I am always trying out new sensory play ideas, and anything with water beads is a win here! I love their texture, their translucent color, and how fun they are to try and keep from slipping out of your hands. If you've never tried them out, they are so fun. When you're done, you can even recycle them by putting them in the garden. I had a very sweet and generous family donate rainbow colored View Post
Three Essential Potty Training Tips
Are you looking for potty training tips from a pro? You are in the right place! It seems that everyone has an opinion about potty training, but I'm going to give three of the most important tips you will ever hear. Are you in the midst of potty training or perhaps about to start? I've put together what I consider to be three of the most important and essential potty training tips. Don't rush View Post
Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Eruption for Kids
Need a super simple baking soda and vinegar volcano recipe? This one takes about three minutes to prep (and the kids get to help). It uses six common ingredients, and there is no mess to clean up afterward! If simple and no cleaning is music to your ears, you're in the right place. We've made this five times in the past two weeks, so it's definitely a loved activity here. I have View Post
The Children Who Changed Me Forever
There has not been a single week that has gone by that I have not thought of them, the children who taught me more than I could ever say. It's been 16 years now, and the children I met in India have remained in my heart and my head. Since the day I stepped off the plane into a poverty-stricken land, I knew I was forever changed. In fact, it's really hard to write about this. These children and View Post
Alphabet Sensory Bottle
This alphabet sensory bottle is the perfect way to work on the alphabet and have an awesome sensory bottle at the same time! It's one of our many sensory bottles that you'll love! I am seriously addicted to mesmerizing sensory bottles. At one point, I had a calm down jar that I "tested out" for an entire week before I gave it to my class, so I am always thrilled for the next irresistible find. View Post
Magnetic Discovery Bottles
I love it when I find a new sensory bottle to tantalize my preschoolers. My two newest discovery bottles are magnetic, and my class is over the moon for them! They are a cinch to make, and they are absolutely entertaining for older kids and safe for toddlers as well. I've made magnetic sensory bottles in the past, but the magnetic attraction wasn't as strong as I would like. So I came up with View Post
A Girl and Her Lifesaving Dog
I can still vividly remember a conversation I had about a year ago with the Mitchell family as they told me about one of the newest advances in the medical world. It's not a pill or a cure, but it is lifesaving. I sat in awe as they explained to me about a dog that could help their daughter's diabetes. My mind was completely blown! I had heard of seeing eye dogs, but I had never heard of a dog View Post
The Importance of Sensory Play
Don't you just love how it feels to dip your fingers in a bin of rice?! My hands feel as though they are saying "ahhh." While playing in rice and other sensory items feels great, it is also so important! Little ones especially need it, and it is incredibly beneficial for them to have daily sensory experiences. This doesn't have to be fancy or involve 10-30 minutes to prepare. While colored rice or View Post
Dance ‘N Beats: Dancing for Young Children
I love the power of music with young children! Not only do we love to sing and dance because it is fun but because it is one of the best ways to learn. When I am trying to teach my children a new concept or idea, I always light up when I find that "perfect song" to go with what we are studying or interested in. Most recently I ran across a "new to me" and super fun DVD music series made by View Post
Should Your Child Be Potty Trained by Three?
What age should children be fully potty trained? This veteran preschool teacher may surprise you when you hear the answer! If you've done any research on putting your child into preschool, you may have noticed that many preschools require a child to be potty trained. Sometimes I wonder if I live in the preschool potty training Mecca or if it's like this everywhere else. View Post