Borrowing this from my friend Tosca with a twist. Canada Day was Wednesday. It’s Independence Day Weekend here in the states. It’s Wimbledon time in the UK and winter down under. So in the spirit of grilling, chilling, and maybe something thrilling, what does your perfect long weekend look like? Cooking out with friends and fam? Playing games with the kids? Going on an adventure? Drop it below but do it in gifs. Let’s see how many we can guess.

I hope everyone is staying temperature comfortable. I’m a bit late posting as I was up most of the night with a sick kitty. It’s still incredibly hot here and so I thought this might be a fun indoor activity. Enjoy. Someone hides something. Someone else has to find it. The catch: the directions can’t use words. This one is part art project, part puzzle, part family chaos. You’ll need: • Paper and pencil (or markers) • A small object to hide • Time to draw a map How to play: 1. One person hides a small object somewhere in the house. 2. They draw a map not a list of instructions, an actual picture map, showing how to get from the front door to the hiding spot. 3. They hand the map to the seeker. No hints. No talking. 4. Seeker follows the map and finds the object. 5. Switch roles. Variations by Age: 🐣 Ages 3–6: The adult draws the map and the child is the seeker. Keep it to one or two rooms. Celebrate the find like it’s a big deal because for them, it is. 🔍 Ages 7–12: Add a “trap” one fake path on the map that leads nowhere. The seeker has to figure out which route is real. The map-maker has to be sneaky but fair. 🧠 Teens: No pictures allowed. The map must be made entirely of symbols they invent with a legend. The seeker can only use the legend to decode it. Swap and critique each other’s symbol systems. Share in the comments: Did anyone get totally lost? How long did it take?

Are you motivated by the Skool leaderboard or is it a ho-hum thing for you? I personally waffle on weather or not I find leaderboards helpful. However, I as a community owner, the leaderboard is a wonderful way to keep our community members engaged and recognize those who have been active inside the community. So, drumroll please as we recognize our Connected Through Play Top 10.Here's something very cool, 5 out of our Top 10 will also be hosting sessions at the #Unplug & Play event in August. Can you guess who? This month's leaderboard is absolutely ON FIRE! 🔥 #1 @Sandy Chong — Crushing it as our sourdough baker extraordinaire, and holding strong at #10 all-time! #2 @Paulette Ng e Ng — Building incredible creative connections from the UK and making her mark! #3 @Jen Staniforth — The pediatric sleep specialist bringing 20 years of wisdom AND sitting at #6 all-time! #4 @Anna Murrietta — Designing a life of freedom and purpose after 25+ years of corporate leadership! #5 @Celia Kibler — Helping parents raise calm, confident kids and ranking #7 all-time too! #6 @Cristal Vancarson — LA photographer helping everyone show up powerfully on camera! #7 @Evelene Sterling — Cancer Thrivers owner and Skoolyard admin bringing the gardening and sewing vibes, plus #4 all-time! #8 @Sharon Yeh — Guiding cellular healing with science and soul! #9 @Gus Gray — The Lightwright helping you create a career that lights you up, and our #2 all-time legend! #10 @Paula Artis — IT instructor and ordained minister sharing 20+ years of expertise! Who's ready to climb the board next month?

Hey Everyone, I’ll be heading home today after a very successful Homeschool Conference. Our speaker sessions went well, our Discovery Toys booth was a success, and most important, I met some very fascinating people who may also be joining us for Unplug & Play our community event happening right here from August 16-22. For those of you new to the community, Unplug & Play will feature a mix of live interviews with parenting experts, hands-on sessions for games, language, crafts, and more and a few surprises. Several speakers are members of our community so don’t hesitate to ask questions or reply to their posts. Beginning July 6, (Monday - Friday), I will feature one speaker per day as a pinned post so you can get to know them. To my speakers, I will go in alphabetical order with community members first and then experts from outside the community. If all goes according to plan, we have just under 30 speakers. Drop your questions about Unplug & Play below.

Greetings to my fantastic and supportive community members. First, I'd like to start by extending a warm welcome to @Chanie Twersky who is the founder of Peak Parenting. She's a wise human and I think you will enjoy getting to know her. Second, I'm going to be away from the computer most of the week attending and presenting at the Chattanooga Homeschool Expo. I have a request, while I'm away, can you post some fun games, play ideas, or just get to know you conversations? We're building great momentum here and I am trying to avoid the summer (at least northern hemisphere) doldrums. I'm attending several play focused workshops and presenting on play as a learning tool so I'll be sure to bring back some new ideas. I look forward to learning from all of you while I'm away.