Casey Patch's Blog

I have such fond memories of setting up a vet space with my mum in our lounge room. I remember little medicine jars filled with beads, cages made from old boxes, playing dress ups and even having a real working stethoscope. It was simple, imaginative play – but those moments have stayed with me. So […]

The post Australian Wildlife Hospital Dramatic Play Area appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

Over the past year, one of the most unexpected (and meaningful) parts of our homeschooling journey has been learning alongside a tiny army of spiny leaf stick insects. What started as a simple, lifelong interest in insects quickly grew into a child-led project for our eldest daughter Lilly – one that has woven together science, […]

The post Homeschooling With Spiny Leaf Stick Insects appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

If you had told me five years ago that we’d be homeschooling, I would have laughed. Loudly. And right in your face. I was a trained early years teacher. I obviously believed in the school system at some point in time. We had supportive teachers, a lovely school and really, quite a positive start to […]

The post Our Homeschooling Story: How Child-led Learning Changed Everything appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

Looking for a fun, low-cost way to attract local wildlife to your backyard? This DIY frog hotel is the perfect project for homeschooling families, nature lovers or anyone wanting to create a simple frog habitat using PVC pipes, native water plants and a few everyday garden items. Our family absolutely loved making this frog hotel […]

The post DIY Frog Hotel for Kids: An Easy Garden Project for Nature-Loving Families appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

If you’re a parent or caregiver of a neurodivergent child, you may be looking for ways to help them feel seen and understood. One way to do this is through the books you read together. Neurodiversity picture books are a great resource for helping children feel validated and appreciated for who they are.  Children’s books […]

The post 40 Children’s Picture Books that Embrace Neurodiversity appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

As parents, we all want the best for our little learners and that includes providing them with tools that encourage play, independence and learning but without the screen-time struggles. Enter the Yoto Player, a screen-free media player designed to spark imagination, creativity and learning, all through the power of audio! In this guide, I’ll share […]

The post Yoto Player Review: How to Set Up the Best Screen-Free Audio Library for Kids appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

As the Back to School season approaches us here in Australia, it’s a super exciting time (and maybe a little nerve-wracking!) time for us and our little learners, especially those gearing up for their first ever school experience! One of the most empowering, foundational skills we can gift our children as they start this journey, […]

The post appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

As the Back to School season approaches us here in Australia, it’s a super exciting time (and maybe a little nerve-wracking!) time for us and our little learners, especially those gearing up for their first ever school experience! One of the most empowering, foundational skills we can gift our children as they start this journey, […]

The post appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

We’ve all been there. Staring in bewilderment as our child repeatedly tips over a cup of water or endlessly hides the remote in the most bizarre places. You’ve probably caught yourself thinking “Why do they keep doing this?!” The good news is that there’s often a pattern to this seemingly random behavior. And once you […]

The post Decoding your child’s behaviours through play schemas appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.

Looking for books about ANZAC Day for your preschooler? As you may have discovered, most picture books about ANZAC Day are written for older children. As a teacher, I’ve found many great books for 6-12-year-olds which tell the story of ANZAC Day and I use these in the classroom every year. But what about the […]

The post 5 Books About ANZAC Day for Preschoolers appeared first on Little Lifelong Learners.