SIMPLE OUTDOOR OPEN-ENDED PLAY

These last few months have given us a great excuse to step up our outdoor play game. We’ve reorganized our space multiple times and spent a ton more time outside as a family because of it. One of our favorite things to do is to use our water table, specifically because @busytoddler gave us the idea of adding tear-free body wash to it to make bubbles, and we…

PERSPECTIVE

Prior to COVID, a lot of us were spinning our wheels constantly without even pretending to tap the brakes. 🏎 Work, cooking, cleaning, kids’ birthday parties 🎁, social gatherings, after school activities, drop off and pick up, traffic 😤, and finally sleep 🛏 (even though it felt like and often still feels like a nap)…only to wake up the the next day and do it all over again. 😴 Now, I’m not saying…

EDUCATIONAL TOYS DISGUISED AS A PREFERRED ACTIVITY

Last week I introduced these cute little bear counters to the girls during school as a math activity, and they were SO excited. 🤗 This particular set comes with different size and color bears 🐻, 2 tongs, the colored cups, activity cards, and a convenient carrying case. What can I say? I get excited about school purchases. 🤓🙋🏻‍♀️ The word “tong” became a new vocabulary word and their use was a great way…

IT’S OK! YOU’RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN!

Every single parent tells you to enjoy sleep before you have kids. It’s not that I couldn’t imagine it, I just hadn’t experienced it…which made me realize that the infant stage of next level sleep deprivation is likely meant to prepare us (quickly) for what’s ahead. It gets better, not so much because it gets exponentially easier, but because we learn to adapt…and then…

PRETEND PLAY WITH SAME AGE PEERS – A PARENTING WIN!

I don’t know about you all, but shortly after I wake up each day, I either have a tiny child staring at me or one of her toys “talking” to me, begging me to wake up and speak back. You may think I’m kidding, but this has been our life for about the past year. Bianca has learned to change her voice when one of her toys is…

MAKING ART SUPPLIES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

One of the biggest tasks I have undertaken since I have been home full time is organizing. Seriously, it seemingly has no end. The bright side however, is that things are becoming a whole lot easier to find. And if you’ve ever owned a hodge podge of art supplies, you know how big of a deal this is. This morning, Bianca took one look at our rolling cart of…