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Happyhandsonlearning

Back-to-school season means it’s time to refresh our library list! 🍎📚

As a special educator and mom, I’ve read a lot of back-to-school books over the years. These are five that feel fresh, engaging, and keep little readers interested.

Perfect for ages 4–8!

📚 Save this list for your next library trip and follow for more Teacher-Approved Picture Books!

Back-to-school season means it’s time to refresh our library list! 🍎📚 As a special educator and mom, I’ve read a lot of back-to-school books over the years. These are five that feel fresh, engaging, and keep little readers interested. Perfect for ages 4–8! 📚 Save this list for your next library trip and follow for more Teacher-Approved Picture Books!

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Back to School, Backpack! - by Simon Rich (Hardcover) | Target

The First Week of School - by Drew Beckmeyer (Hardcover) | Target

A Day Off School - by Oliver Jeffers (Hardcover) | Target

Butterflies on the First Day of School - by Annie Silvestro (Hardcover) | Target

Not Yet, Yeti - by Bethany V Freitas (Hardcover) | Target

One of my favorite things about imaginative play is that the story doesn’t have to end. 💛

These new PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie playsets from @spinmaster have inspired hours of rescue missions, dinosaur adventures, and creative storytelling in our backyard. I love watching my girls build their own adventures together!

PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie is in theaters now! 🦖
#PAWPatrol #SpinMaster @pawpatrol

Think an abacus is just for counting? 👀

This classic learning tool can do SO much more! We’ve been using our abacus to make early math skills more hands-on—from building numbers and skip counting to addition, subtraction, and place value.

Comment ABACUS and I’ll send you the link!

As a special educator, I love finding simple ways to make learning more visual, concrete, and FUN—especially for little learners. 🧮✨

Follow for more simple ways to build skills through play.

This simple egg carton + pom pom activity for kids builds:
✔️ Hand strength
✔️ Pencil grip foundations
✔️ Bilateral coordination
✔️ Color recognition
✔️ Focus + control

Using these sensory tools makes it even more engaging and gives little hands the resistance they need to grow stronger 💛

Start with tongs for beginners
Level up to tweezers for more precision

Save this for later & tag a parent working on fine motor skills.

#handsonlearning #learningthroughplay #finemotorskills #toddleractivities

Stop buying workbooks.
Your child needs hands-on learning more than worksheets.

This activity builds:
• pre-writing skills
• letter formation
• fine motor strength
• sensory regulation

Save this idea for later 🤍
#handsonlearning #learningthroughplay

Snow Day Survival Tip ❄️👇

When school is closed… but they still wake up at 6am 😅

Bring the snow inside.
That’s it. That’s the tip.
No prep.
No fancy supplies.
Just a bin of snow and let them PLAY.

What they’re actually working on:
✔️ Sensory regulation
✔️ Fine motor strength
✔️ Hand strength for writing ✏️
✔️ Letter & math skills
This kept my 3 & 5 year old busy all morning long🙌

Save this for the next snow day ❄️
Tag a parent who needs this tomorrow 👀

#snowday #learningthroughplay #sensoryplay #activitiesforkids

If your toddler loves to smash things… turn it into learning 👀🔨

Instead of saying “stop,” try redirecting that energy. Roll different colored Playdoh balls. Call out a color. Let them SMASH the right one.

What they’re really building:
✔️ Color recognition
✔️ Listening + following directions
✔️ Impulse control
✔️ Fine motor strength
✔️ Hand strength for writing ✏️

Play-based learning always wins✨

Save this for later & comment SMASH if your toddler is in their smashing era 😅💛

#learningthroughplay #toddleractivities #preschoolactivities #finemotor