34 Ways to be a Cool Parent Bloggers Jacquie Fisher
Ideas that Inspire Creativity, Reduce Chaos & Encourage Learning
As I put the finishing touches on this post, my oldest is completing his final exams and my youngest is enjoying the school talent show.
They will both come home with light backpacks, a smile on their faces and to our familiar family tradition of yelling "We're on VA-CA-TION!" as they enter the door!
I'm a huge fan of taking kids to visit art museums. Yes! They will have a good time -- and NO! They will not ruin the artwork. I have taken my kids to art museums dozens of times and (other than a few slightly embarassing questions) we have never had any mishaps. Your 4-year old may ask why all the statues are naked, but that's part of the learning that goes along with viewing artwork :) And museums offer our kids a wonderful look into the creative minds and thoughts of others!
There are many types of art museums that you can visit - some have ancient art galleries (think mummies and greek sculpture), others have modern art pieces (which can lead to really great discussions with kids), and almost all museums will have paintings, drawings and photography. One of the things I love about an art museum visit is that it will appeal to kids of all ages, from toddlers to teens!
We had some really amazing posts shared at our Discover & Explore Flowers linky post and many of them will entice your child to create something beautiful.
There are a number of FREE and low-cost workshops & clinics where the kids can explore some great hands-on activities, master a skill and create something beautiful! And many of these workshops have some great informal learning included too!
Welcome to this week's edition of Discover & Explore. Each week, we choose a different theme and ask you to share any old or new posts you have that relate to the topic.
We had some really creative ideas for teaching kids about the moon so I wanted to feature some fun hands-on science posts for our features.
Hosted by Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews, we are linked with more than 90 other amazing book blogs who will all be offering a wonderful children's book/prize this week!
I love to mix in nature items when we create art projects. There's something about the contrasting textures that I think look so cool when the picture is complete. And when flowers are included in the project, there is also some wonderful sensory and science learning that happens too!
We had some amazing posts linked up to our Discover & Explore 'Gardening with Kids' linky. Be sure to stop by Fantastic Fun & Learning to see some of the cool science-related garden ideas that are being featured today.
I'm so excited about today's post! For a few reasons -- first, we had a great time creating it and second, it's a post about SUMMER!
We've created a list of fun things to do during summer for the past 12 years. Once my oldest turned 4, he had a lot of ideas for things he wanted to do and places to visit during summer vacation. About the same time, my husband and I realized that we wanted to experience a variety of things with our kids while they were still young. So, we started our annual tradition.
Most years, we just have a list, sometimes colorful or worthy of a place on the fridge, but mostly it's just a list of fun things we'd like to do (along with a few new things to learn too).
I'm a toss-the-kids-out-the-door kind of parent. Children (along with teens and adults for that matter) just don't get enough time outside these days. I can remember enjoying some wonderfully long days climbing trees, skating, creating, digging & exploring.
But I grew up with siblings and neighbors that were all close in age. My daughter doesn't have the luxury of playmates knocking at her door.
And of course, the kids will notice the stars. Stargazing can be both a fun and educational activity. There are some fun activities you can enjoy with the kids to help them become more familiar with the nighttime sky.
The were some very creative ideas and wonderful nature activities that were shared at the Discover & Explore Earth Day Linky. Thanks to everyone who shared their posts and offered us some fun ways to celebrate the earth!
Welcome to the Poppins Book Nook - a monthly online book club for kids from preschool to high school!
Whether it's Merlin, Dumbledore or Morgan LeFay, there are some much loved wizards in children's literature.
Not only is gardening a fun family activity, it’s also a wonderful way to learn about science, nature and math. And kids really enjoy digging in the dirt, watching plants grow and then eating what they've harvested!
For our butterfly feature post, I thought I would share some of the fun ideas that relate to each of the four phases of the life cycle of a butterfly. Be sure to swing by our co-host, Fantastic Fun & Learning to see what great features they are sharing too!
Have you ever gone kite flying with the kids?
There are more than 400 national parks and sites located across the country so I'm sure there's one close to you. And April 20th - 28th, 2013 is National Parks Week which is a wonderful time to schedule a visit!
Welcome to Discover & Explore - a weekly themed linky where we love to share fun kids activities and awesome ways for families to connect and learn! The linky is hosted by Edventures with Kids and Fantastic Fun & Learning.
Even though we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd this year, it's really an everyday activity. There are so many easy ways to introduce kids to environmental ideas and adopt eco-friendly behaviors at home, at school and in your community.
This month, our featured author & illustrator is David Shannon.
