Choosing a daycare or preschool is one of the most important decisions parents make. You’re not just selecting a place for supervision.  You’re choosing an environment where your child will grow emotionally, socially, and academically during their most formative years.  If you’re searching for daycare in Mt. Orab, here are key factors every family should consider.

1. Licensing, Safety, and Daily Structure

A quality childcare center should be fully licensed and follow Ohio state childcare regulations. Licensing helps ensure:

• Safe teacher-to-child ratios
• Clean, secure environments
• Emergency preparedness procedures

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), structured routines and safe environments help young children feel secure and reduce stress, which supports healthy brain development.  At The Gingerbread House, safety and structure are built into daily routines so children know what to expect and feel confident throughout the day.

• We invite families to schedule a tour and see our environment firsthand.

2. Curriculum That Supports the Whole Child

A strong preschool or daycare program supports more than early academics. Look for a curriculum that encourages:

• Social and emotional development
• Language and communication
• Physical movement
• Curiosity and problem-solving

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) emphasizes that young children learn best through developmentally appropriate, play-based experiences.  The Gingerbread House uses a theme-based curriculum, allowing children to explore concepts through hands-on activities, storytelling, art, and guided play.

• Ask about our curriculum during your visit.

3. Experienced and Caring Teachers

Teachers are the heart of any quality daycare. Consistent caregivers help children build trust and emotional security.  Research from Zero to Three shows that stable relationships with caregivers are essential for emotional regulation and social development in early childhood.  At The Gingerbread House, experienced teachers focus on building positive relationships while guiding children through learning and play.

4. Family Communication & Partnership

Quality childcare centers prioritize communication. Daily conversations, updates, and open dialogue help families feel connected and informed.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) highlights that strong family-provider partnerships support better outcomes for children.

Choosing a daycare is about finding a place where your child feels safe, supported, and encouraged to grow.  Schedule a tour at The Gingerbread House in Mt. Orab to see if we’re the right fit for your family.

Spring has a way of inspiring fresh starts. Sunlight pours through the windows, birds start singing again, and suddenly every parent notices fingerprints on the glass and toys tucked into places they don’t belong. If you’re attempting spring cleaning with small children underfoot, you’re not alone.

At The Gingerbread House, we understand that families with young children are living busy, full lives. Spring cleaning doesn’t need to be perfect to be meaningful. In fact, it can even become a learning experience with a little patience and flexibility.

Lower the Bar (Just a Little)

Let’s start here: spring cleaning with young children is rarely fast, quiet, or efficient. And that’s okay.  According to Zero to Three, young children thrive when they feel included in everyday family activities, even if they can’t “help” in traditional ways.  Progress still counts, even if it takes longer than planned.
Instead of aiming for spotless, try focusing on:

• One drawer instead of the whole room
• One load of laundry instead of the entire closet
• Short bursts of cleaning rather than marathon days

Turn Cleaning Into Play

Young children love to imitate adults. When you invite them into simple cleaning tasks, you’re not just tidying up, you’re teaching life skills.

Try these child-friendly ideas:

• Give toddlers a damp cloth to “wipe” low surfaces
• Let preschoolers match socks while folding laundry
• Turn toy cleanup into a color or shape game

The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents that play is one of the most powerful ways children learn responsibility, coordination, and confidence.  At Gingerbread, children practice similar skills during classroom routines like learning that caring for their space is part of caring for themselves and others.

Create Simple, Predictable Routines

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to happen all at once. In fact, children respond better when tasks are broken into predictable routines.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that consistent routines help young children feel safe and reduce stress.  When children know what to expect, they’re more likely to cooperate and parents feel less overwhelmed.
Consider:

• One small cleaning task each day
• Cleaning during a regular nap or quiet time
• Setting a short timer and stopping when it ends

Expect Interruptions (and Build Them In)

If you’re cleaning with little ones nearby, interruptions are part of the process. Snacks will be requested. Shoes will go missing. Someone will need help immediately.  Research from Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child emphasizes that responsive caregiving, even during everyday tasks, strengthens emotional development.  Sometimes stopping to read a book or answer a question is more important than finishing the job.

Instead of fighting it, plan for it:

• Keep cleaning supplies nearby
• Choose tasks you can pause easily
• Build in breaks for connection

Focus on Connection Over Perfection

Spring cleaning can be an opportunity to slow down and model positive habits rather than striving for perfection.

