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Toddler (13-24 Months)

How to encourage independent play in the toddler years and introduce your child to open-ended toys.

Summer Bucket List for Families Who Want More Connection & Less Distraction
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Infants (0-12 Months) | Intentional Family Living | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Thrive | Toddler (13-24 Months)

Summer Bucket List for Families Who Want More Connection & Less Distraction

A young child playing an educational game on a smartphone indoors, focused on learning.
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Infants (0-12 Months) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

How Screen Time Undermines Independent Play—and Why It Matters for Your Child’s Development

Playroom Ideas for Small Rooms: Smart Solutions for Fun and Functionality
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Infants (0-12 Months) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

Playroom Ideas for Small Rooms: Smart Solutions for Fun and Functionality

Here are some engaging, screen-free rainy day activities to keep your kids entertained and thriving when it's too rainy to play outside.
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Infants (0-12 Months) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

26 Screen-Free Rainy Day Activities for Spring

Why Slow TV Shows Are a Gift for Kids in a Fast-Paced World
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Infants (0-12 Months) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

Why Slow TV Shows Are a Gift for Kids in a Fast-Paced World

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Magnetic Tiles
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Magnetic Tiles

Movement activities for kids
Elementary (5-11 Years Old) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

Movement Activities for Children [benefits + tips to encourage gross motor play]

The Importance of Recess [and why it’s so crucial for kids’ development]
Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

The Importance of Recess [and why it’s so crucial for kids’ development]

Playroom organization
Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

10+ Small Playroom Organization Ideas: Transform Your Space

25 Simple Sensory Activities for Infants and Toddlers
Infants (0-12 Months) | Toddler (13-24 Months)

25 Simple Sensory Activities for Infants and Toddlers

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Together we’ll slow down, stop rushing our kids through life and raise lifelong learners who will become confident and independent adults. 

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thealannagallo

Former teacher (M.Ed.) helping parents
🚫 End screen battles + rebuild play habits
🌱 Raise calm, confident, screen-resilient kids
✨ Unplug & Play ↓

Let’s talk about the cycle no one wants to admit t Let’s talk about the cycle no one wants to admit they’re stuck in.You’re tired.
You’ve been working, caregiving, holding it all together.
So you hand over the screen… just to get through the moment.And then the meltdowns get bigger.
Play gets harder.
Regulation gets worse.
January feels heavier than it should.This isn’t because you’re failing.
It’s because screens quietly become a coping tool: for everyone in the house.But the good news is this:
Once you stop using screens as the solution, kids relearn how to regulate, play, and settle themselves again.
And parents finally get relief that actually lasts.That’s exactly why I created Unplug & Play.
Not to shame tired parents... but to break the cycle and rebuild play, calm, and connection in a way that works in real life.👇 If you’re ready for fewer meltdowns, more independent play, and a calmer start to the new year, comment READY and I’ll send you the pre-sale link.You don’t need more willpower.
You need a better system.
Sign up by commenting READYWe can't wait to have Sign up by commenting READYWe can't wait to have you!
Ready to make the change? ✨ Comment READY to turn Ready to make the change? ✨ Comment READY to turn your family's habits around for 2026 🙌
Parents DM me every day saying, “I feel like I los Parents DM me every day saying, “I feel like I lost my kid.”You didn’t lose them.
They’re still there.They’re just overstimulated.Too much input.
Too little downtime.
Nervous systems stuck in overdrive from screens, schedules, and constant stimulation.When kids are overwhelmed like this, it shows up as meltdowns, withdrawal, irritability, and a total loss of independent play.
Not because you’re doing something wrong: but because their system needs a reset.That’s exactly why we created Unplug & Play.
Not to shame screens or demand perfection, but to help kids regulate again, rebuild play skills, and bring calm back into your home.⭐ If you’re craving fewer meltdowns, calmer days, and a kid who feels like themselves again, comment READY.I’ll send you the pre-sale link for Unplug & Play... a simple, step-by-step reset that actually works.
What if the best thing you gave your kids this Chr What if the best thing you gave your kids this Christmas wasn’t another toy or screen…
but a calmer January?Fewer meltdowns.
More independent play.
Nights that don’t end in power struggles and overstimulation.Most families don’t realize how much the holidays quietly ramp up dysregulation.
More screens. Less rhythm. Fewer chances for kids to practice play, boredom, and self-regulation.And then January hits… and everyone’s exhausted.That’s exactly why we created Unplug & Play.
Not a big course.
Not another thing for parents to manage.
A simple reset that helps kids relearn how to play, regulate, and function again: without constant screen dependence.If you want January to feel calmer than December,
👇 comment READY and I’ll send you the pre-sale link for Unplug & Play.This is the gift that actually lasts past the holidays.
Independent play is a skill... and screens are rep Independent play is a skill... and screens are replacing it.Kids aren’t “bad at playing.”
They’re just out of practice.When screens fill every quiet moment, kids never get the chance to work through boredom, frustration, or imagination on their own. And over time, that muscle weakens.
Less independent play.
More meltdowns.
More “I’m bored” the second stimulation disappears.This isn’t about blaming screens or parents.
It’s about recognizing that play doesn’t magically come back on its own. It has to be rebuilt, intentionally and gently.That’s exactly why we created Unplug & Play: a simple, step-by-step system that helps kids relearn how to play independently, regulate their nervous systems, and rely less on screens without chaos or guilt.If you want your child to actually play again... real, independent play......comment READY and I’ll send you the pre-sale link.This isn’t another long course.
It’s a reset your whole home can feel.
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