Earth Day Activities featuring The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

If you have lived your life so far and never have read The Lorax, now is the perfect time.  Today is EARTH DAY and as we celebrate Earth Day we all stand and think about what we could do to better our world for the next generation.    Dr. Seuss eloquently and gently illustrates with pictures and words what will eventually happen to our world if we do not start conservation efforts now, were needed.  

This is a story that when read, will be encouraging and sad at the same time.  We can not stare with blind eyes at what is becoming of our environment.  We can not ignore the cries of the wild as their homes and means of sustenance is depleted.   So, grab this book and introduce it to your little ones.  

Right now you can find this book in almost all Kohls department stores along with this super soft and cuddly Lorax.   Procedes for the purchase of this $5 cuddly and $5 book go directly towards Kohls Cares

Now, we've hunted and dug and searched and scoured to find you the best Lorax and Earth Day projects for you and your little ones.

Click Here and go to Craft Jr, to make your own Truffula Trees with pompoms, pipe cleaners, craft glue and play-dough.

Make these beautiful butterfly's with your babies.  Visit Here to find out just how easy these beauties are and we suggest glue a magnet to your butterfly and attaching it to your fridge, it's a beautiful reminder of how delicate our world is.  You can also use eye droppers to drop colored water to your project.  This action uses the same muscles that your little one will later use to  cut with scissors, it's good safe and fun practice.

 Plant some seeds!  Show your little one how to produce and grow his or her own veggies or fruits.  Sometimes the gentle hands of a children can grow better produce that a hard working mans.  Here is an idea from our sister site, HomeSpun Threads on how to start your own garden and be conservative at the same time.

Miycreations has a super cool lantern project that encourages children to reuse plastic soda bottles.  Be careful, you could get lost browsing this really awesome, crafty site.  She's got so many fun ideas for crafters and kids. 

Here are a list of books we recommend:

• Fancy Nancy: Every Day Is Earth Day (I Can Read Book 1) by Jane O'connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
• Not Your Typical Book About the Environment by Elin Kelsey and Clayton Hanmer
• A Different Kind of Hero (an illustrated children's environmental fable about a monkey protecting the rainforest) by Leah Beth Evans
• Don't Throw That Away!: A Lift-the-Flap Book about Recycling and Reusing (Little Green Books) by Lara Bergen and Betsy Snyder  
• The Tree Farmer by Chuck Leavell; Nicholas Cravotta and Rebecca Bleau
• If I Ran the Rain Forest: All About Tropical Rain Forests (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library) by Bonnie Worth and Aristides Ruiz
• The Three R's: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle (What Do You Know About? Books) by Nuria Roca and Rosa M. Curto 

Miss Nelson is Missing Allard/Marshall

I was in the book store the other day with Ariel, my sister, when I came across the book, "Miss Nelson is Missing". I grabbed it with excitement and went straight over to Ariel, held it up and said "LOOK!! Do You Remember this Book?" and she did! We were both pretty excited to buy it for my children... Sadly my husband had not ever had it read to him, so that night my little girl, my little boy, my husband and I all cuddled up in my daughters full size bed and I read this story to them!!

If you have not read it before it is a must have I just love it!

The Story is all about the kids in room 207 and how they are all so bad.. So there teacher, Miss Nelson, has a plan.. And the kids soon meet there new teacher Miss Viola Swamp. Miss Viola Swamp is not a nice teacher at all and the kids really start to miss their old teacher!

Hattie Baked a Wedding Cake. By: Toby Speed

First of all, Happy Mothers Day, You are ALL so beautiful, Psalm 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."


