takeabreaktots on LTK

Elbert’s Bad Word Book rec! This goes with last week’s post about extreme or harsh language. I love this special book and used it a lot during my counseling days. Just like grownups, kids need big words to express their big emotions. This book is super helpful and provides fun alternatives if your kiddo has picked up on some not-so-appropriate language…which I’m sure they heard on TV…😉 Affiliate links in my profile and you can shop it in the LTK app. http://liketk.it/30Syb liketkit @liketoknow.it LTKfamily LTKkids LTKunder50 @liketoknow.it.family Screenshot this pic to get shoppable product details with the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app

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Elbert's Bad Word - by Audrey Wood (Paperback) | Target

Sticker wall!

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Stinky Pig. This game is basically Hot Potato but with a pig that toots. It’s a great game to help set potty word and potty joke boundaries at home. “When we are playing, we can say potty words, make silly jokes, and laugh about toots. When the game is over, we are all done. We WILL play again…”

Stinky Pig can also help with:

✋🏼Hand-eye Coordination - lots of catching and tossing ✋🏼Impulse Control - you need to throw with control so no one gets hurt and the game doesn’t get off track ✋🏼Frustration Tolerance - it’s hard to lose but the toot takes the edge off a bit😆. The game is fast-paced so there is lots of winning and losing.

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Travel Toys

We have a couple of long road trips coming up during the holidays. Here’s what I’m packing:
Annie
🚗 Magnadoodle
🚗 Dimpl Toy
🚗 Books
🚗 New toys/rattle
🚗 Scarves in a bag
🚗 Fisher Price Little People
🚗 Snacks

Everything is listed on my Amazon Storefront and in the LTK app.

#parentingtips #travelingtoys #travelingwithtoddlers #holidaytravels #roadtriptips #roadtriptoys

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Travel Toys

We have a couple of long road trips coming up during the holidays. Here’s what I’m packing:

Max
- iPad - I’ll download several movies or Max can play a game. We have the Starfall ABC and Highlights Apps (we just keep playing the free puzzles, I do not pay the monthly subscription)
- Melissa and Doug puffy stickers. These have gotten pricier, but they hold Max’s attention and can be reused. They last a pretty long time.
- Melissa and Doug Memory Game - Max isn’t that into matching yet, but loves to open and close the little doors. We can also use the pictures to play I-Spy and tell stories or jokes.
- iSpy Books
- Coloring Books and clipboard
- Dollar section activity books

Everything is listed on my Amazon Storefront and in the LTK app.

#parentingtips #travelingtoys #travelingwithtoddlers #holidaytravels #roadtriptips #roadtriptoys

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Great deals!

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Featured Toy Friday: Magnatiles!

I know I’m not introducing anything new with this one! Magnatiles are so popular. Max hadn’t played with his in forever so I cleared our dining table to present a new platform for building - he loved it! It also keeps his structures safe from Annie-zilla 🦖🎀😆. (One day I won’t have toys all over my house, right?! 😅).

My favorite thing about Magnatiles is the awesome sound they make when you crash them. So satisfying! Perfect for kiddos who need to feel a little destructive💥. I highly recommend making slo-mo crash videos.

Children learn so much through building - spatial awareness, cause and effect, gravity, etc. They help strengthen executive functioning skills like planning and impulse control. They are a great foundation for imaginative play as well! Magnatiles are a great playroom staple! Check out the pictures to see how I’ve used them for various play setups.

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Featured Toy Friday: Doctor Tools

A MUST-HAVE for any house! Seriously, you NEED doctor tools. Our kids play their experiences to process and make sense of them, to work through emotions around them, and just for fun!

I found our Melissa and Doug vet/grooming set at Homegoods so that’s a great spot to check first. Or, I linked a bunch in the LTK app and in my Amazon storefront.

#socialemotionaldevelopment #learningthroughplay #playroomessentials #socialemotionallearning #parentingtips

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Featured Toy Friday: These tubey things!

I bought these for Annie’s birthday and she loves them, but they’ve also been a big hit with Max!

They have been pipes, snakes, doorbells (IDK), swords, crowns, and many more things I can’t think of right now!

