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Photo Credit: Nugget (minor modifications for sizing) ✨ At a loss for how to explain Juneteenth to kids? Trust me, you’re not alone. Luckily, Nugget and A Kids Co. are here to help— their next book club pick is A Kids Book About Juneteenth ! Join the Nugget community for an open conversation with author Garrison Hayes. Garrison will help answer any questions you have while breaking down some of the complexities of the holiday.  Tbh, I’ve never really known how to explain it to kids, and I'm Black , so I certainly plan on attending! This is a great opportunity for us grownups to deepen our understanding of Juneteenth and also learn how the heck to explain this important part of U.S. history to the little ones in our lives. And let's face it, they're bound to ask questions about it eventually (if they haven't already).  ✨ Talk Starters 3rd Book Club 📚 Book: A Kids Book About Juneteenth 🗓️ When: Thurs. June 12, 2025 ⏰ Time: 8:30 PM ET 📍 Where: Zoom 💰 Cost: FREE! 👥 For: Grownups ➡️ Register: https://tinyurl.com/mt742c7d Overview of Sections 🧐 Why You Should Attend 🤷🏽‍♀️ Why Is Nugget Partnering with A Kids Co.? 📰 Is the Partnership in Response to DEI Pullbacks? 😬 Wait, Do I Have to Own a Nugget Play Couch to Attend? ✅ Where to Catch Up On Insights From Talk Starters Past Book Club s 🧐 Why You Should Attend Talk Starters Book Club Over the years I’ve worked with hundreds of kiddos in many different capacities. " Why is your skin brown?” has always been one of the most common questions I get and one of my most dreaded questions to respond to. My internal dialogue usually sounds something like , “OMG, they figured it out. What if they stop liking me or don’t want to play with me anymore? 🤦🏾‍♀️ Stop panicking, Briesha, you know how to explain it.”   Of course, I appreciate that children feel comfortable enough with me to ask about my skin color. But, it never ceases to feel like I'm under pressure to explain the Black race in 30 seconds or less. While I’ve learned to answer the question with great pride, these conversations still leave me feeling hyper visible. I also worry that I didn’t explain enough or give a response their primary caregiver would’ve preferred.    This mental fatigue of conversations about race shouldn’t always be on the first BIPOC babysitter, nanny, or classmate that a child encounters. It would be immensely helpful if more parents and primary caregivers (from all races) learned how to have these nuanced discussions with kids in a meaningful way.   Books like A Kids Book About™ Racism and A Kids Book About™ Systemic Racism are great resources to assist grownups with initiating these conversations early on. Attending Talk Starters with Jelani Memory can make you a lot more comfortable addressing the questions that your little one will undoubtedly ask. Related: Teach Toddlers About Peace Using These 5 Epic Picture Books 🤷🏽‍♀️ Why Is Nugget Partnering with A Kids Co.? Like most businesses in the U.S., Nugget recognizes February as a month to reflect on Black History, but they also acknowledge it as a time to look toward Black Futures.  Talk Starters appears to be an initiative to uphold Nugget's commitment to supporting Black Futures year round. With over 1 million play couches sold since 2014, the company has a large community of Nugget loving fans that can be reached through the hosting of monthly book clubs.  "Every February and beyond, we amplify Black voices, hold space for Black joy, and support organizations working to prioritize play, prosperity, and potential for Black Futures." 📰 Is the Partnership in Response to DEI Pullbacks? It's hard to say if the partnership between Nugget and A Kids Co. is a direct response to the scaling back of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) under the new political administration. One Instagram user left a comment on the reel ad for the event, " Just when other companies are rolling back DEI policies , Nugget goes in the right direction. Love this 👏👏👏." The book club was most likely planned in late 2024 and announced to coincide with Black History Month. The timing of the announcement just happens to make Nugget look great! 🔥 On the other hand, Nugget posted a carousel post on MLK day (Jan 20, 2025), featuring a quote from MLK Jr. which reads, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. ”  Not only was this Nugget's first acknowledgement of MLK day on social media*, but this quote is often used to challenge complacency and encourage action in the face of injustice. Which made me wonder, was Nugget simply sharing a comforting quote with their fans or something more? Nugget is a very playful brand and notorious for leaving subtle hints or clues about upcoming product releases hidden in their social media posts. It's quite possible that the company intentionally selected the quote as an ode to the controversy or pushback they're anticipating from their upcoming initiatives, of which some of their customers might perceive as too progressive leaning. If this is the case, I'm totally here for it. It's awesome to see big brands like Nugget use their platforms to create meaningful impact. A book club that preps caregivers on how to navigate conversations around diversity and inclusion is one that I'm happy to uplift! *At least in the past 5 years... I didn't feel like scrolling back on their Instagram grid any farther. 😬 Wait, Do I Have to Own a Nugget Play Couch to Attend? No, to my knowledge, you do not have to own a Nugget play couch to attend the book club! However, Nuggets are one of my favorite playthings to recommend to families (don't worry, I go into more details in an upcoming blog post)! For now, just know that play couches are a super fun way to tap into imaginative play and even indoor active play during cold winters. ✅ How to Catch Up On Insights From Past Talk Starters Book Clubs If you missed any past book clubs, I'll be rounding up all the content shared here, whether you enjoy long form videos, long form blog recaps, or short reads: ✨ Talk Starters First Book Club 📚 Book: A Kids Book About Racism 🗓️ Recorded On: Feb 20, 2025 📺 Watch: https://vimeo.com/1059193571 👥 For: Grownups 💡 Deep Dive: Recap of Q & A's Around Race and Racism for Kids  👩🏽‍💻 Quick Read: 3 Pieces of Advice for Explaining Race to Kiddos ✨ Talk Starters Second Book Club 📚 Book: A Little Book About Racism 🗓️ Recorded On: April 15, 2025 📺 Watch: https://vimeo.com/1078303690 👥 For: Grownups 🔸Takeaways from the Transcript Coming Soon!  Hope to see you at the next Talk Starters book club! Leave a comment if you're aware of any other businesses in the play industry doing any similar initiatives to Nugget's Talk Starters book club, I'd love to highlight them as well! P.S. Stay Conscious + Curious! Sincerely, Briesh

Did you miss Nugget’s x A Kid’s Co. first book club with Jelani Memory? Don’t have time to watch the replay ? No problemo. I downloaded the transcript, then collected the questions and concerns raised by the attendees and the answers that Jelani provided.  I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “wow, she must have a lot of time on her hands.”   Well, not completely. It’s more like, I find these conversations so important, I’m committed to making sure the information is accessible to as many grownups as possible. I’m grateful even if just one person finds this useful! If you have no clue what Talk Starters is, start with questions below. If you just want to jump to the Q&A section, click here.   What is Talk Starters? ICYMI, Talk Starters is Nugget’s awesome new book club for the company’s loyal community of play couch loving Nuggeteers. Each meeting features a book around tough topics like race, racism, and Black culture. One of the coolest parts is, anyone can sign up for the book club, you don’t even have to be a past customer! The establishment of the Talk Starters book club is one example of how Nugget is walking the walk and not just talking the talk when it comes to their racial equity impact work . IMO, it’s incredibly refreshing to see a kid’s brand supporting the Black community year-round, instead of only when it’s trending (think: Black History Month; Black Lives Matter uprisings of 2020). To date, Nugget has donated more than $140,000 to nonprofits with missions ranging from Black maternal health to creative expression. What Book Was Picked for the First Book Club?  A Kids Book About Racism  was selected as the first book for the Talk Starters book club, which was held on February 20, 2025 in collaboration with A Kids Co. What Happened at the First Talk Starters Book Club? Jelani Memory, CEO of A Kids Co. discussed his first book, A Kids Book About Racism, published in 2019. Jelani shared how the book came to be, the message of the book, and how grownups can start conversations around racism with kiddos with or without the book.  Tahjae Hayes, Talent Acquisition Manager at Nugget for about two and a half years, hosted the gathering and moderated the Q&As segment.  ✨ Brief Overview of the Q&As with Jelani Memory 1️⃣:  How to Handle Being Worried You’ll Use the Wrong Words 2️⃣:  Do Kids Need Time to Process After Reading the Book? 3️⃣:  How Young Is Too Young to Have a Conversation About Racism? 4️⃣:  How to Explain to Kids Why Some People are Racist 5️⃣: Tip for Dealing with Racist Family Members 6️⃣:  How to Respond if a Kid Says, “I Wish I Was White” 7️⃣:  Navigating Hard Feelings While Discussing Racism 8️⃣:  How to Start a Conversation About Race Without a Book 9️⃣:  When Do You Explain Slavery to Kiddos? 🔟:  Talking About Skin Color Without Causing Harm 1️⃣1️⃣:  Maintaining Hope Amidst Hate 1️⃣2️⃣:  Continuing the Conversation Disclaimer:  The following transcript is being shared with permission from the Nugget marketing team! Minor edits have been made for grammar and editorial brackets have been added to clarify, correct, or add context within a quote without changing the original speaker’s words. Video Timestamps indicate where the question is raised within the video. 1️⃣: “I worry I'll use the wrong words." Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 13:25):   Guess what? You will. You for sure will, but just be aware of that. Here's what I ask of you is to start with where you're at and tell your kid where you're at.   Here's the easy way in. You can say, “Hey kid, (insert your kid's name) I wanna start this conversation about this tough topic, but I'm not sure how, because I never had this conversation with my parents or my aunties or my uncles or my grandparents when I was a kid. And our teachers never brought it up at school. And it makes me as a parent feel uncomfortable, and I'm not entirely sure what to say. I'm even worried that I'll use the wrong words. But I do think it's important that you learn about it and that I learn about it too. Can we learn about it together?” Show me a kid who's not gonna light up in that moment and go, " yay, we can learn together!"  or "wow, you don't know everything! I might get to teach you something!" This creates a bond and a recognition in which you can have a journey with your kid. You want to teach them about something because you believe it's important and they want to connect with you. Use those two things together and be humble. And if you end up saying the wrong thing, but don't realize it till later, you come back later to your kid and you say, “I said this thing before, but I was wrong about it. I used the wrong word, I said the wrong name. Or I said it in the wrong way. Here's the right way. As I learn, I want you to learn alongside me.” I think this approach is foolproof because the reality is, we all need to be able to start these conversations. We all have to. We all must. But it can't be fair or right that we all need some level of education or even some level of personal experience to start. Now that being said, you can't stay where you're at. You have to move somewhere. You have to keep learning. You have to keep educating yourself. Look, I know this is a book club for my book A Kid's Book About Racism– I love my book, I think it's a fantastic book. It's sold in a hundred countries. It's awesome. And it's done a lot of impact and good. But you don't have to have my book. My book is a bridge to help start that conversation.    But there are a hundred other ways to start that conversation between you and that young person in your life. If you're looking for those words of where to start, great. My book's a great option. You can go on YouTube and watch the book. It's there for free. You can start with wherever you're at, but I don't want you to feel held back or that you need the UPS driver to show up with a book before you can lean in.  2️⃣: Is it important for me to give a child time and space to digest the content before we dive into talking about it [the book]? Or should we go right in, straight into discussion mode? Is there a recommendation? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 19:12): I’m a big fan of letting kids lead. Kids know when they’re being lectured or talked down to—or when something is being forced on them. I try to open those doors, rather than force my kid to walk through them. If you finish a book like mine, which is very direct, your kid will likely share something unprompted afterwards. For example: “I’m glad we read this book.” “I didn’t know about racism.” “I already learned about that.” Or they might start asking questions about their own skin color—or someone else’s. Again, you’re opening the door and creating the context for it. Don’t feel pressured to have it all in one conversation. You can even revisit it later. Try saying: “Hey, remember that book we read last night? What did you think of it? You never told me.” Find soft ways to open and introduce it that shows it's not a conversation you're hoping to wrap up in a couple weeks, but you're looking to have on an ongoing basis as you learn and grow. And as they learn and grow across many years. 3️⃣: Is there a minimum age where this topic [racism] is appropriate? Is there an age that's too young to read this book with? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 20:40): No, there is no too young  when it comes to satisfying our kids' curiosity about the world. As parents, we teach kids not to hit or not to call names or not to trip somebody or not to cut in line. It's fine to teach racism right alongside those things There's this phenomenon that I call "accidental racism." It's when somebody does something that deeply wounds and injures someone else, because it's racist, but they didn't know it because they never had anybody talk to them or share with them, or they never had anybody confront them or provide them with something. My book is designed to create a context where kids are learning about this early, very practically, and recommended for ages 5 to 9. But that's from a lexile level perspective. That's from a reading level perspective. Typically by five, kids are in school, they're having their own experiences outside of the home. By [age] seven, they're reading proficiently, probably on their own. And by [age] nine, they're probably pre-smartphone — although that's changing more and more. And they're also still reading typically with their grownups or their parents. If you’re thinking, “Oh, I’ll wait until my kid’s in middle school—that’ll be the right time to have this conversation.” By the time they reach age 12, your kid will give you a big blank wall and go, “ Yeah, no. I have the internet. I know about the world. I have friends. I don’t need you to talk to me about this stuff.”  Starting it early is critical.    And even if your kid goes, "I don't get it."  That's okay too.    The book will be around for them to return to. There is no too early , but there is a too late . 4️⃣: Do you have any recommendations for when your kids are curious about maybe why people are the way that they are? My kids mostly ask why people are hateful. How should I respond? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 22:58): In all my years of doing this, the question that stumped me came from my son, my stepson, Titus. He asked, "why does racism happen?"    And it was a question that I had never really truly contemplated, where does this come from?  I think the truth of the matter is, we tend to hate what we don't understand or we tend to hate what we're afraid of, or we tend to despise things that we have a lot of distance from.    