Little Steps and Shenanigans

03/09/2026

Navigating “Sepanx”: 3 Essential Insights for Easing Early Daycare Transitions 🧸✨

​Separation anxiety in young children is a completely normal milestone—and as educators, it’s something we fully anticipate during those first few days of daycare.

​To help ease this transition for both the child and their family, gathering key insights ahead of time makes all the difference. Here are 3 essential details to collect during your initial parent conversations:

​🎶 1. Their Favorite Songs or Sounds
Ask parents what songs bring their child comfort. Singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or playing familiar background music (like Ms. Rachel) can transform a overwhelming moment into a familiar, safe space.

​🧸 2. Their Comfort or Attachment Object
Find out if the child has a beloved stuffy, blanket, or toy. What might look like a naptime-only item often serves as a vital bridge between home and the classroom, offering comfort throughout the day.

​💬 3. Key Words in Their Home Language
For bilingual or multilingual children, knowing a few key words or comforting phrases used at home builds immediate trust. Bridging that communication gap helps the child feel seen and understood in a new environment.

​Additional Strategies to Consider
​Home Photo Cards / Family Album: Ask parents for a printout of family photos to place at child height or inside their cubby. Looking at familiar faces helps ground children when they feel overwhelmed.

​Consistent Drop-off Rituals: Encourage parents to establish a short, predictable goodbye routine (e.g., a high-five, a hug, and saying "I always come back"). Quick, confident exits help reduce prolonged distress.

​Familiar Rest Routine Details: Inquire about specific naptime habits or cues (e.g., back pats, specific rocking patterns) to mirror their routine as closely as possible during quiet time.
​
Follow this page for more and for Part 2 on our topic of "Sepanx" where I will be sharing toys that can help distract and engage children who are having a hard time with transition.

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31/08/2026

Sepanx!
September is right around the corner! Across Canada and the US, daycare transition season has been in full swing since July. Preschoolers are heading off to big school, toddlers are moving up to fill their shoes, and baby and toddler rooms are opening their doors to brand-new faces. 👶✨

​With a new school year comes the familiar challenge: separation anxiety at every single level. If you get one or two little ones who transition without a tear, consider yourself lucky! 💛
​As educators, how do you handle these tough drop-off moments? What are your go-to comfort techniques? 🧩 Comment below👇

​I’m sharing a few tried-and-true strategies that work wonders for the 18-to-24-month age group—straight from my own classroom experience.
​Hit Follow and stay tuned for the breakdown! 📌

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24/08/2026

Story Time:
Today, Sawyer made a discovery in the sandbox: a toy truck, completely out of reach under the slide! His arms were too short, and I was too big to fit. The classic "Uh-oh!" moment.

Swipe through to see his journey of problem-solving. It didn't take long for him to realize he needed a tool. With a little guidance, he found my toy grabber. Learning to use it with tiny hands took teamwork (and two hands!), but he didn't give up.

The result? One unstuck truck, a proud high five, and a very proud teacher seeing a little mind tackle a big challenge.

Encouraging observation and critical thinking, one toy at a time. This is the magic of early childhood education! ✨

17/08/2026

17/08/2026

✨ A special storytime for you! - this is the first of many more to come! ✨

Based on real moments from daycare life, I wrote a children’s book meant to be read out loud. You can read this digital draft directly to your kids today! 📱👶

🛑 Quick reminder: This is original copyrighted content shared for electronic viewing only while we prepare for the physical print release.

I need your help! As I refine the book, I’d love your input:

Did the story hold your child’s attention?

What suggestions or feedback do you have to make it even better?

Leave your thoughts below—your encouragement keeps this project moving forward! 👇💬

05/08/2026

Unspoken Harmony: The 15-Minute Game That Almost Didn't Happen

​I had my hand halfway out, ready to play referee.
​Ms. L—our quiet, independent observer who has yet to speak—was clutching a brown bouncy ball. In bounced Ms. E, a chatty, francophone social butterfly. When Ms. E made a sudden move for the ball, my instincts screamed intervention time. Protect Ms. L. Keep the peace.

