It’s summer and that means lots of fun time spent outside playing with bubbles. Want to extend your bubble play? Try these bubble experiments and discover new ways to play with bubbles. When you’re done experimenting, how about trying an art project with bubbles? Bubble printing is so easy and you get beautiful, unique results with […]
Bubble Science
June 26, 2013 by
Every kid has a fascination with bubbles. There’s just something enticing about them. We recently spent an afternoon playing with a bottle of bubbles, which led to lots of discovery about the science behind bubbles. Here’s a few of the fun concepts we learned as we explored bubbles. Does wand shape effect the bubble? […]
Salt and Watercolors Art
June 24, 2013 by
Process-based art is exactly as it sounds. It’s all about the process- the fun, creativity, and exploration that comes with creating art. And your kids will surely love the process behind this crowd-pleasing art project. In fact, chances are that they’ll want to do this again and again! You can watch the tutorial here: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56cZQZXXJCk] […]
Learning in an Instant- Letter Sounds Hopscotch
June 22, 2013 by
We’ve been talking about fun ways to play and learn with sidewalk chalk, and today we have another playful idea to share. Letter Sounds Hopscotch! Encourage your kids to practice letter sounds and their gross motor skills with this simple game. Instead of drawing numbers in your hopscotch grid, draw objects beginning with the letter […]
Exploring Nature with Books
June 12, 2013 by
The best part about summer for me is getting outside with my children! I love watching their eyes light up when they pop a wild berry into their mouths or find a snail along a forest trail. We spend hours and hours outside each day, sometimes doing more formal learning such as species identification and […]
Learning in an Instant: Simple Letter Writing Activity
May 31, 2013 by
For a super quick and mess-free letter writing activity for the kids, remove the label stamp from a zipper freezer bag using a paper towel and a bit of rubbing alcohol. The label will wipe right off leaving you with a completely clear bag! Next, fill the bag with some clear hair gel (from the […]
How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard
May 23, 2013 by
Kids love to look at and examine animals. But we don’t always have a backyard that encourages animals to come to us. So, how can you promote animals in your backyard? First you have to know what kind of animals you are wanting to attract. Are you wanting a variety of birds? What about insects? […]
Using Blocks to Teach Your Child About Tints, Shades, and Mixing Colors
May 15, 2013 by
What I love about simple wooden blocks is their versatility. A child can use blocks to create a zoo . . . a school . . . a road! (Or, a road through a zoo that leads to school!) Blocks deliciously challenge a child’s fine and gross motor skills as they practice balancing and building, […]
Becoming a Chicken Mama
May 8, 2013 by
Raising baby chickens is a rewarding task that leaves us with entertainment, wonderful learning opportunities, and of course, amazing eggs. If you have ever thought about raising your own chickens for eggs now is the time to consider giving your children the rare experience of having their very own backyard flock! My daughter is […]
Insect Lab Nature Investigation
May 1, 2013 by
Spring brings flowers, warm air, green grass . . . and insects. Many, many insects! Due to mild weather and their natural instinct to hunt for food after winter hibernation, insects are abundant in the spring. Many spring insects are young; they have recently hatched out of an egg case or matured from pupae to […]
“April Showers Bring May Flowers” Handprint Art
April 24, 2013 by
Have you ever gazed at your child and wondered to yourself, “How did he get so big?” or, “Did she grow in her sleep last night?” Colin had just come home from preschool and was excitedly sharing what he had learned that day from his teachers. As he yapped on and on, it became one […]
Rainbow Song
April 22, 2013 by
This week we’re exploring weather themes, and here to start off the week is a great video from Angelique teaching a rainbow song! Watching Angelique’s videos always makes me smile! You can watch the video of the rainbow song here: Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to view it on YouTube, and don’t forget to subscribe […]
Planting a Three Sisters Garden
April 16, 2013 by
Short on space but still want a garden? Try planting a Three Sisters Garden with your kids this year! With a few modifications this Native American technique can even be adapted to grow in a pot and you can enjoy all the benefits of these plants that help each other grow in even the smallest […]
5 Simple Experiments with Water
April 11, 2013 by
April is known for it’s rain showers. What better time to try some simple science experiments with water! Today, I’m sharing with you 5 simple experiments that need only a few items and take just a few seconds to set up, yet are fun and explore different properties of water. 1. Bending pencil experiment Materials […]
DIY Button Flower Learning Game for Kids
April 3, 2013 by
Signs of Spring are showing up everywhere! What better way to welcome Spring than with a bouquet of bright, colorful flowers? We made our bouquet with simple buttons and pipe cleaners, but took it a step further and made up a button flower game. It’s quick, easy, and lots of fun! Here is what you’ll need: […]
Developing Handwriting Skills to Boost Reading Skills
March 27, 2013 by
One of the ways to boost your child’s reading skills is by teaching him to write his letters! Handwriting skills and reading skills are very closely interlinked. While reading seems like primarily a mental activity, developing handwriting skills can help kids hurdle many of the ‘normal’ reading pitfalls before they even begin to learn their […]
5 Books to Inspire Creativity
March 22, 2013 by
Children love to draw, paint, and create, and seem inherently creative. To further encourage your children to understand that their artwork is valuable and unique, I’ve created a list of five great story books that inspire artistic creativity! Ish – This is one of my all-time favorite books! Ramon loves to draw, but when […]
Make Your Own Stamps!
March 19, 2013 by
We love to explore different art techniques! Some are common techniques that get used often, such as painting, drawing, and sculpting with clay or play dough. Other techniques we use sporadically, like stamping! Whenever we bring out the stamps we always have a good time. You can try stamping, too. Make your own stamps with […]
