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7 Easy Games to Boost Your Preschooler’s Critical Thinking Skills

Posted on March 27, 2019February 25, 2020 by Katie

Your little one is officially a preschooler. She’s making her way out of the impulsive toddler-zone and heading into big-girl-ness right before your very eyes. Every day is a new adventure with so much to learn, see, and do!

The first 3 years of your child’s life are all about gaining the language skills needed to question the world around them. And now that they have all the language they need to ask a MILLION questions a day, your child is ready to spend the next 3 years building his critical thinking skills.

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10 Kid-Friendly Ideas for Your Tiny Backyard

Posted on June 18, 2018February 25, 2020 by Katie

As the weather warms up, all I want to do is send my toddler outside to play! One of the challenges of having a 300 square foot patio as a backyard has been finding activities that will keep my son entertained (and that will fit!) in our small area.

Since we don’t have space for conventional backyard ideas like playhouses and swing sets, we have had to get creative in finding activities that my son will love this summer. Here are 10 things that my son does every day in our tiny backyard space:

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Top 5 Wooden Learning Toys for Toddlers

Posted on May 4, 2018February 25, 2020 by Katie

As a preschool teacher and mom of a busy toddler, I have spent more hours than I’d like to admit trying to figure out the most useful, sturdy, bang-for-your-buck learning toys. With so many toys on the market, I look for ones that will grow with my child and help him build up his attention span and problem-solving skills. Basic concepts like colors, shapes, letters and numbers are all things that can be learned through play when your child is provided with the right learning materials.

In terms of quality and durability, I have found that wooden toys stand up to the test of time far better than plastic toys. Wooden toys simply last longer and (contrary to popular belief) they don’t have to be more expensive! Here are my top 5 favorite learning toys for toddlers under $25:

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3 Easy Ways to Teach Your Child to Play by Themselves

Posted on April 23, 2018February 21, 2020 by Katie

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my disclaimer here.

Which of the following describes your child:

A. My child constantly needs my attention, he is unable to entertain himself.
B. My child moves quickly from one activity or toy to the next, not able to focus or maintain her attention for more than a couple minutes at a time.
C. My child doesn’t know how to play with his toys – the toys end up all over the place and he isn’t engaging in sustained imaginative play.
D. All of the above!

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Why Children Need to Take Risks in Play

Posted on April 9, 2018February 21, 2020 by Katie

Are you the laid-back parent at the park that watches your child from afar, or are you the parent that hovers close-by to make sure your child doesn’t take a spill off the play structure?

I’ll admit, I’m the latter.

When it comes to giving my child opportunities to take risks and seek adventure, I err on the side of caution. It takes a major effort for me to stand back and let my son push the boundary on his physical limits.

But early childhood research suggests that taking and managing these risks in play is an incredibly important part of a child’s development, so I’m working on keeping my anxiety in check and letting my son discover his strengths and abilities.

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