If you have kids under the age of 7, you’re going to love this episode! I’ve invited Kelsey Cook, founder of Learning with Kelsey, to share easy ways to entertain little kids. 

You’ll Learn:

• Why you don’t have to be involved in everything your kid does
• How to feel more playful and fun as a mom 
• 4 ways to encourage play (and make it easy)
• My hide-and-seek hack for when you need a quiet moment🤫

We’re talking about how to get into a playful mentality as a parent and how to entertain your kids in a way that feels easy and good to you.

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These are the kinds of activities you want to have in your toolbox to keep your kids occupied (and happy!) when you’re taking care of a baby, getting up early, making lunches - or when you just need a break.

Kelsey Cook is a certified teacher, entrepreneur, mom, and advocate for early childhood learning. With a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, she spent six years teaching before launching Learning with Kelsey, a subscription box company designed to help parents engage their young children in meaningful, hands-on learning. 

As a mother of four, Kelsey understands the challenges of early education at home and created her boxes to simplify the process while strengthening parent-child connections. Kelsey says, “The years before kindergarten are so hard and so special because you are your kid's teacher. You're with them. But then also you feel this pressure of, ‘how can I get them ready [to start school], because there's nobody else getting them ready?’”

What started as a small passion project has grown into a nationwide resource, helping families in all 50 states prepare their children for lifelong learning.

Easy Ways to Entertain Little Kids 

These activities are super fast and easy, and they’re created for KIDS, so it’s not totally necessary for you to be right there doing it with them. As much as they are about engagement and learning for your child, they’re also a coping strategy for you. Parenting little kids is exhausting. It’s very physical and takes a ton of energy.

Think about one of those mornings when your kid wakes up early. You still just want a little time to get dressed and have a cup of coffee, but your kiddo needs engagement. They are ready to go! 

As moms, it’s easy to feel guilt about pretty much everything. Simple activities like the ones Kelsey creates allow your kids to learn while being entertained (without screens), so you don’t have to feel guilty about taking a moment for yourself. It’s a total win-win!

One of my favorite ideas Kelsey shared is creating “morning starts” for her kids. These are simple activities that she sets up the night before (in just a couple of minutes) so that they have something to do when they get up in the morning. She recommends using an activity that kids have done before so they can do it independently. 

Of course, these activities also provide an opportunity to connect with your child when you want to. And connection breeds compliance. Spending that one-on-one time and giving them your attention leads to better behavior. Your kid behaves better when they feel really loved, seen, and supported by you.

Plus, they get a little dopamine kick when they succeed at a challenge or solve a problem.

Kelsey and I agree that any activity Mom can lead from the couch is a winner! Here are some of our favorites:

• Freeze Dance - Put on some music and let your kid show off their moves. When the music stops, they freeze in place!
• Statue - Challenge your kid to pose like statue of different animals or objects that you call out
• Easter egg hunt (or other objects) - This one does require you to move around for a minute - Hide the eggs and ask your child to find them and bring them back to you one at a time
• Sing a song, like “head, shoulders, knees, and toes”

Set the Stage for Play

In the world of on-demand entertainment, kids figuring out how to entertain themselves has become a lost art. Kelsey’s activities and boxes teach kids to engage their own brain, creativity, and problem solving. These are activities they can come back to over and over and put their own variations on them. 

Include movement

We both hear moms all the time say, “My kid won’t sit still to do an activity.” And it’s not a problem.

Kelsey loves including gross motor skills in her monthly activity boxes and calls them “brain breaks”. Some examples for springtime include rolling an Easter egg or hopping like a bunny. For kids who need to move, it can help to do these activities before they sit down for something calmer.

She also shares that a 5-10 minute attention span is pretty normal for preschool-age kids. So planning for short activities with movement in between is a great way to keep them engaged. 

You’ve got to figure out what works for your child and family, so get creative! When Kelsey’s boys were young, instead of sitting at a table to do a sticker activity, they would get the sticker, hop over to a paper that was hanging on the wall and stick it up. Then, hop back over for the next sticker. It allowed them to move their bodies and made the activity last longer.

Create a dedicated space

As I watched Kelsey’s Instagram videos, I noticed that she seemed to have a wall in her home that was used for certain activities. Even if you don’t have a full playroom in your home, look for a space where kids can move and get a little messy (within limits). 

Kelsey shares that even though her family does have a play room, that’s often not where her kids want to play. They want to be in the kitchen, because that’s where she is. So now, that’s where the “play wall” is, too.

Set expectations

Letting kids know what to expect and what is expected of them before you start a new activity is helpful in so many ways. 

First, it trains you to think ahead for any obstacles that might come up. Then, you can prepare your child and set them up for success.

