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Toddler / Preschooler Busy Bags - Set 1

Toddler / Preschooler Busy Bags - Set 1

Toddler / Preschooler Busy Bags - Set 1

How to keep conkers fresher for longer and stop them going mouldy

How to keep conkers fresher for longer and stop them going mouldy

How to keep conkers fresher for longer and stop them going mouldy

Water play is always the way & not only is it great fun, but there is also so much learning and development that can come from it 💦

Having paint brushes, rollers and trays on your outdoor shelves is a way to encourage biiiiig mark making - enabling children to not only experiment with how movement can make marks, but is also allowing for their little bodies to strengthen those arm, shoulder and back muscles that they’ll need for writing in the future 💪🏼

Being able to mark make on such big scales outdoors also allows for movements that cross the midline - supporting that bilateral coordination, again, beneficial for writing but also reading and practical life skills!

I was lucky to get a great bundle of rollers and brushes free on Facebook marketplace, so it’s worth checking on there, at carboot sales and even in your own garden shed to see if you have any lying around 🤩

#markmaking #outdoorplay #toddlerplay #prewritingactivity #grossmotorskills

Water play is always the way & not only is it great fun, but there is also so much learning and development that can come from it 💦

Having paint brushes, rollers and trays on your outdoor shelves is a way to encourage biiiiig mark making - enabling children to not only experiment with how movement can make marks, but is also allowing for their little bodies to strengthen those arm, shoulder and back muscles that they’ll need for writing in the future 💪🏼

Being able to mark make on such big scales outdoors also allows for movements that cross the midline - supporting that bilateral coordination, again, beneficial for writing but also reading and practical life skills!

I was lucky to get a great bundle of rollers and brushes free on Facebook marketplace, so it’s worth checking on there, at carboot sales and even in your own garden shed to see if you have any lying around 🤩

#markmaking #outdoorplay #toddlerplay #prewritingactivity #grossmotorskills

Started our morning by making natural paint from our garden strawberries 🍓 They had been nibbled by critters, so weren’t good enough to eat, but still wonderful enough to enjoy creating with ✨

A multistep journey of picking, crushing, pouring, mixing and finally, creating. No outcome needed, just joy in the process.
🥰

#outdoorplay #natureplay #learningthroughplay #playbasedlearning #toddlerplayideas

Started our morning by making natural paint from our garden strawberries 🍓 They had been nibbled by critters, so weren’t good enough to eat, but still wonderful enough to enjoy creating with ✨

A multistep journey of picking, crushing, pouring, mixing and finally, creating. No outcome needed, just joy in the process.
🥰

#outdoorplay #natureplay #learningthroughplay #playbasedlearning #toddlerplayideas

Our last day family adventuring today led us down to Durdle Door ✨ - a spectacular sight in itself. But what was even more wonderful was the reminder of the simple things. Waking up with the sunrise, an easy breakfast on the beach, and play that was not only purposeful and self-initiated, but that didn’t require any adult input or resources.

We didn’t take a single toy out with us. Yet both boys played, and played and played. Mr 4.5 spent nearly 2 hours jumping over the waves, throwing stones, & coming up with games using both. Mr 1.5 collected, threw, stacked, gathered and explored the shingle and stones for the same amount of time!

I’m all for play activities when they’re going to have a really positive impact on development. I’m all for beautiful resources. However… I’m also all for us all remembering that most of the time, play just needs to be unstructured, unhurried and left to unfold in its own way.

What do you think? 💭

#slowchildhood #earlychildhooddevelopment #earlyyears #outdoorplay #natureplay

Our last day family adventuring today led us down to Durdle Door ✨ - a spectacular sight in itself. But what was even more wonderful was the reminder of the simple things. Waking up with the sunrise, an easy breakfast on the beach, and play that was not only purposeful and self-initiated, but that didn’t require any adult input or resources.

We didn’t take a single toy out with us. Yet both boys played, and played and played. Mr 4.5 spent nearly 2 hours jumping over the waves, throwing stones, & coming up with games using both. Mr 1.5 collected, threw, stacked, gathered and explored the shingle and stones for the same amount of time!

I’m all for play activities when they’re going to have a really positive impact on development. I’m all for beautiful resources. However… I’m also all for us all remembering that most of the time, play just needs to be unstructured, unhurried and left to unfold in its own way.

