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The #gifted Play Pod Kinder Gym from Discount School Supply has been the perfect new addition to our infant/toddler room for the children to crawl, climb, and explore at anytime indoors! Researchers are uncovering the values of one of the most developmentally important forms of play - climbing. As humans from birth we’re explorers, thrill-seekers, problem-solvers, and above all, curious, therefore we are simply born to climb. We naturally don’t just love climbing for the exci

Children need a place they can retreat to when they need to think, rest, process or just decompress. Comfy corners give children the opportunity to be in a safe place to calm down and relax while honoring the time they need to process what they are experiencing. Sometimes when emotions are big and in full effect, a child needs time and space to transition to another activity or task, or simply needs a break from hard moment in order to adjust. This kind of safe space empowers

With all the deliveries being made during the holidays, a fun way to repurpose the boxes is to reuse them to place your presents in. You can even make your own wrapping paper with butcher easel paper, rollable paint #gifted, scissors, tape, and ribbon. Provide butcher or easel paper and Colorations Rollable Paint from Discount School Supply and invite the child(ren) to freely paint. After the paint dries invite the child to wrap the present in the box. If they are old enough

Children's Factory Rainbow Arch Trio Climber #gifted is perfect for encouraging imaginative and gross motor play! With three movable sets of colorful arches that nest to form a rainbow there are so many ways for children to climb, lay them end to end, nest them, crawl over and under, or turn over and rock! Encouraging imaginative play is a vital part of childhood and child development. Through imaginative play children can grow emotionally, socially, intellectually, and eve

After being inspired by Teachmakecreate on IG a couple weeks ago, we had to give this STEM invitation a go with Colorations Non Hardening Clay Set of 30 that was #gifted from Discount School Supply and tons of different recycled cardboard on our tuff tray. The importance of using clay in early childhood is deeply rooted in the endless benefits it has. It can be cut, pinched, rolled, squeezed and moulded into different shapes and the texture can be changed by adding water. It

Researchers are uncovering the values of one of the most developmentally important forms of play - climbing. As humans from birth we’re explorers, thrill-seekers, problem-solvers, and above all, curious, therefore we are simply born to climb. We naturally don’t just love climbing for the excitement and the challenge - there are biological reasons at play that attract us to it. Climbing aids in mental & physical development, & has been shown to improve creativity, memory, & cr

Did you know that a maze improves the cognitive skills of children? Setting up an ultimate Trike Maze-45Ft (#gifted), is a great way to provide brain boosting exercises while enhancing a child's gross motor skills. While a child is solving the maze through maneuvering the trike, it makes them think, reason and remember. Simultaneously achieving all of these, sharpens their memory, builds their focus and increases the concentration level of their minds to a great extent. When

This invitation is a great way to expose a child to the practical life skill of washing dishes + fruits/veggies while also engaging in water play! To set this up you will need either a sensory bin/kiddie pool/big bowl/bath tub with water, soap, towel, cleaning tools (sponge/toothbrush/bottle brush), and play dishes + fruits/veggies #gifted. Practical life activities such as this are not only enticing, they are important for young children. Activities for care of their environ

Excellerations® Outdoor Toddler Mud Kitchen #gifted from Discount School Supply is not your average mud kitchen because it has a working pump that you can fill with water to be a working sink! The magic of a Mud Kitchen is truly endless. Outdoor mud kitchens provide opportunities to practice practical life skills, make sense of the world around them through dramatic play, and engage in science & sensory play by experimenting with an array of materials + tools. Whether you pla

They beauty of process art is that anything and everything can be used as a canvas. This invitation is stacked recycled cardboard boxes wrapped with recycled packing materials (bubble wrap+ butcher paper) and some materials around the house (aluminum foil). For paint we used Colorations Washable Finger Paints #gifted. Let the child use the greatest paintbrush, their fingers to explore and feel all the different textures, groves, height, surfaces, through painting with their h

