tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37502833673282635282024-03-09T18:46:11.203-08:00Fun at Home with KidsAsia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.comBlogger320125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-61097467145991632922018-01-16T06:30:00.000-08:002018-01-19T20:28:48.475-08:00An EXCITING announcement!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Those of you who are long-time readers of this blog know that I am passionate about several things, including but not limited to:</div>
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Inspiring creative and open-ended play</div>
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Making science fun</div>
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Making learning and play accessible to all kids</div>
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I wanted a way to bring all these things to an even larger audience on an even larger scale. After writing my first book, <i><a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Asia-Citro/2137686413" target="_blank">150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids</a></i>, with a large publishing house, I knew that I wanted to create (and have a hand in creating) more books that featured thinking outside the box and child-led learning -- and that also highlighted diversity. I quickly realized that the best way to do just that was to create my own publishing company. A company where, in addition to my own books, I could publish other quirky, fun books that were in-line with these goals.</div>
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And so, <a href="http://theinnovationpress/" target="_blank">The Innovation Press</a> was born. SURPRISE! 2017 was our first "real" year (since it's the first year we've published more than one title), and was been a BIG year:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJAr767mW7rs0lJ-_FjVWiGoSKWhsacDxcO1TK04NVcJ_m0H0OzwA0kNMukty-oIjtvOi2OIeE_TrN9mrL2NAFIdVm9hczih-pmcjzdXvw3fk-XpzYplyhLJ2QgyNpG3i1g-UQ2YimE41/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-12-15+at+10.57.11+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1177" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJAr767mW7rs0lJ-_FjVWiGoSKWhsacDxcO1TK04NVcJ_m0H0OzwA0kNMukty-oIjtvOi2OIeE_TrN9mrL2NAFIdVm9hczih-pmcjzdXvw3fk-XpzYplyhLJ2QgyNpG3i1g-UQ2YimE41/s640/Screen+Shot+2017-12-15+at+10.57.11+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>So what does this mean? Here are some Frequently Asked Questions and their answers:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkYvfBla3awTyMFHpQCaeB4muOlRNpAO_mrY6UyECXLsE88NbDn4-6bfk6xMT2Ka6Ek7E4Kjzs1ks-RUsaraMbLl3H_0I8V9wAVdRuAe9ttrfWnVm7R_T4DUNPA9Hf-UUAXOVCZPgEqmt/s1600/Zoey+%2526+Sassafras+Book+1+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkYvfBla3awTyMFHpQCaeB4muOlRNpAO_mrY6UyECXLsE88NbDn4-6bfk6xMT2Ka6Ek7E4Kjzs1ks-RUsaraMbLl3H_0I8V9wAVdRuAe9ttrfWnVm7R_T4DUNPA9Hf-UUAXOVCZPgEqmt/s640/Zoey+%2526+Sassafras+Book+1+Cover.jpg" width="404" /></a></div>
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<b>DOES THIS MEAN THAT YOUR BOOKS ARE SELF-PUBLISHED/PRINT ON DEMAND? </b> </div>
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Nope! <a href="http://theinnovationpress.com/" target="_blank">The Innovation Press</a> is a traditional publishing company. We publish books from a variety of authors and illustrators from all over the world. As for me, I have to submit my books just like everyone else and the whole team votes on them just like all of our submissions from other authors. To be accepted, any manuscript we're considering has to have 100% support from our acquisitions team which is composed of publishing consultants, education consultants, teachers, librarians, parents, and of course KIDS! Just like the other The Innovation Press books, mine are <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-943147-08-3" target="_blank">reviewed in journals</a> and adopted by libraries and schools (things that wouldn't be possible if they were self-published). My books also have their rights sold to other countries and we even sold Scholastic the rights to have <i>Dragons and Marshmallows</i> and <i>Monsters and Mold</i> (the first two <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B01GFBR0IC/ref=dp_st_1943147094" target="_blank">Zoey and Sassafras </a></i>books) at Scholastic Book Fairs and in <a href="https://clubs.scholastic.com/" target="_blank">Scholastic Reading Clubs</a> (which is SUPER EXCITING!!!!). Several of our titles are recommended by <a href="https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=13914" target="_blank">A Mighty Girl</a> (YAY!) and our books have received recognition from the New York Public Library, the Chicago Public Library, the National Science Teachers Association, and the Dolly Gray Children's Literature award, among others.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhu_UPddbfAUrEcZ2wnkQRpXbJToPnaH-PsC8IFNv5qn148FZBvD0eXoSp6kga7eIf4Yel89JtEJv_YJSNQPaMki69bKtIQJdOcXxB0AqQ5tDafpmWVnZm1Ht1GT03P45FSzi03uZedvX/s1600/Shark+Cover_1600px_300DPI_5MB+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhu_UPddbfAUrEcZ2wnkQRpXbJToPnaH-PsC8IFNv5qn148FZBvD0eXoSp6kga7eIf4Yel89JtEJv_YJSNQPaMki69bKtIQJdOcXxB0AqQ5tDafpmWVnZm1Ht1GT03P45FSzi03uZedvX/s640/Shark+Cover_1600px_300DPI_5MB+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>ARE THE INNOVATION PRESS' BOOKS ONLY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON?</b></div>
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Nope! We aren't a self-published or print-on-demand company. We are a traditional publishing house with international distribution and offset printing. Our books are available everywhere books are sold worldwide (both online and in physical stores, schools, and libraries). So even if you live overseas (like Australia for instance), your local bookstores and libraries can still get our books (you can request them if they aren't already there). Several of our books are currently on the shelves of <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22The%20Innovation%20Press%22?Ntk=Publisher&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a> and <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-CA/home/search/?keywords=asia%20citro&internal=1" target="_blank">Chapters Indigo</a> and most can be found at <a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">your local indie bookstore</a> (or can be ordered easily if they aren't currently in the store). Our books are also represented by a <a href="https://www.defliterary.com/" target="_blank">foreign rights agency</a> and are frequently sold for translation into different languages.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0lsofGfpwCzjPczlrbgubgfXGwtzJw8bZBH_tM9nhqJ-Ah5Me6ujCR8d-9KvD9O-U9XYF54PSaPoVm1eTahhKFBgBGXm3_35wWLz8rOf7bKzni-Ac5-emoSMd1IquRCbwKHCB65HOdT4/s1600/The+Story+of+Dr.+PB+Cover_1600px_300DPI_5MB+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0lsofGfpwCzjPczlrbgubgfXGwtzJw8bZBH_tM9nhqJ-Ah5Me6ujCR8d-9KvD9O-U9XYF54PSaPoVm1eTahhKFBgBGXm3_35wWLz8rOf7bKzni-Ac5-emoSMd1IquRCbwKHCB65HOdT4/s640/The+Story+of+Dr.+PB+Cover_1600px_300DPI_5MB+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>DO YOU ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS FOR BOOKS?</b></div>
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Yes, we do (and you can find our submission guidelines <a href="http://theinnovationpress.com/submissions" target="_blank">here</a>), BUT we turn away thousands and thousands of manuscripts for every ONE we accept. Remember any submission must get 100% support from our acquisitions team to be considered -- which is a tough thing to accomplish! You are absolutely welcome to send us your manuscript, but please know that the world of children's literature is incredibly competitive. If you're new to writing for children, we highly recommend joining <a href="http://scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI</a> as well as a critique group. Most of our authors have been working on writing children's books for 5-10+ years and/or have been successfully published prior to working with us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpfJYhVPsy4o801KZU92C3oClYqshzZbjfFNwc9FTrK89Ap-TaSvrSXooh1MDOeqg8CnnPpWFMAmGrCiQ1fcGx8fB_BXi332hH6sn2C_AVPd5LW_CGzNZAoPBg4gGUjlsHlBoyYE78h3g/s1600/download+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpfJYhVPsy4o801KZU92C3oClYqshzZbjfFNwc9FTrK89Ap-TaSvrSXooh1MDOeqg8CnnPpWFMAmGrCiQ1fcGx8fB_BXi332hH6sn2C_AVPd5LW_CGzNZAoPBg4gGUjlsHlBoyYE78h3g/s1600/download+%25281%2529.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<b>HOW ARE YOU MAKING THESE BOOKS ACCESSIBLE TO KIDS?</b></div>
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One of my favorite things about running a publishing company is that it gives me the ability to make our books available to <i>all kids</i>. We've partnered with an amazing non-profit, <a href="http://firstbook.org/" target="_blank">First Book</a>, who gets books into the hands of children and teachers in low income areas to make sure our books reach as many children as possible. And YOU help us with this mission when you buy our books (or when you request them at your library!). <b>For every 10 books we sell, we donate 1 to children in need via First Book (or on a case-by-case basis, directly to Title 1 schools and/or public libraries that serve low-income areas).</b> We were able to donate $129,098 of books in 2017 and with your support we're hoping to DOUBLE that in 2018.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlkbG-AFg1xMOVyXTHVp25MQ9CmkOveQefzn_Ml_dbU3oTAjZPgShm8sBHvETfZZVg78p51ye6Dwb9-LHHQd5JTATRvz6NE6jC1_7i4KUyBOPYXq3xy1Q2c4Wok-ypKkNSRhZNKyJnjH3/s1600/The+Girl+Who+Thought+in+Pictures+cover+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlkbG-AFg1xMOVyXTHVp25MQ9CmkOveQefzn_Ml_dbU3oTAjZPgShm8sBHvETfZZVg78p51ye6Dwb9-LHHQd5JTATRvz6NE6jC1_7i4KUyBOPYXq3xy1Q2c4Wok-ypKkNSRhZNKyJnjH3/s640/The+Girl+Who+Thought+in+Pictures+cover+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>I REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT YOU, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ALL THESE BOOKS! WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT YOU?</b></div>
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Books are expensive, no kidding! It's one of the reasons why we donate 1 book for every 10 we sell. I wouldn't expect anyone to buy all of our titles. BUT they are SOOO COOOL, so I really hope that you will at least READ them all. The best way to do this is to check them out at your local library. Most libraries have all of our titles, but if yours doesn't, you can request them! If you have any questions about how to do this (the process varies library by library) just email us at info@theinnovationpress.com with your library's name and we'll let you know how to go about requesting our books there. </div>
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The other thing you can do to help us is to tell others about our books! The sea of children's books is ENORMOUS and we rely very heavily on word of mouth about our titles. Our absolute favorite thing is when people take a photo of one of our books (library or purchased) and share it on social media. That is a HUGE HUGE help. Same with leaving a review for the book on Amazon or Goodreads. If you are passionate about the kind of books we are creating here, we would love your help spreading the word!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgSnBrgORbaArk7h8b69UAWcGY6F8MODiM2ULELeghfHlk_DVJEfvUlrzWQBo8vwYzxBGyTqK7WZTdR1oJG8NPeKoB-lbOzwpTO21czoKAjtuGHDBWkBG97Y48G0YsAXXCsIzx9Iny4lG/s1600/CuriousKidFrontCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1245" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgSnBrgORbaArk7h8b69UAWcGY6F8MODiM2ULELeghfHlk_DVJEfvUlrzWQBo8vwYzxBGyTqK7WZTdR1oJG8NPeKoB-lbOzwpTO21czoKAjtuGHDBWkBG97Y48G0YsAXXCsIzx9Iny4lG/s640/CuriousKidFrontCover.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
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<b>HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOKS?</b></div>
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You can see the full line up of <a href="http://www.theinnovationpress.com/our-books/" target="_blank">our books here</a>. Additionally, all of our currently released books have the Look Inside feature enabled on Amazon and we have sample PDFs of the first few pages of several of our books available for viewing or download at the links below:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBR1YzdGpMaXpXbTQ?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377224000&usg=AFQjCNG9a268s-2NqiS4LhCehgzM3UvZXA" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBR1YzdGpMaXpXbTQ?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: the story of Dr. Temple Grandin</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBeERpOTZLUFIxdmM?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377224000&usg=AFQjCNESs_XEpG5chyQHha0l-uLYHzz9_Q" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBeERpOTZLUFIxdmM?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">How to Survive as a Shark</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBOVRzWkR6SGZfY2s?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377224000&usg=AFQjCNFkeMmhZqa_TptfoeOsdUz98Y1BoA" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBOVRzWkR6SGZfY2s?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: the story of Dr. Patricia Bath</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBRUhjMkZabEtQalE?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377224000&usg=AFQjCNE2AiJKm_PDsO-I6v0APW_fLuYnDQ" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBRUhjMkZabEtQalE?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">How to Survive as a Firefly</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBU0Q3bnZpdUxrdzg?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377224000&usg=AFQjCNGN7W500vU6LX3iE3Iae2LNsMzpeA" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBU0Q3bnZpdUxrdzg?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Semicolons, Cupcakes, and Cucumbers</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBdFVNbW0zTG5acEk?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377225000&usg=AFQjCNH-CGHWE4ABaSQseMABNCAa2yThGQ" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBdFVNbW0zTG5acEk?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"></a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBdFVNbW0zTG5acEk?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1504376377225000&usg=AFQjCNH-CGHWE4ABaSQseMABNCAa2yThGQ" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBdFVNbW0zTG5acEk?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Mossby's Magic Carpet Handbook</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBTTBfVG10VmlYTUE/view" target="_blank">Dragons and Marshmallows (Zoey and Sassafras Book One)</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://goo.gl/UvBa7h" target="_blank">Old Tracks, New Tricks</a></span></div>
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We have videos of flip throughs of our fall 2017 titles accessible on our YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeNinC_esvhxwGPRuSDj1kg/videos" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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You can also find out more about our books and get a TON of FREE activities, resources, and printables on the books' websites:</div>
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<a href="http://zoeyandsassafras.com/" target="_blank">Zoey and Sassafras website</a></div>
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<a href="http://oldtracksnewtricks.com/" target="_blank">Old Tracks, New Tricks website</a></div>
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<a href="http://howtosurvivebooks.com/" target="_blank">How to Survive Series website</a></div>
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<a href="http://amazingscientists.com/" target="_blank">Amazing Scientists Series website</a></div>
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<a href="http://scratchgarden.com/book/" target="_blank">Semicolons, Cupcakes, and Cucumbers website</a></div>
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<a href="http://mossbys.com/" target="_blank">Mossby's website</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsHsUhOgfKw7a-KdI_AModnilaoieDqIaYVd0dvOV2uPxKvTN5P2kxvwJ_DSZ80-7RyhTuRQYTrnwOLWVQHxsln7H8mglOFPTrAFVgp9iRHU_K4rUFOaccFqCPxs0S93Ny2L2LbgdO8rl/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2016-11-28%252Bat%252B1.44.34%252BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsHsUhOgfKw7a-KdI_AModnilaoieDqIaYVd0dvOV2uPxKvTN5P2kxvwJ_DSZ80-7RyhTuRQYTrnwOLWVQHxsln7H8mglOFPTrAFVgp9iRHU_K4rUFOaccFqCPxs0S93Ny2L2LbgdO8rl/s640/Screen%252BShot%252B2016-11-28%252Bat%252B1.44.34%252BPM.png" width="518" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway closed.</b></span></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-19148373090265600942017-09-14T10:43:00.000-07:002017-09-14T10:43:10.067-07:00Stained Glass Art with Kwik Stix {FREE printable templates!}<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: none; color: #222222; letter-spacing: 0.293333px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Disclosure: This post is sponsored by <a href="http://www.thepencilgrip.com/c/therapeutic-products-toys_kwik-stix" rel="nofollow" style="color: #69b8df; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Kwik Stix</a>. I only accept sponsored posts for products I believe in and am excited about. I was not swayed by compensation; all opinions are my own.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_Bbn0X2s7DYtj-QWV10afySo5EfWBy0DAAH9KAh05GH78qRDK31D8Q0m-RKXtUoOFxASzUuLZ2KfeQRAzjXF7YMHU4G4OsfT0uXIyHPnFJ7zFcKwGIderUAZUaZf9dKaqJZJpH4F24El/s1600/PicMonkey+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_Bbn0X2s7DYtj-QWV10afySo5EfWBy0DAAH9KAh05GH78qRDK31D8Q0m-RKXtUoOFxASzUuLZ2KfeQRAzjXF7YMHU4G4OsfT0uXIyHPnFJ7zFcKwGIderUAZUaZf9dKaqJZJpH4F24El/s640/PicMonkey+Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.293333px;">It's no secret that we LOVE Kwik Stix. You've seen us <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2016/11/sunset-art-with-kwik-stix-our-favorite.html" target="_blank">post</a> about them before and you've seen them pop up repeatedly on our <a href="http://instagram.com/funathomewithkids" target="_blank">Instagram</a> account. They are so easy to use and the colors are so vibrant, they are easily one of our favorite art supplies (and definitely X's favorite). They are very easy for little hands to open and close alone and because they are WAY less messy than paint (and are totally washable and allergen-free) they make a great first art supply for toddlers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.293333px;">But they aren't JUST for toddlers. S and even I love using them as well. They are almost like coloring with a glue stick pastel. They glide on effortlessly and the colors are just so beautiful! Not only do they come in standard color packs (both 6 and 12), but they also have metallic and neon! With the holidays coming up these would make a perfect stocking stuffer.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh49aGbnOya91iArdd3VZvQwBsIh1uaLRc6uM8oEcD7_4Bq42VwffrahjthEhXIHiJDlbKmJ0r0cYbsB-m9fuIdZDHzhjrGwgz2z7Gy4M5KaaBt2JysNQGO-pInZa7fF3je_Gc6ChOPAN3/s1600/IMG_7339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh49aGbnOya91iArdd3VZvQwBsIh1uaLRc6uM8oEcD7_4Bq42VwffrahjthEhXIHiJDlbKmJ0r0cYbsB-m9fuIdZDHzhjrGwgz2z7Gy4M5KaaBt2JysNQGO-pInZa7fF3je_Gc6ChOPAN3/s640/IMG_7339.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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OK, OK, you get that we love them. Let's move on to this easy and gorgeous art project! It works well with just a kid or two, but I also think it would be really cool as a class art project for any of you who are teachers or art docents. </div>
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What window wouldn't look better with light pouring through this, right?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcoLMeejmYCR18bBV_UEJoKPcj2bTHmwtKeoXZbw9VC7eA3KcMvGMHxtldw1SeTc1S41MD42Cc_MhaQ2AKHRoCMCSbjJtBV-4knUjxzCUrvGUbawIKrhOAIulhgRMMtmToU1GmtALJf-B/s1600/IMG_7683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcoLMeejmYCR18bBV_UEJoKPcj2bTHmwtKeoXZbw9VC7eA3KcMvGMHxtldw1SeTc1S41MD42Cc_MhaQ2AKHRoCMCSbjJtBV-4knUjxzCUrvGUbawIKrhOAIulhgRMMtmToU1GmtALJf-B/s640/IMG_7683.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So here's how you make your own. Step One: Print the printable templates I'm providing for free from <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bwkw2dfDRvtBVEVYZ0FwY2FiR1E" target="_blank">here</a>. Make sure you print them "landscape" and not "portrait". Grab some parchment paper (wax paper works *almost* as well if you don't have any parchment paper on hand) and trace whatever pattern strikes your fancy from the printable.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5ISs8N7mYDEh1DwndbUSwktRdOkPwfJRTw1Mj3YMH26QKqtqb8fHWFTuXrbbbJuMCTnOIgqDRjnfFg8B_8PlSNM08ZkBvHg8s783WDu0_V8fr136I30QVzon88WkZUiw71ls-1nl_Qul/s1600/IMG_7657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5ISs8N7mYDEh1DwndbUSwktRdOkPwfJRTw1Mj3YMH26QKqtqb8fHWFTuXrbbbJuMCTnOIgqDRjnfFg8B_8PlSNM08ZkBvHg8s783WDu0_V8fr136I30QVzon88WkZUiw71ls-1nl_Qul/s640/IMG_7657.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Step Two: Color the parchment paper tiles in with Kwik Stix! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZFyuv9DiD0y-42NnpUOCG2t6erTezglUY95ldIwQ98NSddafRsOiYqJljVWt2KxhQKeVJNaJ-_zz0Ou0sruIvNBSFJAYRQKiZUUAC3DcZ47k_j1T09kRdhp6nXSaGlyAM3FOZeJCmFrp/s1600/IMG_7661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZFyuv9DiD0y-42NnpUOCG2t6erTezglUY95ldIwQ98NSddafRsOiYqJljVWt2KxhQKeVJNaJ-_zz0Ou0sruIvNBSFJAYRQKiZUUAC3DcZ47k_j1T09kRdhp6nXSaGlyAM3FOZeJCmFrp/s640/IMG_7661.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Step Three: Cut the tiles out with scissors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k-bqlynO-ZjXK-DysfAGHwMoLtMYii_gVAjdb98ygW8lCIEn2bDrUcV_ajQt2irTb_NuRcrmZnji1XFdo_7QgQDM37sGFnTAS1yBFK4C2IouBURAUAjR0B0ROzi_K1Hd44hVjIAVV76M/s1600/IMG_7670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k-bqlynO-ZjXK-DysfAGHwMoLtMYii_gVAjdb98ygW8lCIEn2bDrUcV_ajQt2irTb_NuRcrmZnji1XFdo_7QgQDM37sGFnTAS1yBFK4C2IouBURAUAjR0B0ROzi_K1Hd44hVjIAVV76M/s640/IMG_7670.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Step Four: Hang them in your window! Sticky tack or tape will work, but we opted to lay all the tiles face down on the sticky side of a square of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tact-Covering-Self-Adhesive-Privacy-18-Inches/dp/B00D8GBO2G/" target="_blank">contact paper</a> and hang it in our window that way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuts_wrbLY__V5N3chCmFBtR6H8SvWDAx75mVUd7HaWYrKN1kY7HtrV99qfR5ECr4Aj4694wri_rY5Ffjgpcqca4RBmt8pGhbJ04K7Exaq2Lsosw27W_Zn_wwETicWIr4rPKC5ubuoRU8/s1600/IMG_7680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuts_wrbLY__V5N3chCmFBtR6H8SvWDAx75mVUd7HaWYrKN1kY7HtrV99qfR5ECr4Aj4694wri_rY5Ffjgpcqca4RBmt8pGhbJ04K7Exaq2Lsosw27W_Zn_wwETicWIr4rPKC5ubuoRU8/s640/IMG_7680.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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Voila! Your window is now super beautiful!</div>
