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…
Puzzles aren’t just a ton of fun, they’re a great way for your child to develop fine motor and visual-spatial skills. But before you get all excited and run out to buy some, please stop to consider a few things: 1) What kind of puzzle is developmentally appropriate for my child? 2) How am I going to use this WITH my child? To simplify your life, I…