Holiday times are here! They are busy times. Memory-making times. Full-of-family-and-FUN times! Travel. AND stress! Do have travel coming up? If so, with some PLANNING, and even travelling with your kiddos, you’ll think “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” PLAN & Be PREPARED You’ve been a parent for a while now, you know to expect the unexpected so PLAN for it and be PREPARED! Better Safe Than Sorry... ● Safety comes 1st especially during the holidays when there are more people … [Read more...]
It’s Your Move: Why Playing Board Games is Important
A fact: Children learn best through PLAY. The genius of PLAY is there are many and varied types of PLAY. When you understand what is possible with PLAY, you’ll want to facilitate as many PLAY situations for the kiddos in your Life as possible! Board games are a type of play; namely play that has rules. Since board games are a type of PLAY, it would follow they'd offer lots of learning opportunities. Below are some. Family That PLAYS Together Stays Together When I’m out at a restaurant, too … [Read more...]
Why Nursery Rhymes are Important
If you’ve been following Play & Grow for any time you know I’m fond of rhymes for children. It doesn’t matter if they’re traditional nursery rhymes, action songs or fingerplays. Have you wondered why I’m so insistent children learn these? See below for just some of the benefits! Language & Reading: ● Nursery rhymes and/or fingerplays help children develop an ear for language! The rhymes and rhythms highlight the sounds and syllables in words. Repeated exposure to nursery rhymes or … [Read more...]
Traveling and Away from Home–Working Parents Added Challenge
Working parents want and NEED to stay connected to the everyday happenings in their children's lives--and that's especially true when parents are traveling for business. Rather than bringing back trinkets or gifts from various countries--which kind of has the feel of trying to buy your child's love and/or assuage your guilt--parents can DO something with their children instead! Yes, there's a little bit of pre-planning involved, but instead of a business trip taking time away from your child … [Read more...]
Autumn Leaves & the Great Pumpkin
I know the New England area is renowned for the colors of Autumn, but as I get out and about here in the PNW we can be awfully proud of our own spectacular show put on by the changing of the seasons! What a sensory extravaganza and THAT means it's full of learning opportunities for kiddos! Go out on a nature walk! Collect LEAVES, looking for 1. Different shapes of leaves OR 2. Variety colors of leaves Look at this leaf I found.... The vibrant color that stopped me dead in my tracks is … [Read more...]