Hattie Baked a Wedding Cake is just a cute and fun book for little girls... Don't get me wrong you could read this to your little boy if you wanted to, however it just really seemed to be a book that Ansley would really love! And she does!
It is such a good book for her imagination, because Hattie starts baking this cake and she starts mixing so much that she mixes all these things into the cake that the wedding needs in order to be a wedding.. Example, the wedding needed music but when the string quartet was practicing she baked the sound from the instruments into the cake and then there was no music for the wedding and so on. By the way I really like the illustrations in this book as well!!!
The Very Day I got and read this book, Ansley and I baked a birthday cake for my sister, and she imagined things going into our cake as well!

http://www.tobyspeed.com/hattie_baked_a_wedding_cake_2157.htm

Chrysanthemum, By: David Henkes

The first time I ever heard this story read aloud I knew I wanted it for Ansley and I think that every little girl should have a copy of their own (honestly I do, I buy it for gifts often!) Chrysanthemum is one of the sweetest stories I have ever read to my little girl. And even though it is not a very short story she ask for me to read it again and again (and pays attention to the whole book, I would love to know what she is thinking as I read it to her.)
On the day Chrysanthemum is born her parents just talk about how wonderful and delightful she is and how her name must be everything she is! Chrysanthemum loves her name, she loves the way it sounds, she loves the way it looks, she just absolutely loves it. "Chrysanthemum loved the way her name looked when it was written with ink on an envelope. She loved the way it looked when it was written with icing on her birthday cake. And she loved the way it looked when she wrote it herself with her fat orange crayon. Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum." Then she starts school. The other kids laugh and make fun of her name. She is crushed by this and does not want to go back to school. "It's so long said Jo. It Scarcely fits on your name tag, said Rita, pointing. I'm named after my grandmother, said Victoria. You're named after a flower! Chrysanthemum wilted. She did not think her name was absolutely perfect. She thought it was absolutely dreadful." But then when the kids go to music class they meet their teacher Mrs. Twinkle and the other students soon find out that Mrs. Twinkle loves Chrysanthemums name and that her name is long as well, it is Delphinium and that when she has her baby she is thinking of naming it Chrysanthemum! "Chrysanthemum could scarcely believe her ears. She blushed. She beamed. She bloomed. Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum."








Check out the Authors Website: http://www.kevinhenkes.com/

Too many Toys By: David Shannon

First of all if you have not ever looked at or read a David Shannon book, go to a book store or library ASAP! The illustrations are amazing, and if your child is not listening to the words then it is probably because they are to busy looking at the pictures! My Husband even spent about 10 minutes the other day just looking at the pictures in this book, then he decided that it may be even better if he actually read the story!

"Too many Toys" is a book about a little boy, Spencer, who has just that, Too Many Toys! The Books Starts off like this, "SPENCER HAD TOO MANY TOYS. They covered the floor of his bedroom and piled up in his closet. They were stashed under his bed. they spilled down the stairs and into the living room. He has big toys in the backyard.... and little toys in the bath tub." The story goes on to tell about all the different kinds of toys he had and about all the people who gave them to him.. Which is one of my favorite illustrations in the book. It shows the Dentist, a teacher, some friends at his birthday party, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.. and in each of their hands it shows their gift. seriously their is two whole pages with different people and their gifts for Spencer!

Then the story goes on to tell how the toys were becoming dangerous like when his dad would step on something or his mom would trip over something.. And Then "One day. Spencer's mom had had it up to here with all the toys. SPENCER! She yelled on her way upstairs. YOU HAVE TO MANY TOYS! That's impossible thought Spencer. Then she said, We're going to get rid of some of them." That's a CATASTROPHE! "Pick out which toys you don't want, she ordered, and put them in this box. BUT I LOVE THEM ALL! Spencer cried."

So now you can imagine the fight she went through to get Spencer to give up some toys but Spencer did give some of them up eventually and I think you will be pretty surprised (or maybe not, if your kids loves a box!) by Spencer's imagination and creativity at the end of the story and I am sure your kids will be as well!

What can you do while reading/looking at this book?

