Threading: Fine Motor Skills

I’ve seen this activity suggested on Pinterest, but this was our first time trying it.  We used 18 mm plastic beads, regular spaghetti stuck in a little blob of Play-Doh, and an enthusiastic three-year-old.  On top of building those fine

A Fierce Independence

A Fierce Independence

A bit of wisdom from Maria Montessori today: “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” For our older son, that’s basically every task now. Last month he hit three and dove headfirst into

All Aboard!

All Aboard!

Albert Einstein said, “Play is the highest form of research.”  This is most true when our children play with toys that allow them to create, experiment, and solve problems. Our three-year-old is enchanted with his wooden train set these days.

Snake Eyes!

Snake Eyes!

Working with dice enhances number sense in young children by training them to look at a group of objects (the dots on the dice) and recognize how many are there without counting.  As children grow familiar with these common arrangements, they