It’s been well-documented that modern life can be quite toxic for our children. Sue Palmer wrote brilliantly about this prior to the pandemic and the last few years have escalated many of the barriers to learning that she raised in her book, Toxic Childhood. An increase in screen time, poor diet and sleep patterns, and …
There is no doubt about it… Preschoolers love to be outdoors. Fresh air, natural light, and the feel of the wind on their little faces, the sound of birdsong in summer or the crackle of colorful leaves and the snap of twigs in winter. There’s a sensory feast out there for free that we can …
I’ve worked with preschoolers for years, and so I can speak from experience that it is important to provide young children the opportunity to participate in physical activities that support their gross motor development. When parents and educators encourage preschoolers to engage in such activities that test their balance, coordination, strength, and endurance on a …
Kids love different fun relay races, but it can be such a hassle getting all the equipment ready! Hula hoop relay race, sacks, batons, bean bags…eek! Sometimes we just don’t have the time for all that. You just want relay races for kids that are simple, hassle-free, EQUIPMENT FREE, and…they work! That’s where the following …
You’re never too young to get involved with forest schools! Toddlers can learn huge amounts in simple outdoor forest environments. I’ve been teaching in forest schools over the course of the last ten years on and off, and in that time I’ve found some real gems of activities that work perfectly for toddlers. In this …
Fantastic…oozy…gooey…squelchy…sloppy…mud! Is there anything greater when you’re in preschool? I doubt it! I’ve watched kids experiment with all kinds of mud experiences and activities over the last decade, and in this post, I’ll share my all-time favorite 17 mud activities for preschoolers! Let’s get straight into it… 1. Mud Hedgehogs Who said mud can’t create …
Have you ever tried playing throwing and catching with a pre-schooler? If you have, chances are, they weren’t very coordinated. It’s only to be expected and certainly nothing to worry about! There are plenty of ways you can help them to throw more accurately and catch more easily. Start slow and easy! In my 20+ …
If you haven’t yet tried a Forest school approach with your children, then you should know that the benefits are quite staggering. These are benefits that are backed up by both practice and research. I’ve been involved in forest schools for the best part of twenty years. In that time, I would say that the …
Schemas are repeated patterns of behavior that children exhibit in their play. There are nine schemas that are understood to be the most common in children’s play. These are: Trajectory Transformation Transporting Rotation Positioning Orientation Enveloping Enclosure Connection In this post, I’ll give you a brief overview of each of these 9 schemas. I’ll talk …
Rotation schemas are really common, and many children exhibit this repeating behavior pattern. I’ve taught in the early childhood phase for 12 years, and in that time I have trained myself to first look out for schemas, and second to act on them. Rotation schemas can be supported through so many different activities – whether …