Let’s Get Messy: Fun with Cloud Dough

by on May 18, 2012
in crafts, play learn explore · 18 Comments

The following post is by contributor Emily Carter, The Pilot’s Wife.

The day had already been a long one.

What I wanted most from the evening was to put my feet up and watch a movie, but my three-year-old pleaded from the backseat,

“Can we play outside for a little while, Mama?”

The weather here is perfect, and I couldn’t think of any good reason to say no. So I caught his eyes in the rear view mirror and said, “Sure.”

I told him there was a special project we needed to work on called Cloud Dough, and asked him if he would like to help?

The response was a beaming grin and an enthusiastic, “YES!”

[Read more...]

A Book for Budding Geologists: If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian

by on April 13, 2012
in books and music · 22 Comments

Please enjoy the following post by contributor Emily Carter of The Pilot’s Wife, which originally appeared in May of 2010. Do you have a budding geologist in your family?

In my neck of the woods, Spring has sprung and it seems summer will be right at its heels.  While there is certainly a multitude of winter outdoor activities, warmer temperatures are more likely to tempt me into natural places.

In light of that, I wanted to introduce you to a book that will hopefully inspire a trip into nature for your family as well.

The book I’m going to share with you today I discovered last fall at a science workshop for teachers that I attended.  Our presenter loved tying in fabulous literature with her hands-on science lessons, so we hit it off quite well.

One of my favorites was If You Find a Rock written by Peggy Christian with photos by Barbara Hirsch Lember.

Photo by Yahoo

Peaceful and Poetic

This book is just so lovely in so many ways.  Even the cover is so peaceful, don’t you think? With poetic prose, Peggy Christian invites us to find and classify rocks in a beautiful way.

[Read more...]

Mini Racer: Making Books Active Play

by on January 4, 2012
in books and music · 14 Comments

The following post is by contributor Emily Carter of The Pilot’s Wife.

The season of shorter days and colder temperatures is upon us, which of course means more time playing indoors!

I don’t mind bundling up to get in some fresh air, but when things get really chilly, I’m on the lookout for something new to keep us entertained and warm at the same time.

My three year old, Miles, loves to read with us, and I really love finding ways to tie other activities in with our books.  I love a good art project, but this time I was looking for something more active to get that big energy out.

[Read more...]

Back to School: 6 Things Your Child’s Teacher Wants You to Know

by on August 22, 2011
in parenting · 23 Comments

The following post was written by contributor Emily Carter of The Pilots Wife.  It originally appeared in September 2010.

The time is upon us again. Back to School is in full swing across the country. As you are gathering your supplies and shopping for new clothes, I wanted to share some thoughts on heading back to school from a teacher’s perspective.

Your child’s teacher might not share these things with you, but I can assure you, they will be thinking them!

6 Tips for Heading Back to School

1. View This Year as a Clean Slate

Last year your child may have had their very favorite teacher (or maybe not-so-favorite). Regardless of the previous teacher, look at this new year as a chance to start fresh.

Your new teacher will probably be different than last year’s so give your child some time to adjust to different expectations and routines. [Read more...]

Book Review: 15 Minutes Outside

by on July 13, 2011
in books and music · 7 Comments

The following post is by contributor Emily Carter of The Pilot’s Wife.

We are outdoor people, no question about it. The picture above is my 32 month old picking through a box of worms to help his Grandpa go fishing.

So far this summer we’ve enjoyed hiking, swimming, park playing, hitting up our local farmer’s market, and much more.  Summertime just begs you to get out of doors and revel in all that glorious sunshine, doesn’t it?

I have to admit, though, I sometimes struggle with finding creative ways to get our little family off the couch and into nature. Especially when the temperatures soar above 100 degrees or in the dead of winter when it seems so much more appealing to snuggle up under blankets and watch a movie.

When a friend recommended the book, 15 Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids, I thought that sounded like a book I needed to read.

[Read more...]

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