On today’s show I talked about Christmas presents for young learners. Well-meaning adults often focus on the amount of presents under the tree, but this year I want to encourage them (and you) to focus on quality toys and presents instead.

  • Quality Wooden Blocks – I mention Constructive Playthings on the show and they have great products. Honestly, my favorite are Community Playthings and their website is www.communityplaythings.com Sooo worth the money!
  • Books – Good books are a must! For little ones, focus on board books with beautiful (real, when possible) pictures. Rhyming books, silly books, read –alouds are great for children, as they get a little older. Check out this link…http://time.com/100-best-childrens-books/
  • Kits – Create different kits for a great present that will keep your kids engaged. You can decorate plastic containers with lids for easy storage and cute presentation.

Exploration Kit- Nature journal (blank notebook), bird / flower books, pencils, magnifying glass, collection containers, tweezers for collecting bugs and such.

Art Kit- Check out www.discountschoolsupply.com and www.lakeshore.com for quality art products for kids. Paper (large and small sizes), blank canvas’, pencils, paint, brushes, stickers, collage materials, and glue are all great in an art kit.

Bath Kit- Shaving cream, brushes, scrubbers, soaps, squirt toys, and even a new tootbrush.

Baby Doll Kit – baby dolls, blankets, small bucket for bathing, baby wash cloths, baby soap, bottles.

Sensory Kit- slime materials (glue and liquid starch, waterbeads, play-doh ingredients, textured items)

  • Grocery Store and such – www.ana-white.com has a great plan for a grocery store/flower shop/post office/puppet stage… If you are not a woodworker, fill a small grocery cart with a cash register, a receipt pad, and some empty food boxes. My kids loved this cash register and it can be found from a variety of retailers.

  • Tent / Space for One – Creating a cozy space for one in your home is of benefit to you and your child. Many retailers have tents that can be purchased. Also include some cozy pillows, a few books, and maybe a small container of manipulatives or even a simple memory game.

  • Playhouse – Try and find something general enough that children can pretend with people or animals. Check out this treehouse dollhouse from www.landofnod.com.

Also, we’ve been having fun playing but I want to do more read alouds. The only thing is that my youngest is just too noisy. Is that something about discipline or just age? Should I do read alouds when he’s asleep?

  1. Amanda asked, “ Do you, and if so HOW do you find time for yourself to avoid burnout? I feel like I can keep it together for a couple of weeks – getting up early to get a jump on the day, spending much needed time with the Lord, being patient and sweet with the kids (LOL!), saying yes and playing skillfully, keeping up with laundry and cleanup, cooking meals… by 3rd week I start feeling spent and the laundry starts slipping, I’m inclined to order dinner out every night and my best-laid school plans fall behind. Do you have a strategy for self-refreshment?

I loved answering all of these questions on the show. If you have questions for me, submit them via FB or instagram (The Real Kathy Lee) or message me through the website.

Find a way to #sayyes today.

Enjoy this podcast? Check out these podcasts on preschoolers!

Top Ten Things Your Preschooler Wants You to Know | Replay

Preschool Essentials

The post What I Think Your Preschooler Really Needs for Christmas appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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