Educational Tips

Although it may manifest in different ways, many kids will be carrying some serious stress when they return to the classroom. From concerns about COVID and a new set of rules to follow to social anxiety and worries about getting back into the school schedule after months of being away, this will by no means be a typical school year. And that’s just the kids! Teachers have their own set of stressors.While we can’t solve all these problems, we do have some great ideas to help create a calm, cool, collected classroom during these crazy times, like:1. Sometimes we all just need a moment. Visit our friends at Teachstarter.com for some amazing mindfulness activities and meditation moment ideas. Breathing is about as easy as it gets, with great, calming results. Have students place their hands on their bellies, close their eyes, and take a deep breath in, then out. See if they can move their hands using only their breath.[caption id="attachment_6810" align="alignnone" width="843"] Photo credit: https://fit.sanfordhealth.org/[/caption]2. Lavender has been shown to reduce anxiety, increase relaxation, quiet anger, and soothe restlessness. So, spritz your classroom with a spray, keep lavender-scented lotion at your desk, and opt for lavender scented hand sanitizer at your hand washing station. Or, better yet, put all of these things on your classroom wish list!3. Sensory play has also been proven to help kids stay calm and sit still and is particularly important for students with Sensory Processing Disorder. Providing breaks for sensory stimulation is a great way to create a more soothing space and there are so many ways to do it! Find some great sensory play ideas including bean boxes, colored rice, and more on our Pinterest board, Sensory Activities for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. And, of course, Playfoam^® is the perfect mess-free sensory play substance – kids can squish, squash, and sculpt – then stash the Playfoam away for next time. It never dries out, so the sensory fun never ends! Check out tons more ideas for Playfoam activities here.[video width="1080" height="1080" mp4="https://www.educationalinsights.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/PF_pinterest_5.mp4"][/video] 4. Sometimes we need more than a moment! Help calm a completely crazy classroom with “heads down in the dark.” Turn off the lights, turn on some soft, classical music, and have students place their cheeks down on their cool desks. Breathe in and out, listening to the music and the sound of your breath, until everyone seems ready to resume the day.[caption id="attachment_6818" align="alignnone" width="839"] Photo credit: Washington Post[/caption]5. Speaking of lights, flickering, glaring fluorescent lighting can cause eyestrain, headaches, and tension for all. Cover it up and create a soothing atmosphere in the classroom with calming Classroom Light Filters! Available in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes, Classroom Light Filters are designed to fit over standard fluorescent ceiling lights, attaching securely to their metal frames with sewn-in magnets.Parents! Show your thanks for teachers who are going above and beyond to keep your kids safe and smart. Many of these ideas also make great teacher gifts! Check out more cute ideas on our Teacher Appreciation Pinterest Board! 

If you’ve got a little one in school, you’ve likely heard the terms STEM and STEAM enough to wonder what they mean. Simply put, STEM is an academic focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. STEAM adds the all-important artistic aspect – hence, the “A”. For the last 20 years or so, the U.S. has committed to incorporating STEM learning into our kids’ school curriculum, and for good reason![caption id="attachment_5304" align="alignnone" width="724"] Photo credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/[/caption]According to the experts at The Edvocate, STEM learning fosters ingenuity and creativity, builds resilience, encourages experimentation and teamwork, promotes knowledge application and the use of technology, teaches problem solving, and encourages kids to adapt what they’ve learned to fit specific problems. All good, right? Even better – it’s never too early to incorporate STEM learning into your at-home play time! Below are some of our favorite, super fun, STEM activities from around the web:

Science

Make your own bubbles! If you’ve got dish soap, corn syrup, and a straw, you’re ready to mix up your own batch of homemade bubbles. Visit our friends at homesciencetools.com for instructions and a simple scientific explanation.Soak up an oil spill! Bring the bummer of pollution home with this DIY oil spill clean up project from LittleBinsForLittleHands (don’t miss their FREE ocean-themed STEM activity cards!). Fill a pan with water, add some oil, then brainstorm ways to get it out. Try a spoon, paper towels, cotton balls, and finally, Dawn dish soap to demonstrate how difficult it is to recapture spilled oil in the ocean.[caption id="attachment_5308" align="alignnone" width="608"] Photo credit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com[/caption]Get outside and explore! There’s no better teacher than mother nature, so get up and head outdoors! Observe the natural flora and fauna in your area, talk about the seasons, compare and contrast different plants, seeds, twigs, and rocks. Make exploring even more fun with kid-friendly scientific tools like microscopes, telescopes, adventure pens, and binoculars from GeoSafari®![caption id="attachment_5309" align="alignnone" width="530"] GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®[/caption]