• Talk about all the facial expressions and what they mean, see if you and your child can imitate them! This can get pretty silly!
• You and your child could take turns playing "I Spy" with each page. And see what toy or object you can find in the picture. Example on the page with Spencer in the sandbox you could say "I Spy a camel" (the camel is on a bucket close to the bicycle) and your child would look for the camel. If your child is learning his/her colors you could just say "I spy something Blue" and your child could point to something blue!
• Oh, Marybeth, it's Aimee here!  I'm thinking a good room pick up would be in order and maybe a donation box for the kids to put toys in if they feel they are being over run.  
• Check out David Shannon's Website.

Oh and Look I found some images of pages from the book!

llama llama mad at mama by: Anna Dewdney

Were you waiting for this? After I published the post about llama llama red pajama I got a lot of feedback that children also love llama llama mad at momma... So "Curiosity killed the Cat!" I told Aimee that I wanted this book for my two little ones and that very week she found it at an awesome price!! (I may be telling to much (so "shhh") but I am pretty sure this book will be in a future giveaway so keep coming back and checking us out!")
As llama llama red pajama totally described our bedtime routines, llama llama mad at mama totally describes our shopping routines.. And describes what my little llamas see and feel while we are out shopping. "Yucky music, great big feet. Ladies smelling way too sweet. Look at knees and stand in line. Llama Llama starts to whine." Amazingly this book has seemed to somewhat help our shopping trips! When reading it Ansley will say "oh that is not very kind." or "we are not supposed to do that are we Justus." Also, I really appreciate when little llama totally looses self control mama llama does not lose it, she explains she does not like shopping either but she is glad to be with him.. "please stop fussing, little llama. No more of this llama drama. I think shopping's boring, too- but at least I'm here with you."

*When Reading this book:
Talk about the rhyming words
Talk about Little Llamas behavior
Talk about how to make shopping more fun (make it a game by maybe letting your child help create and find things on a shopping list)
Talk about what it feels like to be mad

Llama Llama Red Pajama by: Anna Dewdney

Are You dealing with Bed Time Drama from your pre-schooler? My little girl, Ansley, has gave my husband and I a run for our money when it comes to bedtime.. Simply put she has been having some anxiety when it is time for bed. And I am so thankful to find this book.
Llama Llama Red Pajama is a new favorite of Ansley's! I feel that she can relate to the baby Llama, because my Ansley is a Drama Queen, I Love Her to Pieces but it is true! If I walk out of the room to soon she starts yelling and acting like a bunch of nonsense, if the door is closed to much she panics, if we didn't say the right thing or tuck her in right she cries for us to come back and fix it... How ever I do think she is doing a little better sine we started reading this book!! So her is a quick preview to the story:
Llama Llama Red Pajama is going to bed, his Mama reads him a story, kisses him good night, and goes downstairs... And if you have a kid like mine you know what happens next... he yells down to his Mama.. and before we know it Baby Llama starts to get antsy and can't be patient.. he pitches a nice little fit and Mama Llama comes running as fast as she can and what happens next is one of our favorite parts of the book, it goes like this: "Baby Llama what a tizzy! Sometimes Mama's very Busy. Please stop all this llama drama and be patient for your mama. Little Llama don't you know, Mama Llama loves you so? Mama Llama's always near even if she's not right here."
I just love it, I Love how it is Anna Dewdney wrote the book so that my 3 year old can understand and relate. I love the illustrations, I love that is rhymes so it gives the book some humor! I Just Love it!! And now when some one is over reacting I just say that it is Llama Drama and Ansley my 3 year old knows exactly what I am talking about. Which by the way is really cute when it is not her I am referring to because she starts to giggle and the other person does not get it!
Oh and Also there are words like "fret" "whimper" and "moan" so while I read the sentences these words are in I sort of act out the word, for example "Llama llama red pajama whimpers softly for his mama" and I whimper while reading it. I feel like it is teaching Ansley what that word means and it really gets her attention!

