Every year, we love to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day on March 2nd. We like reading many of his 60 Seusstastic Books and doing activities that are inspired by his silly stories. One of our favorite books is Oh, The Places You'll Go. After reading the story, we set-up an invitation to create a hot air balloon like the one in the story. In this open-ended activity, children can use a variety of art and View Post
How Music Makes Children Smarter
Music has incredible benefits for children! I have found music to be one of the most powerful ways to teach children, and there is a scientific reason behind it. Brain research shows us that music makes children smarter. Miss Katie from Sound Pathways Music is a music therapist who is passionate about music as well as the science behind it, and she has written this article on the benefits of View Post
Melting Hearts Color Exploration and Ice Play
Melting hearts with the kids this Valentine's Day is an inexpensive activity which lets preschoolers explore colors as they play! The ice play also provides them with the opportunity to improve fine motor skills and strengthen hands to help with writing in the future. Melting Hearts Ice Play Supplies: Heart shaped ice tray Food coloring or liquid water color Tongs, View Post
Valentine Hearts Number Recognition Activity
I love it when my favorite preschool supplies can be repurposed for multiple projects! This foam number puzzle is a staple at our house. It is wonderful when used for it's intended purpose (as a puzzle), but it also provides many other learn through play opportunities as well! Take, for example, this Valentine hearts number recognition activity. This activity provides View Post
Brilliant and Easy Toy Storage and Organization Solutions
Some days I just feel buried in toys. At times I have wished we didn’t have any. But then I realized that I just needed easy toy storage and organization solutions…and a little less! I recently made it my goal to go through every single item in our house and to only keep what we really loved. Be careful what you wish for. Since that idea popped into my head we unexpectedly moved – twice. It was View Post
Colorful Hearts Sensory Bin for Valentine’s Day
I always love to incorporate the holidays into our learning activities. Since Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away, I knew my children would have fun sorting red, pink, and purple hearts using this Colorful Hearts Sensory Bin. In this hands-on sensory activity, your children will not only practice identifying and matching colors but will also work on developing their fine motor skills View Post
What to Say When a Child Asks if Santa is Real
As an adult it can be completely nerve-wracking to know what to say when a child asks, "Is Santa real?" If you're like me, you want to keep Christmas magical. My own parents always told me the truth about Santa, so I actually never grew up believing in Santa. I do things differently with my own kids though, and I love to see how my own children look forward to seeing Santa. Their View Post
3 Simple Ways for Children to Put Coats On
Putting on a coat for a child doesn’t seem so hard…unless you have 10 or 20 students, and you all can’t wait to get outside! I’m sharing 3 simple ways for children to put coats on independently. You’ll have your students getting their coats on in a flash. And if you are a parent, your teacher will thank you for allowing your child to learn these skills at home! Or your child will feel confident View Post
Supporting Toddlers in Block Play
Dumping, throwing, and knocking things over. This is the motto of the toddler. In reality this is a quest of curiosity – a hands-on approach to cause and effect. But for adults, it also means a lot of messes and damage control. Supporting toddlers through block play can be complicated! My one-year-old picks up a block and usually throws it right away. I am so thrilled to partner with KORXX View Post
Balancing Activities with Quiet Blocks
I recently discovered something I’ve wanted for years: quiet blocks! Children love blocks, and they are perfect for helping children practice science, math, art, technology, and engineering. I’ve had blocks in all of my classrooms and also for my own children, and the only thing I’ve ever wished about them was that they could be quietly tumble over and lightly fall. If you have ever had a unit View Post