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*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
"Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air."
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Blueberry Mouse by Alice Low
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Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
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More Blueberries! by Susan Musgrave
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One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano
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National Culinary Arts Month
Start to Cook by Abigail Wheatley
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Children's World Cookbook by Fiona Watt
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Stir, Crack, Whisk, Bake by Maddie Frost
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The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen Kids
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The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen Kids
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National Hot Dog Month
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems
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Hello, Hot Dog! by Lily Murray
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Stan the Hot Dog Man by Ethel and Leonard Kessler
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National Ice Cream Month
Ice Cream: The Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons
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Wemberly's Ice-Cream Star by Kevin Henkes
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Curious George and the Ice Cream Surprise by Margret & H. A. Rey
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Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop by Margret & H. A. Rey
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Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
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Did you know you can make your very own ice cream at home in a bag?
National Watermelon Month
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
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Mouse's First Summer by Lauren Thompson
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Watermelon Party by Jasmine Cabanaw
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One Watermelon Seed by Celia Lottridge
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National Picnic Month
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
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One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes
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Need help planning a picnic? Take a look at The Picnic: Recipes and Inspiration from Basket to Blanket by Marnie Hanel, Andrea Slonecker, and Jen Stevenson. While intended for adults, this title is beautiful, witty and full of grand ideas for having the most splendid picnic imaginable.
7th: National Chocolate Day
Lily's Chocolate Heart by Kevin Henkes
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If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff
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Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory by Margret & H. A. Rey
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No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Melissa Stewart and Allen Young
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Chocolate: The Consuming Passion by Sandra Boynton
While this title is intended for adults, it is filled with the kind of witty text and comical illustrations expected of the incomparable Sandra Boynton and is sure to bring delight to the chocolate enthusiasts of every age!
9th: National Sugar Cookie Day
Who Put the Cookies in the Cookie Jar? by George Shannon
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Mo Willems‘ Elephant & Piggie Love Reading!: The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat
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The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems
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The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
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May I Please Have a Cookie? by Jennifer Morris
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11th: National Blueberry Muffin Day
If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff
3rd Sunday: National Ice Cream Day
-See the list above under National Ice Cream Month.
15th: National Gummi Worm Day
-Celebrate by reading your favorite book and munching on some delicious bookworms (the gummi variety, of course).
Happy reading!
-Kate @ BTBL
-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 additions, a daughter (now 4) for Kate, and two sons (now 2 and 8 months) for Amanda. 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.
Spring has sprung (although it's currently feeling more like summer) and the bugs have arrived. Most of us think of ways to get rid of the pests, but bugs can offer a summer full of reading, science and biology lessons. The natural curiosity of children makes this a fairly easy endeavor because most kids will find some bug fascinating. This is a great time for you as the parent to instruct your child how some bugs are beneficial and serve an ecological function and also offers a valuable opportunity to teach your child about the life, growth, death cycle. If you yourself are not well versed in insects, check out online sites such as National Geographic Kids or The Amateur Entomologists Society’s The Bug Club. You can begin in a fun way by watching the movie A Bug’s Life and then move on from there. Tailor learning to your child’s age, ability and interest. Start by reading stories about bugs. There are board books for the littlest ones, picture books for all ages and chapter books.
Next, use your child’s natural curiosity to locate and observe bugs. Get a magnifying glass and a bug box or jar and let your child loose in the backyard. Include walks in the country, woods and parks and don’t forget to check out rivers and lakes. Teach them to observe, describe, document, research and then they will have added to their background knowledge. Some ideas might include:
- Before heading out to look for bugs, with younger children, review the -ug word family with them: bug, dug, hug, jug, lug, mug, rug, slug, tug.
- After observing their bug, have them draw or build their bug from clay, play dough or some other craft item.
- Identify all the parts of their bug, and count the number of eyes, legs, wings etc.
- Look up their bug in a field guide such as Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies (Take-Along Guides) by Mel Boring or a title from National Geographic Kids.
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- For older kids, have them write down their observations and after looking their bug up, have them write down some interesting facts they learned about their bug.
- Encourage your children to create a journal to keep their information in and to add to, creating their own unique field guide.
Remember that this isn’t a one-time activity but something that you can continue to revisit throughout the summer and beyond. Make bug crafts with your child (search the Internet for ideas,) play bug games such as Cootie or Mojo Education Bug-tastic Memory Match Game and look for events at local parks and nature centers that teach about insects. Learning about bugs will use those skills your child already has, building confidence and will further create new skills, to help further development, so go ahead and embrace the creepy crawlies this summer.
A quick Google search or browse through Amazon with the key words 'bug books for kids' will come back with a plethora of results, so we've put together a list of our favorite, buggiest bug books!
