Author name: Jocelyn Greene

The Polar Express book cover

Six Holiday Books You Want To Read With Your Kids

The holiday books are an amazing opportunity to reflect on family, charity and compassion.  These books all explore these themes in different ways – some comical, some with adventure.  I also love them because they tie in with the seasonal weather all around us and make snuggling under a blanket with hot-cocoa all the more […]

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Group of kids playing in the dark with flashlights

Toys (You Already Have) For Awesome Indoor Play

“Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable.” – Carl Jung I will never cease to be amazed by the creativity of the parents I know.   Yesterday, I went to three playgrounds before 12:00 with Nathaniel.

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Two girls laughing while playing the feather balance game

Boost Concentration And Curiosity: Play This Game – Feather Balance!

“No matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment. –Carol Dweck, Mindset In my call-back for the Grad Acting program at NYU, a teacher, in all seriousness, asked us to feather balance a feather on our hand.  I was thinking, wait, don’t you want me to like

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Jocelyn sitting with young girl playing Story Clap

Practice Listening With Story Clap!

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is upon us! You may be already preparing the brine, buying cranberries in bulk or finding the perfect wine pairing for poultry.  I’m looking forward to four days away from the routines of school and work. And I’m grateful for the time to think about what I’m grateful for…which is

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Young boy doing Animal Yoga with Jocelyn teaching

Move Your Body, Stretch Your Imagination With Animal Yoga

Playground season is over.  It’s officially cold.  Let’s all have a moment of silence.  And then a moment for a silent scream as we contemplate all those after-school and weekend hours that we are about to spend indoors. If you are reading this from California or some such climate, good for you.  But here on

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Group of kids and teachers playing Magical Elevator

MAGICAL ELEVATOR – A Portal Into Playful Teaching

Travel the world.  Go back in time and forward to the future.  Venture to new lands.  And don’t leave the room… Teach your students about science, history, and make your literature come to life.  All you need is masking tape and a will to play! Like most of our theater games, Magic Elevator takes a

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toddler awake at bedtime routines that make kids sleep

Kids Can’t Sleep? Try This Mindful Bedtime Sensory Exercise

Oh, Mr. Sandman? Bring my kid a dream.  Really.  Please? I’m a mom who likes to have a plan.  But try as I might, there is something about bedtime – after bath and brushed teeth and books – that drifts over into the vague.  Not my favorite time of night.   If those eyes are

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Jocelyn and girl laughing while playing Magic Mirror

Speak And Listen To Your Kids – No Words Required.

In 1989 my parents made a VHS recording of Into the Woods when the B’way show aired on PBS. That tape must have been made of strong stuff since I probably watched it 100 times.  I knew all the words, made up secret handshakes with my best friend to the Sondheim lyrics and dressed as

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Group of kids acting on stage, wearing hats, showing empathy

Getting Into Character: 4 Games For More Compassionate Kids

Getting into another character’s shoes is the best way (that I know) to build empathy. These simple exercises will get kids out of their own heads and into the hearts of their character. The theater gives us these essential tools to boost empathy and emotional intelligence in our young students.

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