Talk with your child about:

• Why we take care of our belongings
• How cleaning helps our home feel calm
• Working together as a family

At The Gingerbread House, we encourage children to participate in classroom routines in age-appropriate ways, helping them feel capable and confident. These early experiences build independence that carries over into home life.

A Gentle Reminder for Gingerbread Families

If spring cleaning feels messy, loud, or incomplete don’t worry, you’re doing it right. Children learn best when they are included, supported, and loved through everyday moments.  Your home doesn’t need to look perfect to be nurturing.  If you’d like support in building routines, independence, and confidence in your child, we’d love to partner with you.

Schedule a tour at The Gingerbread House to see how we support whole-child development every day.

As the holiday season winds down and families settle back into familiar routines, we at The Gingerbread House want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude. This time of year naturally invites reflection, and when we look back at the past months, at the laughter, the milestones, the challenges, and the countless moments of growth, we feel overwhelmingly thankful for the trust you place in us daily. Caring for your children is an honor we never take lightly, and as we step into a brand-new year, we are more committed than ever to supporting your family with warmth, excellence, and heart.

The post-holiday weeks can feel like a gentle reset after the busyness of December. Children return to the comfort of predictable routines, familiar friendships, and welcoming classrooms. Our educators spend these first days re-establishing rhythms through cozy story times, classroom community activities, and playful invitations that help children reconnect socially and emotionally. If you’re looking for tips to support your child’s transition back to school, you may enjoy our recent article, “Why Gingerbread Academy Sets Your Child Up for Success.”

As we welcome the new year, we want to share a glimpse of the exciting learning experiences coming up across all age groups. Each classroom at The Gingerbread House has intentionally designed hands-on, developmentally rich opportunities rooted in research and tailored to how young children learn best.

For our infants, the upcoming months will focus on sensory exploration, early communication, and building strong attachment with caregivers. This age group benefits tremendously from responsive interactions smiles, gentle play, songs, and simple conversations that lay the groundwork for language development and emotional security. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child notes that these early experiences literally shape the architecture of the developing brain, creating pathways for learning, memory, and healthy social relationships.

For our young toddlers, winter offers wonderful opportunities to learn through movement, discovery, and imitation. Children this age will enjoy simple STEM play, such as experimenting with ice, scooping and pouring sensory materials, and exploring early cause-and-effect concepts. Toddlers also grow rapidly in language this time of year, and our teachers will support this through rich vocabulary, songs, fingerplays, and shared reading experiences. For parents curious about how early literacy supports brain development, see our blog “STEM in the Fall (Toddler Edition)” for recommendations and research-backed insights.

For older toddlers and early preschoolers, the next few months will be filled with creative arts, dramatic play, outdoor winter exploration, and early social-emotional learning. This age group thrives on cooperative play, simple problem-solving, and opportunities to express themselves. Teachers will guide children through activities that strengthen persistence, turn-taking, early math concepts, and fine motor skills. Many families enjoyed our article on child behavior across settings, and if you missed it, you can read it here: “Nurturing Big Feelings in Little People: How Gingerbread House Supports Your Child’s Emotional Development”.

For our Pre-K learners, the new year brings robust thematic units that build kindergarten readiness in fun, meaningful ways. Children will explore winter science, storytelling and author studies, early writing, number sense, and hands-on nature investigations as spring approaches. Our Pre-K team will also introduce project-based learning opportunities that foster independence, confidence, and curiosity.

Across all age groups, our guiding mission remains the same: to nurture confident, curious, joyful learners through developmentally appropriate practice and a loving, supportive community. Early childhood education is far more than a convenience for families it is an investment in a child’s long-term well-being. Research consistently shows that children who participate in high-quality early learning programs demonstrate stronger language skills, better emotional regulation, increased problem-solving abilities, and smoother transitions into elementary school. The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights that early learning environments rich in play, conversation, and relationship-building lay a foundation for lifelong learning.

As we enter this new year together, we want to thank each of you, not just for choosing The Gingerbread House, but for partnering with us. Your communication, encouragement, and trust help us create a learning environment where children feel truly known and deeply cared for. We are excited for the discoveries, friendships, celebrations, and growth that await your child in the months ahead.

