Sharing Doesn’t Stop When You Leave the Sandbox!
There is a lot that goes into what we do. We need knowledge, equipment, and friends. And our mothers taught us to share! So here ya go, our favorite books, equipment, and friends!
Equipment
Balls
We love balls from Play with a Purpose. We like the Classic Coat 6.3″ or 7″ balls. They are super durable and you don’t have to blow them up! Get yours here.
Balls
If you need more budget-friendly balls, we also love these balls that are easy to hold in small hands, but hold up to all kinds of games and play. Get yours here.
Bean Bags
Bean bags are versatile and great for all kinds of games. The heavier the bags the better (more proprioceptive input!) Get yours here.
Bubbles
You can only smile when you say “bubbles.” We are very picky about ours and these hold up the longest and the best! Get yours here.
Cones
We use them right side up and upside down. They are hats, ice cream cones, mitts, and so much more. Get yours here.
Hula Hoops
A standard for much of our play, we love these hoops because they are indestructible, and it is worth paying more for hoops that don’t kink. We like the 24″ Durahoops in rainbow colors. Get yours here.
Hoop Holders
If you think they are just for holding hoops, you would be wrong! These guys are super versatile! Get yours here.
Low Cones
There are so many uses for these guys! They can be volcanoes, popcorn, markers, items to stomp. The list is endless! Get yours here.
Pool Noodles
Are they golf clubs, birds, or chopsticks? They can be any, all, or more. Get yours here.
Books
If Broccoli Were a Cookie, by Preston Blackburn
This cookbook is a collection of recipes that have been successfully replicated for more than a decade with hundreds of picky preschoolers. Incorporating math, language, science and social studies, we share our tips and tricks to engage young minds and small hands in the magical art of cooking. Get yours here.
1 2 3 Kindergarten! by Preston Blackburn
Kindergarten is in your future whether you have a 2-year-old, a 5-year-old, or something in between. Getting ready for what lies ahead in the world of elementary excitement and learning is important, particularly at this crucial stage.
123 K is filled with snack-sized tools to get kids moving to support a world of learning by honing specific strengths for holding a pencil or sitting comfortably at a desk to motor patterns needed to support language and math. Get yours here.
My Daddy is a Pretzel, by Baron Baptise
This is our favorite way to introduce young children to yoga. A clever twist on describing what our parents do every day, helping children remember yoga poses.
Get yours here.
The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
This is a must-read for parents and educators. Besides providing tangible solutions to the challenge of technology in our children’s lives, it delivers a powerful punch in data that runs in sync with everything we advocate for educate on. We are big fans. Get yours here.
The Joy of Movement, by Kelly McGonigal
McGonigal draws on insights from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology, as well as memoirs, ethnographies, and philosophers. She shows how movement is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery–and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Like Anxious Generation, much of what McGonigal share dovetails beautifully with what we at Pivot to Play® espouse. Get yours here.
Balanced and Barefoot, by Angela Hanscom
Hanscom shows us how today’s kids’ sedentary lifestyles adopted sedentary lifestyles filled with television, video games, and computer screens have impacted their learning and behavior. But more and more, studies show that children need “rough and tumble” outdoor play in order to develop their sensory, motor, and executive functions. Again, a parallel with what we are working so hard to achieve. Get yours here.
Our Friends You Might Want to Know
Cheryl Turner, Education Consultant
Our friend Cheryl speaks our language by helping educators and early childhood programs implement effective academic and social-emotional learning strategies for improved learner outcomes. You can learn more about Cheryl and her company Reach TLS here.
International Play Association, USA
We are honored to be a member of this amazing group and humbled to have been a presenter at the International Play Association Triennial Conference in Glasgow, Scotland in 2023. With lots of ideas and plenty of information, this is a great place to learn about the power of play. Find out here.
Let’s Play America
Our friend Pat Rumbaugh, aka the Play Lady, started Let’s Play America to bring more play to communities. If you want to host a play day in your community this is your resource! Learn more here.
Note: Some of our links are affiliate links.