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In addition to being available at <a href="https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=kwik+stix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Target</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kwik+stix" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, Kwik Stix are now available at <a href="https://www.michaels.com/search?q=kwik%20stix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michaels</a>, Walgreens, and BJs Wholesale stores. Grab a set today -- you won't regret it!</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-2662613853200185712017-08-21T09:40:00.000-07:002017-08-21T10:01:42.281-07:00Using Kitchen Scraps to Learn About Plant Science<div style="text-align: center;">
I was recently invited on our local news station (King 5 News) to share <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Asia-Citro/e/B00KODFI6E/" target="_blank">my books</a> and some fun science ideas. As you all know, I'm a huge fan of using the items you have around the house to learn (because who has time to make a bunch of trips to different stores, am I right?). One of our favorite things to do is explore plants with seeds and food scraps, so that's what I shared.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwiOofsx940lrFVQ8RKsN1ZS8R-rz0lX1MXnVNDpPrJonD2xQx0A-8sPdzVDU-lpLyJRXOSEkCLPdqhMGSpnqHsDgLT0-l7MjJOCIyaFA3IAChMj03N_VDTw2Z3H3jhPLQqR1dbIP9Cme/s1600/IMG_7630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwiOofsx940lrFVQ8RKsN1ZS8R-rz0lX1MXnVNDpPrJonD2xQx0A-8sPdzVDU-lpLyJRXOSEkCLPdqhMGSpnqHsDgLT0-l7MjJOCIyaFA3IAChMj03N_VDTw2Z3H3jhPLQqR1dbIP9Cme/s640/IMG_7630.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Kids-Science-Book-Hands/dp/1943147000/" target="_blank">The Curious Kid's Science Book</a> has an entire chapter dedicated to learning about and experimenting with plants, but for two quick "Explore" activities, check out the clip below:</div>
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Want the FREE printable greenhouse shown in the video? Just visit the Zoey and Sassafras website's printables section <a href="https://www.zoeyandsassafras.com/printables/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnud5UuSbuXiLUkpwoXqTacrfFoD83kwqzET3nLBfszt9zGyi9CDr1a2WOnd4XW_mrgE5bfU4vq0mISLFXkQnQYKOwjwKk_mMyYC2GJHxoh_TgUVOKS6znMJiRRS_ZeZaLVtZFi_ntBVEk/s1600/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnud5UuSbuXiLUkpwoXqTacrfFoD83kwqzET3nLBfszt9zGyi9CDr1a2WOnd4XW_mrgE5bfU4vq0mISLFXkQnQYKOwjwKk_mMyYC2GJHxoh_TgUVOKS6znMJiRRS_ZeZaLVtZFi_ntBVEk/s640/download.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, and here's a peek at the plants that appeared on TV two weeks later:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR3yNVGme2tzzoBJas2DWMcQAdoEtoH0DkcBKaTGbHSCM9xRAPoEVR-3jBvO5_lp1IwUrg4um3bfSVrsgmxjkGcSYDzSyLDnkEj3b8QCv9GonDxHJ7D63Vk17RPp_2WTdAPM6piBC-GWO/s1600/IMG_7612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1079" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR3yNVGme2tzzoBJas2DWMcQAdoEtoH0DkcBKaTGbHSCM9xRAPoEVR-3jBvO5_lp1IwUrg4um3bfSVrsgmxjkGcSYDzSyLDnkEj3b8QCv9GonDxHJ7D63Vk17RPp_2WTdAPM6piBC-GWO/s640/IMG_7612.jpg" width="430" /></a></div>
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And here's a bonus clip of a segment I did on how to encourage scientific questions using baking soda and vinegar from the grocery store:</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-4669555779930762022017-03-21T17:51:00.002-07:002017-03-21T17:58:30.462-07:00Read the first three chapters of Zoey and Sassafras right now!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">I am so excited to -- at long, long, long last -- be able to share the project I've been working on for the past year and a half -- the Zoey and Sassafras chapter book series!!!</span><br />
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As S moved into chapter books, I felt frustrated by the lack of content in a lot of our choices. I was also frustrated by the lack of great role models (we felt like many of the characters we encountered were mean or rude or bratty), so I wanted to create something that addressed both of those problems.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmacprcICmme9BGQLQvatI78_dvEy0stqKGbQlfBOrS-UzqoejO7QBVBz1JwMvE0MUxDgbfQ4D6yhEJuHpmTyhvnP4x3tULbgQjQYvFr2UnmbRcMt7sFo8LYzLgo3OHbR07gulTHcXdmg/s1600/IMG_7367+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmacprcICmme9BGQLQvatI78_dvEy0stqKGbQlfBOrS-UzqoejO7QBVBz1JwMvE0MUxDgbfQ4D6yhEJuHpmTyhvnP4x3tULbgQjQYvFr2UnmbRcMt7sFo8LYzLgo3OHbR07gulTHcXdmg/s640/IMG_7367+%25281%2529.jpg" width="534" /></a></div>
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<i>This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B01GFBR0IC/ref=dp_st_1943147094" target="_blank">Zoey and Sassafras</a> weaves magic with actual science. I chose age-appropriate elementary science concepts and pick a few to explore by way of a magical creature in each book. Zoey, my main character, is a sweet kiddo who loves to explore outside and of course is an avid little scientist.</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B01GFBR0IC/ref=dp_st_1943147094" target="_blank">The books</a> feature larger font size, and black and white illustrations on almost every page. <span style="text-align: start;">The books are written at a 2nd grade independent reading level, but we are hearing from lots of parents that it's a great first read aloud chapter book for kids as young as 3 or 4! We've also heard that kids up to ages 10/11 have been enjoying it -- which is so awesome. If you're not sure if it will be the right fit for your kiddo or not, you can read the FIRST THREE CHAPTERS of book one for free right now (<a href="https://goo.gl/3k9a4n" target="_blank">click here</a> to open the sample in a new window).</span></div>
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Not only did I get to work with an amazingly talented illustrator from the UK, <a href="https://marionlindsay.co.uk/" target="_blank">Marion Lindsay</a>...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUijE2GzOXtp6b1x2-6DOK1qhiSM0oWcseejV5CBVGFk4WJPpMaqcUNzJXuuMrazsSq5eT3qz8OSlejYjGk24Xy9ebUilX-Dq6Y89MlVcGJlOAgFLltEmLw68z5IWrWl0yM5-tBbUz6Gl/s1600/sass_tattoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUijE2GzOXtp6b1x2-6DOK1qhiSM0oWcseejV5CBVGFk4WJPpMaqcUNzJXuuMrazsSq5eT3qz8OSlejYjGk24Xy9ebUilX-Dq6Y89MlVcGJlOAgFLltEmLw68z5IWrWl0yM5-tBbUz6Gl/s320/sass_tattoo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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...but I also got to work with my daughter, S. She painstakingly hand wrote (and drew) all of the main character's science journal entries and she helped me craft the kid-friendly vocabulary definitions in the glossary at the back of the book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBvxb-YAhm-c106BtWWC-6pkrixrCQq78oK6TVLXVpJOAUFKjaAlDppTqgeqsPyZpcNjz_sw0cAsBfMpGkvY1ptJPnpcVtM7rSNMA0vNRNGi0oF1soi6YLOi5KHqwdygA824PrxjLLA7K/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-12-04+at+10.45.00+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBvxb-YAhm-c106BtWWC-6pkrixrCQq78oK6TVLXVpJOAUFKjaAlDppTqgeqsPyZpcNjz_sw0cAsBfMpGkvY1ptJPnpcVtM7rSNMA0vNRNGi0oF1soi6YLOi5KHqwdygA824PrxjLLA7K/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-12-04+at+10.45.00+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The books are available online worldwide as well as in stores and libraries here in the US and abroad. If your local bookstore or library doesn't already have it, you should be able to request it with no problem, no matter where you live! If you need help locating an international distributor, etc, please always feel free to contact me and I'm happy to help. Also, once you've read the stories, be sure to check out the <a href="http://zoeyandsassafras.com/" target="_blank">Zoey and Sassafras book website</a> that is full of fun extension activities and a ton of great educational resources for teachers, homeschoolers, and parents.</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-68382419951972119322016-11-04T15:04:00.001-07:002016-11-04T15:05:11.649-07:00Unique Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Creative Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
I'll be honest -- we don't even use stockings (a combination of too lazy and too worried the 4 year old will pull them down repeatedly), but even still, I love small little gifts for the kids -- especially ones that have staying power and can be reused for entertainment on the go (like when we travel or go out to eat). So even if you aren't the stocking-type, you may still find some fun ideas here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbN9juEOBf0UPccmI69_uWlw7kKdy5YJd_Egp9ys3ZA_MjMEYMVrt89ITGZ3KCiGh2T_D4ftVYENed8PwAB-cJOhUNdXa1x-YeKbikQCOoEKcPE4SzsuOut9s_J1zze4fuEa8ewtbpDmCn/s1600/PicMonkey+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbN9juEOBf0UPccmI69_uWlw7kKdy5YJd_Egp9ys3ZA_MjMEYMVrt89ITGZ3KCiGh2T_D4ftVYENed8PwAB-cJOhUNdXa1x-YeKbikQCOoEKcPE4SzsuOut9s_J1zze4fuEa8ewtbpDmCn/s640/PicMonkey+Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.</i></div>
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<i>All images courtesy of Amazon.com unless otherwise noted.</i></div>
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In no particular order, here are some of my favorite gifts that I've given over the years to our kids that we STILL play with, even (in some cases) years later:</div>
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1. <a href="http://amzn.to/2eI5X0x" target="_blank">Modeling Clay</a>: Any sort of clay will do, but we love the bright colors and SUPER-different-from-playdough texture of Sculpey clay. The best part is that it really only dries out if you bake it. Which means that if you opt not to bake, you basically have everlasting clay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCaDB7NIf0Krb_Ivk7zam3guumbY9_x_9ss-vSozBKht7htlG9Ev5snxRHsUATNmYKTBbPfmM_4clMj4oXyYzzKUXqdTVXniAijCOmP6AQrxtxubPUfka77p53v7-GFX7272AcojE3PRQ/s1600/41wcCpi5JjL.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCaDB7NIf0Krb_Ivk7zam3guumbY9_x_9ss-vSozBKht7htlG9Ev5snxRHsUATNmYKTBbPfmM_4clMj4oXyYzzKUXqdTVXniAijCOmP6AQrxtxubPUfka77p53v7-GFX7272AcojE3PRQ/s640/41wcCpi5JjL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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2. <a href="http://amzn.to/2fMtpOK" target="_blank">Matchbox Cars</a>: Both of my kids adore these things. They appear everywhere in our sensory activities (which you probably know if you follow the blog or own any of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Asia-Citro/e/B00KODFI6E?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=cracit06-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=5b891669c93aa1896d19d8db6750b6dc&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">my books</a>) and have joined us at restaurants, on long trips, and on vacations. It's so easy to slip one into your purse and it provides hours of entertainment.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghvX5RStLErVy1bPCpIDHwXbvk6mZB3stGFL9H0h0bX2civnLxylBM_RuLphPjX0Cpo-m65gKUTDCYgIyXdc3oqOLWtfmx7R0TF6xShXIQ7KZ8_RJCWoMnPonnqXN3KcNTcfo8nkD13-H/s1600/81UjK00BrkL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghvX5RStLErVy1bPCpIDHwXbvk6mZB3stGFL9H0h0bX2civnLxylBM_RuLphPjX0Cpo-m65gKUTDCYgIyXdc3oqOLWtfmx7R0TF6xShXIQ7KZ8_RJCWoMnPonnqXN3KcNTcfo8nkD13-H/s640/81UjK00BrkL._SL1500_.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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3. <a href="http://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/kids-art-jewellery/" target="_blank">Mementos of their art</a> (these also double as wonderful gifts for close friends and family members): This one is new to us this year but we are SUPER fans. S drew both a ladybug and a dragon and we got charms to hand out to her best friends...and her mama. And of course, S is saving one for herself. We are just so in love with how these turned out -- S's original drawing is on the left.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT506JAB_OaFk5S6mF75oPOkZZvtVz3POQlb6FnMOoiTCjXazCUpZ8TeXfzJModc6NQndbIsxhsCmpfir3BftCCF05flfSiHTvqvR653Hu29jvSnClBIG-DNAgtDrUge-p32WiHIifdMzc/s1600/Ladybug-Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT506JAB_OaFk5S6mF75oPOkZZvtVz3POQlb6FnMOoiTCjXazCUpZ8TeXfzJModc6NQndbIsxhsCmpfir3BftCCF05flfSiHTvqvR653Hu29jvSnClBIG-DNAgtDrUge-p32WiHIifdMzc/s640/Ladybug-Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Image courtesy of Adventure in a Box</i></div>
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4. <a href="http://amzn.to/2flculL" target="_blank">Kwik Stix</a>: One of our new favorite art supplies -- these are technically tempera paint sticks, but they really function a lot more like mess-free pastels. My 4-year-old is downright obsessed with them and uses them nearly every day to create masterpiece after masterpiece. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gMj3NeTo3WBvHmLCksyUjRt46UD0ubSn5TDwOfaQtipx6J1U9no5q2ulV7SijXbqm9x8NofCkwHT3MQ2Uvc5ay-EQ7rPB6bqtE4Rdbmh1OGlokcF01QIWQgLP2Pr_E52iRkM3j9Wo1GV/s1600/81JBwFXuOYL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gMj3NeTo3WBvHmLCksyUjRt46UD0ubSn5TDwOfaQtipx6J1U9no5q2ulV7SijXbqm9x8NofCkwHT3MQ2Uvc5ay-EQ7rPB6bqtE4Rdbmh1OGlokcF01QIWQgLP2Pr_E52iRkM3j9Wo1GV/s640/81JBwFXuOYL._SL1500_.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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5. <a href="http://amzn.to/2fkEELe" target="_blank">Plus-Plus Blocks</a>: This is another one that both kids (and honestly, we adults as well) really enjoy. The little bricks are shaped like two conjoined plus symbols (thus the name) and they fit together by interlocking. I love packing these in my purse for long restaurant waits.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGlzZ3IBoaJUip0Gf6gvK784OCcjGVZPHulcEl71thbW1NP5MIhVomzHRgH3ozXuq6QPl-07_J-JxU0Vvr6bUf1GTlc4bDO3jPgWemF8eeUwZLnaEzAca8QqpuuF23KG8gPhEkjyQL2jJ/s1600/61YbYdNj5hL._SL1350_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGlzZ3IBoaJUip0Gf6gvK784OCcjGVZPHulcEl71thbW1NP5MIhVomzHRgH3ozXuq6QPl-07_J-JxU0Vvr6bUf1GTlc4bDO3jPgWemF8eeUwZLnaEzAca8QqpuuF23KG8gPhEkjyQL2jJ/s640/61YbYdNj5hL._SL1350_.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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6. <a href="http://amzn.to/2fDDVsk" target="_blank">Crystal Growing Kits</a>: OK, so this one technically only lasts once, but they're fairly inexpensive and have a big wow-factor. Both kids love checking in on these as their crystal trees grow larger and larger!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghG5kpZazkEgH2grBrx6cppCcHwB3fQKw4PnQklCOgtaw_XugBvBN5gMSbnn-vuDDk0kdfe2Lbi-WpLt73edJrjdmoTkTmYoEFabrkWVOP_pXnEpchtI9TfIxDJ0ljj1s4T2CVp8UUePOm/s1600/61IKRbq9ViL._SL1000_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghG5kpZazkEgH2grBrx6cppCcHwB3fQKw4PnQklCOgtaw_XugBvBN5gMSbnn-vuDDk0kdfe2Lbi-WpLt73edJrjdmoTkTmYoEFabrkWVOP_pXnEpchtI9TfIxDJ0ljj1s4T2CVp8UUePOm/s640/61IKRbq9ViL._SL1000_.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
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7. <a href="http://amzn.to/2eI9oVi" target="_blank">Strawz</a>: I don't know about you, but I definitely had a collection of crazy drinking straws growing up that I LOVED. This is like an upgrade from that -- since you can build a ton of crazy different designs yourself. The kids get a kick out of drinking through their loopy creations, and I, of course, love the engineering involved. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBgwTVkiNZDt2T9dQ7-q_7etm2SOvpSOb1zn-cB1UWZRIaA9ZtLdpZb6h-aRyZCMHA_n2ZkkH6xAgAqKX-XAn9SIxWIyxcWMU_GqIz1d-2qPXR6_cGqgxUn_G9_Pyy9NjcM3k4IhPRoD6/s1600/418zlIoyAYL.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBgwTVkiNZDt2T9dQ7-q_7etm2SOvpSOb1zn-cB1UWZRIaA9ZtLdpZb6h-aRyZCMHA_n2ZkkH6xAgAqKX-XAn9SIxWIyxcWMU_GqIz1d-2qPXR6_cGqgxUn_G9_Pyy9NjcM3k4IhPRoD6/s640/418zlIoyAYL.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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8. <a href="http://amzn.to/2fld0Qr" target="_blank">Giant Water Beads</a>: These are NOT for little kids who are likely to mouth or try to eat these (and likewise exercise caution if you have pets -- like curious cats or dogs -- that may try to eat these), but for older kids these are a blast. Smaller waterbeads are also fun, but we really enjoy the enormity of the giant waterbeads. They take about 2 days to inflate -- another reason to save these for the older kiddos who can handle the wait time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHELo82g961GQiLv9y9hwy_PrccfZI8izULSzFNHc_RLZHwJqsWXDEGX8VzdQ9fhsKS3A0DZjxGobPDkPLT-gIL1r1FPobo-b0WIptgJh5BNQ6FxouvHAIW7e5mTx9r5z6Gh5v-rwdFHgJ/s1600/61jlog419yL._SL1000_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHELo82g961GQiLv9y9hwy_PrccfZI8izULSzFNHc_RLZHwJqsWXDEGX8VzdQ9fhsKS3A0DZjxGobPDkPLT-gIL1r1FPobo-b0WIptgJh5BNQ6FxouvHAIW7e5mTx9r5z6Gh5v-rwdFHgJ/s640/61jlog419yL._SL1000_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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9. <a href="http://amzn.to/2eI5Ylb" target="_blank">TOOB animals</a>: These are a big hit and are featured in nearly all of our small world play (on the blog and in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Asia-Citro/e/B00KODFI6E?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=cracit06-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=5b891669c93aa1896d19d8db6750b6dc&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">my first book</a>). They are great in baths and for entertaining littles while traveling/waiting. There are so many various TOOBS available, from cars to dragons to dinosaurs to fairies, you're bound to find one that aligns with your child's interests.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISLm_tFlcKtvhwtlDUTnjDLsoGln1wIvzU_i_stdF1W3pXcdFQDBkE-DWVlPK65EO-J3bfFFyxxOYSeJ74TsP7u2Dem0ATzpP6MLRF7aO5AsCDoC9morLmVCoys5BsONK78d_OLh8d5fe/s1600/71nrP4itZWL._SL1495_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISLm_tFlcKtvhwtlDUTnjDLsoGln1wIvzU_i_stdF1W3pXcdFQDBkE-DWVlPK65EO-J3bfFFyxxOYSeJ74TsP7u2Dem0ATzpP6MLRF7aO5AsCDoC9morLmVCoys5BsONK78d_OLh8d5fe/s640/71nrP4itZWL._SL1495_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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10. <a href="http://amzn.to/2eI6OyE" target="_blank">New Markers</a>: We always welcome a new set of markers -- with a little one around we have some regular fatalities due to caps being left off or not put on tightly enough. These are my favorite markers because they're pretty cheap and offer a giant variety of colors. Also, they're washable. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1cJI_jbGp3tipz2wRVWgr9idA61Mhdp5oeygBfTP7Rk72DFhS6kubqHw5lpIzEOb334VT1XSTqSmqWJw1qlICxy08TIF2Vrc_XNGjDX2szbel_Kvm_hB5LN8M729O76ysBjQEuVxwHml/s1600/91aIqxaqsDL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1cJI_jbGp3tipz2wRVWgr9idA61Mhdp5oeygBfTP7Rk72DFhS6kubqHw5lpIzEOb334VT1XSTqSmqWJw1qlICxy08TIF2Vrc_XNGjDX2szbel_Kvm_hB5LN8M729O76ysBjQEuVxwHml/s640/91aIqxaqsDL._SL1500_.jpg" width="504" /></a></div>
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11. <a href="http://amzn.to/2fq0qfe" target="_blank">Mini-Card Games</a>: For kiddos who are ready to learn their first basic card games, this set is super cute. The miniature size also works well for travel/waiting entertainment as a pack will easily fit into a purse.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNI-iIyWwFWqkp5E9DISKTbI_2anyvSnAIdDosJ4yMHGKO7_nivGlxXisZkO4JTOhLQ3r0660E6oMsOHJ8nImCbhEcM1DbR4VdRk2Rt2y-I3duJ5Vu9HJDIihxcD2Z0FUF_uwSxsBzAEvi/s1600/51Mq-s5y8xL.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNI-iIyWwFWqkp5E9DISKTbI_2anyvSnAIdDosJ4yMHGKO7_nivGlxXisZkO4JTOhLQ3r0660E6oMsOHJ8nImCbhEcM1DbR4VdRk2Rt2y-I3duJ5Vu9HJDIihxcD2Z0FUF_uwSxsBzAEvi/s640/51Mq-s5y8xL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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12. <a href="http://amzn.to/2emGkl4" target="_blank">Cast Puzzles</a>: For those kids who enjoy a good puzzle/brainteaser, we have had a lot of fun with these. They are graded from easy through difficult, so you can pick the level that best fits your kiddo. At 7-years-old, the easy is just right for S.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSesPxGAfSQ7kP6fb_Gp73iIQ5VF07jd2uO7AkoYeg0X937eUDUNkYx_uwdODxbT3P4HGgkiczosk3IB7geP7H9GYmJX-GBDuQ3RuuFPpBFSCpUOPPpqa1kEgqp3U1V6QxyV4Os8tl4Y4R/s1600/51wp1g9yWCL.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSesPxGAfSQ7kP6fb_Gp73iIQ5VF07jd2uO7AkoYeg0X937eUDUNkYx_uwdODxbT3P4HGgkiczosk3IB7geP7H9GYmJX-GBDuQ3RuuFPpBFSCpUOPPpqa1kEgqp3U1V6QxyV4Os8tl4Y4R/s640/51wp1g9yWCL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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13. <a href="http://amzn.to/2fDJuH1" target="_blank">Perler Beads</a>: If you have an iron on-hand, these are pretty darn easy to fuse together. All the kids at S's school enjoy handing these out to friends and "selling" them at the school market. They remind me a lot of the shrinky-dinks from my childhood...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtiJqSmKBEBz-TDizXOrQ3bRjWiZNnRbtMv3K0E0xwnwBqGCEvu4gjSnMGFc1WEp6sZAs175M8qBnIzm54y8DJoSPcQBxV7UdfQbnC7u683uK2gWVABmh5Be-ceaTgmyZqqFjt7FnT6qS/s1600/91fSXeMcYZL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtiJqSmKBEBz-TDizXOrQ3bRjWiZNnRbtMv3K0E0xwnwBqGCEvu4gjSnMGFc1WEp6sZAs175M8qBnIzm54y8DJoSPcQBxV7UdfQbnC7u683uK2gWVABmh5Be-ceaTgmyZqqFjt7FnT6qS/s640/91fSXeMcYZL._SL1500_.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
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14. S<a href="http://amzn.to/2fMurtY" target="_blank">tory Cubes</a>: These are great fun (and great practice at telling a story with a beginning, middle, and end) for littles and again, you'll see that they fit nicely in a purse for entertainment when traveling/eating out. It's also good exercise for your adult creativity if you play along. Basically you roll the dice and in order from left to right, you create a story that involves the pictures/symbols displayed. Around here our stories get pretty silly pretty quickly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Y0rBbur0nlh9SJpvyXiJRDfRuigeQiDocvu9GAnmLmW7Mdle3avkaIwNpq8yiWPeIwzH92LI9Hj-kaUn-FxnAhT-1c9q1HHw0MMMBUgY1QAEz0Y1EUIqmt4iiVeD2ASbuPBc9zw0Zdtf/s1600/816MvNfUY5L._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Y0rBbur0nlh9SJpvyXiJRDfRuigeQiDocvu9GAnmLmW7Mdle3avkaIwNpq8yiWPeIwzH92LI9Hj-kaUn-FxnAhT-1c9q1HHw0MMMBUgY1QAEz0Y1EUIqmt4iiVeD2ASbuPBc9zw0Zdtf/s640/816MvNfUY5L._SL1500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hope this list gave you some new ideas for what to put in those stockings! And I hope that you have a great holiday season with your family!</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-43710552533506407152016-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:002016-11-01T05:00:21.893-07:00Sunset Art with Kwik Stix (our favorite new art supply!)<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Disclosure: This post is sponsored by <a href="http://www.thepencilgrip.com/c/therapeutic-products-toys_kwik-stix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kwik Stix</a>. I only accept sponsored posts for products I believe in and am excited about. I was not swayed by compensation; all opinions are my own.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpqlu_MQBcgKt042H_edLaLgtz0RnAnQaY-kyk2fX9DaoN5W_8HO1WKbv1gn5rTIAEGQfWM07jFFMHOARoyt-814cq_wo4yVTw8fg7SEKh8UEYcFYYfhrNSJf_vZt73OEYj46Nbf8xlAL/s1600/PicMonkey+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpqlu_MQBcgKt042H_edLaLgtz0RnAnQaY-kyk2fX9DaoN5W_8HO1WKbv1gn5rTIAEGQfWM07jFFMHOARoyt-814cq_wo4yVTw8fg7SEKh8UEYcFYYfhrNSJf_vZt73OEYj46Nbf8xlAL/s640/PicMonkey+Image.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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When we first saw Kwik Stix, I was definitely intrigued, but I wasn't sure that we'd enjoy them. However, once we tried them we were<i> immediate </i>converts. They are SO FUN. And as an added bonus, they really aren't like any other art supply we've tried! </div>
