Industry experts, which I am honored to one of, make up a judging panel that rates all the new toys and games that are entered.

From there, 3 different toys are nominated to win among 6 different categories.

The categories include: Baby & Infant, PreSchool, SchoolKids, Teenager & Adult, Startup & Sustainability. 

Here’s a Video of the Baby & Infant Nominations

@toyqueen_ The #spielwarenmesse2024 #ToyAwards for the Baby & Infant category include toys from @MOLUK @HABA España #cloudb @Spielwarenmesse #Nuremberg #play #toysforkids #toyfair #babytoys #judge ♬ original sound – Keri | Toy Expert, Author

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, if you choose to purchase anything from Amazon, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission. Given that Spielwarenmesse is a global toy event, some of these products might not be available for purchase yet, or for purchase in the United States.

Basic Building Blocks – HABA * WINNER

Ulu & Tulu – MOLUK

Tranquil Turtle – Cloud B

Here’s a Video of the PreSchool Nominations

@toyqueen_ The #spielwarenmesse2024 #ToyAwards for rhe #preschool category include toys from @MooseToys @BS-Toys @OPPI TOYS @Spielwarenmesse #nuremberg #play #toysforkids #imagination #bluey ♬ original sound – Keri | Toy Expert, Author

Stix – OPPI * WINNER

Bluey 3-in-1 Transforming Airplane Playset – Moose Toys

Wobby Lili Path – BS Toys

Here’s a Video of the SchoolKids Nominations

@toyqueen_ At @spielwarenmesse 2024, there were 4 nominee’s for the #schoolkids award Check out @LEGO #braille #bricks, #trefi #mistakos #platform @KidKraft #beatboard and #kosmos #adventurepuzzle, which one do you think won?#spielwarenmesse2024 ♬ original sound – Keri | Toy Expert, Author

Adventure Puzzle – Franckh Kosmos Verlags * WINNER

Beat Board – KidKraft

Mistakos Platform – Trefl

LEGO Brail Bricks – LEGO

Here’s a Video of the Teenager & Adult Nominations

@toyqueen_ At #spielwarenmesse2024 #toyaward there were 3 nominations for #teenagerandadult toy category. #retrotoys and #kidult toys are a popular #toytrend. @Spielwarenmesse @Gigamic World @FizzCreations @Carnaval Toys ♬ original sound – Keri | Toy Expert, Author

Pac Man and Tetris Arcade in a Tin -Fizz Creations – *WINNER

Katamino Tower – Gigamic

Dominknow Line – Carnaval

Here’s a Video of the Startup Nominations

@toyqueen_ The startup nominees for the #spielwarenmesse #toyawards feature fun #toys and items from @Hoppstar Kids Cameras, #hydraulic toys from Byjarda and #magnetictoy tile toppers from Learn and Grow Toys. @Spielwarenmesse ♬ original sound – Keri | Toy Expert, Author

Artist – Hoppstar *WINNER

3-in-1 Hydraulic Power Engineering Truck – Byjarda 

Magnetic Tile Topper – Learn and Grow Toys

Here’s a Video of the Sustainability Nominations

@toyqueen_ The #sustainabletoys and #ecofriendlytoy nominations for the #ToyAward #@Spielwarenmesse include @bontontoys @PLAYMOBIL @Famosa Bolivia #spielwarenmesse2024 #toyaward ♬ original sound – Keri | Toy Expert, Author

Feber Recycle Eco House – Famosa *WINNER

Horses of Waterfall – Playmobil

Snoopy – Tiny Teddy in a Giftbox

The post Spielwarenmesse ToyAward Winners 2024 appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Spielwarenmesse is one of our favorite events, and it happens every year at the end of January in Nuremberg, Germany. It’s where 2900 toy company exhibitors from over 68 countries, share all of their new toys, games and items at the biggest toy fair in the entire world with the 62,000 visitors who attend it.

At Spielwarenmesse we personally spend at least 3 days walking around the trade show, meeting with companies at their stands or booths, to learn about their new toys and innovations, while we have so much fun playing and sharing some great photo opportunities with toy icons, which this year which included Transformers, Stormtroopers and the new Furrington Fair Bear.

I even made the Day 1 highlight reel around the 15 second mark in this video giving Bluey a High-Five at the Opening Parade! 

Spielwarenmesse is enormous, there are 16 exhibition halls, and we generally walk over 15,000 steps per day. It’s impossible to see everything, but the energy and innovation at the event is outstanding and unparalleled to anything I’ve ever experienced in the toy industry. Not to mention, since it’s held in such a historic location in Germany, there are sites to visit and the food in the area is delicious.

