How do you encourage kids to read over the summer? Some kids pick up a book whenever they have a spare moment. Other kids need a little motivation. Whatever their reading style, every kid loves a good game or challenge, which means that reading bingo is the perfect summer reading activity! We have three versions...
Summer Reading BINGO for Kids
LGBTQ Graphic Novels (Ages 8-13)
Books are wonderful windows and mirrors that show us a wide variety of experiences. This list of LGBTQ graphic novels for middle grade readers includes realistic coming of age stories, fantasy tales and magical realism. The books feature characters who are gay, lesbian, transgender, nonbinary or queer. In some of these graphic novels, queer identity...
21 Simple Activities for Babies (with Printable List!)
For new parents, or even grandparents and other relatives, figuring out how to spend quality time with a baby can be a challenge, especially if you are stuck inside with an infant. What you need are simple baby activities that engage your little one and don't also bore you to tears or tempt you to...
75 Best Books for 9-Year-Olds (With Printable List!)
So you want to find a good book for a 9-year-old! We've combed through the library shelves and read hundred (probably thousands) of middle grade books to find the best classic and contemporary books your 9-year-old (generally 4th grade in the US or Year 5 in the UK) will love. These books cover a wide...
Cute Food Coloring Pages
Serve up these cute food coloring pages to your kids. Even picky eaters will love getting out the crayons and markers to start coloring these exclusive coloring sheets created by children's book illustrator, Melanie Hope Greenberg. So when your kids are hungry for entertainment (the puns just keep coming, I tell ya) grab one of...
I Wonder Why? : Journal Page Idea for Kids
Like most things in life, the best journal page ideas for kids come from the kids themselves! Chances are high that your child is always asking you questions, and while you'd love to actually know everything in the universe, you probably don't. So next time your little inquisitor starts interrogating you with an endless stream...
18 Fun Handwriting Activities for Kids (Even the Reluctant Ones)
When your child struggles with handwriting, the best way to make handwriting practice fun is to put away the worksheets. You don't want to pressure reluctant writers, but it is still important to work on handwriting skills so kids can continue to improve. Kids who struggle with dysgraphia or other writing related learning disorders can...
Write a Letter to a Disney Character
Writing a letter to a favorite Disney character is a great way to motivate a child who struggles with handwriting to practice those ABCs. With the promise of a return letter from Mickey, Donald, Buzz Lightyear, or Cinderella, kids will rush to get out the pen and paper. Writing this letter to Olaf from Frozen...
Lemonade Stand Coloring Page
No childhood summer is complete without a lemonade stand. The sweet and sour freshness, the relief of the cold ice on a hot day. The clink of change in an old tin box. It's all so wonderful. Now your kids can add to that experience with an adorable lemonade stand coloring page from author-illustrator, Melanie...
19 Best Math Books for Preschool Learning
Preschoolers (3 to 5 year olds) are rapidly expanding on their ability to understand mathematical concepts like simple counting, relative shape and size, measurements and patterning. These are the best preschool math picture books, perfect to enhance and supplement hands-on math learning in the pre-k classroom or at home! MORE: Easy preschool math activities for...
How to Grow Epsom Salt Crystals: Kids Science Experiment
Doing simple science experiments at home that explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) principles with the kids is a simple and easy way to capture their interest without resorting to screen time. Observing how epsom salts grow crystals in a jar not only teaches cool science, it teaches patience, something screens almost never teach!...
Cutest DIY Bubble Wands: Personalized and Easy to Make!
Why settle for dinky plastic bubble wands and store-bought bubble solution when you can make your own? What you really need to make any bubble-blowing session super special is your own personalized beaded diy bubble wand! Our bubble wand instructions and recipe for homemade bubble solution will teach you how to make bubble wands that...
Suspenseful Mystery Comics and Graphic Novels
Kids love comics and graphic novels and kids love mystery books, so obviously the best book for kids is a mystery graphic novel! Reading mysteries is a great way to improve reading comprehension skills for reluctant readers (as well as voracious readers), because readers look for clues, learn about foreshadowing and give their problem solving...