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Also, bonus, they come in all different pack sizes (from 6 sticks all the way up to a 96 stick classroom set!) and all sorts of different themes (Metalix, Neon, Classic). Not only are these a perfect gift for the littles in your life, but they'd make a perfect stocking stuffer for the upcoming holidays! Plus, starting today, these awesome things are available in-person at Target stores. Sweet!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWALw0mq4FDn5G54bmSlpDrQiRgIKjWzqw36lI5j-ggWV9iZp6WkSVgpZycmy1sKPMRygrN1kEup94PWj8idP9NHeoyS0492Zg29Oc9Kol__-qB6I9nJ_BWpVCbjT0WUErBvqkV6JKEzw/s1600/IMG_7339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWALw0mq4FDn5G54bmSlpDrQiRgIKjWzqw36lI5j-ggWV9iZp6WkSVgpZycmy1sKPMRygrN1kEup94PWj8idP9NHeoyS0492Zg29Oc9Kol__-qB6I9nJ_BWpVCbjT0WUErBvqkV6JKEzw/s640/IMG_7339.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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They are basically shaped like kid glue sticks, so they are really easy to hold. Which is a MUST for little hands. They glide on like pastels. Only WITHOUT THE MESS. Technically they are tempera paint sticks, but I really feel like they're some sort of genius-hybrid-pastels that don't get all over everything. (They are also washable!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6uq2oTek_zUHffXLWIijbgpDk6eIGrNj8we_PvE897rdCBdHE8a89VlPycig0P8JWBMo3r91w2UOmk-EwwSUKASIseSw5eayd110Eeo9bgwA0PRmzYKGtxhWC5b8Z7tj1Jo6UkiupegH/s1600/IMG_7173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6uq2oTek_zUHffXLWIijbgpDk6eIGrNj8we_PvE897rdCBdHE8a89VlPycig0P8JWBMo3r91w2UOmk-EwwSUKASIseSw5eayd110Eeo9bgwA0PRmzYKGtxhWC5b8Z7tj1Jo6UkiupegH/s640/IMG_7173.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wanted to think up an easy art project that all three of us could do -- and that highlighted the really cool pastel-y ability of Kwik Stix. So I settled on Sunset Art. The first step is to take some sunset-colored Kwik Stix and color ALL OVER white paper with them. X loved this part. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyISi4YRY7hMSG_YliCr089QaIdZmA6J4F3yXY0uU1P7ICn5h1gjMiEpeXmOW59w59G1S1DX92cWvk_hTfKNb6StpmVCfHf-CNX8V17Xg4lHuaR7_yypgmBDP2TygpeA0LrU4a_Ecfm-D8/s1600/IMG_7171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyISi4YRY7hMSG_YliCr089QaIdZmA6J4F3yXY0uU1P7ICn5h1gjMiEpeXmOW59w59G1S1DX92cWvk_hTfKNb6StpmVCfHf-CNX8V17Xg4lHuaR7_yypgmBDP2TygpeA0LrU4a_Ecfm-D8/s640/IMG_7171.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once you've created your sunset sky, cut black paper to create a skyline. S and I made trees and hills.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCGzdjztaowxeiquOPNs1Q_8ij4z2LthWp9qtR6eAAvdC4I2_NKjYPCMAeGaZq-qCFDsv2Mp5ieTXF4HOf5JYlzlYMQT4Ll6odNSMfD-8cJ75vBwXot4YzwHxjLJ6zjGFTu2dW3UqT-SF/s1600/IMG_7177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCGzdjztaowxeiquOPNs1Q_8ij4z2LthWp9qtR6eAAvdC4I2_NKjYPCMAeGaZq-qCFDsv2Mp5ieTXF4HOf5JYlzlYMQT4Ll6odNSMfD-8cJ75vBwXot4YzwHxjLJ6zjGFTu2dW3UqT-SF/s640/IMG_7177.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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Here's mine with the black paper tree silhouette laid on top of it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTg8qhwx13I05OY90dnV1PCW6rpR229Xh97TpU5qJUqJaIwPo1RmlkdQo26O9AA4PJr_tYGIKUaRbr63So_SCJC8JnXcxRo68dOf2jqOFJO2PGELjS6XmPvAu6wTwSR4cLsMypDtd8M5je/s1600/IMG_7176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTg8qhwx13I05OY90dnV1PCW6rpR229Xh97TpU5qJUqJaIwPo1RmlkdQo26O9AA4PJr_tYGIKUaRbr63So_SCJC8JnXcxRo68dOf2jqOFJO2PGELjS6XmPvAu6wTwSR4cLsMypDtd8M5je/s640/IMG_7176.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then you add some glue to the back of the black paper silhouette and press it down. And voila! You have beautiful Sunset Art!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuqnZ-sa8MhkFswXBdUL49KJHrGkCYnt6kIdQDiS697Q1s0Wx69coIW5c0NRMhLSIF6dlfyGywrUlJByNaLl286J5HDt_6RO-dZzOHx183nYRsXUi6aop2Ut7UXR8ett_XQcyHykdJLRz/s1600/IMG_7180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuqnZ-sa8MhkFswXBdUL49KJHrGkCYnt6kIdQDiS697Q1s0Wx69coIW5c0NRMhLSIF6dlfyGywrUlJByNaLl286J5HDt_6RO-dZzOHx183nYRsXUi6aop2Ut7UXR8ett_XQcyHykdJLRz/s640/IMG_7180.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Though sometimes you might need to add the silhouette of a dragon before your scene is actually finished. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94uDblkqATqOjGwoAEi0ZHd6AHLs3K1gROCOTYrezCKYRMDd-Y1Vo0gf7I-gW02OHNmwpwbZ_omhKE0dMUhpnMXO3C4uno02E67JAKS0D282lW22gXUjVBpNo8ZKscXu-Fa3tX23fe__o/s1600/IMG_7183+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94uDblkqATqOjGwoAEi0ZHd6AHLs3K1gROCOTYrezCKYRMDd-Y1Vo0gf7I-gW02OHNmwpwbZ_omhKE0dMUhpnMXO3C4uno02E67JAKS0D282lW22gXUjVBpNo8ZKscXu-Fa3tX23fe__o/s640/IMG_7183+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's X's. I helped him cut out the hills, but the beautiful sky is all his doing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4L-ftqdBPXmct144biVaxY_Ou1fpJYg2np1c9bS4gXdSkvwkMnBXd-fWI1ZwjSQf6Ro7GiGTLRr7jdPe6-yotAhFsyac1iyESD5wXd65JrXQDB2oJGo9G5I5QD7hKCIA_Xe4Sp8CTrjW/s1600/IMG_7186+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4L-ftqdBPXmct144biVaxY_Ou1fpJYg2np1c9bS4gXdSkvwkMnBXd-fWI1ZwjSQf6Ro7GiGTLRr7jdPe6-yotAhFsyac1iyESD5wXd65JrXQDB2oJGo9G5I5QD7hKCIA_Xe4Sp8CTrjW/s640/IMG_7186+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And mine!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1uQQ5d2_Z0a-iqjyb2XqrfUo38nw9Uy0pTw217vruys-AKnzTF_TyDV3nd5A3i2x5pUkzAMmkiCV4yzmENdpJb1CG1geanAMpGugLDf0rsznwberTsxjaUHre9S58gGGf_hhRfgOLZMi/s1600/IMG_7198+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1uQQ5d2_Z0a-iqjyb2XqrfUo38nw9Uy0pTw217vruys-AKnzTF_TyDV3nd5A3i2x5pUkzAMmkiCV4yzmENdpJb1CG1geanAMpGugLDf0rsznwberTsxjaUHre9S58gGGf_hhRfgOLZMi/s640/IMG_7198+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And if you have a blacklight at home, you can make any art using neon Kwik Stix glow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLK9jHIR8qqLdJE8QtnmevYsHkgQc1qdH1MnNFLAOtU6F7mOtQBWlfVcz74HVHcOQF6q2qIrVr4IlWz49AiZNmR3KIpkoAkMIe4wNeLAxgFjNL0C46f4NCo5z6dQ6h075HDsaTekPFIqRT/s1600/IMG_7329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLK9jHIR8qqLdJE8QtnmevYsHkgQc1qdH1MnNFLAOtU6F7mOtQBWlfVcz74HVHcOQF6q2qIrVr4IlWz49AiZNmR3KIpkoAkMIe4wNeLAxgFjNL0C46f4NCo5z6dQ6h075HDsaTekPFIqRT/s640/IMG_7329.jpg" width="468" /></a></div>
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If you want to grab a set of these super fun paint sticks for your kids (or, ahem, yourself), you can head on down to your local Target to grab a set. </div>
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If you don't live near a <a href="http://www.target.com/store-locator/find-stores" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Target store</a>, you can also find them <a href="http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=kwik%20stix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">online at Target</a> and online at <a href="http://www.thepencilgrip.com/c/therapeutic-products-toys_kwik-stix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Pencil Grip</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cracit06-20&keywords=kwik%20stix&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=b1727c5b25e6ebe8b83241322d105ee7" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-1336228170998554432016-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:002016-09-19T11:59:15.749-07:00Geocaching with the Ecokeepers Program (FREE for U.S. teachers/educators)!<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Disclosure: I was compensated for this post by Nature's Path Envirokidz as part of their Ecokeepers program launch. I only accept sponsored work that I am passionate about and am not influenced by compensation. All opinions, as always, are my own!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZn4FVFOmfP-5PMQ79HjzILrbjOnJzh-B7SO9b6xqCqiEwbTQ8jBYPYbqcMTutsJeuEn_czuvGpFQgiaNnLCB4YKUs2SerNZB6JzANfLb197D8q5vUH_RHSIeMrWGvEy7dC_V01Gv-pC2F/s1600/IMG_7290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZn4FVFOmfP-5PMQ79HjzILrbjOnJzh-B7SO9b6xqCqiEwbTQ8jBYPYbqcMTutsJeuEn_czuvGpFQgiaNnLCB4YKUs2SerNZB6JzANfLb197D8q5vUH_RHSIeMrWGvEy7dC_V01Gv-pC2F/s640/IMG_7290.jpg" width="404" /></a></div>
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When I found about the new <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ecokeepers Program</a>, I honestly thought it was too good to be true! What a cool offering from Nature's Path Envirokidz. Here's the lowdown. Nature's Path wants to get more kiddos outside experiencing nature, especially during school time. They conducted a survey of <span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">525 U.S. moms (ages 25-45) with children under the age of 13, which revealed that:</span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Today, 81% moms indicated that their kids have adult supervision when they play outside compared to 37% of moms when they were kids</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">54% of moms say their kids spend more time playing in front of a screen than playing outside, while 11% say their kids are not interested in playing outside and 11% said their kids would prefer to play on an electronic device</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">35% of moms cite fear of letting kids play outside alone, 22% are too busy juggling other priorities and 15% say they do not have the time to supervise outdoor play</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">When they can, 58% of moms do try regularly get their kids outside to discover </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">nature</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">; however, 94% agree it's important that schools also help kids to discover </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">nature</span></li>
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So they're offering this amazing program that harnesses kids' natural curiosity and sense of discovery FREE to schools. Here's what your classroom will get when <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you sign up</a>. FOR FREE. FOR REALS.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VS4Au8ejRVyXSxWjIy9mL0xp8qB3zX18LLkCRDhFwIJA3cUkhccZ0MzvHO-o9mTIx0IKljLAWUxbjEFg8NLdiMebZkDCAlQZCyQSZy7tOO-jXvAWllBjvgbSaW3pRrDaaiFWD7MOxyAw/s1600/Ecokeepers+Press+Release+Image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VS4Au8ejRVyXSxWjIy9mL0xp8qB3zX18LLkCRDhFwIJA3cUkhccZ0MzvHO-o9mTIx0IKljLAWUxbjEFg8NLdiMebZkDCAlQZCyQSZy7tOO-jXvAWllBjvgbSaW3pRrDaaiFWD7MOxyAw/s640/Ecokeepers+Press+Release+Image.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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So not only do you get a free Geocaching kit to hide, but you get a 12 page explorer guide with teacher resources, parent info for kids to take home, and free <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/our-products/envirokidz-chocolate-chip-granola-bar?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EnviroKidz peanut-free, gluten-free, organic and non-GMO granola and snack bars</a> to feed little tummies as you explore. Sweet deal, right? </div>
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We got to try out this awesome kit and the kids were SO EXCITED. We are big fans of geocaching, because basically it's like a giant treasure hunt. The kids each have their own stash of "treasures" they've compiled from the caches we've found. </div>
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The basics are this. Download the <a href="http://geocaching.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Geocaching app</a> to your phone and load it to find nearby caches. I like to look for caches (this is the fancy name for the box of "treasure") that have notes about them being kid-friendly or containing goodies. Some caches are really tough to find and are meant more for adults (you might need to solve puzzles to find them, or they might be super tiny and hard to spot). As a family, we focus on the easy ones.</div>
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After locating a good kid-friendly cache on our trail, S eagerly took control and used the data from the app to figure out when she was close.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvP_THUI16VNcxFFjnpMh8_GThl7HrWgL-4aXUCrsNy2ssiqZhEPEZPJUpvn5YTL339FQcChRn9StHgQ7GG_YQC_fZ4y1TkCPv87G63c6_qsuQqtHBZDpsAjqmKOG1Sfd6slXg8hX8Xp-/s1600/IMG_7227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvP_THUI16VNcxFFjnpMh8_GThl7HrWgL-4aXUCrsNy2ssiqZhEPEZPJUpvn5YTL339FQcChRn9StHgQ7GG_YQC_fZ4y1TkCPv87G63c6_qsuQqtHBZDpsAjqmKOG1Sfd6slXg8hX8Xp-/s640/IMG_7227.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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The caches are always somewhat (sometimes VERY) hidden. S turned over that giant chunk of bark to reveal the hidden cache.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq56jdSeRI_ckr8vTDnQF1gKQefyfDdWjXY3mn2gyNcVKkRN9wICVrwpBheK2o83YEmH0osturq5cZRTCi5SihUvdXfaWPOGFC6j7TDYTAmV21tzgmYh2xPT9Jlw6U05vZW7UFbto-0vr/s1600/IMG_7229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq56jdSeRI_ckr8vTDnQF1gKQefyfDdWjXY3mn2gyNcVKkRN9wICVrwpBheK2o83YEmH0osturq5cZRTCi5SihUvdXfaWPOGFC6j7TDYTAmV21tzgmYh2xPT9Jlw6U05vZW7UFbto-0vr/s640/IMG_7229.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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We left our trackable ladybug from Ecokeepers in this geocache (trackables are another fun element to geocaching -- they travel the world and you can track their progress/location online) and a little packaged coloring book in here, as well as signed the log. The rule for "treasures" and geocaching is to leave something of equal "value" to what you took. Little plastic animals, matchbox cars, etc -- basically anything non-food-related, small, and water-resistant that kids would enjoy is fair game.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28ERYTtbkn4wC0TC-jNnXAQxpnGtsVEyEuSjKUKG6GvqdKECDysvvRABmGTHf4W3vmmq0LfZ3U6QMb3PnBpGcarOcs7wZC0EXYySB-nOjkZTv0HvpIrxMnzZLttuRrFV-EjHsN_1LD-v6/s1600/IMG_7232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28ERYTtbkn4wC0TC-jNnXAQxpnGtsVEyEuSjKUKG6GvqdKECDysvvRABmGTHf4W3vmmq0LfZ3U6QMb3PnBpGcarOcs7wZC0EXYySB-nOjkZTv0HvpIrxMnzZLttuRrFV-EjHsN_1LD-v6/s640/IMG_7232.jpg" width="598" /></a></div>
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S was SO excited to find this really neat octopus charm to add to her geocache treasure stash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0eKRAJRKl65WBE-MElKn_GH8ROEa_-5ocivN6E4DOksnB9j7ylaWaeqjr5EoMIgHTw0rvkbzi1nRHhWAm5uoaWHiHesU6DiqHOXeVjXMs-TyXHLH2kF1Gfh50IimQILI78TtPaxIRsZT/s1600/IMG_7233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0eKRAJRKl65WBE-MElKn_GH8ROEa_-5ocivN6E4DOksnB9j7ylaWaeqjr5EoMIgHTw0rvkbzi1nRHhWAm5uoaWHiHesU6DiqHOXeVjXMs-TyXHLH2kF1Gfh50IimQILI78TtPaxIRsZT/s640/IMG_7233.jpg" width="446" /></a></div>
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Next it was time for a snack break. Nature's Path sent us all the flavors of their <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/our-products/envirokidz-chocolate-chip-granola-bar?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">peanut and gluten-free granola bars</a> to try and the kids took their job of sampling each flavor very seriously. X recommends the chocolate flavor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAsi8RAkGqgvYEInBZ5XKF1oapp1-eQWyqMeGqGJIzb7TMa7o95Ty-P1HyiAU4dCn77JzQ4Sn0hGdugIqvyNGdwGoiyyj5oB_NVxNnZLFvjFsUm1YBV-PQU0JzrbyrWnE-zTbE8r9xWtf/s1600/IMG_7237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAsi8RAkGqgvYEInBZ5XKF1oapp1-eQWyqMeGqGJIzb7TMa7o95Ty-P1HyiAU4dCn77JzQ4Sn0hGdugIqvyNGdwGoiyyj5oB_NVxNnZLFvjFsUm1YBV-PQU0JzrbyrWnE-zTbE8r9xWtf/s640/IMG_7237.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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S recommends the chocolate chip flavor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqktQ2r_FF5z92aiPD95-gzC03nphNAISMjBQJIS5fxdMjZySqkHZugoylc5zcLALpiIeyjRVexopzqvl9Tp-fO1tbriXZzSmSUS8Tdx6uMUAK9jkPhSQr718gljyyrPIkT0cMxeZqxYA/s1600/IMG_7257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqktQ2r_FF5z92aiPD95-gzC03nphNAISMjBQJIS5fxdMjZySqkHZugoylc5zcLALpiIeyjRVexopzqvl9Tp-fO1tbriXZzSmSUS8Tdx6uMUAK9jkPhSQr718gljyyrPIkT0cMxeZqxYA/s640/IMG_7257.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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After a snack, it was time for some journaling. These journals are free for your class <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">in the kit</a>! And parents, if your teacher isn't interested in signing up, don't worry -- the link above also has all the pages of the journal available for free download/printing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVdpbZVBY_n47ugFDxN-BeWJE6e82vibT2ZDs0U68w6b4pWyhg367ZnPQowtp2XFEla2WKFZ1pNpS_h1JX2wRoiH1Kg_5xEETw1xnO0uV2GT5tNr4P9XzBHbbvqs4CHsGT7ushIO6_Pl0/s1600/IMG_7244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVdpbZVBY_n47ugFDxN-BeWJE6e82vibT2ZDs0U68w6b4pWyhg367ZnPQowtp2XFEla2WKFZ1pNpS_h1JX2wRoiH1Kg_5xEETw1xnO0uV2GT5tNr4P9XzBHbbvqs4CHsGT7ushIO6_Pl0/s640/IMG_7244.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I think our favorite thing about the journals was the awesome treasure pouch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvK-mzABdPanUkGiddqJCeAdyyoFtkkdJJv-24Pb_BC30dSy_Lh412bk3_ffKDKlDj8tmqgwIkKRqiquCCsMCMViiiQXKzl9ieDaiiIwCttTOC_Eth8tVcAKEJMF37JuU6sQqSKhDOpm3/s1600/IMG_7255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvK-mzABdPanUkGiddqJCeAdyyoFtkkdJJv-24Pb_BC30dSy_Lh412bk3_ffKDKlDj8tmqgwIkKRqiquCCsMCMViiiQXKzl9ieDaiiIwCttTOC_Eth8tVcAKEJMF37JuU6sQqSKhDOpm3/s640/IMG_7255.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Both kids found some great natural treasures on the ground to keep in their journal pouches.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG125IFW5DBUOgDQwDj97czuKiolqiP5Q5P6U4a_p202Kay4nnjHxs5Ppg4OdNA9GdQhpDa4ZJMJM1hFAOqDw06L-CyTC1o3mvVWgi6UiCoIaZQWPnc_hl8fZ96R0YUAjDYVPx7GmGRk-1/s1600/IMG_7250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG125IFW5DBUOgDQwDj97czuKiolqiP5Q5P6U4a_p202Kay4nnjHxs5Ppg4OdNA9GdQhpDa4ZJMJM1hFAOqDw06L-CyTC1o3mvVWgi6UiCoIaZQWPnc_hl8fZ96R0YUAjDYVPx7GmGRk-1/s640/IMG_7250.jpg" width="562" /></a></div>
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Finally we found the perfect hiding spot to place our geocache. Can you spot it? (Teachers, you get a free one of these kits to plant with your classroom in <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the kit</a>.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXT5Pfqqap-wPGTAWo-MGBs4d76IwxXqNioBWeJieoUjNEQjVnYxGld7m9KGofK-QUhkEFcdoXp3eSKGCPkvXLBi2D5udfMs6lMtFFK7_6sEhLKfwW_R0BWvUB4C-wfmcTfGBmNEuqViH/s1600/IMG_7307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXT5Pfqqap-wPGTAWo-MGBs4d76IwxXqNioBWeJieoUjNEQjVnYxGld7m9KGofK-QUhkEFcdoXp3eSKGCPkvXLBi2D5udfMs6lMtFFK7_6sEhLKfwW_R0BWvUB4C-wfmcTfGBmNEuqViH/s640/IMG_7307.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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When choosing a spot make sure it's got some nice landmarks so you can give kids hints in the listing you make for it at Geocaching.com. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXELsKbfGGK1ZpicWiXDQmL5k9fNAoR11JapjCelYAwnRInR-9tacwAXIvMtZgpx9DhYGVcOobzyaAgfAK2OxBWOKjp5QnbRf3xiHQEgR3QkCy8lr2ynKskjV3O4cztGIHZCOti-sIgLo1/s1600/IMG_7309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXELsKbfGGK1ZpicWiXDQmL5k9fNAoR11JapjCelYAwnRInR-9tacwAXIvMtZgpx9DhYGVcOobzyaAgfAK2OxBWOKjp5QnbRf3xiHQEgR3QkCy8lr2ynKskjV3O4cztGIHZCOti-sIgLo1/s640/IMG_7309.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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We had such a great time, and hope that loads of teachers and schools and camps will take advantage of this amazing program!</div>
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If you're a teacher, <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sign up here</a> for your free kit full of goodies! You can use Ecokeepers to complement science and physical education curriculum.<br />
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If you're a parent, you can share <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" target="_blank">this link</a> with your child's teacher or camp director. You can also put together your own supplies by printing a copy of the nature journal <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/ecokeepers?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, finding granola bars <a href="http://www.envirokidz.com/our-products/envirokidz-chocolate-chip-granola-bar?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Media&utm_term=EcoKeepers&utm_campaign=EcoKeepers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and locating geocaches using the app from <a href="http://geocaching.com/" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-78128497063987326252016-07-14T11:36:00.002-07:002016-08-17T15:48:14.475-07:00UK England Slime Recipe using Kershaw's Laundry Starch<div style="text-align: center;">
Those of you who have followed the blog for quite some time will remember that two years ago we discovered a way to make <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/07/make-slime-with-laundry-detergent.html" target="_blank">slime using laundry detergent</a>. And with the help of our UK readers, we were able to get feedback on local detergents that worked to make slime. However, as time has gone on, I've heard more and more reports about the detergents not working and one reader (thanks, Leigh!) recently informed me via our Facebook page that she called Aldi and they said they've changed their detergent ingredients. Because of this, we were inspired to try to find a NEW way to make slime that would work for our UK readers. Based off of a tip from another reader, Sarah Hawthorne, who has been SO helpful throughout this whole slime investigation, I wanted to look into Kershaw's Laundry Starch Powder. And I was THRILLED to find that I could get some shipped here to the US so that I could make you all a proper tutorial!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwiyVf5gj-EXH-_qzpERB-tvXoWEqtV19rFhlN8-Km8RSWm5mcf3ddEnbUT9aP30A4liIHi0kfP21WUUTJcjzY6xdokpnf0lSx6g4Cf7Tj6gR-oinB77MHELzV7ReaIyQ0D1owxe3-b-p/s1600/IMG_20160714_110957+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwiyVf5gj-EXH-_qzpERB-tvXoWEqtV19rFhlN8-Km8RSWm5mcf3ddEnbUT9aP30A4liIHi0kfP21WUUTJcjzY6xdokpnf0lSx6g4Cf7Tj6gR-oinB77MHELzV7ReaIyQ0D1owxe3-b-p/s640/IMG_20160714_110957+%25281%2529.jpg" width="384" /></a></div>
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Below you will find our latest and greatest recipe for making slime (this is intended for readers in the UK -- if you are in the US or Canada, I recommend reading <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/07/make-slime-with-laundry-detergent.html" target="_blank">this post</a> instead):</div>
