My laptop experienced a fatal error yesterday that required a complete mindwipe and restore. Luckily, we have more computers than creatures in our house (even counting the cats), so it didn’t affect my blogging. Twice lucky, I’d just done a backup, so it didn’t affect my sanity. As I sat watching a repeat of last […]
My son is in the throes of pre-reading mania. He reads letters on everything from milk cartons to street signs to his vitamin tablets. He points to the words on a book cover and moves his finger along, saying the title. He’s not actually reading it yet; it doesn’t work if he doesn’t know the
If you’re in the New York area and looking for a weekend activity with your kids later this month, you might consider the free 92nd Street Y LGBT Family Camp Day on Sunday, March 25 from 12 to 3 p.m. You can try a variety of activities or just picnic and mingle. The Y is
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is sponsoring a national children’s art contest on the theme of “Things I Can Do To Keep Safe and Be Healthy.” They explain: The contest is open to children in two groups, grades 3-5 and 6-8. The winner in each group and their parents/guardians will be invited to attend
The always-useful Lifehacker has had a number of posts about kids and home lately. Here’s a roundup: How to set a homework schedule. Also useful for us bloggers and writers. Kids Freeware Bonanza. From games to education. Copy TV shows to your iPod. Perhaps good for car trips, waiting at the doctor’s office, and other
Even though it’s the beginning of March, the weather is still cold here in the northeast, and we spend a lot of time on indoor activities. Our arts-and-crafts supplies are getting a workout. Here’s my list of ten essential items: Construction paper Pad of newsprint or other cheap drawing paper Crayons Washable markers Watercolor paints
For an easy, non-toxic kids’ paint, try mixing a package of Kool-Aid with half the recommended amount of water. It paints like watercolor and smells nice, too. There are more complex recipes online for a thicker Kool-Aid paint, involving flour and oil, good for finger painting or potato stamping. I like the water-only version, however,
Flashlights are natural kids’ toys. I’ve never known a child not to be fascinated with the power of shining a spot on the wall. You can buy any number of character-branded ones, but I’ve found that plain but colorful 6″ AA plastic lights are just as attractive to kids. Here are a few activity ideas:
All parents and caregivers should have a few quick and easy gimmicks up their sleeves to entertain children at a moment’s notice. Here’s a silly paper trick to balance out all the political posts I’ve been doing lately: 1. Fold an index card or similar piece of paper in half lengthwise. 2. Cut through both