23 Math Picture Books that Are Never Boring!
When children are having difficulty understanding math lessons, math picture books will help. The best math picture books use storytelling and visual expression to explain abstract math concepts and reinforce math skills. Children who are engaged with math picture books will improve their understanding of a wide range of mathematical principles and skills like counting,...
Unicorn Books that Won't Give You A Sparkle Headache
Do all kids go through a unicorn phase? Truthfully, I'm still in my unicorn phase, ha ha ha. Unicorns often come with a heaping serving of rainbows, sparkles and glitter, but it doesn't have to be like that! Here are the best unicorn books for kids that focus on quirky stories, magnificent adventures and humorous...
Must-Read Books for 3-Year-Olds That You Don't Already Have
If you've grown tired of book lists for 3-year-olds that only include books you've already read: Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and a zillion Dr. Seuss books, this list of 10 must-have books for 3-year-olds is just what you need. You and your 3-year-old will meet new characters, laugh at new jokes, learn new...
Picture Books You Need to Read this Summer
These joyful summer books for kids are great to bring along to the beach, or on a picnic, or even to read to your children while you sit outside on the porch swing. This summer picture book list is an eclectic mix of classics and contemporary titles. They feature children and families engaged in classic...
Quick Brain Teaser Puzzle For Kids (and Grown-Ups)
For parents looking for simple ways to boost their kids' logic thinking skills there is nothing better than a quick brain teaser puzzle. But you can't just start with the toughest puzzles and expect your kid not to wail in frustration! This brain teaser for beginners is just the ticket. It's not too difficult and...
Tongue Twisters for Kids that Make Them Laugh!
Let me tell you a story about how tongue twisters for kids saved the day. One day not so long ago I had the boys on the city bus and the ride was getting rather long for their squirmy selves. I usually use thinking games or screen-free waiting games in a situation like this but...
Quick Kids Activity: Sorting Playing Cards
Sometimes a quick kids activity comes just at the right moment. When you need that break from the kids driving you bonkers and you don't want to turn on a screen, you look desperately around you to see what you can find. Thus, this easy, no-prep card sorting activity for kids was born. Attempting to...
The 39 Most Imaginative Fairy Tale Retellings
Whether or not you agree that there are "no new stories," there are certainly stories that beg to be retold again and again. Fairy tale retellings are a testament to how much we love updating timeless tales in innovative, exciting ways. Children, in particular, need fairy tales, and it's safe to say we never grow...
Painting with Marbles: A Fun Ball Rolling Art Project
Painting with marbles is a fun and unique active art project that encourages kids to explore the relationship between motion and design while they roll paint covered marbles around on paper to make abstract art. We loved painting with marbles because it was an interesting break from more traditional paint and brush art projects. It's...
Clever Color Activities for Preschool
The right color-themed activities give preschool aged children the opportunity to explore the wonderful world of color. These hand-picked color crafts and activities for preschool teach kids about color recognition and how color mixing works using a variety of techniques like art projects and science experiments. Incorporating color play ideas in math, science and art...
Thrilling Historical Graphic Novels: Fiction and Nonfiction
Books bring history to life in a way that dates and dry facts can't. These exciting historical graphic novels will entice even the most reluctant reader to dive into historical time periods and places like the Old West, World War II, the Civil Rights Era, and sixteenth century Ireland. Historical graphic novels use a combination...
Laundry Machine Coloring Page for Pretend Play
Want a sure-fire way to get your kids to do their own laundry? I bet you do. No promises, but this laundry machine coloring page will get you well on your way to tricking convincing your kids that doing laundry is fun. (Dare to dream!) You may be surprised to learn that this is not...
Matching Games for Family Game Night
Bored of Candy Land and Scrabble? It's time to choose a matching game for family game night! The most well-known matching-type game is the classic Memory card game, but we've played a huge variety of games that rely on players to create matches of one type or another. Not all matching games are also memory...
Shakespeare for Kids: Books Inspired by the Bard
With a background in theater, you bet I wanted to introduce Shakespeare to my kids! As soon as I could, I started taking them to plays, randomly quoting him, and telling them the plots of his plays. However, I recognize that this approach may not be for everyone, especially for parents who haven't read and...
