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get to know L•M•N•O•Play!

We bring books to life with play
that's simple, meaningful,
& ridiculously fun

We bring books to life
with play that's simple, meaningful,
& ridiculously fun

If so, you’re in the right place.

It can be tough, especially in a world of distractions, to raise children who love reading. You might wonder how to find picture books that inspire connection and joy. Maybe you crave truly beneficial activities and experiences that support your child’s development. 

WE MAKE READING mAGICAL by curating the best books and pairing them with play experiences that bring them to life.

Put ‘em together, and you get the ultimate L•M•N•O•Play! experience.

Nourishing, educational philosophy

+

Delicious, magical joy

It’s kinda like chocolate zucchini bread

play contains all the potential for future development.

Hi! We’re Annie Dycus
& Rachel Rubin

We met in kindergarten (as teachers!) and quickly realized we shared a
big, magical dream: To prove that play is the work of childhood. So we
combined our expertise to make it happen. 

Together, we bring 25+ years of classroom teaching, two Master of
Education degrees, a commitment to childhood development research,
and years parenting, caregiving, and tutoring. We’ve used this experience
to create our proven approach to play-based learning.

L•M•N•O•Play! first started with our in-person book clubs, which we still
run today in New York and virtually. Through these classes, we’ve sparked
a love of learning in hundreds of children by inviting them to immerse
themselves in play. 

Inspired by these happy learners and confident in our methodology, we
wanted to welcome even more families into the world of play-based
learning - wherever, whenever, they need it. With that, our online
community was born.

Hi! We’re Annie Dycus
& Rachel Rubin

We met in kindergarten (as teachers!) and quickly realized we shared a big,
 magic dream: To prove that play is the work of childhood. So we combined our
expertise to make it happen. 

Together, we bring 25+ years of classroom teaching, two Master of Education
degrees, a commitment to childhood development research, and years
 parenting, caregiving, and tutoring. We’ve used this experience to create our
proven approach to play-based learning.

L•M•N•O•Play! first started with our in-person book clubs, which we still run
 today in New York and virtually. Through these classes, we’ve sparked a love of
 learning in hundreds of children by inviting them to immerse themselves in play. 

Inspired by these happy learners and confident in our methodology, we wanted
 to welcome even more families into the world of play-based learning. Wherever,
whenever they need it. With that, our online community was born.

meet the founders

math

animals

social-emotional

music

dough

fine
motor

science

construction

sensory

arts &
crafts

literacy

large motor

transport

water

nature

recycled

food

household

Look below and see what you can find. Can you uncover the seven L•M•N•O•Play! learning opportunities?
Hint: The learning is in the play 😉

let’s play a game!

Literacy development begins at birth and happens in many stages including early and emergent literacy. At any age, exposure to literacy attaches meaning to language and leads to the development of the skills necessary to read, write and communicate. These include acquiring vocabulary, effectively communicating, learning sounds, bringing books to life, developing comprehension and inference skills, connecting with characters, creating stories and so much more!

literacy

Sensory processing is the ability to take in and respond to environmental stimuli. Multisensory exposure builds nerve connections in the brain that enable children to complete complex tasks and self-regulate. When children learn how to receive and organize sensory input, they are better able to play with others, concentrate, withstand loud noises, get dressed, eat, and navigate new environments.

sensory

Social emotional skills enable children to initiate and maintain a healthy sense of self and relationships with others. Some of the social emotional skills that young children develop include: self-awareness, emotional regulation, social flexibility, and responsible decision-making. As these develop, children become more kind and empathetic members of their communities. 

social-emotional

Mathematical engagement develops logical, critical thinking skills that encourage children to become problem solvers. Some early math concepts include counting with meaning and accuracy, sorting and classifying items, recognizing shapes and patterns, measuring and comparing and more!

math

Fine motor skills involve the smaller muscles of the hands and fingers. When strengthened, these muscles enable children to grasp small objects, manipulate materials with precision, feed themselves, pass objects from one hand to the other, pinch with tongs, use scissors, dress themselves and eventually draw and write. These skills are essential for the development of independence as well as basic day to day competencies.

Fine motor

Scientific exploration develops and nurtures a curious mind. It involves questioning, exploring and experimenting while engaging with the natural world. Young scientists learn to understand cause and effect, observe keenly and delight in making new discoveries.


Science

Large motor skills help us to move in strong and controlled ways using the whole body. These are especially important for growing bodies because children need their large motor skills to balance, run, walk, climb and, of course, play!

Large Motor

Large motor skills help us to move in strong and controlled ways using the whole body. These are especially important for growing bodies because children need their large motor skills to balance, run, walk, climb and, of course, play!

Large motor

Scientific exploration develops and nurtures a curious mind. It involves questioning, exploring and experimenting while engaging with the natural world. Young scientists learn to understand cause and effect, observe keenly and delight in making new discoveries.


