🌟If you are local to St. Louis, check out the playground at Oak Knoll park. It's not huge but it's enclosed, very accessible, has a good variety of play structures for climbing, swinging, pretend play, etc. My kids loved it, even my biggest kid (aka husband)😉 The park also has a paved trail (great for kids practicing bikes), a smaller natural trail, a small pond, sculptures, and lots of great big beautiful trees! During the summer this is a nice shaded park to visit close to the city! 🌳🌲 #getoutsideandplay #localpark #stllove #stlparks #oakknoll #parks #freshair #greenspace #playgroundfun #accessible #playtolearn #learntoplay #childhoodunplugged #motordevelopment #naturalclassroom https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgYCYuHi3t/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1t7794q9mdvkj

📚Used a Christmas gift card to Treat my shelves today! I can't wait to reread His Dark Materials including this new part by Philip Pullman. That is a series that has resonated with me for years. And I'm slowly collecting The Land of Stories, I really enjoyed the first book. Have you read these? Have you bought any new books yet this year? 📚 #newbooks #treatyoshelves #barnesandnoble #resolutiontoreadmore #newyearnewbooks #bookstagram #booklover #happygirl #fantasybooks #yafiction #hisdarkmaterials #philippullman #thebookofdust #thelandofstories #chriscolfer https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUC-mwnjEN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=113k48ttry4h2

📚This was a cute read for Halloween that introduced important characters in history and inspires littles to dream "...Can I really be anything I want to be?" 🎃 #birdieshappyhalloween #sujeanrim #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #whatwearereading #libraryfind #bookstagram #halloween #dressup #pretendplay #dreambig #whenigrowup https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpkahs5n6a2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ej7l9agoi15r

Eli decided to add some more color to already colorful fall leaves 🍁🍂🍃🌳 #fallcolors #fallleaves🍁🍂 #autumn #paintingwithkids #natureart #EliasMekhi #childhoodunplugged #getoutsideandplay #handsonlearning https://www.instagram.com/p/BpkZLdvn9F2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4teiyf5igqlr

This is the face you make when you score some cool play dough tools at @goodwillintl ❤😛 #hardtopayfullprice #alwayslookingfordeals #goodwillfinds #momwin #playdoughfun #sensory #finemotorskills #playtolearn #sahm #childhoodunplugged https://www.instagram.com/p/BpXoB8knLsH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=owguj149wksx

💁‍♂️"Mom look at all my bracelets!" We grabbed some more pipe cleaners and wooden beads from @dollartree_official for some quiet fine motor work. I love that proud face! 😍 #EliasMekhi #jewelrymaking #artwithchildren #finemotorskills #quietactivity #calmingactivity #earlylearning #preschool #sahm #proudmomma #myyoungest #childhoodunplugged #patterns #creativekids https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUe-p4HgnX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ti5cxv77nbfg

📚Perfect book for all the kids who like to play the bad guy! Eli especially liked this story. The illustrations are fun and have little hidden gems in the background to keep your eye out for. "Not every bad guy is a guy".... 😉 #badguy #villain #hannahbarnaby #mikeyamada #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #whatwearereading #libraryfind #humorousbook #bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUNbu8Hn4Z/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=akw3zngehj19

📚Two is another great social emotional book to read with littles. Using numbers as the main characters she discusses friendship, acceptance, inclusion, and being positive. Personally I have a soft spot for the first in this series titled One. I didn't like this one as much but think it's still a good read and could spark great conversation❤ #two #kathrynotoshi #bookstagram #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #whatwearereading #libraryfind #friendship #acceptance #numbers #socialemotional #preschool #earlyconcepts #discussionstarter https://www.instagram.com/p/BpULc_5Hn7q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1t7mkq5oa5h7q

This had a fun graphic/comic book style to it and cracked us up. All of my three children have been finicky in their own ways so we could relate to the main character 😂 A fun lesson on friendship and how you can overcome obstacles to help those you love ❤ #mrparticular #jasonkirschner #finicky #choosykids #funforkids #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #whatwearereading #libraryfind #humorousbook #bookstagram #superheroes #comicbook #graphicnovel https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUKYnRHLmM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1exkdlf57dilq