Check out a our video recap here:

@toyqueen_ Get a sneak peak at the newest toys and games @Spielwarenmesse, the world’s largest toy fair hosted in #Nuremberg, Germany. #play #toysforkids #toyfair #spielwarenmesse #giftideas #stemtoys ♬ Beautiful Things – Benson Boone

A personal highlight of the event is that at Spielwarenmesse, new toys and games can be nominated for the prestigious ToyAward, which is only given out during a fun award show at the event.

The past 2 years, I was personally asked to be a ToyAward judge on the panel, where myself and other toy industry experts from all over the world rate different toys to determine which items should be nominated for the award!

That process is so fun and unique, I’ve created a separate post on that, and you can read all about the winners of the 2024 ToyAward here.

There are also lots of fun parties that happen at Spielwarenmesse. This year, at ToyNight, which happened on the first night of the show to celebrate the opening, there was a separate superhero themed dinner event at a local venue nearby.

There were lots of fun photo superhero photo opportunities, delicious food, and even an exciting motorcycle act, where 4 different riders achieved top speeds racing together inside a very small sphere.

Whether you work for a toy company, are a member of the media, or have a product you think might be well received internationally to showcase, go. It’s such an amazing experience you won’t ever forget. 

I receive complimentary airfare and a hotel to stay in for a few nights in order to attend Spielwarenmesse. All opinions are my own. 

The post Best New Toys from Spielwarenmesse Toy Fair, 2024 appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Here are some of my favorite educational toys that I took to be featured on Texas Today! You can view the whole segment here: https://www.nbcdfw.com/texas-today/this-years-must-have-toys/3410027/

There are affiliate links in this post, I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.

FAO Schwartz Fabulous Family Luxury Mansion

This large playhouse has 6 Los Angeles inspired rooms with 360 degrees of play to accommodate multiple children using it at the same time. There are even electronic features that turn on the fireplace, ring the door bell and play music for a dance party.

Creative Kids Nano Crafts

Nano crafts are the latest viral internet trend. Cut off a piece of nano tape, sprinkle in some mix-ins, attach the straw and close the tape around the straw. After removing the tape and blowing into the straw, it inflates to create glitter bubbles that can be decorated.

Magna-Tiles DinoWorld XL



This new Magna-tiles set includes 6 different possible dinosaurs and extra large tiles. Check out the new palm trees!

Creative Kids Sense & Grow Rock and Play Shape Sorter

Infants are working on putting toys in and out of containers, and they will enjoy placing their hands in between the elastic ribbons. Toddlers have the skills to differentiate shapes and are able to match the shapes to insert them into the sorter.

Discovery #Mindblown DIY Prize-Pod Robot, a Retro Vending Machine



Follow the step-by-step instructions and use the key to insert different screws in order to create an adorable robot that also dispenses capsules with toys inside.

Readyland Books – Owl and Dragon A Magical Adventure



Got an Amazon Echo or Alexa device? These new books from Readyland, like Owl and Dragon’s A Magical Adventure will be brought to life while reading it with their device. There are hundreds of responses, and kids can interact and play games using their Alexa device while they read along in the book.

The post Fun Educational Toys for Christmas on Texas Today appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

As an occupational therapist expert at Understood.org, I’ve been called upon to participate in some really great opportunities.  I’m so thankful I was asked by Amanda Morin and Gretchen Vierstra, the hosts of Understood’s In It podcast, to talk about picky eating.

We collectively discussed the sensory aspects of eating, and how smells, tastes, and even the sight of food can be enough for kids not to want to try new things. And while trying new foods can take time, I shared some of my secret tips on how to how to think differently about what is considered a food win, a game to help kids take more bites, and some strategies to change the size, shape, temperature or taste of a favorite food to expand their list of preferred foods.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher or read through the show notes and please share it with your friends!

I’m in a freelance role with Understood as an expert, and was compensated for my time taping the podcast, but all opinions expressed in the podcast are my own.

The post Keri Wilmot on “In It” Podcast Giving Tips for Picky Eaters appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Over my last 13 years in the toy industry, I’ve had the opportunity to attend some awesome events, while continually searching to feature the best toys, games and activities for all ages that could help children improve their development through play.

3 years ago, my search expanded to a global stage, when for the first time I was asked to attend Spielwarenmesse. Spielwarenemesse is the largest international toy and game trade show in Nuremberg, Germany, where for the last 74 years, companies and individuals have exhibited their beautiful toys, games and play items to retailers and media from all over the world.

