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open ended toys

Toddler laying on his stomach in a living room reading a book
Play

5 Living Room Playroom Combo Ideas for a Functional and Playful Home

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

Purposeful Play: How to Encourage Children to Play Purposefully
Play

Purposeful Play: How to Encourage Children to Play Purposefully

The Best Pikler Triangle: Why You Need One for Your Kids
Infants (0-12 Months) | Play | Pre-School (3-4 Years Old) | Toddler (13-24 Months) | Toy Recommendations

The Best Pikler Triangle: Why You Need One for Your Kids

Playroom Ideas For Toddlers: What They Really Need!
Play | Toddler (13-24 Months)

Playroom Ideas For Toddlers: What They Really Need!

child jumping off a pikler triangle
Play

Are Pikler triangles worth it? absolutely.

kid, soap bubbles, girl-1241817.jpg
Play | Toddler (13-24 Months)

How to entertain a bored toddler at home with little effort

Using Loose Parts to Inspire Open-Ended Play
Play

Using Loose Parts to Inspire Open-Ended Play

How Many Toys Does a Child Really Need?
Play

How Many Toys Does a Child Really Need?

What is Open-Ended Play & Why is it Important?
Play | Alternative Education

What is Open-Ended Play & Why is it Important?

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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

Helping you rethink school, screens + modern childhood
Former teacher (M.Ed) → secular progressive homeschooler
Practical tools + Coaching ↓

Life is wild. High school ELA teacher for a decade Life is wild. High school ELA teacher for a decade then accidentally fell into homeschooling and wouldn’t have it any other way.So many teachers are leaving the system to homeschool their own kids. And I talk to teachers every single week who want advice on how to leave so they can homeschool.I wish instead of chastising them for abandoning public education (which is what usually happens), parents would ask WHY so they can truly understand what went into making that decision.#secularhomeschool #formerteacher
For years, I thought schools were mainly teaching For years, I thought schools were mainly teaching reading, writing, math, and science.Then I spent more than a decade inside classrooms.I started noticing another curriculum, one that wasn't written in lesson plans or standards.Children were learning what success looks like.None of this is about blaming teachers. It's about paying attention to the messages every system sends, often without anyone intending it.I unpacked the hidden curriculum schools rarely talk about in this week's Substack.Comment AGSUB, and I'll send you the link.
Whenever I talk about delaying kindergarten, someo Whenever I talk about delaying kindergarten, someone inevitably says:“But what if the child is READY?”And I think that question reveals something interesting about how deeply we’ve been taught to equate **learning with school.**Because delaying kindergarten doesn’t mean delaying learning.A five-year-old who spends another year playing, building, being read to, asking endless questions, helping cook dinner, exploring outside, making things, visiting museums, figuring out friendships, counting, having quality conversations, creating elaborate imaginary worlds, and following their curiosity isn’t sitting around waiting for their education to begin.They are already learning.The question isn’t whether a child is capable of doing kindergarten work at five. Plenty are.The more interesting question is why we assume that because a child *can* begin traditional school, starting them as early as possible must be the best use of that year.I spent more than a decade teaching, and one of the things I eventually had to unlearn was the idea that education happens primarily when an adult has organized it, measured it, and called it school.Children have been learning since long before their first day of kindergarten.They don’t suddenly become learners when they walk into a classroom.And sometimes choosing to give childhood a little more time isn’t delaying education at all.It’s expanding our definition of where education happens ✌🏻COMMENT the word CHAT if you’re interested in chatting more about non-traditional education options. I’ll send you the link to book a 30-minute consultation.**Spots on my calendar are extremely limited. This is ONLY for families serious about rethinking their child’s educational journey.**
Comment AGSUB to read my latest article ❤️ #secul Comment AGSUB to read my latest article ❤️#secularhomeschoolers #worldschooling #nomadfamily
Pretty freaking chic 🙌🏻 Pretty freaking chic 🙌🏻
What are your thoughts on the summer slide? What are your thoughts on the summer slide?
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