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First you will need a bottle of PVA glue. Our US bottles come in 4 oz (118 mL) sizes and that's what I've used here. (There's some wiggle room in the recipe and in the UK it looks like PVA glue comes in all sorts of sizes, so just get as close to this amount as you can)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjMkfmqsGxbitmEXn52dk3HGnQvwz6drMgNlCQJtAfqCH-Y7YbCSEYl3YgcYORe3AlBobc783BGeki4VSBgs-LZvIU32RDTZyoGPD4d3UMn4JnS3ETDzeVJ6Av1arY3Qln6OW_i4rUzeT/s1600/IMG_20160714_102234+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjMkfmqsGxbitmEXn52dk3HGnQvwz6drMgNlCQJtAfqCH-Y7YbCSEYl3YgcYORe3AlBobc783BGeki4VSBgs-LZvIU32RDTZyoGPD4d3UMn4JnS3ETDzeVJ6Av1arY3Qln6OW_i4rUzeT/s640/IMG_20160714_102234+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Empty the whole bottle into a container/bowl. Add any coloring you'd like and stir until the color is evenly distributed:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuPRG1aJLa4hfySHDAlAQEGo6va15sbKGhp_flgJDzge0sHxty0_70ghvvnjU9-bjGOCjP7c2J6qSrbOiXf15i9mQvNNXHRpmF8iuQvpSIQF9P7MNmRcPxGfb2bJ6qHpqdPLIqwS3ZpYF/s1600/IMG_20160714_102359+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuPRG1aJLa4hfySHDAlAQEGo6va15sbKGhp_flgJDzge0sHxty0_70ghvvnjU9-bjGOCjP7c2J6qSrbOiXf15i9mQvNNXHRpmF8iuQvpSIQF9P7MNmRcPxGfb2bJ6qHpqdPLIqwS3ZpYF/s640/IMG_20160714_102359+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, add two tablespoons of very warm water to another container. Add 4 teaspoons* of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=kershaw%27s+laundry" target="_blank">Kershaw's Laundry Starch Powder</a> and stir until it's completely dissolved. The mixture will look a bit like milk:</div>
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Then add 6 teaspoons* of the milky starch-water mixture to your glue and stir very well. After a minute or two, your glue will begin turning to slime. It should look like this:<br />
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*If your slime does not look like that you may need to add more. Apparently US teaspoons are a bit bigger than UK teaspoons, so you may need to add a few additional teaspoons....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYAr6LRRFwWVORDOOvfZFJkPREoKXow0GR0adohGG_zENisTMlPWWroboSmBgcsXaWeiLKWXBbu8Dm1HJ93p1w5tB3bfGPSKNGIlbSOXiHeAgx6ulzZ_bxGIH724ceavxy37vqBL93yC-/s1600/IMG_20160714_102711+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYAr6LRRFwWVORDOOvfZFJkPREoKXow0GR0adohGG_zENisTMlPWWroboSmBgcsXaWeiLKWXBbu8Dm1HJ93p1w5tB3bfGPSKNGIlbSOXiHeAgx6ulzZ_bxGIH724ceavxy37vqBL93yC-/s640/IMG_20160714_102711+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And now it's time to fine tune your recipe. Grab up the glob of slime and start kneading and mixing it by hand. If after a minute or two of kneading it is still very sticky and sticking to your fingers, dribble another teaspoon of the starch-water mixture over it and continue kneading. If, on the other hand your slime is too firm and not stretching, add a dollop of PVA glue and knead it in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqIWD-hofZFl4USkjAeWlw-lVq9U1DYweCLZ29I0gpiAZ8YEyzNd172yRjD6NaOMih4K_kXO0_-PvKCbaRe17TudXIxhV14iWo7kzQV3LQkqR8DIhK1cOyCIgFqw7jifC2bBDaVVStBUS/s1600/IMG_20160714_110916+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqIWD-hofZFl4USkjAeWlw-lVq9U1DYweCLZ29I0gpiAZ8YEyzNd172yRjD6NaOMih4K_kXO0_-PvKCbaRe17TudXIxhV14iWo7kzQV3LQkqR8DIhK1cOyCIgFqw7jifC2bBDaVVStBUS/s640/IMG_20160714_110916+%25281%2529.jpg" width="630" /></a></div>
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Adding more starch-water mixture will make your slime less sticky and more firm.</div>
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Adding more PVA glue will make your slime looser and more stretchy.</div>
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Keep your slime stored in an airtight container when you are not using it. Your slime should keep for several weeks. If it starts to get too sticky, just add more starch-water mixture to it. If it gets too firm, add more PVA glue to loosen it up.</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-25675696565105558722016-05-16T14:20:00.001-07:002016-05-16T14:20:38.116-07:00Nature Craft: Wire-Wrapped Rocks<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I wish that I could take credit for this wonderful idea, but it comes from one of my favorite ladies on Instagram, Claire Menzies (you can find her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/menziesclaire/" target="_blank">Instagram account here</a>). When I saw this activity I just knew you all would love to hear about it so I asked Claire to write up a guest post. Thank you, Claire, for sharing your awesome wire-wrapped rocks with us! :)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySbRFVF7WFZFyPfnUro6D1sMEoBkwvFFXzjasi-uAu3UpDmkLTXYxn8bLmFJ31OtoYk9h0_8nD6BMPl6cmkZ-uL7PgY5nM6TsOzCK3dZA7NKT9liI6zz1ie2zO1piFNbCQJgJTPLhj9UW/s1600/IMG_20160516_144117+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySbRFVF7WFZFyPfnUro6D1sMEoBkwvFFXzjasi-uAu3UpDmkLTXYxn8bLmFJ31OtoYk9h0_8nD6BMPl6cmkZ-uL7PgY5nM6TsOzCK3dZA7NKT9liI6zz1ie2zO1piFNbCQJgJTPLhj9UW/s640/IMG_20160516_144117+%25281%2529.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<i>This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These rocks are so simple to make and the end product looks fantastic. Threading beads and buttons is not only fun, but also great for honing those fine motor skills. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This craft could easily be adapted to suit different seasons or colour schemes. I'm already thinking about wrapping orange or lime wire around black slate rocks for Halloween and red wire with golden sparkling sequins around white rocks for Christmas. Letter pony beads would be great for older kids to spell out names for gifts to 'Daddy' or 'Grandma'. The possibilities are endless!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway first things first - go for a walk to collect rocks!! Nothing too small as they would be fiddly for little fingers. Look for interesting shapes and colours. My kids were particularly enthusiastic about the heart shaped rocks we found. </span></div>
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In addition to interesting rocks, you'll also need:</div>
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<br />Wire <span style="font-family: inherit;">(something thin and flexible <a href="http://amzn.to/22dZXj4" target="_blank">like florist wire</a>) </span></div>
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Adult scissors (to clip the wire)</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Embellishments (we used <a href="http://amzn.to/1Tkj1s8" target="_blank">pony beads</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1Tkjafa" target="_blank">mixed buttons</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To start with, have an adult wrap the wire around the rock once and twist it at the back to make sure it was secure and hopefully not slide off, like so:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W2Sud2Qo7VvxFwkbg39LH4-WovD_-OCsPWRX5LTv_uErBFlAvqul_DiD8Tibzf9K7ms7yZNKzQI1hQTJ-VTKzAsceT2_OU26uPJ64pJ5jLot3x4HWLlgSQowIJjLUe5A6xJ-lOhoiXy5/s1600/IMG_20160516_143222+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W2Sud2Qo7VvxFwkbg39LH4-WovD_-OCsPWRX5LTv_uErBFlAvqul_DiD8Tibzf9K7ms7yZNKzQI1hQTJ-VTKzAsceT2_OU26uPJ64pJ5jLot3x4HWLlgSQowIJjLUe5A6xJ-lOhoiXy5/s640/IMG_20160516_143222+%25281%2529.jpg" width="528" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Then let the kids thread on the decorations - really! That's it!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWJ5kNpFhmEzn2WorFpsQgoiUDG0tFRzmaYBCngYrwbC3GnbibWsJHSgWVHs4aE3MTPL7FC_WhyphenhyphenxfPFFgRmuvWrdaASIK74-rAvmsO92AnrMfBVWApgD2-lvyoA4Wmq15E7n6PREv40en/s1600/IMG_20160516_143458+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWJ5kNpFhmEzn2WorFpsQgoiUDG0tFRzmaYBCngYrwbC3GnbibWsJHSgWVHs4aE3MTPL7FC_WhyphenhyphenxfPFFgRmuvWrdaASIK74-rAvmsO92AnrMfBVWApgD2-lvyoA4Wmq15E7n6PREv40en/s640/IMG_20160516_143458+%25281%2529.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">When they are done wrap the end of the wire around your starting knot a few times to secure and cut off the excess. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmcLOUuRQbnlTRMX3p2QzgJHry51Hf_jK7gLabhCVYuQ72EM5wlmdO72pqXNPw8wnucYTNxRrVmHQPjCHP28lg16WsFNgyHTM4_B3zh2WxdNQHuCO6pYPbkjhj0YWPCtILu0Qz4MW3IJQ/s1600/IMG_20160516_143837+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmcLOUuRQbnlTRMX3p2QzgJHry51Hf_jK7gLabhCVYuQ72EM5wlmdO72pqXNPw8wnucYTNxRrVmHQPjCHP28lg16WsFNgyHTM4_B3zh2WxdNQHuCO6pYPbkjhj0YWPCtILu0Qz4MW3IJQ/s640/IMG_20160516_143837+%25281%2529.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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A finished rock:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbnKpJ66oS3xcgk5Cj81AS0xkPTHR-k-p4qWx3NZZ2mu5L8jetSpqTN7nPGt-Pqcv1OZmdEMGSztHppxPWTX4DAvNcWQCF0puF3Y9S5jOqheM1qc-XO5d6ZmKIC22pnXRG6MXQEbvsxN1/s1600/IMG_20160516_144031+%25281%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbnKpJ66oS3xcgk5Cj81AS0xkPTHR-k-p4qWx3NZZ2mu5L8jetSpqTN7nPGt-Pqcv1OZmdEMGSztHppxPWTX4DAvNcWQCF0puF3Y9S5jOqheM1qc-XO5d6ZmKIC22pnXRG6MXQEbvsxN1/s640/IMG_20160516_144031+%25281%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A few helpful tips I learned along the way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Leave the wire long enough to wrap around the rock a few times in between adding embellishments. This stops the whole lot falling off if your child lets go!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. If you are using buttons, only thread the wire through one hole -- it's far too tricky otherwise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. If at all possible do this when your 18 month old is asleep!! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you enjoy this project and have fun adding your ideas to make it your own.</span></div>
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<i>Thank you so much, again, Claire! And don't forget to check out Claire's <a href="https://www.instagram.com/menziesclaire/" target="_blank">Instagram account</a> for more fun ideas! :)</i></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-55622359816185672102016-02-26T19:50:00.000-08:002016-02-26T19:59:52.791-08:00A Little Bit of Dirt is Available Now!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;">SURPRISE!!!! Our newest book is AVAILABLE NOW!!!!</span><br />
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<i>This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;">I figured with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, everyone was super busy. But now that the sun is starting to shine and the bulbs are starting to bloom, it's the perfect time to introduce you to our third book: A Little Bit of Dirt. It also happens to have just arrived - a month ahead of schedule! :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;">A Little Bit of Dirt is all about playing outside and learning about nature. You'll find over 55 activities that feature either art or science (or both!!) and will get you excited about getting outside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;">You'll find tons of full color photos and detailed directions for activities like:</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br /><br />Dandelion Bubbles</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;">Recycled Earthworm Tower</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br />Seed Bomb Lollipops</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br />DIY Underwater Viewer</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br />Kid-Friendly Stream Water Quality Testing</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br />Acrylic Sunprints</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br />and much much more!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;">If you'd like to take a peek inside and hear what some of the experts in the field have to say, check out this short book trailer: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: left;"><br /><br />If you'd like to take a closer look at the full table of contents and a few sample activities, go to the <a href="http://amzn.to/21ykSx4" target="_blank">Amazon listing</a> and click on the "Look Inside" icon (the "Look Inside" only appears if you're viewing the desktop version of Amazon) and you can have a look around.</span></span><br />
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As with our other two books (<a href="http://amzn.to/1oNS9Xt" target="_blank">150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1KRym36" target="_blank">The Curious Kid's Science Book</a>), this book is available worldwide. It's available both online and in most local stores. If you are having trouble locating a copy in your country, feel free to send me an email at funathomewithkids@gmail.com and I'm happy to help. <br />
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Here are some of the many places you can find it* (*Please note that international copies of the book shipped out early this week -- the last week of February -- it may take a week or two for the copies to show up as in-stock, but if you order now, you'll reserve a copy from the first batch that was just sent):<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/21ykSx4" target="_blank">Amazon US</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781943147045" target="_blank">Local US Bookstore Search</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-little-bit-of-dirt-asia-citro-med/1122550486?ean=9781943147045" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble US</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Little-Bit-Dirt/Asia-Citro/9781943147045" target="_blank">Books-A-Million US</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/a-little-bit-of-dirt/9781943147045-item.html?ref=item_page%3avariation" target="_blank">Chapters CA</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Little-Bit-Dirt-Activities-Reconnect/dp/1943147043/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=61kpCvRRWYL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR124%2C160_&refRID=1EE26DWC023K398E3M0S" target="_blank">Amazon CA</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Bit-Dirt-Activities-Reconnect/dp/1943147043/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Little-Bit-Dirt/9781943147045" target="_blank">Book Depository (Free International Shipping)</a></div>
Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-2337988009500878512016-02-09T14:16:00.001-08:002016-02-09T14:17:35.222-08:00Free Printable Valentine's Day Friendship Card<div style="text-align: center;">
OK, so this is super last minute. But I figure I'm not the only parent out there who just realized that we needed valentines STAT! :)<br />
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This is a simple free printable I put together for both of my kiddos to hand out this year. We are weird and actually had 30+ tiny frogs in our pantry (hahaha), but I realize not everyone has those on hand. You can usually find small toy frogs in packs at the Dollar Tree, party supply stores (under party favors), and at Michaels. We got our mini-frogs <a href="http://amzn.to/1KDNeBO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. We attached them with a dot of hot glue on low. This way you can remove the frog and just peel the glue off when you're ready to play with him. The low temp doesn't melt the plastic frog at all.</div>
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I left room at the top and the bottom of the lilypad in case your child wants to personalize them. And if you'd rather go a different route, these would be super cute paired with frog erasers, frog temporary tattoos, or a little square of frog-themed stickers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieG5qjLAj6HXwSMCPGDKcPeXiPyrWj5cI0_i9nai-_lGExVAcqASwOtQv6vf_ECQLXuXeVyGGk4TIEcDaFTfy_IJeiVHzvjF00_fnid34e_Irku055dJIHpRJT1xIdOoG-ncBxw_k3yA8R/s1600/IMG_6620+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieG5qjLAj6HXwSMCPGDKcPeXiPyrWj5cI0_i9nai-_lGExVAcqASwOtQv6vf_ECQLXuXeVyGGk4TIEcDaFTfy_IJeiVHzvjF00_fnid34e_Irku055dJIHpRJT1xIdOoG-ncBxw_k3yA8R/s640/IMG_6620+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can download the free printable <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwkw2dfDRvtBUmRzQ1VfYTMzOE0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>. You are welcome to make as many copies as you'd like, but you are not allowed to sell them, nor are you allowed to offer the file as a download on your own website.</div>
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Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day!!!</div>
Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-88058083120970649962016-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-04T00:00:21.588-08:00{Guest Post} Amazing Discovery Bottle Ideas for Preschoolers<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm so excited to share the blog one more time with one of my sweet friends, Katie, who is also a super talented preschool teacher! She writes over at <a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/" target="_blank">Preschool Inspirations</a> and she's going to share some of her favorite discovery bottles in this post (last week she shared her favorite rainbow activities for preschoolers). </i></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those of you who missed my post last week, I’m Katie, and I’ve enjoyed the incredible job of teaching little ones as an Early Childhood educator for 14 years. For six of those years, I’ve also had the extra delight of being a mama. I have three sweet children, and two have already gone through preschool with me!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DrKkT-9Ws0gCzox5SNyacWHzs-PjliDz44LjCVQ3_YopDeszfHzNYl9n1FMkn2EbLGmN5KGVn1879rFAuB5a-UxOeFD6BlsKWtI7BrFxUGeQFngfc7FC14xSJ2oi0t2keVq9nGxdn0a5/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DrKkT-9Ws0gCzox5SNyacWHzs-PjliDz44LjCVQ3_YopDeszfHzNYl9n1FMkn2EbLGmN5KGVn1879rFAuB5a-UxOeFD6BlsKWtI7BrFxUGeQFngfc7FC14xSJ2oi0t2keVq9nGxdn0a5/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25283%2529.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline;">Preschool is a magical time – definitely one of my favorite ages -- and I believe in making it a place where learning is just as enchanting. I teach children to learn about the world with their senses and invite my students to connect with it through</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/04/01/play-based-learning-why-it-matters/" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">hands-on play</span></a><span style="line-height: 20.24px;"><u style="color: #1155cc;">.</u> I'm excited to share another type of activity that my students find magical: Discovery Bottles.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My best “tool” as a preschool teacher and mom is a calm down jar, also known as a glitter jar or mind jar. I think it is a must have for children, and it’s great for adults too! I tried to find ingredients that are available to our international friends in</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/11/13/6-ways-to-make-a-calm-down-jar/" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Six Ways to Make a Calm Down Jar</span></a> (pictured top right)<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We love these</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/05/15/magnetic-discovery-bottles/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Magnetic discovery bottles</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. You can see the science lesson we did with it, and then I figured out how to make a magnetic discovery bottle in liquid</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/08/05/rust-resistant-magnetic-discovery-bottle/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">without rusting</span></a> (pictured above left)<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course I had to combine rainbows with a discovery bottle (again!), and I did it in this</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/05/21/alphabet-discovery-bottle/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rainbow Alphabet Discovery Bottle</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the best aspects of discovery bottles is observing how different materials combine with one another. In my</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/04/27/magic-two-ingredient-sensory-bottle/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Magic Two Ingredient Sensory Bottle</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, there appears to be only one ingredient until you turn it over.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another fun way to learn through playing with discovery bottles is with a <a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2016/01/18/color-mixing-sensory-bottle/" target="_blank">Color Mixing Sensory Bottle</a> (pictured third down from the top on the right). We also came up with a way to mix two colors together as well, which you can see <a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/?p=7714" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can also use discovery bottles to explore sound and music, as we did with our <a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/10/27/musical-shaker-discovery-bottle-with-beads/" target="_blank">Musical Shaker Discovery Bottle</a> (pictured second down from the top on the right).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last but not least, my own personal favorite discovery bottle is our</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/07/12/suspended-ocean-creature-discovery-bottle/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suspended Ocean Creature Discovery Bottle</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It looks so realistic, and the ocean creatures “float” in place (pictured bottom right)!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another place to find some of the best rainbow activities and discovery bottles is right here on Fun at Home with Kids! I adore these</span><a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/02/36-rainbow-activities-for-babies.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rainbow play ideas</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and these </span><a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/02/rainbow-scavenger-hunt-and-rainbow.