Did you know that even young babies are capable of completing basic addition and subtraction problems? (If you want proof of this, see this article and this PDF.) I am fascinated by all the early math concepts that children can develop through play, as well as the connection between children's early understanding of math and their later math ... Continue Reading
Paper plate reindeer craft
This paper plate reindeer craft was entirely QBoy's idea, and I can't take any of the credit for it. I don't know where he got the idea came from, but he conceptualized this reindeer craft, made me fetch the materials he had in mind, and instructed me and his sister on how to do it. I was so proud of his creativity, planning, and ability to ... Continue Reading
Christmas learning with milk caps
Our family drinks a lot of milk. For a while I have gotten into the habit of saving the little white caps on the top of our milk cartons. And today I'm sharing two simple Christmas learning activities you can do using milk caps. Keep in mind, however, that these activities can easily be modified and adapted to help your children work on a variety ... Continue Reading
Best gifts for encouraging sensory play
Sensory play refers to any type of play that stimulates the senses. This includes the five main senses of touch, smell, sight, taste, and sound, as well as the vestibular sense (sense of balance) and proprioceptive sense (sense of where each body part is in relation to the rest). In a previous post about sensory play, I wrote at length about how I ... Continue Reading
Trace the shapes art project
This trace the shapes activity was a fun way to combine learning about shapes with art and fine motor skills development. Note: For more ideas to help kids learn their shapes, see my Teaching Shapes to Kids page. Or for more arts and crafts activities, see my Arts and Crafts page. I placed this activity on our Montessori shelves. On a tray, I ... Continue Reading
Best gifts for kids who love arts and crafts
Most kids are natural born artists. They love to draw, color, paint, sculpt, and create. They love to share their artwork with the world. They love to express their ideas, hopes, and dreams through their artwork. If you are searching for gift ideas for a child a child who loves arts and crafts, check out this list of some of the best arts and ... Continue Reading
Candy cane play dough
Candy cane play dough is the perfect play dough for some Christmas sensory play. It is easy to make and will inspire your kids' love of this famous Christmas candy. Note: For more Christmas activities your kids will love, see my Christmas Activities for Kids page. To make candy cane play dough, I whipped up two batches of play dough (we made ... Continue Reading
18 awesome gifts that develop fine motor skills
In early childhood circles, one often hears talk about activities that develop fine motor skills. This is because one of the many tasks of early childhood is to strengthen the muscles in the fingers and hand so that children will be able to use those muscles to carry out tasks such as feeding themselves, buttoning buttons, tying shoes, using ... Continue Reading
Christmas Printables Pack with more than 70 Christmas worksheets and activities for kids!
Thanksgiving is over and Christmas will soon be upon us. If you are looking for Christmas printables, you've come to the right place! I have recently updated my Christmas Printables Pack, and from all the emails I've been receiving many people have been anxiously awaiting its re-release! :-) Note: For more ... Continue Reading
Best gifts for active kids
Most kids need to be active. Being active is good for our health, of course. But exercise is not just good for cardiovascular health. Kids' brains also seem to function much better when they are able to move and be active. Indeed, research suggests that physical exercise promotes learning in addition to physical fitness. Although all the bouncing ... Continue Reading