Kelsey shares the example of going to Target. A lot of times, parents get frustrated when they’re shopping, wondering why their kid is being so annoying and grabbing everything. Instead she says to her kids, “When we go into the store today, we’re not buying any toys. But if you see something you want for your birthday, I’ll take a picture of it.”

This is an example of letting your child know what to expect, understanding their needs and desires, and setting clear limits.

Keep it simple

When kids are little, we often assume they know how to do certain things…when maybe they don’t. Or it’s just not as easy for them as we think.

Kelsey says, “Go all the way back to the simplest thing you're trying to tell them to do. For instance, when my kids are going to get in the car, I say, ‘Okay. We're gonna go, and I need you to go and put your hand on the car.’” One super simple step at a time.

Kelsey’s other favorite tool from her years as a teacher? Whispering. She says kids tune in immediately because they have to if they want to hear what you’re saying.

Get Playful as a Parent

My goal for being a mom was to make it fun for myself. I want my family energy to be light and connected. And when we get off track, I want to bring that playfulness back in. 

Our kids don't want the Instagram or Pinterest mom. They want the mom they have, and they want us to be happy.

Kelsey shares one idea that changed her approach to motherhood - You can make motherhood what you want it to be. 

She loved reading books to her kids, so creating a daily story time built that connection and filled her cup at the same time. “It’s not all about what your kids want,” she says. “Think about what you love as a mom and what brings you joy. Then, do more of it.” 

Free Resources:

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Cheat Sheet!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Cheat Sheet here

Connect With Darlynn: 

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips 
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Connect with Kelsey:

• Grab your free download of Toddler Activity Ideas
• Find printables, and tons of free resources at learningwithkelsey.com 
• Follow Kelsey on Instagram and TikTok @learningwithkelsey
• Kelsey’s monthly activity boxes include 20 done-for-you ideas and only the supplies you actually need (no more hours of scrolling Pinterest or ordering giant Amazon bags of 1000 pom poms). Plus, they’re quick to set up and don’t require a ton of parent involvement (you can choose how much you want to engage). Check out the different options online at learningwithkelsey.com 

Welcome back to become a calm mama. I'm your host, I'm Darlene

Childress. And on the podcast today, I have

invited Kelsey Cook to talk to us

about activities you can do with little kids,

with one or two year olds, toddlers, preschoolers,

early kindergarten, all the way up to, like, seven and eight year olds.

And she's created a company called Learning with

Kelsey where she puts together boxes for different ages that

have all these activities that we talk about in the box, like a,

you know, one and done kit for each month that you can order.

And what we talk about besides the boxes is just sort

of how to get into the mentality of being playful,

entertaining little kids, and doing it in a way that feels good to

us and is super fast and easy for us so that

you can get more time to yourself, more time to rest, and your kids

will be learning and growing at the same time. I think you're

gonna love this episode, especially if you have kids under

seven. This is for you. And the other thing I wanna invite you

to do is to go to Instagram at learning with

Kelsey and looking look her up and just

start to scroll through all of the amazing free resources

she has on her web on the Instagram because

it is full of ideas that you can do simply and

easily at any time with your kids, buys you,

time while you're making dinner, while you're, you know, taking care of

a baby, getting up early, making lunches,

any of those things, like, any task that you need to do or you just

wanna rest, these activities will help your kids be

occupied. So I am so excited to introduce

you to Kelsey Cook. I'm Darlene.

It's so nice to meet you. I know. Nice to meet you too. I'm so

excited about this conversation and we're just gonna jump right in. I'll have an

intro. I invited you on here. You your team reached out

and I get a lot of reach outs. And then sometimes I'm like, I don't

know. And then I went to your Instagram and I was like,

obsessed. I watched Oh my gosh. You're so nice. It's so fun.

So good. And so so many

cool ideas of how to entertain kids and their

educational, but also really easy.

And I just loved it. So that's why you're here because

My gosh. I'm so glad. Yeah. Podcast is called Become a Calm Mama

because parents are always looking for ways to stay

calm themselves, stay connected with their kids, make life

easy, and having activities that are

easy to access, really engaging for little

kids is golden. So welcome to the podcast. Thank you.

Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be on here. Yeah. So introduce

yourself. Tell us a bit about, like, how you got started.

And then we'll get into what you do and then kind of, like, what you

sell, like, the boxes. But then I really wanna talk about just kind of

your mentality of, like, how do you come up with it so that you can

give everyone ideas. I'd love to. Okay. So I'm Kelsey.