Bonus: they are also really awesome Take a Break Tools! It takes some muscle to extend them out all the way and they make a really great noise when you do it. Then it takes focus and fine motor skills to push it back. Perfect for getting out some energy when emotions are high. Love it!

The only downfall is that they dent pretty easily when stepped on so be careful. A few of ours are dented but it doesn’t seem to bother my kids.

Linked in bio, on my Amazon storefront “Take a Break Tools” section, and in the LTK app.

#parentingtips #developmentallyappropriatetoys #takeabreaktots #takeabreaktools #playroomessentials #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills

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Bop Bag!!

I’ve recommended Bop Bags to countless families and now it’s time for our house to have one. Yes, it’s a toddler punching bag. Max loves everything superhero. He often gets carried away playing and knocks over his sister. The Bop Bag is a great target for his big energy! It’s also a great tool for getting out aggression or redirecting hits. Highly recommend!

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Playpen!!

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Double-Dip Feelings

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Last Day Blues

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Dino Cooking Class!

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Books for Moving or Saying Goodbye

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Dinos + Stickers

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Farm on fire!

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Magnetile Playground!

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Wooden Puzzle Sets

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Dino Coffee & Coloring Party!

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Garbage Truck Repair!

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Winter Storm Dollhouse Setup

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Iggy Peck, Architect play setup

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Max’s Easter Basket!

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All my must-have supplies for the crib to bed transition

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Waiting Is Not Easy!

Mo Willems is a creative genius. Not only are his books engaging and entertaining, you can also use them to help your kiddos process big concepts. I’ve linked a few of my favorites in the LTK app and in my amazon storefront.

I love Waiting is Not Easy! ($5.42 on Target.com right now!) to help Max practice patience. It’s helpful for short terms like waiting for his breakfast or events further away like a birthday or special holiday. As I’m helping him, I validate the feeling, credit his effort, and reference the book to emphasize the point. For example, “you are waiting! It’s so hard, but you are doing it. Just like Gerald in the book, remember?”

If he has a hard time, I’ll wait for him to get calm and then process what happened - “it was so hard to wait for your snack today. Kind of like Gerald in the book, remember? He had a hard time, too. Did it make it go faster when he moaned and groaned? What might have helped him wait?” Then we talk about what he can do to help the waiting go faster - playing, singing, etc.

Next time I’m preparing him for a wait, I’ll bring up these past conversations - “you have to wait. It can be hard or it can be easy. Remember when we talked about things you can do to make the wait feel easier? You can play or sing a song. What do you choose?”

Looks like Target has buy 2 get 1 free on children’s books right now!
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Fat Brain Toys has so many awesome things!

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My Favorite Way to Help Kids Cope with Change

When I took topic suggestions a few weeks ago I got a lot of inquiries about helping kids through big transitions like welcoming a new sibling, moving homes, transitioning from crib to bed, going back to school, etc. Big stuff! One of the most helpful things you can do for your child in these situations is make a homemade book. Books are an awesome way to process experiences and emotions. While there are many you can purchase, there’s something extra special about a homemade book. Kids love to help make them and they love to see themselves on the pages! You can make books for more everyday transitions too, like your morning or bedtime routine.

Establishing a new routine or adjusting to a new set of circumstances is hard for anyone, but especially hard for a child because they lack the cognitive ability to think through the process outside of the situation. They live in the “here and now,” so when things change, they feel out of sorts and can’t figure out why — hello tantrums, separation anxiety, meltdowns, defiance…They need our help to coach them through it. A book is a great way for your child to process the change independently. They can grab the book whenever they want or you can direct them to take a look when you think they need to review things.

I find these great blank books in the Target dollar section and I send pictures to Walgreens whenever they have a coupon. I also have an Instax (think Polaroid) camera that is great to use for this kind of thing.

I’ll talk more about the books we’ve made and other tips in Instagram stories!

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Learning Resources Toys on Zulily!

There are some great deals on Zulily today! I rounded up my favorites in the LTK app. I think Learning Resources has some of the best quality toys out there, especially their play food.

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Bop Bag!
Perfect for those kiddos who need to unload some pent up energy.

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