Category: Family

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American made Business Childcare Education Family homeschool Preschool School

Our Journey to American Made: Where to Find American Made Children’s Toys and Furniture

If you are like me, you are a proud American. 

Your family stands for the National Anthem, opens doors for fellow Americans, and lends a helping hand to those in need. Why is it then, that when it comes to the clothing we wear and the products we use to furnish our homes, that we are not more careful about where those products are made? Shouldn’t we do our best to buy American products as much as we are able? Shouldn’t we be part of a movement that rewards businesses for manufacturing right here in the United States?

As we begin to line up our furnishings for the interior of our preschool franchises, I am more aware than ever of the importance of purchasing American made products and goods. It is our goal that each piece of furniture, every hand towel and all toys that reside within a Theory Preschool be manufactured right here in the United States. As I began researching, I realized that this task was going to be harder than I thought. Sure, you can search for “American made children’s furniture” online and you will find a few companies, but when you are looking for a very specific style of furniture or manipulative, it starts to become a bit overwhelming. 

Luckily, I was able to find quite a few American makers whose products have just the feel we have been searching for. The products we found are not necessarily for preschools, but for infants and children up to the age of 6 years, so I thought that I would share with you my findings and you too can start your journey to American made.

Here are 4 of my favorite shops that I have discovered so far in my journey:

  1. Milton and Goose: If you are looking for high quality tables, chairs and play kitchens, Milton and Goose may be just the place you are looking for. Their dedication to creating modern children’s furniture with clean lines is evident as soon as you land on their page. While their prices are a bit higher than your run-on-the-mill, foreign-made counterparts, the materials they use combined with the beauty of their design makes the extra cost worth it. We cannot wait to set up a space with their play kitchens, tables and chairs in our preschool franchises. 

  2. PalumbaCamdenRose:This is an Etsy shop that specializes in natural wooden toys and home goods. Their play kitchens, doll houses, building blocks, pretend play items and children’s furniture all receive consistent 5 star ratings like this one: “This kitchen is amazing! The craftsmanship is incredible, the wood is soft and smooth. I love the different types of wood used to add some variation and I love the oven rack and turning knobs/swiveling faucet. My daughter loves it too and it makes for a lovely display piece in our living room.” Go and see their beautiful craftsmanship for yourself! You will not be disappointed! 

  3. MamaTingsCreations: This is another Etsy shop that I simply adore. Mama Tings Creations specializes in felt pretend food for play kitchens. From fruit to breakfast items,  to cookies and even pie, there is a variety of fun and whimsical felt creations that will be a welcomed addition to any playspace. Although there is a limited amount of wares at Mama Tings, they are all so beautiful and full of life that we cannot wait to use them in our preschools. 

  4. My Little Songbird: This is an online store that began as an Etsy shop. In fact they still have their Etsy shop up and running. They have a variety of play gyms for infants and are in the process of releasing a larger collection for toddlers. All of their items are carefully made in beautiful, calming shades that will please any child (or parent!). They also have a lovely story on their website that goes into great detail about why they began their store and what continues to motivate them to create. When I first stumbled upon this shop in Etsy I instantly fell in love with their wooden clothing rack. It’s the perfect item to help children experience some independence at a young age and be successful at a task while doing so! This along with many of their items will find a home in our preschools soon. 

It astounds me how much talent we have right here in the United States. You can find almost anything if you just take the time. 

And while I am still looking for more American made toys, furniture and textiles to bring into the design of our preschools, this list is a good starting point. I do hope that it may also help you in your journey to American made.

God Bless America ♡

~Meghan

Categories
Family Family Dinner Love Uncategorized

Making Family Dinners Easy and Attainable

Back in the good-ol’ days when I was growing up, family dinners were something that happened EVERY night. It wasn’t just the four of us sitting on the sofa or at the counter eating whatever we wanted to eat, no. Family dinners were made by Mom and eaten at the TABLE, no exceptions.

I suspect that many of you who grew up in the 80’s may have had a similar experience. Dinner time was an important time back then. It wasn’t just about the food, but about sitting together, across from one another, sharing our days. Dinner time was usually the time when triumphs were shared (like that “A” I received on my Gold Rush report) as well as moments in our day that maybe weren’t as triumphant (like when my friend became upset with me for playing with someone else). Dinner time was a time for CONNECTION.

Today we live in a much different world. We live with a constant stream of media coming from our televisions, our phones and other devices. We live in a world where the likelihood of a stay-at-home parent is less than when we grew up, although recent polls suggest that may be changing. We live in a world where every moment of our child’s day is scheduled, not only with school activities, but after-school sports, music and dance. With all of these moments in our daily life that feel so out of control, it seems it’s more important than ever to find the time to connect with our families… truly CONNECT.

Dinner time is the PERFECT time to connect with your family. Plus, everyone needs to eat in the evening, so why not sit down around the table for thirty minutes and enjoy a meal with the people you love the most? 

You may be wondering how in the world you could possibly manage getting everyone to sit down at the table most nights every week. Here are some ideas that may help you start enjoying family dinners with your family.

