Parenting

Activities, Art, Fall, Parenting, Toddlers

Glitter Leaf Sun Catcher

October 15, 2018

Lately, we’ve been doing activities with leaves. I was inspired by this post from, On Your Own, But Never Alone. I thought why not use the glitter leaves as sun catchers?

What you need:

Leaves that are dry, but not crunchy,

Glitter glue,

Paint brushes,

Mod podge,

Contact paper or clear sheet protectors,

String.

What you do:

1. Lay leaves on a flat surface and paint them with the glitter glue. You can paint just parts of the leaf or the entire thing. We used three different colors of glitter glue.

2. Set aside to dry.

3. Paint leaves with mod podge.

4. When dry, arrange leaves in contact paper or sheet protector. I didn’t have any contact paper so I just glued the leaves inside the sheet protector.

5. Punch hole in contact paper and tie a string. If you use a sheet protector, the holes are already there.

6. Find a nice place to hang your creation. Some leaves will catch the sun and others will not depending on the color. Either way, you have a nice glittery fall decoration.

What are you making with leaves this fall? Let me know in the comments.

1 Comment

Awareness, Education, Parenting, Work

Five Signs of a Quality Childcare Program

October 8, 2018

With the way our world is today, for most families, two incomes are a necessity. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of children spend 40 hours or more per week in childcare. With your child spending that much time in one place, you want to ensure that they are receiving quality care. You want to know that they feel welcome and safe. You want to be able to trust your childcare provider with your most precious gifts, your children. Whether the program you are looking at is home based or a larger childcare facility, here are some things to look for to determine whether it is a quality program. You may or may not know, I am a childcare provider so I have an insider’s perspective. I’ve been in many childcare facilities, observed things throughout the years and have heard from families about why or why they did not choose certain childcare programs. You’ll want to take a look at are cleanliness, the classroom environment, staff interactions, policies and procedures and your first impressions of the facility and its management.

1. Cleanliness

This is really important. It is not only important for children and staff to wash their hands regularly and to wash toys for hygienic purposes, but everything else needs to be cleaned regularly as well. Everything from the lunch tables, floors, walls and especially doorknob handles. You can tell if a place is clean by looking at the following.

Are the floors dirty? This isn’t always an indicator. For example if the children have just come inside and the playground was muddy or if they have just eaten a meal and teachers haven’t had a chance to sweep. If the floor is dirty, but the rest of the place appears clean, it’s probably okay. Does the place smell? There’s nothing worse than going into a stinky place. Can you smell that they’ve used some sort of cleaning products? Are there delicious aromas coming from the kitchen? When I smell the cook making a yummy lunch, it’s always more inviting. If the place smells like one huge diaper pale, you’ll probably want to run out the door. If you’re wondering, I have been in a couple of places like that and I didn’t stay long. This might be harder to pick up on, but are there cob webs or a lot of dust in certain areas? If you see cob webs some where, that could be a sign that cleaning is neglected. Do tables look dirty? This one is similar to the floor. If the children just got done with a meal or doing a messy art activity, the tables may be still dirty. Do toys look dirty or broken? The condition of the toys can be a good indication of cleanliness plus the amount of respect the children have for things in their classroom. Last year, we had a rough group in one of our classes and toys were broken often. What about the children’s bathrooms? Usually the children’s bathrooms are right in the classroom so you can see if they are reasonably cleaned.

2. Management

In most places, your first point of contact is the program director or manager. If you are looking at home based childcare, your point of contact is probably the owner. What are your first impressions of them? How are they treating you and do you feel comfortable? Do they allow you to tour the facility? If they do not let you tour or bring your child for a visit before hand, that raises red flags. You always want to tour first, seeing the whole facility if possible, but especially spending some time in your child’s classroom. The program director should explain policies and procedures, the rooms in the facility, the daily schedules and allow you to ask whatever questions you may have. They should be asking questions too and showing interest in your child.

3. Classroom Environment

There should be a place for children to keep their personal belongings. Many places refer to these as cubbies. Are their plenty of toys? There should be a variety of toys and different areas in the classroom. Science or sensory is where children can play with water or sand. They need areas for exploration. Small blocks, stringing beads and puzzles are called Manipulatives. Every class should be using those things to enhance fine motor skills. They may have a kitchen center or a housekeeping corner. Children can use their imaginations doing some dramatic play. There should be a reading corner with plenty of books as well as a place to do art with a variety of materials. There is usually another area for kids to use bigger blocks, cars and trucks or other toys to use more of the larger motor skills. Does the program have any extras? they may have things like a tumble bus, dance classes, cooking for kids, swim lessons etc. Find out what’s unique about your program. I’d also suggest looking at different philosophies and compare it against your parenting style and family preferences. Some places focus on academics, where others use a Montessori or play based approach.