There's a word called xenophobia, right? Which is the fear of that thing that we don't know or understand. I've found that proximity tends to solve these things. If you live in a city like mine, Portland, Oregon, it's not technically or literally segregated, but there are parts of town where most of the white folks live and the parts of town where most of the brown and black folks live. Being able to get your kids around folks who don't look like them is important. And it starts break down those things [barriers] like of a child being afraid of someone who doesn't look like them or who doesn't live in the neighborhood they live in, or play the same sports that they play, or of course have the same skin color that they do. 5️⃣: What are some ways to navigate relationships with potentially extended family members who may perpetuate racist comments? As you're having these conversations with your children, what do you do if the children begin to pick up on the fact that maybe members of their own family might be racist? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 22:41): This is tough stuff, tough. I think first, recognize that your kids are more perceptive than we give them credit for. They'll notice when you brush something off or you go, "oh, that's grandpa. He talks like that. It's not a big deal." And they'll take in these things. Ask yourself, who do you want them to be when they grow up? [As caregivers], we engineer their lives in such a way where you're trying to help them become their best fullest self. And a lot of that, you gotta make some of those decisions for them now. We do this from school choice to what books we have them read, to what time they go to bed, to what foods they eat. And it's tough with family relationships. Yet I think [it’s] important if you want them to embody certain values [you might have to say], "I know grandpa does that and I'm not comfortable with it. I think it's wrong and I don't want you to do it. But having that conversation with grandpa' is too hard. I love grandpa and I don't wanna lose grandpa, and we're gonna still stay in relationship with grandpa, but I want you to know this piece of it okay?" Now of course, we know kids hate keeping a secret, right? And they'll go right to grandpa and go, "Mom says you're racist." But I genuinely don't have any other better answers for you then. Truly, honesty is the best policy. Lying to your kids won't help their relationship with you. It won't help their relationship with their grandparents and it won't help their relationship with other folks that they encounter.    Where if they learn, if their family [members] being racist actually isn't a big deal— because it's family and that's how family works, right? [That might not yield the ideal outcome either.]    And I sympathize. I've had comments from my own in-laws made to me and about my son that have stopped me in my tracks. It's hard to deal with and hard to do something about, and yet very important to at least have that conversation with your kids so they have a good context.  This is not me saying go confront every racist person in your life at every moment. I don't think that's productive either. 6️⃣: My daughter is mixed and she stated that she wanted to be white like me. How would you respond in that situation? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 27:41): Yeah, I mean… this was my son last night, he was frustrated with his hair and he goes,  "I wish I had white hair because then I'd be, (and just listen to this word) 'normal'".    And this is a 15-year-old, who has a dad who's written a book about racism, who is constantly navigating and chatting with them about these challenging bits of culture and race, and history, etc.    I think it is always important to affirm your kids' identity and who they are. The reality is, if your kid isn't white, they're not gonna end up being white. No matter what they do, there's no magical potion that can turn them white. [It’s about] letting them feel comfortable in their own skin and validating them for who they are. I find these things tend to cross over with things [topics like] body image or self-image or self-esteem. But I wanna go a little bit further, and this is more of a conversation for grownup to grownup.  Typically in our society, and I'll draw a box around America, we have learned to despise, treat poorly and make less than Black faces, Black hair, Black culture, Black neighborhoods, Blackness itself. This is called anti-Black racism. And while that typically will come from white folks towards black folks and all sorts of policies, rules, and sentiments, it also gets ingested by Black folks, leading them to go, “I don't like myself for who I am. I wish I were something different.” I've gotten the question from each of my mixed kids, which is, "Am I Black? Am I white? Am I brown? What am I?" What I've encouraged [for them] is the exploration of that identity as opposed to the force.    I want them to explore all the complicatedness of what it means for them to be who they are. 7️⃣: As a Black woman, it is challenging for me to hold conversations about racism and my personal experiences in a neutral way. It comes with a lot of anger, disappointment, and frustration. Do you have any tips on how to teach kiddos about racism without holding so much emotion behind it? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 30:29): Let that emotion flow. Be where you're at, I think that's okay. I got criticism from a few author friends when I decided to go take my book and publish it. They were like, well, there aren't any real clear examples– “ I wish you dove into this [a specific] moment that happened when you were a kid and somebody said this [a racist] word to you and explained how it felt.”  And I just thought, actually, it's too painful.    It's too painful for me to even place them [the examples] inside of a children's book. I also think there's a way that it could trigger other children who've experienced racism in a way where they stop feeling seen, and they're revisiting that painful moment. Now that being said, I do think it's important to be where you're at and to share with [with your kid] where you're at. That vulnerability, that transparency, that honesty, that will speak more than whatever words you say to your kids. They will remember that, that will implant in their brain in a remarkable and significant way.  And then you'll find those moments where you… that emotion comes down and you can have a different kind of conversation, even if it's built into that very first one. We want our kids to be brave, but we have to be brave first. 8️⃣: How do you start the conversation? My son is two, but it's already on my mind.  I know you mentioned you don't even have to have the book per se, so how would you out of the blue start that conversation? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 32:24): Yeah. Kids immediately observe skin color at the very earliest ages. Find me a 2-year-old who isn't pointing at somebody going, “they're a different color.” Start there. Get kids to notice their own skin color and get kids to notice other folks' skin color.  Now I know what I've done is broken a big rule. Aren't we not supposed to teach our kids to see all this color and stuff? We get worried that they might start pointing at people in the grocery store or saying something out loud, like, God forbid. Isn't that racist itself? [Then you spiral into thinking that your kid is racist] Timestamp 33:43 |  I wanna very firmly say, it is not racist to notice skin color. It is not racist to notice skin color. It's not racist when your kids notice skin color. Whether they're black, white, or brown, it doesn't matter. To notice that skin color is okay. To see the differences in that skin color is okay. It’s when we take that [observation] further to demean or diminish or rank people based on what color of skin they are and say someone is better or worse because of their skin color.  Getting them to notice their own skin color is a great place to start. And when they're ready, you can take that extra leap and go, “did you know that sometimes people are treated badly because they don't have your skin color?”  or “ did you know that sometimes people are treated badly because they have skin color like yours?” And then they might go, "oh, why, why would that happen?" You could start to talk about some folks being afraid of folks who are different. You might even start to jump into a little bit of the history of our country. I've found a lot of parents start with, let me teach you about racism. And they go right to slavery. Like why does it have to start with a talk about slavery? Don't do that. Slavery's bad and complicated and all the things, but is not the nearest proxy that you need to reference racism. Just start with noticing skin color. I think that's the best place to start. 9️⃣: When do you recommend going into the terrible and violent history of racism? After my family watched the halftime show of the Super Bowl, my son asked about the 40 acres and a mule statement. Do you have a recommendation for when you do transition more to the history versus the present? Jelani Memory’s Response  | (Video Timestamp 35:02): Yeah. To me, it's less about how old kids are and more about the kinds of questions they start asking. Asking a question like, “what's this deal with 40 acres and a mule?” It's a very mature question to ask, sort of pinpointing into something. The reality is, it's a can of worms, but it's the best can of worms that you can open. Don't try and open it all at once and go, we're gonna do the graduate lesson on the history of racism for all of time and all the ways that black and brown people were discriminated against, enslaved, etc. Let that one door from that one question open and share with them what you do know. Or go, “I think it's related to this. Let's Google it together” or “I don't know, let's learn about it together” . Let those things [scenarios] be doors that can always open. You'll find the more comfortable you are sharing about stuff, the more frequent your kids will come back to you and ask questions.  What'll happen is as they grow older, they'll forget that they asked something, so they'll ask a new question that was an old question, but it's a more mature question and then you can have a conversation in a totally different way. I remember watching, The Hate You Give, a wonderful film, with my 13 and 14-year-old at the time. And I remember my daughter Grace was flabbergasted. She was like,  is this what it's like? And I was taken back too because I was [thinking] like, how does she not know? Right? Like, I'm her dad, we talk all the time. But it was something about seeing it through the visual medium of the film, And I was like, “yeah, it is.”  And we got to have so many conversations after that.    Timestamp: 37:30 |  What ended up happening was, and this is my favorite question still to this day, that my kids ask, is she'd come home from school and she'd go:  I heard this at school. Is this racist? Then we'd have a conversation about it and investigate and interrogate, are those words used about somebody racist or not racist? Does that then make that person a racist? And we get to discuss it. Now, all I'm describing is something that's very messy and happenstance and progressive, and it's all these things. It is not [doesn't look like], us sitting down on the couch, setting a timer for 30 minutes and having the racism talk, slavery talk, or the 40 acres and a mule talk. It doesn't work that way. It will pop up in those inconvenient moments, but I’ve found that this is how kids process stuff. This is how they work through those bits and pieces and navigate big issues like racism. 1️⃣0️⃣: Can you share which words are appropriate to use when talking about skin color? We hear Black, people of color, brown, African American, what's the correct word or words to use without offending anyone? My child is colorblind and sees the world differently already, so word choice is even more important for them. Jelani Memory’s Response  | (Video Timestamp 38:35): The most challenging and interesting conversations I've ever had are with my own kids when it comes to the words we use about skin color. My six-year old son, Solomon looks at his skin and goes, “well, my skin's brown.”   He even compares his against mine and says, “mine's lighter than yours, dad. It's still brown, but yours is a darker brown. You're a chocolate brown, I'm a mocha brown.” Then, I remember he was flummoxed. He's like, “well, mom's not white, she doesn't look like this piece of paper. She's more peachy.”  He pulled out a crayon and went, “she looks this color. ”.    When it comes to the right words, look, you're gonna screw it up, it's inevitable. But I often defer to the ways folks refer to themselves. If you're gonna talk about somebody, try and use a word that they've used about themselves.  Timestamp: 40:00 |  This is very akin to a topic like pronouns. It's like, use the pronouns somebody wants to have them use about themselves. Don't just foist upon them something. I prefer to identify as Black. I'm comfortable referring to myself as mixed. I'm even comfortable being called a person of color. I'm not as comfortable with BIPOC, it starts to get into this squishy, weird, sort of large demographic, but it's not offensive. African American is fine. But again, that’s just me.    You might run into somebody and they go, "oh no, I prefer that you use these words about me and when referencing me.”  Again, I can't say enough, you're gonna say something wrong. It's okay to screw up.   What's not okay is to think, I couldn't possibly ever say anything racist because I don't have a racist bone in my body. And I've never said anything bad about anybody ever. This is not true. One of my favorite scholars, Ibram X. Kendi says, “we all have racist ideas. Being anti-racist is about dismantling those racist ideas about culture and society and other people.”   It's okay to go [admit], yeah, I've probably done some racist things, but I'm on the path to trying to not do racist things, use racist words, or treat people in a racist manner.   I know that's a bit of a new concept probably for some folks, but I think it's important. 1️⃣1️⃣: How do you maintain hope that we are making progress on these conversations right now? It feels like hate has become even more emboldened in the world today. Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 41:34): I think I maintain hope by desiring a better future for my kids and doing the most and the best that I can to help create that, knowing I may or may not be successful, but giving up is not an option. And… I don’t know.    It's really tough, especially now. Because it feels like we've had this shift where being racist is in vogue, it's like cool now. I would like to point folks back to a period in our country's history, the civil rights movement, where being racist was the popular sentiment, and mentality and approach to society and to people of color. and we look back at those individuals who did the work, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, you name it, as heroes–  as figures who did the right thing in a tough moment.    We are living in one of those moments right now, and I don't think this will be the last time one of those moments happen, nor is it the first time one of those moments has happened where not being racist, feels offensive itself.    Timestamp: 43:41 |  I will say, there is a clarifying and heartening reality when folks are saying the thing they mean. When it's not… "oh, we've got a new DEI program and we care about people of color and we're looking at changing our workforce and we're putting inclusion at the forefront"   —  when the reality was and is, a lot of companies, a lot of folks didn't believe those things. It was just a popular thing to say. Yeah, it was cool to put a black square on your Instagram, but you didn't change your language or your behavior or how you treated folks or even your beliefs. When folks are saying what they believe, it's easier to deal with than when it's a bit cloak and dagger, when folks are saying one thing, but doing another. 1️⃣2️⃣: Where do we go from here? Do you recommend any additional resources either for the conversation with the children or for adults themselves to continue to educate themselves about this topic? Jelani Memory’s Response | (Video Timestamp 44:27): Probably my favorite book for adults to read is a book by Isabel Wilkerson called Caste . It's an extraordinary book that frames the existence of racism in the United States, not as a one-off unique thing, but helps put it in the context of the rest of the world and the intricacies and the subtleties of how we have developed our own caste system, based on skin color, that is indeed unique within the world. Yet, it plays out differently in other countries around the world, where caste is structured along different lines, whether those are economic, ethnic, etc. Caste  is a wonderful book and will blow your mind. In fact, there's a wonderful quote from it and I won't get it [quite] right, but Isabelle says [something along the lines of], “….the year 2022 marks the first year that the United States will have been an independent nation for as long as slavery lasted on its soil. No current-day adult will be alive in the year in which African-Americans as a group will have been free for as long as they had been enslaved. That will not come until the year 2111 (Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents ).”  That date when America will be in balance, and having had Black folks be free in this country as long as it's enslaved folks will be in 2111 or something like that, some crazy date off in the future —  that's a great book. I love anything that Kwame Alexander  does, he's fantastic. He's got tons of children's books, can't go wrong with any of his books. Ibram X. Kendi has a wonderful book called Anti-Racist Baby . Don't read it to your baby though. It's not great for babies, but it's great for everybody else. And then I'm gonna give an intuitive answer here. And somebody's gonna get mad at me, so I'm just going to take it for granted.  I'm looking at some of these questions in the Q&A, you can sincerely ask these questions on Chat GPT, and I'm not kidding here. It will give you a thoughtful response back, it will. And this is not me saying Chat GPT is super woke and is on top of it. I'm saying, if you're looking for or have a specific question that needs a specific answer, and you're like, "I literally don't know what to do,"  then it's a place to start. Don't take it as gospel, don't take it as the final answer, but it's a great place to start when you go, I literally don't know what to say. How do I navigate this? Hope to see you at the next Talk Starters book club! Stay Conscious + Curious, Sincerely, Briesh

