Hi!

Instagram went down for a couple hours the other day, and it made me realize just how important it is to have other ways of connecting with this community — so thank you for being here!

I missed sending out last month’s email because I was immersed in directing a big middle school musical — always the busiest week of my year.

I’m coming up for air and excited about getting back into Playful Heart Parenting, and I've been dreaming up new fun resources to help bring more laughter, silliness, and connection to families.

Let’s jump into it:

EASTER EGG HUNT HELP

I’ve always loved the magic of an Easter egg hunt, and it’s a whole new level of enjoyment as a parent!

One thing I don’t love, though, is a ton of cheap, little plastic toys that either instantly get thrown away or just add to the never-ending clutter in our house.

So, I made a list of creative, fun, and actually useful things to hide in Easter eggs in addition to (or instead of) candy!

Here are links to those items: https://www.amazon.com/shop/playfulheartparenting/list/2137RD31TNT6U?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_aipsfplayfulheartparenting_QW37DCDZ8KB53JD2N0CJ​

And here is a PDF of 30 cute Easter jokes for kids that you can print, cut up, and hide in the eggs!

​30 Easter Jokes for Kids.pdf​

SEVEN-DAY PLAY CHALLENGE WAS GREAT!

Thank you to those who participated in the first ever seven-day play challenge!

It was so fun to connect with you in a much more personal way through Marco Polo.

If you missed out on this, stay tuned — we will have another one next month!

RECENT GAMES WITH LOVE

1. My stepdaughter came up this super-easy but fun “Guess the color on your forehead” game, using dot stickers: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3wW0LXOt_X/?igsh=Ym1iMWFwb3kxcGpp
2. “Fortunately/Unfortunately” is a classic improv game that also encourages kids to look on the bright side and problem-solve in a silly and creative way: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3NtEFcOHTk/?igsh=MW91czJpcG5vNDk4cA==​

FREE RESOURCES

If you haven't already grabbed these previous free resources, I'm linking them below.

I will continue to come out with more free resources and share them with you here, as a thank-you for continuing to subscribe to these emails and be part of this community!

​25 Easy Silly Moments updated.pdf​

​Using AI For Connection & Quality Time 15 Creative ChatGPT Prompts.pdf​

INSPIRATION FROM YOU:

I always love hearing from you — especially when it comes to how playfulness is helping you and your family.

Here is a recent message that touched me:

"I have to thank you for your content. I started following you last fall, because I don’t feel naturally playful with my 4yo, and I can use inspiration. (I also haaaate playing with toys with him, like cars and trains, which is what he always wants). Your recent video about playfully telling them not to do something has unlocked so much for us. He asks me to play “Don’t you dare” now, and I’ve even extended it to power reversal—”Oh PLEASE don’t make me brush your teeth! Nooooo!” And we’re both having such a good time! He’s getting himself dressed for the first time, transitions are easier, but honestly, we just feel so much more connected. Everything is lighter. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

That’s all for this month! See you in April!

Love, Mia