Mrs. Peanuckle's Bug Alphabet
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Bugs A to Z by Caroline Lawton
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100 Bugs!: A Counting Book by Kate Narita
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One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes
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Some Bugs by Angela DiTrelizzi
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Bugs Galore by Peter Stein
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Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Bob Barner
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The Bug Book by Sue Fliess
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The Backyard Bug Book for Kids by Lauren Davidson
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The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer
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The Bugliest Bug by Carol Diggory Shields
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It's a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
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Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin
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A Way with Wild Things by Larissa Theule
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This particular title, How to Survive as a Firefly by Kirsten Foote, deserves a moment in the spotlight. Not only is this book witty and laugh-out-loud funny, it is also illuminating (see what I did there, ha) and highly engaging for all ages. Follow along as a stern, older firefly (reminiscent of a drill sergeant) is educating the new larvae on what it takes to become and survive as a firefly. There's tons of unique vocabulary, such as metamorphosis and bioluminescence, lots of interesting facts scattered throughout in various sidebars and diagrams, and follow-up pages after the story with additional information, as well as a glossary. Use your best commanding voice when reading this one aloud or turn it into a reader's theatre!
Usborne Books & More
Bugs (Usborne Young Beginners)
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The Usborne Big Books of Bugs
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Little Lift and Look Bugs
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Lift-the-Flap Bugs & Butterflies
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Peek Inside Bug Homes
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Bug Hotel: A Lift-the-Flap Book of Discovery
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First Sticker Book Bugs
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100 Bugs to Fold & Fly
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1001 Bugs to Spot Sticker Book
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Pull-back Busy Bug Book
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I am an Educational Services Representative, as well as Independent Consultant, with Usborne Books & More.
Happy bug hunting and reading!
-Kate @ BTBL
-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 additions, a daughter (now 4) for Kate, and two sons (now 1 and a newborn) for Amanda. 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.
*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
It seems that the world has come to a stand still with everything that keeps a child occupied shutting down. What’s a parent to do with a bored child? Back to Basics Literacy always recommends books, books and more books along with plenty of free play. But if you just point to the book shelf or say “go play,” you will invariably be left looking at a blank stare. So here are some ideas and suggestions to help you get through the next few weeks, with your hair intact.
Books – Since it seems that many libraries are also shutting their doors, you may be left using what is on your shelf or you might do a book exchange with a friend or a neighbor. To err on the side of caution, wipe down your books with a disinfectant wipe before exchanging. Using your books:
- Do read alouds complete with voices and even dressing up. Allow older siblings to read to younger ones.
- Have children make their own illustrations from the story or look for coloring pages on the Internet. Don’t forget to check out author web sites.
- Have your child(ren) reenact a story.
- Look for online story times. Recently we found that Oliver Jeffers is conducting one (check out his Facebook page) and Storyline Online.
- Have children write or tell their own story.
- Host a stuffed animal storytime. My daughter did this just this morning. She set up all of her stuffed animals on the floor and proceeded to 'read' them Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman.
- Look at puzzle, sticker, magnet, I Spy and other interactive books.
Art – Let the creative juices flow! Offer paper, colored pencils, markers, gel pens, chalk and other craft and art supplies to keep little hands busy. Ideas might include:
- Collect rocks from the yard and paint them to hide in parks or use larger rocks and paint them for the garden. Join our group on Facebook BTBL Rocks!.
- Collect pine cones and slather them with peanut butter and roll them in bird seed and hang them outside for our feathered friends.
- Make a milk jug bird feeder.
- Get paper plates and cut out the middle and decorate the edge for a wreath.
- Make a book mark.
- Make cards for friends and family. Everyone always loves to receive snail mail.
- Use chalk boards and felt boards to tell a story.
- Make your own play dough and/or slime. A wonderful sensory experience.
- Break down a large box or use poster board and let your child decorate it with stickers or dot paints or any other art supplies you have on hand.
- Create jewelry with beads.
Games & Puzzles – These can keep kids busy for hours and offer educational benefits without actual instruction time, such as Monopoly, Scrabble and Uno. Don’t underestimate your child and assume they are too young for certain games. For instance, my four-year-old daughter loves to play classic Monopoly and is learning about numbers and money. Puzzles are great for dexterity and fine motor skills as well as problem solving and can also be educational (think alphabet and spelling puzzles).
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Outdoors – Thankfully Spring is almost upon us making it the perfect time to reconnect with nature and get some fresh air!
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Basic Toys – Building blocks, stackers and sorters, cars, trucks, and trains, dolls, pretend kitchen implements…anything that will encourage imaginative and dramatic play.
Just Plain Fun – Let children have fun building forts out of boxes, pillows, blankets and anything else that they can think of (that doesn’t destroy your home.) Get kids in the kitchen to help with dinner or to make a dessert. Let them make some seasoned crackers, no-bake cookies or a cereal mix. Helps with reasoning and math skills as well as self-confidence while they build life-skills
The internet offers a plethora of ideas for small hands and bored children. Check out Pinterest, Instagram, author websites, library websites, and publishing websites such as Scholastic. Use this time to bond with your child, engage in some fun activities and create lasting memories.
Stay healthy!
-Kate @ BTBL
-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 additions, a daughter (now 4) for Kate, and two sons (now 1 and a newborn) for Amanda. 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.