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rainbow discovery bottles</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are hands-down some of the most beautiful and inviting ones I’ve ever laid eyes on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For more preschool ideas, activities, and resources, feel free to come visit me over</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at Preschool Inspirations</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I also love chatting with my readers over on</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/preschoolinspirations" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and you can see some of my favorite ideas on</span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/preschoolinspir" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pinterest</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-9348002431564425622016-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:002016-01-28T00:00:06.808-08:00{Guest Post} Rainbow Play Ideas for Preschoolers<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I'm so excited to share the blog with one of my sweet friends, Katie, who is also a super talented preschool teacher and has been for over 14 years! She writes over at <a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/" target="_blank">Preschool Inspirations</a> and she's going to share some of her favorite activities in this post and a follow up post next week. I love her work! One of my favorite posts of hers you will find below -- her <a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/07/20/rainbow-discovery-bottle/" target="_blank">Rainbow Discovery Bottle</a>. Isn't it breathtaking?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is such a pleasure to share some of my all-time favorite preschool activities today! I’m Katie, and I’ve enjoyed the incredible job of teaching little ones as an Early Childhood educator for 14 years. For six of those years, I’ve also had the extra delight of being a mama. I have three sweet children, and two have already gone through preschool with me!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preschool is a magical time – definitely one of my favorite ages -- and I believe in making it a place where learning is just as enchanting. I teach children to learn about the world with their senses and invite my students to connect with it through</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/04/01/play-based-learning-why-it-matters/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hands-on play</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’m excited to share two types of activities that my preschoolers have found to be the most magical: rainbows and discovery bottles. I'll be sharing the first set of activities (rainbows) today and I'll be back next week to share my favorite discovery bottles.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlnekNVKJtaCXK0lT00EGJr10IPj-BLvfaunQgjLXzIt6KB3rwZeWPzDDC_fm_3WCvjCTiJlIuOi6LivrhUdYET80TWUnwIzHYooknP1rHEsT78PVYTiyhC3Igp9-WRMd-kMu1xnrJY-Q/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlnekNVKJtaCXK0lT00EGJr10IPj-BLvfaunQgjLXzIt6KB3rwZeWPzDDC_fm_3WCvjCTiJlIuOi6LivrhUdYET80TWUnwIzHYooknP1rHEsT78PVYTiyhC3Igp9-WRMd-kMu1xnrJY-Q/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25281%2529.jpg" title="Gorgeous Rainbow Play Ideas for Preschoolers by Preschool Inspirations" width="448" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s really hard to narrow down our absolute favorite rainbow activity because there are two that cannot be topped! The first rainbow project that the preschoolers and I absolutely adored was this</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/02/23/rainbow-rolling-pin-art/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rainbow Rolling Pin Art project</span></a> (bottom left).<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It takes only a few minutes to prep, and the results are absolutely gorgeous!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our other favorite rainbow project is made of buttons in a</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/07/16/rainbow-button-collage-canvas-art/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rainbow Button Collage Canvas Art</span></a> (middle left).<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Follow my tutorial to help make symmetrical arches, and the rest is a piece of cake!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another simple art project that turned out beautifully was when we made rainbows with our</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/07/03/puffy-paint-recipe-canvas-art/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 ingredient Puffy Paint Recipe</span></a> (bottom right). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are completely picture frame worthy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We loved sorting rainbow colors with water beads in the sensory table with this</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2014/06/26/water-bead-sorting/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water Bead Sorting Activity</span></a> (not pictured).<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sensory activities and water play are a must for little ones!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For my advanced preschoolers, we worked on this</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/02/19/rainbow-sight-words/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rainbow Sight Word Lacing Busy Bag</span></a> (middle right)<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Lacing tends to be an activity that falls through the cracks, but it is so important for little fingers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lastly, we made a</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/2015/07/20/rainbow-discovery-bottle/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rainbow Discovery Bottle</span></a> (top)<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! I’ve been wanting to make one for ages that was “liquidish” and didn’t run together six seconds after making it. The colors do eventually blend together, but I loved turning it into a color mixing experiment at the same time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.08px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another place to find some of the best rainbow activities and discovery bottles is right here on Fun at Home with Kids! I adore these</span><a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/02/36-rainbow-activities-for-babies.html" style="line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rainbow play ideas</span></a><span style="line-height: 22.08px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and these </span><a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/02/rainbow-scavenger-hunt-and-rainbow.html" style="line-height: 22.08px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rainbow discovery bottles</span></a><span style="line-height: 22.08px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are hands-down some of the most beautiful and inviting ones I’ve ever laid eyes on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For more preschool ideas, activities, and resources, feel free to come visit me over</span><a href="http://www.preschoolinspirations.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at Preschool Inspirations</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I also love chatting with my readers over on </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/preschoolinspirations" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and you can see some of my favorite ideas on</span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/preschoolinspir" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pinterest</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-72968600998219219012016-01-19T21:02:00.001-08:002016-01-19T21:03:15.343-08:0012 Beautiful Spring Flower Process Art Ideas for Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't know about you, but I'm all ready for spring. Yes, technically it's winter still here in the US, but if you're feeling like me, these projects can at least make it feel like spring inside your house -- at least until spring arrives outside your house as well. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cjCJBuW23RzDWMPPo878gqTBY49l99tkwn7TxPbKzk56b8SVq44LokHbDwk_4BcW_zkFfsM_6WWxWsautouVt1n22st0oIAlzBupEK7qblxod9IgZpZCBCt9BDAEhef-BbtI6b_KmZJU/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cjCJBuW23RzDWMPPo878gqTBY49l99tkwn7TxPbKzk56b8SVq44LokHbDwk_4BcW_zkFfsM_6WWxWsautouVt1n22st0oIAlzBupEK7qblxod9IgZpZCBCt9BDAEhef-BbtI6b_KmZJU/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25284%2529.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
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In no particular order, here are 12 of my favorite process art flower projects. As always, please click on the name of the project(s) you're interested in to get to the post that contains the full project details (materials, suggestions, and the like).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXz7f3bKOCYgz1QrJluGNPNPE6goTTA-kfrxFh3dHade2yD8oERWGM4_9RAuDQxAmPehzNfRt8QIrDYJ_RUGIvBLZDRu09S141BmZPtxU3to3n7sSEmilBzqrupWpqlUREpHIAA4UYOdQ/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXz7f3bKOCYgz1QrJluGNPNPE6goTTA-kfrxFh3dHade2yD8oERWGM4_9RAuDQxAmPehzNfRt8QIrDYJ_RUGIvBLZDRu09S141BmZPtxU3to3n7sSEmilBzqrupWpqlUREpHIAA4UYOdQ/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25286%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/03/vibrantly-colored-coffee-filter-flowers.html" target="_blank">Vibrant Coffee Filter Flowers</a> from Fun at Home with Kids</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. <a href="http://buggyandbuddy.com/art-projects-kids-colorful-watercolor-flowers/" target="_blank">Colorful Watercolor Flowers</a> from Buggy & Buddy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. <a href="http://www.pinkstripeysocks.com/2015/08/how-to-make-painted-paper-plate-flowers.html?m=1" target="_blank">Painted Paper Plate Flowers</a> from Pink Stripey Socks</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. <a href="http://www.artbarblog.com/summer/pipe-cleaner-flowers" target="_blank">Pipe Cleaner Flowers</a> from Art Bar Blog</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. <a href="http://www.schooltimesnippets.com/2014/05/yarn-wrapped-tulips-fine-motor-friday.html" target="_blank">Yarn Wrapped Tulips</a> from School Time Snippets</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. <a href="http://www.iheartartsncrafts.com/egg-carton-flowers-kids-craft/" target="_blank">Egg Carton Flowers</a> from I Heart Arts N Crafts</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. <a href="http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/flower-play-dough-invitation.html" target="_blank">Flower Playdough Invitation</a> from Fantastic Fun and Learning</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. <a href="http://www.pinkstripeysocks.com/2015/04/egg-carton-flower-pins.html" target="_blank">Egg Carton Flower Pins</a> from Pink Stripey Socks</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">9. <a href="http://playfullearning.net/2015/03/flower-print-scrape-painting/" target="_blank">Flower Print Scrape Painting</a> from Playful Learning</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. <a href="http://www.mericherry.com/2014/02/24/spring-watercolor-flowers-art-for-toddlers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spring Watercolor Flower Art</a> from Meri Cherry</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">11. <a href="http://artfulparent.com/2011/05/flower-stained-glass-door.html" target="_blank">Flower Petal Stained Glass</a> from The Artful Parent</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">12. <a href="http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/painted-spring-flower-craft.html" target="_blank">Painted Spring Flowers</a> from Fantastic Fun and Learning</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZBNf5OYh49ZxLcE9IUt8M7wqj2s7eSoyTNryayxda6YEMQ53vucDHzWm_pPir4d4c3QNhK05aeHiyZn55Zs5b39mhIvWNg55qm3Kgi_unuN_XRJVT7nFqlo3YwOSGS0qIIN9zvclr0jw/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZBNf5OYh49ZxLcE9IUt8M7wqj2s7eSoyTNryayxda6YEMQ53vucDHzWm_pPir4d4c3QNhK05aeHiyZn55Zs5b39mhIvWNg55qm3Kgi_unuN_XRJVT7nFqlo3YwOSGS0qIIN9zvclr0jw/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-60170817228287703662015-11-21T11:58:00.003-08:002016-06-01T08:07:53.761-07:0010 Amazing STEM Gifts for Kids (chosen by a Science Teacher!)<div style="text-align: center;">
Every year I try to add a new gift guide that focuses on something new. You can also find lists of the <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/11/budget-friendly-gift-guide-for-babies.html" target="_blank">Best Gifts on a Budget</a>, our <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/11/our-10-best-and-favorite-gift-ideas-for.html" target="_blank">Favorite Gifts for Kids</a>, our <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/03/our-favorite-books-this-is-follow-up.html" target="_blank">Favorite Books for Kids</a>, and our <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/04/our-favorite-art-supplies-listed-by-age.html" target="_blank">Favorite Art Supplies for Kids</a> here on the site. This year we've really been all about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) at our house, in large part because of the release of <a href="http://amzn.to/1X56fCH" target="_blank">our new science book</a>, but also because I'm a science teacher! So I thought I'd focus on a science gift theme for 2015. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY1WRoz5-uzqYQbdA3odXlwdGGL5Dr_ga7ac7FTDyx_y4_L0BT5uDWVIp2QpB3o_OCit2NJP2M_CD_QRZWBt0xlHtNQLsxJhyphenhyphenkmEO9PYlJ8qYlSUzNIS8QO4fPGmJZAUHaaqGsKlSIyst/s1600/Untitled+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="10 awesome STEM gift ideas for kids from a science teacher! This gift guide includes recommended ages and a little bit about what STEM skills kids are learning with each of the gifts. " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY1WRoz5-uzqYQbdA3odXlwdGGL5Dr_ga7ac7FTDyx_y4_L0BT5uDWVIp2QpB3o_OCit2NJP2M_CD_QRZWBt0xlHtNQLsxJhyphenhyphenkmEO9PYlJ8qYlSUzNIS8QO4fPGmJZAUHaaqGsKlSIyst/s640/Untitled+%25285%2529.jpg" title="" width="364" /></a></div>
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<i>This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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<i>Images courtesy of Amazon.com unless otherwise noted.</i></div>
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In no particular order, here are our favorite STEM-building toys. Because learning through play is the BEST!!!!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1X565eF" target="_blank">Quercetti Saxoflute</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhmPsXaELKVDfOCHCqEfWxubdyOS1iADLiLRxFniBEWHSRnwn7_KMBWgRNmboVW-9-23F3D8LfoirBmzrnuJ4reAh-EAUVbS2O2TdTfeiQ5Q1F6_OBhh58zLris97JEwVUnmDBJRIb04q/s1600/quercetti-super-saxoflute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhmPsXaELKVDfOCHCqEfWxubdyOS1iADLiLRxFniBEWHSRnwn7_KMBWgRNmboVW-9-23F3D8LfoirBmzrnuJ4reAh-EAUVbS2O2TdTfeiQ5Q1F6_OBhh58zLris97JEwVUnmDBJRIb04q/s640/quercetti-super-saxoflute.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler and up</div>
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I LOVE <a href="http://amzn.to/1X565eF" target="_blank">this toy</a>. Not only is it very easy to make it whistle (sooo nice for toddlers who are learning how to blow to make a whistle or horn make noise), but it's not super loud and it's incredibly fun to create crazy instruments, even for us adults. :)</div>
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What they are learning: How different configurations change the sound/pitch of the instrument, how to troubleshoot (if their horn isn't making noise), how an instrument works, how the movement and force of air changes sound</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1N0t8MD" target="_blank">HABA Technic Blocks - Basic Vehicles</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcMaffIdpu1WV1xnxIazJVueEb6kjuS0zE72Ydme_coMX4EHj4XBTVj0nq_BIAhtLqLYIXalyShu3C6WJSwVvtk7KOAkDQviQSiWB1Gkef1gWdIgkkoVqm88HMc6k6Hc-lu-_nAbFfC04/s1600/41tPhZrdSJL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcMaffIdpu1WV1xnxIazJVueEb6kjuS0zE72Ydme_coMX4EHj4XBTVj0nq_BIAhtLqLYIXalyShu3C6WJSwVvtk7KOAkDQviQSiWB1Gkef1gWdIgkkoVqm88HMc6k6Hc-lu-_nAbFfC04/s320/41tPhZrdSJL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool and up</div>
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Kids can create all sorts of different vehicles (cars, trains, trucks, and more) with <a href="http://amzn.to/1N0t8MD" target="_blank">this toy</a>. It's a great imaginative exercise as well as a playful way to learn some physics and engineering!</div>
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What they are learning: Where to place wheels and connectors to make a functioning vehicle (engineering), how different configurations of vehicles change how easy/quickly the vehicle moves (physics)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1X56fCH" target="_blank">The Curious Kid's Science Book</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4eAcS9tQPiqGpyODl1HqspqZiyNngcn_oVZbOhPs3fW-IgsdfJB0D2O8XORCVnjZ6w_PZHcpbfSQ35twQ-s875IbPivujmM_anE64B1QUorAw6LJKjmHh1jwoE2JC_vjgEaC46xpQbjQ/s1600/CuriousKidFrontCover+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4eAcS9tQPiqGpyODl1HqspqZiyNngcn_oVZbOhPs3fW-IgsdfJB0D2O8XORCVnjZ6w_PZHcpbfSQ35twQ-s875IbPivujmM_anE64B1QUorAw6LJKjmHh1jwoE2JC_vjgEaC46xpQbjQ/s640/CuriousKidFrontCover+%25281%2529.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool through second grade</div>
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In <a href="http://amzn.to/1X56fCH" target="_blank">our newest book</a>, kids will learn how to run their own experiments to answer scientific questions. They'll learn from failed experiments and learn more about the world around them (via real-world connections offered throughout the book). The book's 100+ activities playfully build on children's natural science, math, engineering, and technology skills using mainly normal household ingredients.</div>
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What they are learning: How to conduct an experiment, how to use scientific tools, real-life concepts, perseverance and patience, very basic biology, chemistry, and physics </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1X56vBy" target="_blank">Tinkerlab</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VUqI8Lyges-aUtbuk-N4yAKf0_KnEk1KhRmmMJoG2e2WFqmYSV7HxZ2Mq7l2M2TDO4kj708fChitLQBenqg18T4eb8-zzOAqnXZ00NWX0IdlviN33U4xIQvuyViLUv4uR3gQCg9Lk5rW/s1600/51LiT07ViXL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VUqI8Lyges-aUtbuk-N4yAKf0_KnEk1KhRmmMJoG2e2WFqmYSV7HxZ2Mq7l2M2TDO4kj708fChitLQBenqg18T4eb8-zzOAqnXZ00NWX0IdlviN33U4xIQvuyViLUv4uR3gQCg9Lk5rW/s640/51LiT07ViXL.jpg" width="472" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler through second grade</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1X56vBy" target="_blank">Tinkerlab</a> has 55+ activities that encourage tinkering, curiosity, and creative thinking from Rachelle Doorley of Tinkerlab.com. This book is a great way to get kids inventing!</div>
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What they are learning: Engineering, tinkering, and inventing skills, perseverance and patience</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tmmZ" target="_blank">Playstix</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VPhc-UPc3X9auumn5fddkZhZSxDzNPgQaPJfsRTP1i7sbGELMOB8tmc4H9v4EcsOBbrSGXGVwuEmn7tu2zGPaLOuD-CgMk7uUNTJzmyWujmy5It3PNUHF4shzu8nil25D8tJ6i0OzlIt/s1600/61y2dPEB2YL._SL1320_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VPhc-UPc3X9auumn5fddkZhZSxDzNPgQaPJfsRTP1i7sbGELMOB8tmc4H9v4EcsOBbrSGXGVwuEmn7tu2zGPaLOuD-CgMk7uUNTJzmyWujmy5It3PNUHF4shzu8nil25D8tJ6i0OzlIt/s640/61y2dPEB2YL._SL1320_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool and up</div>
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These are really interesting <a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tmmZ" target="_blank">building blocks</a> - I like to think of them as a much cooler version of the Lincoln Logs I had growing up. They rest on each other, like Lincoln Logs, but can also snap together in certain configurations, and also have the added bonus of wheels that work to make rolling cars, planes, and more!</div>
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What they are learning: Where to place wheels and connectors to make a functioning vehicle (engineering), how different configurations of vehicles change how easy/quickly the vehicle moves (physics), how to create a stable structure/building</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tqDj" target="_blank">Snap Circuits</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgQdATeqr00KU77Vq-gtS9a37PoaddR3V9efAt4Sfe6w9P_Z3B1b7oUJmiH_kn_K2qS7MA-Iwr3yOx9mWDgSWGQcHHz9Xw77wnawhTT8GakyLJlm6KK1geX-HsOv1bGHBLVRN5nkmmiHz/s1600/81Shxf4IITL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgQdATeqr00KU77Vq-gtS9a37PoaddR3V9efAt4Sfe6w9P_Z3B1b7oUJmiH_kn_K2qS7MA-Iwr3yOx9mWDgSWGQcHHz9Xw77wnawhTT8GakyLJlm6KK1geX-HsOv1bGHBLVRN5nkmmiHz/s640/81Shxf4IITL._SL1500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool and up</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tqDj" target="_blank">These things</a> are amazing! They are classified as ages 8+, but if you are willing to sit with your child while they work through these activities, I've found that kids around 4-5 years old can easily play with these and learn a ton. I also love that you can creatively use the pieces to invent your own circuits!</div>
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What they are learning: Beginning circuitry!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.butterfliesetc.com/" target="_blank">Raise a Butterfly</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOk_3Lflc4e_vqiT2Aw4P9YlQPzy7TI2k5-3CYkVcnAPSjSWd4wjbFwjem20pX5t0l7D4HxJ6_wdF1nMJKoDi9fmNMMiY9zpsNj1eYVUYeLzwBuc1ji-WJxU0gS6TJcjaNWUniXi1ZKDJ0/s1600/popup_plantain_adult_cat_painted_lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOk_3Lflc4e_vqiT2Aw4P9YlQPzy7TI2k5-3CYkVcnAPSjSWd4wjbFwjem20pX5t0l7D4HxJ6_wdF1nMJKoDi9fmNMMiY9zpsNj1eYVUYeLzwBuc1ji-WJxU0gS6TJcjaNWUniXi1ZKDJ0/s640/popup_plantain_adult_cat_painted_lady.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.butterfliesetc.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shady Oak Butterfly Farm</a></i></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool and up</div>
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This activity is most ideal for spring/summer, but it's such a wonderful (and beloved) activity, that you could always gift a certificate for the kit to be used later. There are many ways to raise butterflies, but my favorite are the kits from <a href="http://www.butterfliesetc.com/" target="_blank">Shady Oak Butterfly Farm</a> because they send you actual host plants. You will need to keep the host plant alive, and because your caterpillars are feeding on actual plants, there are usually slightly fewer caterpillars than the store-bought kits. I love that they also send you seeds to plant host plants for the butterflies in your state. As a science teacher, I love that kids get to learn the added information about host plants and it's really cool to watch the caterpillars eat through the leaves!</div>
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What they are learning: Basic biology -- host plants, butterfly life cycle</div>
