We uncovered this classic gem card game when my in-laws unloaded a bunch of games on our family. Mille Bornes is a French card game (so you can feel très internationale while you are playing) from 1963. "Mille Bornes" translates to "one thousand milestones," but it might as well translate to "one thousand kinds of...
Game of the Month: Mille Bornes (Vroom! Vroom!)
Graphic Novels for Grades 4-8 (and up!)
Are you ready for books to blow apart the myth that graphic novels are good books for kids? This list of graphic novels for grades 4 through 8 contains a variety of titles and you are sure to find something for either your voracious or your reluctant reader. More lists of graphic novels: The Stratford...
Fantastic Graphic Novels for Kids (3-5th Grade—and up!)
I've been asked many times for a list of good graphic novels for kids. So I'm putting together a series of books lists, starting with graphic novels for 3-5th grade (although in retrospect, I'm going with 3-6th grade). I've put it off for so long and the reason is simple. I have a hard time...
Fall Fun: Apple Tree Coloring Page
It's time for a fall coloring page! This sweet apple tree coloring page featuring two mice apple picking and tapping a tree for cider is from children's book author and illustrator, Melanie Hope Greenberg. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT (by clicking here you agree to our terms of service* see below) >> Apple Picking coloring page In...
You Already Have these 40 Items to Do STEAM Projects at Home
Is one of your biggest hurdles for doing science projects at home the lack of materials? It's mine. No doubt about it. The project may look super awesome and totally wower-ific, but if I have to track down even a one of speciality item I throw up my hands. With the emphasis on STEAM learning these days, you might...
Beautiful, Classic Fairy Tale Picture Books
This list of classic European fairy tales for children includes the best fairy tale picture books. Many of them are books my parents read to me while I was in my formative years. They have stuck with me and captured my imagination, just as they will do with today's children! I know it's tempting to...
School Bus Coloring Page & Template
If you are helping your kids prepare for the back to school season, this school bus coloring page and template by Melanie Hope Greenberg is just the thing for a little pretend play. Playing with a school bus, and our school house and pizza parlor coloring pages may also help relieve a little back to...
Screen-Free Memory Games for Kids
Brain boosting memory games are not just for us absent minded parents! No, no, no. Memory games for kids are as important for growing brains as crossword puzzles are for aging ones. Think about it, growing brains are working hard. They have a lot of new pathways to create, a lot of emotions to manage...
Math Art Books that Will Amaze Your Kids
How do you inspire kids who don't show a natural love for numbers and calculations? Why, with math art books of course! When art and math collide the results are mesmerizing and compelling, and these math art books will get your kids hooked. STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and design, and Math) may seem like...
Game of the Month: Boochie
Now that our family has an amazing, awesome backyard, I thought I should make our game of the month an amazing, awesome backyard game. We have been playing Boochie almost every day since we bought it. It has three spectacular characteristics. The name "Boochie" may put you in mind of bocce, a traditional lawn game played in...
Family Read Aloud Books for Every Season
Picture the scene. You have just finished reading a wonderful novel to your kids. You laughed, you cried, you snuggled, and had quality family time. (Of course you found this book on one of my book lists, right?) But now. What to read next? How will you find an equally good book that everyone will...
Night Sky Coloring Page (Doubles as Frame)
One of the joys of summer is staying up late and gazing up at the night sky. Have you done that yet with your kids? How about celebrating the twinkly stars with a night sky coloring page? Your little celestial cherubs can even turn Melanie Hope Greenberg's monthly coloring page into a frame or a...
15 Smile-Inducing Children's Books about Happiness and Joy
What makes you smile? That's the question that your kids will contemplate while reading these picture books about the human emotion of happiness. Here's a list of books sure to put a smile on your face. This latest addition to my series of picture books about emotions will bring you joy. Children's books about happiness...
3 Mindful Breathing Exercises for Kids
Would you like to know about a ritual I have when I want my kids to settle down, which also helps them to be mindful? And what if this ritual also helped them internalize the importance of having a healthy body, healthy brain, and healthy lungs? Would you be interested? I thought so. It's called breathing. I know, it seems so...
