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Let's face it, going along with your kid's drama filled plot line for their Paw Patrol characters isn't much fun. It's natural for our play interests to evolve from our sandbox digging days. With that, To make play fun again,I encourage you to reflect on the following question: how do you like to play? If you're not exactly sure where to start in answering that question, this post will be super helpful for you! We'll go through the eight play personalities, also known as styles of play. For each category, I’ll give a couple examples of how the style of play may have shown up for you in childhood, as well as how the style might show up for you now in adulthood. That’s right, play styles don’t just disappear when we grow up, we simply find more socially acceptable ways to incorporate them into our current lifestyles. Let’s take a look at the styles of play! What is a Play Personality? What are the 8 Play Personalities (Styles of Play)? 📝 The Storyteller 🧩 The Director 🏆 The Competitor 🧸 The Collector ⛰️ The Explorer 🧘🏽‍♀️ The Kinesthete 🎨 The Creator 🤪 The Joker Why Play Style vs. Play Personality? ✨ The Storyteller: Enjoys expressing themselves through words Traits of the Storyteller During Childhood: During childhood, the storyteller style could've shown up through a love for dramatic and/or pretend play. You probably got too deep with a Barbie's or action figure's backstory. You might’ve even written in a secret password journal with voice activation. In Adulthood: You find ways to bring storytelling into your daily life, rather it’s through journaling, writing poetry, writing for a Medium publication, writing on Substack, or even taking time to craft the perfect Instagram caption. This play style can also show up through participation in an improv group or theatre. Popular Movie or TV Characters:  Harriet from Harriet the Spy;   Kay Panabaker from Read It and Weep; Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl; Lexi from Euphoria   📝 Play Ideas: Help a kiddo publish their own book with Lulu Junior Illustory book and illustration kit  Buy blank books or board books at a craft store Retell classic fables or folktales (The Tortoise and the Hare; The Three Little Pigs; The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Goldilocks and the Three Bears)  Make up stories and narrate them aloud!  If you hit gold and make up a story that your kid wants you to retell over and over again, record it as an audio file and they can have their own personalized audiobook If you happen to own a Yoto player, you can also make your own Yoto audio card!   Create A Story prompt cards from Eeeboo Puppets   ✨ The Director: Natural leader and visionary, likes to take charge  Traits of the Director During Childhood: You were often the kid that led group play and other kids were more than happy to go along with the roles and scenarios you dished out.    In Adulthood: Within your family or friend groups, you tend to be the one that takes initiative to get everyone together for a group gathering or vacation. You may be the designated class parent or have a position on the parent-teacher’s board. You might even genuinely enjoy planning and organizing birthday parties or themed events.     Popular Movie or TV Characters: Angelica from Rugrats; Carly from iCarly; Miss Piggy from The Muppets; Lincoln Loud from The Loud House 🧩 Play Ideas:  Play classic childhood games that allow you to take the lead. You might also prefer close-ended toys. These toys are designed for kids to create a specific end result; your kiddo will likely turn to you for guidance or assistance, and with only one solution, you can offer them the direction they’re seeking. Classic Childhood Games: Simon Says; Mother May I; Red Light, Green Light; What Time Is It Mr. Fox; Follow the Leader Close-ended Toys: Challenging floor puzzles; LEGO building sets; activity books featuring mazes, crossword puzzles, word searches, sudokus (for older kids) ✨ The Competitor: Finds joy in competing, winning, or striving for their personal best Traits of the Competitor During Childhood: As a competitor kid, you likely gravitated towards individual sports or activities that resulted in clear winners and losers. Chances are you might’ve even entered lots of school, local, or national competitions.     In Adulthood: As an adult, you still find fulfillment in activities with defined winners or losers (pickleball; squash or racquetball; golf; tennis; bowling). You may also compete against yourself by striving to beat your personal best time it takes you to xyz (ex: run a mile, swim a lap) or regularly enter races like the turkey trot. Aside from sports, competitor styles may also enjoy competitive games like chess, table games at the casino, or video games like MarioKart.   Popular Movie or TV Characters: Reggie Rocket from Rocket Power; Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story; Akeelah from Akeelah and the Bee; Lightning McQueen from Cars  🏆 Play Ideas:  Try playing kid-friendly board games or card games that result in someone winning.  Board Games:   Zingo; Candyland; Chutes & Ladders Card Games:   Memory Matching; Go Fish; Spot It Video Game: Just Dance! ✨ The Collector: Collects things or achievements  Traits of the Collector During Childhood:  You might’ve collected trendy kid’s toys such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Digimon, or baseball cards; American Girl dolls; Hot Wheels, or Beanie Babies. It’s also possible you were a collector of simple things like stickers or coins.  In Adulthood: Vinyl record collector? Is your house covered in houseplants? Have a Lego diorama collection? Perhaps you collect currency from around the world, fine art, or antiques? These are all play styles of a collector. I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the kidults that still collect Pokémon or Magic: The Gathering trading cards! Popular Movie or TV Characters: Ariel from The Little Mermaid; Ash Ketchum from Pokémon;  🧸 Play Ideas:  Vinyl Collector:   One of the best things about vinyls is their sound quality. Put on your favorite record from your vinyl collection and have a dance party with your kiddo. Plant Lovers:   If you’re a plant lover, hand your kiddo a travel-size spray bottle and ask them to help water the plants.  Fine Art Collector:   If you’re a collector of fine art, buy a few canvases from the craft store and allow your kiddo to create pieces of art that they’re proud of to display around the house (even if it’s just their room or a closet).  ✨ The Explorer: Driven by discovery Traits of the Explorer During Childhood:  As an explorer kid, you likely thrived off of your curiosity about the world and tended to be a hands-on learner. In science class, it wasn’t enough to read about chemical reactions, you were keen on mixing baking soda and vinegar together to understand chemical reactions through firsthand experience.     In Adulthood:  You might be a travel lover or enjoy exploring new places in your city or town.  Popular Movie or TV Characters: Dora from Dora the Explorer; Eliza Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys; Moana from the movie Moana; Luca from the movie Luca; Steve Irwin; Mirabel from Encanto  ⛰️ Play Ideas:  Kids are naturally curious (especially toddlers) and insist on knowing why! Lean into their curiosity and your passion for exploring to show them why . For example, if your kiddo asks, “why is that bird holding a stick?” You could respond with, “maybe the stick is for its nest. Let’s go on a walk to see if we can find its' nest!”  Toys & Supplies: Binoculars; mini flashlights; Sibley's backyard bird guide ; Merlin Bird ID app (Download for Apple | Download for Android ) ✨ The Kinesthete: Requires movement of their body Traits of the Kinesthete During Childhood:  As a kinesthete kid, you were likely a child that spent a lot of time engaged into active play. Odds are you tried almost every sport and probably heard your caregivers say that you were a kid that “really needed outdoor time.” In reality, all kids need outdoor time.    In Adulthood:  As a grownup, you continue to find fulfillment through physical activity and finding ways to express yourself through movement. Some activities of interest might include: dance, yoga, running, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, or swimming. Unlike the competitor, you find enjoyment in movement itself and have little regard for winning.   Popular Movie or TV Characters:  Tigger from Winnie the Pooh; Luisa from Encanto; kids from Rocket Power (what sport didn’t those kids play) 🧘🏽‍♀️ Play Ideas: Yoga is an easy activity to do with babies and kids ages 2 and up (my favorite sets of cards: Mindful & Co yoga flash cards ); dance parties; Twister; Kids in Action songs (toddlers love the song, "The Way We Do it" by Greg & Steve) ✨ The Creator/Artist: Finds joy in inventing or making things Traits of the Creator/Artist During Childhood: You worked hard to hone a specific skill or interest in pursuit of creating something magical. Or, you might recall having an entrepreneurial spirit and would come up with super creative inventions or solutions.  In Adulthood: As a grownup, you’ve either found a way to integrate your talent into your full-time work, remain engaged in the interest as a hobby, or have unconsciously forgotten about your skill. Maybe you dabble in playing an instrument, love to cook or bake, or sell handmade jewelry on Etsy? Whichever the case is for you, there are so many ways for you to weave your creativity into play with your kid! Popular Movie or TV Characters:  Peppa Pig; Ada Twist from Ada Twist the Scientist; Miguel from Coco; Isabela from Encanto; Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory; Alfredo from Ratatouille  🎨 Play Ideas:   For the Inner Inventor:   Science experiments or Kiwi Co kits For the Entrepreneur: DIY Grocery Store For the Artist:   Open-ended art materials (watercolor paints, paint sticks, oil pastels, bleeding tissue paper); For the Musisian: musical instruments (egg shakers, Loog guitar ); have dance parties to your favorite tracks For the Chef/Baker:  give kid small tasks to assist with meal preparation; have kid help you make a batch of homemade cinnamon play dough; allow kid to help with kitchen chores ✨ The Joker: Jokester, class clown  Traits of the Joker During Childhood: You were the class clown and a teacher's headache with the unique ability to make anyone smile. Your silliness and lightheartedness    In Adulthood: Some jokers turn out to be actual comedians or go on to channel their humor into social media accounts and become influencers. More commonly, class clown skills evolve into sarcasm or clever wit. While you might receive feedback from your partner, family, or friends to “take things more seriously,” leaning into your joker play style can be very beneficial in strengthening your connection with kiddos. Kids love to laugh! Popular Movie or TV Characters: SpongeBob SquarePants; Will Smith from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Cosmo from The Fairly Oddparents; Sam from iCarly; YouTube “Dudes” from Dude Perfect  🤪 Play Ideas: Read a book of jokes to your kid. Have tickle fights. Play a game of who can make the silliest face. Try whoopie cushions or other lighthearted prank toys.  Silly Tabletop Games:   Hedbanz or Hedbanz Junior As the saying goes, "don't hate the player, hate the game." That's to say, it's not play that you dislike, it's the games, activities, or play scenarios that you're doing with your little one. We all have preferences for certain styles of play. Once you pinpoint the styles that interest you, playing with your kiddo will start to feel authentic and enjoyable. Remember, kid's speak and connect through play. The more we can find ways to speak their language, the more connected they'll feel with their caregivers! Thanks for playing with me! If you have any ideas you think I should add to this list, feel free to share in a comment below!

