7 Simple Ideas for Creating Memorable Moments Outside {Days 190-196}

 We used crushed strawberries (that were past their prime) today!

Take a nature walk around your yard and stick any type of leaves or flowers that you can find onto a layer of contact paper.  Cover with another piece to seal your collage! 

Gather some items from your indoor kitchen play space and enjoy them outdoors for a change!

To find more ideas for creating memorable moments outside, please stop by our Outdoor Culture page.

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A Summer of Light, Laughter, and Peace

"Pausing to listen to an airplane in the sky, stooping to watch a ladybug on a plant, sitting on a rock to watch the waves crash over the quayside - children have their own agendas and timescales.  As they find out more about their world and their place in it, they work hard not to let adults hurry them.  We need to hear their voices."  ~Cathy Nutbrown

As the days begin to get longer and the temperatures start to warm , I've decided to follow my son's "agenda and timescale."  Over the next couple of months it will be very quiet here on the blog.  Instead of sharing practically each and every activity that we do, we will be taking a page out of Ralph Waldo Emerson's book and pledging to "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."

Instead of creating a long Summer Bucket List like we did last year, we will be taking it one day at a time, patiently and gratefully. We will be enjoying the day as it unfolds; without hurrying, without creating overwhelming expectations. Just living in the present for each other.  Since this is our first summer in our new home, we are looking forward to creating a summer haven to enjoy together, as a family.  We may not have a long list with activities that are just waiting to be crossed off one by one, but we will have a few ideas that will make this summer special.  Many of them include exploring, walking together side by side, picnicking in the grass, playing, laughing, and just having fun.  

I can't wait to see what this summer will bring.  Although I won't be sharing too much on the blog, you are still welcome to follow along during our summer vacation through the (many) pictures I will be sharing on Instagram and the various updates given on Facebook.

 Wishing you all a summer filled with moments of light, laughter, and peace!

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8 Essential Board Books for Toddlers for Your Home Library

Board books have become somewhat of a necessity during our daily (and evening) routine.  Now that the weather is getting warmer, I look forward to gathering up a bunch and taking them outside to share on a blanket under a tree.  Erica, from What Do We Do All Day? has put together a wonderful list of Essential Board Books for Toddlers that I know you will love!  After you've read over the list, be sure to drop by Erica's blog for some more inspiration. Not only do I enjoy browsing through her amazing books list like, Haiku Poetry Books for Kids, but I always find awesome bird-watching activities since she has a bird lover in the family, too!  Making and Keeping a Hobby Book and What's in the Field Bags? are two of my favorites!! 

Reading to toddlers is one of the best ways to connect with them on a meaningful level. Kids love to snuggle up and hear their parents voices telling stories. My kids are well-passed the toddler age, but but we still enjoy our snuggle-reading time! These eight books were big hits with them when they were younger (and still are, actually!) and I'm so pleased to be able to share them with readers of Connecting Family and Seoul.

Board books are great to have on hand in every home library. Their sturdy construction will stand up to lots of abuse and the benefit is that parents need not worry about their kids handling books and ripping pages in enthusiastic response to a story. I've chosen board books for this list with engaging, exuberant text. I know you and your kids will love them. Happy Reading!



Trains Go. Toddlers love things that go and hearing their parents make silly sound effects. Trains Go is the perfect combination of the two! If you need a break from Donald Crews' classic book, Freight Train, this colorful board book is a great choice.


Orange Pear Apple Bear. Emily Gravett is one of my favorite author-illustrators and she really hits the mark with this deceptively simple book using only 5 words. Kids will love to see how the arrangement of the words affects the items in the pictures.


We're Going on a Bear Hunt. This is a classic book every parent should read with their child. Kids will love making the sound effects that accompany the family as they traverse different landscapes on their journey to find the bear.


But Not the Hippopotamus. Boyton is a classic author who has loads of popular books under her belt. It's so hard to choose a favorite, but I love this one, not just because "hippopotamus" is such a fun word to say but because it celebrates friendship and ends with a clever twist.


Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book. All toddlers love lift-the-flap books and they are great for getting kids interested in books and involved in the storytelling. Dear Zoo keeps kids guessing when the zoo will send the perfect present and they will laugh to see how each animal doesn't quite fit into the box.


I Know a Rhino. For every child who has imagined his beloved toys come to life, swinging rhymes tell the story of the creative ways a young girl engages in pretend play with her stuffed friends.


Good Night, Gorilla. This nearly wordless book has so much going on in every illustration! Kids will love being "in on the joke" as a zookeeper says goodnight to the animals in his care, but the animals follow him to bed instead. Be sure to be on the lookout for the red balloon!


Ten, Nine, Eight. One of the most calming bedtime books ever written. Molly Bang's classic Caldecott honor book counts down backwards as a young girl gets ready for be with her father.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.


Erica (aka "Mom and Kiddo") is a SAHM to two very rowdy boys who love to read. She blogs at What Do We Do All Day? where she shares a new book list every Monday, like her popular 50+ Chapter Books to Read Aloud to Preschoolers, easy indoor activities that her kids have tested out in their tiny apartment and fun learning ideas for kids. You can connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest or Google+. 




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{Learning Through Play} e-Books & Resources Sale: $9.99!

Note: This special offer has now finished.  To purchase any of the e-books or resources in this bundle, please visit the original author's blog by clicking through on the links below.

(Brought to you by Melitsa of Raising Playful Tots and Cathy of NurtureStore.) This week, I am joining in, along with some of my favorite bloggers and authors, to share the Spring Learning Through Play special offer that will last for the week of April 8th to April 14th only!! 

We have put together a package worth over $130 – but available to you at a very special price – of e-books and resources, all based around Learning Through Play. This Spring Special Offer includes books, resources and an on-line course.  This fabulous deal covers sensory play, outdoor play, art and crafts, positive parenting, learning to read and write, math and lots more. There's so much in the bundle it will give you ideas to use with your children all SPRING and SUMMER long. You’ll recognize the authors as the writers of some of your favorite blogs – check out the full details below to see who’s joining in.

The Garden Classroom by Cathy James of NurtureStore. The Garden Classroom brings you fifty-two creative and playful outdoor activities, giving you a whole year’s worth of garden-based projects to enjoy with your children. Value $9.99 

ScienceArts by MaryAnn Kohl of Process Art & Treasures of Childhood. ScienceArts inspires children to explore the world of science through art with open-ended experiments. 141 pages of art experiments amaze & delight children as they discover the magic of crystals, light, constellations, plants and more. All scientific reactions and concepts explained. Value $9.99 

The Playful Family by Shawn Fink of Awesomely Awake. The Playful Family encourages and challenges busy parents to slow down and spend quality time together with their children, regardless of their age. With nearly 100 ways to connect, engage and play together this easy-to-read e-book is a must-have resource for any parent interested in becoming more playful and happy while raising children. Value $4.99 

Connecting Family through Creative Play e-Workshop by Gina Kimmel of Connecting Family & Seoul and Katherine Lockett of Creative Playhouse. Connecting Family through Creative Play is a 30 day e-Workshop designed for families who wish to connect with their children on a daily basis through simple, creative play. These ideas are perfect for parents looking to find a balance between the everyday responsibilities and connecting with your child in meaningful ways that fit into your family’s daily rhythm. You will receive daily messages from us in your inbox with inspirations to play, ideas for connection, and resources to help spark your imagination, including access to a private Facebook community. {Please note this course is running April 29th 2013 to May 28th 2013 only and you must register on the course before May 15th 2013} Value $25 

Alphabet Glue: Volumes Nine through Eleven by Annie Riechmann of Bird and Little Bird.  Alphabet Glue is a downloadable e-magazine for families who love books, and aims to help more families to incorporate creativity, imagination and all things literary into their everyday routines. Each issue contains leveled book recommendations organized by theme, bookmaking tutorials, story-building activities, and hands-on projects that complement favorite titles in children's literature or teach basic elements of science. Value $11 

