Kids naturally learn from watching and imitating. From the very beginning, babies and toddlers try to speak, move and act like the children and adults around them. How many times have you seen a small child pick up a phone and pretend to have a whole conversation? They learn by watching us and by attempting to do these things on their own. Allowing kids to help around the house is a great way to encourage independence, curiosity and creativity. It also provides opportunities for learning and practicing important skills. We recently had the opportunity to try a great learning tool from Little Partners which allows all ages to get more involved.
Author Archives: Vicki
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?
Updated on October 16, 2019
Pumpkins provide so many fun opportunities to learn and practice important skills. Plus, who doesn’t feel festive when surrounded by bright orange pumpkins? We have already visited at least one apple orchard and pumpkin patch this year, so I was inspired to find lots of ways to use them in our learning. I was also thrilled to find a book that ties math and other lessons in with pumpkins and the fall season. Check out all of the fun we had counting pumpkin seeds!
Give the Gift of Laughter and Creativity!
One of the best parts of being a parent is the opportunity to act like a kid again. As a teacher, some of my favorite memories are dancing, singing and just having fun with the kids. The same is true now that I am a parent. The other day while emptying the dishwasher, my two year old picked up a spatula, sat on the floor and used it to “row” herself across the kitchen floor — all the while singing “Row Row Row Your Boat”. When she asked me to join, I sat right down with her and scooted across the floor too. And the laughter from that moment will stick with me as an amazing memory.
Pumpkin Activities for Kids!
Updated October 16, 2019
I love the fall! If you regularly read the blog or follow me on social media, you may already know this since I tend to mention it a lot. I love the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. I’ve been really excited to get out to our local farmer’s markets and orchards because all of the different apples, pumpkins and vegetables inspire me to create fun projects and recipes with my daughter. Today’s book follows a little boy and his mom as they go out to the farmer’s market in search of the perfect pumpkin, and we paired it with lots of fun pumpkin activities for kids!
Battling Parenting Woes with Help from Boys Town!
Reading is and always has been a passion of mine. So when I became a mom, I was anxious to get my hands on all kinds of reading materials that would help me be the best parent I could be. As my daughter has grown, so has my reading list. I firmly believe that kids who see their parents reading will be more likely to read, so I take every opportunity to read texts from a variety of sources. While I still have quite the stack of parenting books, I also turn to the resources on the internet more often than not. Boys Town is full of fantastic parenting resources offering helpful tips and advice for this crazy journey of parenting.
You Are Wonderful
As a mother, it is so important to me that I raise my daughter to be proud of who she is. I want her to have confidence to do the things she loves and surround herself with people who see the wonderful person that she is. I make it a mission to tell her how loved she is, and how much I appreciate the things that make her special. Luckily Nancy Tillman’s amazing books give me that opportunity whenever we read them together. I am a huge fan of her beautiful work, so I was thrilled when I was offered the opportunity to check out her newest one about helping kids discover themselves!
13 Monstrously Fun Monster Books
Updated October 16, 2019
Monsters can be a scary thing for kids to deal with, but there have always been lots of fun monster characters to enjoy in books, TV shows and movies. They can teach us lessons about not making judgments while making us laugh with their silliness and giving a physical representation to our fear of the unknown. With Halloween right around the corner, I gathered a list of colorful and funny monster books, starring all kinds of monsters. Whether you are looking for board books to help your young kids face their fears, or picture books with an important message on making judgments, there is something here for everyone!
I Let My Toddler Watch TV — and it’s Helping Her Learn to Read!
My toddler watches TV.
Yup, I said it.
Now let’s not be crazy. I don’t let her watch TV all the time. I am very much a believer in the “Everything in Moderation” mindset. Our social media feeds are full of articles telling us that TV and screen time are bad for kids, and I definitely agree that screen time should be monitored and minimized. However, I have definitely seen a benefit to allowing my daughter some screen time with educational television shows.
How to Create a Special Place to Read with Your Kids
Do you have a favorite place to read? The Internet is full of amazing reading nooks and dream libraries. I find myself getting lost in the pictures dreaming of spending a day there. When it comes to getting kids excited about reading, you want to ensure that they have a great area that they can call their own. While we may wish for fantastic libraries that aren’t meant to be (I realize now I will never have the library from Beauty and the Beast), there are lots of ways that you can carve out a small area in your home and make it the perfect place to read. Today’s book takes a fun look at what a perfect reading area needs.
Fun Leaf Activities That Will Get Kids Excited for Fall!
The bright and colorful leaves of fall just beg you to have fun with them! From jumping in piles of leaves to creating fun art projects, the possibilities are almost endless. I love when the trees around us start to change color and all of the beautiful fall decorations start to come out. We decided to embrace the fall season and have some fun with colorful leaf activities!
Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post.