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Views From a Step Stool

Open Minds & Messy Hands

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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

Nebula Calm Down Jar: Sensory & Science 

Nebula Calm Down Jar: Sensory & Science 

April 18, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 7 Comments

This nebula calm down jar is a perfect mix of calming sensory play and science, all wrapped up into a fun project! With only a few ingredients, you will have captured a little but of outer space in a jar, with a mesmerizing calming effect. We made this calm down

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Filed Under: Elementary, Learn Through Play, Mess-Free Sensory Play, Parenting, Preschoolers, Sensory, Toddlers, Uncategorized Tagged With: calm down jar, emotions, Homeschool, moms, preschoolers, psychology, sensory play, spirited kids, toddlers

Butterfly File Folder Games: Free Printable!

Butterfly File Folder Games: Free Printable!

March 31, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 4 Comments

File folder games are right up there with busy bags for me. I love these types of educational activities that are more about fun than learning. My kids adore them and use them often in places like waiting rooms, restaurants, and even airplanes. They butterfly file folder games are super

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Filed Under: Learn Through Play, Preschoolers, Spring, Toddlers, Uncategorized Tagged With: butterfly, kids, learn through play, play, preschoolers, printable, spring, toddlers

Spring Activities for Kids: Indoor and Outdoor Play Ideas

Spring Activities for Kids: Indoor and Outdoor Play Ideas

March 11, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 8 Comments

Spring is such a welcome season to many parents. To be able to get outside and enjoy the weather with your kids after a long, cold winter is music to anyone’s ears…especially if your little ones have been cooped up more often than not. There is SO much learning that can

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Filed Under: Learn Through Play, Outdoors, Spring, Uncategorized Tagged With: kids, moms, outdoors, play based learning, preschoolers, spring, toddlers

Easter Activities for Kids PLUS an Easter Gift Guide!

Easter Activities for Kids PLUS an Easter Gift Guide!

March 10, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 1 Comment

Who doesn’t love a good themed activity? Here are some of my kids’ favorites from this blog for Easter! Sensory egg dyeing, yummy party treats, and even edible play dough! I would love to hear which of these Easter activities for kids are your favorites! Easter Activities for Kids [Tweet

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Filed Under: Easter, Holidays, Uncategorized Tagged With: activités, Easter, kids, kids activities, learning, moms, play, preschoolers, toddlers

Easter Gift Guide for Kids: $15 and Under!

Easter Gift Guide for Kids: $15 and Under!

March 9, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 1 Comment

Are you, like me, totally into celebrating holidays but kind of over all of the junk that comes along with it?? I have a major sweet tooth, so do my kids, AND I am all about moderation with just about everything in life, so this is by no means a

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Filed Under: Easter, Holidays, Uncategorized Tagged With: basket, cheap, Easter, easter basket, filler, gifts, kids, moms, preschoolers, present, toddlers

Why Is Play In Childhood SO Important? An Interview with The Genius of Play

Why Is Play In Childhood SO Important? An Interview with The Genius of Play

March 8, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 1 Comment

Play in childhood really is SO important in childhood. An IBM survey says CEOs value employees with creativity, which is fostered via childhood play. Additionally, researchers say free play can significantly improve kids’ problem-solving skills and is one of the best ways to stimulate children’s brain development, while make-believe play

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Dramatic Play, Learning Toys, play, pretend play, toddlers, Toys

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

#PowerofPlay52: A 52 Week Play-Based Learning Challenge

#PowerofPlay52: A 52 Week Play-Based Learning Challenge

February 29, 2016 By Katie Chiavarone 1 Comment

Do you play with your kids? Well guess what…then you are also teaching your kids! Through play, children can develop physical, social, cognitive and language skills. Along with two other blogs, Parenting From the Heart and Twitchetts, we have created a weekly #PowerofPlay52 challenge that builds community and focuses on the undeniable power of play! Week 1

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Filed Under: Learn Through Play, Uncategorized Tagged With: challenge, instagram, moms, play, play based learning, preschool, 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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