Sometimes changing a little one's diaper feels like you’re pulling teeth. I know, I know, babies don’t have teeth.  Let’s just say that some baby cries can be so particularly excruciating, it sounds like you’re yanking their baby teeth to the surface. 🙃  How on earth do you make things go smoother and get them to stop crying? I’ve put a lot of thought into this while changing thousands of diapers, amongst countless babies and kiddos. The most effective calming solutions are distractions . Distractions allow babies to snap out of their discomfort just long enough to get them cleaned up. Although it probably comes at no surprise to hear that distractions are effective, the true insights come from  knowing which distractions work the best.   In my experience the most effective distractions fall into three categories: Auditory Distractions, Visual Distractions, Tactile/Oral (Sensorimotor) Distractions. One of these simple hacks is sure to make diaper changing go a bit smoother for you as well! ✨ Quick Glimpse at the Mindful Hacks for Diaper Changing 👂🏽 Mindful Auditory Distractions 🎵 Sing 😙 Whistle or Hum 📚 Recite a Familiar Book From Memory 🧌 Speak in a Silly Voice Narrative 🎶 Play Music 👀 Mindful Visual Distractions 🪟 Provide a View of Nature 💫 Hang a Mobile Above Changing Area  🥑 Mindful Tactile/Oral (Sensorimotor) Distractions 🪇 Offer Easy to Grasp Toy, Teether, or Baby Size Book 🧷 Give Baby a Diaper to Hold   🚫 Skip These Distractions ❌ Pacifier ❌ Repetitive verbal reassurance  While babysitting and nannying, I've kept track of distraction techniques that effectively calm infants and tabies (ages 1-2) during diaper changes. Over time, and after trialing with 13 different infants*, I've pinpointed hacks that have reliably soothed and comforted these little ones. 👂🏽Mindful Auditory Distractions Auditory distractions simply act as a different sound to refocus a baby’s discomfort.  Almost all of the following auditory distractions require a tiny bit of vulnerability. Take advantage of the freedom to embrace your imperfections while you can. You’ll start hearing the judgmental comments (that's not how the song sounds)  and know-it-all style call-outs (that’s not what happened next)  around age 4 and sometimes earlier! 😬 🎵 Sing Try singing a classic children’s song (anything Barney would sing). The average baby and/or toddler has no basis to judge us grownups for singing off key. Trial and error has led me to discover a few songs that have worked best with babies vs tabies:  🕷️ Songs for Babies: The Itsy Bitsy Spider; Old McDonald  🚌 Songs for Tabies (ages 1-2) : If You’re Happy and You Know It;  The Wheels on the Bus 👎🏽 Least Effective Song:  Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star  I’ve had so many fails with using Twinkle, Twinkle, I’ve stopped trying it altogether. No clue why it hasn’t worked. However, you don’t have to be limited to children’s songs. Feel free to try singing any song that comes to mind (probably best to keep it G rated). 😙 Whistle or Hum  Whistling is perplexing to little ones, especially if they rarely hear it.  Humming is another really cool, yet underutilized vocal feature that humans have been gifted.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to whistle or hum an actual song— personally, I just make up  tunes.  🧠 FUN FACT:  Sound vibration is actually very effective in moving the body to homeostasis and out of the fight, flight, freeze reaction (1) 📚 Recite a Familiar Book From Memory Any book you can recite verbatim because you’ve read it to your kiddo so many times. It’s easiest to do this with books based on repetition (Brown Bear, Brown Bear; Goodnight Moon; Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom, etc.)  Forget what food the Hungry Caterpillar eats on Day 2? Make something up, they might notice, but they’ll still go with it! 🧌 Speak in a Silly Voice Narrative Change your voice a little and say something like, “I’m a hungry giant that loves to eat baby feet!” Then pretend to gobble down their feet using a friendly sound effect. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s surprisingly effective and even brings a few laughs! 🎶 Play Music  🔮 Use a Wind Up Music Box or Snow Globe Music boxes and snow globes play such distinct relaxing melodies, yet they're plenty underused. If you have one, wind it up before a diaper change and make Brahms' Lullaby or Fur Elise (the most common music box lullabies) a routine soundtrack for diaper changes. Characters that move around or floating snow flurries also make for a great visual distraction! 📱Play a Song on Your Phone  Have a go-to playlist with their favorite songs to play. Disney soundtracks work really great, specifically Moana 1, Frozen 1, and Encanto! Any song from a Laurie Berkner album should also help. When you're just over kid's music for the day: try a pop classical playlist and sing along to mainstream pop hits. Sing alongs spark their ears in curiosity just long enough for them to give the waterworks a break. 👀 Mindful Visual Distractions If auditory hacks aren't working, try shifting focus (pun intended) to visual distractions. Some babies are surprisingly easy to calm when they’ve got something interesting to stare at. These visual hacks are low-effort on your part but can be effective. 🪟 Provide a View of Nature If possible, it can be immensely helpful to position a changing area next to a window that your baby can easily look out through. This allows babies to observe glimpses of cloud movement, birds, leaves blowing around— ya know, just nature doing its thing.  💫 Hang a Mobile Above Changing Area  Mobiles are really fun to watch. I've always adored this mobile from PlanToys — the soft pastels give off such chill vibes, while the grey toned ornaments offer contrast and visual stimulation for younger babies. 🥑 Mindful Tactile/Oral (Sensorimotor) Distractions When their little hands are occupied with anything mildly interesting, they’re much less likely to protest. Soft textures, teething toys, crinkle toys, can help shift their attention away from what’s happening below the waist. 🪇 Offer Easy to Grasp Toy, Teether, or Baby Size Book  Keep a few small toys at an arm’s reach. Crinkly baby paper , teething rings, and miniature board books (size: 4x4) are items that are easy for kiddos to grasp and provide a short burst of entertainment. 🧷 Give Baby a Diaper to Hold No luck with any of the auditory distractions and no toys close by? Giving a baby a spare diaper to hold leaves them speechless. They get such a kick out of opening up the diaper and bending the flaps!   🚫 Skip These Distractions ❌ Pacifier I’ve yet to meet a baby that can be comforted with a pacifier during a diaper change. It’s usually just too hard for them to keep the darn thing in their mouth while screaming and crying. ❌ Repetitive verbal reassurance  Repeating reassuring phrases like, “It’s okay” or “You’re fine” over and over again does not comfort or calm a little one during diaper changes. Out of respect for each child, I do make it a point to initially acknowledge every kiddos discomfort, but only once. I usually say something along the lines of, “I know you don’t like getting your diaper changed. I’m sorry that I have to change it, but I’ll try to make it go as fast as I can.” Then, I just proceed to one of the distractions.  📋 Final Notes These hacks aren’t time proof. While the Itsy Bitsy Spider might instantly halt tears for a week or two , some kiddos grow bored of the song over time. In this case, try a different song, recite a book, or use another tool from this list. Relatedly, I encourage you to test different sensory inputs. If you find that a child has zero interest in watching their mobile or refuses to hold on to their favorite lovey, try something from the auditory list– it’s possible they might be craving a different form of sensory input.  Of course, we all want to get the clean diaper on as quickly as possible– but, keep in mind that diaper changes are also a chance to bring comfort. Afterall, babies can’t exactly self-regulate, so they need help from grownups! With some patience and these handy dandy distractions, you’ll be able to turn those diaper-changing tears (including your tears of frustration) into mindful memories filled with connection.  Do you have a favorite mindful hack that I should add to this list? Leave a comment and let me know so I can add it to this list! The more we help one another, the longer our sanity stays in tact! Stay Conscious + Curious, Sincerely, Briesh References & Sources *Demographics of Sample Size:  Ages | newborn babies to 24 months  Location |  in home settings  Total Number of Children | 13 kids (4 boys; 9 girls) Ethnicities | 11 kids were white (Caucasian), and 2 were of multiracial heritage Language | 11 kids were learning English; 2 kids were dual language learners (1) This fun fact is a direct quote from Susan Magsamen, Executive Director, International Arts and Mind Lab at the Center for Applied NeuroAesthetics. Source: Raising Good Humans podcast; Episode title, “ Your Brain on Art: Why Creativity Is Essential for Kids (And for You!)”

Mural depicting a community located within the Peace Corps main office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. During the formative years of childhood, your community offers kids a tangible source for their minds to begin grasping their connection to the world. If kids aren’t shown what it looks like to care for others outside of their family, why would we expect them to become adults that care for others? As key figures in kiddos' lives, grownups have the responsibility to model what it looks like to care for our communities and involve children in our efforts. We're all connected to each other and it’s in our collective best interest to support one another. What is community care? Community care involves showing up for your community in a way that centers the collective needs of the community. In applying this approach, community members are mindful of how their well-being is inherently connected to the well-being of others, including their wider community at large. Practicing community care can look like building and deepening connections with fellow residents, addressing communal issues with intentionality, and mobilizing community members to support each other.¹ Overview of Ideas ✨ Offer Mutual Aid 🧃 Stock a local community fridge or pantry closet 📙 Add children's books to a Little Library ✨ Engage in Communal Relationship Building Activities 🌭 Attend a local block club event 🌱 Participate in a community garden ✨ Support Your Local Economy 📚 Become a regular at the library 🛍️ Shop at local businesses ✨ Model Civic Engagement 🗳️ Participate in local, state, and national elections How do you prioritize raising a kid with moral values? The good news is that there aren’t any special classes that you have to send your kid to. And there aren’t any online courses that you have to spend thousands of dollars on. If you’re truly interested in raising a kind-hearted kid, a simple place to start is by reflecting on ways to include them in community care.  Rather it’s through offering mutual aid, engaging in communal relationship building activities, supporting your local economy, or through modeling civic engagement, there’s room to involve kids! ✨ Offer Mutual Aid Mutual aid is when community members supply physical goods such as food, clothing, or other donations to fellow community members. Sometimes mutual aid can take the form of physical labor without the expectation or exchange of money (think: shoveling snow or mowing a lawn, or babysitting for a neighbor). In a recent episode  of the Minimalist Moms podcast, Zachariah Thompson of the Scatter Joy Project  explained mutual aid as sitting at the intersections of gratitude and giving. Zach shared: “I'm grateful for what I have, but I'm also grateful for what I can give.” 🧃 Stock a local community fridge or pantry closet.  Communities across the world have begun recognizing residents’ ability to support one another. One impactful way to do so is through supplying mutual aid via community fridges. In case you’re unfamiliar, community fridges are exactly what the name implies– outdoor refrigerators stocked by members of your community. All food placed inside the fridge is free and open for anyone to access 24/7.  Not only do community fridges address food insecurity and decrease food waste, but they can also act as an invaluable resource for communities that live in food deserts.  Here are a few ways to go about getting kiddos involved with stocking your local community fridge:  Option 1:  Bring your kiddo grocery shopping with you. You can say something like,“We’re going to go on a special shopping trip to buy some food for other kids and families that might not have as much as us.”   Option 2:  Have a kid help you gather leftovers, make sandwiches, help cook a meal, or help stick labels and dates on home cooked food. Option 3:  If you happen to know of a fruit tree close by that produces an overabundance of fruit, have your kiddo help you gather up disregarded fruit. Option 4:  Plant a small garden with a little one and collect its harvests.       After you’ve identified a source that works for you and your family,   have your child assist you with placing the food in the community fridge or closet pantry. Check to see if you have a community fridge near you  using Freedge’s  locator– with 300+ locations in the USA alone, it’s quite likely you do!  Teaches Kids:  selflessness, humility, compassion 📙 Add children’s books to a Little Free Library I don’t know about you, but I’ve been delighted to watch Little Free Libraries sprout up everywhere . Actually, it's not just me— according to their website , 98% of people say their neighborhood feels like a friendlier place because of a Little Free Library ! The nonprofit's mission is to build community, inspire readers, and increase access to books for all. Unfortunately, it’s rare to see quality children’s board books in these libraries, perhaps you and your kiddo can contribute a few baby board books they’ve outgrown.  