The Art of Playful Parenting

Have you ever set up what you thought was the perfect activity for your child, only to have it end in frustration?
In this episode, Jill talks about the difference between process art and open-ended play vs. product-focused crafts and play. She explains how understanding what an activity asks of your child can help you choose experiences that encourage creativity, exploration, and independent play.
There's a time and place for both structured crafts or Lego kits and more open-ended materials, and Jill discusses how to choose what works best for your and when to use it. 
Want to work with Jill privately? Book a discovery call to get started!
The Playful Parenting Membership is HERE! You'll learn about foundational developmental concepts and age-appropriate play fundamentals , how to create simple, engaging, meaningful play experiences your child will WANT to explore, feel less burnt out and overwhelmed and feel more joy and connection. Click here to join!
Ready to see more independent play? This totally free resource that will help you get more time back for yourself while your child is learning and playing independently. Grab my free guide to independent play at any age!
Interested in joining the family trip to Spain? Click here to learn more!

In this personal episode, Jill shares a part of her life she hasn't talked much about: her postpartum autoimmune disease diagnosis and what it's like to navigate motherhood while living with chronic pain and fatigue.
She discusses the symptoms that began a few months after giving birth, the long journey to getting answers, and the challenges of parenting two young children while managing a chronic illness. Jill also reflects on adjusting to a new level of capacity, learning to listen to her body, and why she wants to make more space for conversations about parenting with chronic illness.
If you're navigating a health challenge while raising little ones, this episode is a reminder that you're not alone.
Want to work with Jill privately? Book a discovery call to get started!
The Playful Parenting Membership is HERE! You'll learn about foundational developmental concepts and age-appropriate play fundamentals , how to create simple, engaging, meaningful play experiences your child will WANT to explore, feel less burnt out and overwhelmed and feel more joy and connection. Click here to join!
Ready to see more independent play? This totally free resource that will help you get more time back for yourself while your child is learning and playing independently. Grab my free guide to independent play at any age!
Interested in joining the family trip to Spain? Click here to learn more!

What does teaching children to manage big feelings have to do with violence prevention? In this episode, Jill Lerman explores why teaching emotional regulation from an early age matters, how adults can model healthy ways to navigate anger and conflict, and how everyday moments of parenting and teaching can help children develop empathy, build relationships, and find alternatives to aggression.
Because helping children learn what to do with their big feelings isn't just about making today easier. It's about building skills that matter for a lifetime.
Want to work with Jill privately? Book a discovery call to get started!
The Playful Parenting Membership is HERE! You'll learn about foundational developmental concepts and age-appropriate play fundamentals , how to create simple, engaging, meaningful play experiences your child will WANT to explore, feel less burnt out and overwhelmed and feel more joy and connection. Click here to join!
Ready to see more independent play? This totally free resource that will help you get more time back for yourself while your child is learning and playing independently. Grab my free guide to independent play at any age!
Interested in joining a family trip to Spain? Click here to learn more!

In this episode of The Art of Playful Parenting, Jill sits down with pediatric occupational therapist, author, keynote speaker, and The OT Butterfly, Laura Petix, to unpack sensory processing and what it can tell us about children's behavior, emotions, and learning.
Laura breaks down the sensory systems, what sensory processing differences can look like in everyday life, and how parents can recognize when a child may be overwhelmed, seeking more sensory input, or struggling to regulate.
Whether or not you've ever used the words "sensory processing" this conversation offers language and practical tools to better understand what may be happening beneath your child's behaviors.
Buy Laura's new book, The Sensory Code.
To learn more about Laura's books, podcast, courses and workshops, keynote speaking and more, click here.
Follow Laura on Instagram
Want to work with Jill privately? Book a discovery call to get started!
The Playful Parenting Membership is HERE! You'll learn about foundational developmental concepts and age-appropriate play fundamentals , how to create simple, engaging, meaningful play experiences your child will WANT to explore, feel less burnt out and overwhelmed and feel more joy and connection. Click here to join!
Ready to see more independent play? This totally free resource that will help you get more time back for yourself while your child is learning and playing independently. Grab my free guide to independent play at any age!

In this episode of The Art of Playful Parenting, Jill explores a surprisingly tricky part of parenting: learning to separate a child's feelings from our own. She talks about the difference between being deeply connected to our children and becoming emotionally merged with them and how our own childhood experiences can get mixed into our reactions to our children and offers a simple question parents can use in the moment: "What's mine here, and what's theirs?"
Want to work with Jill privately? Book a discovery call to get started!
The Playful Parenting Membership is HERE! You'll learn about foundational developmental concepts and age-appropriate play fundamentals , how to create simple, engaging, meaningful play experiences your child will WANT to explore, feel less burnt out and overwhelmed and feel more joy and connection. Click here to join!
Ready to see more independent play? This totally free resource that will help you get more time back for yourself while your child is learning and playing independently. Grab my free guide to independent play at any age!