I am a mom of four. My kids are nine,

six, three, and then one. And, I

started as a teacher. So I taught third grade, then I taught

kindergarten. And then when I had my first baby, I

was like, hey. This is really hard to do both. You know? Like,

I was, the kind of teacher that, like, brought everything home with me. I was

always doing it. So I really, really wanted to

focus on my son. So I was lucky enough to be able to stay

home. And, then that was my first day of

school without teaching, and I was like, wait. I really miss this. It's like

it's so fun. It was, like, such a passion of mine. And so

I opened a preschool out of my house, because I thought, k. That would

be a great balance. I could still be home. I at that time, I had

two kids, and so I taught one of them preschool. One of them got to

go be with my mom. And so it was, like, such a great balance. I

had just 12 kids, but I didn't really have a curriculum that

I loved that I could find. So I created my own. My

entire preschool curriculum was my own, and then COVID

happened. And so I had to close preschool, so I

made packets for my preschoolers because

I'm like, oh, they're so sad. They're missing out on my favorite part of the

year, like, butterflies and rainbow, all the end of the year

stuff. So I would make packets with everything that they would do and put

them out on my porch, and the moms would come get them. And

they just started sharing them on Instagram, and so people were like, well, can

I get one? Like, my neighbors. So I'm like, okay. Yeah. I can make

one. And then someone messaged me from a different state and said, could could you

send me one? And I was like, okay. Maybe this is we're on to

something here. So I made an Instagram,

and I started mailing them.

And then from there, I kind of realized, like, besides the COVID

aspect of it where we all have these kids at home, the

years before kindergarten are so hard and so

special. Like, I I love those years because you're just

your kid's teacher. You're with them. You're but then also you feel this pressure

of, like, how can I get them ready because there's nobody

else getting them ready? So I realized that activities

were so hard to, like, scrounge up. You can go on Pinterest. You

can do this, but, like, my background made it so much easier for me, and

it was still hard for me. So I'm like, if I can make a way

for moms to be able to do this on their own without having to think

about it, that's kind of how my boxes were born. So from there, I

started, and now it's a real business. So Oh my god.

Congratulations. That's such a cool story. Thank you.

Yeah. COVID made us all pivot, but then a lot of creative

opportunities and creative, like, solutions. Yeah. For

sure. I know your boxes are amazing. They have, you know,

all the, like, different ideas and some manipulatives

and things like that in the boxes. And then you also have downloadables

that Yes. If you just wanted to, like, get the ideas, you also have that

on your website. I was, like, poking around. I was like, I should buy one.

And I'm like, oh my god. Like, my kids are grown, but I guess I

just I like the craftiness of them all. But, actually, what I like about

it the most is that they're not super crafty. Like, it's not just like, we're

gonna make a butterfly for no reason. I like

your stuff because it is you set

it up for the kid, and then they can keep doing it themselves.

It's not super necessary that the

parent be right there, and I think that's

extremely cool. And,

also, like, the educational piece, I like that. I was a

teacher. But I do think we get too stressed about,

like, preparing them. I Mhmm. I'm like, whatever. They'll figure it

out a little bit with when it comes to academics. Like, as if you're engaged

They do. You're reading to them. You know, you're, like, participating in

their, like, talking and chatting and going on nature walks.

Like, if you're just enjoying your preschooler, they're gonna be okay. Yeah. But I think

what I find is that parents feel like, okay, this

is a good example. Your kid gets up really early.

And it's like, they have a wake up clock or whatever.

Like they did a good job. They stayed in. You're a good

mama. The green light went off, and it's still

6AM. Yeah. And you want to, like, just

go have a cup of coffee. Uh-huh. Look at your phone and, like, put

your bra on and Mhmm. Just wake up.

Yes. You have this kid who needs

engagement. They've been sleeping. Their body's, you know, wanting to move and they wanna play

and they wanna talk. And I just tell us,

like, one of your things because it's so cool what you have

done to, like, help parents in that situation. Yeah.

Because I so I have that. My kids have always been

early wakers. Like, I'm like, I don't think my boys have ever slept past

seven in their lives. So Oh, just wait. They'll they'll get it get to that.

He's gonna be like, wait. Wait. My I think my 11 year old is dead

on a Saturday, and then you're like, oh, wait. We're here. Where they say I

know. I know. I'm like, will it ever come? So I have,

activities that I love that are called morning starts where I just set up

something the night before for them to do an activity,

and you can pull one from my box. I also have, like, a free download

that has a bunch of different options on it, but it's like it takes

me ten minutes to set it up, and then they can just

do it themselves because it's something it's usually things that they have done before, like

color matching or, you know, tracing a line or connecting

dots. So it's something that they know how to do, but that they

can they can engage in and do independently.

Yeah. Morning starts. I looked to actually try to find downloadables. I

wasn't sure you had any free downloadables. Yeah. Yeah. I have that one. I'll have

I can send it to you so you can share it with your audience. Yeah.

