What do you get when you cross Magna-Tiles (the magnetic building set kids love) with Crayola markers? Answer: A super exciting new collab called Doodle Tiles.
Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds. You can draw right on these tiles (without mom getting mad), giving kids tons of new ways to get creative. Create a flower-covered house, build a rocket ship, the sky is the limit. And when the next inspiration strikes, wipe off the marker designs with a wet cloth and kids can create new masterpieces.
It’s not only kids of all ages who can’t get enough of CreateOn’s Magna-Tiles. Parents love the way the tiles encourage kids to use their creativity, while working on fine and gross motor skills, shape recognition, balance, symmetry and teamwork with siblings or friends. Adding drawing to the mix multiplies both the fun and the learning.
Snap up Doodle Tiles for $29.99 on the CreateOn website. And coming later this year from CreateOn and Crayola: PaintOn Magna-Tiles!
On the new series Elinor Wonders Why, observant bunny rabbit Elinor and her young friends indulge their curiosity about how the world works, learning basic scientific skills to answer their own questions about science, nature, and life in general.
My young daughter loves going on nature walks to examine and collect flowers to make “tea” for her dolls. These jaunts around the neighborhood are often her favorite part of the day. (And mine, too!) In fact, preschoolers are naturally curious, and getting outside with them and exploring nature is a perfect way to learn about science and how to question in an age-appropriate way. In fact, exploring nature has myriad benefits, says pediatric neuropsychologist Dr. Jennifer Katzenstein of the Johns Hopkins Center for Behavioral Health.
“Research suggests that more outdoor time is protective for children’s mental health, and allowing children the opportunity to physically explore their outdoor environment, while also engaging them in an understanding of nature and our outdoor world, helps build confidence and cognitive skills,” says Dr. Katzenstein. Bonus: It also gets them physically moving, which can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. (More sleep at this age is always a win, both for children and tired parents!)
Here are six great ways to explore nature with your preschooler:
1. Make it a habit to go outside.
Whether observing how ants cooperate to build nests or how leaves and feathers each fall softly, Elinor is always outside observing nature. Young children not only love the outdoors but also thrive on routine, so by making outdoor play a regular part of your daily habits, they’ll learn to eagerly anticipate the exploration time.
“Outdoor play may provide unique opportunities for children to observe and engage with diverse objects, which may facilitate learning,” says Daniel Bagner, Psychology Professor at Florida International University’s Center for Children and Families. “For example, if a child throws a rock in a pond, they may learn about density.”
Especially these days, after months of many young children sheltering in place and barely leaving their homes, it’s important—both physically and mentally—for young kids to have outdoor time whenever possible. Consider setting aside dedicated time every day—say, after lunch, or before the nightly bath—to regularly get outside together and explore.
2. Ask questions and encourage questions.
In the eyes of a young child, everything is new and exciting, so asking gentle questions can not only lead to creativity breakthroughs but can also cause them to ponder new questions. And, after all, sometimes the simplest questions can lead to the most profound answers and are wonderful learning opportunities for your children.
When Elinor’s dad is having trouble sleeping in because of loud birds just outside his window, Elinor wonders why birds sing. She eventually realizes that birds sing to communicate, just as humans talk to communicate—and by questioning, Elinor is able to understand how animals get their vital needs met.
3. Draw in a nature journal.
For children, the world is full of wonder and designed to be explored—ideally hands-on. You don’t need to venture far: even the backyard, neighborhood sidewalk, or local park is fertile ground for a young imagination. Elinor has incredible powers of observation, examining everything from how flowers attract bees through color and smell, to the way spittle bugs use their bodies like straws to blow small bubbles.
Encourage your own children’s powers of observation with a nature journal. Ask them to draw what they see: everything from parts of a plant trees to different body parts of animals is fodder for creativity and imaginative learning.
Take it to the next level by creating multimedia projects, such as gluing or taping leaves and flowers collected on walks to your children’s drawings. Other ideas: make leaf rubbings, create poems together about what you’ve seen, or outline seeds and rocks collected on the neighborhood journey.
4. Use field guides to help identify and learn about what you discover.
While observing butterflies and caterpillars, Elinor and her friends realize they’ve never seen a baby butterfly—and eventually learn that caterpillars themselves are baby butterflies! If your children seem interested in a certain aspect of nature—whether plants, birds, or bugs—you can create a field guide together. Identify all the regular specimens you come into contact with and go into detail about their parts.
