Books and Giggles
Practical parenting tips, thoughts, and information
Here’s a handy list of educational TV shows that came from picture books. Use it to entice reluctant little ones at storytime. Or, find shows to make screen time more educational. When little kids have had a tablet in hand since babyhood, sometimes it’s hard to get them interested in books. So here’s a trick:…
Inside: This post helps parents and caregivers understand when it’s best to teach sight words. We also review which early literacy skills children should master before jumping into sight words. We spent a lot of time working on sight words when my own children were small. Yes, we played games and made the experience playful….
Inside: free printable first day of online school signs for preschool through 12th grade 2021 Update: Since there are still some students attending online school this year, I’ve updated the file so that the banner at the top now reads “2021-2022 School Year”. Every year, I take First Day of School photos of my kids holding…
Inside: Sight Words vs Phonics – which should kids focus on as they learn to read? This post will help parents and caregivers navigate helping their children learn to read. What ‘Sight Words’ Means A sight word is a word that doesn’t follow normal spelling patterns. These are words like come, who, or said….
Inside: If you want the kids you teach, or your own children, to continue learning after school, check out some of our favorite ways to encourage lifelong learning. Children’s curiosity piques every time they experience, see, or hear about something new. It’s important for parents and teachers to continue to foster that curiosity and thirst…
Inside: Help your children experience the magic of imagination with these different ways to foster creativity in kids. You’ll love the joy that comes from them! Young children are brimming with curiosity, and when they tap into it, magic happens. The imagination they unleash when they try to figure out their own answers or learn…
Inside: 5 library visit tips for parents of toddlers and preschoolers. In today’s busy world, parents sometimes forget the hotspot in their community. Yes, play places and museums provide great ways to spend time with your family, but you probably also have an AMAZING free option nearby: the local library. Today I”m sharing five library visit tips for parents of little kids. How to…
I love seeing smiles on kids’ faces when they receive a new book. Add a toy that enriches that book, and my heart swells even more. With the holidays fast approaching, I’ve spent hours searching for perfect book-toy pairs so that you can feel that joy of giving too. …Or at least the joy of…
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TheNewFanFavorites #CollectiveBias My daughter had a burning question. “When’s kickoff, Mommy?” I’d never heard those words from her lips before, and I knew my plan was working. I’m excited that the Big Game will be here in Texas…
Before kids, you don’t need much of a plan to enjoy traveling. You can effortlessly explore new places, get lost on purpose, and change destinations on a whim. Before kids, I went on a budget backpacker around-the-world trip. If you’ve never traveled like that, it might sound hard. Let me tell you, though — traveling…
If you’re planning a family road trip, you’re probably spending time worrying about how to keep your kids from driving you crazy. I know I do. This simple road trip hack may make life easier for you. Tell me if this sounds familiar… You’ve been in the car for hours. It feels like days. Or maybe…
Last summer we had a water bottle problem. We were planning a kids’ party down at the beach. Summer in Texas, as you can imagine, is incredibly hot. So we wanted to provide a cooler full of waters to keep everyone hydrated. We wondered though – how would so many children keep track of their…
Sometimes it’s really hard to figure out what your child is learning in school. We’ve all heard it – “What’d you do at school today?” “Nothing.” You can work on your conversation skills, but there are also other ways to figure out what your child is learning at their public school. Start With the Standards It helps to…
Road trips are hard enough, but throw in a car-sick-prone kid, and you’ve really got a challenge. How will you entertain your child in the car when she gets queasy reading, watching movies, or even coloring? How to Entertain Kids Who Get Car Sick It is possible. Here are three easy groups of ideas. Audiobooks…
If you have a preschooler, you may be starting to think about how to help your child succeed in school. Reading aloud is always a great place to start. You can get a lot of mileage out of well-chosen books.Today I’m sharing five kinds of books you can read aloud to your preschooler. The variety…
We’ve all been there. Your child goes to pick out a book for you to read aloud, and you cringe. Not that one again, you think. You’re sure you’ve already read it 97 times. Why do kids want the same books over and over? Is it meant to drive you crazy? It sure feels like…
It’s almost state testing time in public schools across the U.S. That means lots of kids are feeling some test anxiety. Here are short descriptions of ten kids’ books about tests and anxiety that can help. Parents and teachers can help soothe test anxiety by talking about it, reading stories about it, and teaching kids how…
The notable children’s book If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson is a sweet story that teaches kids about kindness. To go along with the book, you may like to do a special kindness activity. This one is perfect for spring. (Or even late winter.) (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services…
You open up your child’s take-home folder, and inwardly groan. There it is — another dreaded school project to complete at home. What are teachers thinking in assigning these things? How much should you help your child? How will they be graded? And how on earth are you going to get your child to complete it on time? As…
Buying toys that twins can share is its own special challenge. Some toys are inherently more shareable than others. When twins have to take turns with their prized possessions, it doesn’t always go well. I’ve lived through my share of conflicts! In fact, the whole top of my refrigerator is full of “toy jail” items. …
Planning Advent calendar ideas with activities or treats for every slot can be a big task. Over the past few years, I’ve developed a system that works well for our family. I’ve turned it into a free printable organizer. It will help you plan fun yet easy activities for any Advent calendar. When Liam was…
A book exchange party is a fun activity for a kids at the holidays. You can do one as part of a classroom holiday celebration, with a scout troop, or for a play group. You can even throw a book exchange party at home just for friends. I love the unwritten message of giving books…
We were stuck in traffic on the way to soccer practice — ten minutes from home, ten minutes from the soccer field. Suddenly, I realized I hadn’t reminded the kids to bring their shin guards. We’ve arrived at soccer without shin guards before. Once, one of the kids arrived without shoes. You can manage to practice without shin guards,…
I caught myself once, telling my kids, “No doing the chicken dance in the middle of dinner.” Yes, life can get crazy here. When the kids were babies I dutifully recorded their first words and sentences. I documented every milestone. Once we were out of interesting milestones, I decided to start jotting down funny…