We'll put it in the newsletter, and then, like, we'll put it on the show

notes and stuff. That's great. Perfect. Well, because so now I'm, like,

one of the parents. I'm like, you said ten minutes. I don't wanna spend ten

minutes. So sell us on how

like, why it's worth it. Yeah. So my boxes don't take

ten minutes to set it up. There we go. So those are

take probably two to three minutes for you to set it up because everything is

in there. That's kind of what I felt like was the most

like, the biggest hurdle for parents is you see these ideas and you're

like, oh, that's so fun. It's just pompoms and crayons. And and then all of

a sudden you're like, okay. Well, now I have to order a thousand pompoms. That's

the only pack on Amazon. I have to you know? So it's all these, like,

and now I have a huge jar of paint that I don't want.

So mine comes exactly with what they need. So you have 20

pom poms for your activity that needs the 20 pom poms. And

then you have a little bottle of paint, so you use it for your paint,

and then you're done. So you're not having to store a bunch of stuff. You're

not having to hunt down a bunch of different things. It's all in there. You

just, like, pull it out and do it. That's amazing. Yeah. And even if

someone finds the the box cost prohibitive

Mhmm. It is I think even if I don't know. I'm

just looking at well, these are candy Tic Tacs. But it is, like, it doesn't

always have to be the pom pom. Like, it can be something else. Like, you

had this cute thing where you just take some stickers that

they're not even fancy stickers. They're just the kind you would get at Staples, like

little green dots. And they were just putting them on I don't know what was

for Saint Patrick's Day or not. Yep. A clover. You're right. Yeah. Like little

kids just picking up a little sticker and sticking it on something.

And then that's just it's gross motor. It's fine

motor. It's, like, matching. I mean, there's so many cool things happening in the brain.

But, also, you're sitting there having your coffee, and they're just picking the thing up

and putting it over there. And that is amazing.

Amazing. And you're not feeling you know, because as moms, we we feel guilt

about everything. And so it's like you can do it and feel like, okay. While

they're doing something, they're learning something, and they're entertained.

You know? You're not I I'm not anti screens. I mean, my kids, I

use those as a tool often in my home, but, like, I would

rather not use a screen. You know? So when I can do something like

that, it just it makes my day so much better. It makes their

day so much better Because I used to be like, okay. They're up at

30AM. They're turning on a show. But then you realize by

30, they're just, like, spent. You know? They're so I

found my boys would get really more

wild because they're not engaged in their brain and they're

not engaged in their body. And then

the morning would be, speak, kind of a disaster. Then I'm trying to get them

off the television in order to transition to socks and

shoes, to go to preschool, or to start breakfast, or whatever it was.

And it just wasn't worth it. Like, the time I got

was never as worth it for the time I had it

cost me in terms of energy. Yeah. So I do like it's

not anti it's an opportunity cost. Right? Like, when my kid is

doing on screen, I then know I'm gonna

maybe pay for some of the regulations For sure.

Afterwards. Yeah. For sure. I was thinking about I guess I'm

just, like, in my head, all the obstacles that parents would come up with. Yeah.

I'm just thinking about my boys, like, preschool

boys and, you know, early kindergarten and stuff. And one of

them, he was a early riser, and he

would, like, kinda do that. He would kinda he could occupy himself. But then the

other one was like a freaking Tasmanian devil. He just

woke up, like, you know, really

needing to move. And I have someone on the podcast the previous

week from you talking about, like, sensory activities and

remaining in the body. Then I think if you have them do

a body thing and then they sit down and do the activity,

that might be helpful. But I'm wondering, what do you recommend if

someone is like, my kid won't sit and, like, play with stickers

or Yeah. Whatever? Yeah. So I try to always

incorporate like, in my box, I incorporate, like, at least

two to three gross motor, like, type activities

that can be repeated throughout the month. So one of my favorite ones, like,

in my April box, they have, like, brain breaks that are, like, little

little activities, like, roll like an Easter egg, hop like a

bunny, and those are in egg. So I reuse those all

the time. Like, with my preschoolers, when I taught preschool, it

was like, okay. We do an activity, and then we get up and we move

around. So it's always every activity is probably five to ten minutes.

You know? Like and that that really is their attention span. Some

people are like, well, my kid was done with this in ten minutes. So now

what do I do? And it's like, well, that's kind of that's pretty good, honestly,

for a three year old. I'm always like, okay. Doing the same thing.

