Play-based activities for your early learner
08/05/2020
I find it hard to live in the moment sometimes. To stop thinking about what things will be like in a few months or a few years. That things will be easier when.... (insert time frame). I’m working on living in the NOW. Being present for who my kids are right now. It can be tough- parenting is no easy task. 🌈
08/05/2020
Cute and easy birthday card idea 🎂
I personally think water colours are just so beautiful. We use special water colour paper (I bought at ) because it’s nice and thick allowing blending and for the paper to absorb the water and not rip.
It was my mom’s birthday yesterday, so they boys decided to make her some art. She’s really into VW buses (they own one 😆), so I took a sharpie and drew a simple outline on the paper (one for Emersen age 5 and one for Henry age 2.5).
The boys then painted the buses and it made such a beautiful picture. I didn’t get a photo of Emersen’s, but here Henry is working so hard with such focus and concentration.
When we do painting, I usually give them a blank paper to work with, but it was neat seeing just how focused Henry was painting that bus.
Painting is a great way to practice fine motor control and hand eye coordination. It’s wonderful to allow your child create and express themselves through art (which I’ll admit- I haven’t done very much lately).
Tag a mom friend in the comments who you think would love this idea and enjoy doing it with their kids. 🥰
@ Ottawa, Ontario
08/03/2020
This month’s limited edition Sensory Play Kit, “In the Sky”, comes with blue sensory rice!
I’m currently packing up orders from this past week- can’t wait for these to get to you and your little ones.
All kits also include a print out activity guide explaining different ways to play with the items in your kit and what areas of development your child will be working on.
@ Ottawa, Ontario
08/02/2020
Whatever you decide, it will be the right decision for YOU and YOUR family.
08/01/2020
Simple items such as balls, blocks, boxes etc. are perfect for babies to explore. These open ended toys allow them to practice new skills and discover Th wit capabilities as they develop an understanding of their world.
The great thing about open ended toys is that your child will use them in new ways as they grow and develop.
Quality toys can get expensive, I know. There are bigger brands you may have seen me share here, but there are also a ton of small businesses that you can support that can deliver the same quality.
That being said, cardboard boxes, old tissue boxes, plastic cups, bowls etc. provide the same opportunities for play (however may not last as long).
So as much as I see the value in INVESTING in quality toys, I get that it’s a big deal where we decide to spend our hard earned money.
Tell me below, is it helpful when I share with you places/different options when it comes to purchasing toys/resources for your children?
If so, I can share in my stories.
07/30/2020
Little people and BIG emotions; it’s hard.
If you’ve ever thought to yourself “this is silly, there’s no REASON to cry over that”, when your toddler has to wear the green sweater instead of the blue...you aren’t alone!
As much as we, as adults, may think some of these things are trivial and no worthy of getting upset... it’s still important to acknowledge your child’s feelings and let them know they are being HEARD.
It’s really the exact same thing all humanS need, young and old, to be heard, to be seen, to be acknowledged WITHOUT being dismissed when something is troubling us.
Letting your child know that you are there for them and that they can express themselves to you without you “brushing them off” will let them know as they get older that you are still someone safe they can come to when times get tough.
Swipe to see some examples of how you can do this for your child.
@ Ottawa, Ontario
07/28/2020
Did you know you can freeze pompoms? And they CAN LIVE to tell the tale afterwards?
Yep, just pop some pompoms into an ice cube tray with water and then freeze. Colourful and cool fun on a hot summer day.
And no worries- the pompoms will dry out just fine and can be used again!
Here, Henry is about 8 or 9 months old and was supervised very closely.
@ Ottawa, Ontario
07/27/2020
Clean those animals! 💦 This doesn’t get old- trust me. The gooey mess factor, the delicious scents, caring for those sweet animals... definitely a fave.
/ad/ Henry was so deep in concentration during this activity- it was amazing to watch! He also took such good care of those little farm animals; dipping the scrub brush in the soap and carefully washing them down. We used our bubble bath because their products are plant derived where possible and gentle.
Full disclosure: this can get MESSY! It also won’t be picture perfect. The “mud” will eventually end up in the water bowl and probably the soap bowl too. Not to worry- that’s all part of your child’s discovery. Oh- and you’re probably going to need to strip them down after this and chuck their clothes in the washing machine (Babyganics laundry detergent to the rescue!).
You can find out all about how I made this Washing Station by tapping the link in my bio which will take you to the Babyganics Playbook. It’s such an amazing resource for parents; a MUST see!
07/26/2020
🌾New in the shop: Natural Loose Parts Starter Kit. Link in bio. Free Ottawa porch pickup available. 🌾
@ Ottawa, Ontario
07/25/2020
Double tap if you agree. 👆🏻
07/24/2020
Wild Life Babies. 🐯
These have been played with almost daily for the last few weeks in our house. 🙌🏼
This kit will be a “regular” listing in my shop and is NOW available to order in Canada. 🇨🇦
Tap the link in my bio and you’ll find the link to Shop Sensory Play Kits. 🛒
Thanks for your continued support and kind words. 🧡
@ Canada
07/24/2020
Just a reminder to keep it SIMPLE. Here, Henry plays with corn kernels, a dump truck, and a front loader tractor. That’s it. And he was so engaged. 🙌🏼
He used to loader tractor to fill the dump truck, then dumped it. Over and over. I could have added a ton of cute accessories to make it fit my idea of something “more appealing”, some more “Instagram worthy”. 📷
But this worked. And I’m all about keeping it real with you. 💁🏼♀️
And yes- we now have a TV hanging on the wall in the playroom. My kids like tv. 🤷🏼♀️
I would be lying if so said those ~unsightly~ tv cords didn’t bother me. Next project- cut a hole in the wall and hide them. 🔨
@ Ottawa, Ontario