Under the Willows LLC

This is such a good explanation 👇

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Some children do everything “right” - they sit quietly, follow the rules, get through the school day without causing concern. On the surface, they look fine. But what you do not see is the effort it takes to hold it all together.

Many children, especially those who are neurodivergent, spend their day masking. They copy others, rehearse what to say, hide confusion and push through sensory overload just to fit in. By the time they get home, they are exhausted. This is when the overwhelm, meltdowns or shutdowns often appear. It is not bad behaviour - it is the cost of coping all day.

When we only respond to what we see, we risk missing what children actually need. A child who looks like they are coping may be struggling the most. Understanding masking can change how we respond, support and connect with children who are working far harder than we realise.

THE MASKING ICEBERG (CHILDREN)

LIKE the photo and comment "MASKING" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

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LOVE this
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We’ve seen the research. We know better. Yet some districts are still clinging to test-based evaluations for teachers.

Toy Story 5 may have just delivered one of the clearest warnings about modern childhood. The villain isn’t a monster or a scary figure; it’s a tablet. This reflects a growing concern among parents and scientists: screens are quietly taking over the time, attention, and imagination that used to define childhood.
Today, kids spend 5 to 7 hours a day on devices. Free play, outdoor activity, and pretend games are shrinking. Screens provide instant images but remove problem-solving, reduce pretend-play, and collapse attention spans. The average toddler now expects new stimulation every 7 to 12 seconds; this isn’t curiosity, it’s overstimulation.
Hands-on toys and real-world play remain crucial. They build motor skills, spatial awareness, creativity, and problem-solving. Screens, no matter how interactive, cannot replace the three-dimensional, multi-sensory experiences that form strong brains.
Even the connection suffers. Eye contact, shared smiles, joint attention, and emotional mirroring are all critical for wiring the social and emotional brain. Screens often steal these moments without parents even noticing.
Disney’s message is bold but necessary: protecting childhood means prioritizing play, imagination, and human connection over glowing screens. It is a reminder that real childhood happens when hands, minds, and hearts are fully engaged.

Early Childhood is Neuroscience, Not Handprint Crafts.

Don't get us wrong...

Handprints are super sweet.
They’re truly sentimental.
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with capturing one once or twice a year to remember how small their hands once were.

But what’s happening now goes far beyond that.

In so many classrooms, handprint crafts are being mass produced for every holiday, weekly theme, and event. These are not learning experiences. The child’s only role is getting their hand pressed into paint while the adult does the rest, adding decorations, details, and even “quotes” to the finished product. What’s left behind isn’t learning, it’s a display of adult effort and approval.

All of this burns valuable time and materials that could be used to offer real, brain-building experiences. The hours spent creating “ cute projects” could be spent exploring, experimenting, and discovering. The paints, papers, and tools could serve genuine sensory play and scientific inquiry.

If we want early childhood education to be taken seriously, we have to stop leading with what’s cute and start prioritizing what’s meaningful. When classrooms are filled with crafts children aren’t truly creating, we overshadow the deep and powerful work of early development.

And if capturing a handprint once or twice a year was all it was, this wouldn’t even be a topic for discussion. But when these prints fill classrooms year-round, it’s time to have the conversation and raise the bar.

Join us for our upcoming webinar, “Rethinking Early Learning: More Than Crafts and Worksheets,” where we’ll explore how to shift from product-focused activities to authentic, brain-aligned experiences that truly honor how children learn. (Nov 26, 2025 12:00 PM EST)

FREE REPLAY FOR EVERYONE WHO SIGNS UP!

Join for FREE: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DfJ26HjERJSlS4BOhSgQ8w #/registration

Get CERTIFIED: https://www.weskoolhouse.com/store-webinars

Even passing on 4K and especially 3K should be considered. With over 3 decades worked in this field, I have seen the proof behind this research. They grow up fast- don't rush them and they will soar.

New research reveals that delaying the start of kindergarten by just one year can reduce inattention and hyperactivity in children by as much as 73 percent. Instead of relying on medications like Ritalin, children benefit more from time, play, and opportunities to grow at their own pace.

