For years, I spent half my teaching week begging beginners not to squish the "pet mouse" under their wrist.

And almost every time, one of two things happened: either the mouse got flattened anyway, or the child held their arm so rigidly to save the mouse that their shoulder locked up completely.

It was like playing a game of tension whack-a-mole!

Eventually, I ditched the mousehole and started talking about a magic portal instead.

Instead of micro-managing a tiny wrist joint, the portal opens up the whole arm naturally. And the real secret? I let the child decide what comes flying out of their portal.

Whether it is flying dinosaurs, glitter bombs, or hot pizza, when kids get to choose, the tension disappears and the fun takes over.

If you ever want a giant bank of simple, playful ideas that do the heavy lifting for you, come hang out with us in the Stringosaurus Hub.

Warmly,
Laura