Our family farm is surrounded by beautiful trees, and they always seem to capture the attention of my curious 3 and 1 year olds. This year the plum tree seemed to spread its branches really wide and produced the most beautiful flowers. We tend to visit the farm every 2 weeks, so when we returned and observed the flowers were not on the branches, my children started to ask “why”. This, of course, sparked an entire conversation surrounding the life cycle of fruit trees and all the different types of fruit that grow on trees. Fruit tree facts we talked about: A fruit tree is a ..read more

I am personally convinced that ALL children like ice cream (or dairy-free frozen treats)! Children love to eat it and parents love the joy it gives their child. There’s just something magical about it! I’ve noticed that young children are generally attracted to the idea of ice cream, even if it’s just a picture in a book or pretend play dough, it seems to always capture their attention. The “ice cream” theme can truly be used to teach young children just about anything … all in a fun and engaging way! For example, you can use ice cream to teach counting (“let’s count the scoops ..read more

Most children think their name is the most awesome word ever! (I mean, they do hear it multiple times a day.) So it makes sense that this is one of the first words young children recognize and are really interested in learning about. They love to know about every letter in their name and the order they go in. What is a name recognition activity? A name recognition activity is any activity that helps your toddler recognize their name by placing the letters in order. Simply put, it helps young children recognize their name! And guess what? Recognition is the first step to your child ..read more

One of the major keys to your child’s independence is their mastery of fine motor skills- the movements children make with the small muscles in their hands. Many of the daily activities that children engage in require the use of fine-motor skills, such as getting dressed, eating and manipulating toys. Your child will ultimately be able to do more for themselves when provided with opportunities to practice and develop these skills. Increasing muscle strength and coordination will also prepare your child for much needed advanced skills in the future such as using a pencil or holding ..read more

You’ve heard before that children learn best through play, and play is all about fun! As children play, they develop all sorts of important skills they will use for a lifetime, such as turn-taking, communication, problem-solving, creativity and so much more! Did you know that your child will progress through several different stages of play as they grow older, develop and gain more skills? Having a general idea of how play evolves can help guide you toward age-appropriate activities, materials and expectations for your child. Mildred Parten , an American sociologist and researche ..read more

Too much time in front of the bedroom TV may prevent your child from experiencing more beneficial activities for their development, and may explain, in part, less optimal body weight, poor eating habits and socio-emotional difficulties as a teenager. Did you have a TV in your bedroom when you were a child? How old were you when you got your first TV? Maybe you’ve never had one in your bedroom? If you are thinking putting a TV in your child’s bedroom, you may want to reconsider, according to a new study published in December 2018. Canadian researchers in Quebec looked at more than 1,8 ..read more

Talking with children is not as simple as it sounds! Toddlers are just learning to put their words together and sometimes we need to decipher what they are yelling at us – often because they’re so frustrated with the inability to clearly communicate. And as our children get older, sometimes just getting an answer to a question can be a challenge! We ask our children a lot of questions every day: How was your sleep? What colour is this? Can you come here please? What would you like to eat? As parents, we ask them questions to gain insights into their feelings and ..read more

This sensory science experiement is not only fun for children, but equally as fun for adults. And the best part? It washes away super easy with water. That all sounds like a big win for me! Oobleck is a classic sensory/science play experience that has been around for years and years. I bet if you ask your parent, they will have memories of playing with it as children. If you haven’t seen or tried Oobleck before, you are in for a real treat! So what is Oobleck anyways? Oobleck is a non-newtonian fluid. That means it acts like both liquid AND solid. It’s a liquid when you pour it ..read more

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