Susie Beghin

Have you ever turn a simple stack of cups into a math activity?

This invitation challenged children to match and stack coloured cups by following a pattern.

As they looked closely, identified colours, and recreated the sequence, they were building early math skills like patterning, sequencing, visual discrimination, and problem-solving—all through hands-on play.

The best part? It feels like a game while children are developing important mathematical thinking.

Looking for more play-based math invitations? My Math Through Schemas bundle includes 52 weeks of hands-on math activities designed around the way children naturally learn.

🔢 Easy to set up
🧩 Play-based and engaging
✨ Designed around children's natural schemas

Comment BUNDLE below and I'll send you all the details!

Have you ever turned a favorite story into a hands-on learning experience? 📚🐻

Story kits are one of my favorite ways to bring books to life!

This Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? invitation encourages children to retell the story using props, helping them build language, expand vocabulary, strengthen sequencing skills, and develop early literacy—all through play.

As children move the characters, repeat the familiar text, and tell the story in their own words, they're building confidence as communicators and early readers.

Looking for more play-based literacy ideas? My Literacy Through Schemas bundle includes 52 weeks of engaging literacy activities designed around the way children naturally learn.

📚 Simple to set up
🧸 Hands-on and play-based
✨ Designed around children's natural schemas

Comment LITERACY below and I'll send you all the details!

One of the biggest misconceptions about STEAM is that it requires elaborate experiments or expensive materials.

The truth?

STEAM begins with curiosity.

When children are given the freedom to explore, ask questions, and investigate the world around them, meaningful learning naturally follows.

That's why I believe play is the best starting point for STEAM learning. 💜

Do you ever add scissors to play dough? ✂️

It's such a simple invitation, but it packs in so much learning.

As children snip, cut, roll, pinch, and shape the play dough, they're strengthening the small muscles in their hands while developing the coordination they'll need for writing, cutting, and other everyday tasks.

The best part? It feels like play—not practice.

💜 Simple invitations like this build fine motor skills while keeping children engaged, curious, and having fun.

If you're looking for more easy-to-set-up fine motor invitations, you'll love my Physical Activity Through Schemas bundle!

✂️ 52 weeks of play-based gross motor, fine motor and nutrition activities
👐 Simple materials and minimal prep
✨ Designed around the way children naturally learn

Comment "PHYSICAL" below, and I'll send you the details!

Do you ever set up a block play invitations for kids instead of just leaving the blocks on the shelf? 🧱

This invitation combined blocks, arches, and loose parts to inspire children to explore, design, and create.

Some built tall towers. Others constructed bridges, balanced materials, or designed imaginative scenarios. Every creation was different. That's the power of block play and engineering.

If you're looking for more block play and engineering invitations, you'll love my Engineering Through Schemas bundle!

🧱 52 weeks of play-based STEAM engineering activities
🔧 Easy-to-set-up invitations using everyday materials
✨ Designed around the way children naturally learn

Comment "STEAM" below, and I'll send you the details!

Do you set up dramatic play invitations? 🦖🐘🍎

This simple invitation included a collection of animals, dinosaurs, pretend food, bowls and plates. What happened next?

The children took over.

Some fed the animals. Others sorted the food, created habitats, cooked meals, or invented their own stories. Every child found a different way to engage because the invitation was open-ended and driven by their imagination.

That's the magic of dramatic play.

💜 What's your favourite dramatic play setup?

Do you use your tuff tray for art? 🎨

Most people think of sensory play first, but it's also the perfect space for open-ended process art!

For this invitation, we covered the tuff tray with aluminum foil and added clothespins holding feathers and sponges. Children dipped, dabbed, swirled, and explored, creating unique marks and discovering different textures along the way.

If you're looking for more easy-to-set-up, open-ended art invitations, you'll love my Process Art Through Schemas bundle!

🎨 52 weeks of play-based process art activities
🖌️ Minimal prep using everyday materials
✨ Designed around the way children naturally learn

Comment PROCESS ART below and I'll send you all the details!