Once you’re done creating your guide, take it and set off together on a scavenger hunt to locate all the varietals. Your children will be proud and have a sense of accomplishment when they check all the boxes and complete the nature quest.
Another possibility: encourage them to keep notebooks—just like Olive—writing (or drawing, if they’re too young!) observations about what they find.
5. Get a closer look at features on plants, natural objects, and animals.
It can be easy to let nature pass you by and not notice the intricate details. Go on a nature walk with your kids, like in Elinor’s Nature Adventure game, and encourage your children to take careful note of what they see.
By connecting what they observe in nature to how the world at large works, children will learn that scientific practices can be used anywhere to build knowledge as their curiosity is engaged.
After all, as Elinor always says, “We need more observations!”
6. Dig deeper.
Can’t remember why leaves are green? Don’t worry if you don’t have the answer. Just like in Elinor, while it is important to be helpful and responsive, it’s not necessary to be an encyclopedia. Elinor’s parents and the other adults in Elinor Wonders Why may not always know the answers, but they do always gently guide Elinor and her friends to figure out things for themselves. The most important thing is encouraging further questioning.
Consider answering your child’s question in an open-ended way by saying, “I’m not sure. How can we figure that out?” Parents can also ask children whether it’s a question they should look up or if it can be investigated out in the world.
PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. As the number one educational media brand for kids, PBS KIDS helps children learn life lessons, explore their feelings and discover new adventures, while seeing themselves uniquely reflected and celebrated in lovable, diverse characters through television, digital media, and community-based programs.
Who do you think gets to spend more time outside? Free-range chickens, prisoners or kids?
The answer is free range chickens get to spend the most time outside, followed by prisoners who are mandated to have 2 hours a day of outdoor time. The sad truth is that most kids these days get less than 1 hour outside and the side effects are pretty scary- including ADHD, social anxiety, depression and even suicide in today’s youth, according to Gever Tulley the founder of the Brightworks School and Tinkering School. Not to mention that the lack of outdoor time for kids leads to a substantial decrease in confidence, creativity, problem solving skills, independence and grit- all skills needed to succeed as adults.
So why is it so important to get kids outside?
Nature is both calming + stimulating at the same time:
Many of us experience and recognize the calming effects of nature. Biologist, Edward Olson may have explained it best in his biophilia theory— that humans are innately drawn to connect and commune with nature. Just being in a natural environment makes us feel centered, at ease and at home. Studies also show that being in nature, or even viewing nature scenes, can reduce negative emotions like anger and fear while increasing positive feelings.
Natural environments not only soothe and center, they stimulate. Outdoor classrooms present learners with captivating sights, smells and textures, stimulating all of the senses. Sensory engagement could not be more critical to early learning—the more kids engage their senses, the more they increase their capacity to take in and turn new information into knowledge.
In an outdoor classroom, the scene is ever changing. Nature’s play objects vary in shape, size and texture, offering endless possibilities for play and learning. It seems impossible to build a playground more engaging or to stock an indoor classroom with such a rich set of learning tools.
In response to this stimulating environment, children’s play in nature is inherently more imaginative, self-directed, and free. Children make messes, experiment and investigate readily, and, in turn, develop essential learning skills. Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg of the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) eloquently described this:
“Nature places virtually no bounds on the imagination and engages all of the senses. For all children, this setting allows for the full blossoming of creativity, curiosity, and the associated developmental advances.”- Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg
But even with all of this scientific data at our fingertips, many parents (including myself at one time) are apprehensive to simply “let their kids outside to play.” Our society seems perpetually more worried, more fearful and kids seem to be more overprotected than ever.
So what can we do to prevent “nature deficit” in our kids and to help them succeed?
We need to bring back PLAY, in all seasons.
I recently became a leader within Tinkergarten, an organization that offers outdoor play-based learning classes to local kids (all year round) and have learned that there is no bad weather- only bad clothing.
Tinkergarten’s mission is to bring back something that seems to be lost on this new generation — something that was a most influential part of our own childhoods — free time to tinker outdoors. Kids learn leadership, problem solving, persistence, and more through well-designed, guided play. At Tinkergarten, we think independent exploration, risk taking, getting dirty, and making messes help kids achieve far greater things than drills at the local tutoring center.