Yeah. Yeah. It's true. So it's like, you just kind of have to figure

out what works best for your family and then what you can do to get

them moving before you do that. Like, this is silly, but, like, my

boys, I would tape their sticker sheets up on the wall,

and they would have to get the sticker and then hop over and stick

it on. So it took them a lot longer, but, like, they were up

and moving where my daughter will just sit and, like, carefully put every sticker

on, and it just kinda depends. Right. Then that is a different

there's a there is a different energy with in little boy bodies,

little girl bodies. It's not always exactly the same. Some

boys are really mellow and chill, and then some girls are, like, really busy

and moving all the time. But in general, it can be challenging

to get little boys to kinda do stuff. But that's so such a great

idea. I love these brain breaks because yeah. I

I just this is how I think about it. If I give a little

kid an activity, they want to do it. Yeah.

Like, you're not they wanna

play. They wanna move. They wanna please you. They want to,

like, do the thing. Mhmm. If especially if you're like, okay. Here's what we're

gonna do. You're gonna open an egg, and then let's just roll like an Easter

egg and, like, see how many Easter egg rolls you can do or whatever. Yeah.

It's funny. I don't know. What the hell? Mhmm. And then they do it,

and then they're, like, giggling and you're giggling. And, I mean, one of my

favorite tip tricks was has nothing to do with your boxes, but I would play

hide and seek with my kids. And I would be the one that was hiding,

and then they would have to count. This is, like, more, like, seven, eight. They

have to count to a hundred. And I would get a

hundred. I would just go immediately to this easiest place to find me,

but I would have a hundred seconds That's genius. And

not move. Yeah. And then they would be like, I found you. And I'm like,

awesome. You do it again. Do it again.

Any activity that you can sit on a couch while

they do the thing. Oh, the best. Yeah. So it's

like, maybe it takes a little bit of effort to pull out

a, you know, something from the box or Mhmm. An idea.

But getting some things in your head that you're like, oh, no. Okay. Now now

jump. I mean, freeze tap or freeze dance is so great. Oh, so

great. You know, and like statue okay. Do statue, then you

have to guess what they're acting like. And then,

you know, they're like, I'm a bear. You just keep saying stuff, and they're just

stopping you. They're not moving. You're not moving. It's the best. And that's why

like, the Easter egg one I love because I will take two minutes and go

hide them all over my house, and then I will sit on the couch and

she will find them, bring them to me, and then I have to open it.

So It's so nice. I know. It's like so

these strategies, like, yes. They're educational, but, really,

they're coping for us to, like, just get tiny.

When you have little kids, I would say from zero to six, parenting is all

about the body. Mhmm. And then six to 12, it's all about

the mind. And then 12 to 18, it's all about the heart.

So your your body's the most tired when you have zero

six. And so anytime you can get them to you can get to sit down

and they're busy. Yeah. It's a huge break. Mhmm. And

even if it's five minutes, seven minutes, like, it's Yeah. It's a huge it makes

a huge difference. And I feel like it gives them like, you're

doing this one on one time with them. You're paying attention to them. You're

talking to them about this activity, and that in turn is gonna make

them better behavior. You know? It's gonna make them more

more likely to do what you want them to do just because they're feeling

that connection and they're feeling that one on one time. Yeah. Connection

breeds compliance, for sure. Yeah. And that way they're

feeling a little bit more, yeah. We

wanna do do what we're asked when we're feeling really

loved and seen and supported. Yeah. Yes. For sure. Yes. For sure. That's such a

good point. How do you come up with them? Like I

know you have your background in education, but they're so

clever. Well, actually, the one I was thinking was so clever. I mean, I

literally could just watch them all the time. Oh my gosh. There's so many

good videos. I mean, everyone just needs to go. It's learning learning

with Kelsey. Yep. Learning with Kelsey. Learning with Kelsey. Okay. I love

the one where you had the toilet paper roll on the wall.

So you just, like, tape a toilet paper roll on the wall.

And then there's a little bowl underneath, and then

they roll they put the thing, whatever the thing is, into the toilet paper roll

and it drops. And then you just added a few more on the wall so

that it created a I don't know if it's a maze or what that's called.

Like a boop, boop, boop, boop. Yep. And I get I haven't

that's, like, so entertaining to a little kid. Oh, yeah. They have

the time of their life with that activity. It's like, people don't believe me that

that will, like, entertain them for so long, but it really will. And they'll, like,

I'll leave it out, and my kids will keep coming back to it, like, throughout

the day. And even, like, my eight year old will get home from school and

be like, wait. You did this again without me? And, like, he wants to do

it. Because he could put other stuff in there. Like, whatever is, like, you know,

did how how heavy is the Hot Wheel? Will a Hot Wheel drop it off

or, you know, a little Polly Pocket type of doll or whatever? Mhmm.

And then the one you had with your little one, there was, like,

one of those shaker, shaker

cups that I things. Is that what you're talking about? Where you No. The one

that were he was putting stuff in a in a bottle, like a Oh,

yes. It's like a water bottle, but has a wider opening that

you use for, like, to make a shake. Yes. Yes. The shaker bottles. Yep.