Easter Books and Activities

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This little book is from scholastic and can still be found on Amazon for cheap.  It's a sweet little book and the pages are full of glitter.  Little Lamb's Easter Surprise is by Gina Shaw.  Here is a list of books that are also fun to read for this Holiday.

Benjamin's Box by Meldoy Carlson and can be used in conjunction with Resurrection Eggs.  You might also like:

• Legend of the Easter Egg by: Lori Walburg
• The Very First Easter by: Paul Maier
• J is for Jesus, An Easter Alphabet by: Debbie O'Neal
• The Story of Easter by: Aileen Fisher

Activities and Connection:

Make Resurrection Eggs to Tell the Real Easter Story to Children

You can set up the resurrection eggs, you will need 12 different colors of the traditional plastic Easter eggs that we usually use for Easter egg hunts. If you are unable to find 12 different colors of plastic eggs, your resurrection eggs will still work fine. You will be writing numbers 1-12 on the eggs anyway with a permanent marker. You will want to save a regular egg carton from your eggs at home to store your resurrection eggs. Telling the story of the resurrection is the point of the resurrection eggs so be sure and write or print out the story in a kid friendly way to guide you along with each egg's contents and meaning or verse behind them.

Once you have your numbered plastic eggs, egg carton, and detailed sheet to help you tell the story, all you need are the contents. Below is a list of each egg and the item that you should place in that egg along with the reason and verse to go along with it. Keep in mind that you can choose another item to tell the story if you want. Most of the items for the homemade version of the resurrection eggs are easy to make or get but you can always print a picture of an item and place the folded paper in the egg.

Resurrection Eggs #1

Cotton Ball dipped in perfume.

This item represents Mary washing Jesus' feet with expensive perfume.

John 12:3

Resurrection Eggs #2

Coins. 3 dimes would work well or play coins.

This item represents the betrayal money paid to Judas.

Matthew 26:14

Resurrection Eggs #3

Purple cloth.

This item represents the robe put on Jesus to mock him for being King of the Jews.

Matthew 27:28

Resurrection Eggs #4

Thorns. You can break them off of a rose stem.

This item represents the crown of thorns put on Jesus head.

John 19:2

Resurrection Eggs #5

A strap. A tiny piece of rope or narrow piece of leather.

This item represents the strap used to whip Jesus.

Mark 15:15

Resurrection Eggs #6

A cross. Use a cheap cross charm or make a tiny cross with 2 sticks and tie or glue them together.

This item represents what Jesus carried and later died upon,

John 19:17

Resurrection Eggs #7

Nail

This item represents Jesus being nailed to the cross.

John 19:18,37

Resurrection Eggs #8

dice

This item represents the gambling that took place to decide who would get Jesus' clothes.

John 19:24

Resurrection Eggs #9

Sponge

This item represents the water that was given to Jesus to drink.

Matthew 27:34

Resurrection Eggs #10

Spear (or tooth pick)

This item represents the spear that the soldiers used to pierce Jesus' side.

John 19:33-34

Resurrection Eggs #11

Rock

This item represents the rock that was placed in front of Jesus' tomb and rolled away by an angel.

Matthew 28:2

Resurrection Eggs #12

Empty

The emptiness represents Jesus being gone from the tomb! The resurrection.

Matthew 28:5-6

Once you make these resurrection eggs, your children will ask to hear the story over and over. They are also great to take places with you once your children have memorized the story themselves. What is more meaningful than hearing the resurrection story out of the mouth of babes?

Empty Tomb Easter Cookies

1- cup whole pecans 1-teaspoon vinegar 3 egg whites pinch of salt 1-cup sugar zipper baggie wooden spoon tape Bible

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 (this is important-don't wait 'til you're half-done with the recipe)

1. Place the pecans in the baggie and let the kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3

2. Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl. Let each child smell the vinegar. Explain that when Jesus was on the cross and He became thirsty, He was offered vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30

3. Add the egg whites to the vinegar. The eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life so that we could have life.

