s Day Color by Number Printables
  • Pin the Carrot on the Snowman Printable Game
  • Printable Christmas Puzzles for Toddlers
  • Christmas Tic Tac Toe Printable Game
  • Christmas Charades Printable Game
  • Printable Coffee Gift Card Holder for Christmas
  • The Gift of Christmas Printable Board Game
  • Christmas Countdown Printable
  • Santa Says Printable Christmas Game
  • Christmas Tree I Spy Printable for Kids
  • Thanksgiving Picture Charades Printable Game for Young Kids
  • Christmas Countdown Dollar Store Craft
  • Roll a Gingerbread Man Christmas Board Game
  • Winter Color by Number Printables

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