Need a way to spice up the next trip to the zoo with your little one? Your toddler will love this zoo scavenger hunt printable. This Montessori style scavenger hunt features real life photos of common zoo animals to get your kiddo even more pumped for their adventure! If you're simply looking for the printable, click here or scroll down to the end of the post. Why Choose This Zoo Scavenger Hunt? There are loads of zoo scavenger hunt printables available but the majority of them use clipart. The main benefit of using clipart images is that it provides you the option to print in black and white. But, zoo animals are full of unique colors and textures that deserve to be depicted a bit more accurately. One thing I’ve observed amongst kids from a variety of demographics- they love photographs, especially kids 3 and under! I’m not the only one that’s taking note of this. Montessori principles are based in the realistic depiction of objects, people, and nature . The goal is to expose babies and toddlers to things in everyday society that they’re familiar with or are expected to become familiar with. Familiarity comes through exposure, which can be nurtured through imagery and photographs. While it’s slightly more common to find photography in board books, it’s rare to find printable scavenger hunts that feature real life photographs. Unlike cartoon clipart, real photographs evoke a level of emotion and curiosity in toddlers that flat, unfamiliar cartoon clipart characters don’t convey as well. Unless it’s a popular cartoon character, it’s hard for toddlers to get excited about a random cartoon image (clipart) of a tiger smiling. But, when a child sees a photograph of a tiger yawning on their list, they get eager to see if they can find that exact tiger and catch it mid-yawn to match the picture! (Odds are they will not, considering I took most of the pictures at the Buffalo Zoo and the animals at your local zoo will look different) It’s likely that your kiddo will ask questions, like: is the tiger yawning? Why is it yawning? Tigers yawn? And some kids might find it overly hilarious that the tiger is yawning. Or they might share some observations about the animal in the photo. I actually used this scavenger hunt printable with kids ages 6, 5, and 4 and they had an awesome time using it. Even though I didn’t think to bring clipboards, they ended up using the wood ledges throughout the zoo or circling animals while they took walking breaks in the stroller. Benefits of Using a Scavenger Hunt Printable at the Zoo Problem Solving Scavenger hunts gamify zoo adventures by presenting a challenge for kids to complete. In order for them to complete their challenge, t hey have to do quite a bit of problem solving around navigation, utilizing context clues, and general planning. Here are a few examples of questions kids might work through in their head, along with guided questions to prompt discussion and collaborative problem solving: Toddler Thought: Where are the elephants? Parent Prompt: Which way do you think the elephants are, can you smell them? Toddler Thought: This place is big, how do we know where to go? Parent Prompt: Can we look for signs around the zoo that will help guide us to the animals on our list? Toddler Thought: It’s still taking forever for us to find the animals on our list! Parent Prompt: Should we look at a map of the zoo so we know where each animal is? Toddler Thought: I don’t see the snake, there’s nothing here [in the exhibit]! Parent Prompt: Maybe if we’re patient and take our time to look, we’ll be able to spot the snake hiding somewhere? Mindfulness One of the unexpected, but awesome benefits of having this scavenger hunt was the recentering aspect. As we all know, zoos are often full of the proper conditions for at LEAST one toddler meltdown per kid. Bees, big crowds, heat, missed naps, the long lines for the train… perfect recipe for fits and tears. It's super helpful to have a physical resource to redirect the kid's attention. The printable makes redirection less abstract, which is handy in a spacious place like the zoo. Think about how spread out animal exhibits are at the zoo- when your kid has a meltdown at the concession stand, it could be a good 5 min walk to the closest animal exhibit. We all know that 5 min of screaming and tears can feel like forever, especially when a distraction isn’t in immediate reach. Having the scavenger hunt on deck can make redirection a lot easier. Let’s say it’s a hot day and you guys stop at a stand to get ice cream to cool down. You both enjoy the ice cream but your kiddo starts having a fit because they finished their ice cream and are demanding more. While holding your ground you typically might say something like, “I’m sorry you’re sad that you finished your ice cream. I’m sad that I finished my ice cream too. But, I’m happy to be at the zoo with you. Let’s go find more animals.“ Now, you’ll be extra prepared with, “I’m sorry you’re sad that you finished your ice cream. I’m sad that I finished my ice cream too. But, I’m happy to be at the zoo with you. Which animal on the list do you think we should go look for next?” This small tweak will likely redistribute a feeling of control back to an emotionally overwhelmed toddler. Most importantly, it’ll remind them of the big picture experience of being at the zoo. Simply having the scavenger hunt resource can act as a mindful reminder for kids to return to the present moment. Physical Activity Not only is a trip to the zoo great at getting kids active, it also tires them out, so they sleep like a rock! Honestly, it can be a lot of walking for anyone , I do recommend you bring a stroller 3 and under just in case their tiny legs need a few breaks. Fine Motor Skills, Letter & Word Recognition, Vocabulary, Counting There are a number of additional educational benefits to using scavenger hunt printables. Toddlers practice their fine motor skills while holding markers and circling or crossing out the animals. Younger toddlers might be exposed to new vocabulary, like gorilla instead of the usual monkey. Some older toddlers will be able to recognize the letters that spell each animal. Regardless of age, all kids can practice counting the number of animals on the list and how many more are left to find. For younger kids, point to each image and count aloud to them. Recommended Supplies for Maximum Fun Color Printer Laminating Sheets Epson Presentation Printing Paper Laminator or Iron Dry Erase Markers (thin ones, not the thick ones) Clipboard Used dryer sheet or sock Instructions: Print on 8.5 x 11″ letter-size paper. If you want to reuse the printable multiple times, you’ll want to laminate it. In terms of dry erasers, I recommend the thin markers for toddlers… they tend to push down too hard on the thick markers, which ruins the tip. A used dryer sheet or a single sock (who’s pair has been lost for far too long) makes a good eraser. If you don’t have a laminator, you can actually use an iron. Simply put your iron on a low setting (such as the setting for silk). Next, insert your printable into a laminating sheet. Then, place a white sheet of paper on top of your project and run the iron over it. Download the Free Zoo Scavenger Hunt Printable! What are you waiting for, go print this activity! Between the realistic images, problem solving skills, mindfulness support, and a bundle of other educational values- I hope one of these convinces you to bring the zoo scavenger hunt along on your next trip to the zoo! When those inevitable toddler meltdowns arise, the scavenger hunt can be a lifesaver in shifting their attention. Incorporating this resource will make your trip to the zoo even memorable for you and your little one, while supporting your family with making mindful memories!

Do you remember being a kid and being captivated by the uniqueness of a seashell? Even as adults, we still harbor (get it?) a captivation with seashells. As adults, we often put seashells on display in our homes or use them to create funky jewelry. There's also the seashells that become prized beach souvenirs. Seashell crafts allow kiddos to embrace their innate fascination with these gifts from mother nature, while they unconsciously begin developing an appreciation for our earth. Seashell Crafts & Activities 1️⃣ Print Designs in Play Dough 2️⃣ Use as Tinker Toys or Loose Parts 3️⃣ Wash Seashells in a Sensory Bin 4️⃣ Bury Seashells in Sand 5️⃣ Paint Seashells 6️⃣ Bonus: Use Giant Seashell as a Coping Resource Where to Find Seashells Apparently there's some controversy over the ethics of buying and collecting seashells. I agree, crabs and sea creatures shouldn't have to resort to taking shelter in garbage because they can't find shells on the beach- totally not cool. But, the way I see it is, if you collect seashells at the beach one time and your child then learns to value and respect the beach/nature more, that lesson will have a far greater ripple effect than collecting 10-15 shells on the beach. With all that said, if you already have seashells on hand, awesome. If you don't and are close to a beach, grab some on your next trip. If you don't live close to a beach, you can find seashells at the Dollar Tree, Michael's, and Hobby Lobby. However, if taking seashells from the beach makes you uncomfortable, another option is to only collect the flat shells that look like scallops. This way, you can find solace in knowing that you're not leaving crabs homeless. These types of shells often go under the name Pecten Vexillum at craft stores if you specifically want to buy this type of seashell. Now let's get on to the fun! 1. Use Seashells to Print Designs in Play Dough Instead of using cookie cutters as your typical play dough accessory, hand your kiddo some ridged seashells. Have them flatten out a large chunk of play dough using a rolling pin (depending on the child’s age/development, they may or may not need help with this step). You’ll probably have to show them once how to make a seashell print. I like to compare it to a dinosaur footprint, because most toddlers are familiar with them. After you show them once, most toddlers will be able to handle making seashell prints on their own! Encourage them to observe whether or not the seashells all create the same print. If your seashells get all covered in play dough, try not to sweat it- think of it as an excuse to do activity 3 below! 2. Use Seashells as Tinker Toys or Loose Parts Throw in some little people or wooden peg dolls. Sit back and let their imagination go wild! Maybe a flat shell will become a bed or a huge shell monster? Perhaps a row of shells becomes a path a character has to walk along in order to get home? Younger toddlers might need a couple suggestions for inspiration and that’s okay. Feel free to give them an idea or two. They’ll likely build an elaborate and detailed story line from your prompts. Brace yourself for another long winded story from your kiddo! 3. Wash Your Collection of Seashells This seashell activity has been the most popular amongst the kids I've worked with! If possible, use seashells of various textures and sizes. Throw them in a clear sensory bin container (clear storage container or clear Pyrex baking dish works) and add some dishwashing soap or bubble solution. Lather to get the bubbles going. Give the kid an old toothbrush and watch them go to town washing each seashell. 4. Bury Seashells in Sand This activity is like a treasure hunt but instead of hiding treasure, you hide seashells. Not many people have sandboxes these days, but if you do, this is an extra easy activity for you to set up. But if you don’t have a sandbox, like most people, a bulk bag of sand is fairly inexpensive at a home improvement store. Pour sand into a clear sensory bin, have kiddo close their eyes or face a wall while you hide the seashells in the sand. Give them a shovel and pail and have them hunt around for all the treasured shells. 5. Paint a Seashell or Two Painting seashells is always a hit! Now, I don’t necessarily recommend painting your family’s cherished seashells that you guys spent days collecting at Myrtle Beach. I mean you could… but definitely ask your kid if it’s okay to paint one first. You can find a pack of basic seashells at the Dollar Tree to paint. BONUS ACTIVITY : Offer Seashells as a Coping Resource for Toddlers If your little one is having a meltdown or having some anxiety, have them listen to the waves of the “ocean” as a mindful calming solution. I've found distractions that refocus the senses are super helpful for toddlers during tantrums! Do These Activities Teach My Kid Anything? You bet! While playing with seashells isn't necessarily going to prep your little one to be the next contestant on kid's Jeopardy... a lot of value comes from playing with seashells, including: Sensory Exposure: Rough texture of the shells; grainy feeling of sand; playing in water Intro to STEM: Pattern recognition; contrast & comparison Creativity Language Development Imagination Cause & Effect Appreciation for Nature What Do Seashells Have to Do with Mindful Memories? Playing with nature finds, such as seashells is a way to connect little ones with nature. It's also reminds them that toys don't always have to come in plastic or have buttons that sing you the ABCs. There are so many toys that nature makes for all of us to enjoy— toddlers, adults, and people of all ages! The toddler age is the perfect age to begin introducing kids to the concept of being mindful and aware of the many gifts the earth provides us. Obviously, you can't say that to a 2 year-old and expect them to understand it. However, nature play demonstrates this philosophy in a more comprehensible explanation for kiddos. What ways have you noticed kids playing with seashells? Share in a comment below so I can add activities to this list and we can keep the fun going even longer!