The idea that outdoor play (no matter how basic the play) is incredibly important and powerful, is a mindshift that has helped me to become a better mom and a better person. So when my 2 year old daughter is wound up, instead of turning on her favorite TV show, I get her dressed and we go outside. Even if I’m exhausted and need to set up a chair while she plays by herself, I know that she is gaining so much by simply being outside and allowed to explore and tinker. And heck, I’m even happier too!
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I’m a beauty hunter, a dreamer, a learner and a doer. I'm also a mama to 2 wild ones (Lily Love + Bear). As a self proclaimed forest fairy + forest school founder, I believe in nature and magic and know that growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone.
You probably know Christian Robinson from his best-selling children’s books You Matter and Another and for his award-winning illustrations in Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña. He now brings his joyful, inspirational designs to Target as they launch the Christian Robinson for Target collection of home goods, apparel and books for babies and kids.
This limited-time collection, which continues Target’s commitment to sourcing and designing more products with Black creators and designers, includes bedding, pillows, wall art, t-shirts, onesies, pajamas, and exclusive editions of four of Robinson’s books. The clothing options include adaptive and sensory-friendly apparel. Most items are under $25, with the collection ranging in price from $6 to $70.
“We know our guests want their homes to be a reflection of themselves and look to Target for inspiration and new ways to explore their creativity,” says Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Target. “Christian Robinson’s curiosity and creativity are unmatched. We’re thrilled to be able to introduce our guests to such a special partner and deliver an inclusive collection that is as inspiring as it is affordable.”
Discussing the partnership, Robinson says, “As a child, drawing became a way to make space for myself and to create the kind of world I wanted to see. Working with Target to bring this collection to life has been a dream come true and I hope it helps all Target guests, big and small, create a space of their own that is timeless, captures their imaginations and sparks their curiosity.”
The Christian Robinson for Target collection will be available on the Target website and in stores beginning August 15; new home products will arrive in October.
Looking for fun activities to keep the kids creative this summer? Never fear, Michael’s is here!
The craft store has announced Camp Creatology, four weeks of free online crafting for kids three and up! From July 12 through Aug. 6, your kiddos can sign up for a free kids craft through Zoom, with unique daily themes.
Kiddos will have access to fun crafts Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with new weekly themes. So what kind of crafts can you expect?
Week 1: Beads & Bells
Week 2: Yay for Yarn
Week 3: Play with Paper
Week 4: How Awesome is Art?
Each class will be from 4 to 5 p.m. CST via Zoom on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. All you have to do is head to Michaels to sign up for your classes now.
Helping kids explore their ever-evolving interests and creating opportunities for them to flex their creativity muscles can sometimes feel like a full-time job. It can feel especially challenging when you’re trying to balance all this uber-enriching parenting work with responding to emails, getting dinner on the table and making sure everyone has clean laundry for the morning.
Thanks to Bennett Live, inspired by the educational style of Bennett Day School, you can now give your kids access to a vast library of engaging media, programming, and educational resources that will help them explore, learn and create independently—all from their favorite device!
Bennett Live offers a unique way to help kids stay busy and keep on growing and thriving at home. Unlike other apps that rely on fully-screen-based games to teach new skills, Bennett Live invites kids, ages 3-18, to immerse themselves in engaging pre-recorded media content. Every episode includes a project or activity to create, a unique learning guide and all the extra resources your kiddo will need to dig deep (and stay busy.)
After months of a little (okay, a lot) more screen time than usual, we all know that not all screen time is created equally. Kids’ brains respond differently when they have access to apps they can use independently and that offer them real opportunities to develop their growth mindset, creativity, problem-solving and social-emotional skills, physical growth and literacy skills.
With partners like the Adler Planetarium, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and game companies like SpinMaster, USOPOLY, and Wonderful Idea Co., you won’t ever have to spend a frantic evening trying to schedule expensive one-off classes to fill tomorrow morning again. The experts are all on Bennett Live and, while we're pretty sure your kid won’t burn through the 110,000 hours of viewable content that’s already on the app, new content is being added consistently!
All kids deserve access to high-quality, creative and hands-on learning experiences, and Bennett Live is already helping to make this sort of learning possible for so many families (ummm, over A MILLION people so far) who are working and learning remotely.
If Bennett Live sounds like something you’ve been dreaming of (whenever you get to sleep these days anyway), you’re in luck because it’s easy to sign up for a free 7-day trial. Once you and your kiddo see all it has to offer, we know you’ll be ready for more!
Bennett Live is now available from Google Play (for Android) and the App Store (for iOS). After a 7-day free trial, families can subscribe for $9.99/month or $79.99 a year.
