Hopefully the showers of April have brought you May flowers, which also puts me in the mood to plant my own garden; flowers to bring me joy and herbs and vegetables for yumminess. I love being able to walk out to my backyard garden in the summer to gather what I need for a salad. We even keep pots of herbs on the deck, which my daughter loves to water and cut to use when we cook together. Be sure to include the little ones in decision making and in planting and don’t forget the fairies. They love their own garden and children enjoy creating them. This last month of spring is Get Caught Reading month. Many schools reward students when they are “caught” reading this month but on the flip side, those same students are often reprimanded for reading when they shouldn’t be throughout the school year (I know, I was one of them.) Be supportive of and encourage your child’s reading habit and, if possible, snap a photo when you catch them reading and share it with us on our Facebook page. The first week of the month is the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week. Read your child’s favorite book with them or share one of your favorites from childhood. For ideas and further suggestions, check out the book lists on the BTBL website. This is also a great time to support local authors. Ask your librarian or local book seller who would be on the list. Last but not least, the second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day. Celebrate the day reading with your children, your mother and your grandmother if you are so lucky to have them all in your life. Including the generations fosters a sense of continuity and builds lasting memories. Special Dates in May *Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts. 4th: Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you!) - Need we say more? There are many Star Wars books to choose from, from board books to graphic novels. For a fun read choose a title from Jeffrey Brown’s Darth Vader series. If your child has other interests, get creative. Read under the stars, read about space exploration or extraterrestrials, and so on. 5th: Cinco de Mayo - Though officially the date is in celebration of a battle victory for the Mexican army in 1862, today in the U.S. it has become a celebration of Mexican culture. Read one of Roseanne Greenfield Thong’s books. Another fun option is Dragon’s Love Tacos by Adam Rubin or choose a book from the Skippyjon Jones series, a cat who thinks he’s a Chihuahua, by Judy Schachner. 16th: Author/Illustrator Margret Rey’s Birthday - Best known for the Curious George series she created with her husband, H.A. Rey. Read one of the many stories about the world’s favorite monkey and also read about the Reys’ harrowing journey to bring their beloved stories from war torn Europe to the United States in The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise W. Borden. 24th: Queen Victoria’s Birthday - The longest reigning British monarch until Queen Elizabeth. Besides a biography, there are several interesting and fun books you can read. Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine by Gloria Whelan and The Queen’s Knickers by Nicholas Allan. An interesting title, especially for older children might be The Adventures of Alice Laselles, written by Queen Victoria herself when she was 10 years old. Poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb” published in 1830 - Great time to read the poem with your child and sing the song. For older children who are already familiar with the poem, check out Mary Had a Little Lamp by Jack Lechner and Mary Had a Little Lab by Sue Fliess for laughs and perhaps use the Internet to find and listen to Thomas Edison reciting the first lines of the poem on the original phonograph. A great learning opportunity that also makes a connection to a historical event. May is also a month for remembering our fallen heroes who died while serving in the armed forces. Armed Forces Day is the third Saturday in May and Memorial Day is the last Monday. Look for ways to celebrate our freedom and to honor those currently serving our country as well as our veterans. Happy reading! -Kate @ BTBL Author We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.
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*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
Quick quiz: it’s the beginning of February, a winter storm blew through during the night coating everything in a layer of ice and you’re stuck indoors with a rambunctious three-year-old…
WHAT DO YOU DO?! You get busy in the kitchen baking Valentine’s Day cookies, of course! And then you enjoy your delectable desserts while poring over a Valentine's storybook. Baking and books...a positively perfect combination!
With nowhere to go and Valentine’s Day fast approaching we spent the day trying out two new cookie recipes: soft sugar cookies and red velvet cookies made from a cake mix. Yes, that’s right, we used a box cake mix to make cookies and it worked out better than we anticipated. The recipe came from a Tasty video: Cake Mix Cookies 9 Ways.
Since the sugar cookies were a roll-out cookie, we started our baking bonanza by preparing the dough for those so that it could chill while we worked on our red velvet cookies, which were a simple drop cookie. An essential part of helping in the kitchen is learning how to prioritize tasks and manage time wisely, thus talking about which cookies we were going to start working on first and why was an excellent introduction to those vital life skills for my daughter. We made The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies from All Recipes.com and actually cut the recipe in half, which led to a little lesson about fractions as we measured out the ingredients. The great thing about getting kids in the kitchen is that they are learning so many new things without even realizing it and you're also creating lasting memories.
Remember that children are far more capable than we often give them credit for. Let your child not only assist you but try new things on their own. This helps build confidence and self-esteem. Don't be afraid of the messes that might happen, these can always be cleaned up and also teaches your child that they need to clean up after themselves. I am always amazed at what my daughter can do and spending time together in the kitchen gives us an additional opportunity to bond especially when we pair the time with a book or an additional extended activity, which in this case was valentine coloring pages and making our own valentines.
