Tic Tac Grow

Every big idea starts with two small words: what if.

What if boxes become ships?
What if the clouds taste like cotton candy?
What if pigs have wings?

Imagination
questions open minds.
Creativity
challenges thought.
Play
turns ideas into action.

Every child deserves room to wonder from the first giggle to the big ideas that follow.
Tic Tac Grow inspires educators, parents, grandparents, and caregivers to build everyday, ordinary events into strong foundations for young children in their early years.
A child wakes up new every single day full of questions, thoughts, and ideas ready for playful action!

Meet Judith

Judith K. Lavender has spent more than fifty years doing what many grown-ups only dream about: getting down on the floor with young children and taking play seriously.

50+years with young children
1987Tic Tac Grow founded
7×NMAEYC workshop presenter

Where it started

Bachelor’s degree, early childhood education

University of New Mexico

Master’s degree, early childhood development

Erikson Institute, Chicago

Then she put all that learning to work!

The many hats

Over the years, Judith has worn a lot of hats, including a few made of construction paper.

Taught young children
Coached & trained educators
Guided parents
Designed early childhood programs
Spoke up for children in policy
Started a rural family center
Founded two small businesses
Created Tic Tac Grow PlayWear
Started financial education groups for women

…because learning doesn’t stop at age eight.

From small-town classrooms to the national stage

Interim Director of the Baby Fund at the Santa Fe Community Foundation
New Mexico coordinator for NAEYC’s Power to the Profession initiative
Member of the NAEYC Council on Accreditation in Washington, DC
Seven-time workshop presenter at the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children’s annual conference, and a workshop presenter at NAEYC’s national conference

1987The year Tic Tac Grow began

In 1987, Judith founded Tic Tac Grow, LLC on the belief that the earliest years of childhood matter most, and the real magic happens in ordinary moments.

Meal time
A walk around the block
Riding in the family car
A playhouse that becomes an art studio

Nearly four decades later, that idea still guides everything Tic Tac Grow does.

Imagination

Creativity

Play

Meet Judith

Where it started

The many hats

From small-town classrooms to the national stage

Child Development for Moms, Dads, and Grandparents…

What we talk about

Clear communication

Respecting roles

Supporting young children

What to expect

Contact