Big Heart World

Our friends at Little Kids, Big Hearts interviewed Kingdmc Darryl McDaniels about the important SEL topic of "belonging." Listen on your favorite podcasting platform or at playsparkler.org/podcast

Sharing stories and songs, foods and experiences helps children grow big hearts!

We wish you & your family a happy — big hearted — holiday season.

Mondays are perfect for resetting and getting back to routines.

Consistent routines and schedules can help children know what to expect and what is expected of them, helping them to become more independent and confident!

Create routines and practice them! It's important to keep up your routines throughout the holidays, which can be especially overwhelming without the consistency of routines.

The way you interact with your child is vitally important to their developing sense of self!

❤️ How can you show your child that you love them today?
💜 How can you show your child that you accept them for who they are?
💚 How can you encourage your child to be kind to himself/herself and to others?

Let's grow a generation of big hearted kids together!

Help your child develop gratitude by making giving a habit!

Getting into the habit of regularly donating lightly used toys, books, or clothes to local charities will help your child learn about the power of helping others in need.

It can be hard for children to let go of their possessions. Choosing to donate even one toy is a step in the right direction! You can be a role model for your child by donating some of your clothes or gear to charity, too!

For more information on this free activity for all ages, visit https://www.bigheartworld.org/activity/share-with-those-in-need/

There's always time to connect with your children, even on a busy weekend of errands and chores! 💜 Playful interactions can happen anywhere, at any time, and with anything. Laughing together strengthens your bond! 🤗 For hundreds of free family activities, visit bigheartworld.org.

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻✨

Dressing up and pretending can be a great way for kids to explore their own identity — What do they love? What do they care about? What are their favorite colors and characters? Dress up and pretend play can also help children learn to express themselves and work with others!

We hope you have a safe and FUN Halloween with your littles!

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Let's celebrate by reading "The First Fire," a Cherokee Legend from North America at https://www.bigheartworld.org/the-first-fire/.

Talk about how stories have been passed from generation to generation, from grandparents to parents to children, to help kids think about how we are all connected.

When you introduce new vocab into conversations with your child, you're helping them learn the words that they’ll need to express their big ideas. Inclusion is an important theme in friendships and relationships that we have with others. What are some ways you encourage your children to include others?

An activity as simple as passing a ball back and forth can help your child practice skills like taking turns, focusing on another person, and working cooperatively.

Children start working on these skills from birth — long before they start thinking about friendship (typically between two and three years old). The skills your child can learn by playing with balls can take years to perfect — so keep practicing and keep having a ball! 🙂

Visit https://www.bigheartworld.org/activity/make-friends-by-playing-ball/ for an activity called "Roll, Bounce, Toss" for all ages and more friendship-building activities!

One major way children learn is by watching YOU and learning from your example. They can also learn from what they read/see in books. As a parent/caregiver, you can use books to help children learn important lessons about friendship and kindness, compassion, generosity, and self-esteem.

Thank you to First Book and School Library Journal for generously sharing these tips and book recommendations with the Big Heart World community. Visit https://www.bigheartworld.org/the-big-heart-book-list/ to find these book lists with discussion questions and more friendship building resources!

Everyone is different! We've partnered with NOGGIN to help you discover your child’s friendship style. Take the quiz at https://www.bigheartworld.org/friend-finder/ to find out your child's friend type?