One of the highlights of Spielwarenmesse is that companies can enter their products to be considered for the prestigious ToyAward. A panel of experts serves on a jury and rates the submissions, narrowing it down to the best items that are fun, original, safe, have good workmanship and detail, impress others at retail, and offer a comprehensive concept.

This was our 3rd year to participate in Spielwarenmesse, and my most favorite year to date. We attended in 2019, and 2020, but unfortunately due to the pandemic, in-person events were postponed until 2023.

Attending shows in person allows me to see, touch, hear and experience toys and games in a way that just isn’t the same in a press release, photo or video.

This year I was honored to serve on the panel of judges who are asked to use their expertise to rate hundreds of ToyAward submissions. 

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links, where I might receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase it. Some items may not be available in the United States.

Meet the winners of the 2023 Spielwarenmesse ToyAward!

Baby & Infant Category (0-3 years) ToyAward Winner

• 7 in 1 Space Activity Cube – EverEarth

A beautiful infant and toddler activity toy with a space theme that works on fine motor skills.

Preschool Category (3-6 years)

• Yummie Bear Scale – TOPBRIGHT GmbH

Learn simple addition and subtraction by placing weighted cupcakes on a scale, then choosing the correct number in order to place on the opposite side to balance it.

SchoolKids Category (6-10 years)

• History of Life on Earth – Clementoni S.p.A.

Learn about the history of evolution with physical, augmented and Virtual Reality experiments.

Teenager & Adults Category (10+ years)

• Miika K.I. Robot -Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co KG)

Train this adorable robot to complete simple commands like talking moving and gesturing using an app.

Startup Category

• Paw Patrol AR Tattoos & Stickers – HoloToyz

Put on tattoos or stickers, then watch them come to life insdie an app. 

Sustainability Category

• Creative Building Blocks – BAVVIC sp. z o.o.

Using silicone connectors, the STEM learning toy helps kids of all ages and abilities to create unique creations.

What I love about Spielwarenmesse, is that many of these companies value different aspects of play, and have created so many toys I’ve never seen before. I have also found that European companies value sustainability, and this year more than ever, there were many unique toys created from natural materials.

Here is a reel of all the winners of the ToyAward on Instagram!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keriann Wilmot – ToyQueen.com (@keri_wilmot)

Check out my Instagram Stories that shows all of the exciting toys we saw at Spielwarenmesse!

The post Spielwarenmesse ToyAward Winners 2023 appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Hasbro Operation Splash by Wowwee (available at Target)

Take the sponge toys with the tongs outside of Cavity Sam while the sprinkler is on, as quick as possible.

View other Hasbro Splash games like Twister and Crocodile Dentist on Amazon here.

Bean Bag Toss

Kids will love playing bean bag toss! Great game for eye-hand coordination.

Nerf Outdoor Badminton Set

Use these oversized rackets to play a back and forth game using the badminton or large ball. 

Hasbro Outdoor Lawn Darts

Great outdoor game where you throw the weighted lawn darts at the target and see who wins! 

Uproar Game

Look between two cards to find the matching words, then be the first to use your voice to act them out to win the cards. The person with the most cards wins!

Eazy Peezy Monkey Bars Climbing Tower

Use the plastic connectors to make the climbing tower. The tower can be used inside and outside, and it can hold 150 lbs.

Jurassic World Dominion Dinosaur Riders

Celebrate the Jurassic World movie with these pull-back dinosaur riders and watch them zoom.

Squishmallow Lola the Unicorn Pool Float by Big Mouth

Um, a 5 foot wide Squishmallow pool float? Yes Please! It also includes a super soft fabric covering.

View other Big Mouth pool floats on Amazon.

The post Fun Summer Toys on Texas Today appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

20 years ago I began working as a pediatric occupational therapist with children with special needs, primarily in the public schools. Through play, I enjoyed helping kids build the foundational skills of strength, coordination and self-regulation, but I also spent a lot of time giving teachers strategies to improve the environment, a critical part of achieving classroom success, especially for kids who have special needs.

Vanessa Levin, of Pre-K Pages, is a former teacher who developed this online and social media resource to share tons of great ideas to help early childhood teachers. I’ve been a guest at her FREE continuing education Soar to Success Summit multiple times, and was most recently featured on her podcast, Elevating Early Childhood.

We talked about some ways to understand and handle sensory processing issues in the classroom that have also been shared in my book. I’d love for you to have a listen and leave a review!