What do you think? 💭

#slowchildhood #earlychildhooddevelopment #earlyyears #outdoorplay #natureplay

Our adventure trip this weekend has been some purely booked because we wanted to ‘Follow the Child’ 🔨✨

We’ve spent the weekend down at the Jurassic Coast where our first two mornings have been spent fossil hunting. Mr 4.5 has been big into fossils for a good long while now. We’ve read the books, watched the programmes, pretended in the garden… but being able to turn this interest into a real life experience has been truly special.

The thing is, the interest of fossils came from myself ‘opening that door’. It stemmed from his love of Prehistoric Creatures. If I hadn’t opened that ‘door’ at just the right time, I might have missed the ‘spark’. If I hadn’t known him well enough, I might have not even considered introducing the complexity of fossils to a child under 5. If I hadn’t been invested in his development, I might have just left it there and not guided him on taking it all further.

THIS is what it means to follow the child. To coach, guide, facilitate and support our children SO THAT they can lead their own learning and pursue that innate drive for self development.

It’s important not to get confused with just thinking that Following the Child means that a child can just do whatever they want, whenever they want.
It’s far deeper and more beautiful than that, when we truly understand the concept.

If you’re looking to get started on understanding and supporting your child in this way, then my free child development Field Guide - The First Five Years, is a wonderful place to begin. Comment START and I’ll guide you to getting your free copy 🌳

Because there is so much wonder in our children’s childhoods, as long as we know where to look ✨

#followthechild #earlychildhooddevelopment #childdevelopment #montessoriparenting #learningbydoing

Our adventure trip this weekend has been some purely booked because we wanted to ‘Follow the Child’ 🔨✨

We’ve spent the weekend down at the Jurassic Coast where our first two mornings have been spent fossil hunting. Mr 4.5 has been big into fossils for a good long while now. We’ve read the books, watched the programmes, pretended in the garden… but being able to turn this interest into a real life experience has been truly special.

The thing is, the interest of fossils came from myself ‘opening that door’. It stemmed from his love of Prehistoric Creatures. If I hadn’t opened that ‘door’ at just the right time, I might have missed the ‘spark’. If I hadn’t known him well enough, I might have not even considered introducing the complexity of fossils to a child under 5. If I hadn’t been invested in his development, I might have just left it there and not guided him on taking it all further.

THIS is what it means to follow the child. To coach, guide, facilitate and support our children SO THAT they can lead their own learning and pursue that innate drive for self development.

It’s important not to get confused with just thinking that Following the Child means that a child can just do whatever they want, whenever they want.
It’s far deeper and more beautiful than that, when we truly understand the concept.

If you’re looking to get started on understanding and supporting your child in this way, then my free child development Field Guide - The First Five Years, is a wonderful place to begin. Comment START and I’ll guide you to getting your free copy 🌳

Because there is so much wonder in our children’s childhoods, as long as we know where to look ✨

#followthechild #earlychildhooddevelopment #childdevelopment #montessoriparenting #learningbydoing

Childhood is beautifully unpredictable.

Not one child moves through it in exactly the same way as another. Nor should we expect them to.

The more and more than I thought about this, the more I realised that it goes against this trajectory like, forward heading journey, we very easily get pulled into thinking our children should move along. The next milestone. The next objective to hit. The pressure and the pushing.

But actually, just like the calendar seasons, childhood ebs and flows. Even this ‘Summer’, June’s already begun with a heatwave and then fell into weeks of torrential rain. Sometimes childhood is turbulent, and other times it’s a mixture of growth and excitement. Periods can feel full of hard time after hard time, and the next may be full of contentment and joy.

Like the seasons of the year continue to come and go, as do The Seasons of Childhood. Each in itself individual, like our child. Beautifully complex. Layered and living.

It’s my absolute pleasure to share with you this philosophy that really is now underpinning everything I do at The Know & Play Space 🌳

If you want to learn more, read more, or find out how to understand the Season your own child is in right now… comment SEASON and I’ll guide you through it 🍂

Happy Knowing & Playing - through all Seasons of Childhood!

#theseasonsofchildhood #earlychildhood #childdevelopment #earlyyears #slowchildhood

Childhood is beautifully unpredictable.

Not one child moves through it in exactly the same way as another. Nor should we expect them to.

The more and more than I thought about this, the more I realised that it goes against this trajectory like, forward heading journey, we very easily get pulled into thinking our children should move along. The next milestone. The next objective to hit. The pressure and the pushing.