Here’s to a wonderful year filled with curiosity, connection, and countless joyful moments. Thank you for being part of the The Gingerbread House family.  We are honored to grow alongside your children and look forward to an inspiring year of learning together.

The holidays with small children have a magic that’s impossible to replicate at any other time of life. There’s something about the way a toddler gasps at twinkling lights or how a preschooler proudly hangs an ornament upside down that reminds us to slow down, breathe deeply, and savor the season. At The Gingerbread House, we see this magic every day in our classrooms, and we love helping families recognize just how meaningful the “little moments” truly are.

The truth is, the holidays with young children rarely look like the perfect photos we see online. More often, they look like glitter on the dog, lopsided sugar cookies, and ornaments that mysteriously migrate to the bottom two feet of the tree. But these are the moments you’ll remember long after the toys are forgotten. These small, surprising, sometimes chaotic moments are where childhood shines brightest.

Take, for example, the way a two-year-old sings “Jingle Bells” at full volume, three beats ahead of everyone else. Or the way a preschooler wraps a gift with seventeen pieces of tape because they want it to be “really, really strong.” Even the meltdowns like the four-year-old who cries because their hot cocoa is “too chocolatey” become part of your family’s holiday story. These moments matter because they show your child learning to express themselves, interact with the world, and experience joy in pure, unfiltered ways.

If you’re looking for perspective this time of year, you might enjoy our blog “Surviving and Thriving This Holiday Season With Your Preschooler,” which offers tips for navigating big emotions with grace.  One of the best ways to cherish the holidays with little ones is to embrace slow traditions. Children thrive on repetition and simple rituals—reading the same holiday book every night, baking cookies together, or driving through the neighborhood to look at lights. These routines help children feel grounded during a busy season, and they create predictable moments of connection for the whole family. For book ideas to add to your traditions, check out “Holiday Book Guide for Ages 0–5.”

Another beautiful part of celebrating with small children is how they make us see the world differently. Adults tend to rush through December, racing from event to event, but children especially toddlers and preschoolers move through the month with wide-eyed wonder. They notice the way snowflakes stick to their mittens, the jingling of bells on the store door, the silly dancing snowman in someone’s yard. When you slow down and join them in these discoveries, you get to experience the season through their eyes.

Consider bringing your little one outside for a short winter walk, even if the weather isn’t perfect. Outdoor play during the colder months supports emotional well-being, physical development, and resilience. Our article “Cold-Weather Play: Why It Matters More Than You Think” explains the many benefits of winter exploration.

Capturing these holiday moments doesn’t require expensive cameras or elaborate setups. Some of the best memories are preserved simply by pausing long enough to notice what’s happening. Jot down a funny quote in your phone, snap a quick picture of your child hanging ornaments in their pajamas, or record a short video of them singing their favorite festive song. These tiny snippets become treasures in later years.

At The Gingerbread House, we love hearing families share their holiday stories the messy, sweet, heartfelt moments that make this season unforgettable. And in our classrooms, we make space for that same joy by offering hands-on crafts, winter sensory play, cozy read-alouds, and festive learning activities that celebrate the season through play.

So as the holidays continue, we encourage you to let go of perfect and lean into playful. Let your child decorate cookies with far too many sprinkles. Let them wear their Santa pajamas all day. Let them help wrap gifts, even if the results are a little… creative. Childhood is short, and these magical, ordinary holiday moments are the ones that stay with you forever.

From all of us at The Gingerbread House, we wish you a season filled with joy, wonder, and memory-making one small moment at a time.

Want to have fun this holiday season? Explore a Pumpkin with a toddler! Toddlers (ages about 1-3) are at an earlier stage: their STEM experiences are more sensory, more about discovery, exploration, and simple cause-and-effect. STEM doesn’t need complex steps.  Just offer plenty of chances to touch, see, compare, and ask questions.

Why Science Helps Toddlers

At the toddler stage, children are building connections: motor skills, vocabulary, thinking about the world. Science experiments support naming, observing, exploring safely, and enhancing curiosity. It also supports social interaction (doing with parent or caregiver), and builds early math ideas (big vs small, more vs less) in everyday play.

