If you’re well-versed in the benefits of sensory play for kids, you’ve likely got a mental picture in your head of what it looks like: sticky hands, muddy feet, stained fingers. After all – isn’t sensory play just educational shorthand for making a massive mess? Not at all. Despite what …

Struggling with boredom in your household? Are your kids moping around, feeling listless, airing the age-old struggle: I’m sooooooo bored!? You’re not alone. We’ve been fielding a ton of conversations around the topic of boredom in our members-only forums these days. And while we all know that boredom is a …

Here’s the truth: if you do nothing else “school-wise” outside of reading to your child in these early years, you’ll have done enough. By far! The research is overwhelming – children under 7 who are read to an average of just 20 minutes daily boast above average skills across the …

When it comes to teaching our kids to play independently, much of the work can be done with a few wise investments in the way of toys. And although we’ll always believe in prop-free, prep-free learning (i.e. you don’t need bins full of toys and stacks of curricula to teach …

We all want our kids to be lifelong friends, right? But in these early, sticky days of tantrums and hair-pulling and “It’s not fair!,” fostering friendships between siblings can often feel like a completely unattainable goal. In fact, research suggests that kids aged 2-4 fight or disagree EVERY 6.3 minutes! …

You know the type — the curious collector who turns stacks of melted cough drops into a sculpture, the engineering enthusiast who begs daily to re-wire the vacuum cleaner, the tormented tot who counters every boundary you set with an all-caps, “WHY?!” For those of us who are parenting a …

In a recent study on moral intelligence, educational consultant Dr. Michele Borba noted that the most overlooked aspect of a child’s early learning experience is, surprisingly, character. “That’s what parents don’t seem to get, the hidden values of character traits for success. They see character education as fluff, because that’s …

Dr. Suess. Laura Ingalls Wilder. Mark Twain. What to make of those beloved, nostalgic children’s book authors whose classic works claim to depict and contain stereotypical references, images, and themes? Today, we’re offering a few considerations to help determine a course of action that’s the best fit for your family, …

In today’s post, it’s time to get real about the “Invitation to Play” you might have seen your favorite Insta parenting influencers touting. In case you’re not yet familiar, an Invitation to Play is often presented as an (increasingly complex) activity a parent sets up for a child in order …

Ready to hear one of the greatest tools you have at your disposal as a parent and teacher? It’s not the curriculum. It’s not the method. It’s not the stack of flashcards, the Wobbel board, or the 101 Play Hacks e-book your favorite Instagram account keeps touting. It’s far simpler, …