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Whole Child Development

Mailing May and Mailing Me!

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Create, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills 2 Comments

Mailing May

Back in 1914, a five year-old little girl by the name of Charlotte May Pierstorff wanted desperately to visit her grandmother, but her parents couldn’t afford the $1.55 it would cost for a train ticket.  Soon her family hatched an ingenious plan and, with the help of a cousin who worked on the mail car of the train and some creative application of the postal code, May was sent by parcel post with 53 cents in stamps on her coat.  This true story is told in wonderful narrative fashion and with beautifully detailed watercolor illustrations in the book, Mailing May , written by Michael O. Tunnell and illustrated by Ted Rand.

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A Book Like Me

by Filed Under: Building Readers 6 Comments

In case you didn’t know it, February is Black History Month.  Seeing many of the books and articles marketed toward this time of year has caused me to think a bit about the  use of ethnicity in children’s books.  I really am a big fan of ethnic books for children….and I’m not.  Let me explain. 

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Cornmeal Play

by Filed Under: Learning through Play and Experience 1 Comment

If you’re looking for something new to put in your sensory table, consider cornmeal!  Some types are more fine than others – the fine stuff can leave a bit of a dusty residue on those little hands, but no permanent harm done, right?  Whether you have coarse or fine cornmeal, the kiddos just love it!  Compliment the play with toy cars, scoops in a variety of sizes, and even combs to create a fun texture!  Around Valentine’s Day, I threw in some foam hearts and the children kept themselves engaged burying and digging up their “treasures”!  You could add any foam features, plastic figures, or some beads or rocks. 

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The Perfect Pretzel Recipe…..Really.

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Snack Time 11 Comments

I have never found a recipe for big soft pretzels that I really loved.  They were too complicated to make with kids, or didn’t taste very good, or had the wrong texture.  Well, that all changed this last Christmas when my sister-in-law, gave me this little gem as part of a collection of recipes.  (I love getting good recipes for Christmas!)  I tried it out, and it couldn’t be easier!  The kiddos can help from start to finish.  Just mix your ingredients, shape your dough (letters, hearts, geo shapes, or the traditional pretzel knot), brush, sprinkle, and bake.  They’re so fast, but so good!   Here’s the recipe so you can find out for yourself!

Big Soft Pretzels

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My Magic Words

by Filed Under: Learning through Play and Experience, Music and Movement, Positive Guidance and Social Skills Leave a Comment

If you haven’t heard of Signing Time, you should check it out.  It has an inspiring background story, and the research behind preverbal signing in hearing children can be quite compelling.  Though they are oblivious to all of that, my boys just really enjoy it, and that’s why we’ve watched many episodes at our house.  It’s a fun and dynamic mix of vocabulary, song, and sign. 

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You’ve Got Mail!

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills Leave a Comment

Do you remember how excited you were to get mail as a child?  The mail system seemed magical and mystical.  You might get a package from Grandma, an invitation to a birthday party, or a letter from a secret admirer.  The possibilities were endless!  In these days of email and text messages, children still love to get mail!  Here’s a great mail activity that will give them the opportunity to get and send mail while also getting some practice with recognizing and forming their written names. 

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You've Got Mail!

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills Leave a Comment

Do you remember how excited you were to get mail as a child?  The mail system seemed magical and mystical.  You might get a package from Grandma, an invitation to a birthday party, or a letter from a secret admirer.  The possibilities were endless!  In these days of email and text messages, children still love to get mail!  Here’s a great mail activity that will give them the opportunity to get and send mail while also getting some practice with recognizing and forming their written names. 

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Heart Art

by Filed Under: Celebrate!, Create, Learning through Play and Experience Leave a Comment

Sorry for the delay in posts!  It’s teething time again around here, and I’ve been spending a lot of time snuggling a certain 10-month old.  You’d  take snuggling him over writing too if you saw those eyes!

So, while I was planning on giving you plenty of heart art ideas here, I’ll finish the write up of the ones I had ready and link you to some great ones I’ve found on another site by a blogger I assume doesn’t have any teething ten-month olds.

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