Simple Experiments & Ideas for Toddlers

1. Pumpkin Sensory Exploration & Seed Counting
   • Let toddlers explore a halved pumpkin: feeling pulp, touching seeds, smelling. Scoop seeds out.
   • Science: senses (touch, smell).
   • Math: count seeds (“one, two, many”). Use small bowls to sort seeds and pulp.
   • Engineering: use tools like scoops or spoons.
   • Technology: photograph the stages of scooping, or use a simple app to play back images.
2. Leaf Rubbing & Leaf Matching
   • Go on a leaf walk. Collect leaves of different shapes and sizes. Use paper and crayons to do leaf rubbings. Match shapes.
   • Science: noticing texture, shape, color.
   • Math: match big vs small, count leaves.
   • Engineering: experiment with stacking leaves, building little towers.
   • Technology: perhaps draw shapes on a tablet or take photos to compare.
3. Sink or Float with Small Pumpkins or Seeds
   • Fill a container with water. See which objects float (a small pumpkin, a large seed, leaf). Predict (“Do you think it will float?”), then test.
   • Science: cause and effect, properties of objects.
   • Math: more vs fewer, measuring volume with cups.
   • Engineering: design a boat or float with leaves or pumpkin skins to test how many seeds it can carry.
   • Technology: simple recording (“float” vs “sink” stamps or marks), or use parent-child drawing.
4. Seed Sprouting in Cups
   • Soak pumpkin seeds, then place in damp paper towels or in soil. Let toddlers watch daily changes: small root, sprout.
   • Science: plant life cycle.
   • Math: count days, maybe number of sprouts.
   • Engineering: container choice.
   • Technology: photos of each day to show change over time.

Tips for Parents Working with Toddlers

• Keep experiments short. Toddlers have short attention spans, so one simple activity a day is plenty.
• Do it together—toddlers love to explore with a grown-up. Comment on what you see: “This feels slimy,” “Look how many little seeds!”
• Use safety: supervise with small seeds, knife work (if any) must be done by adult. Stick with non-toxic materials.
• Be flexible: let things get messy! The mess often means more learning.
• Celebrate their discoveries with every “wow” builds confidence.

Whether preschoolers or toddlers, the key is curiosity, exploration, and engaging all parts of STEM in ways that match the child’s developmental stage.

Come see how The Gingerbread House engages our Toddlers each day thanks to the wonderful teachers who care for your child!

Toddlers are known for strong emotions, big reactions, and seemingly out-of-nowhere bursts of anger. If you’re parenting a toddler who melts down, lashes out, slams doors or cries inconsolably, you’re not alone and you’re not doing it wrong. What you’re seeing is development unfolding: your child’s brain, body and emotions are in transitions, and they’re learning how to manage big feelings.

According to the article “How to Stop Your Child’s Angry Cycle”, one helpful way to think about recurring anger and tantrums is as a cycle: a trigger, a rising emotion, a reactive behavior, then often a regret or shame phase, and then repeat. The good news: we can intervene in that cycle. Below I’ll walk through an overview of what’s going on + practical ideas of what you can do when your toddler is angry and to help prevent some of the explosions because little by little you build their emotional toolkit, and you build your calm-parent toolkit too.

What’s going on: Why toddlers get so angry

It helps to understand what lies beneath the explosion.

1. Limited language + impulse control.
   Toddlers haven’t fully developed the words or the brain mechanisms to regulate frustration, disappointment or overwhelm. For example, one resource from Zero to Three suggests that when toddlers are really angry, encouraging movement (jumping up/down, hitting cushions) or art (rip paper, paint) helps channel emotion into non-hurtful outlets.
2. Over-stimulation / under-resourced.
   Hungry, tired, overstimulated, not enough downtime are all things that lower the buffer your child has before frustration becomes anger. The NHS (UK) site for helping children with anger issues notes: “Team up with your child to help them deal with their anger … you let your child know that the anger is the problem, not them.”
3. The angry cycle: thoughts → feelings → actions.
   The Focus on the Family article emphasizes teaching children to recognize the cycle: the thought that leads to the emotion, the emotion that triggers the behavior, then the behavior leading to consequences or regret. A related summary (by Tricia Goyer) says you can use the “Three R’s”: Recognize, Reflect, Redirect.
4. You as parent matter a lot.
   How you respond not just what you say makes a huge difference. For younger children, how you model calm, how you validate, how you set limits consistently are powerful. The article “Angry Kids: Dealing with Explosive Behavior” from Child Mind Institute emphasizes that children often lash out not because they’re manipulative but because they can’t yet handle the emotional surge. The way you respond influences whether they learn healthier ways or stay stuck.

