Books and Giggles
Here’s a Harriet Tubman craft inspired by a new biography for lower elementary aged kids. It’s just right for Black History Month / African American History Month, and all year long as well. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a…
Spring is finally here in full force, and I’ve been thinking about Earth Day activities for kids. These kid-created, storybook-inspired wildflower field guides were a lot of fun for all 3 of my elementary aged children. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed…
Spring comes early in Texas. Last week, I decided to take advantage of the perfect weather and take the kids on a nature hike with me. The twins are 7 now, and Liam is 10. They definitely have their own ideas about how to spend their time. But I had a great plan! When…
We recently took the kids to a bird rookery in High Island, Texas. I know it’s a departure from my usual posts, but it was too amazing to keep to myself! Birding With Kids – Part One My kids’ excited voices broke through the chorus of nesting birds and frogs. I imagined dirty looks…
Inside: An Earth Day craft for kids that uses plastic from your recycling bin! Earth Day is around the corner. I’m joining with a group of talented bloggers to share upcycling activities for kids. This week’s theme is Plastic. Earth Day Craft for Kids We’ve been crazy for strawberries and blueberries here lately. I put blueberries…
If you’re looking for an easy way to give your kids the chance to hammer and saw, for not much money, this easy kids’ pallet project may fit the bill. It all started when we visited an old friend who’d moved across town. She’d had something delivered that arrived on a wood pallet. Rather…
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 to…
Nothing brightens up a dreary winter window like a suncatcher. Heart-shaped Valentine suncatchers are even more cheerful, especially when kids help to make them. I’ve rounded up 18 gorgeous examples, made with a variety of methods. There’s something for every age child and every taste. When I created my own Valentine suncatcher, I did a…
Today I’m sharing a Valentine box inspired by favorite children’s book character Pete the Cat. Making it was easier than it looks, and I’ve put together a free printable template for the hardest part. In case you don’t know, Valentine boxes are a fun tradition in U.S. schools. Every child decorates a box for…
Open-ended toys make great gifts! They often can outlast other toys with more bells and whistles. You can’t always tell on Christmas day which toys will be the winners. Sometimes the toys that allow open-ended play are what get played with the most over the long haul. Toys that only do one thing can get boring quickly. That’s because kids…
I’m excited to share another children’s story and craft combo with you. This gingerbread house craft is made with popsicle sticks and decorated with easy-to-find embellishments. Yes, you can leave it up the entire holiday season. You can even save it to put up year after year. And, to make this gingerbread house craft more meaningful, I’ve found…
Today I’m sharing a fun and simple set of fine motor skill activities. You can do it with toddlers, preschoolers, or elementary aged kids. All you really need are dried beans from your pantry. Montessori-Inspired Toddler Activity My kids all attended a Montessori preschool. One of the earliest activities they learned there was spooning beans….
We have three loose teeth here, that I know of. My sweet Twin A has two loose at once, and little Twin B is working hard on wiggling one too. There’s nothing like the increasing waggle of a first loose tooth to get a mom scrambling for tooth fairy pillows! I like to sew every…
If you have a strong-willed kid, homework can be a family battleground. The nagging and avoiding . . . the last minute rush . . . the yelling . . . the child who “forgets” to turn it in to the teacher . . . As a parent and teacher, I’ve seen all of these and more….
Kids who loves mazes can work through a stack of them pretty quickly. One solution is to give them harder ones. Another fun activity for big kids is drawing their own mazes. I caught my son making his own maze out of a coloring sheet, and had an “aha!” moment. As a child, I loved…
My son has wanted to make a solar oven ever since he saw one on a Curious George episode a few years ago. This year, as we started planning our summer, the kids and I brainstormed a list of what we wanted to do. High on my son’s list: make a…
Even big kids can enjoy sensory play. Children of all ages love digging their hands into a tray full of beads. They adore the feeling of the beads, and the sounds they make rattling together. They like the imaginative possibilities beads hold. I didn’t always know this. (All the product links in this post are…