Read John 10:10-11

4. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand and let them taste it. Put the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27

5. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

6. Beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3

7. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus body was laid to rest.

Read Matt. 27:57-60

8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off.

9. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the door. Explain that Jesus tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66

10. Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight and that Jesus followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20-22

11. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. the cookies are hollow! ON THE FIRST EASTER, Jesus' followers were amazed to find His tomb empty.

Read Matt. 28: 1-9

Here is a few ideas from The Idea Room that we think you'll love!

Egg Braided Bread

Fabric Covered Eggs

Felt Egg Animals

Grow Real Easter Grass

I have a feeling we'll be linking up to this chick alot.  

Have a Happy Easter!

Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash by: Sarah Weeks

I recently ordered Ansley and Justus a few new books from Scholastic. One of the books is called: Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash. by: Sarah Weeks and pictures by: Nadine Bernhard Westcott. I believe this book is a great book to help welcome spring and to get a child's mine turning.. What is Spring? How do Plants Grow? How can I help grow a plant?
I for one love books that Rhyme. They seem to get my children's attention faster than anything.. Rhyming books just sound so fun, they almost have a musical beat to them.. Can you see where I am going with this? Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash is a Rhyming book!
The book starts off like this: "The first day of Spring. Mrs Nelly McNosh went out to her garden and planted a squash." Then the book goes on to tell how the squash immediately started growing and what it looked like.. before you know it the squash is so big it is causing some trouble.. at one point in the story it reads: "It crashed through the clothes line and smashed through the fence, scaring the pants off two elderly gents." This book is so cute and I do not want to spoil it for you, so I will let you read the story and see how Mrs. Nelly McNosh stops the Squash and what she decides to do with it.

Also here is a very simple craft you can do with your children:

I used the craft wiggly eyes and red foam paper to make a face, however I was trying to keep this one simple for toddlers. But you can use what ever you think of.. (I did start to use markers and/or paint but decided against it today!)
I also used Grass seed but you can even use beans.. It is just a good idea to use something that will be fast growing.

What I used:


I did add a rubber band to help hold the mouth in place until it could dry


Add Your Seed and Dirt



The Finished Product.. This is a very simple craft that both of my kids can help out with.


Here are some other Spring Crafts and activities:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/birdfeeders/pineconefeeder.shtml
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/spring/printables/word-search.html
http://familyfun.go.com/spring/spring-crafts/spring-bug-crafts/winged-wonders-670394/

Design Your Own Childrens Library

We have a gazillion books.  It really feels like that many when you are trying to put them all away.  Now, we have them all in one place.  I still haven't gotten down my chapter books from the attic which will replace the guitar on the shelf  The littlest even has two bins that he can dig his own books out of.  For the tutorial on how to build your own bookshelf like this one...GO HERE!

Here's a Creative Way to Teach Letters!

Is your kid Awesome, Brave and Charming? Or perhaps Delightful, Energetic and Funny? Tell them with these customizable ABC cards you can download (free) at Design*Sponge.

Brooke Reynolds of Inchmark created this project as the finale for her alphabet-themed guest posting at Design*Sponge last week. Her thought is to describe what makes your loved one great using each letter of the alphabet and make them a full set of cards as a gift. For your kids you could make a full set or just their name (or even initial) to hang or frame in their room. You can read more and find the PDF to download at Design*Sponge. And be sure to check out Brooke's alphabet finds - posters, ways to incorporate it into gift wrapping, videos, books and more on the guest blog.
What words best describe your kid?

A Great Connection to Books!

My husband and I are taking our kids to see a new movie this week.  It's one I've been anticipating for a long time.  It's one my husband could care less about, do you know why?  Because he's never heard of the book, "Where the Wild Things Are".  Sad isn't it.