You can read more about the podcast, find the links to watch, as well as learn more about the Elevating Early Childhood podcast and Vanessa Levin click here.

Here is a rundown of the podcast:
Key Takeaways:

Sensory processing in the classroom (00:00)

Meet Keri! (02:10)

A brief overview of sensory processing (03:56)

Why it’s important to know about sensory processing (08:27)

Answering one of your questions (10:47)

The right tools help (15:35)

Should you be having this conversation with the parents? (24:17)

Tips and tricks from Keri (26:35)

The post Author Keri Wilmot on Elevating Early Childhood Podcast appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Watch the full segment here.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, if you should purchase this item I will receive a small commission, but this is at no additional cost to you.

Game of Things – Schitts Creek

This family game is perfect for Schitts Creek fans, but if you haven’t seen the show, you can consider the Game of Things original edition. Players write down answers to questions, and the reader of the card will award points to those who they think have the best answer. No right or wrong answers, just silly fun.

Pinxies Family Treehouse

Follow the instructions to connect the pieces which also attach to sturdy cardboard in order to create a magical pretend play treehouse. This set can be taken apart and put back together.

Robo-Max Tyrannosaurus Rex

Can you believe this dinosaur comes flat packed? Use the screwdriver to insert over 100 different screws to assemble this roaring, eye-blinking, fully articulating Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur. Great opportunity for family collaboration. At only $60, it takes 4-5 hours to put together, so there is also a lot of play value for those with some patience and persistence.

Wondery Kids Podcast Platform

Wondery Kids is a free podcast platform where kids can listen to stories and episodes. For those that want an ad-free experience you can pay a small monthly fee. Look for it through Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Jurassic World Captivz Clash Slime Eggs

Red, lava-like slime inside houses mystery, collectible dinosaurs that can be put together. Learn about the dinosaur with an educational card,  and there is even a game that can be played using the dinosaurs. 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, if you should purchase this item I will receive a small commission, but this is at no additional cost to you.

The post Hot Holiday Toys at Texas Today appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links where if you purchase I may receive a small commission, but this is at no additional cost to you. 

GUJO Adventure STEM Building Kits 

Unique construction kits made of foldable, durable plastic with interlocking parts that can be put together and taken a part repeatedly. These feature space ships and lunar rovers.

Cubles

Cubles are part puzzle, part origami. Follow the instructions to punch out the different pieces from the card, then fold them and insert them together in order to create your own characters. Put together dinosaurs or book characters like Dog Man to create a reading buddy.

Osmo Math Wizard Series

Bring school learning home using a Fire Tablet or iPad and the Osmo base. Osmo kits teach kids of all ages and abilities different educational skills they can learn using manipulatives at their own pace. These Osmo math kits reinforce addition, subtraction, measurement and place value for kids ages 6-8, or in grades 1-2.

Disney Ring it On 

Ring it On is a fast moving family card game where players pick up and swap cards to create groups of 4 of Disney characters. No reading required, great to promote sorting and matching.

5 Second Rule – Disney Edition

Trivia game focused on Disney movies where you have just 5 seconds to answer questions like name 3 characters from Toy Story. Don’t have time to play a full game, leave just the cards on the counter and play during dinner or a snack break.

Hudsonest Napkins

Fun, designer napkins that you can receive through a subscription opportunity.  Write sweet notes on them and send in the lunchbox back and forth to school!

The post Fun Back To School STEM Toy Ideas At Texas Today appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you should buy a product from this link, I may receive a small commission but it is at no additional cost to you.

I had the pleasure of being a guest on Brendan Mahan’s podcast, ADHD Essentials, where we talked about some of the concepts I shared in my book, Wired Differently: A Teachers Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges. We chatted about sensory processing skills, self-regulation, how it relates to ADHD and what you can do at home to help. Listen to the episode here on Spotify, but it’s also available on other podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts.

Brendan is a former teacher who is now an expert ADHD coach. One of my favorite concepts of his, that made so much sense with why kids and adults struggle to initiate hard things, is related to “The Wall of Awful,” which you can watch the video below about.

Listen specifically to our episode together here on Spotify. Check out ADHD Essentials for more great tips and information.

Buy my book Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Sensory Processing Skills on Amazon.

The post Keri Wilmot on ADHD Essentials Podcast with Brendan Mahan appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Teaching kids all the skills they need to be independent like brushing their teeth or tying shoelaces can be a challenge. The pandemic has only made it even more challenging and stressful. As parents we all want our kids to be independent as possible, it improves their life skills and makes our days a bit easier when kids can get their self-care needs taken care of, confidently.

