If you've ever felt like nothing works when your child is having a meltdown, you're not alone. After spending a month on vacation with my family, I was reminded just how much changes in routine can affect our kids' emotions—and how important it is to have a few regulation strategies ready to go.

In this episode, I share the one calming technique that consistently works with all three of my boys: the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. I'll explain why it works, how I introduce it through play, and why turning regulation into a game helps children reconnect with their calm when big feelings take over.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why vacations and changes in routine often lead to more meltdowns
• Why every child responds differently to regulation strategies
• The importance of co-regulation before expecting self-regulation
• How to teach calming strategies before your child needs them
• The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique using the five senses
• How turning regulation into a game encourages participation
• Why modeling calm as a parent is so powerful
• Practicing deep breathing during calm moments instead of meltdowns
• Why consistency—not perfection—is what helps children build emotional regulation skills

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
• My Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids Guide (Calm Down Corner Kit)

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:
Practice the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique with your child during a calm moment. Turn it into a game by exploring your surroundings together, then make it part of your family's toolkit before those big emotions show up.

Recommended Episodes:
• Episode 11: Practical Emotional Regulation Techniques That You Can Teach Your Child Today
• Episode 13: Why You Don't Need to Be a 24/7 Cruise Director
• Episode 18: The 15 Minute Parenting Hack That Actually Works

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you're looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: https://stan.store/steammadesimple/p/the-steam-made-simple-preschool. It's the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

What if some of the most powerful learning moments for your child are already happening in your everyday routines? In this episode, I sit down with pediatric speech-language pathologist Jennifer Adams Oppenheimer to talk about how simple moments—like getting dressed, bath time, or walking to the park—can become incredible opportunities for language development.

Jennifer shares practical strategies that help children build communication skills through repetition, connection, and play. You'll walk away with easy ideas you can start using today, without buying another toy, app, or curriculum.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why everyday routines are the best place for language learning
• What verbal routines are and how to use them
• How songs and repetition support communication skills
• Creating smoother transitions with simple language cues
• Fun language games for bath time and family walks
• Why using rich vocabulary helps children become stronger communicators
• How parents can naturally build language through everyday interactions

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Jennifer's FREE Language-Rich Learning Moments Quick Start Guide: https://speakjoy.com/kid

• SpeakJoy Center for Development: https://speakjoy.com/

• Follow Jennifer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakjoycenter

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Choose one everyday routine—getting dressed, bath time, mealtime, or bedtime—and create a simple verbal routine or song that you repeat every day. Notice how your child begins to anticipate, participate, and connect through the routine.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 17: An Easy Activity To Do With Your Kiddo Before the School Year Begins

• Episode 15: Top 3 Kindergarten Readiness Skills

• Episode 11: Practical Emotional Regulation Techniques That You Can Teach Your Child Today

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you're looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: https://stan.store/steammadesimple/p/the-steam-made-simple-preschool. It's the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

Counting to 100 looks incredibly impressive at the family dinner table, but is it actually math? In this kickoff episode of our 9-Skill Number Sense Series, we're breaking down a major misconception in early childhood education: counting is often just rote memorization, like reciting the alphabet without knowing what any of the letters actually do. If your child can rattle off numbers but still struggles to understand what they actually represent, this episode is your secret weapon.

In this episode, we cover:

• Subitizing: The ability to instantly recognize small amounts (like dots on a die) without counting them one by one.
• One-to-One Correspondence: Pointing to exactly one physical object for every one number word spoken.
• Cardinality: Understanding that the last number said when counting a group represents the total amount of items.
• Conservation of Number: Realizing that a quantity stays the same even if the items are spread far apart or bunched tightly together.
• Magnitude / Comparison: The visual capability to naturally identify which group has "more" or "less" without counting them first.
• Numeral Recognition: Making the mental connection between the spoken word ("three"), the written digit ("3"), and a physical group of three items.
• Spatial Relationships / Patterns: Seeing how numbers fit visually onto structural math tools like ten-frames or number lines.
• Part-Whole Awareness: Understanding that larger numbers are made up of smaller numbers combined
• Hierarchical Inclusion: The concept that smaller numbers are nested inside larger numbers

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Early Learning Standards Guide: Grab your free copy of the early learning standards:
• STEAM Made Simple Preschool:

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 15: Top 3 Kindergarten Readiness Skills
• Episode 12: How to Challenge Your Child Without Overwhelming Them
• Episode 17: An Easy Activity To Do With Your Kiddo Before the School Year Begins

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you're looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: https://stan.store/steammadesimple/p/the-steam-made-simple-preschool. It's the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.