And he he just has these little pompoms and just, like, stick it in the

hole over and over. And he loves it.

And it's like so that that's the thing that I feel like I wish more

parents know knew is that it's so simple to do

these things. You just have to kind of, like, think outside of what you would

normally do. So that's why Or think out inside your box. Yeah. Yeah. Like Like

probably the if you get a couple boxes, you

know, five months or whatever, you'd be like, okay. I kinda get

her dive. I get what she's doing here. I mean, I want people to stay

forever. But if it is something that you wanna just try it out

and then you start to learn the way you think and go, oh, this is

just an Easter based activity Yes. Similar to this

other one that we did at Halloween. Uh-huh. Exactly. Oh, okay.

I I know how to entertain a three year old. Old. Yeah. Yeah. And it

feels like like the a lot of my boxes so they, like, build on each

other where you're gonna have you have similar type of things in each

box, and that's by design. Because if you start with a

dot sticker activity in October and then you do one in

November, then in December, they're like, oh, I know how to do this. I can

do it on my own. You know? And you're creating, like, a confidence in your

child and creating independence in them by doing these

repeatable activities that they love, but just in a slightly different way.

Yeah. Oh, it's just brilliant.

How do you, like, how do you come up with them? I I

know. No. It's in like so it started with, like, all my preschools.

So I did I did all of these kind of activities when I taught

preschool. And then I so I started with only

a preschool box, and then I realized so many people were asking me, like, what

do I do for my two year old? And I'm like, k. Two year olds

when you've taught preschool or when you've had little kids, you know that the difference

in a two year old and a four year old is huge. You know? They

can't do the same type of things. So I created a toddler

box, and that's just for two to three year olds. And that

came based on having my toddlers at home. So I would, like,

try activities with them and be like, you know, this doesn't work. This does work.

Sometimes I think this is such a great idea. I pull it out. I get

it ready, and they hate it. You know? So it's been months for a long

You have your whole lab, like, testing labs. Yes. Oh my god. Like, I have

every age, so we test it all here.

Do you have a 14 year old box yet? I know. This is

someone else. I'm like, I do need a teenager. No. I'm not. I mean, I

just think, like, it's funny because we are trying to move our

young adult our young teens out of playing on

their phones and moving them to a little bit more screen free environment.

And it it would be amazing if there was you

know, you you'd have to have some test subjects, obviously, to figure

it out. But I just think I remember even myself, like, being

in middle school and or late elementary. I really love my stickers and

my scratches and sniff and and spending a lot of time

playing that stupid dots game and, like like, I because

I we didn't have anything to do. I you know, there wasn't even really

cable as much when even I'm older than you because I was

like there was only programming for kids Mhmm. At a certain time

of the day, and then I had to wait. It wasn't just ready for you

like it is for our kids. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. You'd have to be like, well,

now it's 04:00. Now it's new. It was like there's nothing on.

And so it's like we entertained ourselves a

lot, and that's a lost art. And I think your work

is really teaching kids kind of how to

engage their own brain, their own creativity, their own creativity, their own

problem solving. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. I I

mean and I think, like so my craft box goes up to, like, eight year

olds where they can do the crafting. But I do think like, even

with my nine year old, like, you're saying, like, I'm like, hey. Do Legos. Do

this. I want them out Yep. Doing things, but it really is so

hard to come by. You know? Yeah. My boys spent a lot of time

they we didn't really use TV. So they had, like, a

lot they used a lot of tape. That's what I'll tell you. I mean, they

just Why is it such a novelty? But they

I mean, and they would, like, tape their different tracks

together or tape things down the staircase. I

mean, they were just and I I think, oh, this is a good thing to

think about too. Like, allowing space for this play. I noticed in

your videos how there kinda seems to be a wall in your

home that sort of dedicated to these wall type of activities.

Yeah. And I and I was like, yeah. That's something smart to think

about is, like, where is that play space and where can they make

messes? Mhmm. And not obviously don't let your kids put stickers

on the walls. Like, that's all I'm saying. But to

create enough space for play and create enough space

for, you know, movement and all of that yeah. I wonder if that

And I feel like, you know, with little kids, like, I all I have a

playroom, and I think, like, go play in the playroom, but somehow their toys

always end up, like, where were I at? You know? And I'm like, why do

I have so our wall that I'm always using is right in my kitchen

because that's where they wanna be, and they are more

likely to do things independently if I'm just nearby. You know?

Yeah. That's a good point. Yeah. That you do have a

room that's separate, but that's not necessarily yeah. Where they wanna

be. Nice to shut the door and have all the Mets in there. Yeah. Yeah.