Before passing away, Todd Bol, the original founder of Little Free Library, shared this short, yet inspiring message, "I believe people can fix their neighborhoods, fix their communities, develop systems of sharing, learn from each other, and see that they have a better place on this planet to live." You can help sustain Bol's mega-popular system of sharing by locating and donating to a Little Free Library near you ! Teaches:  minimalism (how to let go of stuff); generosity; sharing ✨ Engage Kids in Communal Relationship Building Activities On your journey to raising a caring global citizen, you might find it helpful to focus on building communal relationships. You might already be doing this! Involving kiddos in community events, initiatives, and playdates can provide them with core social interactions needed to build trust, collaboration, agency, and problem-solving skills.   🌭 Attend a Local Block Club Event  Outdoor block club events are popular throughout the summer and fall and often feature barbecues. The yummy food is sure to attract many families from your neighborhood and create a perfect environment for kids to engage in mixed age play.  These gatherings can also lead to opportunities for kids to give their input on changes they want to see in their community. For example, preschool kids might point out the need for a non-metal slide that doesn’t burn when they slide down it on hot days. While this may sound like a trivial request to adults, getting a better slide would offer a safer play space for kids and could increase the community’s overall usage of the playground and build stronger relations amongst families.  By participating in discussions about their community's needs and expressing their own ideas for improvements, kids can be granted a smidge of control and influence over their environment. This participation reinforces the stance that kids' opinions matter and they can make a difference, which is a crucial aspect of developing personal agency. Teaches:  communication skills; collaboration; empathy; agency  🌱 Participate in a community garden A cool part of joining a community garden is that you can meet families that live beyond your 2-3 block bubble but are still part of your community. Gardening does require little ones to engage in some physical labor. However, there’s still a ton of time for mixed age play with other kids, bubbles, and regular games of “let’s go look for butterflies!”  In college, I worked with kids and families at a low-income housing facility. During the summer, a local bus service drove us to the community garden. While we did require kids 8 and under to be accompanied by a guardian, kids of all ages loved attending the garden (as long as they could walk). Time after time, they were amazed to witness the full growth cycle of produce from start to finish. Gardening is a good opportunity for kiddos to, quite literally, get their hands dirty. Kids have innate energy that makes them excellent weeders and waterers.  Although they’re not necessarily advertised as such, being part of a community garden is also a way to get free organic food (sorta free, excluding your time and labor). Not to mention that the produce flat out tastes better without the pesticides.  Compost Solution with Less Onus: The summer program I helped run also offered free lunches to kids. We used a classic bucket with a good lid to encourage kids to compost waste from their lunches. You’d be surprised how quickly even 4 and 5 year-olds catch on to what can be composted and what can’t be. Each week we carried the compost bucket to the garden with us and added the waste into the garden’s big compost pile.  Contributing our waste to the community garden’s compost collection was a lot easier for us to commit to as college students. If your city doesn’t offer compost collection or if you aren’t interested in turning or maintaining your compost, taking it to a community garden can be a convenient solution.  Teaches:  work ethic, appreciation for nature , where food comes from 🛝 Schedule playdates with kids in the neighborhood  Get to know neighbors better by establishing playdates with kids nearby– even if they only happen once every few months. Kids socialize and make friends through play. There’s always a chance that the kids don’t hit it off and become besties, but that’s okay. It’s important for kids to learn how to play with kids that are different from them, including different interests and personalities. Neighborly playdates also allow kids to familiarize themselves with their peers, while creating scenarios where they are required to experiment with trust. Suddenly they find themselves having to make decisions about which toys they trust their new friend to hold or play with. It’s not uncommon for the child hosting the playdate to get vocally possessive of their toys and be hesitant to share. It can be instinctive to want to intervene and demand, “Charlie, you need to share your toys.” After sittervising many of these playdates, I’ve started to stay out of it— the hosting child quickly learns that if they don’t share their toys, their friend won’t have any tools to engage in their play scenario.  Tip:  If you find yourself putting off playdates because you’d have to first find time to clean the house, simply opt to have the playdate at your local park. Toys and play equipment are awesome resources that elevate play, but kids don’t need them to build trust or relationships with the kids around their neighborhood. All they need is their energy, open space to play, and non-hovering sittervisors.  Teaches:  trust; problem solving; conflict resolution  ✨ Support Your Local Economy Supporting your local economy is a powerful way to contribute to the sustainability of your community. When you bring your little one with you to local shops or even attend free events, you're showing them the value of community-led initiatives. 📚 Become a regular at the library.   Libraries are incredible free resources for things of all sorts. As public spaces, libraries are one of a few indoor places anyone can hangout in without being expected to spend money. One staff member from a library in Illinois sums it up nicely, “libraries have evolved to be so much more than silent spaces filled with books; they are now vibrant community hubs where people can come to explore new things, learn valuable skills, and connect with each other (in addition to checking out books, equipment, and more).” ² As alluded to, libraries are great for free public events! Showing up to these events shows interest in the activities being offered or topics discussed. In order for libraries to continue offering events, good crowd turnouts are super important– that’s where you and your little one come in! Here are just a few activities the libraries in my area are offering for kids over the next month: Baby Toddler Storytime; Kid’s Yoga; Books for Barks (kids ages 5-12 practice their reading skills on therapy dogs); Movie Showings; LEGO Club; Art & Crafts; Teen Crafting. Expand Your Community:  Lots of public libraries offer free resources for refugees, migrants, entrepreneurs, ESL (English as a Second Language) learners, individuals seeking employment, and for individuals that are unhoused. Due to the wide array of use cases, libraries tend to attract diverse visitors. Cool, but how does that relate to my kid?   If you live in an area of a predominant race, ethnicity, or culture, try taking trips to a public library versus your local library branch. Doing so can expose kiddos to community members from different backgrounds. It’s common for public libraries to have playspaces for kids– perhaps your kid will meet a new play buddy that looks different from them or that doesn’t speak english! How would they play together if they don’t speak the same language?  Trust me, they figure it out and it’s amazing to observe.  Find a convenient directory of public libraries in your state here . Personal Insights:  Like many millennial adults, I’ve developed a mild obsession with children’s books- a rather pricey obsession (I’m trying to be mindful of supporting local bookstores). In order to continue shopping at local bookstores, I’ve started to check for books at libraries first. Then I read/test them out with kids and I purchase the ones that elicit the best responses and discussions. This process allows me to support authors, libraries, and local bookstores. You can try doing the same thing at home! I’ll throw in a quick reminder that the library also offers free DVD rentals. No DVD player? DVDs can be played on a variety of Xbox and PlayStation consoles. One more shameless plug, if you haven’t heard of the library app, Libby, it is a must-have.  Teaches:  relationship building; resourcefulness; cultural awareness 🛍️ Shop at local businesses  We’ve all heard the saying, “think global, act local.” As a modern day parent or caregiver, it’s difficult to exclusively live by this motto, especially with the conveniences of Target and Amazon. And it’s no secret that the price points of products at small businesses are much higher than products at big box retailers. It’s totally understandable that you might not always have the budget to shop local, but try to fit it in when possible.  Bonus points if you stumble upon a business that’s owned by a community member or staffed by workers in your neighborhood. Toddlers are shocked and excited to see familiar faces working at a store. Through seeing people they recognize, kids can begin unconsciously observing the interconnectedness of their community and the significance of supporting local jobs and businesses.  Where to Start:  Independent toy stores are magical experiences for kids and they carry toys you can't find at big box stores. Also, staff members are always close by to answer any questions about toys or assist you in finding the perfect gift for a kid! The same goes for independent bookstores! 🧸 Find an independent toy store near you ! 📚 Find an independent bookstore near you ! Teaches:  interconnectedness ✨ Model Civic Engagement Introducing kids to civic engagement begins with showing them how seemingly small actions can make an impact within their community and beyond. When you bring a little one to the polling station, you’re modeling the essence of participation and the value of having a voice in society. Witnessing civic duty in action can deepen a child's perception of community involvement and open their eyes to the responsibilities that come with it.  🗳️ Participate in local, state, and national elections and bring your kid with you. Although toddlers may be too young to learn about the nitty gritty of politics, simply bringing them with you to vote can be a powerful lesson in what it looks like to show up for your community. As a kid, my parents always took me and my siblings to the polling stations. This was back when grownups voted using machine levers and there were only 2-3 of these voting machines per location. Election after election, our polling place was filled with lines out the door, I’m talking amusement park style lines with 45 min waits. Time went by faster when we ran into a kind neighbor or relative that would casually give up their better spot in line to chat and wait with us farther back. When it was finally  our turn to go behind the curtain, I would feel so overwhelmed from looking at the awfully confusing machine. The commitment of the grownups wasn’t lost on me… not only did they tolerate the longest lines, but they even put up with using a super confusing machine just to give their opinion! Sure, I was too young to understand the significance of voting, but in observing my community’s commitment to civic engagement, I learned the importance of civic duty.  There’s a high chance that poll workers will reward your kiddo with an “I Voted” sticker. These are probably the most valuable stickers kids will ever receive. When caught wearing an “I Voted” sticker, strangers give little ones the warmest smiles and if you stop by a grocery store, sometimes cashiers reward them with a piece of candy at the checkout. In sixth grade, my Social Studies teacher gave us extra credit for going to vote with our parents. We were required to show her our sticker as proof— I wasn’t exaggerating when I said these are the most valuable stickers throughout childhood.  Teaches:  patience, civic engagement  References ¹ Community Care .  (n.d.). Mental Health America. Retrieved May 20, 2024, from http://www.mhanational.org/bipoc-mental-health/community-care  ² Glimco, E. (2022, March). 5 Ways Libraries Bring Value to Communities . Addison Public Library. https://www.addisonlibrary.org/5-ways-libraries-bring-value-communities

Let's face it, going along with your kid's drama filled plot line for their Paw Patrol characters isn't much fun. It's natural for our play interests to evolve from our sandbox digging days. With that, To make play fun again,I encourage you to reflect on the following question: how do you like to play? If you're not exactly sure where to start in answering that question, this post will be super helpful for you! We'll go through the eight play personalities, also known as styles of play. For each category, I’ll give a couple examples of how the style of play may have shown up for you in childhood, as well as how the style might show up for you now in adulthood. That’s right, play styles don’t just disappear when we grow up, we simply find more socially acceptable ways to incorporate them into our current lifestyles. Let’s take a look at the styles of play! What is a Play Personality? What are the 8 Play Personalities (Styles of Play)? 📝 The Storyteller 🧩 The Director 🏆 The Competitor 🧸 The Collector ⛰️ The Explorer 🧘🏽‍♀️ The Kinesthete 🎨 The Creator 🤪 The Joker Why Play Style vs. Play Personality? ✨ The Storyteller: Enjoys expressing themselves through words Traits of the Storyteller During Childhood: During childhood, the storyteller style could've shown up through a love for dramatic and/or pretend play. You probably got too deep with a Barbie's or action figure's backstory. You might’ve even written in a secret password journal with voice activation. In Adulthood: You find ways to bring storytelling into your daily life, rather it’s through journaling, writing poetry, writing for a Medium publication, writing on Substack, or even taking time to craft the perfect Instagram caption. This play style can also show up through participation in an improv group or theatre. Popular Movie or TV Characters:  Harriet from Harriet the Spy;   Kay Panabaker from Read It and Weep; Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl; Lexi from Euphoria   📝 Play Ideas: Help a kiddo publish their own book with Lulu Junior Illustory book and illustration kit  Buy blank books or board books at a craft store Retell classic fables or folktales (The Tortoise and the Hare; The Three Little Pigs; The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Goldilocks and the Three Bears)  Make up stories and narrate them aloud!  If you hit gold and make up a story that your kid wants you to retell over and over again, record it as an audio file and they can have their own personalized audiobook If you happen to own a Yoto player, you can also make your own Yoto audio card!   Create A Story prompt cards from Eeeboo Puppets   ✨ The Director: Natural leader and visionary, likes to take charge  Traits of the Director During Childhood: You were often the kid that led group play and other kids were more than happy to go along with the roles and scenarios you dished out.    In Adulthood: Within your family or friend groups, you tend to be the one that takes initiative to get everyone together for a group gathering or vacation. You may be the designated class parent or have a position on the parent-teacher’s board. You might even genuinely enjoy planning and organizing birthday parties or themed events.     Popular Movie or TV Characters: Angelica from Rugrats; Carly from iCarly; Miss Piggy from The Muppets; Lincoln Loud from The Loud House 🧩 Play Ideas:  Play classic childhood games that allow you to take the lead. You might also prefer close-ended toys. These toys are designed for kids to create a specific end result; your kiddo will likely turn to you for guidance or assistance, and with only one solution, you can offer them the direction they’re seeking. Classic Childhood Games: Simon Says; Mother May I; Red Light, Green Light; What Time Is It Mr. Fox; Follow the Leader Close-ended Toys: Challenging floor puzzles; LEGO building sets; activity books featuring mazes, crossword puzzles, word searches, sudokus (for older kids) ✨ The Competitor: Finds joy in competing, winning, or striving for their personal best Traits of the Competitor During Childhood: As a competitor kid, you likely gravitated towards individual sports or activities that resulted in clear winners and losers. Chances are you might’ve even entered lots of school, local, or national competitions.     