❤📚 Library day! We haven't been for a few weeks- we were ready! Ari didn't have a request, Eli asked for stories about people building things. It was another random selection but I was able to find a few in my searching, excited to read some of these! 📚❤ #libraryday #whatwearereading #bookstagram #bookreviewer #welovebooks📚 #booksfordays #alwaysreading #childrensbooks #shelfie #allthebooks https://www.instagram.com/p/BpSdj8KH2aO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2q6vkh1ypy66

📚This book had me all in the feels. "... everybody has their own little world" "and when they all come back from their little worlds, they keep a wish in their hearts, to build a better one together, here and elsewhere."🌎 I love the sentiment and the illustration is adorable. ❤ #littleworlds #geraldinecollet #sebastionchebret #bookstagram #mustread #libraryfind #whatwearereading #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #hopesanddreams #abetterworld #cometogether #socialemotional #diversebooks #readtolearn #readyourworld https://www.instagram.com/p/BpCyZoQH58h/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1i4okuj1e35pe

📚This was a cute read by Joseph Kuefler! It kept the kids attention, we had a nice conversation, and the illustration is diverse and endearing. The message of this story is that friendship can't be conquered; it has to be earned. ❤ #rulersoftheplayground #josephkuefler #whatwearereading #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookstagram #bookreview #friendship #playgroundfun #socialemotional https://www.instagram.com/p/BpCxJg8nbyX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15nwb3ay4eg9s

Eli collected rocks and lined them up on the cracks in our patio. He called it his " Rock mountain" 😍⛰ #naturallearner #handsonlearning #curiouskids #playtolearn #learntoplay #natureart #patterns #rockcollection #rockart #sahm #playingoutside #getoutsideandplay #reggioinspired #followtheline #earlylearning #childhoodunplugged https://www.instagram.com/p/BpCvoXjHeqJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xmv0prt8g400

We made some fresh homemade play dough today. Added some citrus fresh essential oil but otherwise left it uncolored so they could color it with markers. Our friend visiting today loves playing with dolls so we incorporated them to use our fingers and imagination to create clothing. 👗👚👖👠 #weloveplaydough #playdoughfun #finemotorskills #childrenatwork #childrenatplay #playtolearn #learntoplay #handsonlearning #artwithkids #homemadeplaydough #sahm #dolls #barbie #futuredesigner #fashion https://www.instagram.com/p/BpAQl-KHtLi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dh60z27j1kiw

🌹🌻Plant the Tiny Seed is another great interactive book from Christie Matheson. The reader learns about seeds, their life cycle, and what they need by interacting with the text and predicting what will happen next. In the back of the book you will find instructions to extend your learning to a real gardening experience. 🌼🌹 #plantthetinyseed #christiematheson #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #whatwearereading #booksofinstagram #seeds #planting #gardening #kidsandplants #lifecycles #natureintheclassroom https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4B4CJn4bf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ea6ei0z26em8

🌚Ari has a fear of the moon that worries me and if it continues we may need to discuss with a therapist. For right now we have been finding lots of feel good and informative books about the moon to read with her. This book Rabbit Moon by Jean Kim is written from a korean belief that there is an outline of a rabbit on the moon pounding rice into rice cakes. When you look at the moon and see the rabbit you are supposed to make a wish. The moon and rabbit are in korean folktales about hope and prosperity. In this story, the author questioned what the rabbit does with all the wishes and what the rabbit wishes for. Quite an adorable story and Ari enjoyed it, any other moon related stories you can suggest? 🌚 #themoon #rabbitmoon #jeankim #koreanfolktales #korean #folktale #wishes #makingwishes #makingfriends #feelgoodstory #adventurestory #whatwearereading #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook #bookreview #overcomingfears #booktherapy #booksofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4BLHgn3VC/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lewswzqgdbwq

👱‍♀️I will admit that it's annoying to have this toy from a storage point of view but Eli gets a kick out of "decorating" her and it's great activity for fine motor skills. Let's hope he gets more of an eye for doing hair in the future, lol. 🤦‍♀️ #barbiehead #hairstyles #finemotorskills #quiettimeactivity #practicalskills #sillykids #toysofinstagram #instatoys #amipretty #alldolledup #slayallday https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo3_TLTnMnN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dbzsztx3snp2