I don’t remember a whole lot about my family’s Easter celebrations when I was a kid, but one thing I do remember is that a couple of times my mom gave us Easter “baskets” that weren’t traditional baskets. Like baskets, they were containers that could hold goodies. Unlike baskets, they were multipurpose storage containers that could be used for … [Read more...] about 9 Useful Containers to Use as Easter Baskets
school-age children
Easy DIY Heart Pouch Valentines
My girls’ homeschool group is having a Valentine’s Day party this week. In addition to consuming lots of treats, the kids are exchanging cards with one another. My girls wanted to come up with unique valentines that were, as my middle child phrased it, “from the heart.” My eldest is folding paper airplanes from double-sided scrapbook … [Read more...] about Easy DIY Heart Pouch Valentines
14 Children’s Books About Gratitude
We are so grateful for our local library! We borrow dozens of books each week. Because we are approaching the Thanksgiving holiday, this week we picked up numerous books about gratitude. Gratitude can be a difficult concept for young kids to grasp. Books are a great way to introduce the concept because they explain it in a variety of … [Read more...] about 14 Children’s Books About Gratitude
Monster Protein Balls
My kids love sprinkles. I frequently include sprinkles in new foods I introduce to them because the colorful bits help them get excited about trying unfamiliar items. Thus, when I saw some fun monster sprinkles, I knew I wanted to prepare my kids a new food that utilized the sprinkles. One thing that came to mind, because … [Read more...] about Monster Protein Balls
15 Fun and Memorable Back-to-School Traditions for Homeschoolers
My older kids sometimes lament that they are missing out on certain things because they’re homeschooled. For example, my middle child really wishes she could ride a school bus and my oldest child really wants a cute backpack in which to carry her books. Of course, due to their ages, they have a difficult time understanding that their peers … [Read more...] about 15 Fun and Memorable Back-to-School Traditions for Homeschoolers
Cooking the Books: A Fine Dessert and Blackberry Fool
A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins shares the experiences of four families living in four different centuries as they prepare and later enjoy a treat (Blackberry Fool) together. We love how the book shares the details of how the treat would be prepared using the tools and techniques of … [Read more...] about Cooking the Books: A Fine Dessert and Blackberry Fool
11 Skills for Kids to Learn While Grocery Shopping
I use curbside pickup to obtain most of my groceries. I used curbside services a few times prior to the COVID19 pandemic, but once it began, curbside became my go-to means of getting groceries. As we’ve resumed normal activities, I’ve been reminded of just how much my kids love shopping in person and how many skills they can learn while doing … [Read more...] about 11 Skills for Kids to Learn While Grocery Shopping
Why Use Role Play When Teaching Your Kids
I can recall instances during my childhood when teachers encouraged us to use role play to practice new skills. I always felt like acting out various scenarios was super cheesy! However, now that I’m the one doing the teaching, I realize that role play is a valuable tool. When kids role play, they assume roles and act out a given … [Read more...] about Why Use Role Play When Teaching Your Kids