Alphabet Summer Learning Pack by Erin Wing of Small Types. The Alphabet Summer Learning Pack is a collection of flexible summer learning ideas organized around an "A to Z" theme. Use these resources to prevent the dreaded "summer slide" and build fun learning routines into your summer plans. Ideas are simple and flexible, so families can pick and choose the activities that work for their particular child and schedule. They provide opportunities to practice key literacy and math skills, and they leave plenty of time for lemonade stands and sand castles. Value $7 

Pink and Green Mama Crafts: Backyard FUN by MaryLea Harris of Pink and Green Mama. Backyard FUN brings you 13 Art Lessons and Craftivities to create your own Backyard Fun Camp at home or in your classroom with step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and full color photos. The supplies for these fun and easy projects will come from your own art and craft stash, garage, hardware store, and recycling bin! Value $10 

Alphabet Crafts by Allison McDonald of No Time For Flash Cards. Alphabet Crafts lets you create the alphabet from A-Z with fun crafts that promote more than just letter recognition. Kids will love making their own alphabet and forget that they are learning in the process. With 5 exclusive crafts never published on No Time For Flash Cards. Value $8 

Alphabet Games by Malia Hollowell of Playdough to Plato. The Alphabet Mega Pack includes 12 hands-on games that teach children to recognize the names and sounds of letters - skills that are important for learning how to read. Each activity includes easy to follow parent instructions and helpful photos. The games are addictively fun for kids AND their families! Value $6 

Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing that Creative Spark by Jillian Riley of A Mom with a Lesson Plan. Raising a Creative Kid will help you raise a creative thinker by simply setting up a creative environment, using intentional language, and nurturing mistakes. This easy read is full tips and tricks that will help you transform your environment into a creativity growth center. Value $7.99 

5 minute reading tricks for raising rockstar readers by Amy Mascott of teach mama. Fifteen 5-minute reading tricks that cover everything from teaching names to what parents should say during read-alouds, from learning sight words to reading fluently. It’s about rolling out the red carpet for our rockstar readers. Now. Whomever you are, wherever you are, no matter how busy you are. Value $10 

Parenting with Positive Guidance: Building Discipline from the Inside Out by Amanda Morgan of Not Just Cute. Parenting with Positive Guidance gives you the tools for understanding your child’s behavior and effectively teaching and guiding your child toward increased self-control while fostering a healthy parent-child relationship. 100+ pages of information you can start using today! Value $9 

Treasure Basket Play by Melitsa Avila of Raising Playful Tots. Treasure Basket Play lets you learn step by step how to make your own natural sensory baby play activity with a Treasure Basket. Includes case studies and interview with a sensory play expert on using Treasure Baskets. Value $8.95 

Play Grow Learn Issue 2 by Christie Burnett of Childhood 101. Issue 2 of Play Grow Learn is packed full of playful fun with 55 pages and over 100 activity ideas. Includes ideas for creating family stories with internationally acclaimed author Hazel Edwards, an exclusive full colour, printable sea themed bingo game, 12 pages of active and outdoor play ideas, recipes, art, literacy, creativity, construction, imaginative play, books and more! Value $4 

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games by Christine Lanyon of Scribble Doodle and Draw. Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games includes 15 fun learning center ideas. Skills worked on include, addition to 8, patterns, counting to 20, measurement, number sequencing, abc order, writing 3 letter words, rhyming, syllables, compound words and more. Value $8

How to buy and download the bundle

You can buy the bundle on any device, including computer, Apple, Android and portable devices. You’ll get an instant download of the books and resources so you can start enjoying them straight away. The book will be sent to the e-mail address associated with your paypal account. The delivery system gives you 9 attempts at download within 120 hours, so you can buy now and do the download a little later if you prefer.

A note about mobile devices

Depending on the apps you have installed and your operating system you might be able to go ahead and download each book on your mobile device but if you have any doubts or problems, we recommend you use a computer to download the books and then share them to your mobile devices.

So, if you've been thinking about joining us for a Connecting Family through Creative Play workshop, you can do so now and also get all of these amazing e-books and resources for only $9.99!

