The Muddy Boots Project - Kindergarten & Childcare

When we accidentally spoil deep play…

Earlier this week, I watched a child sit on the floor with a small collection of wooden blocks.

He wasn’t building quickly.
He wasn’t talking.
He was turning each piece slowly in his hands, testing balance, adjusting, trying again.

For several minutes, nothing else existed.

This is deep play — the kind where learning is sustained, purposeful, and deeply satisfying.

And then… it gets interrupted.

🔹 An adult leans in with a question:
“What are you making?”

🔹 Or joins in with their own agenda:
“Shall we turn it into a castle?”

🔹 Or the space becomes overloaded — more resources added, more choices introduced, more noise created.

The tower wobbles.
The child pauses.
The focus is lost.

Not because the child was finished —
but because the conditions for concentration were broken.

Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is nothing at all.

No questions.
No redirection.
No adult ideas layered on top.

Just:
✨ time
✨ space
✨ trust

Fewer materials.
Fewer interruptions.
More observing.

Deep play doesn’t need us to lead it.
It needs us to protect it.

💭 A gentle reflection:
When a child is deeply involved today…
will I step in — or will I step back?

🌱 If this resonates, my Hygge in the Early Years™ training explores how to notice, protect and nurture deep play through calm environments and intentional adult practice — supporting children’s wellbeing and your own.

You’re very welcome to explore it when the time feels right.

Chinese new 2026 - the year of the 🐴 horse. The setting has been turned into a Chinese restaurant. The children will try Chinese food and do Chinese activities. They will be learning about a different culture 🇨🇳🐎🍜 read books and do craft.

No alarm for two weeks apart from Pepper.

🍪 We made Christmas cookies today - yummy!

At the Muddy Boots Project we are able to do activities with small groups of children so they get the 1 to 1 attention - children learn better in smaller groups unlike in larger group settings

https://www.thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/recognizing-the-signs-of-sensory-overload-in-children?fbclid=IwRlRTSANn-ptleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhQWV6iWKtXAvZfozHfq3deOismVqJnRrPwKpv3xrvq9sh0WV-awOgfzevnv_aem_2FNArWEa9Jn9Jhu_4hKA3A

Recognizing the Signs of Sensory Overload in Children Sensory input is coming at us constantly. Sensory overload can happen to all of us, but for children with sensory processing issues, it can be overwhelming. Learn to recognize the signs of sensory processing overload and what to do to prevent it.

Sensory Overload Signs in the Classroom

Sensory Processing Overload Signs in the Classroom Recognize sensory processing overload signs with students in your classroom before a sensory meltdown occurs. Plus get a free printable download to share.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/24869232219436415/?fs=e&fs=e

The biggest lie in kids snacking 🫢 #kids #snacks #parents #children #family #crisps #lunchbox

Why Kids Should Work on a Vertical Surface?

Vertical drawing is important because it develops foundational skills like hand and wrist strength, hand-eye coordination, and bilateral coordination. These skills are essential for later handwriting and can improve core strength, posture, and spatial awareness.

Below are some examples of vertical surfaces for drawing and painting.

https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/motor-skills-and-more-working-on-a-vertical-surface/

These phrases sound small. But stacked together, they send a loud message: Stay safe. Stay clean. Stay quiet. Do it right.

And play shrinks under all that pressure.

Here’s the hard truth:
A lot of what limits children’s play has more to do with our need for control than their actual needs.

We say it’s about safety or structure. But is it really?
Or are we just uneasy with chaos, noise, and not calling the shots?

Letting go of control doesn’t mean letting go of care. It means noticing when our fear is louder than their curiosity. It means asking: Is this about the child, or about me?