Do you talk about love with your kids? Do you say I love you and encourage them to say it back? Perhaps these sweet picture books will spark meaningful conversations about what love is--what it means to you, your children, the world, and in your faith tradition. Children's Picture Books About Love The I Love You Book by Todd Parr Read about unconditional love shown in Todd Parr's … [Read more...]
Free Printable Valentine’s Day Treasure Hunt
Add reading and rhyming to your Valentine's Day activities with kids with this free, printable Valentine's Day treasure hunt! Free Printable Valentine's Day Treasure Hunt Click on the image to get download the printable clue cards. Each clue ends in a blank so that kids can think of the rhyming word and hunt for the next clue. The answers for the clues are printed at the bottom. These will … [Read more...]
Quick, Mess-Free Valentine’s Day Craft Frame with Kwik Stix
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kwik Stix Make a quick, cute and mess free craft for Valentine’s Day with Kwik Stix and Michael’s! Scroll down to win a 12-pack for yourself!! Kwik Stix are the mess free alternative to traditional paints. These tempera paint sticks are gluten, egg, nut, soy, and dairy free and need no prep nor cleanup. Kwik Stix applies wet and dries in 90 seconds or … [Read more...]
Beautiful Valentine’s Day Books for Kids, 2018
Valentine's Day clearly is over commercialized with romantic love but many of this year's children's books focus on friendship and familial love -- at least I'm including them in the Valentine's Day roundup because I think any expression of love is a nice tie-in with the holiday. Especially for kids. Beautiful Valentine's Day Books for Kids, 2018 This is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins, … [Read more...]
Best Children’s Books for Valentine’s Day Reading
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get special children's books to give and read. From sweet to silly to yes, even gross, find the best kids' books for the holiday. I've divided the books into board books for babies and toddlers, picture books for preschool age up to upper elementary, and activity books for elementary and up. (And, I add to this list when I … [Read more...]
Valentine’s Day Picture Books 2016
Valentine's Day doesn't just mean candy sales and romance, it's really about friendship, kindness, and love. These themes are all in abundance in these captivating Valentine's Day picture books your children will love to read again and again. (And books are great non-candy gift ideas!) Valentine's Day Picture Books 2016 I Love You Already! by Jory John and Benji Davies We love this book -- is … [Read more...]
DIY Flaxseed Aromatherapy Warming Pillow
I just started a month-long liver cleanse. And yes, I feel horrible as I thought I would -- but I hope that's a good thing. My naturopath is helping me get rid of all the toxins that are preventing my body from absorbing vitamins and nutrients (among other issues). So while I was watching a video on how to do a Caster Oil Pack, I saw a GREAT idea -- a heart-shaped flaxseed warming pillow. (Which … [Read more...]
DIY Heart Book
I'm loving Making Books with Kids: 25 Paper Projects to Fold, Sew, Paste, Pop, and Draw by Esther K. Smith with illustrations by Jane Sanders and typo-o-graphics by Dikko Faust which will be published 2/1/16. I adapted one of the book's projects to make a found-object heart book for kids for Valentine's Day or any day. Kids: use this book for poems, drawings, stories, or memories! To make it … [Read more...]
12 Valentine’s Day Apps for Kids
What do you know, there are Valentine's Day ipad apps for kids. From sweet stories to fun games, here are twelve apps your kids can enjoy. I Love You Too by Ziggy Marley $2.99 Sing and play with Ziggy Marley as you explore his first children's book based off the song from his Grammy Award winning album "Family Time!" Disney Where's My Valentine? FREE Swampy and Perry need some love … [Read more...]
Free Printable Valentine’s Day Book Bucks
This year, I'm giving my kids Valentines' Day Book Bucks instead of stuffed animals or candy. And, I've made free printable book bucks you can easily download and print for your kids, too! Gift of Book Bucks Like most kids, my kids love to choose their own books to read. They enjoy browsing the bookstore almost as much as me. (Which is one of my favorite things EVER.) I think book bucks … [Read more...]
Best Valentine’s Day Gift Parent Child Dates
This Valentine's Day, I'm giving one-on-one time to my kids. I'm giving them time and attention. Last week, I took both my kids clothes shopping at different times. It reminded me how special that 1:1 time is. It deposits into their emotional bank accounts. (And mine, too.) The Leader in Me by Stephen R. Covey Chapter Five talks about the importance of emphasizing a family “we” culture. It … [Read more...]
Paper Craft Engineering aka. Valentine’s Day Envelopes
guest post by Patty O’Brien Novak, children’s author, engineer, educational consultant/trainer and speaker. With Sesame Street’s recent change in focus to add more engineering to their programming (yeah!), I want to share an engineering activity you can do at home with your preschooler (and older children, too.) Envelope engineering was inspired by my dear daughter, who at the tender age of 3, … [Read more...]