I visited Texas Today on NBCDFW to share some great strategies that will reduce stress at home while promoting your child’s independence. These simple tips will help your kids be more independent and confident in their daily living skills, hopefully making everyone’s day a little easier and more productive.

 
This post contains affiliate links to Amazon where, if you purchase them, I may get a small commission, at no cost to you.

1. Britebrush

This smart toothbrush helps kids brush their teeth in a fun way by offering guidance and feedback on brushing technique, while entertaining kids for the full 2 minutes of suggested brushing. Parents can check their progress using the parent light. There are 3 types of brushes: BriteBrush Elmo, BriteBrush Baby Shark and the GameBrush.

Buy BriteBrush on Amazon.

2. Oxo Tot Step Stool

Don’t just use a step stool to turn water on/off at the sink for hand washing and toothbrushing, put the stool up against the wall and have kids sit on the stool, rather than stand, when putting on pants, shorts, socks and shoes to make dressing easier.

Buy OxoTot Step Stool on Amazon

3. Smart Knit Socks

These soft, seamless socks with no heel make it easy to put on and take off socks, without kids complaining about the texture. They also include moisture wicking material that wards off stinky smells.

Buy Smart Knit Socks on Amazon

4. Lock Laces

Tying shoelaces can be a chore and some kids just are not ready. Turn any shoe with laces into a slip-on using lock laces.

Buy Lock Laces on Amazon

5. Munchkin 360 Miracle Sippy Cup

Want kids to learn how to drink out of an open cup, but not interested in tons of liquid messes annoyed with spills? The Munchkin 360 cup is a no-spill sippy cup.  There are color changing cups, so you know if the liquid inside, like milk, is no longer cold.

Buy Munchkin 360 Miracle Sippy Cup on Amazon

6. The Wet Brush

Kids avoid showers and baths because they don’t like their hair combed or brushed because of knots and tangles. The Wet Brush helps kids brush their own hair with fewer tears, and less tangles.

Buy The Wet Brush on Amazon

If you also watched the segment and are interested in purchasing my book: Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges, you can also buy it on Amazon.

The post Reduce Stress At Home While Promoting Your Child’s Independence appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

We have some exciting news to share here at ToyQueen.com! My first book, Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges, published by Gryphon House is here! 

Identifying educational toys and improving the lives of children through finding, fun, practical ways to play everyday has been my focus for the last 10 years here on this website.  But you might not know that all of this work has been inspired in my career as a pediatric occupational therapist.

Over the last 20 years as an OT, there has been a upward trend. More and more children are struggling in daycare and preschool.

The demands of preschool are making it difficult for many kids to have fun, happy, successful academic experiences before they even make it to Kindergarten. Sometimes children are struggling with the challenges of a diagnosis such as Autism. Many kids are overwhelmed with the environment and present with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Many times these issues don’t get uncovered until they begin to attend school and are tasked with the demands of sitting, paying attention, completing tasks and socializing with their peers. They can get overwhelmed very quickly and it leads to classroom behaviors and lots of phone calls home to parents.

This book is aimed to help early childhood teachers improve the participation and success of their students, especially with kids who have sensory processing difficulties or sensory processing disorder. It has practical tips and suggestions teachers can use for all of their students and I’m so excited to share it with as many people as possible, in the hopes that it can help kids have more fun and successful early childhood experiences!

Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges will be available on Amazon, but it’s also available directly through the publisher, Gryphon House. 

I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you buy the book on Amazon here!

The post Wired Differently: A Teacher’s Guide To Understanding Sensory Processing! appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Wearing a mask can trigger sensory issues, even for those who generally do not even have them, because they are hot, with poor air flow and bring on feeling so uncomfortable and claustrophobic. Some kids get so upset just seeing someone wearing a mask, it can lead to anxiety, possibly from the stress of having a previous surgeries or lots of medical interventions. 

Most of the services I’ve provided lately with my clients have been through the computer. While some of my clients are begging for sessions back in their home,   I will be required to wear a mask myself and I struggle with this, not for safety purposes, but I wonder what kind of psychological stress it’s going to provide for kids when they can’t see the smile and emotions of the adults around them.  What about those kids who have to solely on their hearing to follow directions, when they need that visual cue to help them. What kind of frustration is it going to bring to their daily lives? What happens when it’s time to go back to school and a mask could be required for learning?