It’s nearly time to close the book on this non-conventional school year. You could say we’ve had a book thrown at us, as we’ve learned that teaching our kids is no easy task. Here are some printables to send some much-deserved gratitude to our teachers! Feel free to fill out an award or two for yourself–you’ve earned it!
PS: Another great way to say thank you to your favorite teacher: The gratitude-packed book Dear Teacher. This so-sweet book thanks all the people that empower and inspire little ones to be themselves and overcome all of life’s obstacles—making it the perfect gift for the last day of school! Learn more.
Do you know that voice inside your head that says you “messed up,” or you “aren’t good enough?” Maybe it says other not-so-kind things, too. Most of us are familiar with the experience of having a voice inside that can be hard on us—this can be called “our inner critic.”
Adults and children alike can experience an internal battle with our inner critic. Sometimes our inner critics can get very loud, leading to feelings of anxiety, guilt or shame. Most of us don’t love feeling guilt or shame so we find strategies to avoid these feelings. One of these strategies is perfectionism. Perfectionism is when parts of us want things to be just right in order to avoid some type of negative outcome. Sometimes what we are trying to avoid is internal self-blame, other times it’s criticism or blame from others. Still, other times it’s because we are trying to avoid the disappointment of things not going as we had planned.
Perfectionism and anxiety go hand in hand. As we work to be perfect in an “imperfect” world, we are bound to hit some challenges along the way. Here are some signs of perfectionism:
Feeling badly about something unless over 100% effort is given
Difficulty starting tasks
Procrastination
Avoiding situations that could end in failure
Being highly critical of one’s self
Difficulty coping with making mistakes
Struggling with shame/embarrassment
Struggling with self-doubt
Struggling with appearing vulnerable
Focusing strongly on outcomes or end-results
The signs above can apply to both children and adults. Do you see any that you recognize? Sometimes it can be hard to pick up on perfectionistic tendencies in young children. Younger children may show perfectionism less verbally, and more in how they behave in certain situations. For instance:
Having frequent meltdowns when they make a mistake
Expressing embarrassment or shame when they get hurt
Working hard to avoid disappointing others
Struggling with making choices
Avoiding trying new things or starting tasks
Constantly asking for adult help for tasks they are able to do themselves.
To be clear these signs need to be taken into context as there are other reasons children may show these behaviors, but it can be helpful to begin to notice what is triggering to each child. If it seems like it may be along with the themes of “making mistakes” or having things be “just so,” perfectionism may be what you are seeing. If we notice these things early, we can start to support children to learn self-acceptance.
So what can you do if you notice a child struggling with perfectionism or their own inner-critic? Moving towards self-acceptance can help find ways of welcoming all parts of us, just the way they are. Try some of these ideas for supporting self-acceptance at home:
Here are some ideas for supporting perfectionist kiddos at home:
1. Celebrate strengths. Even perfectionism has its positive sides. Make sure your child understands that you appreciate them just the way they are.
2. Model positive self-talk. When you make a mistake, watch what you say to yourself. Model for your child how to be kind to yourself even when you mess up.
3. Welcome all feelings. When we welcome anger, sadness, happiness and everything in between we send the message that being human is okay! Sometimes we aren’t at our best or say things in anger, and we can work through those things.
4. Teach Repair. Sometimes shame and self-criticism can be strong for children because they don’t know “how to make it right.” Let your children know that there is always something we can try to do to make it right.
5. Try open-ended games and art. Try offering games, activities, and opportunities that don’t just have one right answer. This openness can take the pressure off and allow for more creativity, joy and relaxation throughout the day.
For even more support in tackling perfectionism, introduce Yak, a new Slumberkins creature whose story teaches the concepts of self-acceptance, perfectionism and perseverance by reminding little ones that they are enough, just as they are. Reading Yak’s book with your little one and practicing the self-acceptance affirmation can help your child take risks and understand that it’s okay to not be perfect at something the first time they try it.
Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen are co-founders of Slumberkins, a children's brand supporting social-emotional learning for children. Kelly has a dual master's degree in family therapy and school counseling, and Callie has a master's degree in teaching. Both are passionate about teaching children social-emotional skills to thrive in our modern world.
In this day and age, many parents resort to technology in order to keep their kids entertained and occupied, completely forgetting the benefits of arts and crafts. True, technology is very useful, and kids should be introduced to it, but it should never come at the expense of them playing and making things with their own hands. There are many benefits of arts and crafts that go beyond simply allowing your kids to express themselves in a more creative way, and here are some of them.
