Encourage Creativity

I’m sure you’ve read at least a few of the research articles highlighting how beneficial music is in a child’s life.  Music has been shown to boost memory, enhance learning and help kids to focus on a task.

Most importantly, music is something kids enjoy! 

It entices them to dance, sing along and relax — allowing them to practice large motor skills, enhance their verbal development and enjoy the world. 

My kids always ask for music!  While they’re doing their chores, they play the radio.  Both have requested to play instruments way before we thought they would be ready (but given their interest and the fact that we found the right music teacher, they have really enjoyed it). 

And I can’t tell you the number of musical rhymes and memorization tips we’ve used to help them with their school work (I don’t think anyone in the world can say the ABC’s without singing it 🙂

Today for Discover & Explore, we are each sharing our favorite gift ideas for kids — and I get to share ideas for stocking stuffers! 

I will admit when I first had kids and started helping Santa with the stockings, I needed to learn a thing or two.  There is an art to finding just the right items for the stockings — fun but useful, engaging but seasonal and something that Mom probably wouldn’t give to the kids (let’s face it, Santa is waaaay cooler than Mom).

Do you ever remember playing in the kitchen while your mom or grandmother were baking?  The wonderful smells and the fun conversations not to mention the amazing treats that came out of the oven! 

I know that technology and modern conveniences are great things but sometimes I really want to kids to experience life without all the bells and whistles.  So I thought I would ‘re-create’ a day in Grandma’s Kitchen as part of our Discover & Explore December Activities linky. 

This is the first post in our Vintage Play for Kids series where we’ll introduce some great throw-back ideas that are new to our kids!

I did a little math this week and came to an odd realization — We have 2 kids and somehow over the past 17 years, I’ve helped them to create more than 50 costumes! I know — there’s some crazy math there since Halloween only comes but once a year. However, in the kid world, …

We wanted to make something different for Halloween this year.  We’ve done bats and ghosts and pumpkins — lots of pumpkins! 

So this Halloween, I decided to try some Mummy Garland!

I love it because it involves folding, tracing, cutting and creating — perfect for kids of all ages with lots of ways to practice fine motor skills.

As a child, I loved the idea that ‘little people’ might be living in our house.  Books like “The Borrowers” and “The Littles” allowed for much imagination and creative thinking.  If your planning to see “The Secret World of Arrietty”, here are a few fun ideas and resources!

I’m sure you’re familiar with the old saying idiom — “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” In the month of March, life seems to revolve around the crazy weather.  And every once in a while, if you’re lucky, you are treated to something beautiful …   a rainbow!   …

Today we have two special treats for you — some gorgeous ideas for holiday decorating AND one amazing holiday giveaway! One of my favorite ways to decorate during the holidays is with natural items.  Whether it’s as simple as the kids collecting pinecones and hedge apples in a basket or a more detailed activity like …

Have you ever visited the zoo with the kids — they look at the animals, play around, you talk to them about various things — and then you’re home for a hour or so and the questions begin… Why do the monkeys comb each other?   How many stripes does a zebra have? Did you notice …

Halloween’s almost here and the kids still aren’t sure what they want to be that day?!? 

Not to worry – here are a few SUPER EASY & super cute ideas for inexpensive costumes!