You are My Sunshine is a song that my mom sang to me a lot when I was little. It stuck with me as I grew up, and when I became a mom, it was the first song I sang to my daughter. I have sung it to her every night before bed, and it’s become our special song. She asks me to sing it when she’s sick or upset, and she sings it along with me some nights too. I was so excited when I found an illustrated version of the song, and I decided we should have some fun with it.
Category Archives: Family Fun
Teaching Kids to Read with ABCmouse!
I am always looking for different kinds of learning resources to use with my daughter. We read lots of books, take field trips, do crafts and activities, and also use technology to make learning fun. When I was in grad school, we did a lot of research on the benefits of using technology when teaching kids to read, and the topic has interested me ever since. I have previously talked about how allowing my daughter to have some screen time has actually helped her on her path to reading. So I was thrilled when we were given the opportunity to check out ABCmouse, and see how this platform can make learning fun!
Benefits of Reading Interactive Books with Your Kids
Reading to kids who are full of energy can sometimes be frustrating. My 2 year old is constantly on the move. I’m always amazed and thrilled when she wants to just sit with me and read a book. But there are plenty of times when a traditional book just can’t hold her attention. Thankfully, there are plenty of interactive books available to keep your little ones interested in reading, and there are lots of educational benefits of reading interactive books with your kids!
Mud Puddle Fun!
Spring is just around the corner (finally!), and for us, that means the snow is melting and the mud puddles have returned! Like most kids, my daughter loves to splash around in all the puddles she can find, so I was excited to have the opportunity to check out this fun new picture book from Bloomsbury Children’s Books, and create some mud puddle learning games for us to play!
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Ultimate Guide to Easter Egg Learning Activities!
Easter is just around the corner! With all of the brightly colored plastic Easter eggs around, I wanted to find some great activities to use them for learning opportunities. I decided to round up some of the best ideas from my fellow bloggers. These activities use plastic eggs for everything from reading to math to science to exercise.
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Spread Smiles with These Children’s Books on Kindness!
Random Acts of Kindness Day is observed on February 17th every year. I love the idea of recognizing the power of small acts of kindness and encouraging kids to make a difference. My mother is the kindest person I have ever met. She encourages every person in her life to spread kindness to others. Whether she is baking birthday treats for every single person at her work, or just smiling at every person she passes, her goal is to brighten people’s days. I absolutely want my daughter to look at life that way as well. I love that this holiday encourages everyone to do the same. To spread some smiles this year, I decided to gather a list of great children’s books on kindness to help families start their own traditions.
Celebrate the Olympic Spirit with Books on Winter Sports!
I love the Olympics. The world comes together to watch people fulfill their lifelong goals and cheer them on. The pride in representing your country, the beautiful routines and tricks being performed and the incredible range of emotions on display all make it a wonderful thing to share with your kids. With the 2018 Winter Olympics coming up, I figured this would be the perfect time to gather a list of books on winter sports that we will see in the coming weeks. Introduce your kids to all of the winter fun and maybe inspire them to chase their dreams as well!
Library Fun with The New Li-Bear-ian!
I have very vivid memories of getting my first library card. We walked to the library from our school and I probably still have the card with my little 5 year old signature on it somewhere. That library is now a medical building, but I will always have fond memories of going there and taking out books. I was very excited to take my daughter to the library for the first time, and she loves going and looking through the great selection of kid’s books. Since February is National Library Lovers Month, I decided to share this fun book about a new librarian, as well as some great activities you can do with your family!
Celebrating Diversity with Multicultural Children’s Book Day!
Being able to recognize yourself in the art that you consume is something that a lot of people take for granted. It is so important for kids to be able to find books, toys and media that features characters that look like them, have families that look like theirs, or live in places that resemble their neighborhoods. On January 27, 2018, we will be celebrating Multicultural Children’s Book Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness for children’s books which feature diverse characters, neighborhoods and families, and getting them onto bookshelves in schools, homes and communities. I’m thrilled to be a part of this important cause, and to have the opportunity to review three books that are part of the featured line up this year.
Fort Building Fun for All Seasons!
Did you enjoy building forts as a kid? I remember using old refrigerator boxes, sheets, and whatever else we could find to create our own little hideaways. We didn’t have a tree house, (and probably shouldn’t have with our family clumsiness!), so we created our own places. There is something so magical about building your own place hidden from the world and imagining that it is whatever you want it to be. Today’s book focuses on the joy of fort building, no matter what season you are in.
