children

  • For the Dads

    For the Dads

    There are lots of feelings for people around Father’s Day – for me having lost my dad six years ago I can find it a little hard emotionally, but there is also a new way for me to celebrate this day and that’s for my husband and son. Rather then focus too much on dad… Continue reading

  • Gardening with Toddlers

    We made a small garden space for my kiddo to play in to get him involved in the growing of things. It’s still mostly dirt play and mud making, which is a delight, but by planting that seed I hope his love for gardening grows as he gets older. Here are a few books in our… Continue reading

  • Tinkering Toddlers: Activities for At Home Play

    A wicked cold, snow, and a closed daycare was making me a stir-crazed mama. I needed ideas to keep my kiddo’s brain learning and his body moving. I found a wonderful collection of books from the Library that gave me the boost and inspiration I needed to be the fun mom!  Continue reading

  • Expand Your Thinking with Exploration Guides

    It’s incredible how quickly you can get pulled into the flurry of online research once an idea, topic or celebrity captures your interest. You start with one tab open on your browser, then suddenly you have fourteen open, and you can’t remember how that Wikipedia article on watering hydrangeas led you to an interpretative dance… Continue reading

  • Children’s Authors Lead the Way in Creative Online Programming

    “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” ― Fred Rogers I have seen so many helpers stepping up during this pandemic but, as a children’s librarian, I’ve been so uplifted… Continue reading

  • Reconnect Virtually with Seattle Museums 

    Connecting virtually with our friends, families, co-workers, classmates – this new way of life is quickly becoming the norm. The way we interact with the world will forever be changed by this pandemic.  What seems to always be true in times of national crisis is the rise of creativity and ingenuity among people and communities.… Continue reading

  • Language Learning Resources for Children

    Learning another language is not just for adults who want to travel. When children learn another language they improve their vocabulary and cognitive ability, so it is no wonder many parents are now starting their kids off young. Even just learning a few words can be useful. There are many fun and easy ways to… Continue reading

  • Money Smart Week: Making sense out of saving money

    Remember when your parents first got you that cute little piggy bank? It was a big deal because it symbolized a financial rite of passage and instilled a growing sense of independence. And after completing a series of mundane tasks or chores you could triumphantly deposit your hard earned money into it at the end… Continue reading

  • NurtureShock: Research that will make you go hmmm …

    I stumbled across Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman’s book NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children after I was gifted a copy of Newsweek with their incendiary cover-story (September 14, 2009 issue) entitled “Is Your Baby Racist?” I should mention that a teenager gave me this particular magazine issue as a tongue-in-cheek gift at my baby shower. In their Newsweek… Continue reading

  • Kindergarten choices

    At this time of year, preschool parents are discovering that they have a tough decision to make – kindergarten selection.  As a parent of a preschooler myself, I’ve recently been immersed in the wonderful world of classroom sizes, test scores, transportation options, extra-curricular activities, PTSA involvement, after school care, and profiles of teachers and principals.   If… Continue reading

  • Parenting in the Wired Age

    Parents today have so many networks and resources available to them. It can be daunting, but it can also be reassuring. There are so many decisions to make, so many styles to choose from. Do you breastfeed or bottle-feed, or both? What bottles should you use? Cloth or disposable? Co-sleeping or crib? Those first months… Continue reading

  • Bored No More

      Kids-can’t live with them and can’t live without them,  but you can keep them reading no matter where they are or what time it is! Your online children’s reading resources are waiting for you. The Seattle Public Library’s Web site has a Children’s section with great resources and reading ideas for your kids.  There… Continue reading