Little Friends Preschool

Saying Goodbye to the IPad

Four years ago, he tossed the iPad down a flight of stairs.
Nothing new for an autism family, but after we survived the rest of that miserable day, I wondered if we could do it.
Give it up completely, I mean.
The next morning his unusually happy self woke up his brothers and sister- called them by name.
I was even more convinced that this was a path worth traveling.
It wasn’t easy- especially in the beginning.
Hours a day in the swing.
A big trip to Barnes and Noble for books (we didn’t even know he liked books.)
He began to willingly going on outings.
Boat rides and trips to the dollar general, running errands and even church on occasion.
Train trips and plane trips with no iPad in sight.
We hadn’t been able to do that since he was a non-walker.
So many changes completely caught me off guard.
I didn’t know a dumb old device was keeping him shut away from the world.
It’s a been tiring, thrilling, and amazing change.
When we run errands, he insists on going in each and every store.
He wanders around and chats up friendly sales folks.
Tonight, I talked about plans for the week and he participated in the conversation.
He spoke to his sister on the phone and giggled when she teased him.
He’s learned to be a part of our world.
It’s the damndest thing and I’m so proud.
Especially of him.

Pool Noodle Sensory Bin! I’ve seen this idea floating around so I wanted to give it a try, especially since some of my friends have shown they are not quite ready for small pieces in the sensory bin yet. I tried taping the end of the yarn to the bin itself so the noodles wouldn’t fall off or run away lol. This took me about 10 minutes and less than $3 to set up, plus I can save and reuse it every year. I found the pool noodles on clearance at target, so try there or Walmart before you try a dollar store. Give it a try and let me know how in goes!!

What do you see when a child is at play? Running, building, creating, pretending, these are the moments that catch our eye. But just beneath the surface, something much deeper is happening.

Play is where children develop adaptability, confidence, and problem-solving skills. It’s where they learn to navigate risk, build friendships, and trust their own ideas. It’s where their brains and bodies work together, shaping the skills they’ll carry for life.

The next time you watch a child play, remember, what’s visible is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much happening underneath!

Saw this comment and knew we had to talk about it: “I hate center time. It’s nothing but chaos and noise.” If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone. When you’re in a loud room with 3,716 things happening at once, it can feel overwhelming. But that “chaos”? It often has a purpose. Here’s what’s really happening at center time: 💜Brain development 💜Language building 💜Fine motor practice 💜Social-emotional growth 💜Gross motor coordination 👉Young children are not meant to sit still and be quiet. 👉They’re meant to move, talk, and play. 👉And yes, it might be messy. 👉That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. 👉That “noise” might actually be the sound of development in action. Want help making center time feel calmer, easier, and more purposeful? Follow along for tips that support play-based classrooms without sacrificing your sanity. ❤️Tag a teacher who needs to hear this today!❤️ #PreschoolTeacher #PlayMatters #PreKTeachers #PlayBasedLearning #EarlyChildhoodEducation #PreschoolTour #Preschooler #PreschoolActivities #PreKClassroom #PreschoolPlay #ChildhoodEducation #TeacherTips #PreschoolIdeas #ChildDevelopment #ChildEducation #BacktoSchool

Dear families,

This year, our school is excited to read with Scholastic Book Clubs! It’s a great way to build up your child’s book collection at home and help them improve their reading skills. And when you shop with Clubs, your orders earn points we can redeem for books and other classroom supplies we need.

Here’s how it works: We will send home flyers throughout the year and post on this page. If you decide to place an order, you can do that through our class ordering page. Your books will arrive at school about 10 days after we submit our classroom order.

By teaming up with Scholastic, we’ll help your child become a more confident, independent reader—and we’ll build a classroom library all of my students are excited to explore!

Order due date: 08/28/25
Shop our class page:https://orders.scholastic.com/Z2DCL

Happy reading!

Class code: Z2DCL

Looking forward to seeing you today or Tuesday. Please call if you have questions! 🙂

Three moms traveling along the spectrum of autism.
A book tour.
Stillwater.
Buffalo.
Naperville.
Raleigh.
Austin.
It’s not as glamorous as it sounds.
Travel arrangements.
Child care plans.
But, it’s worth it.
I’ve been sharing our story for eight years.
Every hiccup, every success, every needle prick.
Sharing your truth on the internet stage is not for faint of heart.
But boy, it feels right.
Please grab a ticket and a friend and come out and say hello.
An evening of signing books, sharing stories and laughter, and maybe finding your people.
Ticket links on our website. 💙

I am setting a goal to reach 10,000 followers this year. Please help share because when we do hit 10,000 I will do something very special for all my followers.

🌼 Use a small plastic lid to make a beautiful balloon flower decoration! #partyideas #balloons #balloondecor #party #birthday