What is a Fairy-Tale? What is a fairy-tale? Why are they so entrenched in our culture, and in cultures around the world? And why might some parents hesitate to read them to their children? I’ve been delving deep into fairy-tales lately, and the deeper I go, the more complicated it gets. According to Merriam-Webster, a …
Happy Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month! Celebrated in the United States the entire month of May, the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month was designated in 1992 to commemorate the role and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The term Asia/Pacific covers a huge area – it is defined by asianpacificheritage.gov as the …
When thinking back to childhood books and the stories they wrapped us in, there are plenty of people who would be hard-pressed not to be familiar with the Berenstain Bears. This beloved family of grizzlies could practically fill an entire library self with detailed stories that speak of morals and safety. The characters are instantly …
In this post I want to talk about modeling behavior through play, specifically putting the child in the role of the decision-maker. Role-playing during playtime gives the child autonomy to make decisions for themselves. (I talk more about modeling behavior and how it relates to children’s books here.) Something my three-year-old and I have been …
books are a key resource for providing kids with good behavioral role-models. Children are Mimics Kids model their behavior based on the actions and words of the people around them. They watch and mimic what we as parents do and say. They watch and mimic their friends and teachers. They mimic what they see on …
What should you get the book-loving child in your life? The default answer is, of course, books! Books make amazing gifts and for specific book recommendations check out just about any post on this site! This post is a good place to start, and this one has great recommendations for the younger crowd. But sometimes …
National Poetry Month! My babies heard a lot of their first poetry when bathing or eating or having diapers changed, and at the time I didn’t think of it as poetry. I recited nursery rhymes, sang “Twinkle, twinkle little star,” and rocked babies in the night while chanting bits of poems I once had memorized …
A Bedtime Favorite and Book of the Day I was playing some sort of puzzle with my young nephew several years ago. The puzzle had all different sorts of trucks. I am not a truck expert so I was excited to recognize something other than a dump truck. “A steam shovel!” I said, picking up …
Easter is almost here! Holidays have been lots of fun in our family for the past year or so. My three-year-old is at an age where she is really appreciating and understanding the traditions and rituals that go into holidays. When she was very little we would dress her up in the appropriately adorable seasonal …
What’s Your (Literary) Sign? Aries: March 21-April 19 Can the stars determine the personality and characteristics of a person? Whether you believe in astrology or just like to giggle at your daily horoscope, it’s always fun to see what the stars have aligned for you. If your child was born from March 21-April 19, they …