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Whole Child Development

The Boy Who Spoke to The Earth — Dreamling Books

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Get Outside, Learning through Play and Experience, Uncategorized 7 Comments

There is something about a good picture book that really gets me really excited.  It makes me want to tell everyone about it immediately.   (OK, honestly it makes me want to purchase it immediately, then it makes me want to tell everyone about it.) That’s what happened when I laid eyes on the first book presented by Dreamling Books, The Boy Who Spoke to the Earth.

Maybe it was the gorgeous pictures — amazing illustrations by Disney Interactive artist David McClellan, mimicking the stunning photography style of the author, adventure photographer Chris Burkard.

Maybe it was the message: to slow down, enjoy the journey, and breathe in the beauty all around you.

Whichever it was that hit first, it was the combination that reminded me of so many moments when I’ve suddenly realized that the grandeur of nature has enveloped me.  You know, that moment where something stirs inside of you? [Read more…]

Read Along Series: Last Child in the Woods (Parts 5 and 6)

by Filed Under: Child Development & DAP, Get Outside, Uncategorized 5 Comments

Read Along 5 6

As I prepare to launch back into full-speed blogging, I realize I’ve got a few loose ends to tie up.  One of those is the Last Child in the Woods Read Along.  I’ve really enjoyed going on our many summer adventures with the wisdom of this book mulling about in my mind.  I’ve been able to see experiences in a different light, pay more attention, and try not to take things for granted.

[Read more…]

Read Along Series: Last Child in the Woods (Part 2)

by Filed Under: Child Development & DAP, Get Outside, Learning through Play and Experience, Uncategorized 8 Comments

Part 2

In Section 1 of Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv writes about our society’s apparent disconnection from nature.  After describing the deleterious effects of what he has called, Nature Deficit Disorder, he wraps up the section by pointing out, “deficit is only one side of the coin.”  In Section 2, he discussed the other side of that coin: “natural abundance”. [Read more…]

Read Along Series: Last Child in the Woods (Part 1)

by Filed Under: Get Outside, Learning through Play and Experience, Uncategorized 11 Comments

Richard Louv wrote Last Child in the Woods almost 8 years ago.  I first read it (actually listened to it) back in 2008, and as luck or providence would have it, I began to reread it recently on a family trip to Zion National Park.  It was the perfect backdrop for diving back into this motivating call to reconnect children (and ourselves) with nature.

[Read more…]

Diaper Dude: A Hands-Free Bag for a Hands-On Dad (or Mom!)

by Filed Under: Get Outside, Uncategorized 4 Comments

You’ve probably noticed that I show up at a few other writing venues in addition to here at Not Just Cute.  One of those is over at The Organized Parent.  With the arrival of our sweet little boy, the folks over at The Organized Parent were kind enough to send over one of their great diaper bags.  They have a wonderful collection of bags spanning the whole spectrum of diaper bag styles, but this one from Diaper Dudes  was the perfect bag for us.

[Read more…]

Wiggly Worms and the Little Boys Who Love Them

by Filed Under: Get Outside, Learning through Play and Experience 8 Comments

I’m so excited to welcome Julie of Creekside Learning as a guest poster today!

My littlest kiddo, whom we call Love Bug, is 3 and he is fascinated with worms. He’s learned that if you roll over a log or a stone, you sometimes find them there. And if you’re fast, you can catch them before they squirm down into the darker depths of the soil. He has learned to be gentle when catching them. His big brother sweetly taught him how to catch worms without harming them. Great fine motor skill for a 3 year old.

In the midst of one very busy and hectic weekend, I asked him if he’d like to go find some worms and make a worm house. My husband and I had been so busy with Love Bug’s siblings, household chores and other weekend commitments and my youngest child had been tugging at my hand all day for various things. I knew he just needed me to slow down, make time for just him.

[Read more…]

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