Game of the Month: Animalogic
We've owned AnimaLogic for years now, and this solitary logic game from Fat Brain Toys is one that has served us well. It brilliantly exercises the kids' thinking skills. Note: This post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases. A number of our recent selections for the game of the month feature have been...
Fun Summer Solstice Coloring Page for Kids
Are you ready for the summer solstice? How about a summer solstice coloring page as part of our monthly coloring page series? The very famous Coney Island Mermaid Day Parade is the subject of Melanie Hope Greenberg's award winning book, Mermaids on Parade and this month's summer solstice coloring page is a scene from that...
Quiet Activities for Family Read Aloud Time
Read aloud time is a big part of our family culture, but I can attest that my kids almost never sit still! Sometimes they drive me bonkers with their bouncing around. Fortunately, Amy is here to give your some great ideas for read aloud activities that your kids can do without driving you bonkers. --...
100 of the Funniest Funny Chapter Books for Kids
My sides hurt from making this list of funny chapter books for kids. I'm going to brag a little about my book list here. I hope you don't mind. But there are a lot of funny books out there (my kids seem to have a knack for finding them in the library) and a lot...
Why A Story Telling Time Game is the Best Way to Teach Kids
This Mystery Clock activity is a telling time game that makes a nice break from all those clock worksheets and is much, much more fun, not to mention a more effective way to help kids learn! Mystery Clock teaches kids to tell time by combining math and literacy in a game format. It actually has been many...
Game of the Month: Dr. Eureka Speed Logic Game
My kids and I love logic games and puzzles, as you well know. Recently, Blue Orange Games sent us one of their new games, Dr. Eureka Speed Logic Game, to try out. We love many of Blue Orange Games and I have featured several of them as games of the month, such as the preschool...
Summer Reading Bookmarks to Color
These summer reading bookmarks to color, designed by children's book illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg, are just the thing to get your kids excited about checking out all the books on our summer reading lists! As with all our coloring pages, these summer reading bookmarks are free and ready for you to print and color. How...
Literacy Games for Kids: Indoor and Outdoor Learning Fun!
I'm a strong believer that games are extremely beneficial to children. Not only are they just plain fun but there is always so much learning going on. I probably don't need to explain all the benefits of games, so I won't do that (you've probably already skipped ahead to the list of literacy games, below)....
Dara Game: Nigerian 3 in a Row with a Twist
Are you ready for a super cool 3 in a row game from Northwest Africa? All of the other traditional three in a row games I've shared, such as Tapatan and Nine Holes have had one thing in common. The game ends when a player makes a row with 3 of his token. But Dara,...
Five Field Kono: Abstract Strategy Game from Korea
My kids are loving all of these traditional games we've been discovering and I hope you have been playing them too! Today's abstract strategy game is from Korea. In English, it is known as Five Field Kono. In Korean, it is called o-pat-ko-no. If you have ever played Chinese Checkers, the game play will be...
Read Your Way Around the World With 50 Children's Books
Who wants to do a little armchair traveling with their kids? (Raises hand!) Making this list of children's books to take you around the world almost overwhelmed me but I managed to get through it! It was reeeeeeeellllly hard to narrow some of the countries down to just one book, but I managed. A few notes...
Game of the Month: Search & Rescue
Lately, whenever my kids want to play a game I push the cooperative games. My two boys might have a little competitive attitude problem. Over the holidays I learned about Canadian game company Family Pastimes and we were able to add Search & Rescue to our cooperative game collection. The whole family has been really enjoying this game so of course...
DIY Summer Math Camp: Budget-Friendly Activity Plans
Summer camp is really expensive. Maybe not where you live, but in our area, sending one kid to camp costs thousands of dollars. I'd love to be able to tell my kids to keep themselves busy with free play 24/7 for 2 and half months, but then there is a lot of sibling fighting, and.......
