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Open Minds & Messy Hands

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Printable Easter Egg Matching Game and Memory Game

Printable Easter Egg Matching Game and Memory Game

March 4, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 2 Comments

This printable Easter egg matching game for toddlers and preschoolers can be used as a puzzle, a matching game or a memory game! Great as a busy bag! My kids enjoy playing board games, card games, and more! I think it’s a great way to learn and practice turn-taking. We also happen

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Filed Under: Easter, Holidays, Printables Tagged With: Busy Bags, diy, Easter, Games, Homemade, Homeschool, preschoolers, printable, toddlers

5 Potty Training Essentials for Quick Success

5 Potty Training Essentials for Quick Success

March 1, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 2 Comments

Potty-training. UGH. If you are a parent, you’ve been there. My kids were fairly easy to potty train, and still, all I can say is UGH. It’s a rite of passage for parents and toddlers alike. Potty-training success adds a badge to motherhood and promotes the toddler to ‘big-kid’ status. It’s

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Filed Under: Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: essentials, fears, moms, nightlight, potty training, preschoolers, stay at home moms, toddlers, toilet training

Felt Rainbow Busy Bag with Printable Template

Felt Rainbow Busy Bag with Printable Template

February 15, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 2 Comments

It’s no secret…I LOVE busy bags! They are so fantastic for keeping kiddos busy ANYWHERE. Whether you need to make a phone call (we all know that’s nearly impossible), are waiting at the doctor’s office, or on a road trip or in an airplane, busy bags will be your life

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Learn Through Play, Preschool Arts& Crafts, Preschoolers, St. Patrick's Day, Toddler Arts & Crafts, Toddlers Tagged With: Busy Bags, diy, freebie, Homemade, moms, preschoolers, printable, quiet time, rainbows, toddlers

4 Simple Sensory Bags that Kids Will LOVE

4 Simple Sensory Bags that Kids Will LOVE

February 12, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 2 Comments

These baby-friendly sensory bags are baby, toddler & preschooler approved! 4 different ways to make simple sensory bags for all kids. Sensory bags are one of my favorite baby-friendly activities. They provide so much opportunity for exploration and can keep a baby occupied for quite a while! They are great

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Filed Under: Babies, Learn Through Play, Mess-Free Sensory Play, Preschoolers, Sensory, Toddlers, Uncategorized Tagged With: activities, babies, education, kids activities, play, preschoolers, sensory play, stay at home mom, toddlers

25+ Simple Indoor Kids Activities for Rainy Day Fun

25+ Simple Indoor Kids Activities for Rainy Day Fun

January 26, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 9 Comments

I am all for getting outside in pretty much ANY weather….with that said, we have some REALLY cold days here on the East Coast and definitely need to find some fun (and easy) ways to stay busy indoors. These indoor kids activities use simple household materials and a bit of imagination

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Babies, Elementary, Learn Through Play, Mess-Free Sensory Play, Preschool Arts& Crafts, Preschool Science, Preschoolers, science, Sensory, Toddler Arts & Crafts, Toddler Science, Toddlers Tagged With: activities, indoor activities, indoors, kids, learn through play, preschoolers, rainy day, stay at home mom, toddlers

Simple Ways to Nourish Your Child’s Imagination

Simple Ways to Nourish Your Child’s Imagination

January 15, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 6 Comments

Imagination and creativity are integral components of play in children. As we get older, we tend to focus less on imagination and more on reality. That is, until you have children of your own. They plant you right in the middle of a tea party with stuffed animals, take you

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Filed Under: Edible Sensory Play, Preschool Science, Recipes, Sensory, Sponsored Work Tagged With: breakfast, healthy, imagination, minerals, moms, nesquik, preschoolers, pretend play, toddlers, vitamins

10 Ways to Become a More Positive and Present Parent in 2016

10 Ways to Become a More Positive and Present Parent in 2016

December 30, 2015 By Katie Chiavarone 23 Comments

There are days where I feel like I have this parenting thing under my belt…and then there are days where it just completely gets the best of me. Ironically, those days actually have very little to do with my children and are more a product of outside stressors wearing on

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Filed Under: Gentle Parenting, Parenting Tagged With: attachment, moms, new years, parenting, positive parenting, preschoolers, self-esteem, toddlers

Why I Date My Son

Why I Date My Son

November 27, 2015 By Katie Chiavarone 21 Comments

“Wanna go on a date? Just the two of us?” I have asked this question to my son many times…but not lately. Ever since the baby was born, almost 7 months ago, we haven’t been on a single date. My 4 year old is the oldest of three. He has

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Filed Under: Gentle Parenting, Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: boys, dates, moms, moms and sons, preschoolers, quality time, stay at home mom, time with kids

Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bin

Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bin

May 28, 2015 By Katie Chiavarone 1 Comment

Find out which types of pasta to use to make this fun and educational butterfly life cycle sensory bin. Dyed pasta with food coloring that kids love.  Sensory bins are one of our favorite ways to explore a topic. This butterfly life cycle sensory bin was super easy (and fun) to

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Filed Under: Elementary, Learn Through Play, Preschool Science, Preschoolers, Sensory, Spring, Toddler Science, Toddlers Tagged With: kids, moms, Preschool Homeschool, preschoolers, sensory play, toddlers

Rainbow Suncatchers – A Kid-Made Spring Activity

Rainbow Suncatchers – A Kid-Made Spring Activity

March 6, 2015 By Katie Chiavarone 2 Comments

This simple rainbow suncatcher craft turned out beautifully and is great for a variety of ages, you will really be able to see the difference in ability with age but no matter how ‘accurate’ these are they will come out beautiful! I started by using placemats with a piece of

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Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Learn Through Play, Preschool Arts& Crafts, Preschoolers, Toddler Arts & Crafts, Toddlers Tagged With: Colors, Homeschool, kids activities, kids crafts, preschoolers, rainbows, suncatchers, toddlers

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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

  • 12 Snowman Crafts for Kids
  • 10 Elf on the Shelf Printables to Download
  • 12 Elf on the Shelf Ideas
  • Candy Corn Sensory Bin
  • Emotions Sensory Bag
  • 10 Thanksgiving Handprint Crafts

What’s New:

  • 12 Snowman Crafts for Kids
  • 10 Elf on the Shelf Printables to Download
  • 12 Elf on the Shelf Ideas
  • Candy Corn Sensory Bin
  • Emotions Sensory Bag
  • 10 Thanksgiving Handprint Crafts
  • Build a Jack-o-Lantern Sensory Craft
  • Breakfast Smoothies for Kids with BlendJet Portable Blender
  • 12 Outdoor Painting Ideas for Kids
  • Educational Sensory Bin Ideas
  • 12 Animal Sensory Bin Ideas for Kids
  • 10 Insect Themed Sensory Bins
  • 12 Bee Crafts for Kids
  • 15 Easter Chick Crafts for Kids
  • 15+ Earth Day Crafts for Kids
  • St. Patrick’s Day Emotion Cut and Paste Printable Activity
  • Valentine’s Day Charades Words
  • Printable Color by Number Valentine’s Day Cards for Kids
  • Valentine’s Day Kindness Countdown Calendar: Free Printable
  • Valentine’s Day Pixel Art Color by Number: Free Printables

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