indoor learning

learning during read-alouds: critical thinking, new literacies

May 14, 2012

I read an extremely interesting article this week that has really left me thinking about how I read with my children. It left me thinking about my expectations for what we discuss and for what my children are capable of gaining from texts. It left me thinking about how deeply we delve into the books [...]

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how to develop language through play

May 7, 2012

I’m excited to share a few posts I’ve written that focus on developing children’s language through play. Each short article offers parents two teeny little tips that they can easily implement–with just a little bit of focus and effort–to  help their children become more verbal and stronger speakers.  Both pieces were written on the Melissa [...]

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quick & easy grid games: concepts of print

May 2, 2012

It’s been a busy few days for us, but we’re slowly getting back to the routine, and it (gulp!) feels pretty good. Though boy oh boy do we miss Disney. . . So this week, I pulled out Cora’s Kindergarten packet (wah!), looked through the ideas, and reminded myself that I really should do some [...]

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mastering multiplication tables (with mini flash cards)

April 29, 2012

Learning math facts has been a long, hard road for Maddy. It’s actually very often a long, hard road for many kids–including myself–way back when. I remember hours of practicing my basic facts and hours of frustration at the fact that I just wasn’t learning. I just wasn’t remembering.  I felt anxiety on every Mad [...]

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disney word searches: getting kids ready for the trip!

April 25, 2012

We were on a major word search kick a while back, but we’ve taken a good long rest from them. So in honor of our upcoming Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, I decided to bring back this oldie but goodie for Maddy, Owen, and Cora.  Word Searches!! What fun! Letter recognition! Fine motor practice! Reading! [...]

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preparing kids for disney: autograph books!

April 17, 2012

We are so very, very, very, very excited that we’re heading to the Happiest Place on earth in just a few days!  As part of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, our schedule will be packed, and it will surely be an incredible event! The kids are elated, my husband is elated, I am elated, [...]

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homemade alphabet book: get personal with the abc’s

April 11, 2012

There’s been a ton of little things that we’ve done over here to help Maddy, Owen, and Cora learn the letters of the alphabet, but I have to say that an all-time favorite of theirs has to be their Homemade Alphabet Books. And really, the Homemade Alphabet Books are not all that crazy, gorgeous, or [...]

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more secrets to an awesome fairy party: flower napkin rings

April 10, 2012

I promise that I’m not turning into a fairy party junkie–this is my last fairy princess spa party-related post, and it’s a quickie. It’s just that I so don’t believe in reinventing the wheel, so I do hope that another tired, inspired, determined parent out there finds these ideas for a fairy celebration and can [...]

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how to make a doll cake (& other sweet fairy party treats!)

April 8, 2012

Cora’s Fairy Princess Spa Birthday Party was such a blast to plan and host–not necessarily because of the beautiful fairy skirts or games we played, but really? The food was amazing. And the greatest part of the food prep was that it was EASY. Like really, surprisingly easy. I am still smiling from the fact [...]

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quick trick: keep. those. LIDS!

April 2, 2012

How many of you have recycle bins that are nearly overflowing by the end of the week? I know ours is, despite all of the recyclables that I ‘rescue’ for various cool and creative learning fun.  But before I toss anything into the recycle bin, I take off the lid (if there is one), throw [...]

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secrets to a fabulous, at-home fairy princess spa party

March 29, 2012

Cora has spent literally the last six months talking about her March birthday party. She talked about the party every day.  Every. Single. Day. For the last six months.  (Maybe longer.) This was going to be her BIG #5 bash–actually her first really big par-tay–so we were all pretty excited. It morphed from a Barbie [...]

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