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development. Free play allows kids to develop focus, self-regulation, problem-solving skills, and creativity. When children are rushed into structured learning too early, their brains may not be ready to manage attention and impulses effectively.

Providing unhurried, play-rich environments helps children practice patience, social skills, and emotional regulation naturally. Outdoor play, imaginative games, and peer interactions allow children to build the foundational skills they will need for school and life.

Parents and educators who respect developmental timing give children the gift of confidence, curiosity, and resilience. Allowing kids to move, explore, and play without pressure nurtures attention and reduces hyperactivity more effectively than early academic pressure or medication.

Free play is not optional. It is essential for healthy development, focus, and long-term wellbeing.

Research shows that Finnish children start school at the age of 7, yet they consistently outperform their peers worldwide in literacy, mathematics, and overall well-being.

But here’s what’s striking:
They don’t get ahead by rushing.
They thrive because they aren’t rushed.

Because here’s the truth: in Finland, childhood is still sacred. The early years aren’t filled with flashcards, early readers, and pressure to perform. They’re filled with forest walks, open-ended play, and long, unhurried moments of discovery.

🧠 Decades of research (Sahlberg, 2015; Whitebread, 2012; OECD, 2018) reveal that this slower start protects a child’s developing brain. Early play isn’t wasted time; it’s wiring time. When children build forts, climb trees, and explore mud puddles, they’re also building executive function, problem-solving, and emotional regulation, the very skills that predict lifelong success.

In Finland, teachers don’t “teach to the test.” They teach the child. Recess isn’t a reward. It’s a right. And homework in the early years? Almost none. Because rest and family connection are also seen as part of education.

Why does this matter?
Because too many children today are burning out before they even learn who they are. We push academics before self-awareness, competition over curiosity. We teach them to chase achievement before they’ve learned to love learning.

However, the Finnish model reminds us that a child who plays deeply learns deeply.
A child who feels safe will explore bravely.
And a child allowed to grow at their own pace will often surpass those who were hurried.

So maybe the question isn’t,
“How can we help our kids get ahead?”
Maybe it’s,
“How can we protect their joy long enough for learning to bloom naturally?”

Because childhood isn’t a waiting room for “real life.” It is real life… the most formative, fertile soil for everything that comes next. 🤍

References:
• Sahlberg, P. (2015). Finnish Lessons 2.0: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?
• OECD (2018). Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators.
• Whitebread, D. (2012). The Importance of Play: A Report on the Value of Children’s Play with a Series of Policy Recommendations.

We love our days in nature 💚

🌿 “Being in nature allows the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s command centre, to dial down and rest, like an overused muscle. In a natural environment, EEG brain scans show less energy coming from ‘midline frontal theta waves’ – a measure of conceptual thinking and sustained attention.”
David Strayer, Cognitive Psychologist

When we step outside, our brains find a gentler rhythm.
For children, time in nature isn’t just play, it’s restoration. Among the trees and soil, their focus softens, curiosity awakens, and calm returns.

💚 This is one of the many reasons we love creating ways for children to explore and connect with nature each month through our boxes.

I’m in a local public school teacher group, and every single day I see posts about kids fighting, tattling, and struggling to resolve conflicts.

Yes, elementary aged students are still learning, but I believe there’s more to it.

Preschools today are heavily geared toward academics, and that’s a huge problem. Somewhere along the line, we decided that three and four-year-olds needed worksheets, assessments, and literacy drills instead of what they actually need: PLAY!

Deep, meaningful play isn’t a waste of time, it’s crucial. Play is where kids learn to regulate their emotions, to take turns, negotiate, and solve conflicts. Those lessons don’t come from flashcards or sitting at tables, and free child-led play is grossly minimal in most preschools today.

So by the time kids get to elementary school, they’re “academically prepared” but socially underdeveloped. They’ve missed those opportunities to work through disagreements in the sandbox, to problem solve during block building, to navigate friendships through pretend play.

Play is learning.
Play is the foundation.
Play is the precursor to academics.
Play prepares kids for elementary school.

Let’s find our way back to play!