What you can do when your toddler is angry

When the moment hits, here are practical steps to help both you and your child navigate it.

1. Stay (or become) calm yourself.
   Your calm is a strong anchor. When your child sees you steady, it gives them a cue that things are under control. If you feel yourself tightening, raise your voice, losing patience—pause. Take a breath. One expert tip: If you whisper in a calm tone it can actually shift the emotional energy.
   Even saying: “I see you’re upset. I’m here with you.” does a lot.
2. Validate the feeling, separate it from the behavior.

Say things like:  “You’re so mad you could stomp your feet.”  or   “It’s okay to be angry about that.”  And then set limits: “But we don’t throw things/hit when we’re angry.” The NHS advice: help your child see that anger isn’t the bad thing—it’s how we act on it.  From Focus on the Family’s “Anger Busters for Kids”: Model anger management, give them words for anger, set positive limits, redirect the energy.

3. Offer a calming outlet / “cool-down” space.
   When the storm is rising, you can offer a safe space. For example:

• • • • A soft cushion or bean-bag corner.
      • A feeling chart or emotion cards.
      • Activity to redirect: ripping paper, jumping, breathing. (Zero to Three’s ideas).
      • “Let’s go to our calm spot until your body slows down.”
        Teach this ahead of time when you’re calm so your child knows the option.

4. Teach words/feelings & help them recognize triggers.
   In quieter moments (not mid-meltdown), talk about what happened: “You wanted the toy and I said not now. You felt angry because you didn’t get what you wanted.”
   From the “Anger Busters” article: Give them words to express their anger. And help them recognize triggers: e.g., transitions, hunger, tiredness, being told no. From the Focus on the Family “Uncovering the Pain Behind Your Child’s Anger”: They recommend pinpointing if there are biological (tired/hungry) or life-stress (big change) reasons behind the anger.
5. Offer choices / channel power / reduce fight.
   Toddlers crave autonomy. When you enforce a limit strictly without any options it can escalate. Instead:

• “You can wear the red shirt or the blue one.”
• “You can choose to sit here for a minute until you’re calm, or you can walk with me to the calm spot.”
  The Times of India article summarizing toddler tantrum tips says: offering limited choices helps reduce power-struggles.

6. After the meltdown: process + repair.
   Once things are calm:

• Talk with your child: “That was hard. When you were angry, you hit the sofa. Hitting hurts us. Next time you can stomp your feet or tell me ‘I’m mad’.”
• Praise the calm: “I’m proud of how you used your words when you could.”
• Reaffirm your love: anger doesn’t change how you feel about them.
• Then move on. Don’t keep mini-lecturing—more gentle reflection later is better.

7. Preventive work: routines, environment, transitions.
   To reduce frequency of explosions:

• Make sure your child’s basic needs are met: snack, rest, quiet time.
• Build predictable routines so transitions aren’t shocking.
• Use warnings before transitions: “In five minutes we’ll clean up.”
• Avoid heavy stimulation before a likely meltdown time.

What to do before it happens (so fewer storms)

• Build emotional vocabulary: Even at toddler age you can teach “mad,” “sad,” “frustrated,” “I can’t.”
• Model your own emotional regulation. Your child learns from what you do, not just what you say.
• Set consistent boundaries. If sometimes screaming gets extra candy, child will learn screaming works. Consistency helps.
• Create “calm-down” routines ahead of time: maybe a special calming corner, maybe a “breathing dragon” game or “blow the candles” deep breaths.
• Recognize your own stress/triggers. The calmer you are, the better you can respond.

Toddler anger and meltdowns are normal. They are part of a child learning to regulate. The goal isn’t ‘never angry’ (that’s unrealistic) but less often, less intense, less destructive, and more quickly resolved.  By staying calm, validating feelings, giving words, offering choices, and building routines, you help your child learn lifetime emotional skills. You also build your own skill as a calm, confident parent—with fewer nights thinking “I lost it again.”

It won’t be perfect. You will have days you lose patience, days the meltdown was epic, days you feel drained. And that’s okay. Let those be learning days not proof you’re failing. What matters is being consistent, rebuilding when needed, forgiving yourself, and modeling the repair.