Sensory activities 4 all ages

09/17/2021

Six hours. Almost a full work day.
That’s about an average drive time to get from Houston to breathtaking places in or just out of Texas.
Even inside the city we drive a lot. Some sources say it’s on average 36 miles daily per person. Once I was making 92 miles daily for almost a year. Nothing really - just go to work, pick up F from school, get back home.
Houston kids are naturally born car riders - there’s no really other option. Yet there’s a choice adults can make - how to keep kids busy and positive on those long hauls.
The green car on the road in the picture is a replica of an activity my son played with when living in the back seat. He felt he controlled a lot: as mommy was struggling through the traffic he drove around the felt neighborhood and came up with the most elaborate stories.
Here I need to ask: what’s your way to distract kids from the uncomfort of long rides?

09/16/2021

Are you confident in your answer when asked about the number of colors in the rainbow?
Growing up in Europe I was sure there are seven. If I ask students in my classes - they’ll insist on six. Waldorf kids will make a disclaimer, “It’s seven in the Waldorf rainbow and six in the American”. Couple times I tried to ask whether there are other national rainbows. But you know in the modern society there are people who would fail to understand it’s nothing other than an innocent joke.
At least we agree with the most that yellow pencil is the one to use for the sun.

I know two mnemonics to remember the seven colors sequence:
Roy G. Biv
and
If you know all the colors, sing them with me: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet all that you see.
Do you know other ones?

09/14/2021

“Lost in mail”. The phrase that sends unpleasantries down any small seller's back.
I’ve had a couple of significant delays in delivery. And a story of a not-so-lost package.
So, there was one person who ordered $300+ worth of custom made activities and tried to blame the “lost in mail” on me. She was very persistent in demanding a full refund. She said “only dumb** believe in tracking numbers!” and obnoxiously clogged my email and Etsy convos, filed claims both with Etsy and USPS. Her language was very expressive and graphic. Smth like “My precious daughter cried herself to sleep! Her hazel eyes were so sad when she sobbed about how she wanted to sleep with her personalized soft book!”
I can barely tolerate kids’ tears, yet $300 is $300.
Thank god for small towns’ post offices! I was able to have a phone talk with the nicest lady who brings mail to that neighborhood for years. Nicknamed “Bigmouth Lady”, my nightmare customer was famous for this wicked game of getting a full refund and keeping the goods.
That was the only time when I’ve actually reported someone to Etsy. Hopefully more sellers bothered to spend their time reaching out to the last point in the tracking and saved themselves from someone taking advantage of them.

By the way, Houston, my home city, is home to 2020’s largest and busiest mail processing center in the United States. But also it is famous for the highest mail delay in the country -59% of the mail processed in 2020 was delayed. Good to know…
And still I am a very thankful USPS customer. I rely upon them and… And have a comprehensive shop policy with a clear language for shipping.

09/13/2021

09/11/2021

The second school week syndrome.
Most likely every parent experienced it, but didn’t know it has an official name and definition.
Kids argue or cry for no reason? Fight for the right to stay up late and fall asleep mid conversation? Loved everything about the school and refuse to go there the next day? That’s it. The second school week syndrome.
It has a logical explanation. The first week was pure joy - coming back or starting school, meeting friends, exploring new routines. The second week the same old challenges come out: teachers make following rules the focus of each day, lessons are not always fun, other kids are not always friendly, and all these will drag for ten more months! For those who are just starting school it’s even more stressful: new rules and routines that limit their self-expression with a separation anxiety on top.
Luckily the remedy is very affordable - a well-managed daily schedule.
Make sure kids
- go to bed and wake up at the same time. Once I’ve got a catchy nickname for my talent to manage kids’ sleep :) I’ll tell about it in the next post;
- get fresh air and play enough;
- are not overloaded with after school activities.
I’d add “limit gadgets”, yet for some adults it’s the only way to stay sane.
Here in all modesty I state: my sensory book is an engaging substitute for screen time. Stay tuned for whys and hows :)

09/09/2021

I hit the bottom of the parenting guilt when my son was 38 months old. 2 months after it was too late for effective learning and character formation. Or so "Kindergarten is Too Late!" book title said. It is very optimistic when you compare it to the Russian version - "Three is Too Late!"
And then I read the book*. Self-blaming at first, enthusiastic by the middle, proud of myself at the last page. Looking at my son seven years later I feel we've earned some bragging rights. Whenever parents of kids who are at "three is too late" age ask for a recommendation I have the same advice:
- do not take “developmental standards” as an exclusive guideline;
- challenge your child, yet do not rush way ahead of his or her current abilities;
- focus on open play, fine motor skills and coordination;
- make emotional maturity a long-term goal;
- work on social skills.

* Masaru Ibuka's "Kindergarten is Too Late!" is a must-read for parents who need to explore diverse and even polar philosophies of raising children. Celebrating 50 years since it was first published the book gets limited approval from followers of modern parenting approaches. Yet it is very worth the time for those who need to see all options prior to committing to a certain system (or it’s absence) their child will benefit the most from.

09/09/2021

have a messed up biological sense of seasons. Here in Texas we have an obnoxiously hot summer, bearable summer, nice summer and then all of a sudden it is Halloween and winter holidays. Get your winter T-shirts out of the closet and pair them with uggs!
Every year it is the same stress: I’m caught off guard and worry about being late with presents and decorations. This year I'm exercising (and succeeding so far!) prepared awareness.
So let me remind you too: it is 53 days till Halloween. 57 till Diwali. 78 till Thanksgiving. 81 till Hanukkah. 108 till Christmas.
If you do not celebrate, yet are an active shopper: 79 till Black Friday, 82 till Cyber Monday, 109 till Boxing Day.
Is there anyone who's got a presents' list and all the decorations ready here?
I badly need someone to admire!

09/08/2021

Living in Texas messed up my biological sense of seasons. Here it is obnoxiously hot simmer, than bearable summer, nice summer and then suddenly it is a Halloween and winter holidays. Every year it is the same stress - I’m caught off guard, I’m late already!
Let me remind: it is 53 days till Halloween. 57 till Diwali. 78 till Thanksgiving. 81 till Hanukkah. 108 till Christmas.
Some people rank these numbers differently: 79 till Black Friday, 82 till Cyber Monday, 109 till Boxing Day.