Technology

Speak in code! From verbally programming your walk through the house to talking through tasks, step-by-step, there are lots of low-tech ways to introduce coding to your kids. Visit our blog on coding for some fun and easy at-home ideas!Get cute! 100% screen free and super cute, Coding Critters allow kids to code adorable animal friends following the directions in their new pet’s storybook adventures. Kids simply press buttons on the Critters’ backs to move them left, right, forward, or back, navigating the obstacles in the included pet playsets and introducing this key STEM concept.[caption id="attachment_5310" align="alignnone" width="688"] Photo Credit: learningresources.com[/caption]Draw it out! Kids who love art will go coding crazy for ARTIE 3000™ The Coding Robot! This self-contained unit teaches kids to write computer code line by line and then draws whatever they’ve coded! From shapes and letters to mandalas and custom designs, kids use an easy computer interface (no WIFI required!) with step-by-step instructions to tell ARTIE which way to turn, how many steps to take, and when to lift his pen or put it down. Then they simply click “run” to see their ARTIE execute their coded script on paper.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FyS_4ZTyK4&t=24s

Engineering

Ramp it up! Simple machines are the perfect way to slip some engineering into your child’s day and it doesn’t get much simpler than a ramp! Use a cut up the box from your last Amazon delivery, use a cereal box, or a wooden building plank, grab a small ball or toy car, and experiment with different constructions and angles. Find some fun ideas at BuggyandBuddy.com.[caption id="attachment_5311" align="alignnone" width="703"] Photo Credit: https://buggyandbuddy.com[/caption]Build, build, build! Wooden blocks, building bricks, and Lincoln Logs are the perfect first engineering experiences. Stack them as high as they’ll go, construct bridges, or – trickier – tunnels. As they play, kids will gain a sense of spatial reasoning, learn about structural integrity (crash!), explore the principles of design, and so much more.[caption id="attachment_5312" align="alignnone" width="909"] Photo Credit: manzanitakids[/caption]Make a marshmallow man! Encourage your kids to create all kinds of structures using marshmallows and toothpicks. Try making a cube, a curved dome, a two-sided ladder, or, some of these other ideas from our friends at BrainBrigade.org.

Math

Count it out! Even little ones can get in on the STEM fun and learning – with counting! Count Cheerios, crackers, steps to the car, anything and everything you can count, count!Match it up! Correlating a digital number with an actual amount is a key early math skill. One simple activity from BusyToddler.com has kids matching numerals 1-9 on sticky notes to sets of the same number of dots on a white board.[caption id="attachment_5315" align="alignnone" width="632"] Photo credit: https://busytoddler.com[/caption]Make an abacus! Well, sort of. Start with a bowl of multi-colored beads. Help your child find one bead of one color, two beads of another color, etc. Then assist your kiddo in sliding the beads onto a pipe cleaner, bending the ends so the beads don’t slide off. Then practice counting the number of beads on each pipe cleaner. This two-in-one activity from TheImagnationTree.com is also a great way to build fine motor skills ????.Click to learn more about the importance of STEM and for even more at-home ideas for incorporating STEM learning in your everyday play!

Sensory Play Ideas for You and the Kiddos to Explore

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of that intense baby stare, or grab, or taste test, you’ve witnessed sensory exploration first-hand (someone give us a towel!). While it may seem strange to explore a textured block with your tongue, little ones use the senses they have control of at any given age in order to explore the world around them.  And it’s SO good for them!Looking, touching, feeling, hearing, and yes, even tasting, helps kids build a framework in which to understand the people, places, and things in their lives. Sensory exploration also helps build your child’s brain, develops critical motor skills, supports language development, introduces cause and effect, and practices problem solving. All good, right?Although sensory exploration comes naturally to kids, parents can encourage this natural curiosity and exploration. And it’s easy! Below are some of our favorite sensory activities for each age group:Infants:

• Bubbles! Gently blow non-toxic bubbles around your baby. Let them watch the bubbles as they float down and feel the silky softness as they land on their skin.[caption id="attachment_5275" align="aligncenter" width="470"] Photo credit: Playgroupwa.com.au[/caption]

• Paper! Show your baby a sheet of colorful paper, then loudly scrunch it into a ball. Let your little one hold and squeeze the ball, exploring the creases and ridges.

