This one has always irked me when I see children’s art on a fridge, sent home from daycares, or displayed at children’s events and it was all product! Let me tell you the difference between product art and process art. Product art focuses on the final result. Everyone’s craft looks the same because the adult has already decided what it should look like. The child follows step-by-step directions to recreate it. Example: Every child glues the same pieces in the same place to make the same bunny, snowman, or flower. Yes, it’s cute — but it’s mostly adult-directed. Process art, on the other hand, focuses on the experience of creating.Children choose their own materials, explore, experiment, and make something completely unique. The goal isn’t the finished piece — it’s the thinking, creativity, problem solving, and sensory exploration happening while they create. You might see: • different colours • different shapes • different ideas • messy tables and proud kids And the best part? Every single piece looks different — because every child is different.

Does your child put everything in their mouth? When my kids were little, sensory play could feel stressful because everything went straight to the mouth. So I started using edible sensory items instead! 🥣 Oatmeal was one of our favourites. It’s soft, safe, and easy to clean up. We also put Cheerios in a coffee grinder to make “sand” for scooping and pouring play. The kids loved it! Want my best clean-up tips for sensory play (so it’s not a huge mess)? Comment “TIPS” below 👇

What’s one thing you wish someone told you before becoming a parent?

Ahhhhhhh! Puddles = dirty and more work for us! I know we all want to avoid this as much as possible but your children are missing out on so much. When children play in puddles it’s a huge sensory experience. Their senses take in so much from watching the ripples, to feeling the splash’s, to hearing the splat, and even tasting the water. I honestly gave up on the “don’t drink the water” and just let them go at it, cause hey, they aren’t drinking from my water bottle. Did you know that puddles bring out science also? It’s a huge introduction to open ended questions such as where do puddles come from? Where does the water go? So many more questions can arise from a single splash. Don’t be afraid to ask Google or Chat GPT to help explain or tell your child, you aren’t sure and we can figure it out later. I constantly tell my children that I will find the answer and come back to them. Usually it becomes a great supper conversation when doubling back to their questions. Let’s talk about the body! Children learn balance, coordination, and build their gross motor skills. They run, jump, skip, and kick through the puddles building on their physical development. And then, and then…. More creativity and use of their imagination. A single puddle can lead to more play such as an ocean, animal swamp or watering hole, or a construction zone. Listen to your child and add some toys to extend their play. Don’t forget to bring a chair and whatever you fill your Stanley cup with cause your child can be busy for a while! Lastly they build childhood memories from the pure joy they just experienced. Not only theirs but yours too! What holds you back from puddle play?