Gingerbread House by Sunny Hill Inc.

Today we picked spinach and lettuce from our garden and turned it into salad for lunch 🥬🌱 The kiddos are so excited to eat something they helped grow! Check out that the size of that spinach leaf! 😮

You have today. Go outside and explore! There are so many benefits to nature play: https://www.theottoolbox.com/research-outdoor-sensory-play/

Messy play isn’t just fun… it’s powerful learning through play 🎨🖐️✨

From scooping and pouring to painting, squishing, mixing, and exploring textures, messy play helps children build creativity, confidence, sensory awareness, fine motor skills, and problem-solving abilities through hands-on exploration. 💭

Sometimes what looks messy is actually meaningful early childhood learning happening right in front of us 👏🏻

In our latest blog, we explore why sensory-rich experiences are so important for growing minds and how simple messy play invitations can support development at home or in the classroom. 🧠🌈

✨ Read the blog and discover the magic of messy play here: https://scholarschoice.ca/blogs/inspiring-play/messy-play-magic-why-getting-dirty-is-essential-for-early-childhood-development

The Magic of Child-Led Play 💛

Some of the most meaningful learning happens when children are given the freedom to lead.

In child-led play, children follow their own ideas, interests, and curiosity while adults take a step back to observe, listen, and thoughtfully support. Rather than directing the play, we create rich environments, ask meaningful questions, and trust children to discover, experiment, and learn in their own unique ways. 💭

When children lead, they become confident learners, creative thinkers, and capable problem-solvers.

Here are a few simple ways to support child-led play:
🌱 Follow the child's interests and let their curiosity guide the experience.
👀 Watch, wonder, and observe before stepping in.
💬 Join the play only when invited, offering support rather than direction.
✨ Ask open-ended questions that encourage thinking instead of providing answers.
🎨 Embrace open-ended materials where one object can become anything a child imagines.
❤️ Be playful, curious, and accepting as children explore their own ideas.

Why is child-led play so powerful?
🧠 Builds confidence and independence
🌿 Encourages creativity, imagination, and flexible thinking.
💡 Develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
💬 Strengthens communication, collaboration, and language development.
🌈 Nurtures a lifelong love of learning by honouring children's natural curiosity.

As parents and educators, we don't need to have all the answers. Sometimes our greatest role is simply to create the space, observe with intention, and trust the incredible learning that unfolds through play.

Because when children are trusted to lead, they don't just play they discover who they are as learners. 💚

Love these ❤️

🐾 Someone missed daycare! Oliver is already worn out and loving every minute of it. 💜

If you’ve had a great experience with us, we would truly appreciate your support. You can help by visiting the link below and nominating us—it only takes a minute and means so much to our team ❤️
Thank you for being such an amazing part of our community! https://stjohns.communityvotes.com/2026/03/parenting-and-childcare/daycare?fbclid=IwY2xjawSGj1tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEew03rN-0NGNFSTpG-ezr_-Q9H7FUN5E5ekshESStgOIb-DnzFtZoTm7xf0GQ_aem_a9DpSTer4Z0Cwt4lO55kUQ

CommunityVotes St. John's 2026 Official 2026 Community Voting Awards Platform for St. John's, NL. Where the community votes for their favourites every year.

To our amazing daycare families — thank you for all the kindness, thoughtful notes, treats, gifts, and words of appreciation shared with our team this week. Your support means so much to us, and we truly feel lucky to be part of your children’s lives each day. ❤️

Watching your little ones learn, grow, and shine is the greatest reward, and your appreciation reminds us why we love what we do. Thank you for trusting us, supporting us, and making our daycare community so special.

We appreciate each and every one of you! 🌟

Happy Earth Day 🌎💚 Learning to love our planet, one little step at a time.