With the cooler weather in the south, many children and parents are getting a nice relief from the blazing sun. It creates a perfect time for families to get outdoors, get active, and play together! On a nice day, one of our favorite things to do is to go fishing. It allows us to spend […]
Fishing for Something Fun to Do? Read More »
No doubt our children are growing up in a digital and connected world. Smartphones, computers and portable gaming devices are all around them since they are born. Rather than completely shielding them, I believe that teaching them the best use of technology and allowing them to explore and play with it within set boundaries can enhance their learning.
Time to Play: 5 Apps to Expose Your Kids to the Spanish Language Read More »
As retailers start—or in some cases, continue—to roll out holiday displays full of the latest wares, big ticket toys surely can’t be missed. In fact, whenever we go to pick up our week’s worth of milk at CostCo, the highlight for my five-year old is, of course, cruising down the kids’ aisle. Truck sets and princess value packs aside, like many others, my kid is always drawn to the oversized-plastic kitchen playset on display.
Time to Play: Beyond Pink and Blue: Kitchens are for Kids, too Read More »
I have always… always loved this crisp Autumnal time of year. I grew up in Western PA, where this season meant a Jackson Pollock splattering of trees covering our rolling hills, Friday night football games (yep, I was that cheerleader), playing tag through the cornfields behind my friend’s house, ginormous heaps of foliage, and of course all things Halloween.
Time to Play: Be a Little Mooch this Month Read More »
My family and I love fall. It kicks off the holiday season with one of our favorite holidays, Halloween. It seems like the first 10 months of the year are so busy with the hustle and bustle of life. But once you see the pumpkin patches popping up around neighborhoods, you know that fall festivals, turkey trots, sleigh riding, and Christmas tree shopping is right around the corner. The holidays and the change in season gives families an opportunity for new, fresh ways to play and spend quality time with the family. You’ll interact in ways not usually available other times of the year.
Time to Play: Fun Halloween Crafts Read More »
The benefits of teaching children two or more languages are immense and really the best gift you can give them. Research has proven that bilingual kids are better multitaskers, they can concentrate and focus better, and they have enhanced literacy skills. Not only is bilingualism beneficial to the brain, but it also opens kids up to wider cultural perspectives and understandings.
The Importance of Play to Teach a Child a Second Language Read More »
Five short years ago, technology and babies didn’t really converge. Before my first born, I distinctly remember registering for one of the first models of a video monitor. An audio monitor was high tech, but a monitor that would emit black and white videos of baby from several feet away seemed so far fetched. At that time, sweet lullabies came from crib mobiles or plush characters that complemented the nursery. Music playing devices that hooked up to ipods and were geared to babies were still a novelty, with two, maybe three options on the market. And the iphone? Yeah, that too, was a baby in 2007, making its debut in June.
Face Time with High Tech Baby Read More »
Six years ago my husband and I moved into what we are pretty sure will be the house our kids will spend the rest of their growing up years. It’s on a quiet kid-friendly street, and has plenty of space for dude-induced shenanigans including a boy proof basement and an attic space I designed specifically to be their “playroom”.
Time to Play: Everything Old is New Again Read More »
When I was 11 years-old, my parents could not keep me inside the house. Hot, cold, rain, or shine, as soon as homework was done, I would run outside and meet my neighborhood friends. I don’t remember exactly what we would do, but it did not matter. We wanted to play. We wanted fresh air, our bicycles,
Time to Play: Balancing Electronic Fun with “Old-Fashioned” Play Read More »