Be consistent.

I know this one is hard. It sometimes feel as though it is impossible to find time every night to sit down as a family, let alone set aside the SAME time every night. However, children, and adults alike, crave some sort of routine in their day. They want to know what is coming and when. For example, having dinner every night between 5 and 6 may allow your kiddos to be more efficient with the time they have after school, and potentially be done with homework and projects by the time you sit down to eat. If your schedule really is extremely hectic, then at the very least, schedule an evening tea time, hot cocoa time, or a morning family breakfast time where everyone sits around the table, enjoying one another and their treat or meal.

Make it fun!

Family dinners should be fun. Make a meal something your children look forward to by incorporating a game or even some fun questions to ask. In our household, we always ask, “What was your favorite part of the day?” We go around the table and everyone answers the question and then explains why it was their favorite. This question alone stimulates so much positive conversation around the dinner table and will keep you engaged with your family even after your meal is complete. 

Make it easy!

Just because you are sitting down around the table does not mean that you have to toil away at the kitchen for hours before. In fact, if you do spend a lot of time creating a meal for your family then you may begin to feel burned out fairly quickly, meaning your family dinners may not be consistent. Instead find some easy recipes by doing a simple search online. There are a great variety of recipes out there today including those that will satisfy any food allergies and avoidances. For health reasons, a few in my family are both gluten and dairy-free, but even with those restrictions, we can easily find recipes that the whole family can enjoy. I have also recently found several sheet-pan dinners that not only allow you to get dinner on the table in around 30 minutes, but that are super yummy too. The easier you can make your dinner preparations, the more likely you will be to continue the effort. Should you have an exceptionally crazy afternoon and you know that there is no way dinner is going to make it onto the table by your hands, that’s ok too! With the amount of apps we have today that allow food to be delivered wherever and whenever we wish, you are covered there too! Ordering everyone’s favorite grub can be a fun break and it will still allow you to sit around the table and have that precious family time. 

Being together as a family is more important than ever. Taking a moment to connect and laugh together each and every day will continue to create strong bonds within your family that will last a lifetime. Dinners, breakfasts, or tea together will give your family the time to reconnect and truly enjoy one another and the life you have built together.

Cheers!

~Meghan

Categories
Education Family Love Preschool School Valentine's Day

New Ways of Sharing the Love with Little Ones this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to teach your little ones how to share the love with everyone in their life. Everyone deserves some love this season, from the neighbor down the street, to the grade school teacher, to others in your community. Here are FIVE ways to show love this Valentine’s Day.

1. One of the best ways you can encourage your child to show love to those in the community is to deliver handmade crafts to those who might not receive much on Valentine’s Day. Choose from one of these amazingly easy crafts and take them over to your local nursing home or children’s hospital. Share with your child how much it will mean to those individuals to receive something so special, and how easy it is to spread the love- even with a simple craft!

2. Pets need some love too this Valentine’s day! Use this recipe for homemade dog treats and deliver them to your local shelter, or you can bring along used blankets, pet toys, or any other pet materials you may have on hand. Call ahead of time and find out your local shelter’s policies on children interacting with the animals. Who knows – they may even let you cuddle a kitty while you’re there.

3. When you look around your community, you’ll realize there are lots of people who could use some love this Valentine’s day. Make a list with your child of who those people might be in your community and buy a batch of single stem flowers to share with them. Some examples include your neighborhood postal worker, trash collector, your teacher, or your local barista!  Pro tip: Do this a day or two before Valentine’s Day to avoid the dreaded “empty buckets” at your local flower shop, or find a blooming field nearby (if spring comes early in your neck of the woods) and pick your favorite wildflowers! Keep it fun and easy for the whole family!

4. Make a Valentine treat for your neighbors or nearby friends. Everyone loves something sweet on Valentine’s day! Think cookies, brownies, cake pops, or any other sweet treat your little one would love to make. Explain to them while you’re mixing the ingredients who you’ll be giving these treats to, and ask them how they hope it will make those individuals feel when they enjoy them.

5. With the excitement of potential valentines, treats, and the feeling of love in the air, it can be easy to forget to show love to those right in front of you. Gather the whole family at breakfast or dinner to share attributes you love about each family member. As you do this, write the “love-ly” sentiments on a heart-shaped card or pink construction paper for each family member to hold onto. Encourage your child to share the distinct qualities they love about each family member. For example, instead of “I love that Daddy kills bad spiders”, help them to reframe the sentiment as “I love that Daddy protects me.”

We hope you and your kiddos have fun with these easy crafts and activities that show love in all of its wild ways this holiday, and every day. Those of us at Theory Preschools hope you have a Valentine’s Day filled with lots of ooey gooey love and joy

Categories
Business Childcare Education Family Preschool

How to Create a Preschool Environment Parents Love

One of the first lessons we learned when opening our corporate schools was the importance of how parents and other caregivers entering and exiting our school perceived what was happening in our school throughout the day. Although most parents only spend an average of 5 minutes in our schools, twice a day, we realized that it was during those 10 minutes that they were formulating their opinions of our school, our curriculum and our staff. If parents encountered an inkling of chaos at pick-up time, then they would many times assume that there was chaos throughout the day.

