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Hiking with Kids
One activity that my daughter and I both enjoy is hiking. We have very different definitions of “fun” hikes – she prefers the most adventurous physical trails, while I like a chill scenic vibe – but we’ve both learned a lot about planning for a day on the trails. Here are some of the things that I always consider before heading out for a hike. Know your limits. All of our local hikes are pretty flat – we don’t live in a mountainous or hilly area at all. This means that our bodies are used to a fairly steady elevation. I’d have no problem spending an entire day in a…
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Camping with Kids
We just got back from a weekend camping trip and we are all exhausted because we played HARD. Camping has always been a favorite for our family – our daughter’s first camping trip was when she was only a month old. Over the years we’ve learned so much about camping with kids at different ages and stages. Here are some of the things that work for us. Pack intentionally. We try not to take TOO much stuff with us when we camp (that’s kind of the point), but there are definitely things that make life easier when you’re traveling anywhere with little ones. The areas that I really focus on…
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Keeping a Summer Routine
Summer can be really hard for children. During the school year they have routines that they can depend on. They know when meals will happen, they have a good idea of what each day will look like, and they understand what the rules and expectations are for each of the adults and environments they interact with. When all of this changes it can feel like the floor has dropped out from underneath them. This can lead to unexpected, and sometimes unwanted behaviors. Continuing some of those same routines, and creating new ones definitely helps! Routines help make sure that tasks get completed, they keep us all a little happier and…
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Summer Chores for Kids
Even as an adult I struggle to do all of the household tasks that I’m responsible for on a regular basis – so it makes perfect sense that children have a hard time cleaning up after themselves. Giving them age appropriate chores early on helps them understand that we all play a role in taking care of our environment. Summer is the perfect time to add a couple of chores to the daily routine. When days are longer and schedules are a little more flexible, then it can be easier to implement new routines. Selecting the right chores for children helps set them up for success. Here are some things…
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Preschool Field Day Games
Field day is a much loved end of the year tradition – it signals summer and warm weather! Children look forward to the opportunity to spend extra time outside playing games with their friends and teachers. Keeping them active and engaged is key to a successful preschool field day. That means finding the right combination of games that are both fun for little ones and fairly simple to set up and run for teachers and parent volunteers. This comprehensive list of game ideas gives tons of options so that you can rotate through them over multiple years! What else would you add?!
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Preschool Camping Supplies
I’ve shared resources and ideas for fun camping activities, no here are my favorite products! These are all of the classroom supplies for camping that make learning even more fun. All of the links are affiliates. Kids Playhouse Tent Coleman Kids Mini LED Lantern Melissa and Doug Campfire Smores Playset Kids Binoculars Classroom Set Find and Seek Scavenger Hunt Kids Headlamps 5-pack Bug Catching Kit Tree Stump Stools Glow in the Dark Star Stickers
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Printable Preschool Camping Activities
Camping is one of my favorite summer activities, so it makes perfect sense that I’ve always loved sharing this topic in the classroom too. Camping supplies lend themselves perfectly to math an language activities, and it’s so fun to find authentic materials to supplement these activities. Here are my favorite camping activities for the classroom – all of these are printable and available HERE!
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Preschool Camping Theme
One of my favorite things about camping as a learning theme is that there are so many ways for children to interact with the supplies, materials, and activities that are actually part of a real camping trip. It’s all very authentic, and even the youngest children appreciate that! It also lends itself well to spending a ton of time outside, which everyone wants after a long winter! Beyond setting up a dramatic play center, here are some ideas for helping children explore camping. Set up a tent. Tents are tons of fun to play in, but actually putting them up is where the learning happens – following directions, working together,…
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End of the Year Preschool Activities
We’re deep in the “Maycember” season over here! I’m all about this recognition that May includes a lot of different things, graduations, assessments, parties, finishing projects and investigations, and looking towards the following year (on top of Mother’s day and Memorial day). There are a few different resources that I have leaned on every single year at this time, so I thought they might make your life a little easier too. Here are my favorite materials for the end of the school year. I’ll have an in-depth look at my Kindergarten prep materials later this week, but this is my absolute favorite resource to share with families. Every parent wants…
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Summer Must Haves 2026
I’m so looking forward to summer! Part of that means stocking up on the things that we use over and over all summer long. Here are all of my must-haves for summer 2026! All links are affiliates. Elastic strap swim goggles – My daughter will only wear these goggles. She loves that they cover her nose and that they have the soft elastic strap that doesn’t pull her hair. Handheld digital microscope – This is the best for exploring outside! Children can watch insects, look closely at flowers, tree bark, and blades of grass, and just generally get a better understanding of the world around them. Sand toys with mesh…
