This week is Children's Book Week and we're celebrating with a giveaway to kick off the week! 

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!

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.

With the National Summer Library Book theme being 'Dig into Reading', I wanted to feature some of the great posts that would pair nicely with garden books for your summer reading list.

There's something magical about being able to stay up late at night when you're a kid.  Being outside on a warm summer evening is one of those things that 'makes memories'!

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!

One of the fun themes that was shared in the linky was the idea of getting out and enjoying nature with the kids. 

Today I wanted to highlight 6 Fun Nature Walks for Kids as our feature posts.

Welcome to the Poppins Book Nook - a monthly online book club for kids from preschool to high school!

The theme for this month's Poppins Book Club is wizards!

Whether it's Merlin, Dumbledore or Morgan LeFay, there are some much loved wizards in children's literature. 

This week, our Discover & Explore feature is Gardening with Kids.  We can't wait to see all of your fun ideas & projects as we enter gardening season!

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!

We had some wonderful crafts & activities shared on our Discover & Explore: Butterflies linky! 

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!

 

We headed out this weekend for a few hours to fly a kite - a spur of the moment idea to enjoy some outdoor time on a windy day.

Have you ever gone kite flying with the kids?

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.

This week's Discover & Explore linky will highlight Earth Day Activities for kids and families.  

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.

 

Spring is here and summer is right around the corner.  Before you know it, school will be out and the kids will be home looking for things to do. 

Last week, I gave you 3 great reasons to shop kids consignment sales/stores -- this week, I thought I'd share a list of what to look for as you prepare for a fun (and low-cost) summer. 

 

Many of these items can be found at garage sales and consignment sales/stores which can save you money for that summer vacation you're planning.

Welcome to the new Discover & Explore linky! 

The linky is hosted by Edventures with Kids and Fantastic Fun & Learning.  Each week, we will feature a different theme and ask you to link up your kids activities, crafts, recipes, outings, booklists and family-friendly posts.

This week, we will Discover & Explore Butterflies!

 

Whether you're planning a trip to the Disney Parks or are just a fan of all things Disney, we've got some fun (and free) items for you this week!

I'm so excited that we are finally seeing some spring weather!  We are so past due - and it's cutting into our gardening schedule. 

I'll admit, I am not one of those amazing Martha Stewart-type gardeners, but I really do enjoy having a small backyard garden each summer.  The kids and I choose a few favorite plants along with some new items to try each year and then we get dirty, watch the plants grow and reap the harvest (literally!)

I love getting kids excited about books!  I've also learned that Children's Book Publishers also love to get kids excited about reading. 

So this week's edition of our 5 Fun Finds features some of the top Children's Publishing websites and the amazing games & activities they offer -- all linked to great kids books.

Note: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

March 22^nd is World Water Day

It's a day for all of us to remember that water is an important resource in our life and clean water is a limited resource for many around the world. 

Everyone can make a difference in preserving this natural resource, even the youngest among us!  In fact, the kids might even teach us adults a thing or two.

Welcome to our March Online Book Club for Kids!

This month, we explore the wonderfully imaginative books of Julia Donaldson. 

Each month, our group of 40+ book-loving bloggers chooses an author and highlights some fun projects, crafts and activities that match up with their books.  The book club is a great way to find fun extension activities that will get the kids more excited about reading and books!

Do you know today is?

March 14th...

3/14...

3.14

Ring a bell at all?

I so hope Spring is coming soon!  We are really in the mood for more outdoor time without all the snow boots and heavy coats. 

To celebrate Spring, we're participating in a Spring Bloghop!  You can visit more than 40 blogs each with a wonderful spring activity!

In hopes of warmer temperatures, we've put together an early spring scavenger hunt list for kids to encourage them to get out and discover what nature looks like as spring approaches. 

 

 

We are HUGE fans of LeapFrog items in our home. 

My kids have used them for years - and for very good reasons. 

First, they are high quality, well-made toys.  They last a long time and can really take the wear-and-tear that kids dish out. 

Second (and I'll admit, more important to me than the kids) they encourage learning and enhance skill-building for kids.

March is reading month and in honor of the Share a Story - Shape a Future, I wanted to share our story of how our kids learned to read.

In our home, helping the kids learn to read was what we called 'a full contact sport'. 

Constant movement.

Non-stop questions.

Continuous encouragement (and honestly, even some arguing).

It was not an easy task. 

Both of our kids have always loved books but let me tell you, learning to read can be challenging for kids!