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Parenting Cocoa Corner

Spice Up Your Child's Pretend Play in the Kitchen this Holiday

I’m so excited to spice up my daughter’s pretend play this holiday by gifting her various kitchen-themed toys! Let’s face it….as parents we can get bored playing with our children, and chances are if we’re feeling bored, they might be too. So what can we do to fix this? Let’s chat about how I’m going to do it in my own home this holiday season with some fun kitchen-themed toys!

Why should I spice up my child’s pretend play?

Before we get into the how first we need to talk about the why! Did you know that children learn best through play? That’s right. Play might be what your child does for fun, but it’s also the best way for your child to learn about the world around them. Through play, children learn communication skills, social skills, cognitive skills, creativity, emotions, and physical skills.

Pretend play or good old-fashioned make-believe is a high-level of play that teaches children that they can be anything they want! Through pretend play, children learn to work through their emotions, take the perspectives of others, negotiate, have courage, and more. Play really is the primary work of a child.

How can you spice up your child’s pretend play?

Now that we’ve talked about why pretend play is so important, let’s talk about how you can spice it up a little! Kitchen-themed play is one of our favorite ways to engage in pretend play in our house, but I’m going to be honest...we’ve gotten pretty bored with making the same food over and over! This year I’m so excited to beef up our kitchen-themed pretend play with these amazing products from Learning Resources:

Not only are these products vibrant and fun, but they also expose children to a variety of new vocabulary and healthy foods!  

What skills can you build while playing with these?

Feel like your child has all of these new toys, but doesn’t know what to do with them? Here’s a few specific skills that you can build while playing with these!

  1. Kitchen and food vocabulary: Talk about the different food items you have, and see if your child can label them. You can also add an additional garden, kitchen, and food item vocabulary by incorporating other toys and pretending you’re picking the fruit and veggies straight from the garden!
  2. Understanding spatial concepts (in/on/off/out): Work on these early developing spatial concepts by having your child take different foods out of a basket, putting them on a plate, and placing them in a shopping bag.  
  3. Sequential concepts (first/then/next): Practice baking together, and talk about what you need first, second, and last. By practicing this over and over, your child will be able to make their own food in no time!
  4. Requesting: Have your child request for fruits and vegetables.  Depending on how much expressive language they have, they could use a simple word such as, “food” or “more,” or a phrase or sentence like, “I want corn” or “Can I have the apple?”
  5. Use of prepositional phrases: Place different items in different locations and have your child use phrases to describe their locations. Put the frosting on the cupcakes, water in the cup, or the fork next to the plate.
  6. Turn-taking: Develop turn-taking abilities by asking your child if you can have a turn washing the fruits and veggies, serving the food, or eating!

What else can you do to support your child’s pretend play at home?

Model! Children learn best from models and experiences, so it’s only normal that if they haven’t experienced something over and over they might need more exposure. So parents, grab those toys and start playing!  Pretend you’re making a delicious smoothie with the New Sprouts Smoothie Maker, or some cupcakes with the Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes.

Engage in parallel play with your child. Parallel play is when you play next to your child without trying to directly influence their behavior. Instead, your child will show interest, watch you, and next thing you know they’ll be grabbing the same toys and copying your every move! How do you do this?  Grab the dishes from the New Sprouts Serve It set and start setting the table, while your child cooks the food from the New Sprouts Multicultural Food Set in their New Sprouts Cook It! pots and pans.

Try following your child’s lead! I know, I know, this isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it is so important! By following our child’s lead, we allow them to feel confident and encourage their independence. We also allow them to problem solve on their own while building a trusting connection with them.

Building skills through pretend play doesn’t have to be hard, and it sure doesn’t have to be boring! I know I personally cannot wait to see where my daughter’s imagination takes her when she begins to play with all of these new kitchen toys.

Spice Up Your Child's Pretend Play in the Kitchen this Holiday

I’m so excited to spice up my daughter’s pretend play this holiday by gifting her various kitchen-themed toys! Let’s face it….as parents we can get bored playing with our children, and chances are if we’re feeling bored, they might be too. So what can we do to fix this? Let’s chat about how I’m going to do it in my own home this holiday season with some fun kitchen-themed toys!

Why should I spice up my child’s pretend play?

Before we get into the how first we need to talk about the why! Did you know that children learn best through play? That’s right. Play might be what your child does for fun, but it’s also the best way for your child to learn about the world around them. Through play, children learn communication skills, social skills, cognitive skills, creativity, emotions, and physical skills.

Pretend play or good old-fashioned make-believe is a high-level of play that teaches children that they can be anything they want! Through pretend play, children learn to work through their emotions, take the perspectives of others, negotiate, have courage, and more. Play really is the primary work of a child.

How can you spice up your child’s pretend play?

Now that we’ve talked about why pretend play is so important, let’s talk about how you can spice it up a little! Kitchen-themed play is one of our favorite ways to engage in pretend play in our house, but I’m going to be honest...we’ve gotten pretty bored with making the same food over and over! This year I’m so excited to beef up our kitchen-themed pretend play with these amazing products from Learning Resources:

Not only are these products vibrant and fun, but they also expose children to a variety of new vocabulary and healthy foods!  

What skills can you build while playing with these?

Feel like your child has all of these new toys, but doesn’t know what to do with them? Here’s a few specific skills that you can build while playing with these!

  1. Kitchen and food vocabulary: Talk about the different food items you have, and see if your child can label them. You can also add an additional garden, kitchen, and food item vocabulary by incorporating other toys and pretending you’re picking the fruit and veggies straight from the garden!
  2. Understanding spatial concepts (in/on/off/out): Work on these early developing spatial concepts by having your child take different foods out of a basket, putting them on a plate, and placing them in a shopping bag.  
  3. Sequential concepts (first/then/next): Practice baking together, and talk about what you need first, second, and last. By practicing this over and over, your child will be able to make their own food in no time!
  4. Requesting: Have your child request for fruits and vegetables.  Depending on how much expressive language they have, they could use a simple word such as, “food” or “more,” or a phrase or sentence like, “I want corn” or “Can I have the apple?”
  5. Use of prepositional phrases: Place different items in different locations and have your child use phrases to describe their locations. Put the frosting on the cupcakes, water in the cup, or the fork next to the plate.
  6. Turn-taking: Develop turn-taking abilities by asking your child if you can have a turn washing the fruits and veggies, serving the food, or eating!