In Adulthood: As an adult, you still find fulfillment in activities with defined winners or losers (pickleball; squash or racquetball; golf; tennis; bowling). You may also compete against yourself by striving to beat your personal best time it takes you to xyz (ex: run a mile, swim a lap) or regularly enter races like the turkey trot. Aside from sports, competitor styles may also enjoy competitive games like chess, table games at the casino, or video games like MarioKart.   Popular Movie or TV Characters: Reggie Rocket from Rocket Power; Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story; Akeelah from Akeelah and the Bee; Lightning McQueen from Cars  🏆 Play Ideas:  Try playing kid-friendly board games or card games that result in someone winning.  Board Games:   Zingo; Candyland; Chutes & Ladders Card Games:   Memory Matching; Go Fish; Spot It Video Game: Just Dance! ✨ The Collector: Collects things or achievements  Traits of the Collector During Childhood:  You might’ve collected trendy kid’s toys such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Digimon, or baseball cards; American Girl dolls; Hot Wheels, or Beanie Babies. It’s also possible you were a collector of simple things like stickers or coins.  In Adulthood: Vinyl record collector? Is your house covered in houseplants? Have a Lego diorama collection? Perhaps you collect currency from around the world, fine art, or antiques? These are all play styles of a collector. I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the kidults that still collect Pokémon or Magic: The Gathering trading cards! Popular Movie or TV Characters: Ariel from The Little Mermaid; Ash Ketchum from Pokémon;  🧸 Play Ideas:  Vinyl Collector:   One of the best things about vinyls is their sound quality. Put on your favorite record from your vinyl collection and have a dance party with your kiddo. Plant Lovers:   If you’re a plant lover, hand your kiddo a travel-size spray bottle and ask them to help water the plants.  Fine Art Collector:   If you’re a collector of fine art, buy a few canvases from the craft store and allow your kiddo to create pieces of art that they’re proud of to display around the house (even if it’s just their room or a closet).  ✨ The Explorer: Driven by discovery Traits of the Explorer During Childhood:  As an explorer kid, you likely thrived off of your curiosity about the world and tended to be a hands-on learner. In science class, it wasn’t enough to read about chemical reactions, you were keen on mixing baking soda and vinegar together to understand chemical reactions through firsthand experience.     In Adulthood:  You might be a travel lover or enjoy exploring new places in your city or town.  Popular Movie or TV Characters: Dora from Dora the Explorer; Eliza Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys; Moana from the movie Moana; Luca from the movie Luca; Steve Irwin; Mirabel from Encanto  ⛰️ Play Ideas:  Kids are naturally curious (especially toddlers) and insist on knowing why! Lean into their curiosity and your passion for exploring to show them why . For example, if your kiddo asks, “why is that bird holding a stick?” You could respond with, “maybe the stick is for its nest. Let’s go on a walk to see if we can find its' nest!”  Toys & Supplies: Binoculars; mini flashlights; Sibley's backyard bird guide ; Merlin Bird ID app (Download for Apple | Download for Android ) ✨ The Kinesthete: Requires movement of their body Traits of the Kinesthete During Childhood:  As a kinesthete kid, you were likely a child that spent a lot of time engaged into active play. Odds are you tried almost every sport and probably heard your caregivers say that you were a kid that “really needed outdoor time.” In reality, all kids need outdoor time.    In Adulthood:  As a grownup, you continue to find fulfillment through physical activity and finding ways to express yourself through movement. Some activities of interest might include: dance, yoga, running, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, or swimming. Unlike the competitor, you find enjoyment in movement itself and have little regard for winning.   Popular Movie or TV Characters:  Tigger from Winnie the Pooh; Luisa from Encanto; kids from Rocket Power (what sport didn’t those kids play) 🧘🏽‍♀️ Play Ideas: Yoga is an easy activity to do with babies and kids ages 2 and up (my favorite sets of cards: Mindful & Co yoga flash cards ); dance parties; Twister; Kids in Action songs (toddlers love the song, "The Way We Do it" by Greg & Steve) ✨ The Creator/Artist: Finds joy in inventing or making things Traits of the Creator/Artist During Childhood: You worked hard to hone a specific skill or interest in pursuit of creating something magical. Or, you might recall having an entrepreneurial spirit and would come up with super creative inventions or solutions.  In Adulthood: As a grownup, you’ve either found a way to integrate your talent into your full-time work, remain engaged in the interest as a hobby, or have unconsciously forgotten about your skill. Maybe you dabble in playing an instrument, love to cook or bake, or sell handmade jewelry on Etsy? Whichever the case is for you, there are so many ways for you to weave your creativity into play with your kid! Popular Movie or TV Characters:  Peppa Pig; Ada Twist from Ada Twist the Scientist; Miguel from Coco; Isabela from Encanto; Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory; Alfredo from Ratatouille  🎨 Play Ideas:   For the Inner Inventor:   Science experiments or Kiwi Co kits For the Entrepreneur: DIY Grocery Store For the Artist:   Open-ended art materials (watercolor paints, paint sticks, oil pastels, bleeding tissue paper); For the Musisian: musical instruments (egg shakers, Loog guitar ); have dance parties to your favorite tracks For the Chef/Baker:  give kid small tasks to assist with meal preparation; have kid help you make a batch of homemade cinnamon play dough; allow kid to help with kitchen chores ✨ The Joker: Jokester, class clown  Traits of the Joker During Childhood: You were the class clown and a teacher's headache with the unique ability to make anyone smile. Your silliness and lightheartedness    In Adulthood: Some jokers turn out to be actual comedians or go on to channel their humor into social media accounts and become influencers. More commonly, class clown skills evolve into sarcasm or clever wit. While you might receive feedback from your partner, family, or friends to “take things more seriously,” leaning into your joker play style can be very beneficial in strengthening your connection with kiddos. Kids love to laugh! Popular Movie or TV Characters: SpongeBob SquarePants; Will Smith from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Cosmo from The Fairly Oddparents; Sam from iCarly; YouTube “Dudes” from Dude Perfect  🤪 Play Ideas: Read a book of jokes to your kid. Have tickle fights. Play a game of who can make the silliest face. Try whoopie cushions or other lighthearted prank toys.  Silly Tabletop Games:   Hedbanz or Hedbanz Junior As the saying goes, "don't hate the player, hate the game." That's to say, it's not play that you dislike, it's the games, activities, or play scenarios that you're doing with your little one. We all have preferences for certain styles of play. Once you pinpoint the styles that interest you, playing with your kiddo will start to feel authentic and enjoyable. Remember, kid's speak and connect through play. The more we can find ways to speak their language, the more connected they'll feel with their caregivers! Thanks for playing with me! If you have any ideas you think I should add to this list, feel free to share in a comment below!

Why do kids stare at people all the time? Why doesn’t my kid play with other kids? If you’ve ever asked yourself either of those questions, then you’ll find it helpful to take a look at the six stages of play. Reviewing these common stages of play that kiddos experience during the early years will help answer these questions and many more.  If you really just want to know why toddlers stare at people, click here ! What Are the Six Stages of Play? In 1932, an American sociologist from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, Mildred Parten, observed that kids naturally go through various social stages of play  in early childhood. Parten categorized these stages into six groupings. Over 90 years later, the play community continues to recognize these stages.  Stages of Play 1️⃣ Unoccupied Play 2️⃣ Solitary/Independent Play 3️⃣ Onlooker Play 4️⃣ Parallel Play 5️⃣ Associate Play 6️⃣ Cooperative Play Why Are the Six Stages of Play Important? The most important aspect of Parten’s Six Stages are the skills that kids develop along the way. As a caregiver, you might find it helpful to familiarize yourself with the variety of ways little ones socially interact. It can also be validating to know that your kid's behavior isn't weird, just typical. Note : The age range of the stages is highly debated. I decided to reference the range from   Pathways.org  because I've found it to be the most accurate timeline amongst kids I’ve worked with.  Unoccupied Play (0 - 3 months) These are the days when babies are high off life as they explore what their bodies can do and what actions they take warrant a response from caregivers —  think of the unoccupied play stage as a time of self-discovery!  Examples of Unoccupied Play: Movement (reaching, kicking, etc.), grabbing at toys, exploring on play mats or play gyms How to entertain a 3 month old?   Caregivers can entertain 3 month old babies with activities like peek-a-boo using your hands or play scarves and mirror play.  Tip : No mirror? Prop up your phone or ipad and turn it on selfie mode; this doesn’t qualify as screen time since it’s comparable to a mirror reflection What can a 3 month old baby play with? Three-month olds can play with toys that are easy to grasp— baby paper, toy rattles, teethers. Art cards with bold patterns and textures or bright colors are great for stimulation. This is also a nice age to introduce babies to music. Instrumental jams and classical music can be particularly calming.  How does unoccupied play help development? Unoccupied play allows little ones to familiarize themselves with their abilities and their environment.  Solitary Play (0 - 2 years) Also referred to as independent play, solitary play is the stage when kids begin playing with less dependence on the direct engagement and reliance of caregivers. Parten noted that throughout this stage, it’s common for kids to be more self-centered and focused on individual projects or outcomes through play. This is also the stage when children begin using pragmatic thinking and comprehending cause and effect.  Example of Solitary Play:  Despite a caregiver being close by, a child is able to play/entertain themselves over short durations of time. For example, a child might explore a play gym while you unload the dishwasher.  How to encourage independent play?  One way to encourage independent play is by setting up a " yes space" for kiddos (a safe area in which a few toys or books are easily accessible). Caregivers can also use child-led guided play as scaffolding to increase learning outcomes. Guided play is sometimes referred to as play based learning and can be complemented through setting up low prep activities using household objects .  Which toys are best for independent play? Following the unoccupied play stage, the best toys for independent play vary based on your little one's age, interests, and abilities. Here are a few recommended toys based on age ranges.     Babies: Shape sorter, soft books, stacking toys, blocks Tabies (12-24 months) : Reusable drawing toys, shape sorter, felt book stories, cause & effect toys How does solitary/independent play help development? Independent play allows children to explore their current abilities, limitations, and build resilience through trial-and-error and long-term practice.   Onlooker Play (2 - 3½ years) Onlooker play looks like the kid version of people watching. Well, except for the fact that kids can be very overt about people watching— they will literally stand in front of another kid and stare them down without saying a single word. This behavior might appear odd or rude, but it’s totally natural. It’s not just their peers that kids stare down, they also take close notice to what grownups are up to.  Examples of Onlooker Play: I’m sure you’ve seen the viral reels or Tik Toks featuring adults at a playground staring at the camera as it moves. The caption overlay usually reads something like “ every toddler as you walk past them at the park.” You know the videos I’m talking about — that’s onlooker play.  💡 Did You Know?  The onlooker stage explains why so many kids are fascinated by watching toy unboxing videos!  What activities support onlooker play? An easy way to support onlooker play is to model play —  sit on the floor, build a block tower. Ideally, kids are provided with opportunities to be around other kids at play. Which toys are best for onlooker play? Open-ended toys, pretend play toys, dramatic play toys How does onlooker play help development? Through onlooker play, kids develop language and vocabulary, learn social and cultural norms, and begin building self-confidence. Parallel Play (2 ½ - 3 ½ years) During parallel play, you’ll find kiddos playing alongside or next to another kiddo, but strictly focused on their own activity or play scene.  Examples of Parallel Play: Parallel play often takes place in group settings during free play. One child might be focused on building a tower with blocks, while another kid plays with animal figurines. Both kids might be aware of each other's presence, but they don't really interact with one another. H aving a child help with household tasks or chores is also a form of parallel play. An adult can be cooking dinner while the child washes dishes  in the sink.   What activities  support parallel play? Individual sensory bins support parallel play. This allows kids to be be engaged in their own activity and enjoy personal space, while becoming slightly more conscious about other kids around them. Which toys  are best for parallel play? pegs boards, pretend play figurines, cars, art supplies How does parallel play help development? Language development (very typical for kids to narrate aloud as they play in this stage) Associate Play (3 - 4 years)  During associative play, kids face play scenarios where they’re challenged to communicate and share with other kids, but aren't working together to meet a shared goal. Examples of Associative Play: I’ve observed kids engaged in associative play most often when using play dough or other sensory materials (requires communication about sharing tools). It's also common to see associative play when kids are building structures with small blocks ( magna-tiles come with a lot of compromising discussions about the divvying up of square tiles ), and when kiddos use dramatic play toys (they dish out roles and scripts for their playmates to follow). What activities support associate play? Some activities that support associative play  include sensory table play and general nature play. Which toys are best for associate play? Dramatic play toys (play kitchens or grocery store , pretend food , doctor kits, dress up clothes); active play equipment; magna-tiles How does associative play help development? Through associative play kids begin noticing that they exist in relation to other kids. Little ones can develop patience, as well as, improve their gross and fine motor skills.    Cooperative Play (4 - 5 years) According to Parten, the cooperative play stage is a merging of the previous five stages. Kids begin working and playing together more frequently, while striving to achieve a shared goal. Examples of Cooperative Play: An example of cooperative play is a handful of kids working together to build a fort. Fort building requires a lot of design planning, turn taking, and compromising. Through this process, little ones practice communication, negotiation, and teamwork to achieve their shared goal: a fort that they can go in and out of without having it collapse on their heads.   