Once all of our baking was complete and we had sampled our confections, we snuggled up with some Valentine's books. Below is a list of some of our favorite picture books all about love.
For more Valentine's Day books, take a look at our previous post: 9 Books for Valentine's Day!
Happy baking and reading!
-Kate @ BTBL Author
We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children. Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them.
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As avid bibliophiles, we will always enjoy giving the gift of reading. We love looking for a book that will bring joy or inspiration to the reader, a special bookmark to mark a pause, key chains or jewelry that announces one’s love of books or creating a gift basket of sorts by pairing books with complementary gifts. Any gift that showcases books and reading is a gift worth giving and receiving for it is a gift that will endure. So, share your passion for books with the ones you love this holiday season.
Happy holidays and reading! |
- We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
- School Days by B. G. Hennessy
- My New Teacher and Me by Al Yankovic
- The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
- Choose a title from Natasha Wing for your child’s age such as...
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School by Davide Cali
- This School Year Will Be The Best! by Kay Winters
- Click, Clack, Quack to School! by Doreen Cronin
- Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
- It’s Back to School We Go!: First Day Stories from Around the World by Ellen Jackson
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
- Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
- The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen
- Monsters Love School by Mike Austin
- If You Take A Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
- Little Critter: First Day of School by Mercer Mayer
- Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
- How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills
- Emily's First 100 Days of School by Rosemary Wells
- Timothy Goes to School by Rosemary Wells
- How To Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan
- Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
Remember that reading aloud to your child helps:
- build background knowledge
- build vocabulary
- build concentration and focus
- build imagination
- build strong bonds
What's happening in September?
8th: Poet Jack Prelutsky’s Birthday - With his innovative word play, Prelutsky’s poems are a must read for every child. Consider Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young and The New Kid on the Block.
Author Jon Scieszka’s Birthday - Nationally recognized reading advocate and the founder of the literacy program for boys GUYS READ. Share one of his picture books with your young one or for the older set a title from his Time Warp Trio chapter book series.
International Literacy Day - Helps to raise awareness for those who cannot read or write. Help your child understand how important reading is to life by reading Oh, How I wished I Could Read! by John Gile.
11th: 9/11 Remembrance Day - Honor those who were taken from us in your own special way.
13th: Author Roald Dahl’s Birthday - Who didn’t grow up with Dahl’s classics such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach? Share one of his many stories with your child.
16th: Author H.A. Rey’s Birthday - Rey, with wife Margret, brought the delightful exploits of a mischievous and beloved little monkey to life, Curious George. Read about their remarkable journey to escape the Nazi invasion of Paris in The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margaret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden.
17th: Constitution Day – A day to celebrate our Nation’s Constitution. Consider reading We the People by David Catrow.
25th: Poet Shel Silverstein’s Birthday - Silverstein has delighted children with his poems and drawings for years. Among his notable works are The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends.
The Last Week is Banned Books Week - Celebrate the right to read by picking up your favorite book or a frequently challenged book. You can find challenged and banned book lists on the American Library Association's website.
Curiosity Day - Each year, sometime around the birthday of H.A. Rey, publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) hosts an event called Curiosity Day. This is a day set aside to celebrate the magic of learning and discovery through reading, particularly the stories of everyone’s favorite curious monkey, George. You can find more information about this day and ways to celebrate on HMH’s official Curious George web page.
Happy reading!
- awareness
- reasoning
- observational skills
- concentration
- eyesight
- sense of wonder
- cognitive abilities
- problem-solving skills
intelligent
confident
creative
attentive
responsible
curious
And those who spend more time outdoors experience
less mental and physical health issues, such as...
anxiety
stress
fatigue
obesity
vitamin D deficiency
You could…
- Read outdoors
- Plant and tend a garden
- Have a picnic
- Take a walk or go for a hike
- Go to a U-Pick farm (make jam with your berries after)
- Visit the beach (swim, collect shells, build sand castles, etc)
- Draw with sidewalk chalk
- Take a family camping trip
- Go fishing
- Go canoeing or kayaking
- Create a nature ABC book based on your outings
- Find a field guide with photos and simple facts and spend time exploring and identifying various plants and animals (National Geographic makes some great field guides for kids.)
- Make natural artwork with materials collected while exploring outside (sticks, leaves, pinecones, walnut shells, etc.) – A great book to read for inspiration is Look What I Did with a Leaf! by Morteza E. Sohi
Over on a Mountain: Somewhere in the World
Over in a River: Flowing Out to Sea by Marianne Berkes
Each book in this extensive series follows the same rhyming rhythm and counting pattern as it introduces the different types of animals that live in various habitats, from forests to oceans to the grasslands of Africa. Read the stories about habitats that reflect the area you live in first, so children can make a connection between the book and the world around them and then branch out to explore the different types of environments found across the Earth.