What else can you do to support your child’s pretend play at home?

Model! Children learn best from models and experiences, so it’s only normal that if they haven’t experienced something over and over they might need more exposure. So parents, grab those toys and start playing!  Pretend you’re making a delicious smoothie with the New Sprouts Smoothie Maker, or some cupcakes with the Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes.

Engage in parallel play with your child. Parallel play is when you play next to your child without trying to directly influence their behavior. Instead, your child will show interest, watch you, and next thing you know they’ll be grabbing the same toys and copying your every move! How do you do this?  Grab the dishes from the New Sprouts Serve It set and start setting the table, while your child cooks the food from the New Sprouts Multicultural Food Set in their New Sprouts Cook It! pots and pans.

Try following your child’s lead! I know, I know, this isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it is so important! By following our child’s lead, we allow them to feel confident and encourage their independence. We also allow them to problem solve on their own while building a trusting connection with them.

Building skills through pretend play doesn’t have to be hard, and it sure doesn’t have to be boring! I know I personally cannot wait to see where my daughter’s imagination takes her when she begins to play with all of these new kitchen toys.

 READ MORE

Holiday Gifts for Toddlers!

From building fine motor skills to introducing colors, shapes and numbers, these hands-on toys help your toddler get ready for life in the great big world. With these gifts your toddlers will be taking big steps in learning by recognizing names, saying words, and following simple directions. These toys help them build even bigger skills!

Steggy the Fine Motor Dino

This prehistoric pal is ready for fine motor fun! Kids build the hand strength they need to succeed in school and beyond every time they play with Steggy the Fine Motor Dino. The friendliest fine motor toy for toddlers, this easygoing dinosaur comes with ten pinchable, pullable scales, whose indented surfaces make it easy for kids to build their pincer grasp, hand strength, and other essentials of fine motor skills development. Steggy's scales also come with a 3-in-1 learning surprise— in addition to building fine motor skills, scales also introduce kids to early color matching and number recognition skills thanks to their vibrant designs and 1–10 numbered surfaces. With Steggy the Fine Motor Dino, there are always multiple ways to learn. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Steggy!

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog

Our hedgehog lost his quills, and only your little ones can help him get them back! Spike, the Fine Motor Hedgehog, helps kids build up hand muscles and fine motor skills by replacing the chunky, peg-shaped 'quills' within the holes that dot the smiling hedgehog's back. The learning doesn't end there- Spike's colorful quills also lend themselves well to lessons in counting, sorting, and color identification skills. Kids can arrange the quills by warm or cool colors, work on sequences and patterns by alternating colors, or count up the quills with the help of numbers printed on the hedgehog's back. Once playtime is over, Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is a snap to clean up-each piece is made of plastic that can be easily wiped clean, and the quills stow snugly inside the hedgehog's body, which adds simplicity to storage too.

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Spike!

Peekaboo Learning Farm

There's more than hay inside these barns— there's farmyard learning fun! Kids learn counting, color, matching, and sorting skills during every imaginative adventure with the farm friends found within the Peekaboo Learning Farm. Each of the set's 5 numbered two-piece barns comes in a different vibrant color, including red, orange, blue, green, and purple. Each barn also pops open to reveal 5 different animal finger puppets— meet the set's friendly cow, pig, duck, and more! Unlike many toys for toddlers, the Peekaboo Learning Farms grows along with your little one— build new fine motor skills during early games of pretend, then move on to early math and color identification! Find the animals during games of hide and seek, make your own memory game, or just let your imagination go! The Peekaboo Learning Farm's two-piece barns also help kids build coordination and other fine motor skills every time they pop them open or snap them shut.

Smart Snacks® Stack 'em Up Doughnuts™

A new twist on the classic game of stacking rings, Smart Snacks Stack 'Em Up Doughnuts teaches your child color recognition and size comparison. Great for helping build your child's fine motor skills, Smart Snacks Stack Em' Up Doughnuts from Learning Resources is a colorful and food-theme take on the classic stacking rings activity. Skills stack up with these Stack ‘em Up Doughnuts! Children place the doughnuts from biggest to smallest and fit the doughnut hole on top. They’re also perfect for inspiring hours of play in their pretend kitchen, store, or restaurant. 

Snap-n-Learn™ Counting Sheep

Counting sheep isn't just for falling asleep anymore! Discover a wooly and wonderful way to learn new number and color skills with the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep. These educational toys include ten friendly two-piece number sheep numbered 1–10 and ready for early math lessons in number recognition, counting, sequencing, and more. Each sheep also features a different color of the rainbow— instead of the usual white or black, these sheep have wool that's red, blue, orange, green, and more! Sized just right for little hands, the number sheep's removable snap-on, snap-off wool doubles as a fine motor skills toy and builds coordination and other essential skills. It also hides a surprise—each sheep also comes numbered with dots beneath their wool, which reinforce number recognition and add barnyard fun to matching games for 2-year-olds. Best of all, the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep comes with a reusable plastic storage tub that makes cleanup a snap.

Holiday Gifts for Toddlers!

From building fine motor skills to introducing colors, shapes and numbers, these hands-on toys help your toddler get ready for life in the great big world. With these gifts your toddlers will be taking big steps in learning by recognizing names, saying words, and following simple directions. These toys help them build even bigger skills!