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If you're on a budget or don't want the added responsibility of caring for host plants, <a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tumo" target="_blank">these kits</a> are also quite fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6CkL-LQJhwmHT1MLGiigGdgXmcz1RXnUsMRPfXslljPXOgx5Xv-7pnK37HD1slse2unexR6DDdL-tX6xAIkr6ED9jyAhEZE3IihB9vOMHUPzmjoPq_gGWzifQoJy883YwuAHiAM4omyY/s1600/81s-IlhtOpL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6CkL-LQJhwmHT1MLGiigGdgXmcz1RXnUsMRPfXslljPXOgx5Xv-7pnK37HD1slse2unexR6DDdL-tX6xAIkr6ED9jyAhEZE3IihB9vOMHUPzmjoPq_gGWzifQoJy883YwuAHiAM4omyY/s320/81s-IlhtOpL._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tv9X" target="_blank">Straws and Connectors</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvtgbFMAoBp08VLpW9N4vYbL3Zf36ebOqsOmIZQLE_XBHb_8PBubtVgHcXhO6hTNDam16OvgrM1xDmtuFJbVHZFI_kJVqWZSfWU2LiwNFeM60m9ZbCB4snJGoPansUpcOLxXiprKXAq01/s1600/41xpRprRD2L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvtgbFMAoBp08VLpW9N4vYbL3Zf36ebOqsOmIZQLE_XBHb_8PBubtVgHcXhO6hTNDam16OvgrM1xDmtuFJbVHZFI_kJVqWZSfWU2LiwNFeM60m9ZbCB4snJGoPansUpcOLxXiprKXAq01/s640/41xpRprRD2L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler and up</div>
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Most toddlers won't have the fine motor skills to be able to build with <a href="http://amzn.to/1N0tv9X" target="_blank">these</a>, but they will have plenty of fun playing in the things you create for them. I love that these are just as fun for us as for our kids. We've made balls that roll, houses, boats, cars, towers, and even the Eiffel Tower with ours.</div>
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What they are learning: Basic engineering (how to create a stable structure), patience and perseverance</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg33JMk5XT39O1h883GxrrsjkXvLnQj_p5nt-2y6q87I48sgdLdvYXHVQirtGLvwf1mSm6Bcsynac_MnS1BRZB8b0WMXFFOuDGMxtDx5TV8Fhbtx-2gNYw-ctNpgoNhaInNXvNCOcxVH3v/s1600/41nt5H0QCAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg33JMk5XT39O1h883GxrrsjkXvLnQj_p5nt-2y6q87I48sgdLdvYXHVQirtGLvwf1mSm6Bcsynac_MnS1BRZB8b0WMXFFOuDGMxtDx5TV8Fhbtx-2gNYw-ctNpgoNhaInNXvNCOcxVH3v/s640/41nt5H0QCAL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Kindergarten and up</div>
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A microscope is a big investment, but it's one that can grow with your child. I am a very big proponent of purchasing a stereo microscope vs compound (or regular) microscopes. Regular microscopes magnify a TON (which can be kind of overwhelming for little ones who don't quite understand what they are looking at anymore because it looks SO different) and they also require thin slices of flat items. They are challenging for little ones to focus - often because they really aren't sure what they should be looking for. Stereo microscopes (also called dissecting microscopes) are my favorites with little guys because you can look at darn near anything. Your finger? Sure! A toy? Absolutely! A worm? Totally. As long as you can fit it under your microscope, you're almost sure to be able to see it. It does not need to be flat or thinly sliced. It magnifies a lot, but not so much that you can no longer tell what you're looking at. My daughter <a href="http://amzn.to/1X57cLp" target="_blank">got hers</a> at age 5 and could reliably focus on items herself because it's so much easier to tell what you're looking for! You can still look at slides if you'd like, but you aren't limited to slides. Here are two versions of stereo microscopes (one is <a href="http://amzn.to/1X56PjX" target="_blank">less expensive</a> because it offers less magnification; we have this one which offers <a href="http://amzn.to/1X57cLp" target="_blank">more magnification</a> -- both are great microscopes though):</div>
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What they are learning: About magnification and the structure of various items</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1N0u0Rq" target="_blank">Kinetic Sand</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg461tID1IILgrQoD2kkqw-8ZSckNUIlABlTszGH5K2nABGwN4Lf-J3Akj3URULbnLwzx4JG73ZKmEVsdwfOpE8hZ5pHLIdUTO0WYPKepQU3WAdongESS46M9vmbmwTwjVu20w-va0phV-G/s1600/81jY6HHUYQL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg461tID1IILgrQoD2kkqw-8ZSckNUIlABlTszGH5K2nABGwN4Lf-J3Akj3URULbnLwzx4JG73ZKmEVsdwfOpE8hZ5pHLIdUTO0WYPKepQU3WAdongESS46M9vmbmwTwjVu20w-va0phV-G/s640/81jY6HHUYQL._SL1500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler and up</div>
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Even something as simple as sensory play can be a valuable STEM activity for kids. <a href="http://amzn.to/1N0u0Rq" target="_blank">Kinetic sand</a> is not edible, so please use your best judgement with introducing it to children under 3. Kinetic sand has so many interesting properties that children natural investigate and try a variety of things. It's a very simple way of encouraging scientific thinking.</div>
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What they are learning: Observation and questioning skills</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK-BKJvrGxXEeW9o7UqxRKBP_5e8IbJYzjBBbdbK6xFfDQEWUjkD37VUE_wZ9W6youOas7Pp5z26g7T3ULbaCFIJmX-aXass5sfItGAUHsqDXKCGiKQkCknExQb3vvVqCLLRaEBc8Rlcp/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="10 awesome STEM gift ideas for kids from a science teacher! This gift guide includes recommended ages and a little bit about what STEM skills kids are learning with each of the gifts. " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK-BKJvrGxXEeW9o7UqxRKBP_5e8IbJYzjBBbdbK6xFfDQEWUjkD37VUE_wZ9W6youOas7Pp5z26g7T3ULbaCFIJmX-aXass5sfItGAUHsqDXKCGiKQkCknExQb3vvVqCLLRaEBc8Rlcp/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%252817%2529.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-80133444048954232222015-11-16T05:59:00.000-08:002015-11-19T09:50:51.688-08:00FLASH SALE: 3 copies of The Curious Kid's Science Book for $33 with FREE shipping!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">Thank you all for participating in our awesome sale! Unfortunately the sale is now over.</span><br />
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Hey all! I have some VERY exciting news: we've already sold through the first (big!) print run of The Curious Kid's Science Book!!!!! Not only that, but the book has been featured in several publications (The Chicago Tribune, SF Globe, The Bellingham Herald, Seattle's Child Magazine), it's been chosen as a Staff Pick at several bookstores, has been adopted as curriculum in a few school districts in the US, and is even required reading for future early childhood educators at a California college! How awesome is that???? I'm so thrilled and these last few weeks have been so wonderful -- the kids and I have adored reading all of the notes (and photos) you have sent us sharing what your little scientists have discovered with the activities in the book. <3 <br />
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We've got a lot to be thankful for -- let's celebrate with a FLASH SALE!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M7O3-YIhQLeororXvpM1TisOsydxpWbF7MuJ9VrACVa4Y3jYtCwKqXk7hN0DSu8hzZfCMveFlip07nSAFhoI_35pjsiolG-J6jlHYtvYSRaGfXEW-CoXDO3OrlBenmOgvzOyDGBQipaz/s1600/IMG_6295+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M7O3-YIhQLeororXvpM1TisOsydxpWbF7MuJ9VrACVa4Y3jYtCwKqXk7hN0DSu8hzZfCMveFlip07nSAFhoI_35pjsiolG-J6jlHYtvYSRaGfXEW-CoXDO3OrlBenmOgvzOyDGBQipaz/s640/IMG_6295+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you know, science education is a SUPER huge passion of mine, so I'm really hoping that lots of kids get this book as a gift over the winter holidays. My husband and I crunched the numbers to come up with the absolute best deal we could offer. And because we're number people, it's all about the 3s.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For 3 days only, you can get</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3 copies of The Curious Kid's Science Book for only</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">33 dollars (including FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>That's half off each book and you don't pay anything for shipping!!!!</i></span></div>
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If you already have your copy, I'm hoping this will make an affordable gift (holidays, birthdays, or just because!) for some other young scientists in your life.</div>
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If you don't have a copy yet, you could get one for yourself and gift the other two to other kiddos over the holidays (or save them for future birthday gifts!) or you could go in on the 3 copy set with two friends.</div>
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To get your 3 copy book set, click the box below (it'll add them to your shopping cart via my new online store!). As of right now, there are no limits for how many sets of 3 you can purchase. :)</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Unfortunately the sale is now closed. Thank you to everyone who purchased!</span><script charset="utf-8" id="sq-embed-js" src="https://d2dyi2pd86a6cw.cloudfront.net/market/embed.js"></script></div>
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A few extra comments:</div>
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1. The sale will only run for 3 days. From 6:00am PST on Monday, November 16th through 6:00am PST on Thursday, November 19th.</div>
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2. All orders will be shipped out that Thursday morning UNLESS I sell out of the stock I currently have on hand. If that happens before your order comes in, your order may not be shipped until the following Monday or Tuesday (23rd/24th) when the restock supply arrives, but all orders will be shipped Priority, so you should still have it ASAP and for sure in plenty of time for the holidays. ***UPDATE: We sold through all the stock I'd anticipated using in the first few hours! YAY! Just a heads up that any orders that come in now will be delayed by a few days while I wait for replacement stock to arrive. I anticipate new orders will have their copies by the end of next week.***</div>
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3. If you'd like your books autographed/personalized, there's an additional option for that below. When you purchase this additional option, tell me who to make the book out to in the message to seller box. If you don't include any names/directions in the message to seller box, I'll just send the 3 copies of the book with my autograph in each (without a personalized message).</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Unfortunately the sale is now closed, but you can still buy autographed copies through <a href="https://squareup.com/market/funathomewithkids" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our store</a>. And of course the book is still available online and in stores worldwide. :)</span><script charset="utf-8" id="sq-embed-js" src="https://d2dyi2pd86a6cw.cloudfront.net/market/embed.js"></script></div>
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4. If you have any troubles with your order, just email me at funathomewithkids@gmail.com and we'll get it sorted. :)</div>
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5. Sadly (and trust me, I am SUPER bummed), I can only offer this to US addresses. :( I looked into lots of ways to ship outside the US and all of them were just WAY too expensive. The books are big and each one is over a pound, so it's crazy expensive to ship, and by the time I charged you for it, you'd be able to get the book cheaper yourself online through a more local option (like <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Curious-Kids-Science-Book-Asia-Citro/9781943147007" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book Depository</a> or Ebay if your country has one). :(</div>
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6. Thank you all so much for your support! I'm so excited that we've already sold out the first print run and I know I couldn't have done it without all of your help spreading the word! </div>
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Thank you!!!! <3 <3 <3</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-46770254055010707202015-11-15T12:06:00.000-08:002016-09-10T13:04:44.285-07:00Creative DIY Activity Kits for Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
I love gifts that get my kids busy thinking, creating, and inventing! And we all love a good DIY gift, right? So I thought I'd assemble this list of awesome activity kits for kids. Not only do they get a great book filled with wonderful engaging activities (any of which would honestly be a great gift by themselves), but they also get supplies so they get to to work straightaway! For each kit, you'll get a short description of who I think the gift would be great for (ages included) and I'll provide a link to the book that inspired the kit. If you'd like to take a closer look at any of the books, the Amazon listing I link to has a "Look Inside" feature for each of them and you can flip through several pages to get an idea for the layout and type of activities. There's also a link to the site that created the kit - click that to see a full list of kit supply ideas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZtQgynHaFyUzdZvlab1-vOVyYFv2jA0Sz1u1xDtQPNQQEi3MT8rEq_aUlFsxFD-2pPCqZNHHnRT3WX0mZh46oBLJc0BRO51q9IsjHWDA5YLKdoyp6xjjRhsyz2Bb0ubSPbnfjYJHGOIF/s1600/Untitled+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="These amazing kits will provide HOURS of creative battery-free, screen-free play! A wonderful DIY gift for any kids in your life -- gift kit ideas for babies through elementary school age children." border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZtQgynHaFyUzdZvlab1-vOVyYFv2jA0Sz1u1xDtQPNQQEi3MT8rEq_aUlFsxFD-2pPCqZNHHnRT3WX0mZh46oBLJc0BRO51q9IsjHWDA5YLKdoyp6xjjRhsyz2Bb0ubSPbnfjYJHGOIF/s640/Untitled+%25283%2529.jpg" title="" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For the little SCIENTIST in your life...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Uyk_32lCBYSXtWpRkmMi-p3nIMs4hmqaHaT9ewJp7bIMAYSUKc-jn7ZC650MbokOUBPauplIDAJ3aZwuMpMfWUGTeUThV6Jx8e2ESdE6OUIrQMyTzs_rZho9_HkRJCza00Jwmy2nYZwU/s1600/DIY-Science-Kit-for-Kids-Mama.Papa_.Bubba_.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Uyk_32lCBYSXtWpRkmMi-p3nIMs4hmqaHaT9ewJp7bIMAYSUKc-jn7ZC650MbokOUBPauplIDAJ3aZwuMpMfWUGTeUThV6Jx8e2ESdE6OUIrQMyTzs_rZho9_HkRJCza00Jwmy2nYZwU/s640/DIY-Science-Kit-for-Kids-Mama.Papa_.Bubba_.2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1WUjzK1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Curious Kid's Science Book</a>, has over 100 activities that will teach children how to ask their own scientific questions, discover value in failed experiments, and -- most importantly -- have a blast with science. The 100+ hands-on activities in the book use household items to playfully teach important science, technology, engineering, and math skills. You can take a sneak peek at the inside of the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1WUjzK1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://mamapapabubba.com/2015/10/24/diy-science-kit-for-kids/" target="_blank">Science Kit from Mama Papa Bubba</a> includes the most commonly used supplies in the book (nearly all of which can be found at a Dollar Store!) for kids use in their experiments. You can find a full list of the recommended supplies <a href="http://mamapapabubba.com/2015/10/24/diy-science-kit-for-kids/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For the little INVENTOR in your life...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTI4mlQFnFw7dpGO34eSKMid0GL2lZoRNN2akqufksB3U__nkoWcQCvTu_Ks9L0NPaCmHLhuqj8y_pshbH3z1mE5PXGlxstoIAU2DYYrRxGVVBrHTo3c8-CAZZe5jJK7Wr06wfYcNFoo5U/s1600/TinkerLab-Invention-Box-Images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTI4mlQFnFw7dpGO34eSKMid0GL2lZoRNN2akqufksB3U__nkoWcQCvTu_Ks9L0NPaCmHLhuqj8y_pshbH3z1mE5PXGlxstoIAU2DYYrRxGVVBrHTo3c8-CAZZe5jJK7Wr06wfYcNFoo5U/s640/TinkerLab-Invention-Box-Images.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary</div>
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The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1OMfH9s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tinkerlab: a hands-on guide for little inventors</a>, has over 55 activities that prompt kids to design, build, concoct, and discover. You can take a sneak peek at the inside of the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1OMfH9s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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The <a href="http://tinkerlab.com/diy-kids-invention-box/" target="_blank">Invention Box Kit from Tinkerlab</a> includes her favorite supplies to inspire kids to explore and create. You can find a full list of the recommended supplies <a href="http://tinkerlab.com/diy-kids-invention-box/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">For the little one in your life who loves SENSORY and IMAGINATIVE play...</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmMBbRx9srurfz3WwGfU3-R995LLWSX_K6DThveNrRNbF6gepHnywk_Hw_mM8Ek0ReQaohyphenhyphenxsMH7on6hZaQA9BC0RgctNRzi0Qhb08xMdpHMC1gGJvPx4VDkAkW5qlg1R-7BTdhzypPOO/s1600/1-IMG_6284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmMBbRx9srurfz3WwGfU3-R995LLWSX_K6DThveNrRNbF6gepHnywk_Hw_mM8Ek0ReQaohyphenhyphenxsMH7on6hZaQA9BC0RgctNRzi0Qhb08xMdpHMC1gGJvPx4VDkAkW5qlg1R-7BTdhzypPOO/s640/1-IMG_6284.jpg" width="530" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Baby, Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Early Elementary</div>
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The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1OMfIu9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids</a>, contains tons of recipes for doughs, slimes, paints, and a multitude of simple sensory experiences. Many are taste-safe and allergen-free. You can also find set ups for small worlds to inspire hours of imaginative play and lots of ideas for DIY Toys to further inspire creative play. You can take a sneak peek inside the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1OMfIu9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/10/diy-sensory-kits-creative-gifts-for-kids.html" target="_blank">Sensory Kit from Fun at Home with Kids</a> includes the most commonly used supplies (most of which can be found at the Dollar Tree!) to create the play recipes mentioned in the book. You can find a full list of the recommended supplies <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/10/diy-sensory-kits-creative-gifts-for-kids.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">For the little CRAFTER in your life...</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZA8L0JKgiuU5FrR9h18Tr-PAl2wvjIcPxsD6FXcJNJ9nasDSikO4jXK-zpLE-GO3Zl5dp_0sMn8PiiqPN9kIg-QNSIOLClmKf2Hxa3KAzq0x94nhJIdXqiab7Wk6AtHIcsaKYi2NJuw1Q/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-15+at+10.38.05+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZA8L0JKgiuU5FrR9h18Tr-PAl2wvjIcPxsD6FXcJNJ9nasDSikO4jXK-zpLE-GO3Zl5dp_0sMn8PiiqPN9kIg-QNSIOLClmKf2Hxa3KAzq0x94nhJIdXqiab7Wk6AtHIcsaKYi2NJuw1Q/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-11-15+at+10.38.05+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ideal ages: Preschool (with some help), Kindergarten, and Elementary</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1OMfJOO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Red Ted Art: cute and easy crafts for kids</a>, uses inexpensive and/or recycled materials to teach kids the steps to creating adorable little crafts that can in turn be used in imaginative play (or given as gifts!). You can take a sneak peek at the inside of the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1OMfJOO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.redtedart.com/2013/09/14/alternative-gift-ideas-craft-box/" target="_blank">Crafting Kit from Red Ted Art</a> includes her favorite craft supplies which can be used to invent new crafts or used to create many of the crafts in the book. You can find a full list of the recommended supplies <a href="http://www.redtedart.com/2013/09/14/alternative-gift-ideas-craft-box/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For the little one in your life who is perfecting their FINE MOTOR SKILLS...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnsnwgu54S8EBaBnsSpeO17CJ8CrqOGNrhrp56sBUpMLdo05IbgPf9R48QP228_w4je93sbr5Oc381WvOUW2SrsvBjUbCOx8QeeAJcVwlBhZ_YGgcXyc2J3RrIE3I5p65rb8UQzOXbrME/s1600/fine-motor-kit-2.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnsnwgu54S8EBaBnsSpeO17CJ8CrqOGNrhrp56sBUpMLdo05IbgPf9R48QP228_w4je93sbr5Oc381WvOUW2SrsvBjUbCOx8QeeAJcVwlBhZ_YGgcXyc2J3RrIE3I5p65rb8UQzOXbrME/s640/fine-motor-kit-2.3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten</div>
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The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1WUjQN1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">99 Fine Motor Activities for Ages 1 to 5</a>, contains 99 ideas for playfully strengthening the fine motor skills little ones will need for success in school. The activities focus on developing coordination and strength in the fingers, wrists, and hands. You can take a sneak peek inside the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1WUjQN1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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This <a href="http://www.stirthewonder.com/diy-fine-motor-kit/" target="_blank">Fine Motor Kit from Stir the Wonder</a> compiles a bunch of wonderful materials for strengthening fine motor skills. You can use these materials by themselves or to complete many of the activities in the book. You can find a full list of recommended supplies <a href="http://www.stirthewonder.com/diy-fine-motor-kit/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For the little ARTIST in your life...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIcTa8d7BtmsV0x45daiU22439HMFYv8EOURm3a97Ogc05PrxOZHgytGEoNaTxMI-u24i9Xm-SYsLPTx731YaoyGO-D73HYPB3QxoMQbCl7ek6w-PFVd9qFfry5Jt-98_c9i5CqaGgFsf/s1600/The-Artful-Parent-book-on-Childrens-Art-by-Jean-Vant-Hul-3001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIcTa8d7BtmsV0x45daiU22439HMFYv8EOURm3a97Ogc05PrxOZHgytGEoNaTxMI-u24i9Xm-SYsLPTx731YaoyGO-D73HYPB3QxoMQbCl7ek6w-PFVd9qFfry5Jt-98_c9i5CqaGgFsf/s640/The-Artful-Parent-book-on-Childrens-Art-by-Jean-Vant-Hul-3001.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Early Elementary</div>
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The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1WUjWnV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Artful Parent</a>, has over 60 project ideas to inspire kids to explore and create through art. The book also includes tips for setting up an art space in your home, talking to kids about art, and more. You can take a sneak peek inside the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1WUjWnV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Create your own Art Kit using some of the materials listed in <a href="http://artfulparent.com/2014/01/our-25-favorite-kids-art-materials.html" target="_blank">The Artful Parent's favorite art supplies</a> list. You can use these supplies to create your own art or to complete many of the activities listed in the book. You can find a full list of recommended supplies <a href="http://artfulparent.com/2014/01/our-25-favorite-kids-art-materials.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For the child who loves the HOLIDAYS and BAKING and CRAFTS...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdh3XUMTiHszuwFFe-f5EP-q-86ST3mqw71-mjQ3Em0GiwYl20D77glryUftFPTJAI45jt7tAlzTpV_SjkGdIon6NAlxEHYqeTPV99-oDeynI4F1T7824HJBoS3fLkIctgb_2PdPbpevn/s1600/artful+year+craft+kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdh3XUMTiHszuwFFe-f5EP-q-86ST3mqw71-mjQ3Em0GiwYl20D77glryUftFPTJAI45jt7tAlzTpV_SjkGdIon6NAlxEHYqeTPV99-oDeynI4F1T7824HJBoS3fLkIctgb_2PdPbpevn/s640/artful+year+craft+kit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ideal ages: Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary<br />
