Little Monsters Playcare

Let's talk about stimming.

The autistic community advocates that stimming behavior is a self-regulatory coping mechanism, and efforts to control this behavior could have negative effects for autistic people. Research exploring stimming from the autistic perspective supports this position and suggests these behaviors are actually incredibly beneficial.

There is a long history in both research and clinical practice, of efforts to reduce, minimize or eliminate stimming behavior in autistic people.

This article contains great information that can help in the movement toward acceptance >>> https://www.altogetherautism.org.nz/stimming-a-movement-towards-acceptance

Graphic via Mollys ADHD mayhem

I just finished reading the book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace and found myself nodding along on every page.

Do you feel your kids are growing up exposed to a toxic achievement culture?

We can observe kittens chasing a toy as they would a mouse… We can witness young wolves play fighting… We can view young rabbits playing skipping games… If we recognize that all of these forms of play are vital for animals to learn necessary skills, why do we discount play in children? Playing in the bathtub or a pool children learn the concepts behind density and gravitational pull. Creating with clay strengthens children’s fine motor skills, leading to the ability to properly grip a pencil. By singing songs, children quickly memorize facts that otherwise would take ages to commit to memory. Through playing board games, children learn mathematical concepts. When exploring in nature, children produce, collect data for, test, calculate, and determine hypotheses about their natural world. Learning through play permits children to dictate their own learning. When children are able to pursue their own interests, an excitement and a love of learning is fostered. This is how lifelong learners are created. #lovetolearn #homeschooling #homeschoollife #letthekids #playingislearning

Social emotional learning 🩵 In the early years, fostering social emotional learning and play is essential. Through play, kids discover, regulate emotions, and build empathy. Social interactions teach cooperation and communication, vital for relationships. Integrating these into nature-based activities connects children with the environment, nurturing emotional intelligence and well-being 🌳 #natureschool #preschool #forestschool #outdooreducation #lexingtonky #homeschoolmom #kentuckymom #freeplay #alternativeeducation #homeschool #unstructuredplay #unschoolers #montessori #waldorfeducation #evergreennatureschool #lexingtonkynews #summercamp2024 #summercamp