Steggy the Fine Motor Dino

This prehistoric pal is ready for fine motor fun! Kids build the hand strength they need to succeed in school and beyond every time they play with Steggy the Fine Motor Dino. The friendliest fine motor toy for toddlers, this easygoing dinosaur comes with ten pinchable, pullable scales, whose indented surfaces make it easy for kids to build their pincer grasp, hand strength, and other essentials of fine motor skills development. Steggy's scales also come with a 3-in-1 learning surprise— in addition to building fine motor skills, scales also introduce kids to early color matching and number recognition skills thanks to their vibrant designs and 1–10 numbered surfaces. With Steggy the Fine Motor Dino, there are always multiple ways to learn. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Steggy!

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog

Our hedgehog lost his quills, and only your little ones can help him get them back! Spike, the Fine Motor Hedgehog, helps kids build up hand muscles and fine motor skills by replacing the chunky, peg-shaped 'quills' within the holes that dot the smiling hedgehog's back. The learning doesn't end there- Spike's colorful quills also lend themselves well to lessons in counting, sorting, and color identification skills. Kids can arrange the quills by warm or cool colors, work on sequences and patterns by alternating colors, or count up the quills with the help of numbers printed on the hedgehog's back. Once playtime is over, Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is a snap to clean up-each piece is made of plastic that can be easily wiped clean, and the quills stow snugly inside the hedgehog's body, which adds simplicity to storage too.

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Spike!

Peekaboo Learning Farm

There's more than hay inside these barns— there's farmyard learning fun! Kids learn counting, color, matching, and sorting skills during every imaginative adventure with the farm friends found within the Peekaboo Learning Farm. Each of the set's 5 numbered two-piece barns comes in a different vibrant color, including red, orange, blue, green, and purple. Each barn also pops open to reveal 5 different animal finger puppets— meet the set's friendly cow, pig, duck, and more! Unlike many toys for toddlers, the Peekaboo Learning Farms grows along with your little one— build new fine motor skills during early games of pretend, then move on to early math and color identification! Find the animals during games of hide and seek, make your own memory game, or just let your imagination go! The Peekaboo Learning Farm's two-piece barns also help kids build coordination and other fine motor skills every time they pop them open or snap them shut.

Smart Snacks® Stack 'em Up Doughnuts™

A new twist on the classic game of stacking rings, Smart Snacks Stack 'Em Up Doughnuts teaches your child color recognition and size comparison. Great for helping build your child's fine motor skills, Smart Snacks Stack Em' Up Doughnuts from Learning Resources is a colorful and food-theme take on the classic stacking rings activity. Skills stack up with these Stack ‘em Up Doughnuts! Children place the doughnuts from biggest to smallest and fit the doughnut hole on top. They’re also perfect for inspiring hours of play in their pretend kitchen, store, or restaurant. 

Snap-n-Learn™ Counting Sheep

Counting sheep isn't just for falling asleep anymore! Discover a wooly and wonderful way to learn new number and color skills with the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep. These educational toys include ten friendly two-piece number sheep numbered 1–10 and ready for early math lessons in number recognition, counting, sequencing, and more. Each sheep also features a different color of the rainbow— instead of the usual white or black, these sheep have wool that's red, blue, orange, green, and more! Sized just right for little hands, the number sheep's removable snap-on, snap-off wool doubles as a fine motor skills toy and builds coordination and other essential skills. It also hides a surprise—each sheep also comes numbered with dots beneath their wool, which reinforce number recognition and add barnyard fun to matching games for 2-year-olds. Best of all, the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep comes with a reusable plastic storage tub that makes cleanup a snap.

 READ MORE

Holiday Gifts for 5 Years and Up!

As they learn the basics of reading, writing, and math, your kids can use these toys to build new skills for kindergarten and beyond! When you give your kids toys from Learning Resources, you're giving them skills that last long after the holidays end! 

Counting Surprise Party™

Unbox new counting and color skills in every surprise present! You never know what might be inside the presents of Counting Surprise Party from Learning Resources. Little ones will find a fun surprise toy within each colorful numbered box - from a little blue robot to a high-flying plane to a friendly teddy bear, and there are ten manipulative-style gifts in all that kids can wrap and rewrap and again. In addition to building new fine motor skills with every unboxing, they'll also build new skills in color and number recognition, whether they're sorting their toys by the colors on the boxes, counting up their stack of presents, or matching the dots on the present lids with the numerals printed on the boxes' fronts. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with!

STEM Explorers™ Brainometry™

Solve brain-teasing puzzle challenges that test your knowledge of shapes, critical thinking, fine motor skills, and more! Four colors and patterns also boost recognition skills. Includes 24 shapes and double-sided challenge cards. Designed with solo play in mind, these puzzles are a great way to build essential logic and critical thinking skills!

Rock 'n' Gem Surprise™

Crack open a colorful gem surprise! Little ones get a no-mess introduction to sorting, matching, and counting with the play geodes and gems of Rock 'n' Gem Surprise from Learning Resources. Using the included play hammer and chisel, kids can crack open each reusable play geode and discover the translucent plastic gemstones inside. Gems double as manipulatives and come in eight different colors and four different shapes - you might find a red heart, a purple triangle, a green diamond, or more fun combinations. In addition to helping kids learn early sorting, matching, and counting skills, Rock 'n' Gem Surprise also introduces kids to early STEM and geology concepts without the messy clean-up associated with real rocks and geodes. 

MathLink® Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set

Build new elementary math skills one MathLink Cube at a time! Whether in the classroom or homeschool, students explore addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, geometry, and more with the fun math challenges found within the MathLink Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set from Learning Resources. Our most advanced counting cube activity set yet, this elementary educational toy pairs the popular hands-on math manipulatives with a fun set of challenges that grow with students' skills. 

Plus, don't forget these free Holiday Printable Activities to go with!