​Instead, I paused. I forced myself to just watch.
​What happened next was a silent masterclass in childhood connection. Ms. E didn't sn**ch the ball; she kicked it gently toward Ms. L. Ms. L didn't retreat; she picked it up and bounced it right back. Kick. Bounce. Kick. Bounce.

​For 15 mesmerizing minutes, two girls from different social worlds created an entire game without speaking a single word. Ms. E was kicking, Ms. L was bouncing—two totally different rules, one shared language of play. By the time they finished, Ms. E was glowing and Ms. L was beaming.

​It was a powerful reminder of what happens when we step back and let kids figure each other out: The best moments of connection usually happen in the quiet spaces where adults choose not to interrupt.

31/07/2026

Outdoor Art Magic: Painting on Clear Acrylic! 🎨✨

​We are so lucky to have a clear plexiglass easel in our yard—and painting directly onto it is hands-down one of my favorite outdoor activities!

​Why we love it:
🔵​A whole new sensory experience: The brush glides so smoothly compared to paper, giving toddlers a totally unique texture to explore.
🟢​Vibrant colors: Without a white paper background, the paint colors pop so brightly in the natural sunlight.
🔴​Double the fun: Kids love seeing each other through the glass while they paint from opposite sides!

​Bonus feature: Built-in self-cleaning! 🧼
Once the masterclass was over, my colleague grabbed some spray bottles, wet cloths, and water, turning the cleanup into a whole secondary sensory activity. The kids had just as much fun wiping it clean as they did painting it. Absolute win-win!

​Want to set up this activity in your own yard or classroom? Here is everything you need:
🛒 Clear Acrylic Easel: https://amzn.to/4g3okya
🛒 Washable Tempera Paint: https://amzn.to/4fQbiTx
🛒 Chunky Paint Brushes: https://amzn.to/4bpL0WO
🛒 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: https://amzn.to/4x5rcAc

​As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

28/07/2026

Story Time
​My colleague recently set up a scissor-skills activity for our toddlers. As I watched them play, it was clear they were struggling to figure out how scissors work—the fine motor coordination for a pincer grasp just isn’t fully developed at this age.

​To build up those muscles for future scissor activities, I put together a "Rescue the Dinosaurs" setup (I was originally aiming for farm animals, but couldn't find any! 🤭). This is easily one of my favorite activities: it takes minutes to prepare, but it keeps toddlers engaged for a surprisingly long time—usually until every single dinosaur is set free.

​How to Set It Up:
Grab a few of your children's favorite toys (dinosaurs work great here) along with some masking or painter’s tape. Wrap the tape around each toy, pop them in a bin, and you’re done!

​Why It Works:
Peeling the tape off forces toddlers to pinch using their thumb and index finger—exercising the essential pincer grasp. Strengthening these tiny hand muscles now builds the foundation they’ll need down the road for using scissors and holding a pencil to write.

If you're looking for materials for this activity, you can get them here:
Dinosaur toys: https://amzn.to/4vPfoRF
Farm animal toys: https://amzn.to/4gWMgEr
Painter's tape: https://amzn.to/4fFOLsz
Colores masking tape: https://amzn.to/45qzqqR

|As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.|

26/07/2026

Welcome to Little Steps & Shenanigans! 🎒✨
​Tiny shoes, big imaginations, and a whole lot of daily laughter. This page is dedicated to celebrating both sides of early learning—the intentional developmental steps and the hilarious everyday shenanigans.
​Here’s what we’re sharing:
​✨ Simple, engaging activity ideas
​🎨 Creative play & sensory setups
​😂 Relatable moments from the daycare floor
​Hit Follow to join our community of educators and parents celebrating the everyday magic (and madness!) of raising and teaching little ones. Drop a 👋 in the comments to say hi!

Here is a mud kitchen setup with waterfalls idea using pool noodles.

Shop Pool Noodles here: https://amzn.to/4fAp2Sd

|As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.|