What activities support cooperative play? Sharing limited play equipment, such as slides, swings, climbers; role-playing scenarios Which toys are best for cooperative play? jumbo blocks; board games; more advanced puzzles; dramatic play props; puppets; giant playsilks (for epic fort building) How does cooperative play help development? Cooperative play allows kids to practice turn taking, sharing, and cooperation. It also improves speech and language development, as well as executive function (planning). ⬇️ Learn More: Are the Six Stages of Play Linear? It’s possible for kids to show linear progression through the six stages of play. However, it’s more common for kids to exhibit behaviors from multiple stages, often within the same day. For example, in daycare settings, I’ve worked with some 2 year olds that would spend their mornings watching other kids play (onlooker play), and after nap time, they engaged in interactions that fall under associative play. Due to limitations in ability (disabilities), culture, neurodivergence, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and a child’s independent development growth, some kids might skip a stage, take many years to reach a stage, or require assistance to reach a stage. Do All Kids Go Through the Social Stages of Play? It’s worth noting that Mildred Parten was a White American and presented the concept of the six stages of play during the Great Depression (1929-1939). That is to say, her findings were based on the observations of White, American, able-bodied, neurotypical children.   Teacher educator, Eunsook Hyun, takes a deep dive into the significance of culture within the context of early childhood development, particularly in childcare settings. In chapter two of Dr. Hyun's book, she suggests that the progression through the stages of social development is less predictable for certain groups: BIPOC children; and kids that are a part of families with multiple siblings. Kids in these demographics tend to move through the six stages in a nonlinear path.  A number of researchers have found that Euro-American parents tend to see play as a catalyst for developing their kids’ cognitive and social skills. Hyun writes, “caregivers in this demographic often raise their kids to focus on individuality, developing independence , and how to occupy themselves with their toys (Johnson, Christie, & Yawkey, 1987).” In modern western parenting, this has become more prevalent. As a result, the timeline for when kids reach the parallel, associative, and cooperative play stages may be different.   In contrast, caregivers from African-American, Asian-American, and Hispanic-American backgrounds tend to raise kids to be more group oriented, with a focus on family interdependence  and family reliance. Put simply, in the early years, it’s more common for BIPOC kids to be raised to focus on the collective instead of entertaining themselves.    Regardless of cultural norms, there isn’t one right way to socialize a kid . A child’s play patterns can be influenced by their home environment, birth order, being an only child, and a myriad of other conditions. Through acknowledging cultural differences within these stages, my hope is that caregivers can reflect on their child’s current play patterns and be inspired to explore and incorporate other practices when possible.     References Hughes, Fergus P. Children, Play, and Development. Edited by Fergus P. Hughes, SAGE Publications, 2010, https://books.google.com/books?id=KbnOVfinznEC&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false .    Parten MB Social Participation among Preschool Children. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 1932; 27 (3): 243–269. “What Are the 6 Stages of Play?” Pathways.org , 16 September 2022, https://pathways.org/watch/stages-of-play/ Hyun, E.  (1998). Making sense of developmentally and culturally appropriate practice (DCAP) in early childhood education. New York: Peter Lang. Chapter 2

Wanna feel less guilty on your next midnight shopping spree? Check out these awesome companies that follow the BOPO (buy one, plant one) business model with every purchase you make! Supporting these brands is a great way to help the environment and feel slightly better about those late night splurges. As our society continues to grapple with climate change, businesses are stepping up with creative ways to empower shoppers. While monetary donations are still impactful, businesses have began leveraging a different marketing trend— tree-planting initiatives. From clothing, to accessories, stationary, and even outdoor gear- there are a growing number of companies engaging in eco-conscious business models. Take a look at some brands practicing the buy one, plant one model below! ✨ Quick Preview 1️⃣ tentree 2️⃣ Paper Culture 3️⃣ Oakywood 4️⃣ WoodChuck USA 5️⃣ Eartheasy 6️⃣ Get Stamped 7️⃣ Küat tentree Features | Eco-conscious Clothing Best For | Men, Women, & Kid's EcoFocus | Sustainable Sourcing; Designs for Circularity   Planting Partners | Eden Reforestation Projects; Trees for the Future; Plant With Purpose Certifications or Ecolabels | Certified B; Climate Neutral Certified tentree is a Canadian clothing brand that has been part of the BOPO model for 10+ years and has impressively planted over 81 million trees since it's founding! The company uses recycled or organic materials in their clothing to help reduce the amount of water and emissions that are produced in standard clothing production. Some of these materials include TENCEL™ lyocell, organic cotton, REPREVE® recycled polyester, and recycled nylon. While I've only purchased a few items from tentree, one of them included my prized black winter parka and I can't rave about it enough. As I finish up my third winter with the coat, its condition is just as good as the day I received it. Happy to report it’s definitely buy it for life quality!  Screenshot of veritree tree tracking through tentree's Impact Wallet. Is tentree's BOPO initiative verifiable? Yes, tentree's BOPO initiative is verifiable through veritree. In fact, transparency about tree planting was (and still is) such an important value to the company, that the founders created veritree, which allows customers to track the trees that they help plant. veritree partners with lots of tree partners With each purchase, you receive a stamped card with a scannable code. After scanning, you click the link to register your code and track your trees in an interactive virtual forest. Heads up, the forest map kinda gives Minecraft vibes, whereas, I was initially expecting Google Earth quality... but veritree is constantly testing new technology and they're a very young company. Regardless, this is by far the most transparent technology I've seen that allows customers to verify trees are planted using their money. SHOP TENTREE PAPER CULTURE Features | Holiday Cards, Invitations, Photo Books Best For | Christmas Card Senders, Party Planners EcoFocus | Sustainable Sourcing Planting Partners | Trees for the Future; Arbor Day Foundation; Friends of the Urban Forest; Our City Forest Certifications or Ecolabels | Certified B Paper Culture specializes in holiday cards and wedding invitations (think: eco-friendly version of Minted or Shutterfly). Unlike most standard holiday card companies, Paper Culture prints cards on 100% recycled paper, using either post-consumer recycled paper or alternative non-tree fibers. I've purchased my annual holiday cards from Paper Culture for the past five years and their customer service staff is super friendly and helpful, despite it being the busiest time of year for them. With every order placed, a tree is planted where reforestation is most needed. At checkout, you're given the option to write a special tree dedication. I dedicate mine to my dad each year, who planted a tree before passing away —  but the tree continues to thrive today. Is Paper Culture's BOPO initiative Verifiable? Yes, Paper Culture's BOPO initiative is verifiable. You can check out their tree counter on the Trees for the Future website, that has logged over 1.3 million trees planted . I also love that Paper Culture partners with a couple of local tree planting orgs ( Friends of the Urban Forest and Our City Forest ) in the San Francisco Bay Area, where their corporate office is located. SHOP PAPER CULTURE OAKYWOOD Features | Home Office Essentials Best For | Remote Workers EcoFocus | Sustainable Sourcing; Designs for Circularity Planting Partners | One Tree Planted*; Forever Forest Certifications or Ecolabels | uses FSC certified wood While I've recommended Oakywood in the past , their BOPO model is yet another reason you should check out their products! Oakywood crafts stunning home office furniture and accessories in a modern minimalism meets Montessori style. The Polish founded business offers a slew of electronic accessories, like AirPod Case s (my personal fave), and genuinely innovative WFH accessories. When you buy any item from Oakywood, the company uses a portion of the profit (usually $1) to plant a tree. Their transparency around their environmental initiatives , materials, and labor, as it relates to total prices for customers is commendable. Screenshot of One Tree Planted partner listing on September 27, 2024 featuring Oakywood logo on The Wayback Machine internet archive. Is Oakywood's BOPO initiative Verifiable? Yes! Oakywood's BOPO initiative is verifiable through One Tree Planted. However, the company is not publicly listed as a partner of December 14, 2024, This appears likely due to website updates and donor feature changes from One Tree Planted. Through One Tree Planted, Oakywood has planted 87,919 trees. This comes out to be 2,197,975 kg of CO2 saved. While Oakywood has a handful of distribution sites around the world, their workshop is still located in Ciche, a small town in Poland. As such, they also have a local planting partner, Forever Forests, through which 10,959 m2 of forest has been planted. SHOP OAKYWOOD      WOODCHUCK USA Features | Sustainable & Customizable Wooden Gifts     Best For | Eco-conscious gifters & creative professionals EcoFocus | Sustainable Sourcing  Planting Partners   |  Various Partners via veritree Certifications or Ecolabels |  N/A One glimpse of the Woodchuck USA site and it’s nearly impossible not  to find something you’ll love! Woodchuck has an expansive collection of customizable wooden gifts—coasters, bottle openers, notebooks, candles, picture frames, wooden gift boxes, and lots more! Woodchuck USA's best sellers include their wooden journals, phone cases, and flasks. While the wood used in production is not FSC certified, this is likely due to the fact that Woodchuck utilizes a mix of reclaimed and recycled wood  (which ironically isn't allowed under the FSC certification) in addition to sustainably sourced wood. Woodchuck USA is highlighted and sits under the $5,000-$9,999 section. In the past, Woodchuck USA has partnered with the NFF. However, they've seen a hugeee surge of success (since I originally highlighted them in 2021), which has led the company to expand their tree planting initiatives through a partnership with veritree. The growing company pledges to BOPO with each item purchased. A unique QR code is included with every wooden keepsake from Woodchuck. The code allows you to to track your tree’s location to see where it’s rooted. To date, the small business has been able to plant over 4 million trees ! Is Woodchuck USA's BOPO initiative Verifiable? Like tentree, Woodchuck USA uses veritree, which provides shoppers with individual QR codes to track their tree. In addition, the NFF's latest annual report confirmed that Woodchuck USA donated between $5,000-$9,999 to their mission. SHOP WOODCHUCK USA EARTHEASY Features | Products for sustainable living     Best For |  Wooden garden beds EcoFocus | Sustainable Sourcing  Planting Partners   |  Trees for the Future Certifications or Ecolabels |  N/A While Eartheasy sells a variety of sustainable living products, they’re most known for their signature garden beds and planting boxes. The owners of the company have decades of firsthand experience with green living, having raised two kids ‘off grid’. Today, they manufacturer beautiful wooden planter boxes and curate their top recommended tools for integrating sustainability into your lifestyle. I also find their puppets, made from recycled wool to be incredibly cute and are on my wishlist! Is Eartheasy's BOPO initiative Verifiable? Yes, Eartheasy's BOPO initiative is verifiable through Trees for the Future. I actually had to update the number of trees they've planted on my database tracker, from 50K to 173K, which tells us that (1) Eartheasy is still actively partnering with Trees for the Future and (2) they're selling a heck of a lot of products! SHOP EARTHEASY GET STAMPED Features | Rubber stamps    Best For | Wedding or housewarming gift EcoFocus | Sustainable Sourcing  Planting Partners   |  Trees for the Future; World Land Trust Certifications or Ecolabels |  N/A Rubber stamps are so classic, we often forget about them. Of course, Get Stamped goes way beyond selling your average stamp. All stamps are made from natural components, including environmentally sourced oak and green eco rubber. What's really cool is that you can design stamps featuring names, initials, addresses, and pretty much anything you can imagine — probably best to keep it PG rated though. Here are a few other use cases that came to mind: Wedding Gift : Know a couple getting married and combining their last names? Gift them a stamp with their new hyphenated last name! Housewarming Gift: Have friends that just moved or recently became homeowners? Gift them a stamp with their new address. Kids' Activities: Toddlers and even big kids will awe in their ability to create art so effortlessly. Stamps are such a fun addition to any arts & crafts collection. Stamps are also a more eco-conscious alternative to stickers! If you're looking to give kiddos stamps on their hands as a reward, Get Stamped even has a specially formulated Skin Ink Kit , because they've seem to think of everything! Is Get Stamped's BOPO initiative Verifiable? Yes and no. Get Stamped partnered with Trees for the Future for five years (2018-2023) and supported in the panting of over 74,000 trees, which is verifiable with the planting partner . However, they've since switched to a partnership with World Land Trust . Under their new model, one square meter of wild land is purchased with every order. Each meter adds up to acres of land that Get Stamped is able to purchase and conserve as designated wildlife. So far, consumer purchases have preserved over 20,700 m2, which is about the size of 4 American football fields! Trees for the Future still has Get Stamped listed as a corporate partner. I only discovered the switch from doing research on Get Stamped's website. I decided to still include them in the BOPO lineup because they seem like an awesome company that has merely shifted to focusing on conservation efforts vs. reforestation . And technically, World Land Trust does offer tree planting initiatives as a service to corporate partners. SHOP GET STAMPED KÜAT Features | Travel Gear Solution Best For | Outdoor Enthusiasts Planting Partners   |  NFF; Trees for the Future; One Tree Planted EcoFocus |  Accessibility to Nature Certifications or Ecolabels |  N/A Küat designs car solutions for adventurers transporting recreational equipment. A car rack is definitely one of those things you don’t realize you need until you really need it. By then, it’s usually too late… there’s no way you could possibly pick out your rack, order it, and have it arrive before  your road trip. If you're an avid bicyclists, surfer, kayaker, snowboarder, or skier, chances are you’ll need a method for transporting your gear at some point. Küat products are designed to support folks in enjoying the outdoors, so it's fitting to invest in a car rack from a company that's giving back to the environment! When you make any purchase through Küat, a donation is made to support their Future Forest initiative , where they report that they've planted 685,342 trees planted so far! Is KÜAT's BOPO initiative Verifiable? Yes, Küat's BOPO initiative is verifiable through Trees for the Future, with whom they've planted 357,043 trees . In 2023, they donated between $10,000-$24,999 to the NFF. SHOP KÜAT So, there you have it, seven awesome companies to go checkout! Do you buy from any companies that give back through BOPO initiatives? Is this list missing any great companies? Leave a comment to let us all know! Sincerely, Briesh P.S. Stay Conscious + Curious!

