The Path of Names: what would probably happen if Harry Potter was a girl at Jewish summer camp
I was flipping through the internet one day when I saw a tweet that likened Ari Goelman’s recently published The Path of Names to a Jewish Harry Potter tale, and immediately clicked over to read the article. You guys probably know by now that I take my 14-year-long Harry Potter fandom and all references to the series very seriously, so of course (of course!) I had to check it out.
How to start a book club… for babies
Once a month, a handful of my friends meet up at our friend’s house for our babies book club. We still refer to it as “baby book club” even though there’s no denying that our children aren’t babies anymore. They’re energetic, willful, spirited two-year-olds who run, laugh, fight over toys, and keep us constantly on our toes. They’re also two-year-olds who love to be read to. Like most toddlers their age, they love to be held on our laps while listening to stories and looking at colorful and beautiful picture books.
Throw this party: Eating the Dinosaur
Every couple of months, I do a “Book Optional Club.” The thing is, no one ever reads the books. It’s really just an opportunity to get together and eat and visit. Being a little OCD, I like a themed party to match the books. The book for this Book Optional Club party was Eating the Dinosaur, by Chuck Klosterman.
I’m using Harry Potter to teach a first grader literacy skills
Just as caretakers have been surreptitiously sneaking veggies into kids’ favorite foods for eons, I have been hiding literacy skills in games and activities that center around JK Rowling’s brilliant, alluring universe. And it’s working. I might even say… it’s just like magic.
I read all the major books on baby sleep — here is what I learned
I went on amazon and bought all the top books on baby sleep and development. I read through them all, as well as several blogs and sleep websites. I gathered lots of advice.
A Go, Dog! Go!-themed birthday party
After celebrating our daughter’s first birthday a A Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed party, we kept it pretty simple this year — just a few tots and their parents, some light fare, and a couple of simple activities. Plus, I was nine months pregnant and just didn’t have the energy to go too crazy. I liked using a book theme last year, so we went with another book. This year, it was Go, Dog. Go!, one of Penny’s favorites.
Raaaaaawr: it’s a stomping good collection of dinosaur-themed fun
Let’s talk about DINOSAURS! It’s been nearly a year since the beloved but extinct relation of birds was mentioned on Families, so it’s probably time. If your house is anything like mine and there’s a toddler or preschooler running around, the odds are likely fairly high that you’re already spending your fair share of time mulling over this creatures with your kids ANYWAY. Here are a few awesome dino-themed products I found that will interest the young and not-as-young alike.
What are your favorite animal-friendly, beautifully-illustrated kid’s books?
My kids, nearly two and four, love to be read to and I love to read to them as long as the books are lyrically written and creatively illustrated — and they don’t encourage harming animals (original Curious George, anyone?), or feature name-calling or cranky parents (too many to list).