“Roller Coaster: by Marla Frazee

Weekly Trip to the Library I always love doing a craft project that corresponds with the book after reading it to the children. This week we read Roller Coaster and made a paper roller coaster. Marla Frazee has illustrated many acclaimed picture books, some of which she also wrote, such as Roller Coaster. In this story […]

Mondrian Sidewalk Chalk Art

Creative Wednesdays Known for his Modernism abstract paintings, Piet Mondrian used the simplest combination of straight lines and right angles, creating geometric shapes of bold primary colors. After showing the kids paintings by Mondrian and reading “Coppernickel Goes Mondrian” go outside to make similar art using sidewalk chalk. Of course on a rainy day you […]

Kindness Snippet Jar by Diane Alber

Weekly Trip to the Library Undoubtedly one of the most important things to teach kids is kindness. We must show them how to be friendly and to be kind towards others, to use good manners, and not to be mean or bully or cyber bully others. Learning to be kind as children will ultimately make […]

Write Positive Sticky Notes

Encouraging a Positive New Year with Your Nanny Kids What can brighten a day more than an unexpected happy message? I have often read in self-help articles the phrase that a positive attitude will lead to positive outcomes. As this decade ends and we are about to start a New Year we not only should […]

“Mossy” by Jan Brett and Activities

Weekly Trip to the Library Mossy is an eastern box turtle who loves the pond so much that she spends all of her time there. Moss, plants, and flowers begin to take root on her shell. Dr. Carolina and her niece Tory are thrilled to find Mossy in the reeds, and they take her up […]

St. Patrick’s Day Counting Fun

Creative Learning Saint Patrick’s Day is coming up making it the perfect time to make this easy counting game. A common symbol of the Irish holiday is the pot of gold protected by leprechauns at the end of rainbows. So we made this simple counting game of putting paper coins on a paper pot. You […]

6 Activities to Do with “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”

Weekly Trip to the Library Author Bill Martin, Jr. was an elementary-school principal, teacher, writer, and poet. His more than 300 books, among them the bestselling classics Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?; Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?; and Chicka Chicka Boom […]

The Hat by Jan Brett and 6 Learning Activities

Weekly Trip to the Library Read Jan Brett’s fun book The Hat then do some fun corresponding activities with the kids. In The Hat: Oversized Board Book Lisa’s woolen stocking flies off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and pokes his nose in. He tries to pull it out, the stocking gets stuck on his prickles […]

13 Children’s Books of Black American Heroes

Black History Month Black History Month was created to celebrate the history of African-Americans in the United States, which was typically not included in history textbooks in America. It is inspiring for children to learn of the difficult struggles of African Americans who overcame to become American heroes. Here are some of our favorite children’s […]

Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Weekly Trip to the Library What can you make with one oval, two circles, and eight triangles? Just ask three clever mice. In Mouse Shapes,the mice play with shapes while hiding from a cat. In the end, the mice build big mice to scare the cat away. After reading the book let the kids trace […]