Homegrown Friends

growing young hearts, minds and bodies

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    • Reviews & Disclosure
    • HOME
  • Homegrown Studio
    • Meet Meredith
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      • Toddler Time
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  • Open Play Toys
    • Rainbow Cones – Open Play Toys
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WELCOME

Welcome to the Homegrown Community!

This is a space all about nurturing children and the people who love them. If you are a parent, educator or other loving adult passionate about supporting the emotional and social growth of children (all while having a lot of fun!) this is the community for you.

My goal is to create a welcoming environment where I can share my passion for early childhood education. Here you will find hands-on, process-oriented activities that focus on the whole child. I am a firm believer that we must first center education on the social and emotional development of children before tackling the intellectual development. Homegrown Friends is a blending of my background as an early childhood educator with my deep love of being a mother to my three children. Whether you are a teacher, parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or caregiver I hope you will make this space your own as we grow young hearts, minds and bodies together!


I believe…

I believe teaching and modeling empathy should be at the heart of all early childhood education. Here are three posts to get you started.

10 Ways to Create Open-Minded Children

10 Books that Teach Acceptance and Empathy 

50 Activities Based on Books About Friendship, Acceptance and Empathy

Homegrown Friends


I believe all children deserve the right to take part in an education that accepts and celebrates their ethnicity, gender, race, religion and family dynamics. Here are three posts on anti-bias, multicultural education.

Exploring Gender Stereotypes with Children

Curriculum Challenging Institutionalized Homophobia in an Early Childhood Education

Multicultural Toys to Celebrate Racial Diversity

Homegrown Friends


I believe children learn best through play and value art-centric learning. Here are three of my favorite posts.

Art Play!– my book- check it out!

Exploring the Value of Play

Homegrown Studio Art Classes– my art studio for kids in West Hartford, CT!

Homegrown Studio is an Art Studio for Kids in West Hartford CT

About Meredith

It’s always fun to learn about the creator behind the blog! Check out my About Me page to learn about my family, my Art Studio for Kids in West Hartford, CT and what we do for fun.

Join the fun!  Follow Homegrown Friends on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.

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Art Play! Activities for Preschoolers

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