Gifting is hard and kids are just as difficult to shop for as adults. In attempt to make the process a wee bit easier for you, I'm sharing the toy trackers that I've been putting together over the past few years.   Things to Keep in Mind I happpen to be an evangelist for play-based learning. Therefore, you will rarely see toys listed as "educational," especially for babies and toddlers— at this age, all toys are educational. There are also very few push button toys listed that are designed to teach the alphabet, colors, or counting. Some researchers have noted that in order to promote early language development, electronic toys should be discouraged. These are resources that I'd been using to organize my ideas for toy related content. I've made modifications, tweaks, and updates in order for the tables to make sense to other people. Feel free to send me a message or leave a comment with suggestions or errors. ✨ Resources for Gifting Kids' Toys: Quick Links 🧸 Types of Toys for Kiddos 🥁 Specific Toy Recommendations for Babies and Tabies (Ages 1-2) 🌟 All-Time Favorite Toys & Recommendations: From Babies to Big Kids 🚀 Premium Toy Retailers 🧸 Types of Toys for Kiddos This is a broad list featuring over 100 types of toys! 🥁 Specific Toy Recommendations for Babies and Tabies (Ages 1-2) Sometimes I use Susie Allison's (Busy Toddler) term, "taby" to refer to this age range, because it just makes things easier. About half of the recommendations on the Babies & Tabies list are toys that I've used with little ones firsthand and noted the value they bought to their play. The other half are well-vetted high quality versions of developmentally appropriate toddler toys. 🌟 All-Time Favorite Toys & Recommendations: From Babies to Big Kids ✅ Fort building supplies ✅ Wooden toys ✅ Magnetic toys ✅ Melissa & Doug favorites You're sure to find a couple gift ideas for a kiddo on your list! 🚀 Premium Toy Retailers ✅ Play couches ✅ Playsilks ✅ Imaginative play toys ✅ Pretend play toys & more!

Looking for a fun, nature craft to try with your kiddo? Here's a step-by-step guide to growing your very own, hairy grass caterpillar! This project takes around 15 min to do with little ones. You'll start to see grass sprouting around Day 4 or 5 and between 7-9 days for the caterpillar to fully develop. Supplies Knee-high nylon stocking Measuring cup or scooper Plastic cup with bottom cut off Pipe cleaners (rubber bands or twist ties also work) Bag of grass seed Dirt or soil Spray bottle Optional Supplies Googly eyes Pom pom nose 2 pipe cleaners Glue Step 1: Fill dish pan/container with fresh dirt or soil It doesn't matter what type of soil you choose, in the past, I've simply purchased a bag from the Dollar Tree for this activity. (If you have a garden, feel free to collect a bin's worth of soil from your garden) Step 2: Add  3-4 cups of grass seed This is a solid amount to go for, but we all know how toddlers can go overboard— not a big deal if they do. We used 1 cup measuring cups, but scoopers also work. Step 3: Mix grass seeds and soil together  Have your kid stir the seeds around the soil. Step 4: Use a small funnel to pour dirt inside a stocking Place funnel or makeshift cup funnel inside the stocking and pour in the dirt and soil mix. Add enough mix to make a head (think: the size of a stress ball). If you're interested in making a quick funnel, just cut off a quarter of a plastic cup. Step 5: Tie off the section Tie the section off using a 2 inch piece of pipe cleaner. You can also use twist ties Step 6: Repeat steps 4 & 5 Repeat the process of adding more dirt and tying off each segment to create 3 more round body parts. You'll want 4 body segments total. Have your kiddo practice counting the body segments as you go along and perhaps compare the sizes with them aloud. Try asking questions like: Do you know what shape this is? How many circles do we have now? Is this one full enough? Step 7: Give your caterpillar a bath! Submerge the caterpillar in a tub of lukewarm water and let it sit for a few hours. This allows the dirt to thoroughly absorb the water. Step 8: Remove caterpillar from bath Allow your caterpillar to rest in a tray. No more watering needed the rest of the day. Step 9: Water daily using a spray bottle The following day, begin watering your caterpillar daily. Not to worry if your kid goes overboard with the watering. This activity is less about teaching kids to have green thumbs and more about introducing kids to their ability to nurture nature. Step 10: Water, Wait, & Watch Continue watering daily. After about 3-4 days, grass will begin to sprout its hair! For toddlers, this may feel like an eternity, but it's a good lesson in patience. As the saying goes, "You can't rush mother nature." By Day 5, your caterpillar will resemble something like the picture below. Step 11: Enjoy your grass caterpillar! Between Day 7 and 9, your caterpillar's hair will start getting pretty wild! At this point, feel free to add googly eyes, a pom pom nose, and/or pipe cleaner antennas using a dab of glue . Bonus Activity: Engage fine motor skills by inviting kiddos to give the caterpillar a haircut using kid-friendly scissors. Developmental Skills:  Intro to STEM (observation; ) cause & effect; fine motor skills; Teaches:  patience; appreciation for nature; mindfulness Fun Fact: This activity was adapted from the Better Home & Garden's May 2013 issue, but it's very possible that the concept came from a well-known toy company. In 1994, Spin Master released its first product, the Earth Buddy —  a nylon stocking-covered head of sawdust topped with grass seeds! So, what are you waiting for? Go find an old stocking, grass seed, soil, and get started on this activity with your little one! I hope this project brings just as much joy to your little one as it's bought so many kids in the past! Please share pics of your grassy caterpillar in the comment section below! Sincerely, Briesh P.S. Stay Conscious + Curious

Rather you’re new to sustainable living or you’ve been on your journey for a while, you’re sure to find an item that piques your interest! Rest assured, I’ve personally researched, purchased, and tried out each of these eco-conscious items, so I can confirm they're top notch.  Disclosure:  I have no sponsorships or affiliation with any of these brands. The following reviews are my personal and unbiased reviews. Quick Links to Each Item Pictured & Reviewed 1️⃣ Oakywood Wooden AirPods Case 2️⃣ Chestnut Brown Jelt Belt 3️⃣ Plaine Products Body Wash 4️⃣ Planet Wise Reusable Trash Liner 5️⃣ Terra Ties Hair Ties Oakywood Wooden AirPods Case ✅ Features | Made of walnut wood 👍🏽 Good For | AirPod owners  🌱 Environmental Initiatives | BOPO  (plants trees with purchases) ; carbon neutral shipping  🌟 Certifications or Ecolabels |  uses FSC certified wood 💰 Cost |  ~$45 Despite the case being the size of a pacifier, AirPods are quite the investment. Which is why it's so imperative that all owners have a sturdy case to protect their pods!  Don't just settle for a cheap case made of synthetic plastics (yuck). What you need is an Oakywood AirPods Case ! This is a case you can show off with great pride, rather you pull it out at work or on the plane, the dark wood gives off, 'I have my sh*t together'   vibes! In fact, this line from Oakywood's site puts it best, "we believe that natural wood and modern technology go well together, both aesthetically and practically." Could not agree more! Not only is the walnut case the most durable case I’ve seen on the market, it’s just flat out more esthetically pleasing than 99% of other AirPod cases. Seriously, I've gotten a gazillion complements on this thing. ❤️ What I Love   While it's pricier than the average case, the quality is worth every penny. Oakywood goes the extra mile to be transparent about their prices— for each product, you’ll find a breakdown that explains exactly where your money is going. Here's the breakdown cost for an AirPods case: Production and Labor - $20; Taxes (Poland & European) - $11;   Margin & Fixed Costs - $16; Environmental Initiatives - $1 😐 What I Don't Love I dropped my case on vinyl flooring (peel & stick tiles) and it got a major crack. Luckily, all Oakywood products come with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty for the original purchaser. I reached out to the company and they were very kind about sending me a new one since it fell within the warranty!  It seems like they've added an extra invisible layer of something amazing on their newer cases to make them crackproof! Since November 2021, I've dropped my replaced case on the same vinyl flooring and many other types of flooring and not a single crack or scratch has appeared after three years!  📦 Packaging In addition to supplying carbon-neutral shipping, Oakwoood reduces paper filing in packaging and uses recyclable materials such as paper boxes and cardboard mailers. 🛍️ Where to Buy For the most part, all Oakywood products  are sold exclusively from their website.  Chestnut Brown Elastic Jelt Belt ✅  Features | Modern belts that stretch  👍🏽 Good For | Jean wearers 🌱 Environmental Initiatives |  Made from recycled water bottles 🌟 Certifications or Ecolabels |   Certified B;  1% for the Planet Member 💰 Cost |  ~$45 As a society, we've kinda accepted the awkward bulge that comes with wearing a belt. Jelt Belt not only gets rid of belt bulges, but their belts are also made from post-consumer plastic (100% recycled water bottles).  Most belts sold in stores are made out of leather or faux leather (polyurethane). Fake leather is definitely better for the environment than real leather since it's cruelty free, but its popular substitute, polyurethane is a form of plastic. While polyurethane plays a role in expanding the lifespan of many objects we use daily , this has not been the case when it comes to belts.  What often happens is, after a year of use, the top layer of your belt begins peeling away from the fake leather. Or you run into the issue where the hole that you use most often expands too much, making the belt useless.  ❤️ What I Love With Jelt Belt, you can forget all of these annoying issues. Simply weave it through your belt loops then connect the two half circle buckles together, it couldn't be easier! Following almost a year of regular use (with various pairs of jeans), my Jelt Belt still looks brand new and shows no signs of wear or tear!  😐 What I Don't Love If you’re big on plastic reduction, you’ll love that instead of using plastic tagging barbs (those bone-shaped plastic pieces from tagging guns), Jelt opts for using little metal pins. Ironically, it still feels kinda wasteful, because you’re left not knowing what to do with them.  📦 Packaging All cardboard packaging  🛍️ Where to Buy Jelt Belts can be purchased directly from the Jelt Belt website . They’ve also added a variety of cool colors and patterns! Plaine Products Body Wash ✅ Features |  All natural ingredients  👍🏽 Good For | Anyone that uses body wash 🌱 Environmental Initiatives |  Closed loop business model 🌟 Certifications or Ecolabels |  Certified B;  1% for the Planet; Leaping Bunny Certified 💰 Cost |  ~$30-31 ($0.75 for a pump) Plaine Products makes a variety of skin and hair care products, including my current favorite item, Citrus Lavender body wash . Unlike most personal care companies, all Plaine products are aloe-based, instead of water-based. The combination of aloe, lavender, and citrus creates such a divine smell— ya know, one of those smells that smell super familiar but you can never quite put your finger on where you know it from .  Needless to say, you'll never grow tired of using this body wash or of trying to recall the scent from a distant memory.  What‘s unique about Plaine Products is that the company takes circularity very seriously. In fact, they have a closed loop recycling program.  🧐 How It Works Upon getting your package, you'll find a paid return label so you can return your bottle when it's empty. Every bottle returned is cleaned, sanitized, and refilled.  ❤️ What I Love All Plaine Products are free of sulfates, parabens, silicone, phthalates, and palm oil. There's also an option to take part in a subscription program and pause it if you need to skip a month or two.  😐 What I Don't Love Personally, I find it hard to remember another thing to take to the post office. However, you can still use their body wash and not participate in the subscription program or stress about returning bottles.  Simply bring your empty Plaine Products bottle (or any bottle) to a local zero waste store where you'll be able to refill your bottle when you run out of body wash. For some reason, this method works easiest for my brain. 📦 Packaging  All product bottles are made from aluminum. All boxes are made from 100% recycled material that require little to no filling. Paper tape is used to seal boxes.  And, according to their website, "The carbon footprint created to ship your orders is offset through native tree plantings, energy upgrades for low-income families, methane abatement programs at local landfills, and more." 🛍️ Where to Buy You can purchase Plaine Products directly from their website or use Plaine Products' store locator  to find a nearby retailer that carries the body wash.  Planet Wise Trash Liners ✅ Features |  Reusable trash bag  👍🏽 Good For | Anyone 🌱 Environmental Initiatives |  Waste Reduction  🌟 Certifications or Ecolabels |  N/A 💰 Cost | ~$15 Once upon a time, it was the norm to use plastic grocery bags as trash liners. Due to more states adopting plastic bag bans, many Americans have defaulted to buying plastic bag liners. However, there are actually other options on the market, like Planet Wise trash liners.  Planet Wise liners are functional, odor-resistant, and washable!  Plus, they come in a fun array of colors and patterns! The parent company of the Planet Wise brand, Nicki's Diapers, is committed to educating parents and caregivers on the environmental benefits of cloth diapering vs. disposable diapers through an online community, blog, and the sale of cloth diapering products. Reusable trash liners happen to fall into the cloth diapering realm.  Even if you only use these trash liners in a couple rooms, not only will you be saving money and buying less plastic from Target, but you’ll also be contributing less waste to your landfill. Lots of small steps = big impact.  ❤️ What I Love The fact that the liners are washable and hold up great through many washes!  😐 What I Don't Love Using trash liners requires slight modifications to your routine. There are three approaches you can take: (a) empty your small trash bins into the main kitchen garbage (b) empty your trash into a paper bag (c) empty your trash directly into your city issued trash bin. The third scenario is ideal, but in all honesty, I have a hard time committing to this approach throughout the winter. Approaches A and B are still better than adding additional plastic to your landfill.  📦 Packaging  All cardboard recyclable packaging. Products are made in USA, thus have a lower carbon footprint. Carbon neutral shipping 🛍️ Where to Buy You can buy Planet Wise trash liners directly from Nicki's Diapers  and they also have an Amazon storefront .  Terra Ties Hair Ties ✅ Features |  Made from natural rubber  👍🏽 Good For |  Anyone that likes wearing their hair up  🌱 Environmental Initiatives |   Waste Reduction 🌟 Certifications or Ecolabels |  N/A 💰 Cost |  ~$15 How many hair ties have you lost or thrown away in your lifetime? Anyone that styles their hair or a little one's has dealt with this guilt. Introducing Terra Ties!  Terra Ties are a better alternative to traditional hair ties which are sourced from synthetic rubbers and polyester. Yuck. Instead, Terra Ties are made out of natural rubbers  derived from rubber trees and organic cotton, making them 100% biodegradable. That means, even if your hair ties end up in a landfill, they'll way more likely to decompose, in comparison to regular hair ties which are estimated to take 500 years to break down. 👩🏽‍🔬 How Do They Hold Up? On average, I'm able to use one Terra Tie about 4 times before it breaks or becomes so stretched out that it looses its form (I have thick hair). Keep in mind that all hair ties inevitably pop or break  and the longevity of a single tie differs for every hair type.  ❤️ What I Love You will notice that Terra Ties pull out less strands of your hair, which is a lovely bonus benefit. Are these ties a little on the pricier side? Sure. But, they last longer and keep shape better than any basic hair tie. 😐 What I Don't Love There's not much information about the Terra Ties company available online other than their website which has scare info. However, if you buy a pack from Amazon, a transparency sticker comes on the paper sleeve of the hair ties. According to Amazon, brands use transparency codes as a way for customers to confirm that the product you receive is coming directly from the brand.  📦 Packaging  Terra Ties come in brown paper packaging that is fully recyclable, as is the cardboard that the hair ties are arranged along.  🛍️ Where to Buy Terra Ties are mostly sold on Amazon , but can also be purchased from EarthHero  and Zero Waste Store .  There ya have it, my go-to eco-friendly essentials! Which products do you use daily? Share in the comments below, we could all use sustainable swaps to try out!