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{Photo Journaling} Sharing a Hobby with your Child

Play takes many forms. Not only do we enjoy playing with cars, building houses with blocks, and amusing ourselves with sensory bins, but my son and I love sharing everyday rituals and creating along side each other. One of our favorite ways to connect through real word experiences is by sharing a hobby.  

Even though my son is only 2.5 years old, exploring new hobbies has always interested him, especially because he loves mimicking myself or his father.  In my spare time, I love to journal by combining pictures, photos, quotes, and my own memories or thoughts.  Adding little mementos, along with a few stray bits and bobs, is something that relaxes me and brings me great joy when I revisit my entries at a later date.  I figured that Grady just might enjoy creating his own little photo journal because it combines a few things that he also loves - pictures, stickers, and coloring.  

Photo Journaling

Whenever I head to my desk to work on a new page in my journal, he can't wait to head over to his and get to work, too! I made sure to stock a shelf in our studio so that he would have access to his own materials. Below is a list of items that he has on hand.

   

~ his own journal

~ crayons

~ stickers

~ tape

~ photos

~ pictures cut from magazines

The basket that contains his photos and pictures gets stocked every couple of weeks. I go through my old boxes of photos and find doubles that he can use, old pictures that he would enjoy looking at, or special occasions that he's been a part of.  Pictures of family members are a must, because he just loves telling me who is in each picture as he's flipping through them or putting them in his journal.  Sometimes, I like to look through magazines in search of pictures for my own notebook and he sits with me, pointing to ones that he would like for me to clip for him, as well.

Most of the time we sit together as he decides which pictures to add.  Surprisingly, he only selects about 4-5 at a sitting. I have been trying to teach him how to get pieces of tape off of the roll himself, but until he can do it without using a foot at a time, I hand him the tape and he places them on any page that he wishes, at any angle that he likes!  Once the pictures are secure, he gets out his crayons and stickers to decorate.  Sometimes he scribbles a few lines and other times he leaves them blank. 

Storytelling

Sometimes we like to take his journaling a bit further and add in a bit of storytelling. We'll look at a picture together and I will ask him to tell me everything that he sees.  No further probing, just a simple question repeated over again every couple of minutes. "What else do you see?"  It's surprising to hear what he observes on his own.  As he is talking, I will write down each item or action that he notices in the picture, even if it is a bit repetitive. (If your kids are a bit older, they can do a bit of the writing themselves.) This allows him to slow down. Notice the details. Think about what he recognizes and if he can relate what's going on in the picture to something in his own life. Once he is out of ideas, only then do I ask a few more specific questions.

  

We sometimes revisit these photos that he's taped into the notebook or the pictures that he's described at a later date and use them for a bit more creative storytelling.  We can talk in depth about what the people in the pictures may be doing in the future or what they may have did right before the photo was taken. We even make up silly stories that just makes my little guy laugh sometimes, too.

At this young age, parents play an important role in helping children explore their interests, while encouraging them to try new experiences that may turn into a hobby down the road. It's as simple as sharing your passions with them.  I don't know if Grady will continue to enjoy looking at photos and creating his own little journal alongside of me forever, but just giving him the opportunity may lead to further explorations and the development of a new interest that he may pick up in the future.

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How to Create Engaging Learning Experiences for Toddlers

“We can best help children learn, not by deciding what we think they should learn and thinking of ingenious ways to teach it to them, but by making the world, as far as we can, accessible to them, paying serious attention to what they do, answering their questions -- if they have any -- and helping them explore the things they are most interested in.”  ~ John Holt

Over the past few months, I've spent a great deal of time thinking about how my son learns best. Throughout my observations, I found what keeps his attention and helps him connect prior knowledge to new information that is introduced to him.  Many of his learning experiences happen through play, but several also can be transferred in everyday activities that we do as a family as well.  Here are 6 approaches that I've found to be the best ways to engage my 2.5 year old, while he discovers life lessons and explores the world.