4. Staff Interactions

First, pay close attention to whether you feel comfortable with the staff. Do they look happy, frazzled, tired, frustrated etc. Are they warm and welcoming? Do they answer your questions? What are staff interactions like? Do they work well together as a team or is there plenty of tension in the room? The moods and interactions between staff members is a good indicator of quality. If there is lots of tension and chaos, that may just be the surface of a larger problem. Are they experienced? Some people have a natural gift for working with children and some don’t. Experience may not always be a good indicator, but it helps for teachers to have a background in early childhood education. At least some of the people in the program should be educated in the early childhood field. How long do staff stay with the program? This is a good indicator of a program’s quality. If you have many staff members who work there for long periods of time, it speaks volumes about a well run program. It also is a good indicator of how long your child will have consistency. Finally, observe staff and child interactions if you can to get a feel of how the teachers interact with the children.

5. Policies and Procedures

The manager will probably give you a handbook with tons of information. Please read it. You might come across valuable information that may have been forgotten during the first visit. Some policies you should pay attention to are the sick policy. Most good programs use the Academy of pediatrics as their guide. Find out about their pick up and drop off policies. Can children only be dropped off at certain times? Are there late fees if the child is picked up late? What is their policy on potty training? For example, do children have to be potty trained before entering the preschool class?

If you have an infant, what are their food prep procedures? Do they expect you to have premade bottles? Do you provide baby food or do they? Some programs serve snacks and lunch and others ask you to provide your own food. For the breast-feeding moms, does the facility have a place for a mother to breast-feed? This is important if you want to drop in during the day to feed your baby. The manager should go over the daily schedule and you should be able to get a feel for what kinds of activities are planned for the children. Do they have an open door policy for parents? Most programs use some sort of assessment tool to track your child’s progress and you may want to ask about that. You’ll want to ask about enrollment paper work and fees.

Choosing a childcare provider can be overwhelming and I know this is a lot of information. I hope this list helps you narrow it down and find a wonderful childcare provider or program. Just remember to listen to your gut instinct. If the list is too extensive, just remember a few basic things. Is it clean? Does it seem safe? Do you feel comfortable talking to the teachers and program director? Finally, do you and your child feel at home? If you answered no to any of these questions, continue your search until you find a good fit. It’ll be worth it. I know it is difficult to leave your children in someone else’s hands. As an early childhood educator, I am thankful for the children I’ve met and am grateful that families have trusted me to care for them.

6 Comments

Activities, Education, Parenting, Toddlers

Five Quiet Activities for Toddlers

October 7, 2018

Anyone who has kids knows that they are loud. They run instead of walk. They think everything is a drum. It could be pots and pans, the ball they were just playing catch with or the kitchen table. On some days, their voice has only one volume, loud! While I love listening to Rosebud’s conversations with herself and enjoy watching her take on life with such energy and enthusiasm, I definitely need a few quiet moments here and there. Here are a few activities that can give you just that. Peace and quiet.

1. Sensory Bottles

These can contain anything. I made this one for Rosebud when she was an infant. I used shells, acrylic jewels, glass marbles and glitter. Fill the bottle with water, ceil the top and your child will have some quiet time looking for and watching the objects floating around. Sensory bottles can be loud depending on what you put in them, but other quiet ideas include pompoms of different colors, sand with shells, foam numbers and letters, or vegetable oil and water which can be interesting because the two substances don’t mix. Sensory bottles can be done in any theme.

Here are some really cool sensory bottles I’ve found.

Slow Falling Beads Sensory Bottle

Ghost Sensory Bottle

Snowman Sensory Bottle

Windy Fall Leaves Sensory Bottle

Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle

2. Felt Story Boards

Felt boards are great for stories, rhymes and even learning about the seasons. In our preschool room, we had felt parts of a tree and flowers and the kids could make a felt garden. You can use a felt board to work on sight words with letters. They also have felt doll dress up sets.
The Weather Bears Felt Board Set

3. Blocks

You must be thinking that blocks can’t be a quiet activity, but hear me out. Last year, I found some great foam blocks that I gave to Rosebud for Christmas. When she is building alone with these and is concentrating on what she is building, it can be very quiet. The other great thing about this activity is they can do this on their own.

