Ever go through your day in such a rush of busyness that you don’t stop to notice the moment — any moment? Living mindfully helps us observe and trains our senses to absorb each moment.  As writers, we use this to write with sensory details. Practice living mindfully and observing with your five senses. Even younger (not-yet-writer) children... [read more ]

If you watched the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics last Friday, you probably were impressed by the constellations!  Learn how to make your own constellations with an oatmeal box, a flashlight and some imagination.    (A constellation is a group of stars in a visible pattern — well, it’s visible to some people anyway.)... [read more ]

Flashlights win over the plasma ball.  You see, Scientifics sent me a Plasma Ball for Christmas. (Thanks for thinking of me!)  Here’s what I found. You can . . . Touch it.  Watch the blue light streams focus on your touch points. You can . . . Look at it. I looked up all the science behind this plasma (gases inside) and electric... [read more ]

Don’t you just love fall?  The blue sky.  The colorful leaves.  The brisk air.  Aaaah. Fall is the perfect time to adopt a tree and learn about the seasons. Bring paper, pencil and a collection basket for leaves.  Now, take a fall walk.  Gather leaves, observe the blue sky and feel the cool air on your skin. Ask your child to pick his... [read more ]

Have you seen or read Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett?  Wouldn’t that kind of weather be fun?!  Let’s learn about the weather using that story for inspiration! Find a window near your eating space, and christen it “the weather window”.  Now, dub your children junior meteorologists!  (Explain that meteorologists... [read more ]

Have you ever tried to make a volcano erupt?  We had a Volcano kit that contained  directions to make a volcano erupt, er, rather– bubble up. After learning the basic directions, my kids preferred to mix their own concoctions using the same principals – baking soda, vinegar and water. Here’s their basic plan.  It occupies hours... [read more ]

Do you have any dinosaurs lying around?  One of our favorite games involves dinosaurs and digging.  We like to call it –  Paleontologist.  (Mostly because I think it’s such a cool word.  And, isn’t it amazing all the dinosaur names our kids already know?) To play, simply bury the dinosaurs in the a sandbox or in the ground. ... [read more ]

This week, preschool and kindergarten children ran around my backyard searching for nature’s treasures to add to their alphabet books.  What a blast! You can try it, too.  I order my books from Bare Books but you can always make your own book in a 3 ring binder or using the fold and staple technique. Write the alphabet in order, one letter... [read more ]

Writers and scientists observe.  Watch.  Learn.  Describe.  Experiment with . . Help your child be both scientist and writer while enjoying the playfulness of bubbles. Best bubble solution (tested by Imagination Soup writers) Homemade bubbles: 1 cup water 2 Tablespoons dish soap Store bought bubbles might include several different brands. ... [read more ]

Bugs are everywhere – give your kids a notebook, pencil and magnifying glass — if you have one.  They can make a science notebook on backyard bugs. *Tell them that scientists and writers both must be good observers.  They look closely at details and include those details in their notes. To do: Draw the bug. Write the name. Write a short... [read more ]