Tag Archives: play

Teacher Tom on Connections & Play-Based Learning



Powered by RedCircle Teacher Tom says “kids haven’t changed at all” over recent decades. “Kids still need freedom to play, to follow their own curiosity,to ask and answer questions,and to learn how to get along with other people,” he says. Nurturing Kids & Building Connections The first five years of a child’s life “should be … Continue reading Teacher Tom on Connections & Play-Based Learning


More Wisdom from Teacher Tom



Powered by RedCircle Kids “haven’t changed at all” during the 20+ years Teacher Tom has been working with young children, he says. Parents have, though. And so has society. There’s an increased concern for safety and academic performance, and a lot of anxiety about kids’ futures. “I think there’s more fear, and more fear of … Continue reading More Wisdom from Teacher Tom


Simplicity Parenting w Kim John Payne



Powered by RedCircle Simplicity parenting, in many ways, is the antithesis of modern parenting.  Simplicity parenting prioritizes a balanced schedule, predictable rhythm, and decluttered, information-filtered family environment, while most modern families rush from one activity to the next and live with crammed-full schedules in an information-soaked environment. Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting: Using … Continue reading Simplicity Parenting w Kim John Payne


Finding Ecohappiness



Finding ecohappiness can decrease boys’ anxiety levels and increase family harmony.  There’s a strong — and direct — link between time in nature and mental health. Human beings require nature exposure for optimal physical and mental health. Of course, that’s easier to say than to achieve in modern life, when many of us live in … Continue reading Finding Ecohappiness


Dr. Jon Lasser on Expanding Boys’ Opportunities



Dr. Jon Lasser believes we all have a role to play in expanding boys’ opportunities. The Man Box and Boy Code still limit and shape boys’ behavior. And although there are plenty of books and TV shows that encourage girls to step past gendered boundaries, there are far fewer resources for boys and their parents. … Continue reading Dr. Jon Lasser on Expanding Boys’ Opportunities


Teacher Tom Talks About Boys, Emotions & Play



Like us, Teacher Tom is concerned about how we raise our boys. “In our culture, we have a society where men are lonely, men have higher suicide rates and  men are more prone to violence, and sexual abuse. And I don’t think that’s in the nature of men. I think it’s somehow in the nature … Continue reading Teacher Tom Talks About Boys, Emotions & Play


Forest Schools Get Boys Learning Naturally



School + nature = forest schools “A forest school is holistic education outdoors in nature,” says Nicki Farrell, co-founder of Wildings Forest School in Queensland, Australia. Learning doesn’t typically follow set curriculum; rather, it’s child-led. Education is individualized and play-based and includes plenty of movement. The kids who struggle the most in traditional schools — … Continue reading Forest Schools Get Boys Learning Naturally


The Summer Slide



Summer slide (noun): The loss of academic skills and knowledge over the course of summer vacation Parents (& educators) have long worried about the things kids “forget” over the summer. This year, on the tail of a pandemic-interrupted school year that launched valiant attempts at unplanned remote learning, parents (& educators) are more concerned than … Continue reading The Summer Slide


The Art of Roughhousing (w Dr. Lawrence Cohen)



Roughhousing can teach boys about healthy touch. Society teaches boys that there are two kinds of “acceptable” touch for males: sex, and aggression. No wonder so many boys and men turn to sex and aggression to meet their very human need for touch! Physical play — including play wrestling, “chase” games and roughhousing — give … Continue reading The Art of Roughhousing (w Dr. Lawrence Cohen)


Parenting Boys with Maggie Dent – Part 1



Our friend Maggie Dent  will be in British Columbia later this month, so we thought this would be a great time to re-share her wisdom & encouragement! Maggie the mom of four now-grown boys, a parenting educator & author of numerous books, including Mothering Our Boys: A Guide for Moms of Sons. This conversation was … Continue reading Parenting Boys with Maggie Dent – Part 1