If your preschooler is learning her letter names and letter sounds, you may be wondering where her skills are. An editable letter identification assessment is what you need to understand exactly what your preschooler is capable of. And there’s a bonus, too! As many of my readers already know, I own and operate a preschool out…
Cooking With Kids and What They Gain From It
William loves to help me cook, but I have to be honest, sometimes I don’t. It typically takes much longer than usual, often makes a huge mess, and it is sometimes very distracting having a little one help. One time William had me so busy we forgot the oil in muffins, which as it turns…
Number Matching
Every households has a deck of number cards, right? Maybe not a traditional deck of poker cards, but some card game with large numbers printed on colorful cards, like Phase Ten or Uno. These decks of cards make great items to add to your teaching toolbox. They much more durable than paper print outs and…
ABC Letter Stack Game
Here’s a simple letter identification game that is sure to be a tumbling success! Play again and again to practice letters and fine motor skills. One of the many advantages of being the daughter of a cabinet maker is my ongoing access to wood craft supplies. It’s like I have my own private manufacturer because my…
Treasure Rocks
The typical day at our house includes outdoor play after nap time…and outdoor play after dinner time…and, well, outdoor play in the mornings after breakfast, and just about anywhere in between all of the _____ (fill in the blank) times. My kiddies always want to play outside. In fact, I’m fairly convinced that my kids…
Stacking Fruit Loops and How It Develops Fine Motor Skills
The term “fine motor skills” seems sometimes to be used lightly without much thought to its actual meaning. Fine motor skills involve the small muscle control in the fingers, hands, and wrists. Development begins in infancy, when a baby grasps for her mother’s finger, clutches a toy, passes a stuffed animal from one hand to…
Clanking Can Wind Chimes
For about nine months I have been saving up food cans. Not for any particular reason except that on occasion I’ll go through a phase where I keep things like cans just in case I see a project that requires them. I also keep tissue boxes, cardboard tubes, fancy cookie cans with lids and plastic…
Pretend Play and How It Creates Critical Thinkers
One of my favorite things as a parent is to listen to my toddler jabber while he plays independently. I love hearing the dialogue that takes place between him and his toys, I love listening to conflicts and resolution, and I love watching the way he manipulates his play space to meet the needs of…