• Words, words, words! Talk to your child as much as possible. Explain what you’re doing when you’re together. Use lots of different sounds, words, voices, and volumes.[caption id="attachment_5276" align="alignnone" width="503"] Photo credit: thestir.cafemom.com[/caption]

Toddlers:

• Paint! Finger painting does double sensory duty, allowing toddlers to explore colors, color blending, and the slippery smooth texture of paint on their fingers.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="866"] Photo credit: https://nourishingourchildren.org[/caption]

• Oobleck! A solid and a liquid, is science magic and perfect for sensory play. And it’s easy to make! Follow these simple instructions (and add a little food coloring or scent for a bit of extra fun!).[caption id="attachment_5279" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Photo credit: https://www.education.com[/caption]

• Sensory bins! Fill a large container with rice, beans, or Playfoam Pluffle™, add spoons, scoops, and small toys, and let your little one dig in. Click for some fun sensory bin ideas.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1039"] Photo Credit: @my_three_little_strawberries[/caption]

Preschoolers:

• Playfoam®! Squish, squash, shape, and smash – non-toxic Playfoam comes in all kinds of colors kids can squeeze and sculpt into all kinds of shapes. Best of all, it’s non-toxic, never dries out, and doesn’t stick to carpet or clothing (so it won’t stain or make a mess)![caption id="attachment_5281" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo credit: @carlson.toys[/caption]

• Music! Simple instruments like shakers, harmonicas, tambourines, and recorders are great for sensory play. Hand them over and watch as your kiddo explores their look, feel, and sound.

• Nature! A walk in nature gives your little one endless opportunities to see, smell, and feel all kinds of things, from grass and leaves to pine cones and feathers.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1180"] Photo Credit: http://www.parentmap.com[/caption]

With a little effort, you can add a sensory twist to most activities. For more fun ideas for infants, visit our friends at Red Tricycle. Busy Toddler’s got tons of ideas for your big kids and these creative activities from Little Bins for Little Hands will keep your preschooler engaged for hours. 

6 Mesmerizing Sensory Bin Activities for Kids of All Ages

There are so many ways to play with Playfoam Pluffle, but one of the most rewarding ways to get the most out of the mesmerizing, feel-good fluffy stuff is to dig your hands right into a sensory bin! Sensory bins are great, multi-sensory experiences that develop fine motor skills, bilateral coordination (using two hands together), and hand-eye coordination in younger kids and can also be used as a fun way to practice everything from letters and numbers to math and more with older kids. And, of course, they’re a wonderful activity for calming and soothing kids of all ages, particularly for kids experiencing anxiety. Below are a few of our favorite ways to use Playfoam Pluffle as part of a tactically-satisfying sensory bin:

1. Playfoam Pluffle Patterns – Fill two mixing bowls with two different colors of Playfoam Pluffle. Using a spoon and a muffin tin, show your little one how to spoon the first color of Playfoam Pluffle out of one bowl and into the first muffin hole, then swap to the other bowl and hole, repeating to form an A/B color pattern.

2. Playfoam Pluffle Fishing – Hide small objects, such as the acorns from The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game!®, the bones from Shelby's Snack Shack Game® or colorful buttons in a bin full of Playfoam Pluffle, then use the squeezers, a pair of child-safe tweezers or a scoop to pull them out. The Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set™, is a fantastic set for little hands. Practice sorting the objects by color or size to squeeze in some early math skills.[caption id="attachment_5072" align="alignnone" width="680"] Photo Credit: @my_three_little_strawberries[/caption]

3. Playfoam Pluffle-bet – Hide plastic or magnetic letters or numbers in a large plastic bin full of Playfoam Pluffle. Little ones can use their hands or a magnet to dig out a letter and show it to you – you can say its name and the sound it makes. Help older kiddos find the letters in their names, think of words that start with that letter, or set the letters out on the floor in alphabetical order as they find them.

4. Playfoam Pluffle Tubes – Remove about ¼ of the Playfoam Pluffle from its tube, then add plastic toys like insects or fish, buttons, bells, etc. We added carrots from Hoppy Floppy’s Happy Hunt™ Game. Shake the tube to mix them in, then have your little one roll and twist the tube to find as many hidden objects as they can. Talk about what they’ve found using descriptive vocabulary and try counting them as the objects are discovered. Great for on-the-go fun!

5. Playfoam Pluffle Funds – Bury some cash (use plastic coins and paper money if you’d prefer, like the those from our Play Money Coins and Bills set) in a bin of Playfoam Pluffle. Then, let your kids use their fingers, child-safe tweezers or our preschool game squeezers to make it a little trickier, to extract the money. Younger kids can count the number of coins they have; older kids can add up their value. Play against a sibling or friend to see who has more and who has less.

6. Playfoam Pluffle Excavation – Hide different types of rocks, minerals, and fossils, like those found in our Complete Rock and Mineral Set, in a bin of Playfoam Pluffle. Use plastic tongs or tweezers to excavate each item from the Pluffle and a paintbrush or basting brush to clean them off. Can your kids identify the specimen?  As a bonus, they may want to inspect their findings under a microscope.