Why do kids stare at people all the time? Why doesn’t my kid play with other kids? If you’ve ever asked yourself either of those questions, then you’ll find it helpful to take a look at the six stages of play. Reviewing these common stages of play that kiddos experience during the early years will help answer these questions and many more.  If you really just want to know why toddlers stare at people, click here ! What Are the Six Stages of Play? In 1932, an American sociologist from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, Mildred Parten, observed that kids naturally go through various social stages of play  in early childhood. Parten categorized these stages into six groupings. Over 90 years later, the play community continues to recognize these stages.  Stages of Play 1️⃣ Unoccupied Play 2️⃣ Solitary/Independent Play 3️⃣ Onlooker Play 4️⃣ Parallel Play 5️⃣ Associate Play 6️⃣ Cooperative Play Why Are the Six Stages of Play Important? The most important aspect of Parten’s Six Stages are the skills that kids develop along the way. As a caregiver, you might find it helpful to familiarize yourself with the variety of ways little ones socially interact. It can also be validating to know that your kid's behavior isn't weird, just typical. Note : The age range of the stages is highly debated. I decided to reference the range from   Pathways.org  because I've found it to be the most accurate timeline amongst kids I’ve worked with.  Unoccupied Play (0 - 3 months) These are the days when babies are high off life as they explore what their bodies can do and what actions they take warrant a response from caregivers —  think of the unoccupied play stage as a time of self-discovery!  Examples of Unoccupied Play: Movement (reaching, kicking, etc.), grabbing at toys, exploring on play mats or play gyms How to entertain a 3 month old?   Caregivers can entertain 3 month old babies with activities like peek-a-boo using your hands or play scarves and mirror play.  Tip : No mirror? Prop up your phone or ipad and turn it on selfie mode; this doesn’t qualify as screen time since it’s comparable to a mirror reflection What can a 3 month old baby play with? Three-month olds can play with toys that are easy to grasp— baby paper, toy rattles, teethers. Art cards with bold patterns and textures or bright colors are great for stimulation. This is also a nice age to introduce babies to music. Instrumental jams and classical music can be particularly calming.  How does unoccupied play help development? Unoccupied play allows little ones to familiarize themselves with their abilities and their environment.  Solitary Play (0 - 2 years) Also referred to as independent play, solitary play is the stage when kids begin playing with less dependence on the direct engagement and reliance of caregivers. Parten noted that throughout this stage, it’s common for kids to be more self-centered and focused on individual projects or outcomes through play. This is also the stage when children begin using pragmatic thinking and comprehending cause and effect.  Example of Solitary Play:  Despite a caregiver being close by, a child is able to play/entertain themselves over short durations of time. For example, a child might explore a play gym while you unload the dishwasher.  How to encourage independent play?  One way to encourage independent play is by setting up a " yes space" for kiddos (a safe area in which a few toys or books are easily accessible). Caregivers can also use child-led guided play as scaffolding to increase learning outcomes. Guided play is sometimes referred to as play based learning and can be complemented through setting up low prep activities using household objects .  Which toys are best for independent play? Following the unoccupied play stage, the best toys for independent play vary based on your little one's age, interests, and abilities. Here are a few recommended toys based on age ranges.     Babies: Shape sorter, soft books, stacking toys, blocks Tabies (12-24 months) : Reusable drawing toys, shape sorter, felt book stories, cause & effect toys How does solitary/independent play help development? Independent play allows children to explore their current abilities, limitations, and build resilience through trial-and-error and long-term practice.   Onlooker Play (2 - 3½ years) Onlooker play looks like the kid version of people watching. Well, except for the fact that kids can be very overt about people watching— they will literally stand in front of another kid and stare them down without saying a single word. This behavior might appear odd or rude, but it’s totally natural. It’s not just their peers that kids stare down, they also take close notice to what grownups are up to.  Examples of Onlooker Play: I’m sure you’ve seen the viral reels or Tik Toks featuring adults at a playground staring at the camera as it moves. The caption overlay usually reads something like “ every toddler as you walk past them at the park.” You know the videos I’m talking about — that’s onlooker play.  💡 Did You Know?  The onlooker stage explains why so many kids are fascinated by watching toy unboxing videos!  What activities support onlooker play? An easy way to support onlooker play is to model play —  sit on the floor, build a block tower. Ideally, kids are provided with opportunities to be around other kids at play. Which toys are best for onlooker play? Open-ended toys, pretend play toys, dramatic play toys How does onlooker play help development? Through onlooker play, kids develop language and vocabulary, learn social and cultural norms, and begin building self-confidence. Parallel Play (2 ½ - 3 ½ years) During parallel play, you’ll find kiddos playing alongside or next to another kiddo, but strictly focused on their own activity or play scene.  Examples of Parallel Play: Parallel play often takes place in group settings during free play. One child might be focused on building a tower with blocks, while another kid plays with animal figurines. Both kids might be aware of each other's presence, but they don't really interact with one another. H aving a child help with household tasks or chores is also a form of parallel play. An adult can be cooking dinner while the child washes dishes  in the sink.   What activities  support parallel play? Individual sensory bins support parallel play. This allows kids to be be engaged in their own activity and enjoy personal space, while becoming slightly more conscious about other kids around them. Which toys  are best for parallel play? pegs boards, pretend play figurines, cars, art supplies How does parallel play help development? Language development (very typical for kids to narrate aloud as they play in this stage) Associate Play (3 - 4 years)  During associative play, kids face play scenarios where they’re challenged to communicate and share with other kids, but aren't working together to meet a shared goal. Examples of Associative Play: I’ve observed kids engaged in associative play most often when using play dough or other sensory materials (requires communication about sharing tools). It's also common to see associative play when kids are building structures with small blocks ( magna-tiles come with a lot of compromising discussions about the divvying up of square tiles ), and when kiddos use dramatic play toys (they dish out roles and scripts for their playmates to follow). What activities support associate play? Some activities that support associative play  include sensory table play and general nature play. Which toys are best for associate play? Dramatic play toys (play kitchens or grocery store , pretend food , doctor kits, dress up clothes); active play equipment; magna-tiles How does associative play help development? Through associative play kids begin noticing that they exist in relation to other kids. Little ones can develop patience, as well as, improve their gross and fine motor skills.    Cooperative Play (4 - 5 years) According to Parten, the cooperative play stage is a merging of the previous five stages. Kids begin working and playing together more frequently, while striving to achieve a shared goal. Examples of Cooperative Play: An example of cooperative play is a handful of kids working together to build a fort. Fort building requires a lot of design planning, turn taking, and compromising. Through this process, little ones practice communication, negotiation, and teamwork to achieve their shared goal: a fort that they can go in and out of without having it collapse on their heads.   What activities support cooperative play? Sharing limited play equipment, such as slides, swings, climbers; role-playing scenarios Which toys are best for cooperative play? jumbo blocks; board games; more advanced puzzles; dramatic play props; puppets; giant playsilks (for epic fort building) How does cooperative play help development? Cooperative play allows kids to practice turn taking, sharing, and cooperation. It also improves speech and language development, as well as executive function (planning). ⬇️ Learn More: Are the Six Stages of Play Linear? It’s possible for kids to show linear progression through the six stages of play. However, it’s more common for kids to exhibit behaviors from multiple stages, often within the same day. For example, in daycare settings, I’ve worked with some 2 year olds that would spend their mornings watching other kids play (onlooker play), and after nap time, they engaged in interactions that fall under associative play. Due to limitations in ability (disabilities), culture, neurodivergence, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and a child’s independent development growth, some kids might skip a stage, take many years to reach a stage, or require assistance to reach a stage. Do All Kids Go Through the Social Stages of Play? It’s worth noting that Mildred Parten was a White American and presented the concept of the six stages of play during the Great Depression (1929-1939). That is to say, her findings were based on the observations of White, American, able-bodied, neurotypical children.   Teacher educator, Eunsook Hyun, takes a deep dive into the significance of culture within the context of early childhood development, particularly in childcare settings. In chapter two of Dr. Hyun's book, she suggests that the progression through the stages of social development is less predictable for certain groups: BIPOC children; and kids that are a part of families with multiple siblings. Kids in these demographics tend to move through the six stages in a nonlinear path.  A number of researchers have found that Euro-American parents tend to see play as a catalyst for developing their kids’ cognitive and social skills. Hyun writes, “caregivers in this demographic often raise their kids to focus on individuality, developing independence , and how to occupy themselves with their toys (Johnson, Christie, & Yawkey, 1987).” In modern western parenting, this has become more prevalent. As a result, the timeline for when kids reach the parallel, associative, and cooperative play stages may be different.   In contrast, caregivers from African-American, Asian-American, and Hispanic-American backgrounds tend to raise kids to be more group oriented, with a focus on family interdependence  and family reliance. Put simply, in the early years, it’s more common for BIPOC kids to be raised to focus on the collective instead of entertaining themselves.    Regardless of cultural norms, there isn’t one right way to socialize a kid . A child’s play patterns can be influenced by their home environment, birth order, being an only child, and a myriad of other conditions. Through acknowledging cultural differences within these stages, my hope is that caregivers can reflect on their child’s current play patterns and be inspired to explore and incorporate other practices when possible.     References Hughes, Fergus P. Children, Play, and Development. Edited by Fergus P. Hughes, SAGE Publications, 2010, https://books.google.com/books?id=KbnOVfinznEC&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false .    Parten MB Social Participation among Preschool Children. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 1932; 27 (3): 243–269. “What Are the 6 Stages of Play?” Pathways.org , 16 September 2022, https://pathways.org/watch/stages-of-play/ Hyun, E.  (1998). Making sense of developmentally and culturally appropriate practice (DCAP) in early childhood education. New York: Peter Lang. Chapter 2

During the formative years of childhood, your community offers kids a tangible source for their minds to begin grasping their connection to the world. If kids aren’t shown what it looks like to care for others outside of their family, why would we expect them to become adults that care for others? As key figures in kiddos' lives, grownups have the responsibility to model what it looks like to care for our communities and involve children in our efforts. We're all connected to each other and it’s in our collective best interest to support one another. ✨ Offer Mutual Aid Mutual aid is when community members supply physical goods such as food, clothing, or other donations to fellow community members. Sometimes mutual aid can take the form of physical labor without the expectation or exchange of money (think: shoveling snow or mowing a lawn, or babysitting for a neighbor). In a recent episode of the Minimalist Moms podcast, Zachariah Thompson of the Scatter Joy Project explained mutual aid as sitting at the intersections of gratitude and giving. Zach shared, “I'm grateful for what I have, but I'm also grateful for what I can give.” 🧃 Stock a local community fridge or pantry closet. Communities across the world have begun recognizing residents’ ability to support one another. One impactful way to do so is through supplying mutual aid via community fridges. In case you’re unfamiliar, community fridges are exactly what the name implies– outdoor refrigerators stocked by members of your community. All food placed inside the fridge is free and open for anyone to access 24/7. Not only do community fridges address food insecurity and decrease food waste, but they can also act as an invaluable resource for communities that live in food deserts. Here are a few ways to go about getting kiddos involved with stocking your local community fridge: Option 1: Bring your kiddo grocery shopping with you. You can say something like,“We’re going to go on a special shopping trip to buy some food for other kids and families that might not have as much as us.” Option 2: Have a kid help you gather leftovers, make sandwiches, help cook a meal, or help stick labels and dates on home cooked food. Option 3: If you happen to know of a fruit tree close by that produces an overabundance of fruit, have your kiddo help you gather up disregarded fruit. Option 4: Plant a small garden with a little one and collect its harvests. After you’ve identified a source that works for you and your family, have your child assist you with placing the food in the community fridge or closet pantry. Check to see if you have a community fridge near you using Freedge’s locator– with 300+ locations in the USA alone, it’s quite likely you do! Teaches Kids: selflessness, humility, compassion 📙 Add children’s books to a Little Free Library I don’t know about you, but I’ve been delighted to watch Little Free Libraries sprout up everywhere. Actually, it's not just me— according to their website, 98% of people say their neighborhood feels like a friendlier place because of a Little Free Library! The nonprofit's mission is to build community, inspire readers, and increase access to books for all. Unfortunately, it’s rare to see quality children’s board books in these libraries, perhaps you and your kiddo can contribute a few baby board books they’ve outgrown. Before passing away, Todd Bol, the original founder of Little Free Library, shared this short, yet inspiring message, "I believe people can fix their neighborhoods, fix their communities, develop systems of sharing, learn from each other, and see that they have a better place on this planet to live." You can help sustain Bol's mega-popular system of sharing by locating and donating to a Little Free Library near you! Teaches: minimalism (how to let go of stuff); generosity; sharing ✨ Engage Kids in Communal Relationship Building Activities On your journey to raising a caring global citizen, you might find it helpful to focus on building communal relationships. You might already be doing this! Involving kiddos in community events, initiatives, and playdates can provide them with core social interactions needed to build trust, collaboration, agency, and problem-solving skills. 