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The book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1MhMDTG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Artful Year</a>, has over 175 activities that celebrate each season and the holidays year round. It's full of craft and art projects as well as delicious recipes that highlight foods specific to that season. It also contains ideas for decorations and suggested reading lists of children's books that celebrate the holidays/seasons. You can take a peek inside the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1MhMDTG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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This <a href="http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2015/02/the-artful-year-celebrating-with.html" target="_blank">Art Kit from Toddler Approved</a> contains materials needed to make their favorite Valentine's Day crafts from the book. These materials can also be used to complete some of the other activities from other seasons in the book. You can find a full list of recommended supplies <a href="http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2015/02/the-artful-year-celebrating-with.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-69189514148165483942015-11-07T00:01:00.000-08:002015-11-09T07:06:09.371-08:00Five tips for Raising a Rockstar Reader<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Disclosure: I was sent a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I was not swayed by the free book. :)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X9HbGoYFUpyRlYmUS37UBX_uysoMVlFSOXJ8I0grSUB5b0sw4ocZmNU0kgykLfD6jfZoSLEzAv8vle0gWhdiIQKh-QG0vgCGqXM8m_dnpsfcuI44fMziqa1iPp4rOBLqLENaBd6xg92o/s1600/11227901_10153607542800406_2484705044536480503_n1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X9HbGoYFUpyRlYmUS37UBX_uysoMVlFSOXJ8I0grSUB5b0sw4ocZmNU0kgykLfD6jfZoSLEzAv8vle0gWhdiIQKh-QG0vgCGqXM8m_dnpsfcuI44fMziqa1iPp4rOBLqLENaBd6xg92o/s640/11227901_10153607542800406_2484705044536480503_n1.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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Today I get to share 5 awesome (and easy!) tips for keeping learning to read fun for your kids from the amazing new book <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1kzrlY3" target="_blank">Raising a Rockstar Reader</a></i> by Amy Mascott of <a href="http://teachmama.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mama</a> and Allison McDonald of <a href="http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/" target="_blank">No Time for Flashcards</a>. The book itself is broken down into 75 simple tips for helping your child become a rockstar reader. For any given tip, Amy and Allison offer a lot of description, activity suggestions, and commentary on why the tip is important and how it fits into becoming a great reader. And of course all of this is done in such a lovely way and approachable way - in fact, it's just like you're talking to Allie and Amy (who are some of the nicest ladies I know, by the way) over a cup of coffee.</div>
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If you are feeling unsure of how to get your child on the path to loving reading -- this book is for you!</div>
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Today I'm going to share 5 fantastic and easily implemented tips for how to instill that love of reading. You can find more details on each tip, as well as 70 more in the full book!</div>
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This tip was new to me, but makes a TON of sense. Rather than directly correcting your child's speech (which can be unduly discouraging for your kiddo), they talk about instead repeating the correct version of what they've said. They give lots of great examples, and this is such an EASY (see, I told you) way to encourage speech in a positive way by modeling the correct way to say things without discouraging their attempt.</div>
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The book has several fun activity ideas, like this tip - which could be done with a hose and a fence or sidewalk and chalk in the summer, but you could even do an inside version with markers and a spray bottle. It's a great way to make practicing those letter sounds interactive and FUN!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDKLmeYJsFnBLTK85sbxRx3FTzfL01oRxT97Rm__KsOKhEkUH2GvM2TSr6YGYRIJzPEae-PGls_gLhqLiS5-LnoZuvVZ_jTwysao78s5i_XrLnwT0rQSSxGogY_25qlQqs0OEzpAVh2XZ/s1600/RAR-tip-45-instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDKLmeYJsFnBLTK85sbxRx3FTzfL01oRxT97Rm__KsOKhEkUH2GvM2TSr6YGYRIJzPEae-PGls_gLhqLiS5-LnoZuvVZ_jTwysao78s5i_XrLnwT0rQSSxGogY_25qlQqs0OEzpAVh2XZ/s400/RAR-tip-45-instagram.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is one of my favorite tips -- and it probably comes as no surprise that I LOVE using sensory materials to make writing fun. One of my favorite combos is a thin layer of shaving cream on a table being used for practicing spelling words!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMTw655dykzetkGKSXnu5J0MDim6sav5vzihEP6c0bxyn95SyrnnUsmK1pHDbIZqSMKS4xqadwh3EQI8kIcLYgmBpLb0POXYUoyGmJKKZoxXCRT8TcNNKJzRyETfqQb604Jl65WIOh_Ek/s1600/RAR-tip-56-instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMTw655dykzetkGKSXnu5J0MDim6sav5vzihEP6c0bxyn95SyrnnUsmK1pHDbIZqSMKS4xqadwh3EQI8kIcLYgmBpLb0POXYUoyGmJKKZoxXCRT8TcNNKJzRyETfqQb604Jl65WIOh_Ek/s400/RAR-tip-56-instagram.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have let my kiddos write on the wall (on paper, of course) just to mix things up, but until I read this tip, I didn't know that it had hidden benefits -- writing on a wall or other vertical surface (like an easel), strengthens writing muscles and also naturally causes their hand and arm to assume the correct position for writing! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dV-6ATI9xTKocyJ2G8EHElGN4akSRf2nCGO0Dy81QEI77jYWd-Bj2HyEhyF8-4GATYbBQKahKEcDoSPD_XKWo3-LrRmt5L2TIRu6_cjyQJSJInMVwlIOomiRk5OO2ZCNXhRoShKYVb-Q/s1600/RAR-tip-58-instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dV-6ATI9xTKocyJ2G8EHElGN4akSRf2nCGO0Dy81QEI77jYWd-Bj2HyEhyF8-4GATYbBQKahKEcDoSPD_XKWo3-LrRmt5L2TIRu6_cjyQJSJInMVwlIOomiRk5OO2ZCNXhRoShKYVb-Q/s400/RAR-tip-58-instagram.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This tip is SO important for all ages. For little ones it can draw their attention to the illustrations or other aspects of the book (for instance, X and I love to count the different things on each page together in certain books), but for older kids, it's a great way to make sure they're actually understanding what they are reading. Allie and Amy have a whole list of question prompts to get you started with this tip when reading with your child.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXoPokvrB7BOZxGrFOVMI1mNEGNk0ViaWxbe7e1OVVcl7O3hkxciPlbEedX496kqZB_w11dFAASFgtjig7Ghtl_qyvKDUe8WafAzIlEYkbYQX2_U542rTAlSY21lAFCxeC2HtFhkzdwJm/s1600/RAR-tip-71-instagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXoPokvrB7BOZxGrFOVMI1mNEGNk0ViaWxbe7e1OVVcl7O3hkxciPlbEedX496kqZB_w11dFAASFgtjig7Ghtl_qyvKDUe8WafAzIlEYkbYQX2_U542rTAlSY21lAFCxeC2HtFhkzdwJm/s400/RAR-tip-71-instagram.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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To find even more details about the above tips and 70 more like it, get your copy of Raising a Rockstar Reader today -- available online at <a href="http://amzn.to/1kzrlY3" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. :)</div>
Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-948680186157020492015-09-23T20:23:00.000-07:002015-09-23T20:23:55.457-07:003 Ways to Play: Apple Crumble Dough, Apple Gak, and Apple Oobleck!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today's post is from Suja of <a href="http://www.kidsplaybox.com/" rel="nofollow">KidsPlayBox</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anything apple-scented smells and feels divine. This amazing apple crumble sensory dough and apple gak dough are no exceptions! We used Asia's <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/07/borax-free-slime-dough.html" target="_blank">gak dough recipe</a>, but modified it a bit at the beginning of play to make an apple crumble sensory dough to start that resembles the texture of homemade moon sand. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3fglTQPHbejARwjMU9L-JCw7QxMOXVQIc8gVI_omY_6VWeNMkdjzsUWN9wcSjpY45FtHf6Z0j-B62CtF4cE_ch1CFwriLcZgrwR2GLUVMuPDktOj_cVtsZUOhPDiZGIorUMrCJYvt_gZ/s1600/DSC_0047+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3fglTQPHbejARwjMU9L-JCw7QxMOXVQIc8gVI_omY_6VWeNMkdjzsUWN9wcSjpY45FtHf6Z0j-B62CtF4cE_ch1CFwriLcZgrwR2GLUVMuPDktOj_cVtsZUOhPDiZGIorUMrCJYvt_gZ/s640/DSC_0047+%25281%2529.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To make apple crumble sensory dough, you'll need:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCA_DdNc8WCc65ubVdZSqKXQX9r4Hy50JZk0YDIQJv6lGp02hNbOFFv7gv9lFmMxAKe6ABk62ZVCArYWkyBv2A5C2UTa8DHOKcP6-_cz6NK2uO6kWqQr2LeAx9eMTEDGjfhwiCfVg8PHX5/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCA_DdNc8WCc65ubVdZSqKXQX9r4Hy50JZk0YDIQJv6lGp02hNbOFFv7gv9lFmMxAKe6ABk62ZVCArYWkyBv2A5C2UTa8DHOKcP6-_cz6NK2uO6kWqQr2LeAx9eMTEDGjfhwiCfVg8PHX5/s640/DSC_0005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cornstarch (in the UK this is called cornflour)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1NNFkof" target="_blank">Apple-scented shampoo</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1IKixfTC0vmAgjzapeW0ich_B0i1R1fJ2K0YRkGv-q_TyUYWKDTcbAK3iErf5ScUA2p1rr_-q73OrCSQH0Z5ghEvumDppktneClh5NIKzYNIlwLt2HJhDzBawO1w6S6gJAAxdo1qA3JJ/s1600/DSC_0017+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1IKixfTC0vmAgjzapeW0ich_B0i1R1fJ2K0YRkGv-q_TyUYWKDTcbAK3iErf5ScUA2p1rr_-q73OrCSQH0Z5ghEvumDppktneClh5NIKzYNIlwLt2HJhDzBawO1w6S6gJAAxdo1qA3JJ/s640/DSC_0017+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mix about a teaspoon of coloring into 1/2 cup of apple-scented shampoo and stir until the color is evenly distributed. Take 2 Tablespoons of this colored shampoo mixture and set it aside. Mix the remaining colored shampoo with 2 1/4 cups cornstarch. You may need to mix it by hand at the end to make sure the color and shampoo are evenly distributed. Once it's all mixed, it should be moldable and resemble homemade moon sand. You can even make pretend apples with it! In addition to bein moldable, the mixture will also crumble and kids can have fun spooning, scooping, and sifting through the apple crumble dough.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To make apple gak dough, you'll need:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Tablespoons of colored <a href="http://amzn.to/1NNFkof" target="_blank">shampoo</a> mix (see above)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE5GdHyzHpBwlZdDJmoB1gD18drFaAkwTs6LoYSWN5i-mEbbnT_PtJGJGpJVW9ZzXsjBLrbNJqYPJccNKMN_JWPSA4vsJ91vcElqmdjOLdZkttI0s1YXa22TcMss4LgfiamMw4rnN44Mv/s1600/DSC_0069+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE5GdHyzHpBwlZdDJmoB1gD18drFaAkwTs6LoYSWN5i-mEbbnT_PtJGJGpJVW9ZzXsjBLrbNJqYPJccNKMN_JWPSA4vsJ91vcElqmdjOLdZkttI0s1YXa22TcMss4LgfiamMw4rnN44Mv/s640/DSC_0069+%25281%2529.jpg" width="402" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of colored shampoo mix to the apple crumble sensory dough and add 6 tablespoons of water. Mix well. You should now have apple gak dough! The apple crumble should transform into stretchy, slimy, apple gak! It feels so soft and smells amazing. It is not as hard and strong as playdough, but it will hold a ball shape briefly before melting into an apple-y ooze.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To make apple oobleck, you'll need:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1/4 cup water</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add 1/4 water to your apple gak and it will turn into drippy wiggly apple oobleck!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you're all done playing with that, you can always check <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/05/chilly-ice-cream-goo.html" target="_blank">out this post and make it into pretend/melting ice cream</a> for another day of play. </span></span></div>
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<br />Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-32861483074064411962015-09-02T05:00:00.000-07:002016-09-10T13:03:09.443-07:00DIY Science Kit Gift for Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
Whether it's a gift for the winter holidays, like Christmas, or a birthday present, a DIY Science Kit is a super fun present for any little scientists in your life. A copy of our newest book, <a href="http://amzn.to/1JEYLhn" target="_blank">The Curious Kid's Science Book</a>, paired with some of the materials called for in the book will make a gift that will keep a kiddo occupied for months. And the best part? They'll be learning important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills as they play their way through our book!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNBklKmwaAWhzclM9hoMd67n1WtxzdfjLv0G-1drWuJIE97fa6IzOQhrbxrPhIjwcToA3kE3cNExEMe9M2c0A4SIN_sqvM6RS_XuHjngbN7ralnKupGxqnQVllhMI02x-tfJWKX7HH2pW/s1600/IMG_4728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="DIY Science Kits - a creative gift for kids that will not only entertain them, but also teach them valuable STEM skills!" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNBklKmwaAWhzclM9hoMd67n1WtxzdfjLv0G-1drWuJIE97fa6IzOQhrbxrPhIjwcToA3kE3cNExEMe9M2c0A4SIN_sqvM6RS_XuHjngbN7ralnKupGxqnQVllhMI02x-tfJWKX7HH2pW/s640/IMG_4728.JPG" title="" width="474" /></a></div>
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<i>This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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If you haven't heard about <a href="http://amzn.to/1JEYLhn" target="_blank">our book</a> yet, you can read a full description, reviews, and even take a peek inside on the Amazon listing here. If you own our book already, you can find the list of materials I recommend including in a kit on page 28 of the book. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB_J9pksuQFaTHwDNPp3r2gBIUDw6uP0PwW_avzDm2vq2Gznsr2VYX5soJMNClhyphenhyphenpxjB78RP-k2gO67wkInKvw4Y3Vrt-CAzgne0wo8jb8EwM-fnH6IVQmkaULDD6qGoQQ0sXrs7ePo0K/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-30+at+12.47.39+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB_J9pksuQFaTHwDNPp3r2gBIUDw6uP0PwW_avzDm2vq2Gznsr2VYX5soJMNClhyphenhyphenpxjB78RP-k2gO67wkInKvw4Y3Vrt-CAzgne0wo8jb8EwM-fnH6IVQmkaULDD6qGoQQ0sXrs7ePo0K/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-04-30+at+12.47.39+PM.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
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You can set about creating a kit to pair with the book one of two ways. One way would be to pair it with some of the most commonly used supplies in the book. Another way would be to pair it with a set of the specialty items (things that might be hard to find in local stores). Either way, it'll guarantee that whatever lucky little scientist is getting this gift can get right to experimenting. </div>
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If you're taking the most commonly used supplies approach, here's a list (again you can find this list on page 28 of the book if you already own a copy) of what I'd recommend. Nearly all of these items can be found at a Dollar Tree(*) and all but the goggles can be found at a local grocery store:</div>
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Plastic cups (short and tall)*</div>
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Ziplock bags*</div>
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Masking tape*</div>
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Potting soil*</div>
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Food coloring*</div>
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Cotton Balls*</div>
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Coffee Filters*</div>
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Salt*</div>
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Straws*</div>
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Children's Safety Goggles</div>
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Sugar*</div>
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Cooking oil*</div>
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Vinegar*</div>
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Dish soap*</div>
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Corn syrup</div>
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Cotton swabs*</div>
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Lemon juice*</div>
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Baking soda*</div>
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Pinto beans*</div>
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If you want to take the specialty items approach, the only hard-to-find items called for in the book are:</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2cOAhcz">Children's Safety Goggles</a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2ckl1QE">Petri Dishes</a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2ckl1QE">Agar Powder</a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2c1WC6K">Plastic Pipettes</a></div>
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Oh and one last thing -- I'm hoping to eventually have a landing page put together (but with kids and school and <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2015/08/its-here-curious-kids-science-book-is.html" target="_blank">book signing events</a>, it'll probably be awhile), but if any of you want to buy personalized signed books to gift with your science kits, you can email me at funathomewithkids@gmail.com. I can send them anywhere in the world (though I'll have to charge for international shipping).</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-68467920843884408972015-08-30T23:00:00.000-07:002015-09-01T20:04:02.480-07:0020 Beautiful Fall Process Art Ideas for Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
We have been on a <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2015/06/50-easy-process-art-activities-for-kids.html" target="_blank">Process Art</a> kick around here lately and with fall already here (how did that happen?) I thought it was only fitting to share 20 beautiful fall process art ideas for kids!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hDO5zmanYSzEqS3cb2vNRsg7TOXsYRBMS-mzxsS7VgperLSE_0ba13IOam47go3k5zpWfgy6XOFYoPWMHd3TC-eDVjqxmVMqvudDBGfauhTZ9rN4t_XzqX3dC4k93oipLdlX0CHnWTgd/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hDO5zmanYSzEqS3cb2vNRsg7TOXsYRBMS-mzxsS7VgperLSE_0ba13IOam47go3k5zpWfgy6XOFYoPWMHd3TC-eDVjqxmVMqvudDBGfauhTZ9rN4t_XzqX3dC4k93oipLdlX0CHnWTgd/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25282%2529.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
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As per usual, please click on the numbered link below to get the full details/directions/materials for each activity you're interested in learning more about!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcsoo5VDWGgeTvMj56jys_TDEX1s3THhz_T-_eduEkZeCFJa8R-bpAyiK1L5rKt2uvEzH11ved71W1ojP_EYgiFmDC4p-ZknjehJ_dimnKGkm85yOJFTUeSl9Wcz5n6k4N0Z23D-7viM9/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcsoo5VDWGgeTvMj56jys_TDEX1s3THhz_T-_eduEkZeCFJa8R-bpAyiK1L5rKt2uvEzH11ved71W1ojP_EYgiFmDC4p-ZknjehJ_dimnKGkm85yOJFTUeSl9Wcz5n6k4N0Z23D-7viM9/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/08/fall-window-art-leaf-suncatchers-free.html" target="_blank">Fall Suncatcher Leaves with Free Printable Template</a> from Fun at Home with Kids</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. <a href="http://www.artbarblog.com/create/painted-branch-collaborative-art/" target="_blank">Collaborative Branch Art</a> from Art Bar</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. <a href="http://www.craftideasforkids.co.uk/autumn-leaf-painting/" target="_blank">Autumn Leaf Painting</a> from Craft Ideas for Kids</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqRmNBt0y5nPLiwIZqGUk8bhdDgyXWUjTPga7SGjYNDzepSh7aAmchUhGHQo9rkdAXmRLh_ZiRkPjKzUj4xqHS1nSWqaQHH64HYH3kEoESBYNJqil50Rp4wiXkUhJTEr_PMeaJd4r0Hyn/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqRmNBt0y5nPLiwIZqGUk8bhdDgyXWUjTPga7SGjYNDzepSh7aAmchUhGHQo9rkdAXmRLh_ZiRkPjKzUj4xqHS1nSWqaQHH64HYH3kEoESBYNJqil50Rp4wiXkUhJTEr_PMeaJd4r0Hyn/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. <a href="http://meaningfulmama.com/2012/10/day-291-fall-leaf-prints.html" target="_blank">Fall Leaf Prints</a> from Meaningful Mama</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. <a href="http://buggyandbuddy.com/blotto-painting-kids-fall-colors/" target="_blank">Fall Blotto Art</a> from Buggy and Buddy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. <a href="http://artfulparent.com/2011/11/leaf-doodles-and-mandalas.html" target="_blank">Leaf Doodles</a> from The Artful Parent</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzxo2NyIOdkHUSpEZ7vbbQufChfOgnBqWCO8jihPa8AFXGni-sZRF2TLQYeT_lpPOcsvDqHbTf6bsPN6h7gg08WqzjxWhWV6lg6_8JXnUYt9FPrhPze7-PisCXJTikYay2UGVdtnEZbRd/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzxo2NyIOdkHUSpEZ7vbbQufChfOgnBqWCO8jihPa8AFXGni-sZRF2TLQYeT_lpPOcsvDqHbTf6bsPN6h7gg08WqzjxWhWV6lg6_8JXnUYt9FPrhPze7-PisCXJTikYay2UGVdtnEZbRd/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. <a href="http://www.two-daloo.com/fall-leaves-resist-art-suncatcher/" target="_blank">Fall Leaves Resist Art Suncatcher</a> from Twodaloo</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. <a href="http://nurturestore.co.uk/autumn-art" target="_blank">Autumn Art</a> from Nuturestore</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">9. <a href="http://littlewondersdays.blogspot.com/2011/08/back-to-school-fall-friday-fun.html" target="_blank">Marbled Leaves</a> from Little Wonder Days</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5-m1G6K2Dp8g67OPsD5BP5sJBNGlVYlUOcT54yCcsvP2qqILSAD4wM776rHzUPgdRSgLP_sZOVzltBSD1uqHz8PNyS6VnNaO7brGoQVnKeqBbkRa9AATgwBpDMlnXscgTVDcbeuiL1TY/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5-m1G6K2Dp8g67OPsD5BP5sJBNGlVYlUOcT54yCcsvP2qqILSAD4wM776rHzUPgdRSgLP_sZOVzltBSD1uqHz8PNyS6VnNaO7brGoQVnKeqBbkRa9AATgwBpDMlnXscgTVDcbeuiL1TY/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25286%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. <a href="http://www.cuttingtinybites.com/2014/10/fine-motor-fall-yarn-wrapping.html" target="_blank">Fine Motor Fall Yarn Wrapping</a> from Cutting Tiny Bites</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">11. <a href="http://www.teachpreschool.org/2011/09/painting-fall-trees-with-egg-cartons-in-preschool/" target="_blank">Painting Fall Trees</a> from Teach Preschool</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">12. <a href="http://www.housingaforest.com/fall-marble-painting/" target="_blank">Fall