We get it: during the summer months, you wanted to keep it simple. Throughout the toddler and preschool years, you had to keep everything bare bones. But if you're past that, you get to finally create something we know you've always wanted for your child: a bedroom that's warm and welcoming, with all the comforts we associate with "home sweet home." The Danes refer to this cozy feeling which we often associate with winter as " hygge." Whatever you want to call it, we'll tell you how …
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One way to help your children appreciate the seasonal and monthly cycles is to study the moon. It's always up there, yet most of us forget to even notice its eerie beauty and mysterious glow. For young children, simply noticing the moon will help develop the powerful skill of observation (more about that in another post). As they develop, kids can learn more about our solar system and phases of the moon. And if you don't know much about the moon yourself, take heart: your own wonder …
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Even though our modern conveniences allow us to function without much heed to natural rhythms like day/night or seasonal changes, we humans still thrive when we pay attention to those cues. While we can easily get any food at any time of year, and there's no rule saying that we have to prepare for or celebrate the various seasons a certain way, we do well to pay attention to nature and incorporate seasonal celebrations — rituals, even - into our children's lives. Those rhythms are actu …
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We're all growing to recognize the importance of nurturing STEM skills these days. But can you guess what skill provides a huge basis for STEM-related studies and careers? No, it's not necessarily early scientific studies or exposure to technology. Neither is it necessarily tied to early mastery of math facts or an overabundance of math worksheets. Rather, it's the skill of careful observation. The best thing about this fact is that observation and paying attention to details is som …
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As important as they are, observation skills aren't just about our sense of sight. Kids can learn to name certain scents or odors, describe tastes and textures, and notice visual and auditory patterns. One of the many benefits of immersing ourselves in a natural environment is the fact that it can allow us to be completely saturated with an experience that appeals to all 5 of our primary senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. You can start by going on a nature walk with the p …
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I don't know about you, but mornings can be a bit harried around here. I get tired of repeating the same things over and over. And I'm sure my kids were tired of hearing it too. So I stopped. I evaluated. And I realized that we needed to train ourselves in the habits that make mornings go smoothly. So here's what we did. Remember, Practice Makes . . . Permanent I know, I know. We've all heard a slightly (but significantly different) version of that saying: "Practice makes perfec …
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If you have more than one child — or more than one person in your family — you've probably noticed that each person approaches the beach a little differently than others. In his simple poem, entitled "maggie and milly and molly and may," e.e. cummings describes for different girls who enjoy different aspects of the beach. (We're not the only ones enraptured by this brief, insightful poem; check out this adorable animation or this brightly illustrated printable.) Whichever girl you m …
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Is there anything worse than planning for a day at the beach, only to wake up to thunder and lightning? (Of course, a little summer rain never hurt anyone, but you definitely don't want to be in the water during an electrical storm!) Okay, so there are definitely worse problems in the world, but to your little one who was looking forward to going to the beach so, so much, the disappointment will be very real. While we agree that there's nothing like the experience of a real beach, t …
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What do fireflies, bon fires, and fireworks have in common? Okay, they all happen to include the word "fire," but what else? We all probably have fond childhood memories surrounding them, and they all happen after dark, during the summertime. Well, for parents of little ones whose bedtimes come when it's still light outside, the desire to create happy summer memories can, instead, create extra opportunities for melt downs. How do you achieve one while avoiding the other? We have a few …
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Especially if you have a baby or a toddler in tow, the prospect of taking a trip to the beach can be anything but relaxing. But it doesn't have to be that way. No, it won't be anything like it was before kids — not by a long stretch. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Like much of this parenting gig, once we adjust our expectations and plan ahead, we can have fun experiencing the beach with our little ones. Have a Designated Beach Bag I don't know about you, but just prepa …
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