Check It Out!

image courtesy of Craftzine

A little inspiration for you guys from around the web this week. Things to do, make and educate...

Things to do:

• Writing with sidewalk chalk (via inchmark)
  
• Download these great road trip games to keep the littles occupied (via lilsugar)
• Learn how you can help establish relationships btw local farmers and your kiddos school (via FarmAid)
• Sign the Time for Lunch petition and tell our leaders that change can’t wait: It's time to provide our children with REAL FOOD at school (via SlowFoodUSA)
  

Things to make:

• Lego-stamped wrapping paper (via Craftzine)
  
• Beautiful recycled jars (via PlayfulLearning)
• Flower and leaf prints with liquid watercolors (via TheArtfulParent)

Things to educate:

• 5 tips to promote learning & healthy development at home (via HipSlopeMama)
  
• How do you know when your kiddo is ready to read? (via BobBooks)
  
• How to prevent your child from being a video game addict (via RemarkableParents)

H2Oh! (weensie alert)

Not sure about the weather where you are, but here in NYC the sun is finally winning out over the rain (although I'm scared that as I type this the clouds are going to open up and swallow me for declaring them the losers). Anyways... today's tip is a perfect activity for a gorgeous, sunshiny summer day like today (at least here).

For many peeps out there, I'm sure you sometimes hesitate to bust out the paints simply to avoid the clean up. Am I right? Well then this weensie's especially for you! Did you know that you can let your kiddo explore painting completely mess-free? Painting with water is a wonderful way for minis to enjoy painting with little-to-no mess. 2s, 3s and 4s LOVE being handed a bucket of water and a paintbrush and really need no demonstration to get busy. Just designate a surface and let them go to town! We like to use the sidewalk or our back deck, but you could also use newsprint if you want to. But why waste a good piece of paper when the ground is just as satisfying? Save a tree!

Extra Credit: To me, one of the best things about painting is that it needs no direction at all to be fun. But you could expand on this activity by “painting” and naming letters, numbers, or shapes. Just make sure you leave time for free-exploration first!

Art-attack!

Last week, in School's Out for Summer, I shared some ideas on what to do with all of the schoolwork your kiddo brought home with them this year. One of our readers, Rivki, sent us an email asking what to do with her preschooler's arts and crafts pile. Which reminded me of a few posts we wrote on the topic way back when. So, for the readers who have already sorted through the pile of schoolwork (congrats!) and are ready to tackle those art projects, I direct you to:

• Picasso In the House
  
• Picture Perfect
  
• It's a Wrap!

All of the above suggestions should help you handle the massive pile of artwork your little did at school this year, is bringing home from camp or is busy making in your living room. Anyone out there have some other great ideas for organizing artwork? Drop us a line, we LOVE to hear your tips too!

Read This!

All aboard!!! Brightly-colored, bold illustrations and simple text describe a variety of trains and what they do in this engaging book. Trust me, no young train enthusiast should be without Trains by Byron Barton!

Barton is the author and illustrator of many wonderful non-fiction books for children and Trains is one of several in his dynamic transportation series (Boats, Planes, Trains and Trucks). The board book version makes it perfect for the youngest train enthusiasts and yet the book has enough meat to it to engage older preschoolers and beginning readers. Check it out, you won't be sorry.

Check It Out!

Since two minds are better than one (or in this case, multiple minds), I’ve put together a list of great ideas I’ve seen around the web recently.

Make some sidewalk murals with your little (via theK5)

Upcycle your kiddos favorite artwork and give it a new life (via alphamom)

Let your little have fun with shredded paper (via ohdeedoh)

75 tricks for getting your kiddo outdoors and what to do once you're outside (via diylife)

Celebrate author/illustrator Eric Carle’s bday with these crafts and treats (via The Crafty Crow)

Enjoy and happy 4th to all!!!