How to Introduce Cultural Diversity and Embrace Inclusivity in the Early Years #MinilandEducational #multiculturaltoys

 

Instilling inclusivity in your children is best started from birth. The books we read, toys we choose, shows we watch and songs we sing can all have a deep, subconscious effect on the ideals our kids develop and cultivate as they grow. Often times, families instinctively select toys, books and shows that reflect the physical traits and culture found within the walls of their own home. While there's certainly nothing wrong with that, expanding your collection to include a wide variety of races and ethnicities is an easy way to teach children about differences and begin laying the foundation for acceptance and inclusivity. As we provide toy recommendations throughout the month, we're starting with one of our top picks, the Miniland Family Diversity Block set. Check it out below!

Back to School Guide: Whiskware Stackable Snack Containers

 

We're excited to share about Whiskware Stackable Snack Containers  for both summer travel and Back to School preparations. These containers are so awesome, we can't imagine going back to our old way of packing snacks for our little ones. 

Back to School: Go Green this School Year with Go Sili Silicone Cups! #reusable #sustainable

We're always looking for ways to live more sustainably without giving up quality, so this school year, we've decided to transition to silicone cups. A friend recommended silicone drinkware to us, and while we hadn't tried it before, we were definitely intrigued! We reached out to GoSili®, a popular company that provides a variety of silicone drink cups, straws, lids and more, to see if we could give their reusable adult and child cups a try. We were excited that they agreed and after a solid week of using the cups, our family gives them two thumbs up. We definitely recommend them as an affordable, high quality option for living more sustainably.

Support Your Baby's Brain Development with Sensory Play #CreativeKids #motorskills #languageskills #developmentalplay

 

As a pediatric therapist, I'm always interested in finding quality developmental toys that target important speech, language, cognitive and motor milestones. Early sensory play is a critical experience which is often overlooked by parents. It helps to build important foundational skills in infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. This week, I gave the Creative Kids Sense and Grow Sensory Magic Tissue Box a try with my little one as we worked on object permanence, joint attention and motor skills. It was a fast favorite for him and allowed us to play together in many different ways. 

Swap Halloween Candy for a Book Boo Bag: A Spooktacular Idea!

 

Halloween is just around the corner, and while kids love filling their bags with candy, there’s a growing trend for the spooky season that we're so excited about—swapping traditional trick-or-treat candy for a Book Boo Bag! It's a creative twist on Halloween treats which not only promotes literacy, but also encourages a love for reading in a fun and festive way. It’s the perfect way to reduce screen time, too! 

Kane Miller EDC Publishing is one of our favorite companies because they have such fantastic, fun and heart-warming picture books for children. They are often our go-to to find quality holiday and birthday gifts. If you need inspiration for your Book Boo Bag this Halloween, here are the titles that will be in our little one's bag:

Teach Children Sustainable Living with O-Yaki Ecoware #leadbyexample #earthfriendly

 

With the new school year upon us, it's the perfect opportunity to teach your children the importance of sustainable, eco-friendly living. One easy way to incorporate reusable, earth-friendly habits into daily life is through the containers kids use to pack lunches each day. One of our go-to brands is O-Yaki Ecoware for their biodegradable eco-plastic items made of natural wheat or rice husk composite material. Showing our children the benefits of bio-composite products as a means of taking care of our planet feels like the best way to start off the school year and promote lifelong habits. Check out two of our top picks below!