"When Grandma tucks her pants into her oversized boots and grabs her walking stick, I run to catch up," a little girl tells readers as we see her head out with her grandmother to explore the forest surrounding her grandmother’s north woods home. Their jaunts take place in all seasons, offering readers a glimpse of life in the north woods at various times of the year and what wonders can be found out in the woods.
As the title says, this book is a great one to take along with you as you explore your own backyard or take a hike in the woods (although it is a bit bulky for younger children). Comprised of six different titles from the Take Along Guides series, this is a great resource for all types of information about the natural world found right outside your door. Also included are activity ideas and blank scrapbook pages at the end of each section for your child to make notes or drawings, press in leaves/bark/flowers they have found or place photos from their outings.
On Meadowview Street
On the Way to the Beach by Henry Cole
For children who enjoy seek-and-find books and playing I Spy these titles are sure to be a hit. As the main character of each book walks through various natural environments they list the different plants and animals that they see along the way. Your child will enjoy poring over the illustrations with you to find the various flora and fauna mentioned and then probably want to head out and see what they find on their own walk outdoors.
You and your child will marvel at all of the beauties and wonders to be found right outside your window after reading this volume of poetry. The poems themselves are simple, yet present the reader with a wealth of factual information about a variety of plants and animals and the eye-catching, mixed-media illustrations bring the seasons to dramatic life.
Want to get your child excited about getting outside? Want them to take their time exploring all of the natural wonders around them? This is the book that will get them out the door and looking carefully about. As your child explores the outdoors with this book in hand, they are encouraged to take a closer look with the magnifying glass embedded in the cover, mark off the various flora and fauna they find with the sticker badges inside and are given all sorts of facts and information. Additionally, there are activity ideas throughout the book to increase the fun and connect your child with the nature.
Budding geologists and rock collectors will love this story! Rhoda is on a “long, long hike from their up-north cabin” with her aunt and uncle and is responsible for carrying her own pack of gear, but her pack becomes too heavy for her to lift after she fills it with all of the wonderful rocks she has found. What can she do? Should she leave her precious finds behind? Your child will enjoy Rhoda’s clever solution and be inspired to get outside and start a rock collection of their own.
The language used to describe the natural world is slowing disappearing from children’s vocabularies as they spend less and less time connecting with the great outdoors. Macfarlane, inspired by the Oxford Junior Dictionary’s deletion of a number of nature words in 2007, offers readers a chance to bring these lost words back and help children develop an appreciation of the wonders to be found throughout the natural world through his acrostic poems. His moving words paired with Jackie Morris’s breathtaking illustrations make this book nothing short of pure magic for nature enthusiasts of all ages.
For babies and toddlers Mrs. Peanuckle’s various alphabet books offer a wonderful introduction to the natural world and the ABCs. The series has six different titles (Birds, Bugs, Flowers, Fruits, Trees and Vegetables), each with bright, vivid illustrations, a smorgasbord of unique vocabulary (for example nectar, fiddleheads, and delicious) and interesting bits of information about the various things featured in each book (did you know fairy wings grow in the woods and prefer to live near waterfalls? Me neither.).
Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond by Mary Quattlebaum
Children familiar with the song Old McDonald Had a Farm will love singing these variations on the popular tune and will hopefully be inspired to take a hike through the woods and sit by a pond to see and listen for the different types of creatures to be found. In the back of each book you’ll find information on forest and pond ecosystems as well to enhance the learning.
This collection of poetry is an ode to childhood and all the fun that can be had playing outside when you use a little creativity and imagination. Follow a group of children on a summer’s day as they get back to the basics of childhood play and engage in all sorts of activities, such as mixing up mud pies, playing jacks and catching fireflies. The illustrations give life to the simple poems, making this book also enjoyable just to flip through and talk about with your child, perhaps while sitting outside on a sunny summer’s day.
Let’s Celebrate Earth Day & Arbor Day
- Benefits of Connecting Children with Nature: Why Naturalize Outdoor Learning Environments - North Carolina State University
- Why Get Kids Outside: Health Benefits - National Wildlife Federation
Author
We are mom Sandra and daughters Amanda and Kate, all with backgrounds in literacy and education, who want to share our philosophy of taking the basics of life; books, simple toys that encourage play, imagination and creativity, and using cooking and baking to teach math and real life skills to raise happy, inquisitive children. Join us in exploring the old and the new and sifting through the myriad of research to consider what is best for our children.
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