It was a crisp Thanksgiving afternoon when my two young sons came bounding up to me as I joined them in my in-laws backyard. Eyes shining bright they each grab a hand and pull me forward. “Pretend, mom. Just pretend, ok?” And then they reveal THE lamp post. This is no ordinary lamp post. Long […]
Power of Play
Geeking out on this Architectural, Engineering Toy
Add THIS to your Christmas list! With three boys, lots of toys make their way into our home during birthdays and at Christmas. But not all of them end up sticking around. I’m always on the lookout for toys that stand the test of time, provide lots of open-ended play and either unleash the imagination […]
10 Boy Toys that Ignite the Imagination
The imagination is such a powerful tool. A child at play is a beauty to behold. What looks like mere child’s play is actually learning at work. Because imaginative play is so important, I love to select toys that encourage this kind of play, this solidification of learning… So today, I want to share […]
How To Turn Passive Learning Into Active Learning
Whew! We made it to day 10 of this series on Boosting Brain Power. Are you still with me??? We careened through some of the basic necessities for brain boosting: water/nutrition, sleep and exercise. Then we explored the magic of movement and why multi-sensory learning is so vital. I shared how important music and active, rough and […]
Playsilks: Unleashing the Imagination
The imagination is a powerful tool. One of my objectives in raising my children is to stoke the fire of their imagination. Imagination ignites creativity and curiosity. Imagination enables the innovative application of knowledge. Our kids need both! What I love about the development of the imagination is how natural and fun it can be. A child’s play […]
Daily Outdoor Challenge, wk 9
We are going into week 9 of our Daily Outdoor Challenge and I’m finding the discipline of this challenge is so good for me… Sometimes I still find myself stuck in the mindset of watching from the inside. Wednesday brought our first monsoon rain of the season. Since we live here in the desert, rain is a […]