Botley® 2.0 the Coding Robot Activity Set

Botley 2.0 helps kids as young as 5 learn to code through 100% screen-free play. Botley 2.0 knows multiple ways to code right out of the box— code him to move in six directions, play music, and even put on a light show! Discover Botley 2.0’s 16 fun interactions— transform him into a train, police car, ghost, and more! You can even test your memory with the lights and sounds of a game of Botley Says! 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Botley 2.0!

Holiday Gifts for 5 Years and Up!

As they learn the basics of reading, writing, and math, your kids can use these toys to build new skills for kindergarten and beyond! When you give your kids toys from Learning Resources, you're giving them skills that last long after the holidays end! 

Counting Surprise Party™

Unbox new counting and color skills in every surprise present! You never know what might be inside the presents of Counting Surprise Party from Learning Resources. Little ones will find a fun surprise toy within each colorful numbered box - from a little blue robot to a high-flying plane to a friendly teddy bear, and there are ten manipulative-style gifts in all that kids can wrap and rewrap and again. In addition to building new fine motor skills with every unboxing, they'll also build new skills in color and number recognition, whether they're sorting their toys by the colors on the boxes, counting up their stack of presents, or matching the dots on the present lids with the numerals printed on the boxes' fronts. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with!

STEM Explorers™ Brainometry™

Solve brain-teasing puzzle challenges that test your knowledge of shapes, critical thinking, fine motor skills, and more! Four colors and patterns also boost recognition skills. Includes 24 shapes and double-sided challenge cards. Designed with solo play in mind, these puzzles are a great way to build essential logic and critical thinking skills!

Rock 'n' Gem Surprise™

Crack open a colorful gem surprise! Little ones get a no-mess introduction to sorting, matching, and counting with the play geodes and gems of Rock 'n' Gem Surprise from Learning Resources. Using the included play hammer and chisel, kids can crack open each reusable play geode and discover the translucent plastic gemstones inside. Gems double as manipulatives and come in eight different colors and four different shapes - you might find a red heart, a purple triangle, a green diamond, or more fun combinations. In addition to helping kids learn early sorting, matching, and counting skills, Rock 'n' Gem Surprise also introduces kids to early STEM and geology concepts without the messy clean-up associated with real rocks and geodes. 

MathLink® Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set

Build new elementary math skills one MathLink Cube at a time! Whether in the classroom or homeschool, students explore addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, geometry, and more with the fun math challenges found within the MathLink Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set from Learning Resources. Our most advanced counting cube activity set yet, this elementary educational toy pairs the popular hands-on math manipulatives with a fun set of challenges that grow with students' skills. 

Plus, don't forget these free Holiday Printable Activities to go with!

Botley® 2.0 the Coding Robot Activity Set

Botley 2.0 helps kids as young as 5 learn to code through 100% screen-free play. Botley 2.0 knows multiple ways to code right out of the box— code him to move in six directions, play music, and even put on a light show! Discover Botley 2.0’s 16 fun interactions— transform him into a train, police car, ghost, and more! You can even test your memory with the lights and sounds of a game of Botley Says! 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Botley 2.0!

 READ MORE

Holiday Gifts for Preschoolers!

Our toys help kids build amazing preschool skills, whether they're exploring the wonder of words, learning new colors, or solving puzzling problems! These gifts will grow with your children and help you discover new learning fun every time you give a gift! 

Oodles of Aliens™ Sorting Saucer

Grab the Tri-Grip Tongs, pop the dice, and help these aliens sort out their spaceship in a sorting game of cosmic proportions! In addition to sorting, this game builds three additional skills at once—strengthen your counting, color recognition, and fine motor skills every time you play! Includes 30 alien creature counters, as well as an activity guide with fun sorting games!

New Sprouts® Bake It!

Whip up batches of fun with our new Bake it! When the kitchen is just too tempting to resist, provide a colorful and fun collection of baking tools designed to encourage safe role-play. Little bakers will flip for this modern set featuring bakeware with rounded parts and easy-grip handles along with delicious, soft-molded cupcakes, and the cookies are the perfect recipe for toddler play! Work on imaginative play, fine motor, hand-eye coordination, early vocabulary/language, and social skills!

Jumbo Zoo Animals


Realistically detailed animals designed for little hands and big imaginations! Figures invite imaginative play and are perfect for vocabulary development. The activity guide includes facts about each animal and early science discussion starters. These animals are perfect for a winter sensory bin or for bringing the zoo into your home!

Ruff's House Teaching Tactile Set

Reach in and feel all the textures! Help the fuzzy dog find all the bones he hid in his doghouse. All bones are textured and made of rubber or cloth and feature smooth, silky, scratchy, bumpy, ridged, and more textures. Grasping, exploring, and manipulating the different textured bones leads students to further develop their ability to use their fingers and hands purposefully and improve manual dexterity.

Sort-'Em-Up Pups™ Activity Set

Build early sorting and critical thinking skills as your sort and match these puppy pals! Explore six ways to sort: group puppies by size, color, spots, and more. Pieces store inside the dog house for easy clean-up. In addition to sorting and matching, the Sort-'Em-Up Pups come with a big colorful dog house and fenced-in pens that are ready for all kinds of open-ended imaginative play!

Holiday Gifts for Preschoolers!

Our toys help kids build amazing preschool skills, whether they're exploring the wonder of words, learning new colors, or solving puzzling problems! These gifts will grow with your children and help you discover new learning fun every time you give a gift! 

Oodles of Aliens™ Sorting Saucer

Grab the Tri-Grip Tongs, pop the dice, and help these aliens sort out their spaceship in a sorting game of cosmic proportions! In addition to sorting, this game builds three additional skills at once—strengthen your counting, color recognition, and fine motor skills every time you play! Includes 30 alien creature counters, as well as an activity guide with fun sorting games!

New Sprouts® Bake It!

Whip up batches of fun with our new Bake it! When the kitchen is just too tempting to resist, provide a colorful and fun collection of baking tools designed to encourage safe role-play. Little bakers will flip for this modern set featuring bakeware with rounded parts and easy-grip handles along with delicious, soft-molded cupcakes, and the cookies are the perfect recipe for toddler play! Work on imaginative play, fine motor, hand-eye coordination, early vocabulary/language, and social skills!

