I know the rest of the world thinks that Spring begins on March 20th with the Spring Equinox but for us, Spring activities begin the day we turn back the clocks and gain that extra hour of daylight. Ahh… dinner during daylight hours Heading to the park after dinner The sounds of birds in the …
When I was young, I can remember spending hours outdoors — hiking to the woods behind our house, looking in the creek for crayfish and tadpoles, scouting out which animals were running around the yard. And I can clearly remember the smell of the lilac trees when they started to bloom! I would ask my …
Today we have two special treats for you — some gorgeous ideas for holiday decorating AND one amazing holiday giveaway! One of my favorite ways to decorate during the holidays is with natural items. Whether it’s as simple as the kids collecting pinecones and hedge apples in a basket or a more detailed activity like …
Sometimes the weather makes it difficult to connect with nature. And the winter months present several challenges — nature is no longer in ‘full bloom’ and cold weather has set in which usually means less time outside. But I love a good challenge 😉 Whatever the weather, I think it’s important to encourage the kids …
Art is as much about the process as it is the product — in fact, sometimes it’s all about the process for kids. Being able to create with different mediums and materials is great way to ehance your child’s appreciation and love of art.
And it’s important that we allow that creation to take place naturally without a lot of directions or restrictions. Which is why I love to bring art outdoors!
My daughter was in her first play this past weekend (she was a swan with a beautiful costume). And as is the custom with many performances, we brought her flowers on her first night.
They were pink, deep purple and orange — she’s a kid that loves bright things — and as she rearragned the flowers each day (because that’s what kids do when they get their own flowers), she noticed a number of things.
Sometimes the flowers were limp and sometimes the stems were very firm. The color in the orange flowers faded quickly while the pink and purple flowers retained their color. And some flowers turned brown and had petals fall off earlier than others.
My kids are not big on going for a walk unless there’s a cool reason for being outside. For example, a walk to the playground is acceptable but a walk around the block is met with some whining at our house. So in an effort to get them some additional outdoor time AND include something …
I really love this time of the year because there are so many natural items that can be used in craft projects and decorating. Last week’s Discover & Explore linky highlighted fun ways to create with natural items and I was blown away with the creativity of some of the projects — and yet, they …