I had to share this image. We were building today and I figured out how to put some of the shapes together to make a heart. I asked Rosebud if I could take a photo of it and she said, “Of course.” Each time I went to take a photo, she’d throw another block in the middle of the heart. On my phone, I have the live photo feature enabled so when I click on it, I see the block being thrown in the middle of the heart.

4. Bubble Wrap

This obviously can be very loud, especially if you have the bubble wrap with larger bubbles, but I have found that the bubble wrap with smaller bubbles is great for small hands. The pops are relatively quiet. If you are watching TV, preparing a meal or are engrossed in a phone conversation, you probably won’t even hear the little pops. This is a great activity for developing those fine motor skills and concentration. After you show them how it works a couple of times, they can do this activity without help.

5. Puzzles

There are lots of puzzles to choose from, but the quietest are foam puzzles. If puzzles are at the appropriate developmental level for your child, they should be able to figure them out on their own. I usually show Rosebud a couple of times and then she gets it. She loves knowing that she can put them together herself. This is also another great activity for developing fine motor skills and concentration.

These activities are great for a nap time when a child doesn’t sleep. They are also great for a quiet corner or for those times when a child is so wound up and needs to relax. What are your favorite quiet time activities for kids? Tell me in the comments.

15 Comments

Gift Giving, Parenting, Shopping

10 Stocking Stuffers for Preschoolers

September 24, 2018

This is the third post in my stocking stuffer series. Click here if you are looking for stocking stuffers for infants and here if you are looking for stocking stuffers for toddlers. There are so many options for this age group. It’s hard to narrow it down.

1. Art supplies

To encourage some creativity, why not go with something different than the standard crayons?

You could get these metallic crayons by Crayola that have a shimmer in the wax.

Make a drawing you can smell with these washable scented markers.

Add a little sparkle to your projects with this glitter glue.

Your child can get some practice cutting with child safe scissors.

2. Books

There are endless choices of books for preschoolers. I usually include a Christmas book or two in Rosebud’s stocking, but you could go with a book from any theme.

3. Felt story board kit

To go along with story time, a felt board story kit is a great idea. On Etsy, you can find homemade versions and support someone’s small crafting business or find a felt story on Amazon. The kids love moving the pieces to follow along with the story or creating a story of their own.

4. Items from our childhoods

How about this retro style mini Etch a Sketch?

This toy is similar to the Light Bright, but this one is travel sized without the paper.

Who else remembers these water games?

5. Puzzles

Puzzles are a great quiet winding down activity. Preschoolers can handle puzzles that are a bit more challenging.

6. Night light

Many preschoolers are scared of the dark and what may or may not be under the bed. Why not get them a cool night light to make night time a little less scary.

7. Games

Preschoolers can start learning games with simple rules.

8. DVD’s

These are good for a quiet rainy day afternoon inside or a long road trip. These are some of Rosebud’s favorite shows and movies.

9. Accessories

You could get hair bows, hats or jewelry.

10. Magnetic letters and numbers

Preschoolers can get some practice with letter recognition and learning sight words.

These aren’t magnets, but they are great for bath time.

I hope this post has helped you fill your preschooler’s stocking. Stay tuned for more gift giving ideas as the holidays get closer. Until then, happy shopping!

9 Comments

Books, Education, Parenting

Five Fun Halloween Books for Toddlers

September 19, 2018

In the beginning of September, I brought out all Rosebud’s fall and Halloween themed books. She has been wanting to read them every night, so I thought I’d share the ones she really enjoys.

1. Five Little Pumpkins.

I’ve had this book since her first Halloween and she loves it. It’s a simple rhyme about pumpkins. They have finger plays and songs for it as well. She loves to read along and his it memorized now.

2. Who’s There on Halloween.

This is another cute Halloween book. It has hints for different Halloween related characters like the witch, ghost and spider. She has this book memorized too, but she hasn’t figured out that the point is to guess by the clues before you turn the page.

3. Boo! A Halloween Peek-a-boo.

This is a short, but silly Halloween book. A dog chases different Halloween characters in costume who say different things. Rosebud likes when I do silly voices with this book. I just introduced this one to her this year because it has paper pages, but she always asks to read this first.

