I can't believe it is finally time to announce something that I’ve been so busy with for the last several months working behind the scenes with HiMama on a cool new project...introducing HiMama’s Activity Database! For years as an administrator HiMama has been a guiding light for the childcare industry. From amazing webinars and endless resources for the childcare industry they have always been amazing platform to have access to as a form of a support and knowledge. To be able to collaborate and work with HiMama is truly an honor. Every week I will post an activity that I’ve helped create for HiM ama. Check out this awesome Apple Science activity for preschoolers. Click the link in my bio to access the printable activity and check out their database of other activities !

About a year ago we created this Cars Corner for Cy, and we just refreshed the corner with the #gifted Children's Factory Giant Road Play Carpet. Before After It is such an interactive carpet that is great for any classroom or play space to create a defined area without taking up too much space. They have so many other options ( City Life , Fun at the Fair, Ride the Train , Zoo , and Hop Scotch ) which make it easy to rotate to create varying environments to spark their interest and curiosity.

Elated to announced that I have been putting together 15 curated bundles with some of my favorite items from Discount School Supply! The kits are now LIVE on their website so check it out! These bundles and kits take the stress out of finding the best new materials or even putting together and planning activities. These items are either already staples in my home and the three preschools I administer. All of these bundles were created with putting play based intentional and inclusive materials that provide endless play based opportunities for creativity, wonder and curiosity. In the 15 curated bundles you will find items for: Light Table Exploration STEM Block Exploration with Wooden Animals DIY Sensory Tube with Loose Parts (Pictured Here) Celebrate Diversity in Our Families Outdoor Play Natural Loose Parts Exploration Outdoor Learning Pouring Station Outdoor Learning Farmers Market Outdoor Learning Outdoor Art Outdoor Learning Mud Kitchen Sand and Water Sensory Table Music and Movement Active Play Indoor or Outdoor Obstacle Course Dramatic Play Baby Doll Play Dramatic Play Kitchen Play Inclusive Small World Town Play (Pictured Here)

A sensory "treasure" tube or bottle is any sealable container filled with a base with different types of objects to develop their senses and encourage exploration. This clear treasure set is the GuideCraft one from Discount School Supply. To do this invitation you can set out a whole bunch of different trinkets, natural materials and sensory objects to collect in the beautiful, stackable Treasure Tubes. Since they are ideal for color and sound exploration and light table activities, after the children fill the tubes you can let them explore it on mirrors and light tables . M irrors and light tables naturally draw the child to the exploration of reflection, perception and appearance and it is a rather calming experience as they explore. With the tubes being stackable they are also great for block play! Sensory play is crucial to development throughout a child’s life. Children explore the world through their senses. This does not mean only exploring through touch but sight, smell, hearing and taste as well. Sensory tubes such as these help young children relax and soothe themselves by focusing on the motion and sound happening inside the tube. Each tube has objects that make a unique visual and sound quality that will help children begin to explore objects and develop observational skills. They also aid with understanding spatial relationships, problem solving, and hand-eye coordination. The best part is that they grow with your child through all their stages and can be used in a multitude of ways while they play! “Sensory exploration is a child’s way of examining, discovering, categorizing, and making sense of the world, and it’s beneficial to provide them with opportunities for sensory play.” Amanda Moriri.

Every year in the the Pre-K Class during election season in beginning of November the children brainstorm and vote on their class name. They talk about the voting process and even let them go to the polls and vote. First they have the children nominate a bunch of names during circle time and narrow it down to four for the ballots. They create visual ballots, talking about the process of voting, and set up a polling booth with a ballot box. The children walk about individual, color or circle the name they would like to cast their vote, place it in the ballot box and receive an I VOTED sticker. After all the ballots are complete they count and graph the votes to see who won. Here are some other ways of incorporating voting during election time. Children learn about themselves and the world they live in through experiences such as these. An election in the classroom or even at home is a great opportunity to not only talk with children about civic responsibility but an optimal way to lay the foundation in the early years of the power to make decisions that can bring about change. They are learning to vocalize their likes and dislikes, their interests, and their abilities through communicating what they want their class name to be all while learning about math too. This role play is developing important complex thinking skills, by projecting what they desire. They are experiencing first hand what is going on currently in our society but on terms that they can grasp. Hopefully we are laying down the foundation of voting at young age that will instill the importance of voting throughout their lives!