🌭 Attend a Local Block Club Event Outdoor block club events are popular throughout the summer and fall and often feature barbecues. The yummy food is sure to attract many families from your neighborhood and create a perfect environment for kids to engage in mixed age play. These gatherings can also lead to opportunities for kids to give their input on changes they want to see in their community. For example, preschool kids might point out the need for a non-metal slide that doesn’t burn when they slide down it on hot days. While this may sound like a trivial request to adults, getting a better slide would offer a safer play space for kids and could increase the community’s overall usage of the playground and build stronger relations amongst families. By participating in discussions about their community's needs and expressing their own ideas for improvements, kids can be granted a smidge of control and influence over their environment. This participation reinforces the stance that kids' opinions matter and they can make a difference, which is a crucial aspect of developing personal agency. Teaches: communication skills; collaboration; empathy; agency 🌱 Participate in a community garden A cool part of joining a community garden is that you can meet families that live beyond your 2-3 block bubble but are still part of your community. Gardening does require little ones to engage in some physical labor. However, there’s still a ton of time for mixed age play with other kids, bubbles, and regular games of “let’s go look for butterflies!” In college, I worked with kids and families at a low-income housing facility. During the summer, a local bus service drove us to the community garden. While we did require kids 8 and under to be accompanied by a guardian, kids of all ages loved attending the garden (as long as they could walk). Time after time, they were amazed to witness the full growth cycle of produce from start to finish. Gardening is a good opportunity for kiddos to, quite literally, get their hands dirty. Kids have innate energy that makes them excellent weeders and waterers. Although they’re not necessarily advertised as such, being part of a community garden is also a way to get free organic food (sorta free, excluding your time and labor). Not to mention that the produce flat out tastes better without the pesticides. Compost Solution with Less Onus: The summer program I helped run also offered free lunches to kids. We used a classic bucket with a good lid to encourage kids to compost waste from their lunches. You’d be surprised how quickly even 4 and 5 year-olds catch on to what can be composted and what can’t be. Each week we carried the compost bucket to the garden with us and added the waste into the garden’s big compost pile. Contributing our waste to the community garden’s compost collection was a lot easier for us to commit to as college students. If your city doesn’t offer compost collection or if you aren’t interested in turning or maintaining your compost, taking it to a community garden can be a convenient solution. Teaches: work ethic, appreciation for nature, where food comes from 🛝 Schedule playdates with kids in the neighborhood Get to know neighbors better by establishing playdates with kids nearby– even if they only happen once every few months. Kids socialize and make friends through play. There’s always a chance that the kids don’t hit it off and become besties, but that’s okay. It’s important for kids to learn how to play with kids that are different from them, including different interests and personalities. Neighborly playdates also allow kids to familiarize themselves with their peers, while creating scenarios where they are required to experiment with trust. Suddenly they find themselves having to make decisions about which toys they trust their new friend to hold or play with. It’s not uncommon for the child hosting the playdate to get vocally possessive of their toys and be hesitant to share. It can be instinctive to want to intervene and demand, “Charlie, you need to share your toys.” After sittervising many of these playdates, I’ve started to stay out of it— the hosting child quickly learns that if they don’t share their toys, their friend won’t have any tools to engage in their play scenario. Tip: If you find yourself putting off playdates because you’d have to first find time to clean the house, simply opt to have the playdate at your local park. Toys and play equipment are awesome resources that elevate play, but kids don’t need them to build trust or relationships with the kids around their neighborhood. All they need is their energy, open space to play, and non-hovering sittervisors. Teaches: trust; problem solving; conflict resolution ✨ Support Your Local Economy Supporting your local economy is a powerful way to contribute to the sustainability of your community. When you bring your little one with you to local shops or even attend free events, you're showing them the value of community-led initiatives. 📚 Become a regular at the library. Libraries are incredible free resources for things of all sorts. As public spaces, libraries are one of a few indoor places anyone can hangout in without being expected to spend money. One staff member from a library in Illinois sums it up nicely, “libraries have evolved to be so much more than silent spaces filled with books; they are now vibrant community hubs where people can come to explore new things, learn valuable skills, and connect with each other (in addition to checking out books, equipment, and more).” ² As alluded to, libraries are great for free public events! Showing up to these events shows interest in the activities being offered or topics discussed. In order for libraries to continue offering events, good crowd turnouts are super important– that’s where you and your little one come in! Here are just a few activities the libraries in my area are offering for kids over the next month: Baby Toddler Storytime; Kid’s Yoga; Books for Barks (kids ages 5-12 practice their reading skills on therapy dogs); Movie Showings; LEGO Club; Art & Crafts; Teen Crafting. Expand Your Community: Lots of public libraries offer free resources for refugees, migrants, entrepreneurs, ESL (English as a Second Language) learners, individuals seeking employment, and for individuals that are unhoused. Due to the wide array of use cases, libraries tend to attract diverse visitors. Cool, but how does that relate to my kid? If you live in an area of a predominant race, ethnicity, or culture, try taking trips to a public library versus your local library branch. Doing so can expose kiddos to community members from different backgrounds. It’s common for public libraries to have playspaces for kids– perhaps your kid will meet a new play buddy that looks different from them or that doesn’t speak english! How would they play together if they don’t speak the same language? Trust me, they figure it out and it’s amazing to observe. Find a convenient directory of public libraries in your state here. Personal Insights: Like many millennial adults, I’ve developed a mild obsession with children’s books- a rather pricey obsession (I’m trying to be mindful of supporting local bookstores). In order to continue shopping at local bookstores, I’ve started to check for books at libraries first. Then I read/test them out with kids and I purchase the ones that elicit the best responses and discussions. This process allows me to support authors, libraries, and local bookstores. You can try doing the same thing at home! I’ll throw in a quick reminder that the library also offers free DVD rentals. No DVD player? DVDs can be played on a variety of Xbox and PlayStation consoles. One more shameless plug, if you haven’t heard of the library app, Libby, it is a must-have. Teaches: relationship building; resourcefulness; cultural awareness 🛍️ Shop at local businesses We’ve all heard the saying, “think global, act local.” As a modern day parent or caregiver, it’s difficult to exclusively live by this motto, especially with the conveniences of Target and Amazon. And it’s no secret that the price points of products at small businesses are much higher than products at big box retailers. It’s totally understandable that you might not always have the budget to shop local, but try to fit it in when possible. Bonus points if you stumble upon a business that’s owned by a community member or staffed by workers in your neighborhood. Toddlers are shocked and excited to see familiar faces working at a store. Through seeing people they recognize, kids can begin unconsciously observing the interconnectedness of their community and the significance of supporting local jobs and businesses. Where to Start: Independent toy stores are magical experiences for kids and they carry toys you can't find at big box stores. Also, staff members are always close by to answer any questions about toys or assist you in finding the perfect gift for a kid! The same goes for independent bookstores! 🧸 Find an independent toy store near you! 📚 Find an independent bookstore near you! Teaches: interconnectedness ✨ Model Civic Engagement Introducing kids to civic engagement begins with showing them how seemingly small actions can make an impact within their community and beyond. When you bring a little one to the polling station, you’re modeling the essence of participation and the value of having a voice in society. Witnessing civic duty in action can deepen a child's perception of community involvement and open their eyes to the responsibilities that come with it. 🗳️ Participate in local, state, and national elections and bring your kid with you. Although toddlers may be too young to learn about the nitty gritty of politics, simply bringing them with you to vote can be a powerful lesson in what it looks like to show up for your community. As a kid, my parents always took me and my siblings to the polling stations. This was back when grownups voted using machine levers and there were only 2-3 of these voting machines per location. Election after election, our polling place was filled with lines out the door, I’m talking amusement park style lines with 45 min waits. Time went by faster when we ran into a kind neighbor or relative that would casually give up their better spot in line to chat and wait with us farther back. When it was finally our turn to go behind the curtain, I would feel so overwhelmed from looking at the awfully confusing machine. The commitment of the grownups wasn’t lost on me… not only did they tolerate the longest lines, but they even put up with using a super confusing machine just to give their opinion! Sure, I was too young to understand the significance of voting, but in observing my community’s commitment to civic engagement, I learned the importance of civic duty. There’s a high chance that poll workers will reward your kiddo with an “I Voted” sticker. These are probably the most valuable stickers kids will ever receive. When caught wearing an “I Voted” sticker, strangers give little ones the warmest smiles and if you stop by a grocery store, sometimes cashiers reward them with a piece of candy at the checkout. In sixth grade, my Social Studies teacher gave us extra credit for going to vote with our parents. We were required to show her our sticker as proof— I wasn’t exaggerating when I said these are the most valuable stickers throughout childhood. Teaches: patience, civic engagement References ¹ Community Care. (n.d.). Mental Health America. Retrieved May 20, 2024, from http://www.mhanational.org/bipoc-mental-health/community-care ² Glimco, E. (2022, March). 5 Ways Libraries Bring Value to Communities. Addison Public Library. https://www.addisonlibrary.org/5-ways-libraries-bring-value-communities

Did you know that your garbage and the contents of your recycling bin can be home to the most creative toys and kid supplies? When we introduce kiddos to upcycling and repurposing materials from an early age, it can model the virtue of resourcefulness and get kids thinking about ways to produce less waste. With that said, I don’t want your household to be overflowing with trash (or what looks like trash). So, below you’ll find a list of materials that can be upcylced into toys and utilized for crafts in the following play categories: Dramatic Play; Fine Motor Development; Sensory Play; Intro to STEM; and Art & Crafts. Feel free to explore the categories that align with your kiddos interest. I also encourage you to check out a category that your kid is least likely to gravitate towards— perhaps these materials will spark their interest in a fresh way and strengthen their play muscles. ✨ Dramatic Play Kids learn so much from dramatic play. Through role-playing. caregiving, and using their imagination, they quickly create new worlds where they process emotions and experiences, often through mimicry. Rather it’s through mimicry or trying out something they saw on Bluey, these playful activities support kiddos in developing fine motor skills, language, and endless curiosity. 🧻 Toilet Paper Rolls Toilet paper rolls are a good base for crafting binoculars. By simply taping a couple rolls together and adding some string to hang around the neck, toilet paper rolls can quickly be transformed into glorified magnifying binoculars. Suddenly, kids have the ability to spot a tiny ant all the way on the other side of the yard. And if you’re lucky, perhaps they’ll use them to spot toys during clean up time! I’ve seen little ones inspired to go on bug expeditions, nature expeditions, and even use their binoculars for bird watching. This simple craft encourages nature play and curiosity about the earth. Tip: toilet paper rolls from companies that source toilet paper from bamboo tend to have the sturdiest tubes (Reel and Caboo) Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; visual sensory exploration; promotes language development via storytelling Teaches: curiosity; appreciation of nature; imaginative thinking; mindfulness; observation 🏴‍☠️ Paper Towel Rolls As for paper towel rolls, while you might just see another empty roll that no one has replaced, a toddler might see it as their new pirate telescope! Kids can decorate the rolls with markers, stickers, or even glue on jewels to add some flair. In the past, I’ve wrapped a little border around the top and bottom of the paper towel rolls using washi tape to give the toy a little pizazz. Feel free to do the same, plus, now you have a reason to pull out the 13 rolls of colorful washi tape collecting dust in the craft drawer! Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; visual sensory exposure; promotes language development via storytelling Teaches: imaginative thinking; creativity: exploration; awareness of the environment 🧋Plastic Cups There are many different ways to upcycle plastic cups! Kids can try cup stacking to build towers or reuse them as pins for a game of bowling. One of my favorite use cases was a few years ago, when we did a camping theme in our classroom of 3 year olds. Our toy props included a set of four Dollar Tree lanterns… but we had 8 kids. Yes, it’s important to teach kids to share and take turns, but the amount of arguing and tears over the lanterns was unbearable. In the toy closet, we had a bunch of battery-operated tea lights. We also had a few clear plastic cups leftover from a holiday party. So, I pulled out a hole puncher, punched a couple holes on both sides of the cup, and connected a pipe cleaner to make a handle. Then, I turned on a tea light and dropped it inside the cup— ta dah, a lantern! The kids were thrilled and everyone went off to the tent or under the loft with their very own lantern. Since then, I’ve replicated the same craft using clear to-go cups from restaurants. As you can see, it’s quite simple to do and only takes a few minutes to make! Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; hand-eye coordination Teaches: curiosity; perception; shadows; light & dark; sensory play 💳 Used Gift Cards The vast majority of gift cards are made with PVC and require extra effort to recycle properly. Instead of trashing them, hand them over to your kiddo. I guarantee you they’ll be thrilled to go shopping in their DIY grocery store using their credit cards, as toddlers like to call gift cards. Through the images of groceries, coffee, ice cream, and logos (think: Target, Amazon), kids are prompted to recreate shopping experiences. Developmental Skills: vocabulary and language; Teaches: negotiation; storytelling; imaginative thinking Food Packaging Empty food packaging items breathe life into a kid’s grocery store or play kitchen by providing realistic shopping and cooking experiences. Little ones can learn about different food groups, practice organizational skills by arranging the products on shelves, and even use the items to prepare meals for their stuffies, siblings, or grownups. Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; language development; counting; planning Teaches: imaginative thinking; creativity; cultural awareness; encourages mimicry and deep play 🌶️ Condiment, Topping, and Spice Containers Empty condiment, topping, and spice containers are ideal for bringing a touch of realism to a standard play kitchen. Kids can pretend to be experienced chefs as they season their meals with familiar spices and maybe even act out trying out a spice or topping that they’ve been hesitant to try in the past. Plus, playing with these items can introduce kiddos to spices from other cultures. 🧁 Sprinkles The easiest way to make pretend sprinkles is to add rainbow dyed rice to an empty bottle of sprinkles. In an effort to be less wasteful, I’ve also recreated a bottle of nonpareils sprinkles by mixing together different colors of floam (I ordered an off brand in hopes it would be a decent consistency, it turned out to be too sticky). 📦 Cardboard Boxes Cardboard boxes are priceless to kids! Huge boxes (think: washing/drying machine boxes) are gold, but harder to come by. Honestly, any size box will bring hours of entertainment, especially if you let your kiddo go wild with markers and stickers! Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; spatial awareness; self-awareness Teaches: creativity; storytelling; imaginative thinking 🔸 Ideas for Extra Large Boxes (Refrigerator boxes, washing/drying machine boxes): spaceship, house, castle, fort, submarine, a Time Machine for fans of Dragons Love Tacos 🔻 Ideas for Medium Boxes: Air conditioner box, diaper box = car or boat 🔹 Ideas for Small Boxes: small world play (football stadium, soccer field, zoo or habitat for animal figures); Barbie/Action figure swimming pool 🔺 Ideas for Long & Narrow Boxes: car ramp, ball ramp, slide for little people, balance beam (when stuffed) for 1-2 year olds 📚 Book Suggestion: Boxitect is a fun read that offers creative ideas for box play! ✨ Fine Motor Development Fine motor development skills are crucial for toddlers, but you don't always need the latest toy from Learning Resources (Spike the hedgehog is in every household these days). Simple recyclable materials can give kids the same practice, while being more personalized and engaging. 🥚 Egg Cartons or Cupcake Containers Egg cartons and cupcake containers are handy for fine motor development activities, the individual compartments are great for sorting and classifying small items like pom poms, beads, nature finds, or other manipulatives. Using tweezers/tongs, toddlers can sort objects into different compartments based on qualities or characteristics (color, size, etc). Developmental Skills: Intro to STEM (counting, sorting by color, shape, qualities; pattern recognition); observation; hand-eye coordination Teaches: independence; patience; precision ☕ Coffee Can You can easily upcycle a coffee container into an engaging toddler toy– I like to call this the Pom Pom Drop Game. Step 1: Save a coffee or tin can that has a plastic lid Step 2: Use an Xacto knife or fine scissors to cut various shaped circles into the lid of the jar Step 3: Give toddler colorful poms poms Step 4: Challenge kid to stuff the poms poms through the holes Developmental Skills: problem solving; object permanence; color recognition; language development Teaches: curiosity; perseverance 🫙 Plastic Containers or Jars Plastic containers can be upcycled in so many different ways. I had a plastic container (from a 12 pack of contact lens cases) and I turned it into a gift card slot game for younger toddlers (tabies). Here’s how you can replicate it: Step 1: Collect/save old gift cards you receive Step 2: Save plastic jar big enough to fit gift cards in Step 3: Use Xacto knife or fine scissors to cut a slot into lid of jar Step 4: Use colored duct tape to tape around slot-this will cover up any sharp edges leftover from cut Step 5: Play! Fun tip: Save enough gift cards to do themed collections! (Example: Winter cards, summer/spring cards, food cards, dog cards, etc!) Developmental Skills: object permanence; fine motor skills; counting; cause & effect Teaches: patience; perseverance ✨ Sensory Play It's always great to try out activities that activate kid's sensory receptors and sensory play does just that. Rather it's through visual, tactile, auditory, or even smell, there are loads of materials that grownups can use to optimize sensory play and many of them can be pulled out of the recycling bin or spared from a landfill. Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; cause & effect; sensory exposure; hand-eye coordination Teaches: curiosity; self-awareness 🌊 Water Bottles for Sensory Bottles Empty water bottles can be transformed into captivating sensory bottles. Fill them with water, glitter, beads, food coloring, or small toys to create an eye-catching visual experience. 🫧 Bubble Wrap for Popping/Sensory Exposure Bubble wrap is both fun and beneficial for sensory play. Popping bubble wrap helps little ones develop fine motor skills as they use their fingers to press and pop. It also provides auditory and tactile stimulation, making it an engaging multi-sensory activity that kids love. Side Note: One year, the kids in our class were obsessed with driving cars along a strip of bubble wrap. …I couldn't figure out why exactly but it could be something to try out. 🍼 Scoopers, Clear Lids, Medicine Cups Scoopers from baby formula, clear liquid detergent lids, and clear medicine cups from over-the-counter medicine for kids are awesome tools for sensory bin activities. Kiddos can use these tools to transfer materials like rice, beans, water, etc. from one container to another, enhancing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and sensory exploration. This activity also encourages imaginative thinking as they pretend to cook, serve, or embark on treasure hunts within their sensory bins. 🪥 Old Toothbrushes Rather than getting rid of your kiddo's old toothbrush, add it to your sensory play toolkit! Kid toothbrushes are particularly designed for small hands to manipulate. ✨ Intro to STEM As amazing as they are, magna-tiles aren't the only STEM toy for kids. Loose parts, like packing peanuts encourage kids to explore construction in a whole new way. Plus, toddlers get to sharpen their executive function skills through planning and problem solving. Developmental Skills: problem-solving; spatial reasoning; engineering Teaches: creativity; imaginative thinking 🥜 Biodegradable Packing Peanuts for Constructive Play Biodegradable packing peanuts offer a unique, yet eco-friendly way to introduce kids to basic STEM concepts, in part because they’re made out of 100% corn starch. Applying small amounts of water to the peanuts using a paintbrush turns them into sticky building blocks that kids can use to construct various structures, from simple shapes to mini igloos. Packing peanuts can also be used for art projects. I’m low high key still proud of the mini igloo a group of 2-3 year olds put together. We have long winters in Buffalo, and one day there was a plastic bowl (think: to-go salad bowl) sitting in our craft cabinet. I cut out a little section to resemble a door frame, then asked the kids to glue on packing peanuts. The next day, we had an igloo for their penguins and other figurines to go along with their pretend play. Safety Note: Ordinary packing peanuts can be a major choking hazard for kids, especially kids 3 and under (they look a lot like pirate’s booty popcorn).I’m not entirely sure if the majority of companies have switched to using biodegradable packing peanuts. My supply has come from LUSH, which I can confirm, exclusively uses biodegradable peanuts. If you come across peanuts in a box, I recommend testing them by running a few in water to see if they dissolve. ✨ Arts & Crafts Arts and crafts is where creativity and resourcefulness thrives. When we present kids with more opportunities to repurpose materials, they not only become more environmentally conscious, but also, more conscious of the trash they generate. Developmental Skills: fine motor skills Teaches: creativity; self-awareness; self-expression 🍪 Plastic Catering Tray For a holiday party, a parent bought in fancy sugar cookies, the kind that are hand decorated and come in a plastic catering tray. While the cookies themselves were a hit or miss amongst the kids, the tray itself was invaluable. From there on out, the plastic catering tray became our go-to solution for marble painting without the mess! To try at home: Step 1: Roll a couple pieces of masking tape onto the back of a sheet of paper. Step 2: Stick paper to the base (white part) of plastic catering tray Step 3: Pour a few dabs of paint on the paper Step 4: Place 3-4 marbles on the paper Step 5: Snap the lid of the tray back on Step 5: Allow kid to go wild shaking the tray as they observe the marbles move and colors mix! ✂️ Old Magazines Invite kids to create collages using cutouts from old magazines. With two-year-olds, you’ll probably have to rip out pages and simply allow them to practice their cutting skills. Typically, kids three and up can independently cut out pictures and letters independently. If you don’t have magazines around, old editions of Highlights magazine, Zoobooks, or even toy catalogues also work! 🌈 Bottle & Pouch Caps Kiddos can use bottle caps as loose parts, for color sorting fine motor activities, and even to make works of art! Instead of tossing the hundreds of colorful pouch caps toddlers go through, save them to help little ones create an eye-catching rainbow display! 🖍️ Scraps of Material (paper, fabric, buttons, etc) In our classroom, we had a smorgasbord (2.5 gallon storage bag) full of odds and ends– small scraps of paper, fabric scraps, random buttons, foam board scraps, and so many other bits. We regularly added to the ever growing collection but also utilized the supplies by inviting kids to make open-ended collages. Well, that was a long list of materials—  I hope you were inspired by a couple suggestions and use cases. I do plan on adding to this list as I try out more materials and as I learn new ideas from kids themselves! How do you use trash and recyclable materials in play? I'd love it if you added your suggestions in the comments below so I can add them to this list. The more examples we have, the less waste we generate!

