The Monthly Play Date | September

Like many of you, my family is adjusting to a new fall schedule. There’s definitely a transition period that comes with frustrations and tears...sometimes even from me. When life feels a little chaotic, I find it helpful to return to the basics.

The basics look a little different for every family, but they’re the foundation that helps our days run more smoothly. Sometimes it’s something as simple as a good breakfast before heading out the door. Other times, it’s a tool that has proven to work, like the visual checklist we use for our mornings and afternoons.

The basics become an anchor that helps us from drifting into chaos.

As I was creating this month’s Playdate, I thought it would be the perfect time to get back to the basics for our toddlers too.

This month we’ll take a closer look at some of the foundational basic skills that support learning through everyday play:

Week 1: Everyday Helpers– Building confidence and independence through everyday routines

Week 2: Words That Matter– Encouraging the foundational words toddlers use to communicate their wants, needs, and ideas

Week 3: Concepts Through Play – Exploring basic concepts through hands-on play

Week 4: Back to Books – Growing language, imagination, and a love of reading together

As always, each activity includes a developmental focus, simple ways to play, and words to model. I hope you’ll join us this month as we get back to the basics!

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If you ever find yourself searching for a toddler gift and wondering, “Is this a good toy?”

Toy MVP answers that question by highlighting one toy each month that supports language, play, and learning. You’ll see why it stands out and get an easy activity to help you use it during play.

This month’s Toy MVP is Melissa & Doug’s Crawl Through Tunnel. We’ve had this tunnel for about six years now. Both my 7 year old and 3 year old play with it regularly and it’s held up really well.

Movement is one of the best ways toddlers learn. They don't need to sit still to build language or understand new concepts. In fact, they're often more engaged when they're moving! A tunnel gives toddlers the chance to experience spatial concepts with their whole body. When learning is active and playful, those concepts become more meaningful, easier to remember, and easier to use in everyday life.

WHY IT STANDS OUT:

• It can be used for indoor or outdoor play

• Foldable and easy to store, if you’re limited on space

• Versatile for younger and older toddlers

• Encourages development of motor skills

SPATIAL CONCEPTS: (IN/OUT; THROUGH)

• Activity: Grab a few favorite stuffed animals or any item they love. Comment as you go. The frog is going IN the tunnel. Oh, now the frog is OUT. The bunny is going through the tunnel. Uh-oh, she’s stuck! Can you help get her OUT?

• Check in: Does your child follow directions for in/out and through? Encourage your child to comment on what each animal is doing.

Tip: Consider what daily activity or routine you can incorporate the concepts in/out and through to reinforce what they have learned.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr & Eric Carle is a classic you may have grown up reading yourself. I’ve been reading it with my toddler since she was a baby, and the interactive slide-and-find version has been a favorite, especially during those wiggly toddler stages.

For younger toddlers, I like to focus on animal sounds or pause before familiar words to let them fill in the blank: “I see a ___.” It’s a simple way to encourage participation without any pressure.

With older toddlers, you can build vocabulary by talking about each animal. What sound does it make? Where does it live? What does it eat? You can also expand on the colors with little think-alouds: “The bird is red. What else is red? That’s right! Apples and strawberries are red too.”

If this book isn’t already in your storytime rotation, it’s one I’d definitely recommend. There are so many easy ways to extend the learning beyond the pages, and there’s something special about sharing a story that generations of parents and children have enjoyed together.