When a child shows extreme interest in a subject matter, creating invitations to build upon their curiosity honors their learning process by letting them be active collaborators. While it may steer away from your planned lessons, curriculum, concepts or theme, activities, invitations, and so on, it provides for a meaningful experience to guide a child's exploration in something they are genuinely curious and interested in. Recently Cy has been fascinated with Dinosaurs and Fo

One of my favorite invitations is a simple set up of exploring ladybugs. In my hometown of Alameda we love going to Encinal Nursery and getting ladybugs this time of year. After walking around the nursery and talking about all the different plants we grabbed our ladybugs and set out to explore. To set this invitation we used our #gifted Excellerations magnifying Excellerations magnifying glasses from Discount School Supply, wood circles, leaves, flowers and sugar water spray

There is no denying that children learn best by hands on experiences and providing hands on open ended sensory experiences are extremely beneficial for a young child’s development. Children’s Factory #gifted this Indoor/Outdoor 4 Pack Sensory Tablue Set that can be configured in a row for individual play or a circle for community play. The Sensory Tables feature durable plastic table and lid and a convenient lower shelf for supplies. To set this invitation you can place any s

Been soaking up extra newborn cuddles thanks to #gifted Bonsie skin to skin wear. Skin to skin time is the first step in developing a loving, empathetic and lifelong bond according to Bonsie. Benefits of Practicing Skin to Skin: Baby Stabilizes heart and breathing rates Helps baby regulate temperature and blood sugar Helps baby sleep more soundly and wake less often. Mom Increases levels of oxytocin in mom and baby Promotes healing for mom Helps baby cry less Lowers mom's ris

If you haven’t checked out the FB Live on Discount School Supply on their IG and FB,here is a bit more about one of the products! Whenever I get my hands on anything that is translucent, I immediately have to put it on a light table. Discount School Supply #gifted these Excellerations® Translucent Building Bricks - 206 Pieces and simple way to enhance the experience is providing a light table for the child to create and explore the blocks. Children are naturally drawn to the

The book The Shape of Home written and Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh, is about a Iranian girl’s first day of school in America. Through the eyes of Rashin it explores how everything she encounters is a different shape than what she's used to. From the foods, letters in the books, & children/families. When she goes to school her teacher asks each child to imagine the shape of home on a map which opens up the discussion of each child’s country that their family is originally

Rainbow season is upon us and here are four rainbow process art invitations that you can do! To set these invitations you will need Colorations® 1/2 Gallon Simply Washable Tempera Paint, Rainbow set of 6 Colors #gifted, butcher paper, tape, scissors, paint scrapers, fidget spinners, slinkies, cotton rounds, mallet, and Excellerations® Color Paddles. 1. Rainbow Scrape Art: To do this invitation dots of paint on the butcher paper, followed by letting the child scrape the dots a

When Discount School Supply #gifted Excellerations® Photo Block Building Around the World it inspired recreating one of my all time favorite STEM invitations of creating famous landmarks from around the world! To set this invitation you can print out images of landmarks from around the world, provide blocks (translucent blocks or foam wooden blocks), & the photo building blocks. Invite the child to explore, build, and create landmarks around the world! Since children are nat

Young children are very curious about the sights and sounds in the world around them and interested in exploring them. They are naturally drawn to the properties of light. Whether it is through shadows, rainbows, reflection, colors, or the sun, they experience the properties of light in the world around them at all times. Light has a way of focusing their attention and illuminating new perspectives. Connect to USB cable provided to charge. Knock or tap the cylinders to activi

There is no denying that children love to use their imagination especially during pretend play! A fun way to enhance your dramatic play areas is changing it up with a creative theme. Since Valentine’s Day is coming up setting up a Sweet Sweet Treats Bake Shop is a great way to explore in role playing. Children’s Factory #gifted this Birch Toddler 2-in-1 Kitchen Set is perfect for any dramatic play center. To set up the rest of the bake shop you can provide baking tins, cookw