Well, it's officially summer around here, and that means school’s out forever! Or, at least until we are in the midst of the back- to- school chaos in a few months. Until then, parents all over the globe are on the search for screen -less activities perfect for travel and home entertainment, as we slowly come undone over the sweltering summer months. Hey parental units, I'm coming in hotter than the neighborhood ice cream man with some educational, screen- free, and COMPLIMEN

Figuring out a child's emotions, emotional needs and guiding them through these emotions is a game I play everyday on multiple levels. Not only do I work with toddlers, but I also work with toddlers with special needs. Gifting them the magic of essential oils with sensory play is the perfect recipe to help with grounding and creating self regulations. Grounding is a technique used to bring focus on your body or your surroundings instead of being trapped in your thoughts, caus

The days cast in between the turkey flying out of the oven to the magical morning of glorious paper shredding, can quickly become a blur. Those who have a child or two know that this time frame can quickly become disorienting. I personally like to refer to this period of time as, a holiday time warp. The pressure is on to make our homes look as festival as the Griswolds, plan an epic fest, figure out everyones gift and of course there's the shopping for these said gifts. Hey,

Summer might not officially be here but the heat sure is! Here in California, it's not uncommon to see the heat trail all the way into October. When outside tempatures rise, so do the chances of becoming dehydrated. Summer always brings a strong sense of responsibility to parents and caregivers to keep pushing that water bottle under their little ones nose. Some kids are awesome at chugging that high quality H2O, and then there's the bunch who have 'more important' things to

This simple, fun and delicious activity will go straight to number one with your toddlers and preschoolers. Sunset Ice goes beyond hydration, it's sensory play and works those fine motor skills. This activity was inspired from snow painting that I've seen done. Which you could actually use snow or the shaved Ice from a snow cone maker, instead of ice. I just have a deep love for pellet ice. You know, those airy, crunchy, tiny little cold nuggets sing to you too. Next up, colo

May is always such a welcomed month in our home. The days are warmer, everything is colorful, and in bloom, and everyone seems to have a little extra pep in their steps. This is always such a nostalgic feeling for me, as this means lots of popsicles and outdoor activities in the upcoming days ahead. But one thing we can't forget when it comes to the month of May, is the celebration of  brave and tenacious women who bear our children into this world. Motherhood is one of the m

Food is a great conversation starter, when engaging kids. Especially preschoolers. It really adds another element into the lesson plan or theme. Food, especially visually appealing food, is captivating to young audiences. As they play, eat and observe the food, their senses and attention are sparked to engage, learn and absorb. Earth day is always a fun opportunity to teach children about gardening, recycling, reusing, reducing, green living and sustainability. We love our Mo

Spring time brings out all the beautiful colors, but nothing shouts 'spring is here' like the enchanting pastel colors that encapsulate Easter. To me nothing holds a candle to the soft blue hues that lay inside a robin's nest. As a child, I would stare at the petite speckled eggs cover in freckles, just hoping they would spring out new life in front of my eyes. When contemplating on what Easter cupcakes to make for the kiddos Easter party, I couldn't help be inspired by all t

The art of creating beautifully colored treats for your kiddos is visually appetizing for everyone. Color is especially captivating to children. I try my best to keep artificial dyes and colors out of the kids diet here. Of course, still wanting to be fun and creative with their food and colors, I assumed there must be a healthy alternative to store boxed food coloring. Low and behold, there is! I never realized how simple it was to create your own homemade dye from fruits an

We like to change things up a bit here, but still love doing traditional holiday activities. Such as hunting Easter eggs! The novelty of hiding and seeking eggs has brought generations of children lots of joy, myself included! Who doesn't remember sitting down with there baskets full of eggs, just to crack open every single one to make piles of candy. Since I do not give the kiddos candy here or anything with artificial coloring, I thought a fun alternative to the hunt would