A Simple Halloween Story: The Little Orange House (vlog)

by on October 14, 2014
in holidays & celebrations, nesting · 30 Comments

Little Orange House Story and Craft | SimpleKids.netThe following post originally appeared October 2010, an oldie but goodie I recently shared with my three year old and her older siblings and I thought it would be fun to re-share it here as well. Have fun!

Last week I shared with you some tips and suggestions for storytelling with your children. This week I am bringing you a very simple story, with a fun twist, that you can tell your kids this Halloween.

I thought it would be fun to share the story of The Little Orange House in a vlog.

You will need a few props for this story.  Watch carefully and you”ll see the surprise at the end!

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A Simple Autumn 2014

by on October 12, 2014
in nesting · 3 Comments

a Simple Autumn | SimpleKids.net
This time of year is my favorite. I love fall! We celebrate two of my favorite holidays, Halloween and Thanksgiving, and there’s a special family birthday (extra special this year as my oldest becomes a teenager!)

Plus the autumn world with all of its vibrant hues and natural coziness is one of the most beautiful, don’t you think?

This year I decided to organize all of our fall related posts in one place, making it easy for Simple Kids visitors to celebrate a simple autumn with us.

I’ll update this post throughout the season, so check back often for fall inspiration!

A Simple Autumn 2014

  • Smashing pumpkins – coming soon!
  • Turkey cookies – coming soon!

Looking for more autumn inspiration? I’ve got a Pinterest board for that!

Do you have a favorite simple autumn themed post of your own to share? Leave a comment below with a link back to your site so that others can check it out, too.

A Hot Apple Cider Recipe

by on October 10, 2014
in food and nutrition, nesting · 3 Comments

hot apple cider recipe | SimpleKids.net

Note:  there are affiliate links in this post.  Thanks!

In our neck of the woods, October has decided to start to show off.  Autumn so far has been gorgeous! Even the rainy days have had a certain coziness to them, as the rain adds a happy drip-drip-drop rhythm to our days.

My middle two kids, ages 6 and 8, seem to be especially impressed by the changing of the seasons this year and their enthusiasm is a nice reminder to slow down and take some time to observe this time of year through a child’s eyes.

As a family we’ve had a lot of fun going on nature walks, driving in the country, baking cookies, and doing activities like picking pumpkins from Grandpa’s pumpkin patch and we’ve gotten started making Halloween decorations together.

Springtime is magical, yes, but there’s something pretty special about Autumn, too.  If only all transitions could be as beautiful and smooth, right?  There’s a lot to learn from the way the natural world puts itself to bed this time of year and we have some favorite seasonal traditions.

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A Simple Autumn: The Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Fall

by on October 7, 2014
in nesting, play learn explore · 22 Comments

a Simple Autumn | SimpleKids.net

Last week I mentioned I want my family  to experience this time of year, not just as dates on the calendar, but as an opportunity to use all of our senses to really savor the season.

I thought it would be fun to list some of the different ways we can experience the sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes of Autumn with our kids.

sunflowers | a Simple Autumn | SimpleKids.net

What Does Autumn LOOK Like?

The hallmark of Autumn is the changing colors of the leaves, of course.  This provides opportunities to create leaf rubbings and other leaf related crafts. We can rake leaves together, which naturally leads to jumping in leaf piles!

Yesterday, we made a map of our backyard. The kids and I have been talking about the trees in our yard and what they look like now versus what they looked like a few short weeks ago.  We wonder what they will look like in the Winter time.

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Daybook, September 30

by on September 30, 2014
in nesting · 2 Comments

World's Fair Park | Knoxville, TN | SimpleKids.netWorld’s Fair Park, Knoxville, TN – September 2014

Linking up to The Simple Woman’s Blog. Note: there may be affiliate links in this post.

Outside my window … that the last time I wrote a daybook entry it ended up being the final post I as able to write for almost two months. Still, I’m committed to bringing back more simple blogging to this space, so I’m writing another daybook entry (and holding my breath it won’t be the last thing you see here for months).

I am thinking … that the summer passed to quickly, but for me that was a good thing. I’m ready for autumn and cozy and the slower pace that this season usually brings.

I am thankful … that my husband has a good job and for the sabbatical he was able to take this month. We all needed it after a very rocky year. I feel like this time renewed our family.

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