1. Pair play with real world experiences

My son's imagination astounds me every day.  Whether he's pretending that he's going on vacation as he hauls his "suitcase" to the car or building a house out of blocks, he learns so much more when he can relate his play experience to something he has discovered in a real life scenario.  Play becomes deeper and more detailed when children are introduced to real life counterparts and activities.  Visiting the farm, watching a digger at a construction site, or adding each ingredient to a cookie recipe themselves helps them connect, relate, and visualize ideas when they attempt to transfer these situations into their play. 

2. Don't isolate ideas

As a teacher, I always tried to integrate lessons throughout the different subject areas.  When we were learning about Native Americans, we incorporated reading, math, cooking, art, and more into our class unit.  The same goes for toddlers!  Allow them to learn by incorporating ideas from all aspects of life.  Nature can be used to create art, sensory experiences can help the little ones explore numbers, and books bring everything to life!  Encourage them to use their toys in new ways - the wheels of a car is the perfect substitute for a paintbrush and sticks can be cooked up as a main course for the "dinner" they are preparing you.  Get creative and allow them to see how living and learning is not done in isolation.

  

3. Share their passion

Allow your child to see your excitement as they show you their rock collection that they have on display in their room.  If your child shows an interest in castles, help them find books that they can look through and see some that have been built around the world.  Invest time into playing the activities that your children truly enjoy.  If they seem to keep an interest over a longer period of time, help them find different avenues that they can investigate related to their passion.  For a child that loves boats, constructing one with Dad could help them learn about the different parts that make up the vessel.  If you have a bird lover in the family, look at the different types of feed that they eat and make your own bird feeders to attract even more birds to your yard!  Your excitement will make them feel that their interests are worthwhile and important.

    

4. Have materials available

Whatever their interest may be, it's always good to have materials available that can add to their play experiences.  Props for pretend play, "equipment" for building and constructing play scenes, costumes, books, loose parts, and open-ended materials are essential.  Most of these items can be found around the house in your cupboards or closets.  Blocks, items found in nature, ordinary household objects, card board boxes, sensory materials, and art supplies are always at the top of the list for my son.  It's important to have open-ended materials within your child's reach, so that while in the midst of imaginative play, they can use them to make their ideas more elaborate and true to life.

5. Tap into the five senses

Toddlers are most definitely multi-sensory learners.  If you are able to add an extra sensory experience into any type of play or learning situation, it may help your child remember and connect more thoroughly.  You, yourself know that smells can trigger memories of our youth.  Hearing a song can bring you right back to the time when you first fell in love with it or a moment when something meaningful happened as it played in the background.  Encourage your little ones to touch, listen, and look closely as they explore.  Pick small flowers in the grass.  Smell them.  Feel sand between their toes.  Squish cookie batter in their fingers.  Listen for birds as they greet you in the morning.  Discuss illustrations that you see in books.  Transfer water from cup to cup and see how much each one will hold.  As the seasons change, you have the opportunity to awaken their senses each time you walk outside!

6. Discuss everything

No matter hold old your child is, and whether you think they are listening or not, explanations are always beneficial. Even if I think my son is a bit to young to fully understand a concept, I still try to introduce it on his level - by incorporating prior knowledge and connecting it to what he already knows.  Explain the why. The how.  Tell them why something is important.  How if affects others:  plant, animal, or human.  Talk about different ways that tools can be used.  Experiment.  Point out the details and revisit concepts at a later date.  Reading fiction and nonfiction is a perfect way to engage them and help their understanding blossom.  Toddlers are like sponges. Even if they aren't paying the least bit of attention to what you are saying, it still manages to sink in and come up at a later date more often than not.   

How do you try to engage your toddler? I would love to discover and implement more ideas during our playtime! Leave a comment if you'd like to add to the list!

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{Celebrating the Spring Equinox} Hope~Growth~Renewal

"I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge" ~ Og Mandino

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul 

is apt to revive also.” ~ Harriet Ann Jacobs

 

"The ending of [anything] may appear as the darkest night, but it is merely the Winter season - the time of renewal and rebirth that precedes the new planting - the beginning of the next great cycle."  ~Jonathan Lockwood Huie

"Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again."

~Sarah Ban Breathnach

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