Like I said in my winter essentials post, we spend a LOT of time outside. We recently built an epic swing set in our yard, so we spend even MORE time outside now! I aim for one hour of fresh air play every day, and I rarely say no when Jack asks for more! Outdoor play is so important for development, and it helps that it really wears them out for nap time! How do I keep up with my kids while outside? Check out this list of essential springtime outdoor gear. Thank you to The Natural Patch for ...
Activities
Family Fun Friday: Our Trip to the Zoo
Spring is just around the corner! Josh took Friday off of work and when we saw the weather would be in the 50s, we knew it was the perfect day to go to the zoo! February school vacation is next week and we'd just miss the crowds. My in-laws gifted us a Zoo New England membership for Christmas, and we were eager to break it in! This post includes affiliate links, and I may receive compensation from their usage. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon. All opinions are ...
How to Celebrate Black History Month with your Family
February is Black History Month! As seen in my post on celebrating Native American Heritage Month, I really try to spotlight other cultures through books and activities. Why is this important? According to studies by the American Psychological Association, "3-month-old babies prefer faces from certain racial groups, 9-month-olds use race to categorize faces, and 3-year-old children in the U.S. associate some racial groups with negative traits. By age 4, children in the U.S. associate whites with ...
Essentials for Outdoor Play in Winter
We spend a lot of time outdoors. I aim for one hour of fresh air play every day, and I rarely say no when Jack asks for more! Outdoor play is so important for development, and it helps that it really wears them out for nap time! When I share snaps of our outdoor playtime on Instagram stories, I always get DMs about it! Sometimes they're asking about what I do when it rains or is cold, and sometimes it's about a specific toy or clothing item pictured. If you're looking to add some outdoor play ...
Making a Reverse Advent Calendar for 2021
Traditional Advent calendars add things to your home, but our Reverse Advent Calendar encourages our family to give things to others. Throughout Advent, we collect non-perishable goods. At Christmas time we donate the whole box of foods to our local food bank. In our home state of Massachusetts, 1 in every 11 children faces food insecurity. (You can see the statistics for your state here.) The fact that so many of my children's peers aren't getting enough food is incredibly saddening to me! We ...
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
Looking for ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month with your tots? Check out our list of books and activities to introduce or expand upon prior learning of indigenous peoples! Do your prep work now so that you'll be ready on November 1! While we will also be celebrating Thanksgiving this month, it is important to honor and recognize the people here before the Pilgrims. Kids learn best through stories, songs, and activities, and these are some of my favorites! This post ...