We recently headed out to take family photos. We’ve captured some less-than-ideal photos when we’ve done this in the past, so I wanted to do everything I could to make sure we got great shots this time. Based on my experience, there are a number of pretty simple things we can do to increase the chances that our family photo sessions are … [Read more...] about 6 Tips for Having a Successful Family Photo Shoot
toddlers
Raising Kids Who Love to Read
I’m absolutely delighted that both of my kiddos love books. They constantly bring me books to read to them. If I happen to be busy cooking or cleaning, they’ll often sit and look through books on their own. The reason this delights me so much is because reading is one of the most valuable skills a person can have; the benefits of … [Read more...] about Raising Kids Who Love to Read
Pizza-Themed Clothespin Number Match
My preschooler loves to count objects. She counts the carrots sticks on her plate, the socks she has pulled from the laundry basket, the books stacked on the table, etc. I’ve taken advantage of her interest by giving her several clothespin number match activities. These come in a variety of formats, but most are circular in shape. The … [Read more...] about Pizza-Themed Clothespin Number Match
Storybook Bible Comparison
There are so many storybook Bibles available that it is hard to choose which is best for your children. We own two, and we’ve read through one of them so many times that I practically have it memorized. I’ve been considering getting another, namely one that has additional stories. I checked out a few storybook Bibles from our local … [Read more...] about Storybook Bible Comparison
Fall Scavenger Hunt Printable
My daughters and I have been seeing fall sights as we walk through our neighborhood: Changing leaves, pumpkins, families playing football in their yards, squirrels carrying acorns, etc. I decided to make a fall scavenger hunt worksheet for my preschooler. She carries this and a pencil with us as we walk, marking off each item as we … [Read more...] about Fall Scavenger Hunt Printable
Comprehensive List of Life Skills for Ages 2-18
I hear a lot of talk these days about teaching life skills to children. I’m pretty sure my grandparents, great-grandparents, and the scores of generations that came before them never used the term “life skills.” They taught children the sort of things that we refer to as life skills because these are the things people needed to know in order … [Read more...] about Comprehensive List of Life Skills for Ages 2-18
7 Tips for Grocery Shopping with Young Children
Grocery shopping with young kids can be quite an adventure! You never know what may happen—diaper blowouts, spilled food, meltdowns, a child wandering away, etc. Though it can be challenging at times, I love grocery shopping with my two little ones. I’ve found that there are a handful of strategies that make shopping trips educational … [Read more...] about 7 Tips for Grocery Shopping with Young Children
Our Casual, Play-Based Preschool Curriculum
As many of you know, we’re not enrolling our 3-year-old in a formal preschool program. In lieu of a formal program, we’re providing her with a casual, play-based preschool experience at home. As I noted last week, we’re doing this with the help of a customized Timberdoodle curriculum kit. I explained then why we chose this instead of … [Read more...] about Our Casual, Play-Based Preschool Curriculum
