For those of you who were here last week, I wanted to provide a quick update on my daughter and to thank everyone who reached out. My daughter saw the podiatrist earlier this week, no tendon damage and stitches come out in two weeks. She’s healing nicely and in good spirits. I spent the day with her today, chasing a toddler so she could rest.

Cardboard tubes, paper plates, and scraps from the recycling bin are about to become something the world has never seen before. Gather your materials, clear a little space, and work together to create a creature unlike anything that has ever walked, crawled, rolled, flown, or slithered across the planet. Gather Your Gear: - Cardboard - Paper towel or toilet tissue tubes - Paper plates - Tape - Markers - Scrap paper - Recyclables - Craft supplies Basically, anything interesting you can find around the house! Steps: 1. Place all of your materials in the middle of the table or floor. 2. Begin building a creature together. Start anywhere. Add eyes, wings, tails, claws, wheels, antennae, or anything else that feels right. 3. As the creature takes shape, make decisions about what makes it unique. How does it move? What makes it different from every other creature in the world? What unusual features does it have? 4. Keep building until everyone agrees the creature is complete. 5. Give your creature a name. 6. Find a place to display it and admire your creation. Twist: Want an extra challenge? Add one of the following to your creature: - A secret compartment - Something that moves - Something that spins - A feature made entirely from recycled materials Variations by Age: Ages 3–6 Young kids are often the source of the most unexpected ideas. Invite them to decide how many eyes the creature needs, whether it should have wings, where the tail belongs, or what unusual features should be added. If the idea sounds impossible, it’s probably worth considering. Ages 7–12 Kids in this age range are great at figuring things out. Challenge them to help solve design problems as they arise. How will the creature stand? How can the moving parts work? What materials will work best? Their ideas help turn imagination into reality. Ages 13–17 Older kids can help keep the entire project moving forward. Encourage them to connect ideas, adapt the design when plans change, and find ways to include everyone’s contributions. Their challenge is helping the creature feel like one complete creation rather than a collection of separate parts.

Let's extend a warm Connected Through Play welcome to our newest community members, @Liz Brants and @Jerry Cavender. I encourage you to visit the #Welcome to Connected Through Play classroom to get the lay of the land and then complete your first mini mission #Try This Today and share your results. We'd love to get to know you so when the time is right, please introduce yourself and let us know where in the world you are, your favorite play memory, and one fun fact. You've joined at a great time as the Grand Unplugged starts next week!

Join us inside Grandparents Corner for a special live conversation with myself and @Anna Murrietta, founder of Grandparents Corner and an active member here in our community. Many grandparents have heard about homeschooling... 🌿 But how does it actually work? 🌿 What does a typical homeschool day look like? And perhaps the biggest question of all... What role can grandparents play? Whether your grandchildren are already being homeschooled, their parents are considering it, or you're simply curious about how learning at home works, this conversation will offer practical insight, encouragement, and ideas you can use right away. We'll explore: 💛 How homeschooling works in today's world 💛 Common misconceptions about homeschooling 💛 The unique role grandparents can play in a child's learning journey 💛 Ways to support learning without becoming the teacher 💛 Creative ideas that strengthen both learning and connection 💛 How everyday moments, conversations, visits, and even video calls can become meaningful learning opportunities You may walk away with a completely different perspective on both homeschooling and the influence you already have as a grandparent. Join the conversation Inside ---> Grandparents Corner 📅 Wednesday, June 10 ⏰ 12:00 PM Pacific I'd love to know... What is the biggest question you've ever had about homeschooling? Drop it below and we may bring it into the conversation tomorrow. 💛

This week, with my student we had so much fun creating their own little beach jars! All you need is: A jar Some sand A little water Seashells collected at the beach A few drops of blue food coloring (optional) To make it even more realistic, we added a few drops of blue food coloring to the water to create a beautiful ocean effect! 🌊 As they explored the beach, each time they found a seashell, they practiced saying: 🇫🇷 “J’ai trouvé un coquillage !” (🇺🇸 “I found a seashell!”) It’s a simple and fun way to introduce French while enjoying a day at the beach. 🐚 Now you have a new French sentence you can practice with your children anytime you’re at the beach! 💬 Have you ever made a beach jar? would love to see it