Actually, my husband claims his mother never read to him growing up.  He never recognizes classic books, books that were my favorite growing up or has any interest in reading as a grown adult.  Now that is just sad, too!  Oh, he knows how to read.  Sometimes he can read words better than I can because he is really good at the rules of phonics.  However, he just does not enjoy good books.  I suppose there are plenty of people that do not appreciate a good book but that is not the kind of person I want my children to become.  Thus, this blog and my passion.

We probably have 1/2 a dozen copies of "Where the Wild Things Are" and for good reason.  It's a good book.  It looks like the movie is going to capture the book but in a new perspective.  I can't wait to show to my children that from a really good book, comes really good experiences in life.  An enjoyable movie and a really fun craft.  Didn't see that coming did you?  Here is a really cute and easy craft you can do with your children.

There is a really great little website that shows how you can make the characters from the above book.  She titles it "Halloween Craft"  I call it genius.  This lady also makes really great children's toys too.  So you have to visit Matsutake here and you can follow the instructions below to make the little guys on the left.

Step 1: Dig through the bathroom trash. Eww. Don't do that. Instead, start hoarding things that would normally end up in the bathroom trash. Yeah. That sounds better.

You need toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes. That long skinny one is from a roll of wrapping paper.

Step 3: Find an elven assistant. This little elf is very wise. She taught me how to make eye sparkles.
Step 4: Paint!
Step 2: Fold the edges in like this. Now gaze at the form. What do you see? A cat? An owl? A monster?

Step 3: Find an elven assistant. This little elf is very wise. She taught me how to make eye sparkles.

Step 4: Paint!

October is National Pasta Month

Yep, that's right.  This whole month is National Pasta Month and I've got some great books to recommend and activities to do at home with your child.  Here is a list of books that you read with your child.

• Strega Nona.  Tomie. de Paola 
• Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley
• More Spaghetti, I Say! by R.G. Gelman
• Pasta Factory by H. Machotka
• Noodle Man: The Pasta Hero by April Pulley Sayre

Activities for Connection

1. Find a great pasta recipe and give it at try at home.
2. Look for different pasta shapes at the local grocer and document the different kinds available.
3. Have a spaghetti sauce tasting party with different brands or homemade blends.
4. Create advertisements for the favorite pasta or for the homemade kind, go all out and create new and improved labels.
5. Make artwork with pasta.
6. Color elbow macaroni and other hollow pasta with food coloring and make necklaces.
7. Pasta Art 

Take Care, Good Knight, the importance of learning to read!

We received this book sometime in September from the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library through the Ferst Foundation...link is here.  These books are free to my children just for being children.  Isn't that something to jump up and down about.  Today while waiting on Number 2's school bus, we finally took the plastic wrap off of this book.  I think it had been hiding from us for a couple of days.  We usually unwrap them right away.

This book was super cute and we got a sweet little laugh out of the story line.  I found the authors blog.  Her name is Shelley Moore Thomas and her blog is called the Storyqueen's Storycastle.

Here are some connection activities to go with the book.

Before Reading:

Talk to your child about any experience he has had helping someone out or taking care of a pet for someone while they were gone.  Talk to them about why it might be important to know how to read instructions for caring for something that belongs to someone else.

During Reading

Give your child time to study the pictures in the book while reading.  Let them point out things that they think are important.  For instance, my son thought it was interesting that the dragons had toys.  See if they can predict what will happen next, especially when they come to the picture in the book that shows the instructions for taking care of the cats.  Then read to see what happens next. 

After Reading

Talk to your little one about what the problem was in the story.  You can even go as far as talking about why it's important to read and that probably, the little dragons had not been read to very much.  Your child will feel pretty lucky knowing they have someone who will read to them. 

Connections:

• Make a list together of what someone would need to do to care for your pets.
• Make a list together of what someone would need to do to care for your child.
• Illustrate your lists.
• Find a picture online that you can print and color together.
• Write your own story together about what would happen if someone had to take care of something for you.

Please visit the authors blog and let her know you stopped by.

Buy it Here