Unfortunately, there will be places and spaces that will require kids to wear a mask in the future, probably indefinitely, so finding different alternatives and strategies to overcome this obstacle is going to be must in order to participate. 

While I don’t have all the answers, I wanted to try and share some strategies that might be helpful to try with your kids. If you’ve found something helpful, please leave your strategies in the comments section so we can all learn how to overcome this obstacle together!

How To Teach Kids To Wear A Mask

• Let Them Put Masks On Their Toys When Playing

Before you even ask them to put on a mask, encourage them to put their masks on their stuffed animals, action figures, trucks — anything they want to put it on. Help them to fasten it if they need it, but let them do it. Having control over it, without needing to wear one themselves might help to reduce fear and anxiety. Might seem strange, but maybe even take a few photos of the toys they chose to put the masks on so you can use them for another strategy below.

• Teach Them How To Wear One By Demonstrating How To Wear Yours

Before you try and put one on your child, show them how you wear one. Touch the ear loop and fasten around one ear, then the other one. Show them how it goes up over the nose and try to take a few deep breaths and remain calm.  

• Consider Buying HomeMade Masks

Some homemade fabric masks tend to be a little softer. Many people are making them with prints kids enjoy, featuring their favorite Disney character or sports team. Personalizing the mask might help make kids feel more of an attachment to the mask. 

• Play Games Wearing the Mask

Say silly words and see if they can guess them while you are wearing them. Fasten the mask in a weird way and be silly with it, encouraging them to tell you how you need to fix it so they can learn how to wear it and be more relaxed around them.

• Try Wearing One At Home Before You Go Out

Don’t worry about fastening it on, even if they just hold it up to their mouth and over their nose with their hand for a few seconds, it’s a start. Then build up their tolerance, even if you set a timer for 5 seconds and remove it. But for some kids, don’t expect to just bring a mask along and hand it over, some kids will need some time to acclimate to them.

• Create A Story For Them To Read or Watch Using The Photos

Take the photos of their toys, snap a picture of yourself wearing one and create a story. Include why it’s important to wear masks and where you might need to wear a mask. You can purchase a copy of my e-book here and use it for your children, or it might even provide inspiration to create your own.

I created an e-book on how to wear a mask, which you can buy here.

The post How To Teach Kids To Wear A Mask appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.

Tips To Teach Kids How To Cut Safely With Scissors

• Use Preschool Scissors With Dull Rounded Edges & A Hinge

Preschool scissors are magical scissors that can only cut paper! The hinge makes it simple for kids to learn the motion of how to open and close their hands. It also helps them to build endurance for little hands that get tired quickly. 

• Index Finger “Points The Way”

Don’t put the index finger in the scissor loop! Thumb and middle fingers go inside the loop. Place the index finger below the hinge for more control.

• Keep Your “Thumbs Up” & “Elbows At Side”

Lots of kids want to put their “thumbs down” toward the paper at first. Keep the “thumb up” or on top, and position the elbows on the table or at their sides.

• Just Snip Paper First

Start simple. Cut 1 inch strips of paper and let kids snip paper into a thousand pieces first before you try lines. This builds confidence and success while reducing frustration.

• Cut Straight Lines, Wavy Lines, Jagged Lines Next

• Then Try Circles, Squares & More Challenging Shapes

• Practice, Practice, Practice by Cutting Old Photos & Flyers

• Check Out The Video For More Tips!

This is a sponsored video created for Learning Resources. ToyQueen.com also participates in an Amazon affiliate program. Should you click on any links, a small commission may be provided to this website, at no additional cost to you.

Teaching kids how to use scissors can be a challenge. No one wants them to cut their clothes, fingers or even worse their hair! My mom still doesn’t let me forget the time I cut my own hair, I think most of us have done it at least once in our lifetime! But hopefully with these tips, you’ll find some ways to make it more enjoyable and less stressful.

The Learning Resources Trace Ace Scissor Skills Set featured in the video includes a pair of dull, hinged preschool safety scissors and lots of re-usable templates to create the lines necessary for kids to practice with.  There are some craft sheets included with small shapes to use to cut or just for inspiration. You can buy it on Amazon here.

Check out the Learning Resources website, it has tons of FREE printable, downloads and activities for you to use with your kids at home.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored video created for Learning Resources. ToyQueen.com also participates in an Amazon affiliate program. Should you click on any links, a small commission may be provided to this website, at no additional cost to you.

The post How To Teach Kids To Cut Safely With Scissors appeared first on ToyQueen.Com.