Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons is one of our very favorite books so we had to choose it for this month's Virtual Book Club for Kids. The fun and colorful story by Eric Litwin is beloved by preschoolers everywhere for good reason--it's just plain cool! The groovy repetitive text and Pete's great attitude about life make it a story your kids will want to read again and again. Then when you're done reading you can sit down and make a Four … [Read more...]
Toys That are REALLY Worth the Price
The holidays are coming and if your families are anything like mine so are the wish list requests. Everyone wants to know what gifts to give to kids, after all they are so much fun to buy for. There are lots of choices out there, many of them are quite expensive, so it can be hard to know which choices are a good value. No one wants to overspend on junk. Never fear! I am here to help. Over the last few weeks I have questioned dozens of parents to … [Read more...]
Hands On Turkey Math for Kids
New math concepts can easily frustrate kids. To keep it fun we made a hands on turkey math game! Actually it was more than just hands on--it was a move and learn math activity! Hands On Math Game clear contact paper (affiliate link) colored card stock (affiliate link) tape googly eyes To create the game I cut a turkey body and feathers from card stock and added a face to the body with the googly eyes and bits of paper. I cut a … [Read more...]
How Kids Can #ShareAMeal and Fight Hunger
Childhood hunger is a big issue--here in America there are 16 million children struggling with hunger. It can feel overwhelming to read about and as parents the statistic that 1 in 5 kids don't know where their next meal is coming from can stop us cold. But that doesn't mean we can't help. I've partnered with Unilever Project Sunlight to spread the word about how families, even kids, can #shareameal and help kids in their communities! Teach … [Read more...]
150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids Book
If you are a regular reader then you know we like activities that are simple and super cool. I don't want to spend more time prepping an activity than my kids spend doing it. Not everything we do turns out that way (I've had my share of craft fails!) but on the whole the easy engaging activities are the ones we do again and again. That's why Asia Citro's new book, 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids, has quickly become a family … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Learn with Candy
Stop! Don't eat all that candy in your house. Save some of it to learn with! Candy is very motivating for kids and can be a great learning tool--it just makes learning more fun! How to Learn with Candy There are tons of ways to learn with candy. We done a number of candy activities over the years and here are some of our favorites! Candy Corn Science Experiments Grab your candy corn and get ready for fun! These simple candy corn science … [Read more...]
Kindness Stones Activity
We love doing acts of kindness! I think small, simple, everyday acts can make a big difference and get kids into the habit of being kind. Last week we got a little crafty and made kindness stones to leave as an act of kindness for others in our community! Kindness Stones Craft: rocks permanent markers a good place to make someone's day The kids created little stones to leave for a stranger to find at the park or on a walking path. … [Read more...]
Teach Kids Measurement
Measurement shouldn't just be something kids do with a ruler and a worksheet. Long before kids can calculate length in inches and centimeters they can start to learn about estimating and measurement with non-standard measurement. What is non-standard measurement? It's the process of using something other than a ruler for measurement. It helps kids grasp the concept and encourages problem solving. Teach Kids Measurement My favorite thing about … [Read more...]