So what can we do to make sure those magical 10 minutes are always perceived in the manner we want them to be?

It’s all about the 5 senses…

If you pay attention to what parents see, hear, feel, smell and taste (yes, even taste) when they walk through the doors of your school, you will quickly understand how (and why) they form the perceptions they do.

So let’s go over each of the traditional 5 senses and how they can help you create an atmosphere of preschool bliss:

Sight

Sight is incredibly important. When a parent walks through your door you want them to see: a neatly, dressed, smiling staff member or teacher, an organized entry, items playfully arranged for their child to engage in upon arrival, teachers positively interacting with other children and a clean and organized classroom. How do you think a parent perceives your school if they are greeted each day with a mess, a stressed out teacher and children screaming in the background? I am sure you can only imagine.

Smell

Smell is a sense that is easy to ignore, especially in our profession. If you have children who are potty training and in diapers, this is particularly of importance to you. Make sure that you have a procedure for taking out dirty diapers on a regular basis, and flushing toilets. Those smells tend to linger and I am sure you don’t want them around any longer than they need to be. Another tip; install some eco-friendly, non-toxic, air fresheners in safe (and strategic places) throughout your school. A pleasing smell will make a great impression on your parents. During the holiday season it is also fun to have some mulled spices on the stove (safely away from students of course). They fill your school with an amazing smell and conjure images of home for both students and parents alike.

Sound

Our sense of hearing is just as important as sight and smell. When parents walk into your school, what do they hear? Are children (and teachers) yelling? Is there an abundance of noise? When walking into a school parents should hear: soft music playing in the background (something fitting to the time of day), the murmur of the soft voices of children engaged in the learning process, and maybe even the kind voice of a teacher comforting a child who is missing their mom or dad. If parents are arriving while you are playing outside with your class, then parents will want to hear: laughter, shrieks of joy and appropriate preschool banter. Always make sure that parents are being greeted by a teacher or staff member when they walk through your doors. A quick, “Hello! How are you?” will create a lasting positive impact.

Touch

That’s right! Our sense of touch is also incredibly important. Think about everything a parent touches when dropping off and signing in a child; a pen, a counter, a cubby, a door knob… and the list goes on. These surfaces should be wiped down daily (if not more often). Not only will parents love how clean your school feels, but you will be helping to keep those pesky germs away too!

Taste

You may be thinking to yourself, “Taste? How does taste come into play?” Well, think about it… what could you do in your school to ensure that parents have a pleasant “taste” experience in your school? Many of you may already provide coffee or hot cocoa to your parents in the morning. Or maybe you have a lovely tray of bagels or fruit available for parents as they head out to work. Parents will look forward to coming into your school each and every morning and enjoying a quick yummy bite or a warm cup of coffee to go.

Our five senses are amazing tools for us to take advantage of as preschool owners and directors. They can help us provide an environment that is pleasing to our staff, teachers, students and parents. As you move through your day pay attention to your senses. Talk with your teachers about what they can do to make sure those magical 10 minutes that parents are in your schools are the most sensory-appealing moments of their day.

Categories
Childcare Education Family homeschool Leprechaun trap School St. Patrick's Day

Building a Leprechaun Trap for St.Patrick’s Day

My children have been making Leprechaun traps for years, and even though my two eldest are about at an age when this shouldn’t be deemed “cool,” they are still all in. Maybe it’s for the sake of my youngest… but regardless of age, this activity is just FUN.

Luckily, St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and designing a Leprechaun trap is the perfect activity to focus on to bring some joy back into daily life.

To start some background information.

If you were unaware, Leprechauns come into the human world only once per year, on the evening of March 16th. On that evening they search the world for children who are trying to trick them with a trap (Leprechauns cannot resist a sneaky challenge). It has been our experience that they always leave evidence of their tampering with the traps either through a dusting of glitter, a knocked over trap, or maybe some green footprints. However, the very best part is that the Leprechaun leaves a special treat behind for each child. If yor child seems concerned about the well-being of the Leprechaun, you can let them know that Leprechauns are resistant to all human viruses.

Now it is time to get building!

Since Leprechauns are small you do not need to build anything too large. Just grab any cardboard box that you have lying around. Add a door, maybe a room or two, along with some tricks for your Leprechaun (they love shiny things) and you’re done.

Place the trap (or “playground” as my eldest daughter has always called her trap) somewhere that your child thinks is accessible to Leprechauns on the evening of the 16th. Once your kiddos are asleep create some Leprechaun havoc and don’t forget to leave a small treat or prize behind.

Your children will wake up excited to find what the Leprechaun has done, and will be thrilled to have received a special treat from him.

Now get going… there is not much time!

Suggested supplies:

-cardboard box

-jars

-glue

-pens or paint

-glitter

-safe scissors

-anything else you have laying around (buttons, fabric, popsicle sticks, etc)

Check out these traps for some inspiration and have fun!

~Meghan

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