Jumbo Zoo Animals


Realistically detailed animals designed for little hands and big imaginations! Figures invite imaginative play and are perfect for vocabulary development. The activity guide includes facts about each animal and early science discussion starters. These animals are perfect for a winter sensory bin or for bringing the zoo into your home!

Ruff's House Teaching Tactile Set

Reach in and feel all the textures! Help the fuzzy dog find all the bones he hid in his doghouse. All bones are textured and made of rubber or cloth and feature smooth, silky, scratchy, bumpy, ridged, and more textures. Grasping, exploring, and manipulating the different textured bones leads students to further develop their ability to use their fingers and hands purposefully and improve manual dexterity.

Sort-'Em-Up Pups™ Activity Set

Build early sorting and critical thinking skills as your sort and match these puppy pals! Explore six ways to sort: group puppies by size, color, spots, and more. Pieces store inside the dog house for easy clean-up. In addition to sorting and matching, the Sort-'Em-Up Pups come with a big colorful dog house and fenced-in pens that are ready for all kinds of open-ended imaginative play!

 READ MORE

Top 5 STEM Stocking Stuffers!

It's never too early to introduce science, technology, engineering and math into your child's life, and we make it fun! The benefits of STEM on early childhood development is a true gift to give this season. Check out these awesome Learning Resources STEM Stocking Stuffers for your little learners!

1-2-3 Build It! Rocket-Train-Helicopter

STEM Stocking StuffersBuild three different vehicles from just one set of mix-and-match parts with the 1-2-3 Build It! Rocket-Train-Helicopter . Chunky, easy-to-handle parts let kids build and rebuild on their own before embarking on imaginative journeys to far-off destinations—blast off to distant stars aboard a rocket, fly through the air above a make-believe city with a helicopter, or chug down the tracks toward the station with a train.

Mathlink Cubes, Set of 100

Mathlink STEM Stocking StuffersGet ready for endless fun with our famous Mathlink Cubes! High-quality plastic cubes measure ¾” each and come in 10 bright colors. These stackable cubes are easy for little hands to connect and twist apart. Great for counting to 100 by ones and tens, grouping, and one-to-one correspondence. These cubes are also great for building, sequencing, and patterns!

Speedy Shapes Racers

STEM StockingDrivers, start your learning engines! Shape, color, and number recognition skills zoom around the track, past the checkered flag, and into your toy box with the Speedy Shapes Racers from Learning Resources. Shaped like old-fashioned racing roadsters, these five colorful race-cars combine skill-building lessons about shapes, colors, and numbers with fun imaginative play opportunities.

Smart Snacks Number Pops

STEM Stocking Stuffers
Build number and fine-motor skills with these irresistible ice cream pops! Perfect for practicing with numbers 1–10. Great for color matching too! Each pop features a number of colored dots and a removable cover that has a corresponding number. Children are able to practice counting, number recognition and color matching. This hands-on toy also works to strengthen fine-motor skills and hand eye coordination.

Beaker Creatures Reactor Pods

Beaker Creatures STEMWhich creature will you discover? Turn your kids’ love of collectible toys into a real-world science adventure with the Beaker Creatures Reactor Pod from Learning Resources. Within each mysterious Reactor Pod lurks one of 35 Beaker Creatures. They are tiny alien travelers from five planets who’ve come to Earth in search of learning fun. To discover which creature you’ve got, drop the pod into a container of water, watch the bubbling reaction, and extract the creature within! Get your pods at Amazon!!Single Pod - https://amzn.to/2URmjK0 2-Pack - https://amzn.to/2ECGkPw 6-Pack - https://amzn.to/2Lm4MoT 

Happy Holidays!

 Save it for later!
Top 5 STEM Stocking Stuffers!
It's never too early to introduce science, technology, engineering and math into your child's life, and we make it fun! The benefits of STEM on early childhood development is a true gift to give this season. Check out these awesome Learning Resources STEM Stocking Stuffers for your little learners!

1-2-3 Build It! Rocket-Train-Helicopter

STEM Stocking StuffersBuild three different vehicles from just one set of mix-and-match parts with the 1-2-3 Build It! Rocket-Train-Helicopter . Chunky, easy-to-handle parts let kids build and rebuild on their own before embarking on imaginative journeys to far-off destinations—blast off to distant stars aboard a rocket, fly through the air above a make-believe city with a helicopter, or chug down the tracks toward the station with a train.

Mathlink Cubes, Set of 100

Mathlink STEM Stocking StuffersGet ready for endless fun with our famous Mathlink Cubes! High-quality plastic cubes measure ¾” each and come in 10 bright colors. These stackable cubes are easy for little hands to connect and twist apart. Great for counting to 100 by ones and tens, grouping, and one-to-one correspondence. These cubes are also great for building, sequencing, and patterns!

Speedy Shapes Racers

STEM StockingDrivers, start your learning engines! Shape, color, and number recognition skills zoom around the track, past the checkered flag, and into your toy box with the Speedy Shapes Racers from Learning Resources. Shaped like old-fashioned racing roadsters, these five colorful race-cars combine skill-building lessons about shapes, colors, and numbers with fun imaginative play opportunities.

Smart Snacks Number Pops

STEM Stocking Stuffers
Build number and fine-motor skills with these irresistible ice cream pops! Perfect for practicing with numbers 1–10. Great for color matching too! Each pop features a number of colored dots and a removable cover that has a corresponding number. Children are able to practice counting, number recognition and color matching. This hands-on toy also works to strengthen fine-motor skills and hand eye coordination.

