December can be a tricky time. While we all want children who understand concepts of unselfishness and service, Christmastime too often ends up with a lot of emphasis on “What do YOU want for Christmas?”
Handmade for Christmas
Last week I shared my friend Melissa’s amazing lists of educational gifts for children, most of which can be purchased online. Today I thought I’d share gifts that may inspire your own creativity as well as that of the children you share them with. Perhaps one will help you cross that last gift off your list!
Santa Claus: What’s Your Story?
Tomorrow marks the first day of December and begins a month of magic and excitement. I love the Christmas season. And it’s obvious my boys do too.
Four Fun Ways to Use those Extra Hours of Darkness
Don’t forget to change your clocks this Sunday! With the time change and the ever shortening days, you’ll have a few extra hours of darkness to work with. Here’s a post I recently wrote for The Organized Parent to give you a few ideas about what to do with them.
Happy Halloween!
Potable Potions
Homemade root beer is always a sign of a special occasion at our house, but there’s just something about fall and Halloween that makes this brew especially exciting. The magic (and the science) is in the dry ice. It’s available at most grocery stores, but you usually have to ask for it at the check out stand or at guest services. Made of frozen carbon dioxide, this solid changes directly to the gas phase, without a liquid stage between (a process called sublimation). In addition to the cool fog effect, the dry ice actually carbonates your drink as it dissipates!
(Be sure to use tongs or gloves when handling dry ice as it is actually so cold that it burns the skin on contact. Obviously, this also means you must give adequate supervision for children as you use this substance.)
Do Holidays Have a Place in the Classroom?
I met with a program director not too long ago who talked with me about the improvements she’d made to her center. Among other changes, she proudly announced that she had “gotten rid of all holidays”.
Five Ways to Serve Up a Pumpkin
Pumpkins are one of my favorite symbols of fall. From their color to their shape, it all just makes me happy! Perhaps most of all, I love that they are just as functional as they are festive. Of course there are jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin pie, but you can also use those hollow pumpkins to serve up a fun and memorable meal. Cleaned out pumpkins are ideal for holding pre-made food, such as soups or a casserole, or you can actually cook in the pumpkin shell as well!
Bryan’s Post
There are a lot of people reading this blog these days, and I thank every one of you. But there is one reader who took me a bit by surprise.
Celebrating Good Books
My boys really enjoy a good read-aloud. And I enjoy any time my boys are getting into literature. In a desire to make literacy experiences a part of the memorable scenes of their childhood we’ve started celebrating each family read-aloud with activities that not only increase their comprehension and extend the learning, but also make the reading experience more fun and memorable.
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