Wonderful Weather Poems
Weather is a perfect topic for a poem! It can be dramatic and exciting, or peaceful and calm. Weather can change in an instant and affects our emotional state. There is no better way to celebrate the natural wonder and mysterious ways of Mother Nature with weather poems! We've collected some of our favorite poetry...
20 Best Tile Games for Game Night
Game night is one of my favorite times and some of the best games for family game night are tile games. There is something so satisfying about manipulating sturdy tiles while working towards the oh-so-important goal of besting your opponents! If you want some recommendations for the best tile games, sometimes known as tile-based, or...
Fairy Tale Inspired Graphic Novels
Everyone loves a good fairy tale! These fantastic fairy tale graphic novels contain all the classic elements that continue to delight us like magical quests, enchanted beasts, villainous trolls, witches and ordinary folks who show us what it means to be a hero. Best of all, this book list contains both graphic novel adaptations of...
Middle Grade Books to Inspire Care for the Environment, Ages 8-13
It's no secret that the climate is changing. Naturally curious, kids love to learn about the planet, how it's changing and how they can help protect the earth. These middle grade books will inspire kids to take action and care for their fragile environment. This book list includes suspenseful survival narratives in traditional fiction and...
Easter Books for Kids: Hop into Reading
When looking for Easter books, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices. To make things easy for you, here are 10 of the best Easter books to read this holiday. Titles include cute Easter board books for toddlers and preschoolers, classic Easter picture books you may remember from childhood, a few soon-to-be-classics,...
Children's Passover Books for Family Celebrations
These children's Passover books are a delight, whether your family is preparing to celebrate the Exodus from Egypt, or whether you are a non-Jewish family hoping to teach your kids about other faith traditions. Board Books These are the perfect first Passover books to share with toddlers and preschoolers. My Family Haggadah by Rosalind Silberman,...
11 Timeless Jewish Folktales for Kids
These timeless Jewish folktales speak to the human experience across cultures and religions and, like all folktales, are excellent choices to read aloud. Most of these Jewish folktales for children come out of the Yiddish, or Eastern European Jewish experience. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Jewish books are not just for...
10 Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Easter
Easter celebrations with your kids can be joyous experiences, but when you walk down the store aisles at Easter time, you might wonder how Easter became about consumption. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to put together a fun Easter basket for your kids without spending a lot of money, and without purchasing a bunch...
Graphic Novel Adaptations of Classic Books for Kids and Teens
It seems like every book is getting the graphic novel adaptation treatment these days. Like many others, you may have mixed feelings about this literary trend. However, as a pathway to increasing readership of stories that might not otherwise find their way into the hands of kids and teens, I'm all for it. Perhaps after...
Playful Poodle Puppets Coloring Page
What's better than a puppy coloring page? You might say, a poodle coloring page. What about a trio of poodle puppies romping across a coloring page? Here's the ultimate, alliterative answer: precious, playful poodle puppy puppets. Now, say that three times fast. That's right, this month's coloring page from children's book author-illustrator, Melanie Hope Greenberg,...
36 Early Chapter Books and Series with Diverse Characters
Every child deserves to see themselves represented in children's books. If you don't see your experiences in books, the message is, "you don't matter." In addition, reading about characters who may not share your race, religion, socio-economic status or abilities will teach kids empathy. That's why these multicultural early chapter books with diverse characters and...
Curious & Determined: Biographies of Women Inventors
Kids have a natural curiosity and love to problem solve so inspire them with biographies of women inventors! Read about the fascinating lives of extraordinary women who persevered to find innovative solutions to both ordinary problems and complex technological conundrums. From practical women who wanted a better way to do housework to women who faced...
Graphic Novels about Tough Topics
Don't believe the hype that kids should be sheltered from learning and talking about difficult topics. They are eager to learn! These graphic novels about tough topics tackle subjects like mental health, illness, addiction, identity, racism and microaggressions. Graphic novels are an excellent medium though which to talk to kids about tough issues. The interplay...