Need a way to spice up the next trip to the zoo with your little one? Your toddler will love this zoo scavenger hunt printable. This Montessori style scavenger hunt features real life photos of common zoo animals to get your kiddo even more pumped for their adventure! If you're simply looking for the printable, click here or scroll down to the end of the post. Why Choose This Zoo Scavenger Hunt? There are loads of zoo scavenger hunt printables available but the majority of them use clipart. The main benefit of using clipart images is that it provides you the option to print in black and white. But, zoo animals are full of unique colors and textures that deserve to be depicted a bit more accurately. One thing I’ve observed amongst kids from a variety of demographics- they love photographs, especially kids 3 and under! I’m not the only one that’s taking note of this. Montessori principles are based in the realistic depiction of objects, people, and nature . The goal is to expose babies and toddlers to things in everyday society that they’re familiar with or are expected to become familiar with. Familiarity comes through exposure, which can be nurtured through imagery and photographs. While it’s slightly more common to find photography in board books, it’s rare to find printable scavenger hunts that feature real life photographs. Unlike cartoon clipart, real photographs evoke a level of emotion and curiosity in toddlers that flat, unfamiliar cartoon clipart characters don’t convey as well. Unless it’s a popular cartoon character, it’s hard for toddlers to get excited about a random cartoon image (clipart) of a tiger smiling. But, when a child sees a photograph of a tiger yawning on their list, they get eager to see if they can find that exact tiger and catch it mid-yawn to match the picture! (Odds are they will not, considering I took most of the pictures at the Buffalo Zoo and the animals at your local zoo will look different) It’s likely that your kiddo will ask questions, like: is the tiger yawning? Why is it yawning? Tigers yawn? And some kids might find it overly hilarious that the tiger is yawning. Or they might share some observations about the animal in the photo. I actually used this scavenger hunt printable with kids ages 6, 5, and 4 and they had an awesome time using it. Even though I didn’t think to bring clipboards, they ended up using the wood ledges throughout the zoo or circling animals while they took walking breaks in the stroller. Benefits of Using a Scavenger Hunt Printable at the Zoo Problem Solving Scavenger hunts gamify zoo adventures by presenting a challenge for kids to complete. In order for them to complete their challenge, t hey have to do quite a bit of problem solving around navigation, utilizing context clues, and general planning. Here are a few examples of questions kids might work through in their head, along with guided questions to prompt discussion and collaborative problem solving: Toddler Thought: Where are the elephants? Parent Prompt: Which way do you think the elephants are, can you smell them? Toddler Thought: This place is big, how do we know where to go? Parent Prompt: Can we look for signs around the zoo that will help guide us to the animals on our list? Toddler Thought: It’s still taking forever for us to find the animals on our list! Parent Prompt: Should we look at a map of the zoo so we know where each animal is? Toddler Thought: I don’t see the snake, there’s nothing here [in the exhibit]! Parent Prompt: Maybe if we’re patient and take our time to look, we’ll be able to spot the snake hiding somewhere? Mindfulness One of the unexpected, but awesome benefits of having this scavenger hunt was the recentering aspect. As we all know, zoos are often full of the proper conditions for at LEAST one toddler meltdown per kid. Bees, big crowds, heat, missed naps, the long lines for the train… perfect recipe for fits and tears. It's super helpful to have a physical resource to redirect the kid's attention. The printable makes redirection less abstract, which is handy in a spacious place like the zoo. Think about how spread out animal exhibits are at the zoo- when your kid has a meltdown at the concession stand, it could be a good 5 min walk to the closest animal exhibit. We all know that 5 min of screaming and tears can feel like forever, especially when a distraction isn’t in immediate reach. Having the scavenger hunt on deck can make redirection a lot easier. Let’s say it’s a hot day and you guys stop at a stand to get ice cream to cool down. You both enjoy the ice cream but your kiddo starts having a fit because they finished their ice cream and are demanding more. While holding your ground you typically might say something like, “I’m sorry you’re sad that you finished your ice cream. I’m sad that I finished my ice cream too. But, I’m happy to be at the zoo with you. Let’s go find more animals.“ Now, you’ll be extra prepared with, “I’m sorry you’re sad that you finished your ice cream. I’m sad that I finished my ice cream too. But, I’m happy to be at the zoo with you. Which animal on the list do you think we should go look for next?” This small tweak will likely redistribute a feeling of control back to an emotionally overwhelmed toddler. Most importantly, it’ll remind them of the big picture experience of being at the zoo. Simply having the scavenger hunt resource can act as a mindful reminder for kids to return to the present moment. Physical Activity Not only is a trip to the zoo great at getting kids active, it also tires them out, so they sleep like a rock! Honestly, it can be a lot of walking for anyone , I do recommend you bring a stroller 3 and under just in case their tiny legs need a few breaks. Fine Motor Skills, Letter & Word Recognition, Vocabulary, Counting There are a number of additional educational benefits to using scavenger hunt printables. Toddlers practice their fine motor skills while holding markers and circling or crossing out the animals. Younger toddlers might be exposed to new vocabulary, like gorilla instead of the usual monkey. Some older toddlers will be able to recognize the letters that spell each animal. Regardless of age, all kids can practice counting the number of animals on the list and how many more are left to find. For younger kids, point to each image and count aloud to them. Recommended Supplies for Maximum Fun Color Printer Laminating Sheets Epson Presentation Printing Paper Laminator or Iron Dry Erase Markers (thin ones, not the thick ones) Clipboard Used dryer sheet or sock Instructions: Print on 8.5 x 11″ letter-size paper. If you want to reuse the printable multiple times, you’ll want to laminate it. In terms of dry erasers, I recommend the thin markers for toddlers… they tend to push down too hard on the thick markers, which ruins the tip. A used dryer sheet or a single sock (who’s pair has been lost for far too long) makes a good eraser. If you don’t have a laminator, you can actually use an iron. Simply put your iron on a low setting (such as the setting for silk). Next, insert your printable into a laminating sheet. Then, place a white sheet of paper on top of your project and run the iron over it. Download the Free Zoo Scavenger Hunt Printable! What are you waiting for, go print this activity! Between the realistic images, problem solving skills, mindfulness support, and a bundle of other educational values- I hope one of these convinces you to bring the zoo scavenger hunt along on your next trip to the zoo! When those inevitable toddler meltdowns arise, the scavenger hunt can be a lifesaver in shifting their attention. Incorporating this resource will make your trip to the zoo even memorable for you and your little one, while supporting your family with making mindful memories!

Do you remember being a kid and being captivated by the uniqueness of a seashell? Even as adults, we still harbor (get it?) a captivation with seashells. As adults, we often put seashells on display in our homes or use them to create funky jewelry. There's also the seashells that become prized beach souvenirs. Seashell crafts allow kiddos to embrace their innate fascination with these gifts from mother nature, while they unconsciously begin developing an appreciation for our earth. Seashell Crafts & Activities 1️⃣ Print Designs in Play Dough 2️⃣ Use as Tinker Toys or Loose Parts 3️⃣ Wash Seashells in a Sensory Bin 4️⃣ Bury Seashells in Sand 5️⃣ Paint Seashells 6️⃣ Bonus: Use Giant Seashell as a Coping Resource Where to Find Seashells Apparently there's some controversy over the ethics of buying and collecting seashells. I agree, crabs and sea creatures shouldn't have to resort to taking shelter in garbage because they can't find shells on the beach- totally not cool. But, the way I see it is, if you collect seashells at the beach one time and your child then learns to value and respect the beach/nature more, that lesson will have a far greater ripple effect than collecting 10-15 shells on the beach. With all that said, if you already have seashells on hand, awesome. If you don't and are close to a beach, grab some on your next trip. If you don't live close to a beach, you can find seashells at the Dollar Tree, Michael's, and Hobby Lobby. However, if taking seashells from the beach makes you uncomfortable, another option is to only collect the flat shells that look like scallops. This way, you can find solace in knowing that you're not leaving crabs homeless. These types of shells often go under the name Pecten Vexillum at craft stores if you specifically want to buy this type of seashell. Now let's get on to the fun! 1. Use Seashells to Print Designs in Play Dough Instead of using cookie cutters as your typical play dough accessory, hand your kiddo some ridged seashells. Have them flatten out a large chunk of play dough using a rolling pin (depending on the child’s age/development, they may or may not need help with this step). You’ll probably have to show them once how to make a seashell print. I like to compare it to a dinosaur footprint, because most toddlers are familiar with them. After you show them once, most toddlers will be able to handle making seashell prints on their own! Encourage them to observe whether or not the seashells all create the same print. If your seashells get all covered in play dough, try not to sweat it- think of it as an excuse to do activity 3 below! 2. Use Seashells as Tinker Toys or Loose Parts Throw in some little people or wooden peg dolls. Sit back and let their imagination go wild! Maybe a flat shell will become a bed or a huge shell monster? Perhaps a row of shells becomes a path a character has to walk along in order to get home? Younger toddlers might need a couple suggestions for inspiration and that’s okay. Feel free to give them an idea or two. They’ll likely build an elaborate and detailed story line from your prompts. Brace yourself for another long winded story from your kiddo! 3. Wash Your Collection of Seashells This seashell activity has been the most popular amongst the kids I've worked with! If possible, use seashells of various textures and sizes. Throw them in a clear sensory bin container (clear storage container or clear Pyrex baking dish works) and add some dishwashing soap or bubble solution. Lather to get the bubbles going. Give the kid an old toothbrush and watch them go to town washing each seashell. 4. Bury Seashells in Sand This activity is like a treasure hunt but instead of hiding treasure, you hide seashells. Not many people have sandboxes these days, but if you do, this is an extra easy activity for you to set up. But if you don’t have a sandbox, like most people, a bulk bag of sand is fairly inexpensive at a home improvement store. Pour sand into a clear sensory bin, have kiddo close their eyes or face a wall while you hide the seashells in the sand. Give them a shovel and pail and have them hunt around for all the treasured shells. 5. Paint a Seashell or Two Painting seashells is always a hit! Now, I don’t necessarily recommend painting your family’s cherished seashells that you guys spent days collecting at Myrtle Beach. I mean you could… but definitely ask your kid if it’s okay to paint one first. You can find a pack of basic seashells at the Dollar Tree to paint. BONUS ACTIVITY : Offer Seashells as a Coping Resource for Toddlers If your little one is having a meltdown or having some anxiety, have them listen to the waves of the “ocean” as a mindful calming solution. I've found distractions that refocus the senses are super helpful for toddlers during tantrums! Do These Activities Teach My Kid Anything? You bet! While playing with seashells isn't necessarily going to prep your little one to be the next contestant on kid's Jeopardy... a lot of value comes from playing with seashells, including: Sensory Exposure: Rough texture of the shells; grainy feeling of sand; playing in water Intro to STEM: Pattern recognition; contrast & comparison Creativity Language Development Imagination Cause & Effect Appreciation for Nature What Do Seashells Have to Do with Mindful Memories? Playing with nature finds, such as seashells is a way to connect little ones with nature. It's also reminds them that toys don't always have to come in plastic or have buttons that sing you the ABCs. There are so many toys that nature makes for all of us to enjoy— toddlers, adults, and people of all ages! The toddler age is the perfect age to begin introducing kids to the concept of being mindful and aware of the many gifts the earth provides us. Obviously, you can't say that to a 2 year-old and expect them to understand it. However, nature play demonstrates this philosophy in a more comprehensible explanation for kiddos. What ways have you noticed kids playing with seashells? Share in a comment below so I can add activities to this list and we can keep the fun going even longer!