Beaker Creatures Reactor Pods

Beaker Creatures STEMWhich creature will you discover? Turn your kids’ love of collectible toys into a real-world science adventure with the Beaker Creatures Reactor Pod from Learning Resources. Within each mysterious Reactor Pod lurks one of 35 Beaker Creatures. They are tiny alien travelers from five planets who’ve come to Earth in search of learning fun. To discover which creature you’ve got, drop the pod into a container of water, watch the bubbling reaction, and extract the creature within! Get your pods at Amazon!!Single Pod - https://amzn.to/2URmjK0 2-Pack - https://amzn.to/2ECGkPw 6-Pack - https://amzn.to/2Lm4MoT 

Happy Holidays!

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Track Santa Using Time Zones!
Track Santa Using Time Zones!
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Festive Cookies and Cocoa Party - Holiday Must-Haves

Do your kids love setting up pretend ‘tea parties’ with their dolls and stuffed animals? My four-year-old will happily sit playing with a setup like that for over an hour, so we are always on the lookout for fun ways to put a seasonal twist on the tea parties. That’s why we were delighted when Learning Resources® released two festive kitchen set products: Hot Cocoa Time! and Santa’s Cookies.

What’s Included?

Each set comes with a fun range of pieces to ensure that the play remains open-ended. The Santa’s Cookies 12-piece set includes a cookie sheet complete with rolled-out dough, pre-cut cookies, a neat suction-style cookie cutter, rolling pin and spatula, plate, glass of milk, and cute dry-erase note to Santa.

The Hot Cocoa set includes a big brewing pot, two cups, plates and spoons, a hot cocoa pot, cookies, and marshmallows. All items are sturdy and easy to clean, which is always a bonus when it comes to toys for kids!

Combining the Fun for a Festive Cookies & Cocoa Party

My preschooler had been playing with both sets separately, but I knew she would love to set up her festive party for her dolls and unicorns using the sets together.

We spread out a pretend snow tablecloth, and she got to work propping up her little friends in the chairs. She was chatting to them the whole time about where they were going to sit and how much fun they would have.

Once everyone was seated, she got to work taking their orders. I loved listening to her asking her ‘friends’ what they wanted, and then she would make up an order for them. This was a great way for her to develop her vocabulary and work on some simple numeracy.

She would count how many scoops of cocoa powder to add, how many marshmallows, or how many of each type of cookie. If your child is older, they could always write down the orders on the dry-erase Santa’s note board.

My preschooler was also able to develop descriptive shape-based language. I would ask her to find a shape with x number of sides or a curved edge. She was so careful and sure to give her unicorns and her doll exactly what they ordered!

The tools which come with the sets are perfect for helping children to develop their fine motor skills. My daughter was careful to scoop, roll and serve, making sure not to ‘spill’ anything on our ‘fancy’ tablecloth!

After all of her friends had their orders, they sat enjoying their festive party together. We put on some fun seasonal music, and it was a special moment of quality time. It’s always so magical when the child can lead the play and direct the conversation. It’s amazing how much confidence they gain from the opportunity to let their imaginations drive the activity!

Writer's bio

Lucy Baker is a Mom of two (4 & 8 years old) passionate about creative play and hands-on learning. She firmly believes in providing children with the opportunity to learn through play and being part of their play journey as a parent. See more of her creative play ideas and process art projects on Instagram @findthelittlemind, and over on her blog, Find the Little Mind.

Festive Cookies and Cocoa Party - Holiday Must-Haves

Do your kids love setting up pretend ‘tea parties’ with their dolls and stuffed animals? My four-year-old will happily sit playing with a setup like that for over an hour, so we are always on the lookout for fun ways to put a seasonal twist on the tea parties. That’s why we were delighted when Learning Resources® released two festive kitchen set products: Hot Cocoa Time! and Santa’s Cookies.

What’s Included?

Each set comes with a fun range of pieces to ensure that the play remains open-ended. The Santa’s Cookies 12-piece set includes a cookie sheet complete with rolled-out dough, pre-cut cookies, a neat suction-style cookie cutter, rolling pin and spatula, plate, glass of milk, and cute dry-erase note to Santa.

The Hot Cocoa set includes a big brewing pot, two cups, plates and spoons, a hot cocoa pot, cookies, and marshmallows. All items are sturdy and easy to clean, which is always a bonus when it comes to toys for kids!

Combining the Fun for a Festive Cookies & Cocoa Party

My preschooler had been playing with both sets separately, but I knew she would love to set up her festive party for her dolls and unicorns using the sets together.

We spread out a pretend snow tablecloth, and she got to work propping up her little friends in the chairs. She was chatting to them the whole time about where they were going to sit and how much fun they would have.

Once everyone was seated, she got to work taking their orders. I loved listening to her asking her ‘friends’ what they wanted, and then she would make up an order for them. This was a great way for her to develop her vocabulary and work on some simple numeracy.

She would count how many scoops of cocoa powder to add, how many marshmallows, or how many of each type of cookie. If your child is older, they could always write down the orders on the dry-erase Santa’s note board.

My preschooler was also able to develop descriptive shape-based language. I would ask her to find a shape with x number of sides or a curved edge. She was so careful and sure to give her unicorns and her doll exactly what they ordered!

The tools which come with the sets are perfect for helping children to develop their fine motor skills. My daughter was careful to scoop, roll and serve, making sure not to ‘spill’ anything on our ‘fancy’ tablecloth!

After all of her friends had their orders, they sat enjoying their festive party together. We put on some fun seasonal music, and it was a special moment of quality time. It’s always so magical when the child can lead the play and direct the conversation. It’s amazing how much confidence they gain from the opportunity to let their imaginations drive the activity!

Writer's bio

Lucy Baker is a Mom of two (4 & 8 years old) passionate about creative play and hands-on learning. She firmly believes in providing children with the opportunity to learn through play and being part of their play journey as a parent. See more of her creative play ideas and process art projects on Instagram @findthelittlemind, and over on her blog, Find the Little Mind.

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Top 10 Smart Stocking Stuffers!