Diwali is approaching next week November 4th. An amazing way to learn about the traditions of Diwali is by reading books such as Binny's Diwali and Diwali Celebrate the World . These books are great to honor and highlight the special occasion in your home or classroom. The more we learn and represent all cultures in classrooms and in our homes, the more knowledge and understanding we provide for everyone while making every child feel seen and heard in their community. Diwali the festival of lights is celebrated in India during autumn that usually lasts five days. Friends and family gather to light their brightest lanterns to rejoice in the victory of light over darkness. While there are many traditions during this festival, on the second day of Diwali homes are decorated with lamps and lights along with beautiful designs and patterns on floors known as Rangoli. Rangoli is thought to bring good luck, prosperity on the house and in the family, and to welcome guests. After reading stories, showing images or actual examples of Rangoli you can invite a chid to create their own rendition of a Rangoli. You will need poster board , glue , color powder or sand , and a pencil . If you are doing this with younger children, you can draw outlines of Rangoli designs onto the poster board with a pencil and then trace the outlines with glue. If the child is old enough you can have them create their own Rangoli designs followed by letting them glue the outline. Next, invite the child to sprinkle the color powder or sand, shake it off and they will have created their very own Rangoli for Diwali.

Creating invitations with loose parts and play-dough with materials that connect what’s currently happening, provokes a child to be more aware of their surroundings and deepen their connections with the world. Since the season of fall brings about apples and pumpkins, setting an invitation to make fall pie is a great way to learn about what is growing this time of year. This invitation was created with Colorations Dough in Red, Brown, and Orange. The loose parts are: wooden leaves and pumpkins, cinnamon sticks, and pumpkin pukta pods . Lastly, an array of wooden tools to roll and mold the the play-dough as well as pie baking pans. Invitations with open ended materials enhance a child's free creative play, exposure to sensory elements, requires concentration, and are truly relaxing & stimulating. Through this kind of experience children are really creating: using what they have and what they already know, and combining that to create a whole that’s greater than the parts. Loose parts play give a child the ability to be creative and the freedom of imagination in endless ways. Loose parts are dynamic in nature, which brings about authenticity of ideas. The more variables an object offers the more possibilities and creativity the object will have.

Last year we did a similar Five Little Pumpkins STEM Invitation with Jumbo Interlocking Blocks and this year we did it with different building materials. This is the beauty of STEM, you can do the same invitation and modify or enhance the process by providing different materials. To set this invitation you will need tree blocks ( with bark , without ) and smaller sized pumpkins. Read or sing the story Five Little Pumpkins. Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate, First one said "Oh my, it's getting late!" Second one said "There are witches in the air," Third one said "but we don't care!" Fourth one said "Let's run and run and run." Fifth one said "I'm ready for some fun!" Ooo ooo went the wind, and out went the lights, And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight. Integrating the literacy experience with a STEM invitation is a great way to deepen their connection andto a make the book come to life. The goal with this invitation was to inspire the child to recreate the story through building. Depending on your child's age they may need your guidance and engagement to begin the building process. If that is the case, a lot of language and mirroring what is going to be done and what you are going to do together will help guide the process. If they are old enough you can prompt questions before building of "Can you build a gate for the pumpkins just like the story or song we just read?" Followed by letting them build in their own way. Opportunities for hands-on play with different materials allow children to learn and extend their knowledge and creative thinking skills. STEM invitations are designed to engage and stretch their thinking by introducing the engineering and design process through building which is a natural fit due to the fact that in the early years a child's work is to constantly problem solve through play. This invitation is a perfect opportunity to change a building invitation to challenge the child to think and create in new ways, while enhancing their interpretation and perception of the song or story they just read.

In less than a week another afternoon activity with Grow Maple is set for 10/28 @ 4pm. Join us as we make a Fall Foliage Collage. Grab your littles for a nature walk or scavenger hunt to find a bunch of different colored leaves. (Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Brown) Here’s what you’ll need: An array of different colored leaves (Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Brown) that you gather on walk or find your backyard. A large piece of paper. Markers, Paint, Water Colors, Crayons, or Colored pencils in Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Brown. After collecting the array of different colored leaves have your child color the pigments of leaves on the paper in the order of Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Brown. Next invite the child to sort through the collection of leaves and have them match the leaves to the gradient. Since fall children have been seeing changes in the leaves due to the seasons shifting from summer to fall. This activity is a great way to open the discussion of how and why leaves change color. When talking about why leaves change colors you can read a story, watch a video, or simply explaining the science behind it. The why behind leaves changing colors is during the fall, because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor. When children explore and engage with nature, and further extending the experience through creating, they are testing possibilities and working through understanding the world around them. Much like a scientist who experiments and finds solutions, hands on experiences allows children to make their own assessments, while also teaching them that there are so many layers in the world around them. The child’s brain becomes engaged in the discovery of “how” and “why," when we let them connect with what is directly happening in the world around them.