But actually, just like the calendar seasons, childhood ebs and flows. Even this ‘Summer’, June’s already begun with a heatwave and then fell into weeks of torrential rain. Sometimes childhood is turbulent, and other times it’s a mixture of growth and excitement. Periods can feel full of hard time after hard time, and the next may be full of contentment and joy.

Like the seasons of the year continue to come and go, as do The Seasons of Childhood. Each in itself individual, like our child. Beautifully complex. Layered and living.

It’s my absolute pleasure to share with you this philosophy that really is now underpinning everything I do at The Know & Play Space 🌳

If you want to learn more, read more, or find out how to understand the Season your own child is in right now… comment SEASON and I’ll guide you through it 🍂

Happy Knowing & Playing - through all Seasons of Childhood!

#theseasonsofchildhood #earlychildhood #childdevelopment #earlyyears #slowchildhood

You know that moment when the toddler is a little TOO quiet… that was this moment today.

I was in the adjoining room just prepping lunch. Mr 4.5 had gone upstairs. And Mr 1.5? He was quiet. So quiet.

Peeping through the door, he was in his element - left alone with big brothers’ toys! It would’ve been so easy to take them off him. To say no. To panic over the little parts that Playmobil always comes with.

But instead… I stayed still, quiet, and watched.

He was intensely focused. Trying to work out how to manoeuvre a character’s head and arms to get a little helmet on. ✨ Fine Motor Skills
✨ Problem Solving
✨ Resilience
✨ Independence
Then he worked on posting the knight through a door, and another, and another.
✨ Object Permanence
✨ Hand-Eye Coordination
✨ Schema Play
The helmet fell off.
✨ Frustration Tolerance
He repeated his steps that ‘worked’ last time and replaced it on the head.
✨ Problem Solving
✨ Recalling known Methods
Then continued posting.

The tower acted like a Montessori-style object permanence box as it was partially enclosed and then opened up at the bottom. The knight was something that really required some particular grasps and manipulation to use.

As I said, it would’ve been so easy to burst round the door and interrupt him. To stop what he was doing. But instead, I saw development unfolding before my very eyes - because I knew what I was looking for 🧠

This is an example of The Seasons of Childhood™ in action. Wonder, growth and development, all happening on an ordinary Monday afternoon.

Truly understanding child development doesn’t just change what you see. It changes everything - your moments, your days, your child’s entire childhood. ❤️

If you want to begin seeing the wonder in your child’s everyday moments, comment FIVE and I’ll send you my free field guide to understanding and supporting your child’s development 🌳

#wonderofchildhood #childdevelopement #earlychildhood #toddlerplay #toddlerdevelopment

You know that moment when the toddler is a little TOO quiet… that was this moment today.

I was in the adjoining room just prepping lunch. Mr 4.5 had gone upstairs. And Mr 1.5? He was quiet. So quiet.

Peeping through the door, he was in his element - left alone with big brothers’ toys! It would’ve been so easy to take them off him. To say no. To panic over the little parts that Playmobil always comes with.

But instead… I stayed still, quiet, and watched.

He was intensely focused. Trying to work out how to manoeuvre a character’s head and arms to get a little helmet on. ✨ Fine Motor Skills
✨ Problem Solving
✨ Resilience
✨ Independence
Then he worked on posting the knight through a door, and another, and another.
✨ Object Permanence
✨ Hand-Eye Coordination
✨ Schema Play
The helmet fell off.
✨ Frustration Tolerance
He repeated his steps that ‘worked’ last time and replaced it on the head.
✨ Problem Solving
✨ Recalling known Methods
Then continued posting.

The tower acted like a Montessori-style object permanence box as it was partially enclosed and then opened up at the bottom. The knight was something that really required some particular grasps and manipulation to use.

As I said, it would’ve been so easy to burst round the door and interrupt him. To stop what he was doing. But instead, I saw development unfolding before my very eyes - because I knew what I was looking for 🧠

This is an example of The Seasons of Childhood™ in action. Wonder, growth and development, all happening on an ordinary Monday afternoon.