*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
As the mad holiday shopping rush begins, we like to think that parents will choose gifts wisely, but that’s not often the case. Today’s media has a grip on our children, showing them an endless array of useless, mind-numbing gadgets that seem to serve no purpose but to make someone money and when our children see these, they feel they “need” them. “But mom, I need that” is the phrase I often hear from my four-year-old. How quickly they learn. But children need to play, and not only on a digital device.
Play is essential to the developing child because it contributes to cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being. Play is also essential for healthy brain development and is the best way for children to explore the world around them. The simplest way to encourage play is by providing plenty of toys. So, understanding that play is the work of children, it is essential that we as parents provide them with toys that stimulate the imagination, build creativity and promote problem solving skills. The nonprofit, National Association for the Education of Young Children, asked two researchersabout what their work tells us about toys, children and play. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith (Professor of Early Childhood Education at the Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut State University) states that one trend that emerged from the studies is that “basic is better,” meaning toys that are open-ended and can be used in multiple ways, such as building blocks, vehicles and construction toys. He also found that the highest scoring toys were those that “prompted problem solving, social interaction, and creative expression in both boys and girls. Interestingly, toys that have traditionally been viewed as male oriented—construction toys and toy vehicles, for example—elicited the highest quality play among girls.” So be sure to set aside any preconceived notions you have about toys and gender and sometimes even about the recommend age (though remember to keep safety at the forefront) and choose toys that force children to think outside the box and utilize their imagination and creative energies. Perhaps even let them play with the box, which always seems to be the most fun.
An observation and thought I would like to share with you is the dismay I feel when I see kids who live in a totally digital world because I don’t know what it will be that will generate their memories in the future. I’m one of those pack rats that saved all my toys and today I love sharing my Fisher Price Briarberry Bears and accessories, Polly Pockets, Barbies, Beanie Babies, Puzzle Place set and others with my four-year-old. She loves to see what I played with as a child. Even though some of those toys still exist, they generally are not in the form that I had. When I get them out for her they bring back my own memories and show her what the world I grew up in was like. With the Christmas Wish Book and toy stores a thing of the past, I see children with less actual physical toys and instead games that are downloaded. What will they have to look back on and what will they share with their children? Just keep in mind that what is happening in their life today will be the memories that they will look back upon. What memory would you like your children to have in the future and what memories and toys will they be able to share with their own children?
Happy play and memory making!
-Kate @ BTBL
-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 additions, a daughter (now 4) for Kate, and two sons (now 1 and a newborn) for Amanda. 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.
Right about now children are celebrating the end of the school year. Recently, my mother, sister and I reminisced, remembering how much we looked forward to the end of the school year when we were young and the beginning of summer vacations. What stood out were some of the family trips taken up north and to the lakes but mostly we remembered the boredom. We also remembered the fun and inventive games that grew out of the boredom. I know that the days when my daughter says she is bored, I feel I need to come up with things for her to do but after reading what some child development experts say about allowing children to be bored, I now embrace her boredom. Since she is only three years old, I still make sure that she has toys and items for make-believe as well as situations and opportunities where her imagination and creativity might flourish but I leave it up to her to discover her talents and passion. According to psychologist, Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, a child needs enough stillness to awaken their sense of self and being. When they sit in the nothingness of boredom, they arrive at an understanding of who they are and awaken their own internal drive to be. I remember when my younger brother was bored, he would look for things in the basement or garage to take apart and tinker with (I made sure that my possessions were well hidden) and today he is an engineer. It seems that what he did when he was bored, was who he was.
“Boredom always precedes a period of great creativity.”
Robert M. Pirsig
It is said that play is the work of children so it stands to reason that kids are happiest in self-directed play. It is essential for children to decide for themselves how to use periods of unstructured time so that they can learn the art of managing it. An opinion piece in the New York Times titled Let Children Get Bored Again explains that it’s not the boredom itself that is beneficial but what is done with the time that leads to the route of discovery.
Don’t let boredom propel your children to the screens of television, iPads, cell phones and video games but instead encourage them to go outside and engage in physical activity. Bodies are designed to move and staying active actually aids in sustaining attention and elevating mood. If possible, refrain from always having your children play in a factory-made play structure that is often designed for a specific purpose. In a natural play area, with sand, logs, boulders, rocks and/or water, you better stimulate children’s imaginations, increase their energy levels and get their creative juices flowing. There is an element of risk and problem solving, which can make for a magical time of imagination, creativity and self-discovery and also relieves boredom.
*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
Remember that reading is the best prescription for boredom and transports the reader to a new world! Check out our book lists or consider some of the following books about boredom:
Barnacle is Bored by Jonathan Fenske
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I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black
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The Bored Book by David Michael Slater
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There's Nothing To Do by Dev Petty
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On a Magical Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna
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Mother, I'm Bored! by Michelle Hummel
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Usborne Never Get Bored Book
Have fun being bored this summer!
-Kate @ BTBL
-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 additions, a daughter (now 3) for Kate, a son (now 1) and another little boy expected this year for Amanda. 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.
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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