4. Scratch and Sniff Halloween.

Who doesn’t like scratch and sniff books? They are fun until they lose their scent, but Rosebud has been having fun reading this one regardless. You can smell the minty witches brew, the spooky pumpkin or the sweet lollypop.

5. Big Pumpkin

I just ordered the paper copy of this one, but we like to listen to the audio version I found on Youtube because it’s sung to a song. If you’ve never read this book, the witch wants to make pumpkin pie, but the pumpkin is too big to take off the vine. The witch, ghost, vampire and others try to remove it, but it doesn’t work until a bat comes along with the solution. This book is good because it’s an actual story, but it is not too long that an older toddler won’t sit through it. Rosebud is growing out of the simple board books. Although she still loves them, I think she’s ready for longer stories.

What are your favorite Halloween books? Tell me in the comments.

5 Comments

Activities, Art

Leaf Painting

September 18, 2018

Here’s a simple painting activity for the fall.

What you’ll need:

Paint,
Paper,
Leaves,
Tray or some other way to set up the paint.

I just took a cookie sheet, lined it with foil and put some globs of paints in different colors on it. Then I put one leaf in each color of paint so they wouldn’t be mixed at first.

All you do is cover the leaf with paint and stamp it on the paper. I showed Rosebud once and then she got to work, creating her pictures.

I didn’t have much paint so by the time we got to our third picture, I showed her how she could use the leaves as paintbrushes.

I’m looking forward to doing more fall activities. What are your favorite fall crafts and activities? Let me know in the comments.

2 Comments

Gift Giving, Parenting, Shopping, Uncategorized

10 Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers

September 17, 2018

This is the second entry in my stocking stuffer series. If you missed it, here’s my list of Stocking Stuffers for Babies.
Click here for Stocking Stuffers for Preschoolers.

Today, I’ll focus on toddlers. Between one and three years of age, children become interested in a wider variety of activities and generally they put things in their mouths much less, so they can use toys with smaller parts. Of course, all this depends on the ages and developmental levels of your children. Rosebud still puts things in her mouth and chews on things that she shouldn’t, so there are still things I won’t let her play with especially on her own. The theme for her stocking last year was creativity. I included a lot of things that she could use for art projects, play-dough etc. Sometimes picking a theme for the stocking can help narrow down what you want to buy, but for this list, I will include a variety of items.

1. Large crayons

Toddlers don’t quite have the control and grip for standard sized crayons, but the larger sizes are perfect. Using crayons is a great introduction to drawing. Those scribbles will eventually become lines and the lines will eventually become drawings. Let them explore and imagine and before you know it, they’ll be drawing their own little world.

Don’t forget a mini notebook or drawing pad.

If you’re more adventurous like I was, you can try washable markers. Rosebud loves both crayons and markers and these particular markers by Crayola have washed off everything she’s drawn on.

Don’t forget to pick up a Magic Eraser to save your stuff and your sanity. Keep out of reach of children though because they are toxic, but they do an amazing job getting rid of scribbles on the furniture or walls.

2. Paints
To continue with the creativity theme, how about these water color paints? They aren’t as messy as finger paint, but you might choose to go that rout. Rosebud loves water colors. Now if I could only get her to remember to dip in the water first and then the paint. Not the other way around. You might want to include some extra brushes.

3. Play-dough

Play-dough is another great stocking stuffer. You can either make your own or get store bought. I’d suggest using homemade play-dough because it lasts longer, you know exactly what’s in it, you get a lot more than what’s in the little store bought containers and it feels smoother and easier to work with. Also, you can personalize it how you like. You can add scents, glitter, food coloring, textured items etc.

You can use tools specifically for play-dough, cookie cutters or items laying around the house.

4. Dramatic play

How about something for dramatic play? Maybe a small baby doll, stuffed animal or small set of toys.

This small tea set is for the bath, but it is small enough to include in a stocking. Rosebud loves this tea set.

This mini feeding set with bottles is another good choice.

5. Building

You could buy small cars, a mini block set or toy people to encourage building and pretend play. Another tip is to take things out of the boxes so they fit into the stocking.

6. Toothbrush

Does your child like a specific character they see on TV? They make lots of toothbrushes with characters on them. Some have lights, music and come in cool colors. Find a toothbrush that they will love and include it in their stocking. It’s practical, but it will get used.

7. Water bottle

It’s important to stay hydrated, so why not include a cool new water bottle. There are water bottles in every color, character and type imaginable.