As an interdisciplinary field, play can quickly get complicated. In fact, the topic of play happens to be so nuanced that developmental psychologists, evolutionary psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and even neuroscientists study play... Good thing you’ve stumbled here— I happen to be a Certified Play Expert with over a decade of play experience! This post will introduce you to common types of play and how each type of play supports childhood development. You'll leave here with a much clearer understanding of how kids play, along with toys that complement each type of play. First, we'll go over a few main types of play: free play, guided play, and competitive play. During free play a kid can take part in many other forms of play. We'll look at some of the most common subcategories, including: dramatic play, physical play, pretend play, constructive play, nature play, and creative play. Next, we'll turn to guided play and it's subcategory, sensory play. Lastly, we'll go over competitive play and games. ✨ Free Play Free Play is centered on unstructured time for kids to play– it’s child-initiated and child-led, with little to no adult intervention. Free play is intrinsically motivated and encourages kids to try things out through trial and error, When a child engages in free play alone, they’re left to use their imagination with the toys or objects that they have open access to. Solitary free play can be easily confused with independent play. Independent play tends to involve more structured activities with less open range. Examples: Kids might make up their own games, create imaginary worlds, or come up with other elaborate ideas– but, they’re the ones in charge of what and how to play. Caregivers may supervise from a distance or stay within earshot of the child or children, only stepping in if necessary. Developmental Skills: Problem solving, language development, coordination Teaches: Autonomy, sharing, cooperation 👑 Dramatic Play Dramatic play involves kids exploring different roles and scenarios as they expand their understanding of the world and themselves. Examples: Dramatic play can look like a kid trying on dress up clothes; doing housekeeping tasks; caretaking of a doll or stuffed animal; cooking in pretend kitchens; playing doctor, house, school; etc. Developmental Skills: Speech and language; classification; executive function skills (in this case, planning out their play scenario); problem solving (stuffed animal is sick and child has to figure out a way to heal it) Teaches: Creativity, imagination, collaboration Toys or Supplies: Play kitchen; grocery store toys; dolls; stuffed animals; doctor's kit; playsilks Note: It’s natural for little ones to reenact a wide spectrum of scenarios. This can include acting out their daily routines, performing scenes from a book or movie. Kids process through play, so it’s even typical for them to act out tough scenarios their families might be facing such as divorce or the passing of a loved one. 🤸🏾‍♀️ Physical Play Also referred to as active play, physical play is all about movement. It involves both fine and gross motor skills. Example: Physical play can look like a kid running around in open space; trying out yoga poses; dancing; climbing a structure; playing catch; jumping on a Nugget couch etc. Developmental Skills: Focus and attention; coordination; muscle development; body and spatial awareness Teaches: Self-awareness; perseverance; resilience; stamina Toys or Supplies: Open space for child to play; pikler climber; balance beam; balls 🙃 Rough and Tumble Play Rough and Tumble play is a form of physical play that's important for learning limits and building social bonds. Examples: Kids engaged in a wrestling match or body tackle. While it’s nearly first instinct to want to break up rough and tumble play, it’s actually a developmentally appropriate type of play. Tickle fights are another example! Developmental Skills: Social bonds; gross motor skills Teaches: Boundaries and limits; respect 🦖 Pretend Play During pretend play, kids manipulate action toys or figurines to create elaborate play scenarios. Similar to dramatic play, pretend play provides children with a safe space to replay and process everything from daily routines to emotional events. Example: Child narrates the life of a toy figurine Developmental Skills: Fine motor skills, storytelling, Teaches: Imagination, resilience Toys or Supplies: Action figures, animals, cars, figurines or toys that represent people 🏢 Constructive Play Unsurprisingly, constructive play is all about construction. During constructive play, a child is focused on building a structure. In the early years (between ages 1 and 2) constructive play typically starts out as stacking, then kids learn the word “tower” and become adamant about building towers. After the tower phase (between ages 2 and 3), toddlers start getting more creative as their language and fine motor skills advance— suddenly they’re excited to show off their castle, digger, city, robot, and a myriad of other constructions. Example: Child attempts to build a structure using loose part materials or toy blocks Developmental Skills: Spatial reasoning; sorting; classification; introduction to STEM; mathematical and problem solving skills; fine motor skills Teaches: Patience; determination; planning Toys or Supplies: Magna-tiles; wooden blocks; Duplo legos 🌱 Nature Play Nature play allows kids to connect with the outdoors and centers their natural curiosity. More and more research has begun to reveal that nature play is one of the most impactful types of play. Example: Has a kid ever bought you a mud pie? That's nature play in action! Developmental Skills: Intro to STEM; cause and effect; observation; classification; sorting Teaches: Respect and appreciation for nature; curiosity; mindfulness Toys or Supplies: Bowl for collecting nature finds; container or pail for water; travel-size spray bottle for watering plants 🎨 Creative Expression Creative expression involves any form of artistic expression, kids often make or produce a final product through creative play. The final product can physical or everlasting, like on a canvas or piece of paper. The final product can also be something a child is proud to show off or share but its' existence is only temporary-- like a dance they learned, a cookie they made for you, a song performed on an instrument. 🖌 Traditional Art Keep in mind, most toddlers aren’t Monet prodigies. A lot of the art they create will probably be scribbles with crayons or random paint strokes until around age 2 and a half. But, creative play is less about the end product and more about the process of a child experimenting with colors and developing the muscles to control their utensils. In case you needed to hear it from someone— you are not obligated to keep every piece of artwork a child brings home or makes for you. Example: Finger painting; Developmental Skills: Fine motor skills Teaches: Patience; planning Toys or Supplies: Art kits; watercolor paint; water brush; blank notebooks; paint sticks; bleeding tissue paper 🥁 Musical Expression Through musical expression, kids create sounds, rhythms, and melodies to communicate feelings, stories, or simply enjoy the joy of music. This form of play can also be a supportive aid in generating connections between the part of the brain that connects with emotions and memories. Example: Child making up their own song or using household objects and/or instruments to produce sounds. Developmental Skills: Fine motor skills; cause and effect; problem solving (how to hold a beat); rhythm; memory and repetition Teaches: Self-expression; imagination; cultural awareness Toys or Supplies: Egg shakers; maracas; repurpose an empty oats container for a soft hand drum; educational music artists for kids to listen to: Laurie Beckner Band; Raffi ✨ Guided Play Guided play is child-led and inspired by the interests of a child. The adult's role is to provide scaffolding to meet a learning goal. This form of play falls along a spectrum between free play and games (which are structured). NAEYC refers to guided play as a form of playful learning¹. Examples: Within a play setup designed to teach shapes, a grownup might see a kid playing various shaped blocks and then prompt them by asking a question like, "Do you think you could show me how to build a tower using only rectangle shaped blocks?" Here's another example of guided play from The LEGO Foundation². Although the example is geared toward educators, any caregiver or play facilitator can apply a similar approach during guided play: "Children building with blocks will often go as high as possible. Noticing this, an educator can suggest they compare which tower is taller, count how many blocks each tower has, and even use blocks as a unit of measure to compare heights and lengths of all kinds of objects in the class." Developmental Skills: Problem solving; color recognition; sorting; classification; vocabulary; counting; Intro to STEM skills Teaches: Adaptability (adjusting to given guidelines), specific academic or life concepts (like colors, shapes, numbers, or social scenarios) Toys or Supplies: Shape sorters; puzzles; guided Lego kits 🌊 Sensory Play Sensory Play engages multiple senses at the same time. Activities under this category involve stimulating visual (colors, patterns), auditory (sound, noise), kinesthetic (movement, motion), or tactile (touch, feel, texture) components. You can also activate olfactory receptors through pleasing scents like cinnamon or peppermint. Sensory Play falls under guided play for a couple reasons: (1) Young toddlers require supervision due to choking hazards and general safety. (2) Unlike the openness of free play, it's common for caregivers to set up sensory bins that revolve around a theme, season, or holiday. However, most kids ages 3 and up can do sensory play independently. Example: Washing toys in a sensory bin; sand play; shaving cream mixing; sensory bottles Developmental Skills: Fine motor skills; exploration of cause & effect; observation; sensory exposure Teaches: Imagination; mindfulness; self-expression (through clay and play dough use) Toys or Supplies: Play dough; clear sensory bins; small toy figurines ✨ Competitive Play Through Competitive Play kids engage in games or activities with defined rules and a clear objective. This form of play often introduces little ones to the concept of winning or achieving a goal before others, as well as how to handle defeat. Competitive play helps kids see competition in a positive light and motivates them to simply do their best. It also provides a safe environment for little ones to experience and manage a healthy amount of pressure. Examples: Races; treasure hunts; obstacle courses; a game of Hot Potato; Soccer Shots Developmental Skills: Gross motor skills; coordination; problem solving (how to win or why did they loose); memory (remembering the rules) Teaches: Patience, rule following; leadership; sportsmanship; turn taking; self-regulation; collaboration; self-confidence Toys or Supplies: Soccer ball; basketball; mini size football; goals or orange cones 🎲 Games Games allow kids to familiarize themselves with structure and rules. Examples: There are many forms of games: board games; card games; physical games (games that require movement), educational games (including games that require memory and observation); and guessing games to name a few. Developmental Skills: Fine motor skills; memory; concentration; attention Teaches: Self-regulation; turn-taking; patience; delayed gratification; mindfulness Toys or Supplies: Candyland; Zingo; Lion in the Way; Twister; Pick Up Sticks; Memory card games Citations: ¹ Jensen, H., Pyle, A., Zosh, J. M., Ebrahim, H. B., Zaragoza Scherman, A., Reunamo, J., & Hamre, B. K. (2019). Play facilitation: the science behind the art of engaging young children (white paper). The LEGO Foundation, DK. ² Digital excerpt from book by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children): Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8. 4th ed. (2022) Washington, DC

Looking for a fun, nature craft to try with your kiddo? Here's a step-by-step guide to growing your very own, hairy grass caterpillar! This project takes around 15 min to do with little ones. You'll start to see grass sprouting around Day 4 or 5 and between 7-9 days for the caterpillar to fully develop. Step 1: Fill dish pan/container with fresh dirt or soil It doesn't matter what type of soil you choose, in the past, I've simply purchased a bag from the Dollar Tree for this activity. (If you have a garden, feel free to collect a bin's worth of soil from your garden) Step 2: Add  3-4 cups of grass seed This is a solid amount to go for, but we all know how toddlers can go overboard— not a big deal if they do. We used 1 cup measuring cups, but scoopers also work. Step 3: Mix grass seeds and soil together Have your kid stir the seeds around the soil. Step 4: Use a small funnel to pour dirt inside a stocking Place funnel or makeshift cup funnel inside the stocking and pour in the dirt and soil mix. Add enough mix to make a head (think: the size of a stress ball). If you're interested in making a quick funnel, just cut off a quarter of a plastic cup. Step 5: Tie off the section Tie the section off using a 2 inch piece of pipe cleaner. You can also use twist ties Step 6: Repeat steps 4 & 5 Repeat the process of adding more dirt and tying off each segment to create 3 more round body parts. You'll want 4 body segments total. Have your kiddo practice counting the body segments as you go along and perhaps compare the sizes with them aloud. Try asking questions like: Do you know what shape this is? How many circles do we have now? Is this one full enough? Step 7: Give your caterpillar a bath! Submerge the caterpillar in a tub of lukewarm water and let it sit for a few hours. This allows the dirt to thoroughly absorb the water. Step 8: Remove caterpillar from bath Allow your caterpillar to rest in a tray. No more watering needed the rest of the day. Step 9: Water daily using a spray bottle The following day, begin watering your caterpillar daily. Not to worry if your kid goes overboard with the watering. This activity is less about teaching kids to have green thumbs and more about introducing kids to their ability to nurture nature. Step 10: Water, Wait, & Watch Continue watering daily. After about 3-4 days, grass will begin to sprout its hair! For toddlers, this may feel like an eternity, but it's a good lesson in patience. As the saying goes, "You can't rush mother nature." By Day 5, your caterpillar will resemble something like the picture below. Step 11: Enjoy your grass caterpillar! Between Day 7 and 9, your caterpillar's hair will start getting pretty wild! At this point, feel free to add googly eyes, a pom pom nose, and/or pipe cleaner antennas using a dab of glue . Bonus Activity: Engage fine motor skills by inviting kiddos to give the caterpillar a haircut using kid-friendly scissors. Developmental Skills: Intro to STEM (observation; ) cause & effect; fine motor skills; Teaches: patience; appreciation for nature; mindfulness Fun Fact: This activity was adapted from the Better Home & Garden's May 2013 issue, but it's very possible that the concept came from a well-known toy company. In 1994, Spin Master released its first product, the Earth Buddy—  a nylon stocking-covered head of sawdust topped with grass seeds! So, what are you waiting for? Go find an old stocking, grass seed, soil, and get started on this activity with your little one! I hope this project brings just as much joy to your little one as it's bought so many kids in the past! Please share pics of your grassy caterpillar in the comment section below! Sincerely, Briesh P.S. Stay Conscious + Curious