Stuff their stockings with STEM! Give smart this holiday season with Learning Resources. These small-sized stocking stuffers offer up big-time impact. Here are ideas for every little boy and girl on Santa’s list: fun, educational, and creative. Good things come in STEM packages!

Pretend & Play® Tape Measure
Precisely what your budding carpenter needs for their tool belt! This rough-and-tumble tool takes accurate measurements and can withstand the toughest of pretend construction sites. When done, the tape stretches to three feet and rewinds up into its home. Get ready for everything in the house to be sized up! 

Hoot the Fine Motor Owl
Hoot, the Fine Motor Owl, peeks out from over their stocking, ready and willing to strengthen skills for preschool readiness! This fine motor toy is super colorful and comes with five bright, numbered coins. Drop those coins into the slot on top of Hoot’s head –and, using scissor skills–flap the wings. Surprise! The coins come tumbling out! Spin around Hoot’s gear-shaped eyes, or push in Hoot’s nose for a squeak. Kids practice pincer grip, shape recognition, and hand strength with this friendly, wise owl. 

Beaker Creatures® Reactor Pods
Let’s face it, and kids love to collect. And if they are gathering in the name of science? Even better! Beaker Creatures are amazing on so many levels. There are three sets of series of these mysterious marvels to collect and discover. Drop the pod into the water and watch the bubbling reaction to unearth your creature. Each fit-in-a-stocking-sized box features a mini-poster with a real-world STEM experiment. All Beaker Creatures work with Learning Resources’ playsets like the Bubbling Volcano Reactor, Alien Experiment Lab, or the Whirling Wave Reactor. Let’s grab the water and get discovering! 

Three Bear Family® Basic Counter Set
All hail color recognition and sorting with these playful bears, a part of the Three Bear Family Counters. A whopping 102 Baby Bears are in the convenient bucket (which makes for easy cleanup and storage). There’s even a little activity guide. So cute (and smart)! 

Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set™
Build those little hand muscles for the preschool set! Pre-scissor and grasping skills are practiced with the Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set, prepping kiddos for writing, cutting, and more. An alligator grabber, a twisty eyedropper, a handy scooper, and squeeze-type tweezers…all useful for flexing those preschool muscles. 

Primary Science® Color Mixer
Awesome! This Color Mixer is constructed in the same sturdy manner you’ve come to know and love from Learning Resources. It’s a flask divided in half. Each side can be filled with a different colored liquid. Now tip upside down…out of the curvy straw comes the new color. Hooray for a little Christmas chemistry! 

Take 10! Shape Finder Cookies
Turn your holiday morning into game time! From the “Take 10!” Series (turn any 10 minutes into quality time) the Shape Finder Cookies builds all sorts of yummy skills. Inside the easy little to-go bin, it comes in. There are game options that include shape and color recognition. Maybe try to sharpen your skills by finding the right shape with your eyes closed. The Shape Finder Cookies is a delicious way to play whatever game you land on. 

Take 10! Color Bug Catchers
Catch these bugs before they scatter away! Quality time and meaningful play take on a crawly twist with this game. This tube fits perfectly into a stocking and is filled with creativity. There are tweezers to help snag the bugs, which helps to develop fine motor skills. Inside are instructions for games for multiple players, and everything takes under 10 minutes to play. Oh, what fun! 

Dual Lens Magnifiers
Drop one of these in every stocking this season! These handy little magnifiers are perfect for making discoveries up close. Easy to hold for little fingers, the magnifiers help kids explore indoors or outdoors with 3x or 6x magnification lenses. Would you look at that!

Top 10 Smart Stocking Stuffers!

Stuff their stockings with STEM! Give smart this holiday season with Learning Resources. These small-sized stocking stuffers offer up big-time impact. Here are ideas for every little boy and girl on Santa’s list: fun, educational, and creative. Good things come in STEM packages!

Pretend & Play® Tape Measure
Precisely what your budding carpenter needs for their tool belt! This rough-and-tumble tool takes accurate measurements and can withstand the toughest of pretend construction sites. When done, the tape stretches to three feet and rewinds up into its home. Get ready for everything in the house to be sized up! 

Hoot the Fine Motor Owl
Hoot, the Fine Motor Owl, peeks out from over their stocking, ready and willing to strengthen skills for preschool readiness! This fine motor toy is super colorful and comes with five bright, numbered coins. Drop those coins into the slot on top of Hoot’s head –and, using scissor skills–flap the wings. Surprise! The coins come tumbling out! Spin around Hoot’s gear-shaped eyes, or push in Hoot’s nose for a squeak. Kids practice pincer grip, shape recognition, and hand strength with this friendly, wise owl. 

Beaker Creatures® Reactor Pods
Let’s face it, and kids love to collect. And if they are gathering in the name of science? Even better! Beaker Creatures are amazing on so many levels. There are three sets of series of these mysterious marvels to collect and discover. Drop the pod into the water and watch the bubbling reaction to unearth your creature. Each fit-in-a-stocking-sized box features a mini-poster with a real-world STEM experiment. All Beaker Creatures work with Learning Resources’ playsets like the Bubbling Volcano Reactor, Alien Experiment Lab, or the Whirling Wave Reactor. Let’s grab the water and get discovering! 

Three Bear Family® Basic Counter Set
All hail color recognition and sorting with these playful bears, a part of the Three Bear Family Counters. A whopping 102 Baby Bears are in the convenient bucket (which makes for easy cleanup and storage). There’s even a little activity guide. So cute (and smart)! 

Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set™
Build those little hand muscles for the preschool set! Pre-scissor and grasping skills are practiced with the Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set, prepping kiddos for writing, cutting, and more. An alligator grabber, a twisty eyedropper, a handy scooper, and squeeze-type tweezers…all useful for flexing those preschool muscles. 

