This is an activity we did during our “All About Me” unit to highlight our sense of touch. There are so many possibilities here, and it’s a ton of fun while also being REALLY simple to do. You’ll notice we’re outside, on the grass, which I highly recommend. Because when you turn around for 10 seconds and one of the toddlers spills the contents of the tub…
Tangrams are great because they teach kids math concepts, visual-spatial, and critical thinking skills. Structured activities like this also allow them opportunities to follow directions, and who doesn’t want that? But keep in mind that unstructured play has value as well. The concept is simple: There’s a mat with a pattern on it, and the children use the shapes provided in order to “copy” the shape. Sounds…
My husband recently got our daughter into car washing since it’s both a first-world necessity as well as something that keeps her entertained. Initially, it was our actual family car, but today he promised our daughter that after he was done with work, they could wash her toy car. She was excited about this ALL day! In reality, we have things that need to get done in our…
There will be times when your activity feels like a Pinterest fail. Your vision won’t match the reality for miles and while one child may be totally into it, another might be eating your props (yep, the latter was absolutely Bianca this morning). Guess what? That’s life. This happens in classrooms every year, all around the globe, and you have to learn to just try your best and…
As a little girl growing up, Toys R Us was a magical land that could do no wrong, but as an adult I started to question everything. Ever notice how Toys R Us had sections whose colors were geared to the gender they were trying to appeal to? The Barbie section was one giant wall of pink, and you likely couldn’t have found a pink Tonka truck in the…
My child LOVES sensory play, and it’s likely because I love it too, meaning she gets extra exposure to these kinds of activities. The good news? They’re super simple, offer a ton of possibilities for free exploration, and you likely don’t have to buy anything. I mean it; check out the very basic materials list below. This was actually the first time I introduced a clothes pin…