play-based learning
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Stressed out about remote learning? These 5 tips are game-changers.
The truth is – you and your children are not the only ones struggling with remote learning… Researchers found that Chinese children were affected by toxic stress during the initial stages of the pandemic. Now, North American children are likely experiencing chronic and repeated activation of their fight-or-flight response too. Continue reading
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How to Make Bouncy Balls: A fun, hands-on science lesson
If your child is slime-obsessed, you will want to check out this spin how to make slime. While the ingredients are the same, the result is different and exciting! Here you will learn how to make bouncy balls. This simple kids activity is perfect for hands-on learning to teach children about chemical reactions. One of […] Continue reading
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Extracurricular activities for kids: Why science says less is more
With summer holidays approaching, it’s natural to worry about our kids’ boredom. No one wants their kids spending the summer fighting over the iPad or in a state of complacency. It doesn’t help that this time of year, Facebook newsfeeds are punctuated with articles about ‘The Summer Slide.’ They warned that some students experienced academic regression as a result of being away from school for so long. Continue reading
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Why Kids Benefit From More Outdoor Play
Sadly this generation is spending less time engaged in outdoor play than generations before. Find out why we should prioritize time in nature for our kids. One of the best parts of my childhood was living in a house that backed onto greenbelt. The evergreen forest became the stage for mine and my brothers’ curiosity, […] Continue reading
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What to do outside on a rainy day with kids
When rainy weather sets in, kids become restless. They get cabin fever and parents end up irritated because the kids are bouncing off the walls. Here you will find tips on what to do outside on a rainy day. These activities are fun and require little to no prep! Fall is in full swing here […] Continue reading
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How to set up three simple science activities for preschoolers
It doesn’t take a science degree to execute simple science activities for preschoolers. In fact, all you need are common household items and minimal prep to teach children about physical and chemical reactions. Find basic ideas to promote physics and biology as well as three science activities for preschoolers here. This post originally appeared on […] Continue reading
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This is why free-play is more valuable than extracurricular activities
When summer hits, naturally parents want to avoid the summer slide. We want to schedule enough summer activities so that our children are challenged and go back to school ready. While all of this is done with the best of intentions, free play is more beneficial than most of these extracurricular activities for kids. This […] Continue reading
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This is why sensory play is so important – backed by research
Sensory play can seem like a whole lot of mess in the name of frivolous play. Inside I will share the research behind why sensory play is so important as well as tips to contain the mess, execute simple sensory play ideas and more. It was a scorching hot evening in our old neighbourhood. We […] Continue reading
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Why this is the best way to build a kids’ fort
More than once I’ve been tempted to buy a fort building kit for my kids. Turns out, I had the wrong idea. Kids’ forts should be simple and fun. Find the best way to build forts for kids that promote STEM and play-based learning. My kids had been fighting on and off all week. Saturday morning rolled […] Continue reading
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50+ Ideas to Improve Printing Without Writing
Want to work on your child’s printing and fine motor skills for hand-writing? Below you will find play-based learning ideas to improve printing without writing. I remember those printing books from elementary school with each letter written solidly, then in an almost connect-the-dots form, and then with room for us to try copy the character […] Continue reading
About Me
Hi, I’m Alana. When I’m not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids.
Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions.