The Mom I Want to Be

THE BEACH            Blankets                               picnic basket                         beach umbrella            Sunglasses                            beach ball                             pretend suntan lotion            Beach towel                          buckets and shovels              shells            Lawn chairs                          straw hats                             play picnic foods            Beach Boys music                swimming caps                     surfboard            Snorkels                               fins                                      flip flops     FLOWER SHOP            Plastic flowers                      watering can                         seeds            Florist smock                        […]

  How to inspire curiosity, creative thinking, and joy along your child’s path to greater knowledge   I remember thinking during my first year as a teacher that I had to be “teaching” all the time — that, in fact, I had to teach children how to learn. Through my preschoolers, however, I discovered that some […]

1 to 3 Years Old   Between their first and second birthdays, children   §  Are energetic, busy and curious; §  Are self-centered; §  Like to imitate the sounds and actions of others (for example, by repeating words that parents and others say and by pretending to do housework or yard work with adults); §  […]

Birth to 1 Year Old   Babies grow and change dramatically during their first year. They begin to   §  Develop some control over their bodies. They learn to hold up their heads, roll over, sit up, crawl, stand up and, in some cases, walk. §  Become aware of themselves as separate from others. They […]

Make an ornament, and then give it away to a neighbor What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?  frostbite Create a snowscape with shaving cream and action figures Decorate every door in the house Go to the Library and pick a new holiday book to read What do snowmen eat […]

I want the kids to learn that art is about losing your inhibition, expressing yourself, about not looking around the room to see if you’re doing it the right way,” says Marion. For those of us hoping to nurture that creativity in our own kids, here are some of her secrets and tips, plus five […]

The letter M is an extremely reliable letter.  It only makes the mmmm sound as in mat.  This makes it an easy letter to teach. The activities are organized from easiest to most difficult.  Feel free to go only part way through the activities depending on the comfort level of the child!   1. Present […]

The letter K is a dependable letter.  It usually makes the “kuh” sound as in kite.  However, K is silent at the beginning of a word or syllable if it is followed by the letter “n” (as in knight).   1. Present a capitol and lower case K to your child.  See if she knows the […]