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art activities for children

10 Family Fun Activities for May

May is a great month to enjoy the spring weather! Get outdoors and enjoy the month of May with these 10 Family Fun Activities!

1. Go Explore! Spring usually creates the best weather for being outdoors! Put on your favorite walking shoes and check out the world around you. You never know what trails you’ll find and what exciting things you’ll see on your Spring time adventures.
2. Enjoy a Spring Time Scavenger Hunt! Go to the nearest park or even your backyard! right
3. Get crafty and Make a Kite.
4. Plant seeds and start a garden full of beautiful flowers or your favorite vegetables!

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8 Great iPad Apps for Kids: Reading Apps for Children

Here are 8 AWESOME apps to help your child learn and enjoy reading! right

  1. Reading Rainbow: Offers a library of books to users, themed according to a child’s interests (action adventures, magical tales, etc.). Kids can choose to have a book read aloud to them or to read the book themselves. To access more than one book, however, you’ll have to subscribe to the app — a $10 recurring monthly fee or $30 for six months.
  2. Starfall Learn to Read: an app version of the stellar learn-to-read website, Starfall. The app has the same content as the “Learn to Read” section of the site. There are 15 mini-books, each focusing on a specific vowel, along with videos and activities to enhance literacy learning. As with other Starfall apps, the thorough and careful design keeps kids focused on learning.  
  3. Martha Speaks Dog Party: A US Dept. of Education-funded study found target vocabulary improved up to 31 percent for children ages 3-7 who played this Parents’ Choice Recommended app over a two-week period. Includes FOUR fun-filled games starring Martha, the talking dog from the popular PBS KIDS TV series MARTHA SPEAKS(TM).
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Ready. Set. Draw!

left Here I am at my drawing board filming our new set of ‘How to Draw’ videos. These two-minute videos are free and designed to give you a taste of the Young Rembrandts step-by-step method of learning to draw.

Your children will enjoy learning but even more importantly, they’ll gain confidence that leaves them wanting to do more art. And that’s all good because art and specifically drawing is so good for them, especially if they’re visual learners.

 

Now, our videos aren’t just for your kids. You can have fun drawing and boost your confidence too!

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Move that table. It’s blocking the sun.

How can you have a sunny day at the beach, while confined to the Chicago suburbs over spring break?? If your kids have a spirit of adventure, an active imagination and a few choice props – anything is possible.

left One of my favorite ‘staycation’ family memories happened years ago when our girls were in elementary school. It was spring break and we were excited to have a week without homework and time constraints, mom included. And at our house that meant lots more time for playful adventures.

One day, without realizing what I would inspire, I brought home three inexpensive pink and white striped tote bags, one for each daughter. Inside each bag was a pair of summer flip-flops. As I gave the girls their tote bags, I could see big sister Laurie’s wheels start turning. She quickly swept her younger sisters into her imagination and upstairs to change. Soon they reappeared holding beach towels, wearing swimsuits, sunglasses and their new flip-flops. The dining room chairs were quickly moved away from the table, the towels spread out underneath and a sunny afternoon beach adventure ensued.

How can you encourage creative at home adventures?

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Spring Break: Planning a Staycation Day 3

Living in Illinois, I know that spring break isn’t always warm and pleasant. With 4 children and 2 grandchildren, I have previously spent hours devising ways to keep the kids busy and out of trouble on days we are stuck inside. Today I want to share some of my best ideas for indoor staycation activities, letting your kids have fun and you have a break. right

Build an Art Spot- Designating an ‘art spot’ for the kids is a wonderful way to encourage independence and get hours of quiet time (that don’t involve a screen)! This is key to a successful Staycation whether your home to play or not, kids can have fun in here doing art for hours on end. Make sure your spot is well supplied and that artists can utilize it without the need of adult supervision. If you’re short on real-estate, a low and easy-to-open drawer works well – load it with paper and compartmentalize the materials with supply bins. Want to really go all out with your space?  Here are some amazing ideas to inspire you.

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Spring Break: Planning a Staycation Day 2

Staycation is off to a great start, I am unable to take off work full time this year but I have made a few allowances to let myself out early and relax in this pretty season. left Hopefully you have been able to do the same! Today on my Staycation list, I have some fun outdoor activities to get the kids into. These are fun for the family but it’s also easy to let the kids out on their own as you relax.

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Spring Break: Planning a Staycation Day 1

The many months of below freezing cold and piles of snow here in Chicago have got me hankering for some warmer weather or at least a break from the usual winter routine. rightI am not going on a Spring Vacation this year with my family… this year  we are all working and planning a few Staycation ideas to shake those winter blues and get ready for spring. Coming up this week I will be sharing some of the BEST Staycation ideas for families that are taking the week off to spend together and Staycation ideas for kids, maybe you can’t get the week off and your kids are on their own. YIKES! I will be sharing posts that will satisfy all.

Here’s just a few ideas to get you started…

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