It improves their coordination and fine motor skills.
Arts and crafts usually require kids to use both hands in a certain manner, which can help them develop fine motor skills and bilateral coordination. For example, drawing dots and lines, cutting with scissors, and even simply tearing a piece of paper are all quite demanding tasks in terms of dexterity – and kids enjoy doing them. This can help them develop faster and become more skilled in other daily activities such as tying their shoes, dressing, using kitchenware, etc.
It helps them express themselves.
Kids tend to be very visual about everything that happens around them, and they generally absorb a lot of information every day. However, there will always be kids who are naturally shyer and not that comfortable with expressing themselves in words. Those kids may look for different, more visual ways to express their emotions and thoughts – and arts and crafts can give them what they need. It is a safe environment that they can control and shape in any way they want by using any materials they like. This is why parents might get a better insight into how their child is feeling or what they are thinking by encouraging them to participate in arts and crafts activities.
It makes them more creative and productive.
There are no limits to children’s imagination, and arts and crafts are a great way for them to turn that endless imagination into something more productive. There are many materials, colors, shapes, and activities they can choose, which allows children to explore different options and pick those that they find the most enjoyable. And who knows, they might even discover a fun hobby, like drawing, that can later become a lucrative career, like graphic design.
It helps them develop other skills.
Young kids usually begin using pens by scribbling random things. However, the thing is, the more they scribble, the better they will be at controlling the pen and their movements across the paper. So, as they learn to control their own movements, they will also learn how to create different shapes, which will eventually lead to creating letters. In other words, the more they scribble, the faster they’ll master everything they need in order to write clearly. Also, you can encourage scribbling by giving them colorful gel pens—scribbling with such fun pens will make them want to do it all the time!
It inspires them to think critically.
Art comes with endless possibilities and choices—will their house have a red roof or black? Will they draw a dog or a cat? How will they draw the clouds and the birds? All these choices inspire kids to think critically, decide, and evaluate their own decisions so they can repeat them or change them the next time. This way, they will become more comfortable with thinking about different possibilities and more confident about making their choices. Plus, it will also make them more likely to try different combinations and come up with their own ideas, which is an extremely useful skill at all ages.
It helps them socialize.
Arts and crafts create a common ground for all the kids who may have different interests or simply haven’t met yet, because most of them will love creating things with their hands—and see what other kids have created. When it comes to creativity, it doesn’t matter how old they are or what race they are – the only thing that matters is what they can make. And since children are naturally curious, they will gladly approach another child if they like what that kid has drawn, built with Lego blocks, or colored.
There are many benefits of arts and crafts for kids, from helping them socialize and express themselves to helping them develop other skills and think more critically. So, if you want your child to have fun and experience all these benefits, encourage them to take part in such activities – they are both fun and useful, and your kid will definitely enjoy exploring their own imagination.
Olivia is psychologist and entrepreneur from Brisbane and a mother of two beautiful children. She is a passionate writer, traveler and conscious consumer, seeking healthy and sustainable products to incorporate into the lives of her family. Her motto is “Be the change you want to see in the world."
Your creative kiddo is about to get a Target-tastic treat! The big red bullseye retailer recently launched Mondo Llama—a new line of nearly 400 colorful arts and crafts items.
Mondo Llama includes everything your pint-sized Picasso needs to make their own mini masterpieces. The crafting line includes paint sets, canvases, drawings kits and more.
Even though your littles will love this line, Mondo Llama isn’t just for kids. Adults can get in on the crafting action too! Julie Guggemos, senior vice president and chief design officer for Target, said in a press release, “Mondo Llama is about joy and creativity for all. After extensive guest research, we co-created a new brand with our guests that meets their arts and crafting needs at an incredible value.”
Guggemos continued, “More guests are looking for creative ways to have fun, and Mondo Llama encourages families to create, experiment and spend time together. It’s the perfect addition to our portfolio of owned brands.”
As if this crafty line wasn’t imaginative enough, Target commissioned a diverse group of artists from around the globe to design more than 70 original artworks featured on the new brand’s packaging. The artists all use Mondo Llama products to make these colorful creations.
Find Mondo Llama products in Target stores and online at Target.com. Prices start at just $1.25 for a pack of crayons, $1.75 for paint and cap out at $70 for a wooden easel.
