Children’s Play Schemas In case you need a recap on Play Schemas then I highly suggest you head to our blog ‘What are Play Schemas?’ before reading ahead. As a very quick recap, the repetitive action of a schema allows a child to practice and construct meaning until they have mastered the understanding of the schema. […]
What are Play Schemas? Have you ever wondered why your child purposely knocks over your block castle, hides in small boxes, throws their food, lines objects up or collects rocks? These aren’t ‘bad behaviours’ but rather natural developmental urges (called schemas) that suggest a healthy child. The repetitive action of a schema allows a child […]
Explore the Magic of Small World Play with Growing Kind: A Journey of Imagination Welcome, fellow adventurers, to Growing Kind, your ultimate destination for igniting imaginations and fostering playful exploration! Today, we’re diving deep into the enchanting realm of small world play, where every miniature scene is a portal to boundless creativity and endless adventures. […]
How does a calm down bottle work? A calm down bottle is a sensory tool that can be used to help someone relax and reduce anxiety or stress. It is a clear plastic bottle that is filled with water and a variety of small items such as glitter, beads, sequins, and/or small toys. When the […]
Building blocks are a staple in many childhoods, and for good reason. They offer a unique way for children to learn, explore, and create! In this blog, we’ll explore the many benefits of building blocks, the different types available, and how to use them to teach math and science, language and literacy, and foster creativity […]
How are dispositions formed? Education should be less about transmitting knowledge, skills, and understanding, and more about developing the capacity and confidence to continue learning for life. At the heart of ‘lifelong learning’ are positive learning dispositions like resilience, playfulness, confidence, and curiosity. But how are these dispositions formed? It’s the argument of nature vs […]
Firstly, what is play? Play is widely researched, and arguably one of the most difficult words to define. Countless scholars, theorists and Playworkers have attempted to define play, but can it be put into words? Is play a verb, an emotion, or something in between. The definition of play continues to change and evolve over […]
Play Deprivation… What is it? And how can we avoid or recover from it? Firstly, let address ‘what is play’? There is no agreed upon definition of play amongst education theorists, and psychologists. Perhaps because it is a complex term and to reduce its components to only its behaviours would be a disservice. However, Play […]
Why is it important to clean toys? Babies putting things in their mouths, otherwise known as mouthing, is not only normal, but also signals a growing interest in the world around them. In the first year, children explore their surroundings through their senses — seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting. The more they explore, the […]
How to build a wooden toy collection without spending your life savings? Firstly, let’s touch on the benefits of wooden toys. Wooden toys are more environmentally friendly then their plastic counterparts. Plastic never breaks down. Wooden toys are healthier. Plastic toys can leach chemicals and toxins which are detrimental to health. Germs can also harbour […]
What is Mark Making? Have you ever watched a child hold a pencil for the first time and scribble across the paper? The chances are that the mark they left on the paper didn’t resemble anything other then some swirls or a scribble, but mark making is so much more than scribble. Mark making is […]
Way to Play Roads vs Cork Roads Video Transcript: Hi everyone. My name is Amie and I’m the owner of Growing Kind. Today I am addressing a really common question, which is how do the Waytoplay roads compare to the Freckled Frog Cork roads? As you can see, they are both quite similar in their […]
My vision for Growing Kind is not just to sell beautiful toys. I want to change the world through play with our children.
I want to change the world for the better by encouraging more kindness, more inclusion, more acceptance and an unstoppable resilience.
I want to encourage people to love themselves more, love others more and be conscious of their own trauma and biases.
