This free Get Out & Move in the 'Hood activity will get kids--siblings, even!--outside, thinking, and working together. Promise. Sometimes it's difficult to get our kids outside, right? Sometimes it's hard to get them to use their brains in fun and creative ways. Sometimes it's all we can do to get them to not hurt each other or get into a fistfight over finishing the last of the Lucky Charms. I feel your pain. Really I do. So last weekend, my husband and I put our heads … [Read more...]
neighborhood spirit month: let’s be together, but apart in April
How about we join forces with the people in our neighborhood for a Spirit Month? Let's get everyone together--but apart--this month for some spirit-filled fun! Neighborhood Spirit Week? YOU BET! We don't have to be together to have fun. We can show our unity from the comfort of our homes. Here's the skinny. . . Neighborhood Spirit Week -- Let's Be Together, but Apart, in April It's simple: all you have to do is share this flier with neighbors, and the party's already … [Read more...]
fun dip valentines
Judge me if you will, but I have finally given in to the pressure of Owen and Cora. I've held up for quite a while, though, and for that I'm proud. Every, single year when I bragged about creating fun, super-cool candy-free Valentines for the kids to make for their classmates, they sighed. Puh-leaaaase, Mom. We just want to give our friends candy Valentines. That's all kids want. Can we just get the Valentines from the store that everyone loves? The ones that have a lollipop or Nerds in … [Read more...]
help end childhood hunger: free resources to get started!
Young leaders are moving mountains with Generation No Kid Hungry, a national movement of young leaders who are dedicated to the goal of the No Kid Hungry campaign. I am amazed and energized by what they're doing, and I'm thrilled to be partnering with them to spread the word. Your students--and children--can help solve the hunger problem by participating in Powered by Breakfast which is an important initiative of Generation No Kid Hungry. Here's the skinny. . . Help End Childhood … [Read more...]
5 ideas for helping parents read with their kids: podcast
We all know that reading is super important, but how do we read with our kids when it seems like everyone is busy, busy, busy? I sat down with the amazing Vicki Davis of the Cool Cat Teacher blog and 10-Minute Teacher podcast to chat about how parents can read with their kids. Reading with kids should be simple, right? But why aren't we doing it?! Take a quick 10 minutes (yes, that's it!) to listen to the podcast and do let me know what you think! Huge and happy thanks to … [Read more...]
family volunteering on martin luther king, jr day
Four years ago was the very first year we volunteered as a family to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. But it will not be the last. Already, we're looking for other ways we can give back to our community this year to celebrate the life of this great man. Family volunteering on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is easy, thanks to a handful of really awesome organizations designed to make finding volunteer opportunities the easy part. Not even kidding. It takes five … [Read more...]
the must-send email to teachers before holiday break (or after!)
Friends. I know for a while, we've all been thinking about gifts and gatherings and getting our families ready for the holidays, and now we're all cleaning up and returning and reorganizing and trying to be good and healthy about everything, but there's something everyone must do now. I've got a must-send email to teachers from parents for you. You need to touch base with your children's teachers. Now. Because there's no better time than now to really know how your child is … [Read more...]
advent activity calendar for kids and family: 2017
We do this every advent season. And the kids love it. I actually contemplated switching things this year--finding another advent activity calendar that would get our family into the holiday spirit, but I decided against it. Because in this quickly-changing world, sometimes I think it's nice to keep things consistent. Here's the skinny. . . Advent Activity Calendar for Kids and Family--2017: I print out a copy of the calendar to keep on hand for myself, and then I cut each of … [Read more...]
halloween giving: how to BOO! your friends (on a budget)
I've said it before--spooky Halloween is not my thing. So this weekend, when our family was officially BOO'ed for the first time, a whole new chapter of Halloween fun--and Halloween giving--opened up for us. BOO'ing is all the craze, it seems, though (boo-hooo!) we haven't fallen victim to BOO'ing quite like this--ever. What I love about BOO'ing is that it actually adds an element of sneaky, fun, giving to this candy-saturated holiday. Maddy, Owen, and Cora were actually thinking … [Read more...]
fun fact lunchbox notes!
This New For Us Friday we're sharing a new-f0r-us lunchbox note--fun fact lunchbox notes! LOVE these!! A few weeks ago, Maddy, Owen, and Cora were totally into an article in the Kids Post about ear wax. Yes, ear wax. At breakfast. And the article promised more equally disgusting (but soooo interesting!) topics in the near future. I could barely swallow my coffee as I read it, but what was strikingly clear to me was that when kids, even little guys, are interested in something, … [Read more...]
use family photos to develop oral language skills: reading tip 12 #raiseareader
Friends, one of the tips that Allie McDonald and I share when speaking or presenting that usually yields the most nods of approval is what I'm sharing here, via video, with you today. It may seem super-simple to you, but this tip is M-O-N-E-Y. It really is. Totally worth your time for so many reasons. So go ahead. Skim the post quickly, click 'play' on the video below, and you'll be in the 'know' too. And the cool thing is that the only thing you'll need is the one object you most … [Read more...]
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