I’m Valerie, a mom and early childhood educator who’s passionate about making learning fun and meaningful.
I get it. As a parent (or teacher), you’re super busy, but I also know that you want to make sure you’re encouraging your child to be the happiest and best they can be, but its so hard to find the time and resources to do it all.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, I thought I would share some super easy, very low or no prep Valentine’s Day activities for toddlers and preschoolers. It might come as a surprise to you, but I honestly don’t really like Valentine’s Day (which Chris is really happy...
Some of the things you will hear before giving birth to your second child are:“Your heart will expand”“You never knew you could love so much”“Is your toddler.. ready, excited, going to be jealous”“Are you ready?”But do they tell you this will be a hard transition? It...
You have the positive pregnancy test and there could be a wide range of emotions you are feeling. I know for us it was a little bit of shock, fear, denial, confusion, and excitement. Once you have processed those emotions, now what? How do you prepare yourself, your...
There are so many ways to celebrate the holiday season and believe me I love Christmas. Why not use the fun and excitement to spark interest in sneaky learning activities. I say sneaky because often times toddlers or preschoolers don't even realize they are learning...
I’ll be honest with you, I am no cooking-with-toddler expert or any kind of chef. In fact, I was pretty nervous to involve Ruby (currently 16 months old) in the kitchen at all. So, if you want some real advice from a real mom on cooking, baking or involving your...
As soon as Halloween was over, we switched gears to Christmas. Thanksgiving was a small Autumn afterthought. Christmas is just so magical, fun, and filled with lots of holiday traditions and engaging play ideas. We have to start early because there are so many great...
With a Master’s degree and 15 years of experience in everything from Montessori to Reggio Emilia schools, I’ve seen the magic that happens when kids learn through play.
But guess what? It’s not just about ABCs and 123s—it’s about sparking those big, beautiful life skills like empathy, problem-solving, and social-emotional growth.
When my oldest was born, my passion for play-based learning exploded, and I knew I had to share it with other parents and educators. That’s how Outside the Toy Box was born. Here, you’ll find practical, hands-on activities that fill kids with curiosity and a love for learning.
