Leah Zabari (assisted with ChatGPT) Playing with sand is more than just a fun pastime at the beach or a sandbox; it offers a wealth of benefits that support a child’s development and well-being. Sand play is a versatile activity that engages multiple senses and promotes various skills. Whether you’re building sandcastles, digging tunnels, or...Read More

Natalie Grebe In a classroom setting, there are many ways to engage toddlers and preschool children in age-appropriate science activities. This can be a fun and interactive way to introduce science concepts and foster a love of learning. Here are some ideas for activities that can be incorporated into a preschool classroom and spark a...Read More

Kelli Harris I think “playing in the dirt” has become a dying activity. I spent my summers as a child outside digging with shovels and rakes and sticks, manipulating the dirt and playing with bugs I often unearthed. When I was a center director, children would love playing in the dirt, but often I got...Read More

by Lisa Mulliken From toddler to preschooler, my granddaughter has amassed a sizeable collection of plastic animals including farm and jungle animals, sea creatures, dinosaurs, and insects. Throughout the years, the collection has remained her favorite and most used toy. From sharks and whales in the bathtub to a cheetah in her pocket as we...Read More

By Aimee Currier  Are you looking for something different to do with the children in your care? Maybe you need a new way to reinforce or teach math concepts, language arts or nature/science. You might be hoping to find a fun way to get children involved in creating art. Believe it or not, a walk...Read More

By Angel Avery-Wright Sharks! What’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me it’s Jaws, the movie. Seeing this movie as a child set me off into a span of time where I would not go swimming in my backyard pool alone, because…well, there could be a shark lurking around in it.Read More

By: Lisa Mulliken     Think about yourself as a child. Most likely, much of your time was spent exploring natural materials in your environment: digging for worms, lifting rocks in the creek to find salamanders, climbing trees, playing with your dog, building a snow fort in the backyard. These experiences engaged our senses, helped us construct...Read More

Suzanne Glenn It is wonderful when children have the opportunity to interact with nature. Of course, this can be accomplished by taking the children outdoors to explore what nature has to offer. Having living plants and/or animals indoors is a bonus. The children will not only have the opportunity to observe, but they will also...Read More

Leah Zabari I absolutely love gardening! Putting seeds and plants in the ground is my favorite time of year, but shhhh… don’t tell anyone, I do NOT have a green thumb! Those seeds and plants never sprout too much of anything (insert tears). I guess I garden as a de-stressor and I’d like to think...Read More

Kitty Syster Teaching science and nature concepts to preschool children can be difficult. One activity to help children understand why recycling is important is to create recycling bottles. The bottles allow the children to watch materials over time in water to see how they change. By making three bottles you can separate the types of...Read More