Once upon a time, there was a mom who went to a Discovery Toys home party. She was a teacher at heart staying home with her two young children and ordering a few toys for her kids. I was there. That was my mom.
Author: Christine
Christine Bellew loves teaching children, playing music and having fun. Her goal is to use playful teaching strategies to make doing hard things as fun as possible for parents and children of all abilities.
Christine and her husband Josh have three children that have provided loads of adventures. Their family has opened their home to serve as foster parents to children with special needs which adds to the adventure.
With a Master’s degree in Early Intervention, Christine started her career providing Early Intervention services as a Special Instructor and Service Coordinator.
Most recently Christine has branched out to teaching piano using creative teaching methods to serve children with a variety of learning needs. Music brings her and her students joy when she makes the learning fun and engaging.
Outside of work Christine enjoys watching Parks and Rec, doing puzzles and reorganizing her piano music.
By bringing these games along, we were able to turn potential boredom into quality family time. So, the next time you plan a long trip, remember to pack a few games to keep you entertained.
Some advise against holding on to too many old toys, saying that it can clutter homes and overwhelm children. However, there’s something special about keeping a few cherished items. Perhaps it’s a sentimental value, a reminder of a particular memory, or simply a toy that sparks imagination.
We recently had a blast playing a hilarious game called Go Ape! It’s a game where you try to mimic a facial expression from a card and have your family guess what it is. Let me tell you, some of the faces we made were crazy!
Parenting is hard! Finding the balance between preparing for the worst and being the worst is hard. On bad days, it looks like being so afraid of your child acting like a monster you act like a monster instead. This is the story of my parenting tantrum.
Gross motor heavy work is hard to do during a bath, but fine motor heavy work is doable. After providing him with the following activities, his need for sensory input was satisfied by the work with his hands and exposure to texture.
Christine just did a break-out session on pre-handwriting at the 2019 Mississippi Early Childhood Association Imagine Conference in Jackson. If you’d like to refer back to it for reminders and web links, it is available to download.
Tweens and Teens need playtime too. We are never too old for play. Adolescents need playtime for stress relief, joy and health. Let me share with you the highlights of some really good articles on the why your tweens and teens need playtime too!
Remember that you, the parent, are your child’s best toy to encourage talking. Playing with you is the best way to increase interactions that lead to talking. When choosing toys, be sure to stick to the basics, include some “people toys” and help your child use her imagination.
All Things Early Intervention 