During the end of October each year, Día de los Muertos the ancient Mexican traditions honors ancestors and loved ones who have passed. The preparation of sugar skulls, delicious food, flowers, art, and shrines are made for the festivities of singing, dancing, and reminiscing. The books Día de los Muertos (Celebrate the World) and The Day of the Dead: A Bilingual Celebration are great ways to honor the culture and establish an inclusive environment. The more we learn about all cultures in classrooms and in our homes, the more knowledge and understanding we provide for everyone. To extend the literacy experiences and provide invitations that honor the celebration here are four ways to explore Día de los Muertos: Calaveras Ice Skulls: Make frozen skulls in ice mold trays, provide colorations liquid water colors , and pipettes . Let the child paint the skulls with the liquid water colors. 2. Marigold Garland Dyeing: Place liquid water colors in spray bottles with water. Let the child spray the water colors onto the white marigolds to turn them into the traditional colors. 3. Painting Calaveras + Papel Picado: Provide children with a white ceramic skull , white papel picado, Colorations tempera paint , and a paint brush. Let the child freely paint them. 4. Decorating Calaveras with Loose Parts: On a large piece of butcher paper or poster board draw Calaveras Skulls with permanent marker. Make a tinker tray with loose parts ( glittering rhinestones , wooden geo shapes , ice rocks ) and invite the child to decorate the skulls with them.

The month of October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Down syndrome is one of the most common types of intellectual disabilities and to raise awareness about the condition to advocate for acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome reading books such as You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion by Margaret O'hair celebrates being yourself from Down Syndrome adovacate Sofia Sanchez is great way to provoke discussion and awareness. Books are the greatest tool to understanding one another to help children cope, connect with characters are same or different, and learn to be more inclusive. This book also includes additional information about Down syndrome and how we can all be more understanding, more inclusive, and more kind. After reading the book providing dolls or figurines in a child's environment that promote the value of equality allows children to learn about the diversity of us all which will help develop social skills such as empathy and tolerance. Dolls are packed with potential for teaching children about themselves and the world around them. Playing with dolls give children the power to show connection. They learn to be responsible and loving for the well-being of their doll and this lays the foundation for careful, empathetic connections when they are older. Doll play lets children work through strong emotions, practice life skills, gives them a venue to release their emotions in a safe way, and in this case be exposed race, gender and a condition to become more aware and accepting of diversity. The importance to embrace differences, instill confidence, and establishing environments where everyone belongs is one of the most important messages to spread in our homes and classrooms. Spreading love, acceptance, inclusion and respect from an early age should be a foundation in all of our lives. Books and providing dolls are a great start to establishing a lifetime of inclusivity.

Dramatic play, imaginative play, creative play, role-playing, make-believe or just plain pretending…is a foundation of childhood development. Giving children endless opportunities to imitate what they often see adults doing allows children to imagine themselves in new roles and act different scenarios. The Excellerations® 14" Dolls with Swaddle Blanket & Removeable Diapers Set of 4 and Excellerations® Yummy Plush Pretend Play Food - 25 Pieces #gifted are great staples for a dramatic play. Since we know children learn best through play and are continuously exploring and experimenting –sets such as these allow children to perform different roles and test their own creativity. They learn many things through trial and error, and what better way to try out various scenarios and situations than through pretending they are in them. In dramatic play, role playing helps children develop ideas about how the world works in so many ways. It is a type of play that every child needs to experience as it has so many benefits! It has profound positive effects on a child’s development. It fosters imagination, let’s a child explore themselves and the world around them, strengthens relationships, improves language/communication, builds empathy, fine/gross motor skills, life skills, and process feelings to help their social emotional development. A child’s imagination is one of their greatest tools and this type of play of vital in their development. When they pretend to cook fruits, vegetables, poultry and assorted other healthy foods or changing and swaddling their babies, they are acting out actions, which they have watched their parents or caregivers do with them. Pretending to care for a doll or cook does more than just expand vocabulary, it provides opportunity practicing life skills, helps them work through strong emotions, and empowers them to feel capable all through the power of play.