“Learning Foundations” is designed to help parents and in-home childcare providers teach toddlers and preschoolers the essential skills they need for future learning success. From fine motor development and problem-solving to early math concepts and life skills, this category offers practical tips and engaging activities to support early childhood growth. Whether you’re introducing scissor skills, fostering independence, or exploring hands-on learning, you’ll find easy-to-implement ideas to nurture confidence and curiosity in young learners.
If you’ve got a few leftover blooms, a sturdy tuff tray, and some eager little hands, you’ve got yourself a flower cutting station. This easy indoor activity is a huge hit with our 2- and 3-year-olds, and it all started with a pile of flowers that were just about ready for the compost bin. Instead,…
If you’ve ever spent way too much money on the latest and greatest toddler toy only for your kid to play with the box it came in… you’re not alone. Been there, cried there. Here’s the thing: sometimes the simplest toys, the ones that mimic real life, are the ones that keep kids engaged the…
You printed off an adorable activity for your toddler, but now what? Do they color it and move on? Do you use it again in a different way? If you’re stuck wondering how to make printables more engaging, I’ve got you! Use my free Printable Expansion Idea Generator to get creative, easy-to-implement ways to make…
You know that moment when your child comes running up to you, beaming with pride, and hands you a freshly drawn picture? Maybe it’s a colorful swirl of crayon, a stick figure family, or an explosion of marker dots that they swear is a T-Rex. No matter what it looks like, one thing is for…
Play is where young minds grow but knowing when to join in or step back can feel tricky. Should you guide the activity, or let creativity unfold naturally? Is your interaction necessary? This balance matters more than you think. Learning, problem-solving, and social skills thrive when children lead the way—but they also need your support…
When’s the last time you really thought about why toddlers need to learn to use scissors? It’s one of those skills we just assume they’ll pick up along the way—until one day, you find yourself questioning your entire life when your two-year-old slices open a bag of mini M&Ms with his safety scissors because you…
Toddlers have an amazing ability to turn everything into chaos fun. But guess what? That also means they’re natural learners! Teaching them to count doesn’t have to feel like herding cats—it can actually be fun (yes, really). Spoiler alert: You’re probably already teaching your toddler to count without realizing it! From snack time to sock…
You’ve got stickers on your pants and Play-Doh in your hair. You’re outnumbered by toddlers who can’t remember where their shoes are (but definitely remember where you hide the snacks). And still—you’re out here raising capable, confident, curious humans. You absolute legend. So let’s talk about teaching toddlers life skills. Not the cutesy kind where…
Are you looking for a fun and effective way to help the toddlers and preschoolers in your care practice the alphabet? As in-home childcare providers, we are helping these young minds on their learning journey from toddlers to preschoolers to elementary students. ABC flash cards are an incredible tool to make learning interactive and engaging….
So here’s the thing—we LOVE painting around here. And if you’ve ever wondered whether one-year-olds are too young to craft… I’m here to tell you: absolutely not. In fact, the youngest kiddo in my group? He’s just over 1 and gets more excited about painting than anyone else at the table. Does he lick the…
