Learning and Play

I really like this program (Pre-K B) because I believe that it supports many of the underlying principles, skills, and strategies that early learners need to grasp in order to truly deepen their number sense and mathematical thinking. It introduces concepts such as number bonds, bar modeling, and the CPA approach (concrete, pictorial, abstract) that are, in my opinion, invaluable when striving to truly gain independence, confidence, and accuracy when solving problems and when acquiring and implementing mathematical processing skills and mental math fluency.

One of the very first products I knew I wanted to incorporate into our open-ended playspace was quality art and genuine imprints of nature wherever possible. I didn’t expect to stumble upon such beautiful resources as the ones created by Emily at Painted and Pine, but I am oh-so-grateful that I did!

At first, these little friends of ours may look like a quite plain and simple toy, but I have wanted them to be a part of our toy rotation because of the endless possibilities something like this presents. I wanted to share a few with you.

After reading what seemed like 5,432 parenting books/articles while rocking in the middle of the night, I started to gain a bit more confidence and care less about what everyone around me thought of me—or what they were doing; I started simply being as present as possible with my own children whenever I was with them. That’s when the shift happened—that’s when I started to BE the mom I wanted to be and parent my children the way I wanted to; that said, I sure do wish I had this guide a few years ago to help me get started—the examples for what to do in those challenging moments we all know so well are priceless and positively practical in every way.

“The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home.” If there were ever a time that this Harold B. Lee spoke strongly to my heart, it’s now.  As a teacher and a mom of two little ones, I have always believed this to be true in my bones, but during this unusual time where so many of us around the world are literally living within the walls of our own homes, this weighs on me heavily!  If you’ve been following along for some time, you know that I am a big supporter of PLAY and what’s better than some games and activities that get the whole family involved?  I am going to share three different Ravensburger products that have been well loved in our home over the last few weeks!

When I first came across these mindfulness cards for kids, I knew I needed to have them. As a long-time believer in the power of the mind, I try to model different ways to achieve inner calm and peace for my children as often as possible, but as in most aspects of parenting, a little help can go a long way—and I can honestly say that these cards are just the help I needed to help me jump start this in my own home with my own children.

Okay, my friends—I’ve got you covered. I know we are all looking around for some activities to keep our children happy and busy during this time of social distancing so I wanted to share some ideas from one of my favorite shops Why and Whale. As you know by now, I am a firm believer in open ended toys and I LOVE to shop small. Instead of worrying about shipping, etc. from Amazon right now, check out this organized list if you’re looking for some new play ideas for your kiddos. Be sure to spend some more time browsing the site though because there are SO many wonderful items there it was super hard for me to pick what I should include here!

If I could stand on top of a mountaintop and whisper into the wind a message to all parents right this very minute, it would be this: prioritize ensuring your children have time to play outdoors every single day.  We all know fresh air is good for us, but its benefits go beyond just the sniff of a crackling fire in the winter or the sweet beaches of summer—for children, and arguably especially for the children of today’s technologically dependent times, spending time playing outdoors in nature is vital for their cognitive, neurological, emotional, physical, AND social development. 

Looking to create an Easter basket full of lots love and wonderful treats for your littles? Consider adding in one or two (or more) of these special items from some of my favorite small shops this year! Each choice listed on my guide here is something we either have in our home already and is greatly loved OR something I plan to purchase for Easter as well.

Ahh… the ever-so-google-searched question and perpetual debate between parents.  It is a tricky one to answer as arguably many factors can be involved (money, gifts from others, interests, etc.), but, as an educator, I believe it is more important to consider the quality of the toys that live in your play spaces quite a bit more than the quantity. Once you start shifting your perspective and learn more about open-ended toys, the stress over the number of toys you have and where to put them all will start to fade away.