Developed by Laura Manriquez of Santa Barbara’s Kids Love Art! program. Used with permission. The parents I know always remark after birthdays and holidays that their kids seem to have more fun with the BOXES than the toys inside. This
Summer Reading Recommendations for “Number Smart” Kids
Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature. By Sarah C. Campbell. Crisp design and clear photography introduce and depict Fibonacci patterns in nature. Fever Crumb. By Philip Reeve. A lone girl sets out on a mission to retrieve lost technology in a
Family Theme Song
Decide on a piece of music that will be your family “theme song”. What about it made your children choose that song? The lyrics? The tempo? The melody? How about theme songs for each individual family member? Extra Credit: Have your
Limerick Epitaphs
Talk to your child about what an epitaph is (a brief poem or other writing in praise of a someone who has passed away so that others could get a sense of who the person was). Then read some limericks
Summer Reading Recommendations for the “Self Smart” Child
All ages Have You Filled a Bucket Today: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids. By Carol McCloud.Through simple prose and vivid illustrations, this book encourages positive behavior as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation,
Melodramatic Mime
Have your child act out a favorite story or book in melodramatic mime, playing all the characters. Encourage over-exaggerated movements from him/her! Extra Credit: Have your child mime one of your favorite stories without you reading it. See if you can
10 Ideas to Help Kids Understand That Honesty is the Best Policy
(Adapted from a piece on fulltimenanny.com. Used with permission.) One of the greatest challenges that both parents and teachers face is helping kids to learn the value and importance of honesty. Children learn to fudge the truth at a shockingly
Dancing Outside the Box
Adapted from several online resources, including ArtsWork. When many of us picture ourselves dancing, we think of movements inside a small box (prom-style)–or moving side-to-side with small arm movements close to our bodies. And even for kids that have attended
Make It Your Mission! Part 5
Attend a trade show or conference with some of your fellow advocates and/or a parent that is in alignment with your mission. (Maybe one of your new email pen pals will also be attending and you can meet!) Walk the
Fireworks are Popping Up All Over!
People often mistakenly associate body smarts solely with gross motor coordination (e.g. sports, dance). But kinesthetic intelligence also encompasses fine motor skills. Take advantage of your kids’ excitement over tonight’s fireworks to flex your kids’ kinesthetic and visual-spatial mind muscles