Primary Science® Color Mixer
Awesome! This Color Mixer is constructed in the same sturdy manner you’ve come to know and love from Learning Resources. It’s a flask divided in half. Each side can be filled with a different colored liquid. Now tip upside down…out of the curvy straw comes the new color. Hooray for a little Christmas chemistry! 

Take 10! Shape Finder Cookies
Turn your holiday morning into game time! From the “Take 10!” Series (turn any 10 minutes into quality time) the Shape Finder Cookies builds all sorts of yummy skills. Inside the easy little to-go bin, it comes in. There are game options that include shape and color recognition. Maybe try to sharpen your skills by finding the right shape with your eyes closed. The Shape Finder Cookies is a delicious way to play whatever game you land on. 

Take 10! Color Bug Catchers
Catch these bugs before they scatter away! Quality time and meaningful play take on a crawly twist with this game. This tube fits perfectly into a stocking and is filled with creativity. There are tweezers to help snag the bugs, which helps to develop fine motor skills. Inside are instructions for games for multiple players, and everything takes under 10 minutes to play. Oh, what fun! 

Dual Lens Magnifiers
Drop one of these in every stocking this season! These handy little magnifiers are perfect for making discoveries up close. Easy to hold for little fingers, the magnifiers help kids explore indoors or outdoors with 3x or 6x magnification lenses. Would you look at that!

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Stocking Stuffers for Little Explorers!

Are you looking for toys to encourage exploration and curiosity for your little explorer(s)? Maybe you're already thinking of your New Year's resolution to spend more time in the great outdoors, with afternoons filled with family nature hikes or child-led winter walks. Learning Resources has you covered! Consider these toys for your budding natural scientist and observant outdoor explorer, all of which fit neatly into a holiday stocking:

  • Jumbo Magnifier & Tweezers: Strengthen those fine motor skills and investigate all things tiny with this durable set, which includes a hands-free, pop-out stand on the magnifying glass -- perfect for every feather, leaf, stone, and insect found on your next walk, whether it's around the block or on the trail.
  • Headlamp Projector: This is a lightweight, two-for-one tool that includes a beam of light for evening adventures and doubles as a mini projector, with images of birds, mammals, and reptiles on two small disks! Let the imaginative play and educational storytelling begin!
  • Big View Binoculars: Durable, simple to use, and with 6x magnification, perfect for your next adventure into the woods -- whether you're looking for birds or something more wild. Stomping around your neighborhood? Use these binoculars to encourage deeper observation of the world around them! Play I-Spy, go on a hunt for specific colors, and/or pair it with a journal to document all of your finds.

Looking for an easy way to stuff the stockings of multiple child explorers? Try these multi-packs!

  • Big View Bug Jars: Cute, colorful, and practical! In the lid of each of these jars is a hidden magnifying lens, plus air vents for live specimens under observation. Set of six.
  • Jumbo Magnifiers: Now, everyone can explore plants, insects, and other natural items to their heart's content! It comes in a rainbow of colors and is sized perfectly for little hands. Set of six. Spending time outside provides a wealth of benefits, from helping to regulate big emotions and calming the nervous system to strengthening gross motor muscles and providing new sensory exploration opportunities. Use these fun stocking-stuffer toys to foster scientific learning and so much more in the great outdoors!

About the Author, Sarah Yale: With a background in education, youth development, and restorative justice, Sarah Yale wears many hats, including Mom and Librarian. She endeavors to combine her love of children's books and the great outdoors to plan inclusive, play-based activities that foster curiosity and social-emotional learning. An advocate for literacy development, loose parts, and sensory play, Sarah's activities invite you to lean in, read up, and get messy together! See more of her ideas on Instagram at @staycurious_sadertot.

Stocking Stuffers for Little Explorers!

Are you looking for toys to encourage exploration and curiosity for your little explorer(s)? Maybe you're already thinking of your New Year's resolution to spend more time in the great outdoors, with afternoons filled with family nature hikes or child-led winter walks. Learning Resources has you covered! Consider these toys for your budding natural scientist and observant outdoor explorer, all of which fit neatly into a holiday stocking:

  • Jumbo Magnifier & Tweezers: Strengthen those fine motor skills and investigate all things tiny with this durable set, which includes a hands-free, pop-out stand on the magnifying glass -- perfect for every feather, leaf, stone, and insect found on your next walk, whether it's around the block or on the trail.
  • Headlamp Projector: This is a lightweight, two-for-one tool that includes a beam of light for evening adventures and doubles as a mini projector, with images of birds, mammals, and reptiles on two small disks! Let the imaginative play and educational storytelling begin!
  • Big View Binoculars: Durable, simple to use, and with 6x magnification, perfect for your next adventure into the woods -- whether you're looking for birds or something more wild. Stomping around your neighborhood? Use these binoculars to encourage deeper observation of the world around them! Play I-Spy, go on a hunt for specific colors, and/or pair it with a journal to document all of your finds.

Looking for an easy way to stuff the stockings of multiple child explorers? Try these multi-packs!

  • Big View Bug Jars: Cute, colorful, and practical! In the lid of each of these jars is a hidden magnifying lens, plus air vents for live specimens under observation. Set of six.
  • Jumbo Magnifiers: Now, everyone can explore plants, insects, and other natural items to their heart's content! It comes in a rainbow of colors and is sized perfectly for little hands. Set of six. Spending time outside provides a wealth of benefits, from helping to regulate big emotions and calming the nervous system to strengthening gross motor muscles and providing new sensory exploration opportunities. Use these fun stocking-stuffer toys to foster scientific learning and so much more in the great outdoors!

About the Author, Sarah Yale: With a background in education, youth development, and restorative justice, Sarah Yale wears many hats, including Mom and Librarian. She endeavors to combine her love of children's books and the great outdoors to plan inclusive, play-based activities that foster curiosity and social-emotional learning. An advocate for literacy development, loose parts, and sensory play, Sarah's activities invite you to lean in, read up, and get messy together! See more of her ideas on Instagram at @staycurious_sadertot.

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