It's Teacher Appreciation Week, a time I really believe teachers should get a little love, a pat on the back for all of their hard work, effort, and energy. Though my kids' school has a whole committee who plans a week of total awesomeness for our teachers, the second day of the week is usually reserved for a small note, treat, drawing, or handmade gift from the children. In the past, Maddy, Owen,and Cora have made sweet fingerprint notecards or little storybooks for their teachers. And we … [Read more...]
raise a reader gift idea
This is the must-have gift for anyone who wants to raise a reader. THE gift for new parents who want to raise a reader. THE gift for grandparents who want to raise a reader. THE gift for aunts, uncles, and Godparents who want to raise a reader. THE gift for caregivers who want to raise a reader. THE gift for early childhood educators who want to help their students' families raise readers. It's super-simple, and it's surprisingly affordable. This raise a reader gift … [Read more...]
must have tech gift for families–HP Sprocket || 12 days of smart gifts for kids & family
I love the idea of printing photos, but sometimes it's hard. It's hard to sit down and print the photos that are stuck on your computer or phone. It's almost impossible to find time to head to TargetPhoto.com or Tiny Prints to order photos. I get it. So when I saw the HP Sprocket, I literally danced. But first? I must admit that I was a little confused. I had no idea what the HP Sprocket was. And then I brought it to Thanksgiving with my little familia, and I … [Read more...]
personalized board games: scrabble and monopoly || 12 days of smart gifts for kids & family
I'm so totally psyched about the holidays this year, and I'm even more excited to share with you my favorite picks for the season. Teach mama's 12 days of smart gifts for kids and family is underway! Today's pick is super cool. It's great to use as a family gift, a grandparent gift, a coach gift, or even a classroom gift. Do you vacation with the same family each year? Treat 'em to the personalized beach version of Monopoly. Have a teacher who loves words? Go with a … [Read more...]
cool and creative family gifts
Sometimes it's super difficult to find the right gift for your nephew, niece, or brother-in-law, so why not switch things up a bit? After the donating and giving to others and focusing on the real meaning of the season, why not try something different? Instead of going for singular, one-gift-per-person-kinda gifts, go for family gifts. Like gifts where there's a little something for everyone. Everyone shares. Everyone's happy. Here are just a few cool and creative family gift ideas … [Read more...]
handmade gifts for the whole family
Friends. You know I've been doing some work with Klutz lately, and it's been a blast. A few weeks ago, we held a twitter event filled where the main focus was to share ideas for handmade gifts for the whole family. What was shared was amazing. Honestly. I'm ready to clear off the table and get my craft ON. So I thought I'd share a bit from that event so that if you weren't able to make it, you'd still get the info. And? You can even win all FIVE of the books I share here. For real. So … [Read more...]
best gifts for middle schoolers: creative, classic ideas
All year long we're kind of preparing for this list, my friends--our holiday gift picks. Except this year, with an 8, 10, and 11 year old under our roof and seven nieces and nephews ranging in age from toddler through second grade, I really feel like we have all bases covered. Every, single item I'm asked to review over the year passes through the hands of some of these kids. Every, single item we come across through the year that we love, I share here. It's a long process--but it's … [Read more...]
best gifts for elementary schoolers: must-have games and fun
Elementary School spans such a wide age range, that it makes sense that this would be our biggest guide. From our teeny Kindergartners at age 5 or 6 to our big and bad fifth graders at age 10 or 11, those six years yield a ton of growth. So naturally, tastes, interests, and abilities vary. From games to crafts, indoor toys and out, this list is everything you need for gifts for elementary schoolers--all of the must-have games and fun for the whole year long. Here's the skinny. . . Best … [Read more...]
best gifts for preschoolers: keep those kids learning all year long!
WOOT! Gift guides are my favorite. As an educator and blogger, I am always on the lookout for products that make sense for kids. And really, so many times I am sent fabulous products to look at, try out, and share with you guys. But always, my gift guides consist only of products that we have tried, we have loved, and we wholeheartedly recommend to others. Remember to check out our other gift guides--this year I had to break up my one gift guide into several smaller ones so that we'd … [Read more...]
best gifts for toddlers: must-have presents our little ones
Best gifts for kids and families, 2015. The post that takes me literally all year long to write. It's the list of all lists, and it's the most emailed, shared, and promoted post each year. It's finally here, my friends. And I am totally excited. However, I had to break it up because the post was becoming SO big and so long that even I was getting tired of looking at it. Here's the skinny. . . Best Gifts for Toddlers--Must-Have Presents for Our Little Ones, 2015: Remember to … [Read more...]
5 cool handmade gifts that tweens love to make
Let's face it: we're all busy--even our kids. As they get older, they're juggling homework, activities, sports, lessons, chores (ahem. . . ), and friends, so when our kids carve out the time to create a handmade gift, it really means a lot. Believe it or not, friends, now is an ideal time to start thinking about the holidays. So we've got some cool handmade gifts that tweens will love to make. Really. Huge thanks to my friends at Klutz who just keep designing these cool books that … [Read more...]