Truly understanding child development doesn’t just change what you see. It changes everything - your moments, your days, your child’s entire childhood. ❤️

If you want to begin seeing the wonder in your child’s everyday moments, comment FIVE and I’ll send you my free field guide to understanding and supporting your child’s development 🌳

#wonderofchildhood #childdevelopement #earlychildhood #toddlerplay #toddlerdevelopment

The forest is full of wonder. So is childhood - if you know how to look for it. 🌿✨

As parents and carers, we are surrounded by moments of pure magic every single day. Small, quiet, extraordinary things that are so easy to walk straight past without realising how significant they are.

A child stopping to watch a beetle make its way across a path. The way they reach for your hand without thinking. The concentration on their face as they figure something out entirely by themselves.

These moments are not small. They are childhood unfolding, right in front of you.

The Seasons of Childhood™ is the new philosophy at the heart of The Know & Play Space - rooted in the belief that when you truly understand your child’s development, you begin to find the wonder in every season. Even the hard ones.

If you are new here - welcome. The Know & Play Space Forest is open 🌳 You can visit my website anytime you need it.

And, if you haven’t already, head to the link in my bio to download your free copy of The First Five Years - a field guide to understanding and supporting your child from birth and beyond.

Let’s focus together on less pressure, more understanding, and childhood, one season at a time.

#theseasonsofchildhood #slowchildhood #childdevelopment #earlychildhood #earlyyears

The forest is full of wonder. So is childhood - if you know how to look for it. 🌿✨

As parents and carers, we are surrounded by moments of pure magic every single day. Small, quiet, extraordinary things that are so easy to walk straight past without realising how significant they are.

A child stopping to watch a beetle make its way across a path. The way they reach for your hand without thinking. The concentration on their face as they figure something out entirely by themselves.

These moments are not small. They are childhood unfolding, right in front of you.

The Seasons of Childhood™ is the new philosophy at the heart of The Know & Play Space - rooted in the belief that when you truly understand your child’s development, you begin to find the wonder in every season. Even the hard ones.

If you are new here - welcome. The Know & Play Space Forest is open 🌳 You can visit my website anytime you need it.

And, if you haven’t already, head to the link in my bio to download your free copy of The First Five Years - a field guide to understanding and supporting your child from birth and beyond.

Let’s focus together on less pressure, more understanding, and childhood, one season at a time.

#theseasonsofchildhood #slowchildhood #childdevelopment #earlychildhood #earlyyears

Something I have been working on for a long time is finally here 🌳

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of information out there about childhood - the milestones, the activities, the pressure to do more and know more, then this guide was made for you.

The First Five Years: Through the Forest & Seasons of Childhood is a free 23-page field guide to understanding and supporting your child from birth and beyond.

It introduces The Forest metaphor, the five Pathways of early childhood development, The Seasons of Childhood™ philosophy and the 4 Questions framework - all in one beautiful, practical guide that you can keep and return to whenever you need it.

But more than anything, it is a guide rooted in one belief…

That when you truly understand your child’s development, you begin to see the wonder in it.

Not the big milestones. Not the things on the checklist. The small, quiet, miraculous things that are happening every single day. The things you might be walking straight past without even realising.

This guide is the beginning of helping you see them.

It is completely free, and always will be. It’s a place to start your journey. To begin.

Comment FIVE to get the link to download your copy 🌿

Or head to the link in my bio.

Less pressure. More understanding. Childhood, one season at a time. 🍂

#earlychildhood #childdevelopment #gentleparenting #theseasonsofchildhood #earlyyears

Something I have been working on for a long time is finally here 🌳

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of information out there about childhood - the milestones, the activities, the pressure to do more and know more, then this guide was made for you.

The First Five Years: Through the Forest & Seasons of Childhood is a free 23-page field guide to understanding and supporting your child from birth and beyond.

It introduces The Forest metaphor, the five Pathways of early childhood development, The Seasons of Childhood™ philosophy and the 4 Questions framework - all in one beautiful, practical guide that you can keep and return to whenever you need it.

But more than anything, it is a guide rooted in one belief…

That when you truly understand your child’s development, you begin to see the wonder in it.

Not the big milestones. Not the things on the checklist. The small, quiet, miraculous things that are happening every single day. The things you might be walking straight past without even realising.

This guide is the beginning of helping you see them.

It is completely free, and always will be. It’s a place to start your journey. To begin.

Comment FIVE to get the link to download your copy 🌿

Or head to the link in my bio.

Less pressure. More understanding. Childhood, one season at a time. 🍂

#earlychildhood #childdevelopment #gentleparenting #theseasonsofchildhood #earlyyears

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