And my my boys love their playroom for sure. We had enough space that that

was possible. And it was, you know, definitely,

like, a very exploratory space, and and they could leave

a Lego mess out if they were in the middle of a project. But they

would also use all over the house. Yes. Sure. And,

you know, sometimes it was like, okay. You you guys need to tidy this up,

like, a fort or whatever. And then other times, I'd be like, let's just let's

just allow this creative play space to exist if we're not

having company or if it's not messy, like,

like, sticky or anything. Yeah. Yeah. Mhmm. Oh, it's

so amazing. Yeah.

The I noticed, like, one of the activities on your,

on your Instagram was I didn't really get what was happening, but it

was like a the muffin pan, and then there was a tape

across of it across it, and it was like your one and a half year

18 month old. Uh-huh. Kinda like trying to stick stuff into the muffin

tin and pull stuff out maybe. Yes. Yeah. That's a so we call that our

bear rescue because I have, like, the little colorful counting

bears. And so I'll put them in there, and I'll tape over, and he has

to try to get them out. And so it's like a fine motor activity, you

know, because they're pulling the tape. They're but then they're also kind of using, like,

their spatial awareness and their problem solving to get it in and out.

Mhmm. There's so many it's like having a little dog that you

need to entertain and, you know, you give them a

treat inside of their Exactly. So they can get

it out. Plastic ball. Yeah. And they have to kinda work at it. And that

it's actually really rewarding in a way that we don't give

enough credit to how much the brain likes reward.

Like, there's all this dopamine dissing going on

on the Internet. And, yes, we have manipulated

dopamine in a way that's not healthy. Mhmm. But,

actually, simple reward feels really good.

It's Oh, yeah. Oh, it landed in the

bowl. Yeah. Yeah. It's, like, so exciting. Exactly. And that's

that's that is dopamine too. That's reward, and it feels really

good. And I think sometimes parents think that they should do, like, a sticker chart.

Like, once you do your activity, then I'll give you a

sticker, and then you'll, like, do five activities, and you'll get a prize. What?

No. The the the reward is in the activity. They're

doing it. And the reward is that they're, like, able to do it by themselves

or they're able to show you something that they've completed or, you know,

make it exciting. Oh, good. Yeah. I I do often

say, like, channel your inner preschool teacher.

And these are tactile activities, but some of them

sounds like the brain breaks and stuff are not always tactile,

like, crap. It's like movement based. Because I think about like,

say I have, you know, five year old four and five year olds, and they're

in line, and it's getting overwhelming. Right? And

they need to figure out how to move through that

energy, how to get some play, get some connection.

And what would a preschool teacher do? Right? They would, like, probably have a

song. They would probably have a little activity that's, like,

head, shoulders, knees, and toes or, like, all these kind of

old school things that preschool teachers do that I think

parents, we don't know because we're not preschool teachers.

But if you think about it for a second or

two, like, you like go observe your preschool class or you get a

couple of these boxes, you're gonna start to go, oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I

just need to make a little movement, a little fun, a little

rhythm. I wondered if you had any ideas of, like, how to help

kids in line. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, I remember so when I

switched from third grade to teach kindergarten, my first day, I was,

like, getting a line, and they all just, like, heard it around me. And I

was like, they don't have a line. It's like I was like, this is actually

a big mistake. It's so cute. It's, like, so funny. You

think, like, these things that they know, they don't. So I think the best

thing parents can do is, like, of just go all the way back to, like,

what is the simplest thing you're trying to tell them to do and and make

it that simple. So, like, for instance, when my kids

are going to get in the car, I say, okay. We're gonna go, and I

need you to go and put your hand on the car. So, like, we start

with, like, just just put your hand on the car. And then once I'm ready,

then I'm gonna open the door. K. Then you're gonna buckle the top, and I'll

buckle the bottom for you or whatever. And then,

another thing that I love that is my very favorite tool as a teacher is

whispering. I think we forget that, like, if

you just start whispering to your kids, they, like, tune in

immediately, you know, because you're making it so they have to. So I'm always

like, k. I'm gonna say this so quiet. So you gotta listen if you're gonna

wanna hear me. So it's like something so simple like that that

gets your kids listening and engaged in what you're saying

before you ask them to do something. Yeah.

Yeah. It's so it's so helpful, these little tools

that, you know, you learn when you work with kids. Mhmm. I I

was a teacher. I taught middle school. And how do you school? I'm I'm very

impressed by you because that is, like, scary to me. Yeah. I spent a

lot of years hanging out with 13 year olds. And,

and in my work, I the my coaching is primarily for

the parent. I don't work with the kids, but I do think and

channel, like, what is it like to be four? What do I know? What do

I not know yet? Mhmm. And, you know, it we

think that kids are being disobedient, but a lot of

times they just have a skill gap. They don't even know what we're asking them.