Science

Fine motor skills involve the smaller muscles of the hands and fingers. When strengthened, these muscles enable children to grasp small objects, manipulate materials with precision, feed themselves, pass objects from one hand to the other, pinch with tongs, use scissors, dress themselves and eventually draw and write. These skills are essential for the development of independence as well as basic day to day competencies.

fine motor

Mathematical engagement develops logical, critical thinking skills that encourage children to become problem solvers. Some early math concepts include counting with meaning and accuracy, sorting and classifying items, recognizing shapes and patterns, measuring and comparing and more!


math

Social emotional skills enable children to initiate and maintain a healthy sense of self and relationships with others. Some of the social emotional skills that young children develop include: self-awareness, emotional regulation, social flexibility, and responsible decision-making. As these develop, children become more kind and empathetic members of their communities. 

social-emotional

Sensory processing is the ability to take in and respond to environmental stimuli. Multisensory exposure builds nerve connections in the brain that enable children to complete complex tasks and self-regulate. When children learn how to receive and organize sensory input, they are better able to play with others, concentrate, withstand loud noises, get dressed, eat, and navigate new environments. 

sensory

Literacy development begins at birth and happens in many stages including early and emergent literacy. At any age, exposure to literacy attaches meaning to language and leads to the development of the skills necessary to read, write and communicate. These include acquiring vocabulary, effectively communicating, learning sounds, bringing books to life, developing comprehension and inference skills, connecting with characters, creating stories and so much more!

literacy

We categorize activities by seven core learning opportunities. Click to learn more about each!

We categorize activities by seven core learning objectives. learn more about each below!

The icon key

sadie (parent)

“Instead of just sitting down to do a lesson, it’s more like an experience that has learning consequences. It was so cool to see Elliot take what she learned and start recognizing letters in her day-to-day life in the world.”

“It really feels like you’re simply hanging out and playing, yet the kids are clearly learning.”

*****

Barrow Street Nursery School

“Their work is innovative and progressive, as well as age-appropriate. Our students show up to class excited to learn, create, and engage in all types of sensory explorations. Thank you, Annie and Rachel, for bringing your dedication, experience, and passion to our school!”

“L•M•N•O•Play! has made such a positive and profound impact on our community.”

*****

Barbara (parent)

"LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay! makes it so a book isn’t just a story we put aside. It’s something we can interact with and become a part of. The kids really love the freedom of it. They love being able to listen to the story but then engage in the related activities too. And that's truly the best way to learn."

“L•M•N•O•PLAY! is so good at making this type of learning through play really accessible for parents and children.”

*****

sadie (parent)

“Instead of just sitting down to do a lesson, it’s more like an experience that has learning consequences. It was so cool to see Elliot take what she learned and start recognizing letters in her day-to-day life in the world.”

“It really feels like you’re simply hanging out and playing, yet the kids are clearly learning.”

*****

Barrow Street Nursery School

“Their work is innovative and progressive, as well as age-appropriate. Our students show up to class excited to learn, create, and engage in all types of sensory explorations. Thank you, Annie and Rachel, for bringing your dedication, experience, and passion to our school!”

“L•M•N•O•PLAY! HAS MADE SUCH A POSITIVE AND PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.”

*****

barbara (parent)

"LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay! makes it so a book isn’t just a story we put aside. It’s something we can interact with and become a part of. The kids really love the freedom of it. They love being able to listen to the story but then engage in the related activities too. And that's truly the best way to learn."

"L•M•N•O•PLAY! is so good at making this type of learning through play really accessible for parents and children.”

*****

sadie (Parent)

“Instead of just sitting down to do a lesson, it’s more like an experience that has learning consequences. It was so cool to see Elliot take what she learned and start recognizing letters in her day-to-day life in the world.”

“It really feels like you’re simply hanging out and playing, yet the kids are clearly learning.”

*****

Barrow Street Nursery School

“Their work is innovative and progressive, as well as age-appropriate. Our students show up to class excited to learn, create, and engage in all types of sensory explorations. Thank you, Annie and Rachel, for bringing your dedication, experience, and passion to our school!”

“L•M•N•O•Play! has made such a positive and profound impact on our community.”

*****

barbara (parent)

"LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay! makes it so a book isn’t just a story we put aside. It’s something we can interact with and become a part of. The kids really love the freedom of it. They love being able to listen to the story but then engage in the related activities too. And that's truly the best way to learn."

“L•M•N•O•PLAY! is so good at making this type of learning through play really accessible for parents and children.”

*****

Even though the play feels simple, children always benefit from the learning that's mixed in. We also make it crystal clear to you as the grownup by explaining the why in your play.

baked-in learning

Whether it’s incorporating music or nurturing fine motor skills, each activity makes learning a full-body experience to nurture holistic development at any age.

Multisensory & adaptable

All of our activities are connected to our favorite picture books. This lets you discover new, vetted reading material while engaging with stories beyond the page.

discover amazing books

There is never one “right” way to play! Activities provide structure but are easily adaptable so kids of ALL ages can enjoy them. Our open-ended prompts inspire creativity and place children at the center of their play.

open-ended play prompts

Choose an activity from
our library, grab a few simple materials & play!

Choose an activity from our library, grab a few simple materials & play!

how doES the activitY LIBRARY work?

Explore our library of play-based learning activities.

Ready to Play?

copyright l•m•n•o•play!     llc 2024   |   All rights reserved   |   brand & website by hello magic studio

LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay! strives to make our website accessible. LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay! is committed to diversity, inclusion, and meeting the needs of all of our customers, including those with disabilities. We are continually improving our website to comply with accessibility guidelines. In the meantime, if the format of any material on our website interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact us to request assistance.