"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood," Fred Rogers ( zerotothree.org 2018 ). Before our children develop language skills to ask questions about the world around them, they learn by using their senses. They explore and discover at their own pace through play. Play supports children's skills across all developmental domains. There a...

We all know the nursery rhyme rain, rain, go away, come again another day. I'll be the first to admit that rainy days get me down, but it doesn't have to be that way. I'm here to share both indoor and outdoor activities so that you and your children can make the most out of rainy days together. Outdoor Activity Ideas: Dance in the rain- this is a really simple, but fun way to spend a little time out in the rain. Play some music or sing a song tog...

Are you tired of being stuck inside? Are you ready for spring? You are not alone! It is exciting to have warmer weather right around the corner. Children may be tired of being inside and parents are running out of ideas and activities for their children to do indoors. Here are a couple of fun and easy things to do on a beautiful spring day. Nature Collection Pick a nice sunny day to go to the park or walk around your neighborhood to do a nature c...

  Earth Day is a national holiday celebrated in April to demonstrate support for environmental protection. There are numerous ways we can help take care of our planet. Recycling is just one of them! Let's take a look at how children can get involved in recycling. Make it accessible. When I was young my little brother asked for recycling containers for his birthday one year. In our garage, we had a container for cans, plastic, etc. My brother...

Most years, my parents would go out for dinner and have a romantic date while I took care of my siblings. As the oldest of all my siblings, I've always tried to come up with fun activities to do for Valentine's Day. But most of the time, we would just end up watching TV together. For the most part, children who celebrate Valentine's Day mostly celebrate it in a classroom setting by writing valentines and buying candy to pass out. And that's where...

Playdates can offer a wide variety of great experiences for your child as they begin to grow and develop. Throughout this post, we will talk more about the benefits of playdates for your child, when to know when your child is ready, and how to set up and prepare for playdates. Playing with other children offers littles the opportunity to grow in different ways that can lead to success within school and in their personal relationships with others....

While doing an outreach event recently I had a wonderful conversation with a mom about sibling relationships. She told me about her hopes and dreams for her children and the friendship she hoped they would develop and keep throughout their lives. She admitted, like many parents, that fostering those good relationships was sometimes incredibly hard! After this conversation I got thinking about my own family, I grew up as the older sister of three ...

If the 4th of July snuck up on you this year like it did for me, you'll likely need some last-minute ideas on how to entertain your children and make the holiday special. There are so many fun and creative ways to celebrate with your kids that don't require copious amounts of time and money. Crafts: Holidays are exciting for your kids! Crafts are a great way to work on your child's fine motor skills as well as give them an outlet for creativity. ...

We use our fine motor skills every single day, from getting dressed to eating to writing. Fine motor skills require the control of small muscles in our hands. These muscles can be strengthened and improved each day. Not only are these important skills to develop for daily activities but they also include a host of other benefits such as improving academic readiness and fostering independence. Doing developmentally appropriate activities with our ...

Holiday traditions bond families together. Whether we realize it or not, our traditions give us a sense of belonging, importance, and security. Regardless of the changes occurring in our lives, we know that these family rituals will stay constant! Halloween will probably have a lot of changes this year. Many of us are missing getting together with family or even trick-or-treating. This is an excellent time to create a new tradition: start creatin...

Whether you're considering homeschooling this coming year or plan to have the kids back in private or public school, there are a few important aspects to consider regarding their education. Often, I hear parents worry about their child's attention span. Some child development experts suggest that the average child should be able to concentrate on one task for 2-5 minutes multiplied by their age. So, an average 6-year old should be able to focus o...

The famous words of my childhood summer days were, "I'm bored." Often my mom would reply, "Read a book." Quickly I would snark, "No, I don't want to." The times in children's lives that are most unstructured, such as during a break from school, are the times we hear the word "bored" the most. About a month ago, I wrote a blogpost on " Alternatives to TV Time ." There I outlined the importance of self-directed independent play in child development...

It is safe to say that right now we are all using technology a lot more than we used to. This is not just because we are bored and don't have a lot of options. Using tech is how we are all functioning, socially and economically. We connect with others for schooling, work, socialization, and basically every activity we can think of all through the internet, and technology, and that's not a bad thing. There are so many more options and resources no...

There are numerous benefits to having plants or "green space" in your home. For example, green space has been shown to decrease stress, anxiety, blood pressure , and can even purify the air in your home. Building a terrarium is a perfect way to bring green space into your home and enjoy the benefits that come with it. It's also an activity that can be enjoyed and accomplished at any age. When I created my own, my 2-year-old joined me and helped c...

During this time of the "Stay home, Stay safe" directive, You or your child (or both!) might find yourself feeling bored. Just know it's okay to be bored! In fact, we need people to get bored. It's while we're bored that our minds are free to create. Creativity is the heart that moves us forward into newer brighter ideas for the future. Boredom also provides the building blocks to build relationships and confidence. So what is actually happening ...

I'm Elise Brimhall, the Education Program Manager for PBS Utah. With COVID-19 impacting everyday life, especially schools, we know that you are now entertaining and educating children in the home 24/7. It's a big task, and we know it can feel overwhelming. To ease some of the pressure, we at PBS Utah have put together trusted resources for you and your kids. First, checkout our blog series for Utah parents to get educational hands-on activities, ...

Please note: This article was submitted prior to the CDC guidelines regarding Covid-19. Please observe all safety measures as they are currently outlined, including social distancing.  Have you heard the term " nature-deficit disorder " and wondered what all the fuss is about? Don't worry - this isn't a disorder that can be diagnosed medically, but it is something we should all be aware of. That's because our health and well-being suffe...

Finding meaningful activities to share with the kids in your life can be a challenge. With so many attention-grabbing screens to compete with, it might even be intimidating to suggest something like gardening. But make no mistake! Kids can get every bit as excited about growing plants as they do about a video game or TV show. The secret is to keep things simple, engaging, and — most of all — fun! A Perfect First Garden Indoor herb gardens are an ...

I remember babysitting my young niece not too long ago. All evening she asked, "Cars?" This was code for, "Could we watch the movie Cars?" Soon I turned on the TV and sat with my niece as she watched intently. I became intrigued as I started to notice she did not take her eyes off the TV. She, like many of us, had watery eyes due to the amount of focus she put on the screen. This experience caused me to think about what she could be doing instead...

  As I was growing up, my parents were always looking for ways to help support our neighbors and community. Whether it was cleaning up yards for people in our neighborhood or helping pick fruit at the local orchards, my parents signed us up to help. While I complained about this a great deal at the time, looking back on it helps me understand more about my parents and our family values. It also helps me understand how important it is for eac...