8. Books
Books are amazing. They can introduce children to new concepts, reinforce things you’ve taught them or getting lost in a great story. I always include a book or two in the stocking.

9. Warm and cozy

Finally, why not include something warm for the winter? Rosebud loves slippers and there are so many options to choose from. Again, if your child has a favorite character you could buy something like this.

Maybe you want to buy something more cute and or fashionable like these.

Mittens or fuzzy socks come in handy during the winter as well.

10. Puzzles

Simple puzzles also make great stocking stuffers. They help toddlers use their fine motor and problem solving skills. I started by giving Rosebud puzzles with ten pieces or less.

If you are on a tight budget And are looking for thrifty and educational stocking stuffers for toddlers, check out this post from Organizing Chaos 101.
I hope you have gotten plenty of inspiration to fill your toddler’s stocking. Don’t forget to check out my other stocking stuffer suggestions. Happy shopping!

11 Comments

Gift Giving, Parenting, Shopping

10 Stocking Stuffers for Babies

September 11, 2018

I know it’s early to start thinking about Christmas, but it’ll be here before you know it. Filling a stocking can be challenging because you need items that are small, useful and thoughtful. Who wants to get a bunch of junk in their stocking? Although finding stocking stuffers can feel like a scavenger hunt, I love it when I find something neat that I know the person will enjoy.
Click here to find Stocking Stuffers for toddlers. Click here for Stocking Stuffers for preschoolers.

For babies, finding appropriate stocking stuffers can be hard because they are limited in what they can play with and let’s not forget their tendency to put everything in their mouths. It’s developmentally appropriate of course, but it definitely limits what we can put in their stocking. Here are some ideas to help you create your baby’s first stocking.

1. An all time favorite, stacking cups. These cups are great for fine motor skills as they can be stacked, put together and taken apart. They can be compared by size, color or another attribute depending on which set you buy. Some have numbers, letters or shapes on the bottom. They can be used for pretend play. Rosebud often serves cupcakes in them. They can be used for bath time fun or even in the sand box. Rosebud still uses her stacking cups in the bath. I chose this particular set because they are BPA free.

2. Bath toys are another great stocking stuffer for babies. There are cute little toys that squirt like these sea creatures by Munchkin. They can be squeezed and fit well in small hands.
 
There are bath time baby books that squeak and have nice colorful pictures like these.
 
Of course, you can’t have bath time without a rubber ducky. You could buy a classic version like this.

If you want a modern rubber ducky, this one is a little more high tech. This particular ducky gages the temperature of the water. It’s a cute toy for your baby and a functional item for you. When the water gets too hot, the word hot appears in white on the bottom of the duck.

3. You can never go wrong with books. There are so many books to choose from. I chose a bath time book to go with Rosebud’s bath toys, but you could choose anything.

How about this photo book? I included this in Rosebud’s baby stocking and put pictures of the cats and I. She still loves looking at the pictures to this day.

4. Don’t forget to include something soft like a my first teddy or small security blanket.
 
How about a security blanket?

I put an octopus rattle in Rosebud’s stocking. I don’t see it anymore, but it is similar to this lamb.

5. Every baby I’ve ever known is fascinated by bubbles even if you have to blow them inside. This multi pack is great if you are shopping for more than one child.

6. Teethers always come in handy. There are some that are actual toys like this rattle.

Then there are the classic ones that you can freeze.

7. If you are looking for something more practical, a sippy cup is a good choice.

Rosebud loved this Nuck learner cup until she bit through the nipple making a huge hole. She still loved this cup, but I didn’t anymore because she started dumping it out.

The Munchkin 360 came in handy after that. One feature I like about this cup is it feels more like a regular cup. A regular cup without the mess.
 

8. These bowls have also worked well for us. They are small, light weight and will stick to a table or tray. Rosebud learned how to unstick them, but they still work great. They come with covers so you can save food as well.

If you get bowls, you have to have spoons. These have longer handles, are soft and have no sharp edges.

9. You can’t have a child’s stocking without toys. Rattles or balls are good choices for babies. Rosebud loved anything made by Obal.

10. Finally, you could include a snack. Rosebud loved puffs.
 
You could also do yogurt bites or another treat depending on your baby’s age.

Have I left out anything? What will you be putting in your baby’s stocking?