Make Your Own Kite Storybook Coloring Page
Time for this month's coloring page, which it just so happens will also turn on the tap of your kids' literacy juices. What I mean to say is: fans of Melanie Hope Greenberg's coloring pages will love this darling make-your-own kite storybook coloring page. Kids can color to their hearts content, write a few words...
35+ Make Your Own Puzzles for Kids: Ideas for all Ages
If you've perused this blog at all you will have noticed that we love puzzles. While one of my kids had a rabid love of jigsaw puzzles at a young age, the other did not. However, both kids enjoyed out of the box puzzle ideas that we made ourselves, and fortunately there are many types...
Children's Poets Your Kids Should Know (And Will Love!)
There is something so joyous about reading poetry to my kids. Each poem, even the short one, is so full. Full of meaning, full of emotion, full of subtext, full of fun, full of thought. I never read poetry to my kids without smiling. It was difficult to narrow this list of great children's poets...
Fun Drawing Games to Make Your Kids Laugh
Hold on to your pens and pencils folks. You are going to need them for the awesomeness I am about to introduce to you. Silly art that will make your kids giggle, laugh, guffaw, titter and flail about hysterically. No, really. (This post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.) My crazy, crazy pal...
Classic Poems for Kids to Memorize
April is National Poetry Month, but poetry is forever, so whether you are reading this post during National Poetry Month or not, it is time to start your life long love of poetry. Long time readers (hugs and kisses for you!) know I am a poetry fanatic. It's sad really, how much I try to...
Books for Kids who Like Books by Beverly Cleary
These books like Beverly Cleary feature wholesome stories of children engaged in fun without technology, gentle humor, and a matter-of-fact writing style. They are perfect for the same age group that would enjoy books like Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins. Beverly Cleary's books have a hold on the hearts of many children as well as...
Pentalpha Puzzle: A Brain Teaser from Crete
My kids and I have really been having a blast discovering brain teasers, puzzles and games from around the world. Last week we tried our hand at this pentalpha puzzle, which I believe has its origins in Crete. (I wasn't able to find any authoritative reference to this, however.) Pentalpha is part of a category of games...
The Amazing, Stupendous, Impossible Paper Puzzle
My kids and I have come to love topology paper tricks such as Möbius strips, Möbius hearts, and turning two circles into a square. When I came across this impossible paper puzzle (sometimes known as the impossible paper trick) I knew the boys would love trying to figure out how it works. In case you don't know, topology...
Picture Books about Anger, Frustration, and General Crankiness
This latest list of books about feelings is all about those emotions that make steam rise from the top of our heads. These are picture books about anger, frustrations, general crankiness and grumpy no-can-do attitudes. Books are a good way to allow kids to think about different ways they can handle their negative feelings, even...
20 Waiting Games For Kids That Will Tickle Your Brain
Here's what's missing from your life: more brain teasers. I'm not kidding. They help you relax in a lot of sticky situations. Such as family gatherings. And when you have to play the waiting game. I know you hate getting caught waiting in a long line with your kids without something to keep them (and...
Nine Holes: a 3 in a Row Game for Kids
Nine holes is a 3 in a row game for kids. It had been widely played in England since the middle ages. It is traditionally played with holes (hence the name) and pegs, but my kids and I fashioned an easy DIY paper and token version of this simple abstract strategy game. Nine holes is a...
DIY S.T.E.M. Toy: Learning about Gravity and Balance
I hear you. You want to do something creative with your kids. You know that creativity is the key to learning. But you are overwhelmed with the day to day grind of feeding them, driving them everywhere, convincing them to brush their teeth, telling them no more ipad for the thousandth time, and shuffling endless school...
Super Sweet Spring Gardening Coloring Page
Dreaming about spring planting season? Get your kids in the mood with a gardening coloring page, the latest in our monthly coloring page series from children's author and illustrator, Melanie Hope Greenberg. I like how kids can even design their own plant markers at the bottom. Of course if you can't wait for the weather...
