Toddler: 1-3 years

Big M (age 4) is obsessed with the movie, Brave, and pretending to be Merida.  So much so, that she often runs around the house with a plastic coat hanger (her bow) pretending to shoot arrows.  My husband and father-in-law have fed her obsession by taking her for archery practice…

Is your baby ready to start solid foods? You can feed them right from your plate using the baby led weaning technique. Learn what that means, how to do it, the best baby led weaning foods to start with, and our favorite baby feeding supplies for success (and easy clean…

This is a sponsored post for Vicks Humidifiers. As always, opinions remain 100% my own. With 3 kids, a single cold can take over a month to work its way through our entire house. Learn how Vicks Humidifiers help to prevent spreading cold and flu for kids. When you have…

A few year’s ago, I made these winter sensory bags – Jumbled Snowman – to keep the kids occupied and give their little fingers a challenge. They loved them so much, they ask for a new version ALL the time. This month, for Halloween sensory play, I’ve created a Jumbled…

Learn how visiting PhysicianOne Urgent Care for kids can save you and your family time, worry and money. This is a sponsored post with PhysicianOne Urgent Care centers. As always, opinions remain 100% my own. My 5 year old fell ill out of nowhere. One second she was singing and…

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Learning Resources. As always, all opinions remain 100% my own. Catch all our playdate ideas in our guest post this month on the Learning Resources blog. I already have 3 kids under 6 of my own at home all summer. The last…

This is a sponsored post by Learning Resources. Be sure to see the complete post, including all hidden veggies popsicle recipes on the Learning Resources blog. Nothing makes for a better end to a hot summer day than an ice cold frozen treat. How would you love to also sneak…

Welcome to STEAM for Kids Week! For my regular readers, this week I am the host for the 12-week Summer Camp at Home series, hosted by Wunder Mom. For those joining from the Summer Camp series, welcome to the Playground Parkbench. This week I am sharing kids learning activities you…

One skill preschoolers are expected to master before entering kindergarten is shape recognition. My 3 year old is a much more active learner than her older sister, so I often have to get a little creative with more active, hands-on play activities to hold her attention. This simple activity, re-purposing an…

I received complementary product from The Easter Story Egg to facilitate this post and giveaway. As always, opinions remain 100% my own. Who does’t love to celebrate Easter? I love the celebration of Spring, the warmer days, and the flowers blooming, as much as my kids love the Easter egg hunts…

“Never discuss religion, politics or money in polite company.” Maybe that makes for polite etiquette, but not talking about money with your kids is doing them a HUGE disservice. If they can count, than it’s time to start teaching money, its value and how to be financially savvy for life. Here are…

Need a St. Patrick’s Day game sure to please kids and grown-ups alike? Set-up this simple and affordable Pot O’ Gold Coin Toss for a festive, fun-filled kids party game to keep your March 17th celebration entertained! St. Patrick’s Day Game for Kids… and Grown Ups Too! Around here, St.…

Conversation hearts are synonymous with Valentine’s Day. Like candy canes at Christmas, you can find them everywhere – in individually packaged boxes or giant bags. The famous pithy phrases continue to evolve with the times (TXT ME and #LOVE were in our bag this year), but the chalky flavor never…

We are well into week two of illness and sub-freezing temperatures here.  But that hasn’t stopped us from enjoying the beauty of winter from indoors with an endless supply of snow and snowflake crafts!  Today, we add another one to the mix – Marshmallow Snowflakes! Grab your printable snowflake templates…

Winter has fully descended upon us this week, with LOTS of snow and bitter cold. To keep the kiddos entertained, we made this fun winter sensory and fine motor activity for preschoolers, affectionately named – Jumbled Snowman. And you can find nearly all the supplies you need to make one…

This month for my guest contribution on Pre-K Pages, I shared a Peppermint Science activity, exploring the effect on temperature on sugar. With an abundance of peppermints and candy canes this time of year, we continued our holiday STEAM activities for kids with some simple, but instructive activities for measuring…

I received complementary product from Star from Afar to facilitate this post. Opinions, as always, remain 100% my own. Not a fan of Elf on the Shelf? Neither are we… but I do love the idea of sharing a daily celebration of the holiday season. Star from Afar is an…

Confession… this *may* be inspired by my college tailgating days.  I knew these miniature red cups would come in handy this holiday!  First, I turned them into a holiday version of cup and ball, and today, we have more holiday party games: Jingle Bell Toss! If you love this, be…

It was love at first position! I signed my oldest daughter up for ballet when she was 2 years old because it was the only non-Mommy and Me activity available in our town. She was home with me full-time, and I wanted something to help her prepare for the separation that would come…