Oh hey there, I'm Casey!
I'm a teacher turned stay-at-home mum who is passionate about creating a playful childhood for our children.
As parents and caregivers, our days are long and often filled to the brim with endless to-do's...and often play is pushed further and further down that list.
Over my years supporting parents to inject more play into their days at home with their little learners, I am a fierce advocate for the importance of prioritising play not only as a way to protect childhood, but as a way to connect with our little learners and create magical memories that'll last a lifetime.
Where it all began...
This story starts way back in 2016 during my first few weeks as a parent to a newborn baby and a *very* busy little toddler.
My husband spent three beautiful weeks at home with us before heading back to work and leaving me to juggle a brand new baby and *the* busiest little toddler.
Before Elliot came along, it was just me and Lilly. My little BFF. We'd spend all day together just the two of us.
I'd prepare fun invitations to play and we had all the time in the world to just enjoy one another.
But once this little baby came along? Well what had worked, was no longer working.
I felt like my toddler was getting the leftover parts of me because this newborn baby wanted to breastfeed all day long and be cuddled to sleep.
I just didn't have much left in my cup to pour back into Lilly...and I had a serious case of the mama guilts!
Play had always been a priority, but I had to re-imagine what it was going to look like now I had two little people constantly pulling me in two different directions.
I learnt to lean into simple play with things I could prepare for Lilly in just a few minutes with what I already had in the house - because heading to the shops to stock up on supplies with a toddler who loved to run and a newborn baby sounded like *actual* torture.
Play had to feel easy, fun and achievable so we could dive right into play and connection time while Elliot often sat on my lap or cat napped for 20 minutes!
I realised that by creating micro-moments of connection with my toddler and I, the rest of our day flowed so beautifully.
I started sharing the simple invitations that we enjoyed together on Instagram and quickly grew a following of over 100 000 parents and educators from all over the world who tried my ideas and created loads of incredible memories with their little learners just like I had.
But that was just the start. There was so much more to creating a playful home than just replicating some fun ideas on the internet. So I created my own framework inside my Little Play Club membership which has now supported thousands of parents in totally transforming play in their homes!
I believe that...
- Play is how our children learn. As a qualified teacher, I know how important it is for children to experience a childhood filled with play...it's how they learn and make sense of the world. My play-based resources make learning FUN!
- Play is an incredible way to slow down and connect with our children. When we purposefully connect and fill our child's cup, the rest of our days flow with such ease. Connection and family time are deep rooted values embedded in everything I do here at Little Lifelong Learners.
- Play is unique to your child and family. So let's create play routines and habits that will work for your unique family and vision for playtime. Once we can tune into what makes our child unique, we can create playful experiences that will engage our child for more than 23 seconds!
It brings me SO much joy when I get to celebrate parents and caregivers that are able to...
- Simplify playtime using things you've already got around the house!
- Make playtime feel easy and enjoyable without adding more to your plate!
- Spend quality time with your children, enjoying the sparkle in their eyes when they welcome you into their playful world!
One of my favourite resources is the Little Play Club because I love seeing other playful parents connecting with a community that shares the same values and are on a mission to create a playful childhood for their little learners. Nothing compares to feeling supported and encouraged along your journey!
"I quickly set this up and OMG it just changed her mood instantly!"
This morning my little one was having some BIG BIG feelings...a few days I saw Casey posted this activity for tricky days so I quickly set up this play invitation and OMG it changed her mood instantly! Quick and easy and she had a great time! I am always so grateful for this Little Play Club community and all the wonderful ideas!
Viviana - Mum of one