Kids don’t always need traditional toys to make mindful memories. Sometimes, it’s the household items around your house that they can play with for hours. The items listed below can spark inspiration for active play, dramatic play, fine motor activities, and even introduce toddlers to foundational STEM concepts. And no worries if you don’t have these items around the house, they all cost less than your average toy and nearly every item can be purchased secondhand! Active Play Balloons I can’t overstress the convenience of having a pack of inflatable balloons on hand year round. Kids still adore a classic game of Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground, also known as Keepy Uppy! Literally, blow up a balloon, tie it, and throw it to your kid, they’ll naturally dive in to give it a hit, and stay busy for a solid 30 minutes or longer! Why do kids love playing with balloons? Kids love playing with balloons because they’re so light and move through the air slower than balls. Toddlers appear to be excited by the slower speed of the light ball and perceive it to be easier for them to catch the balloon. What tends to happen is the light weight of the balloon makes it a lot harder for them to predict where the balloon will ultimately land. So, younger toddlers end up having less chances to catch the balloon (they can generally expect balls to land somewhere very close to their hands). However, they do spend a lot of time eagerly and blissfully running after the balloon– which makes balloon play awesome for active play! Safety Note: Balloon play should be supervised for kids ages 1-2, and/or amongst kids that mouth toys Developmental Benefits: Gross motor skills; eye-hand coordination; spatial reasoning Teaches: Problem solving; perseverance Laundry Baskets While your laundry basket may be full of a pile of laundry, I invite you to dump it out every now and then and let your kiddos play with it. Laundry baskets are especially handy for sibling play! Older siblings often have younger siblings hop in the basket and push them around the house. In doing so, the older sibling gets a good workout in, while releasing a lot of energy. Typically, the younger sibling will unsuccessfully try to role reverse and attempt to push their older sibling around. After struggling for a few minutes, the younger sibling learns the limits of their strength and also gets a good workout in. Kids can also use laundry baskets for imaginative play– a classic hamper can resemble a boat, perfect for pairing with a magnetic fishing game. Have child sit in the boat and distribute the fish around the boat. Then have the child use magnetic fishing rods to reach out of the boat and catch the magnetic fish. Safety Note: This activity is best suited for the first or main floor of the house. Avoid having kids do this on the upper floors of your house unless you have a baby gate blocking all staircases. Tip: Works best on carpeted flooring. Developmental Benefits: gross motor skills; balance; coordination; spatial awareness; proprioceptive input Teaches: self-awareness; collaboration; imagination Travel-Size Spray Bottles I recommend toddler-friendly spray bottles often because they’re perfectly designed for small hands. When filled with water, toddlers can easily use these for play in a variety of ways, including: outdoor water play; sensory play; cleaning toys; and even for art activities. Developmental Benefits: fine motor skills; cause & effect; hand-eye coordination Teaches: self-awareness; autonomy Dramatic Play Tea Light Candles (Battery Powered) When I worked at a nursery school, a bright 2 year old showed up to our classroom with a handful of battery powered tea light candles. Her mom raved about how much fun her daughter had finding creative ways to use the tea lights throughout the weekend and gifted them to our classroom. For days we watched kids play with (and fight over) the tea lights until it was time to rotate the toys. Needless to say, I added tea light candles to my toy box and have used them with many other toddlers. Here are a few use cases: Dramatic Play: pretend campfire; fancy dinner; DIY lantern) Constructive x Pretend Play: used to light up magna-tile building; dollhouse accessory; Encanto prop Mini Flashlights Toddlers marvel at the literal and figurative power mini flashlights bring them, but also, flashlights are just flat out fun! You'll likely find kiddos turning off all the lights and going off on an adventure in the dark! Why do kids love playing with flashlights and tea lights? Kids love playing with flashlights and tea lights because it provides them with a bite-size piece of autonomy. The autonomy comes in the form of being in charge of their own light source that they can freely control with the flick of a switch. Flashlights also allow toddlers to explore familiar surroundings from a new perspective and even taps into a comfortable dose of scary play, which I’ll write about soon! Developmental Benefits: perception; observation; cause & effect; intro to STEM (concepts of light and shadow) Teaches: autonomy; conservation Lululemon Bags Throughout toddlerhood, kids pretend to go shopping. Lululemon bags happen to make great reusable bag props. Kids can comfortably pack, unload, and carry around play food or toys without trouble. Standard reusable bags are half the size of toddlers, which makes them awkward for them to carry and usually results in toddlers dragging the bags. Not to worry, you don’t have to buy anything from Lululemon to get your hands on one of their reusable shopping bags! It turns out that Lululemon bags are very easy to find at the thrift store. In fact, I’ve purchased them for as cheap as 49 cents at a local Amvets! Why are Lululemon bags good for dramatic play? The design and the size of the bags is the true value. To be clear, it’s less about the brand and more about the function and convenience of the mini reusable bags–  they’re perfectly shaped for tiny humans to hold and handle with ease. If you have a Wegmans in your region, they also sell this size. On rare occasions, you can find them around the checkout area of Target. To my knowledge, Lululemon is the only national retailer that widely distributes this size bag. Additionally, the snap button adds more appeal for toddlers. Nonetheless, if you happen to wear a lot of Lululemon branded clothing, your kiddo will be stoked to carry around a bag with the same logo as their caregiver. Toddlers love reenacting home life! Developmental Benefits: coordination; balance; object manipulation Teaches: independence; body-awareness (hey, I’m strong enough to carry groceries); responsibility (I can help my family carry bags when we go shopping) Intro to STEM & Fine Motor Skills Calculators Kids love pressing buttons (occasionally yours), but calculators are a great screen-free and sound-free way to entertain kiddos. Why do toddlers like playing with calculators? Calculators allow toddlers and even big kids to explore the depths of numbers freely. Developmental Benefits: Intro to STEM (early numeracy (number recognition); number exploration; counting; mathematical thinking) Teaches: curiosity; problem solving Sensory Bin Tools Sensory bins are a playground for the imagination, and you don't need specialized equipment to create one. Everyday items like measuring cups, clear containers, Tupperware, and even clear lids from Seventh Generation detergent can be repurposed for endless fun. These tools are excellent for scooping and pouring, helping little ones refine their motor skills. Even old toothbrushes can be included for a unique twist, allowing toddlers to practice cleaning their toys while they play. This kind of creative reuse not only sparks joy in kids but also teaches them valuable lessons in sustainability. Measuring cups, clear containers, tupperware, clear Seventh Generation detergent lids Good for scooping, pouring, Developmental Benefits: cause & effect; object manipulation; hand-eye coordination; observation Teaches: resourcefulness; curiosity Reusable Ice Cubes Have any reusable ice cubes in the freezer? These are perfect for little hands and can turn sensory play into a sensational experience. Kids love exploring the cool, smooth texture of the ice cubes and naturally turn to counting, stacking, and sorting them. The cubes can be played with inside an empty sensory bin or with water play. In water, toddlers can scoop, transfer, and watch them float. Developmental Skills: fine motor skills; sensory exposure; pattern recognition; exploration of cause & effect Teaches: curiosity; observation Colanders Sure, colanders are useful for straining water, but they’re even more useful as a toy for toddlers to practice fine motor skills. Flip a colander over and voila, you have a tool for kids to feed pointy objects through! Examples: DIY flower bouquet; heart stick bouquet Developmental Skills: precision; planning; cause & effect; spatial reasoning Teaches: diligence; attentiveness Before purchasing another toy, take a minute to be mindful of what you already have around the house— your set of hair rollers just might be your toddlers new favorite toy!

No pool in your backyard? You’re not alone— only around 15% of households in the U.S. have swimming pools. But that doesn’t mean your toddler can’t enjoy the benefits of a pool without actually having one. Let’s take a look at some water play supplies you can start gathering now to keep your kiddo cool all summer long! Supplies for Epic Water Play Fun Sensory Bins Toddler-friendly Spray Bottle Bubbles Household Toys Sponge Brushes Old Toothbrushes Sprinkler or Splash Pad Plastic Ice Cubes Sensory Bins A few years ago, Target came out with clear personal size storage bins and you know what they're perfect for? Cheap sensory bins! The clear transparency of the bins provides toddlers with a comprehensive visual of the materials inside the container. The low height of the bins make them ideal for kids to easily reach in and start playing. Plus, they don't require much water to fill up and are easier to dump and/or move to a shady area than say a water table. If you're not convinced yet, a Target reviewer of these bins, named Cathy, wrote, "These are awesome for sensory bins! I love that they fit a good amount and are shallow so my son can reach in and play while seated at the table!" Developmental Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Sensory Exposure Toddler-Friendly Spray Bottle These travel size spray bottles are an easy way to keep kids cool while encouraging independent play! Fill these little guys up with fresh cold water before heading outside and watch your little one find endless uses! They're basically designed for small hands to manipulate with complete ease and the only setting is a mist. There isn't knob to adjust for a direct squirt, which means your kiddo will not have to constantly run over to you asking for help adjusting the setting. Adult-size tools and supplies aren't always optimal for toddlers. Would you give a toddler adult-size scissors to use? Of course not! Sure, there's a significant risk of injury, but my main concern with this scenario is the fact that it's asking a toddler to demonstrate advanced fine motor skills (scissor handles are heavy). Two and 3 year-olds should be focused on developing muscle strength in their little hands. Mastery with tools takes time and lots of practice to develop. These spray bottles are also a gentle method of exposing sensory avoidant kids to sensory play. Over the years, I've worked with a handful of kids that have been scared of to run through a sprinkler, but none have ever been scared of getting misted with these spray bottles or trying them out. I first came across these spray bottles at my local Wegmans (in the travel-size section). But, you can also find them on Amazon. Tip: The travel size spray bottles you typically find at Target or Walmart are bit larger in size, which is why I recommend the Good-to-Go travel size spray bottles, especially for younger toddlers. Developmental Benefits: Fine Motor Skills (good practice with hand-eye coordination), Active Play (physical activity), Mindfulness of the Environment Bubbles There are many reliable bubble solution recipes floating around out there (get it)? For the sake of time and water waste, I pass on making my own bubbles- the margin for error and waste is just too high. Instead, I buy a huge bottle of bubble solution from Target (128 oz.). This bottle will likely last you all season long. I've tested many bubble solution brands over the years. These bubbles are the most bubbly, most reliable and most affordable on the market- only $5! This jug of bubbles can be used to refill personal size kid's bubbles, fill up bubble machines, and as soap solution for cleaning toys in sensory bins. Developmental Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Emotional Regulation (learning not to get too upset if/when they can't blow a bubble), Patience, Cognitive Development (exploration of cause & effect), Sensory Exposure Household Toys Not many parents realize that you don't HAVE to buy new toys for summer. Pull out an old clear tupperware container or buy one of the sensory bin containers mentioned above, throw in some bubble solution, water, and repurpose toys you already have around the house! Open up your notes app and make a quick list of your kid’s toys that dry fairly easily. The next time you need to keep a kid busy, challenge them to get their favorite action figure or barbie really dirty outside. Then, ask them to give the toy a bath in the sensory bin. This short video has some other ideas you can try using this approach! -> Developmental Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Problem Solving (what can and can't be washed? how long will an object take to dry?), Patience (waiting for toys or objects to dry) Sponge Brushes Unsurprisingly, sponge brushes are great at absorbing water. They're fairly cheap, you can find them at the Dollar Tree or a larger pack from the craft store. Sponge brushes can also be used for indoor crafts on a rainy day. These brushes are good for painting wooden crafts and/or as a mixing tool with a shaving cream activity. Developmental Benefits: Fine motor skills, Cognitive Development (exploration of cause & effect), Creativity Old Toothbrushes Instead of throwing away your kid's old worn toothbrush, store it with sensory play supplies. Toothbrushes are easier for small hands to manipulate than dish brushes. When washing small toys like Hot Wheels or even seashells, smaller bristle heads allow toddlers to take their time as they bathe or clean their toys. During the activities where they use toothbrushes, kids tend to be a lot more mindful and observant of the qualities of the toys or objects they're cleaning. I often hear kids excitingly point out something about a toy that they never noticed before. Developmental Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Language Development (practice communicating observations), Mindfulness Sprinkler or Splash Pad Sprinklers are more than just practical tools for watering your lawn— they're often a source of pure joys for many kids! Splash pads are one of the most convenient ways to cool down a toddler while they play independently. Both sprinklers and splash pads present little to no risk of drowning for toddlers, so constant supervision isn't required 100% of the time. That means, you can take take a breather, grab some water, and even load the dishwasher before returning outside to play with your kiddo! Developmental Benefits: Gross Motor Skills (running, jumping), Active Play, Sensory Exposure Plastic Ice Cubes Throughout the summer, keep a bag of small plastic ice cubes in the freezer. Ice cubes are a sensational addition to sensory bin play. I've also worked with many 2-3 year olds that enjoy stacking the cubes to form a tower or sorting them into to make patterns. Note: Most 2 year olds will require monitoring while playing with these cubes considering they can be a choking hazard. Developmental Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Sensory Exposure, Pattern Recognition, Cognitive Development (exploration of cause & effect) Common Questions About Water Play:

We all know how commercialized Valentine's Day is in America, but it's very difficult not to acknowledge the mega popular holiday. Here are four Valentine activities for toddlers chosen with intention. Creative Play: Tissue Paper Heart Craft Year Round Play: Fake Flower Bouquet No Prep Activity: Heart Stick Bouquet Sensory Play: Valentine Sensory Bottle 💕 Tissue Paper Heart Craft Kids love making tissue paper window art. The beautiful blend of colors resemble stained glass windows. Just a glimpse at one of these hearts on your window will brighten everyone's day! Best For | Creative Play Ages | 2+ Prep | Low Mess Level | Low Supplies Needed: Red, pink, or purple construction paper Red, pink. or purple tissue paper Scissors Clear contact paper- $6.99 Target Masking tape (optional) Step 1: Prepare the Heart Freehand No heart template needed for this one! Simply fold a sheet of construction paper in half and draw half of a heart on the fold. Keep the paper folded and cut along the line you drew. You should be left with a heart cutout— feel free to set this heart aside for a later project. Open construction paper to reveal the larger heart your kiddo will be using. Step 2: Cut Up Tissue Paper Cut various colored tissue paper into small squares and drop them into a bowl or small basket (toddlers will have an easier time picking the pieces up from a container versus on the table). Step 3: Prepare Contact Paper Roll out enough contact paper (about 8 in.) to cover the surface of your large heart, then cut it down the line. Repeat a second time. Think of it as a giant sticker over the construction paper. Next, peel the contact paper and set it down on a table, sticky side facing up towards the ceiling. Next, carefully take the large construction paper heart and press it down onto the contact paper. Step 4: Kid Takeover Allow the child to stick the pieces of tissue paper all over the sticky heart in any way they want. It might be tempting to micromanage how many pieces kids stick on, but the more open-ended you keep this activity, the cooler the pieces turn out! Step 5: Final Touches by Grownup Once kid is done, check to see if any pieces of tissue paper overflow to the borders of the heart. If so, fold them over or cut them slightly off. Now it’s time to use the second piece of contact paper you cut earlier. Peel the contact paper. Starting with one section of the contact paper, carefully press it down over the kiddo’s tissue paper heart (doing one section at a time helps reduce any air bubbles). Finally, cut out the heart, leaving a thin border around the edge of the heart. You can use tape or use contact paper scraps to attach the heart to a window. Developmental Skills: fine motor development, in particular, spatial reasoning; Teaches: creativity; patience; imperfection 💐 Fake Flower Bouquet Flowers are everywhere throughout the Valentine's Day season. But, flowers aren't just relevant to Valentine's Day. This flower bouquet activity can be used all year round (spring activity; summer activity; winter activity to brighten up the season). Best For | Year round play Ages | 1 ½ + Prep | Moderate Mess Level | Low Supplies Needed: Fake flowers -$1.25 per bundle Dollar Tree Wire cutter - $7.99 Joann Fabrics Colander - $1.25 Dollar Tree Fabric placemat (optional) Instructions: Step 1: Get Fake Flowers Pick out a few Valentine themed fake flower bouquets from the Dollar Tree. (Red carnations, purple roses, pink peonies, etc) Step 2: Use Wire Cutters to Cut the Flowers Remove the sticky price tag. Then use a crafting pair of wire cutters to cut the stems of the flowers to various lengths. Repeat the process for each bouquet until you have a mix of flower colors. Step 3: Kid Takeover Turnover a colander and allow the child to insert the flowers into the holes of the colander until they’re happy with their flower arrangement. 😊 One time a kid and I liked their arrangement so much, we kept their bouquet intact and used it as a centerpiece during dinner! Developmental Skills: precision; spatial awareness; color recognition; counting Teaches: patience; appreciation for nature ❤️ Heart Stick Bouquet (No Prep) Heart Stick bouquets are very cheap to set up with a trip to the Dollar Tree. Although the sticks are glitter heavy, toddlers tend to spend 20-30 min on this fine motor activity. I've also worked with a few kids that adore using these as wands for dramatic play. Note: Try spraying a coating of matte mod podge on the hearts to reduce glitter shedding Best For | Frugal fine motor play Ages | 1 ½ + Prep | No prep Mess Level | Low Supplies Needed: Valentine's Day Wooden Glitter Heart Picks Colander - $1.25 Dollar Tree Fabric placemat (optional) Instructions: Step 1: Buy Heart Sticks I’ve only been able to find these at the Dollar Tree (labeled as Heart Picks on the packaging) Step 2: Locate or Buy a Cheap Colander Either use a colander you have on hand or purchase a red one from the Dollar Tree (labeled as a slotted spoon on the tag) Step 3: Kid Takeover Developmental Skills: fine motor development, in particular, spatial reasoning; precision; counting Teaches: patience ⏳Valentine Sensory Bottle Perfect for little hands and curious minds, this mesmerizing bottle is filled with red static glitter and decorative gems to offer a calming experience for kids and grownups alike. It's an easy way to incorporate the Valentine theme around the house, while engaging the senses. Best For | Sensory play Ages | 1 ½ + Prep | Low Mess Level | Low Supplies Needed: Empty water bottle Heart shaped gemstones- $1.25 Dollar Tree or $9.99 on Amazon Valentine table scatter- $1.25 Dollar Tree Red & white static glitter - $2.49 Michael’s Baby oil 20 oz. bottle- $3.99 Target Clear bin or box for easier cleanup (optional) Instructions: Step 1: Locate an empty plastic water bottle The design of Voss water bottles makes them ideal for sensory bottles. However, most craft stores sell slightly taller, but similar bottles. Step 2: Pour in static glitter Static glitter adds an awesome effect to sensory bottles... but sticks to anything and everything! Use a popsicle stick or another long object to push the glitter into the sensory bottle. (This step is when the bin or box is super convenient at collecting spills and makes clean up a lot easier.) Step 3: Add gems Add all of your cute gems. Depending on your location and time of the year, you might be able to find heart shaped gemstones or vase filler at the Dollar Tree year round. If not, Dollar Tree's Valentine's Day inventory goes on the display the first week of January. At this time, you can easily find a pack of Valentine table scatter, which includes themed gems. Step 4: Add baby oil Pour in enough baby oil to fill up the bottle. Step 5: Twist lid on tightly and shake Twist the lid back on the bottle and give it a shake. Observe the movement of the contents inside. Add more glitter if you notice too much empty space. Step 6: Apply clear packaging tape Once you're happy with the results, add a clear piece of packaging tape along the lid to prevent leaks. This should also prevent curious kids from opening the bottle. Developmental Skills: observation; intro to STEM (kinetic energy) Teaches: perception; curiosity; patience

Sarah’s Silks offers such a variety of open-ended toys— which toy is the best fit for the kiddo you have in mind? Over the past couple years, I’ve used the following Sarah’s Silks toys with 20 kids in total (ranging from babies, toddlers, and big kids) during countless babysitting gigs. Kids use playsilks in a number of creative ways, but let's take a closer look at how they engage with various types of Sarah's Silks toys. ✨ Giant Playsilks Price | $15- $25 Best For | Baby play; dramatic play Most Popular with Kids | Rainbow playsilk; star playsilk Giant Playsilks are a must-have for epic fort-building. While you probably grew up draping blankets and sheets over your childhood forts— giant playsilks bring a completely fresh dynamic to fort-building. Many of the giant silks feature a beautiful ombré blend of colors that simply leave kiddos in awe. Each silk also has a subtle hint of transparency, yet still allows kids to feel a sense of privacy as they play independently in their forts. Kids adore this paradox and literally laugh out loud about it! Giant playsilks have been my most popular and most frequently used toy amongst the kids I work with between ages 2-8. These particular play scarves are also amongst the most multi-purposed toys in my collection. How kiddos incorporate playsilks into their builds varies depending on the setting of their playspace and materials at our disposal (toys they own or materials we find around the house, like large cardboard boxes). Some kids use standard dining room chairs to hang the scarves from. Sometimes kids ask for help putting together a fort kit, then drape playsilks over the structure. Other times, kids upgrade their cardboard boxes with silk doors or turn their play couches into clubhouses featuring skylights made of patterned silks! As you can see, there are countless ways to use giant playsilks, which is why kids can spend so much time playing independently while using them! Teaches: Creativity; imaginative thinking; problem solving Developmental Benefits: Fine motor skills ✨ Playclips Price | $8- $28 Best For | Fort building; strengthening fine motor skills Most Popular with Kids | Tall playclips Now, you might be thinking, how do kids make the playsilks stay in place when they’re building a fort? In order to keep playsilks in place- and bring fort building to the next level- you’ll also need handy dandy playclips! Playclips are kind of like giant clothespins minus the metal. However, these clips are handcrafted from maple wood and bound together by an extra thick (and extra durable) white elastic band, which allows the clip to contract open and close. I have the older version of the tall playclips that were 4.5 inches in height. Towards the bottom of the playclips are two notches on both sides, where elastic bands were placed to support kids in retaining their grasp. In the current edition of the playclips, the size has been reduced by an inch to 3.5 inches. According to their website, this change was made to better accommodate the small size of kids’ hands. It looks like the size reduction has made it unnecessary for the playclips to include additional grip bands. (Hey, less pieces, less problems) Around the age of 2 ½, kids have developed the muscle strength to use the 4.5 in playclips with total ease. Kiddos younger than 2 ½ tend not to have the hand strength quite yet. I’m excited to order a set of the newer 3.5” playclips and try them out with younger twos— my guess is after a few tries, they’ll be able to confidently attach them to the playsilks. After 2 years of bringing playclips to various houses, I’m happy to report that none of the kids have managed to break the elastics. Teaches: Creativity; problem solving; patience Developmental Benefits: Fine motor skills ✨ Classic Playsilks Price | $18- $22 Best For | Baby play; dramatic play Most Popular with Kids | Rainbow playsilk; star playsilk Classic playsilks are 35 x 35 inches which happens to be around the size of many baby play mats. It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to hear that classic playsilks effortlessly complement baby play! These silks are perfect for fans of the blue and green ombré play scarf that comes in the Lovevery explorer play kit. Toddlers and big kids use these to drape over “doorway entrances” of their forts or cardboard box doors. Grownups can even loosely tie a standard playsilk around a kid’s body to create a makeshift cape, skirt, or dress. By far the classiest use is when kids decide to turn one into an elegant tablecloth spread! Teaches: Object permanence; creativity Developmental Benefits: Fine motor skills ✨ Silk Capes Price | $24- $34 Best For | Dramatic play; dress-up Most Popular with Kids | Rainbow silk cape I’m sure you’ve seen or own typical kid’s capes— ya know, where the black ones are for Batman, red ones for Spiderman, etc. Similar to the design of the playsilks, Sarah’s Silks capes are simply covered in beautiful patterns or ombré colors. But the true magic of these capes is the fact that they do not resemble mainstream superhero characters. The simple design allows kids to expand their imaginations beyond the media. Instead of always pretending to be their favorite superhero character, kids are encouraged to create their own version of a superhero. Unless your little one is a buttoning pro, most kids under 4 will require assistance in putting the cape on and taking it off. The button itself and the hole for the button are quite tiny which makes it tricky for kids. Over time and with practice, children under four can learn to fasten and unfasten the button without help. But I do wish the company would make a velcro version of the capes. Note: Silk capes are made of heavyweight (8 momme) mulberry silk. This silk feels slightly less “silky” than the playsilks, which are lightweight silk (5 momme). Still worth the purchase though! Teaches: Creativity, imagination Developmental Benefits: Fine motor skills (buttoning); gross motor skills ✨ Balloon Ball Covers Price | $16 Best For | Mixed age group play; active play Most Popular with Kids | Rainbow balloon cover Sarah’s Silks balloon covers are a toy accessory you never knew you needed. For some bizarre reason, letting an air balloon hit the ground feels like you’d be committing a mortal sin. Rather you’re 2 or 60, stretching a ligament an extra few feet is practically a reflex. While the company recommends the balloon covers for ages 3 and up, I’ve actually found them ideal for ages 1 and up. You can introduce these to kids as soon as they can walk comfortably. While typical balloon play can make adults nervous with little ones, balloon covers allow you to tuck the knot of the balloon inside of the cover and out of a little one’s sight. It’s common for 1 ½ year olds to mouth or even try biting the balloon ball. But, they only end up mouthing the fabric versus the balloon. Basically, the cover puts a much safer barrier between a latex balloon and a kiddo’s mouth. (Supervision is still required at all times with this age) Balloon covers are also a fun way to keep tabies (babies/toddlers) and big kids active, especially for families without the space or budget for pikler triangles or large play equipment. Since everyone already loves a game of Keepy Uppy (balloon ball), why not double the fun by using these majestic balloon covers?! You can find the covers both in the rainbow pattern pictured above, as well as in a star pattern  resembling the popular star playsilk. Note: Balloon covers are essential for Bluey fans wholly convinced that balloons pop when they touch grass. Teaches: Problem solving, upcycling Developmental Benefits: Gross motor skills; eye-hand coordination ✨ Playmaps Price | $14- $22 Best For | Pretend play Most Popular with Kids | Rainbowland playmap Sarah’s Silks playmaps are so cool to look at, they’re very hard not to impulse buy. Kids adore these playmaps when they’re brand new. However, I store all my playsilks in a drawstring bag (for easy travel from house to house). After a few weeks my playmaps accumulate so many wrinkles. Kids are not interested in straightening them out to view the maps— I’m also uninterested in ironing them, knowing that they’re going to get re-squished shortly after. With that said, as long as kids have a way of keeping their playmaps wrinkle free, these can be a lot of fun for pretend play! Grab action figures, animals, little people, even Barbie could have an adventure on a themed playmap. Depending on the season and time of the year, sometimes the company makes playmaps that connect through bridges or pathways! Teaches: Problem solving; imagination Developmental Benefits: Storytelling; language development As we wrap up our look at Sarah's Silks, it's clear these toys go beyond ordinary fun— they're gateways to a kid's world of imaginative play. From fort-building to dress-up, each silk or accessory brings a touch of magic to everyday play, encouraging kids to create and explore. All of these toys will make simple, yet powerful, additions to playtime. Before you head over to add one to your cart, find solace in knowing that you're not just buying a toy, but an adventure for a little one! FAQ About Sarah's Silks Toys