Yeah. Yeah. So it's really good to, like, really

break that skill down. That's really a good tip. But also, like, when

you're doing a skill, it's something that really helps me as a mom is, like,

setting expectations. You know? Like, I did that all the time teaching. I'm sure you

did it teaching where you say, like, okay. Before we do this, here's what I'm

gonna have you do. So I always do that with my kids.

I've kind of retrain myself as a teacher. I'm like, this is what I did

as a teacher at work. So, like, when we're gonna go into the store, I'll

say, like, okay. Mhmm. We're going into Target. We're not getting anything

today. But if you see something you want for your birthday, I'm gonna take a

picture of it. So I'm already setting. I already know where we're gonna go.

I already can see the obstacles. Mhmm. And then I'm just kind of

setting them up for success because sometimes you don't, and then you're like, why are

they being so annoying? Why are they grabbing everything? Why are but it's like, they're

in Target, and there's toys everywhere. Like, that's fun. You know? That's what we're

doing when we're on Target. We're also I'm throwing it in my cart. Also putting

stuff in our cart. Yes. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Just kind of

recognizing that they have desire. They have they have needs and

just validating those. I was gonna say that you have

such a positive affect and, like, very lighthearted. You're

quick to giggle, quick to smile. And

that's probably a big part of your personality that it is

so nice for kids to have

a parent who seems happy

about being a parent. Yeah. And I get that we're not all

the time. Like, we can have our moods and be grumpy and whatever.

It's all fine. But working on our mindset a

little bit of, like, I've I've got little kids. Mornings are

tough. Let's make it the best we can. And Mhmm.

I wanna my goal is to make it fun for myself. My goal is

to make them work a little harder. Yeah. Yeah. You know, my

I want my family energy to be

light and connected and just kind of creating that,

like, foundational value. Then when

we're off track, we can bring that play back in. I just think that

playfulness that you naturally have is so

contagious for our kids. Mhmm. And,

I don't know. Like, what do you think about that? I think

yeah. For sure. I think that's so important. And I remember, like, when I when

I just had two kids and I they were two and four, and I

was pregnant. And I'm like, this is hard. You know? Like, I'm tired.

I'm exhausted all the time. And I remember someone sharing something

about how they tried to make motherhood what they wanted it to

be too. You know? It's not all about what your kids want. Think

about what you love as a mom and what brings you joy. What's your favorite

part of motherhood? And at that time, I loved reading books to my kids. Like,

that also, I couldn't walk around. I wanted to sit, so I'm

like, what do I so I was like, okay. I'm gonna we're gonna do story

time every day. We're gonna set out these books. We're gonna it's gonna be

a great fun time of the day that makes me happy and kind of fills

my my cup of motherhood because I was over

stacking up towers. I as much as I wanted to be the mom that wanted

to race cars all day, like, I could not. So I'm like I

made it something that I liked, and then my kids

naturally liked it because I was excited about it. It was fun for

me. So that, I think, is a really helpful tip is what do you

love about being a mom? Do more of it. Mhmm. I

agree. Oh, that's such a beautiful ending, actually.

Okay. Yeah. Because our kids don't

want the Instagram mom. They want the mom they have,

and they want us to be happy, and they want us to, you

know, do the things that we love, and they they'll love that.

Yeah. Exactly. Eventually, they'll do their own things, and that's

great too. But yeah. Oh, that's such a good idea and, like, way

to frame it forever. Yeah. Well, I love this

so much. I tell everyone everything about

Okay. You. Like, how to find you, like, I we've talked about it, but,

yeah, get the resources. You can go you can get the boxes on my

website, learningwithkelsey.com, and then I'm on Instagram

learning with kelsey. I'm also on TikTok learning with Kelsey,

and, you know, that's a little trickier for me. I'm not very I'm not

very Gen z, so I'm like, I'm trying hard at my TikTok.

But Yeah. Yeah. It's good. It's like me try me, like, I can't

even I'm a Gen x. I'm like, I could kinda do Instagram. I

know. I know. I get on there. I'm like, well, they're really good at this.

Yeah. Yeah. So all those places, you can find me on there. I share free

ideas. You can get the box. There's downloads, whatever you want. So Yeah.

Tons of free ideas. And then, of course, the boxes are, like, already

set up for you. And I think it said in the

boxes, it's, like, one a day. Yeah. So there's 20 activities

each month. 20 activities. Yeah. Mhmm. So it's, like, one for each weekday if you're

gonna do it like that. Yeah. Yeah. And then they can be repeated. And

For sure. Yeah. Obviously, kids don't remember. They're like, we did this yesterday. Do

the pompom all day. I love that. All month, we're doing pompoms.

Well, thank you so much for being on the podcast. Yes. Thank you. It was

so fun. Okay. Great.