Tomorrow is National Thoughtful Day so spend some time this weekend showing others how much you appreciate and value them. Family members of all ages can participate – there are things that any age from children to teens to adults can do to show their appreciation for someone else. Handwritten notes, cards, and drawings can be done by any age and sent to friends and families far away (or an elderly neighbor on your street Read more
A fun activity today that will encourage your child’s language and storytelling skills, as well as their creativity, starts by pulling out some paper and crayons or markers. Pick one of your child’s favorite songs to sing (or let them pick) and start drawing a simple picture of what is happening in the lyrics as you sing. Draw just one part and then take turns with your child filling in additional parts. Here are some Read more
Earlier this month, award-winning author Eloise Greenfield passed away at the age of 92. Greenfield was one of the first children’s picture book writers to feature African American families and their frustrations, as well as the joyous parts of their lives. Her work was so influential, she was awarded the prestigious Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018 by the American Library Association in recognition for her trailblazing career. For Read more
Suggested Family Activity • You’ve Got 📫 Mail Children love to receive mail. Have them create a mailbox today by recycling and reusing an old shoe box or small cardboard box and cutting a slit in the top. Let them decorate it by covering it with paper (patterned or plain) and using crayons, markers, stickers, etc. to personalize it. Then, make a few cute cards and letters to ‘send’ to your child to give them Read more
These days, more and more people are turning to digital resources such as E-books and E-audios as they go about their daily lives. Electronic books, also called E-books, are books that have been converted to a digital format for use on devices such as computers and laptops, smart phones, or e-book readers, such as a Nook or a Kindle. You need an internet connection to initially download the book but after that, readers can be Read more
Suggested Family Activity • Summer 🏃♀️ Olympics The summer Olympics may be over but there’s still plenty of time to get your family involved in Olympics inspired activities. You can teach young children to do a flip, handstand, or a cartwheel like gymnasts or place down a piece of painter’s tape to mimic a balance beam or tightrope and let them try to walk from one end to the other without ‘falling off’. You can Read more
Children love to draw or color the people around them, which can sometimes be an eye-opening experience for their adult caregivers! Have them try their hand at making self-portraits today to get them thinking about the different parts that make up their face and hair. Plain paper will work fine, but if you have any white paper plates, they make an excellent form on which to draw face. Crayons and markers work well but other Read more
Elvis Week 2021 kicks off today and lasts through August 17. Held annually during the anniversary of his death, it gives people all around the world a chance to remember the music pioneer. Elvis Aaron Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi. His birthplace, a simple two-room home, is a tourist destination for many. (For more information, visit https://elvispresleybirthplace.com.) His family relocated to nearby Memphis, Tennessee Read more
What do you get when you combine one of the largest Dinosaur databases in the world with the powers of Google Earth-like technology? The chance to view what your area looked like millions of years ago. You can even see what fossils are nearby. The best part is, the 3D map, dubbed Ancient Earth, is free. Ancient Earth is the brainchild of Ian Webster, the curator of the Dinosaur Database website. There, you can search by Read more
Today is National Book Lovers Day so what better way to celebrate it than by making a visit to your nearest public library? Are you looking for lively picture books to read to your family? Family Reunion by Chad Richardson follows a young boy’s journey to understand the joy and beauty of gathering with extended family while Bethany Carr’s board book I Love My Family is created to be a short but sweet treat for Read more