13 Comments

Activities, Education, Parenting, Preschool, Sensory Play, Toddlers

Treasures by the Sea Shore Sensory Tub

September 5, 2018

Here’s a simple sensory tub that we’ve been using a lot this summer. I know I’m very late posting this, but there is still plenty of sunshine outside and if you are not ready for fall, then this is for you. It started off as an ocean themed sensory tub, but Rosebud decided that she was a pirate looking for treasures. I’ve used this set up with and without water. She enjoys it either way.

What you’ll need:

Water,

Scoops and or measuring cups,

Mini toy fish,

Seashells,

Glass marbles.

If you are really adventurous, you could add sand for the real seashore experience.

Ideas for play:

Counting marbles or sorting them by color if you use multiple colors. Those were the treasures in our case.

Sort seashells.

Identify types of fish.

Work on fine motor skills with scooping and pouring.

Watch your child using their imagination and see what they come up with.

0 comments

Activities, Education, Parenting

Five Activities to Help Create Little Problem Solvers

August 28, 2018

We have had a lot of hot and humid days this summer, so when Rosebud plays in the water table, I try to keep it in the shade. On this particular day, the sun had shifted and Rosebud was complaining of being hot. She still wanted to be outside so I suggested moving the table to a shady spot. She didn't want to, but obviously it was still a problem, so we had to find a solution. The umbrella that came with her picnic table was over her lawn chair, so she brought it over to the water table.



I asked her how we could stand the umbrella up to cover the table. She tried putting it into the ground which didn't work. Then she noticed a little hole on the back of the water table that is meant for an umbrella. It fit, but slid all the way down and was too close to the table. I told her what we needed to do was to find a way for the umbrella to sit in the hole without falling all the way through.
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She suggested that we use tape, so I headed inside to check the junk drawer. I brought out some round rubber thing that must have been some sort of stopper. That was way too small. I showed her the rubber circle and how it wouldn't fit. We went back to the tape solution and duct tape did the trick, at least for a while. I put some tape on the bottom of the hole and the umbrella had something to sit on. Well, at least until Rosebud started splashing.
If Rosebud can't reach something in the kitchen, she finds something to stand on. Usually, she finds her drum, but that has become unsafe so it disappeared. She's always looking for things in the house to use as a step stool. One day, she tried using an exercise ball and came crashing to the flor. Luckily I was right there and she didn't get hurt, but it definitely scared her.
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We all use some level of problem solving skills every day. Whether it's in our businesses, family lives and even in our hobbies. It's important that children have many opportunities to find solutions to their own problems. This can be with specific toys or just random things in their environment. I notice Rosebud's problem solving abilities most when we're not doing anything specific because the best learning opportunities naturally appear. They can appear when we're cooking dinner, creating art or playing outside. It's children's job to explore using trial and error to see what works. It's our job to ensure that they have plenty of opportunities to do this. Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Put water in a bucket or water table with a variety of objects and different sized cups. They can learn about sinking and floating, less vs more and if an objects properties change in water. For example, a sponge or cotton ball will become heavier in water. The whole idea is for them to experiment and to see how things work.
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2. Give them blocks of any kind and let them build whatever comes to mind. Rosebud likes to build castles, roads, cities and tree houses just to name a few. Bigger blocks get stacked on top of smaller blocks. Different shapes don't always work well together. The blocks may not balance well depending on if you are building on carpet vs a hard floor. There are so many ways that blocks can be used for teaching and learning problem solving and logical skills.
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3. Puzzles are good because children have to think about where the pieces go in relation to each other. While this is not open ended, puzzles can help children focus on a specific problem and solution.
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4. Any dramatic or aunt imaginative play can be used to encourage problem solving. When children play together, they have to decide who is playing what role. Around the preschool stage, they start planning and being more intentional about their play. They can work out turn taking, using an object to represent something totally unrelated and experiment with different roles and themes. Rosebud's favorite dramatic play theme is, doctor. I can't even count how many checkups I've had in the past year.

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5. Let them experiment with a ball or marble run. Have different sized tubes. Change the tubes around with different lengths and curved tunnels. They can see how the marbles move depending on how the run is set up. One boy I was working with in the pre-k class was fixing his marble run. He was telling me how the pipe needed to be welded because there was a crack, so he took it apart and rebuilt it. He built his marble run quite tall and another boy was working on a way to reach the top of the marble run.

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These skills can be modeled and reinforced at any time. Children have a curiosity and drive to learn. Experimenting comes naturally to them and it definitely should be encouraged. You never know what discoveries they will make. For more great ideas and insight on this topic, click here.



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