Marble Painting</a> from Housing a Forest</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXeXdO_GwXyk0n4caJlbqyMZmthEqGLRHzgCnRWON1PlOQOGGvAGgs6SVIEzmW6THOsDtk5cKi1es77gsx_EuYuJGC1x_7GVZlSC2c2ooEIsQP0l1dSpHknG3_gfwekXRzMgR-t3pjw7L/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXeXdO_GwXyk0n4caJlbqyMZmthEqGLRHzgCnRWON1PlOQOGGvAGgs6SVIEzmW6THOsDtk5cKi1es77gsx_EuYuJGC1x_7GVZlSC2c2ooEIsQP0l1dSpHknG3_gfwekXRzMgR-t3pjw7L/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25287%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">13. <a href="http://teaching2and3yearolds.com/fall-preschool-fine-motor-art/" target="_blank">Fall Preschool Fine Motor Art</a> from Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">14. <a href="http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/tissue-paper-art-fall-tree-craft.html" target="_blank">Tissue Paper Art Fall Tree Craft</a> from Fantastic Fun and Learning</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">15. <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/09/kid-made-fall-nature-wreath.html" target="_blank">Kid-Made Fall Nature Wreath</a> from Fun at Home with Kids</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXbKSzF_7oJdfSvbDbAeKd9Qc4lZ_ico_D98zSVMpe75cIUbLIpklxn_x6Dosye862pTr81W_zBYlDoXSS6vczXCrN6q02limk2dWJ6-VRLZeqVp11iiqgeBcEHbGXvOAk5KZlmyeAmiQ/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXbKSzF_7oJdfSvbDbAeKd9Qc4lZ_ico_D98zSVMpe75cIUbLIpklxn_x6Dosye862pTr81W_zBYlDoXSS6vczXCrN6q02limk2dWJ6-VRLZeqVp11iiqgeBcEHbGXvOAk5KZlmyeAmiQ/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25288%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">16. <a href="http://munchkinsandmoms.com/foil-printed-fall-tree-art/" target="_blank">Foil Painted Fall Tree</a> from Munchkins and Moms</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">17. <a href="http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2014/11/pinecone-painting-thanksgiving-turkey-craft.html" target="_blank">Pinecone Painted Thanksgiving Turkey Craft</a> from No Time For Flashcards</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">18. <a href="http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/falling-leaf-art.html" target="_blank">Falling Leaf Art</a> from Fantastic Fun and Learning</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGHqf0UCoGvb1n7OKDMEuW2qzDgmiq8jA9hU-13ioyEqtk73nVXUwbFo77-qR9td3qLZDTwM_x93xsUJgyum6cvBRtGio2I93H3mco6KKew8EeMLeDguhV0TWJ-LS6sstCmzOhd_skevB/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGHqf0UCoGvb1n7OKDMEuW2qzDgmiq8jA9hU-13ioyEqtk73nVXUwbFo77-qR9td3qLZDTwM_x93xsUJgyum6cvBRtGio2I93H3mco6KKew8EeMLeDguhV0TWJ-LS6sstCmzOhd_skevB/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25289%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">19. <a href="http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2012/09/mom-and-tot-craft-time-sparkly-fall.html" target="_blank">Sparkly Fall Leaves</a> from Toddler Approved</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">20. <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/09/fall-leaf-watercolor-resist-art.html" target="_blank">Watercolor Resist Art</a> from Fun at Home with Kids</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL8IVKgKCOmP-mCWjCmLXtjPR7F7dIFkxf43P4e0raxPKjo3XmvlhaDv8EuBxeql2YxHL55dMPFgCNGUl9ZZvsZZ92UdW-LyWbU0kwGKMBeJ1QWb46yHwTaXQbObzNTPBslLUYyjFbV2h/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL8IVKgKCOmP-mCWjCmLXtjPR7F7dIFkxf43P4e0raxPKjo3XmvlhaDv8EuBxeql2YxHL55dMPFgCNGUl9ZZvsZZ92UdW-LyWbU0kwGKMBeJ1QWb46yHwTaXQbObzNTPBslLUYyjFbV2h/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%252810%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-14359659745450973402015-08-20T11:37:00.002-07:002015-09-16T07:33:32.336-07:00It's HERE! The Curious Kid's Science Book is here!!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm so excited to announce that our second book, The Curious Kid's Science Book, is here!!!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhhLJngAl8wxD7VA09UBjfcdNVP9zT9L_eSIGus1j558v_mNilrOoTUzbZaWkupKUym_WUSNKsoaCwQbZfJLSJ9x8FW2rteuKh0gfRmm5IH-NZrUHRyMp5mgE2Xl9qYQgZNUQUmLapEWf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-30+at+12.47.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhhLJngAl8wxD7VA09UBjfcdNVP9zT9L_eSIGus1j558v_mNilrOoTUzbZaWkupKUym_WUSNKsoaCwQbZfJLSJ9x8FW2rteuKh0gfRmm5IH-NZrUHRyMp5mgE2Xl9qYQgZNUQUmLapEWf/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-04-30+at+12.47.39+PM.png" width="498" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What happens if you water plants with juice? </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">How would your child find the answers to these questions? In</span><i style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> The Curious Kid's Science Book</i><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, your child will learn to design his or her own science investigations to determine the answers! Children will learn to ask their own scientific questions, discover value in failed experiments, and -- most importantly -- have a blast with science. The 100+ hands-on activities in the book use household items to playfully teach important science, technology, engineering, and math skills. Each creative activity includes age-appropriate explanations and (when possible) real life applications of the concepts covered. Adding science to your at-home schedule will make a positive impact on your child's learning. Just one experiment a week will help build children's confidence and excitement about the sciences, boost success in the classroom, and give them the tools to design and execute their own science fair projects.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are in the US, the book is available online now at <a href="http://amzn.to/1U0nw9i" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, and within a few days at <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-curious-kids-science-book-asia-citro/1121763711?ean=9781943147007" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Curious-Kids-Science-Book/Asia-Citro/9781943147007?id=6270906106117" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books-A-Million</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/6m-6wQC_1C/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_top">Eeek! It's here!! We just opened the newest book from @funathomewithkids, and it is AMAZING...so many clever science activities for kids!</a></div>
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A photo posted by Shaunna Evans (@fantasticfunandlearning) on <time datetime="2015-08-20T14:48:48+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Aug 20, 2015 at 7:48am PDT</time></div>
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You can also find it in the following US bookstores, starting next week (it may be carried in more stores than this - doing my best to keep the list updated):</div>
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Anderson's Bookshop</div>
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Annie Blooms Books</div>
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Bank Square books<br />
Bank Street Bookstore</div>
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Barston's Child's Play</div>
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Best of Books<br />
Book Bin<br />
Book Ends<br />Book Mark<br />
Book Revue</div>
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Book House of Stuyvesant<br />
Book People</div>
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Bookazine</div>
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BookMag<br />
Books & Company<br />
Books and Beyond<br />
Bookstall at Chestnut Court</div>
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Bookstore in the Grove</div>
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Breakwater Books</div>
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Broadway Books</div>
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Copperfield's Books<br />
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room</div>
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Darvill's Bookstore</div>
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Eagle Harbor Books</div>
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Gallery Bookshop</div>
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Gibson's Bookstore</div>
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Horizon Books</div>
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Island Books</div>
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Learning Ventures<br />
New South Books</div>
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Ninth Street Bookshop</div>
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Northshire Bookstore</div>
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Norwich Bookstore</div>
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Politics and Prose Bookstore</div>
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Powell's Books</div>
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Queen Anne Book Company</div>
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Red Balloon Bookshop</div>
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Talking Leaves Bookstore</div>
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The Bookshelf</div>
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The University Store on 5th<br />
The Valley Bookseller</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">Third Place Books* (Ravenna Book Signing 11/8 at 11am)</span></span></div>
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University of Oregon Bookstore</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">University Bookstore* (Bellevue Book Signing 9/13 at 11am)</span></div>
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University of Minnesota Bookstore</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Village Books* (Book Signing 10/3 at 4pm)</span></div>
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Watermark Book Company<br />
Waucoma Bookstore</div>
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Westborough Books Inc</div>
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Western Associated Students Bookstore</div>
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Wild Rumpus</div>
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Winchester Book Gallery<br />
Women & Children First</div>
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*These bookstores are hosting Author Events with me and will have autographed copies of the book for sale after the event.</div>
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/6iqBjjGRdc/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_top">His face completely sums up how I feel about getting my copy of The Curious Kids Science Book from @funathomewithkids !!! #scienceforkids #momsoninstagram</a></div>
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A photo posted by Allison (@learnplayimagine) on <time datetime="2015-08-18T22:29:16+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Aug 18, 2015 at 3:29pm PDT</time></div>
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If you are outside the US, right now the <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Curious-Kids-Science-Book-Asia-Citro/9781943147007" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book Depository</a> will be shipping copies within a few more days. And <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-curious-kids-science-book/9781943147007-item.html?ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chapters</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/The-Curious-Kids-Science-Book/dp/1943147000/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon CA</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/dp/1943147000/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.fr/Curious-Kids-Science-Book-Hands/dp/1943147000/ref=tmm_pap_title_0" target="_blank">Amazon FR</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.de/The-Curious-Kids-Science-Book/dp/1943147000/ref=zg_bs_tab_pd_bsnr_3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon DE</a>, <a href="http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Curious-Kids-Science-Book-Asia-Citro-Asia-Citro-By-photographer/9781943147007" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fishpond</a>, and others should have their stock within a few more weeks.<br />
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Please feel free to email me at funathomewithkids@gmail.com if you have any questions! We hope you all love the book!</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-54143222581771961992015-08-05T20:50:00.000-07:002015-08-05T21:13:14.903-07:00A Children's Librarian's Absolute Favorite Chapter Books for Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
If you missed Erica's list of absolute favorite books for younger children, you can find it <a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2015/07/a-childrens-librarians-absolute.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYst4PHRinGGOwAfMelEnAx71O8EOh1JQLBUOm_OzJflu18JMplLlrOXfl4YHVGXWQWc824JmuE4mVwi4FAKAaMgEwwyqB5U5MOQ9bHeGtfp9-WDt7lvaNf4YSm9zRPV0C-qpxesHxKnzb/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An amazing list of Favorite Chapter Books for Kids from an experienced Children's Librarian. It includes lots of titles I hadn't heard of before!" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYst4PHRinGGOwAfMelEnAx71O8EOh1JQLBUOm_OzJflu18JMplLlrOXfl4YHVGXWQWc824JmuE4mVwi4FAKAaMgEwwyqB5U5MOQ9bHeGtfp9-WDt7lvaNf4YSm9zRPV0C-qpxesHxKnzb/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25285%2529.jpg" title="" width="364" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi again! I’m back with a list of some of my favorite chapter books. On this list, you are not going to find titles that have spent years on best-selling lists about a certain young wizard or teenaged demi-god. While I do indeed love them, those series do quite well on their own. Here I am including books you may have heard of, but not necessarily picked up yet, and even a couple you may remember from your own youth that have stood the test of time. There are plenty of other books that are also my favorites, but these are the ones that rose to the top of my brain first…so enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1JNcRhg" target="_blank">Mercy Watson to the Rescue</a> by Kate DiCamillo is a great transition from books for early readers to chapter books. The whole series of six books is delightful. The text is large, the chapters short, the illustrations bright and colorful. And the books are about a pig who loves buttered toast. What’s not to love? These are also great fun to read aloud to kids who are building up stamina for listening to longer stories. Let me just also say that I love everything by Kate DiCamillo. There’s a reason she’s won the Newbery Medal twice (for <i>The Tale of Desperaux </i>and <i>Flora and Ulysses</i>) and received tons of acclaim for her other books. So starting chapters with this hilarious pig is a great way to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1NbfQ1U" target="_blank">Emmaline and the Bunny</a> by Katherine Hannigan is a delicious sweet of a book about a girl who wants a bunny. Unfortunately, she lives in the town of Neatasapin, where messes, disorganization and hopping are simply not allowed. How can Emmaline make her yard an inviting place for the wild bunny she knows is hiding just nearby? Lots of fun language play and lyrical imagery make this one a great read-aloud too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1P7vzAd" target="_blank">Arabel’s Raven</a> by Joan Aiken is one that I downloaded as an audiobook from the library, and my family has enjoyed on many car trips, at times nearly needing to pull over because we were laughing so hard. In three longish stories, we meet little Arabel, a precocious English preschooler, and her pet raven, Mortimer, who has a penchant for eating stairs (yes, stairs) and croaking “Nevermore” to express whatever it is he wishes to express. There’s mystery, drama and dry humor in abundance in this classic tale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1hkolxu" target="_blank">The BFG</a> is one of my favorites by the amazing Roald Dahl. His ability to combine dark and sinister with humor and wit is unmatched. In this tale, the orphan Sophie unwittingly observes the Big Friendly Giant (“BFG”) on his secret nightly rounds. But of course, once she’s seen, he must kidnap her because his existence must remain secret. But when she and the BFG learn of the other giants’ plans to eat the Queen (oh my!), they cannot keep the secret any longer. Filled with Dahl's trademark dark humor and playful language, this is one that begs to be read aloud. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1eUlGsz" target="_blank">The Penderwicks: </a><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="line-height: 1.3;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1eUlGsz" target="_blank">A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy</a> by Jeanne Birdsall had me at the title. Reminiscent of </span></span><i style="color: #111111; line-height: 1.3;">Little Women</i><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="line-height: 1.3;">, Rosalind, Skye, Jane and Batty are as different, and yet as closely knit, as sisters can be. T</span><span style="line-height: 1.3;">heir summer vacation in a cottage on the Arundel estate is made all the more wonderful when they meet Jeffrey Tifton, the fun-loving boy and talented musician who lives at the manor. The haughty and overbearing Mrs. Tifton, however, is less than thrilled with the influence of the four sisters. But, as long as they stay out of her way</span></span><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">…Hm, that might be easier said than done. While the story is contemporary, it is also deliciously nostalgic, making for a perfect summer (or anytime) read-aloud or read-alone.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1SR6yis" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Anne of Green Gables</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>by L.M. Montgomery <span style="font-family: inherit;">is the the book that made me a reader. Sure I read when I was a kid, but I liked short stories and folk tales. And then came Anne Shirley, the irrepressible, overly dramatic, simply lovable redhead. Her devotion was real, her friendships true, and her love knew no bounds. I inhaled the series, and then kept going. I can’t wait to introduce my daughter to her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1OScjpz" target="_blank">Schooled</a> is a fine example of Gordon Korman’s gift for writing about the middle school experience from a variety of perspectives. Cap lives with his grandmother, the last two residents of a hippie commune. But when his grandmother is injured, Cap is sent for the very first time to school…public middle school. Sure, a lot of the humor comes from Cap trying to navigate a plugged-in, fast-paced society, but the heart of the story shines through it all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1Uprk6a" target="_blank">Running Out of Time</a> is one of Margaret Peterson Haddix’s stand-alone novels. She is well known for <i>The Shadow Children</i> and <i>The Missing</i> collections, but this one stands out for me. Jessie lives in a frontier town in 1840…or at least that’s what all the children in town believe. But when people start getting sick, Jessie is let in on the big secret: It’s actually 1996, and she’s been living in a living-history museum her whole life without ever knowing it. Now, her parents need her to leave the town (or rather, museum), and get help. And escaping the museum is only the first challenge. Granted, the book is a bit dated (There are pay phones…remember those?), but the premise and story are compelling enough to keep readers hooked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1M6jOKv" target="_blank">Farwalker’s Quest</a> by Joni Sensel paints a world that is part primitive, part post-apocalyptic, in which Ariel and her friend Zeke discover a telling dart, a form of communication that hasn’t been used in ages. But when two strangers come looking for that dart in their village, Ariel and Zeke are catapulted on an adventure to find the sender of the dart, as well as who they are meant become. There are many fabulous “discovering your true self” novels for middle-grade readers, and this is one of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1K4yMw3" target="_blank">Holes</a> by Louis Sachar is an intricately woven puzzle, full of flashbacks, bitingly dark humor and unapologetic social commentary. Stanley Yelnats’ family has all the bad luck, so when Stanley is wrongly accused of a crime, he resignedly accepts his fate as he’s shipped off to Camp Green Lake. There’s no lake there, green or otherwise, and there’s not much that is camp-like about this juvenile detention facility. Boys are required to dig a hole five feet deep by five feet in diameter every day to “build character.” But through flashbacks and intertwined story lines, the reader learns some of the history of this remote part of Texas, and how Stanley’s destiny is tangled in it all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1OScuBj" target="_blank">When You Reach Me</a> by Rebecca Stead is another remarkable puzzle of a book. It’s one of those that, once you finish and all is revealed, you want to read again right away to find all the clues. Miranda lives in NYC, and she and her friend Sal are suddenly growing apart for reasons she can’t explain. Meanwhile, she starts to receive mysterious notes that lead her to believe that the person writing them has a glimpse into the future, and that she alone holds the key to preventing a terrible accident. A thought-provoking story with mystery, a wee bit of fantasy, and coming-of-age tale all rolled into one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1M6jWJN" target="_blank">The Amulet of Samarkand</a> by Jonathan Stroud is the first of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, which was followed by a prequel that can be read before or after the trilogy. In an alternative-reality London run my magicians, Nathaniel is an ambitious apprentice who wishes to rise high and fast. When he suffers humiliation by a senior wizard, Nathaniel wants revenge, so he conjures a powerful djinn named Bartimaeus. The revenge plan backfires, but in so doing, uncovers a plot to overthrow those in power. What I love about these books is the style of storytelling, in which a subjective narrator relates Nathaniel’s story in some chapters, then alternates with Bartimaeus’ cutting first-person accounts of what is really going on. Mystery, intrigue, politics, social justice, and a healthy dose of laughs as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1hkoyAN" target="_blank">The Star of Kazan</a> is a star among Eva Ibbotson’s wonderful books. Set in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it truly is a feast for the senses, as well as a fascinating, harrowing, charming, and all-around marvelous story. Our heroine is Annika, and while she leads a happy life with her adopted family (a cook, a housemaid, and three eccentric professors), she dreams of one day finding her parents. One day, her dream comes true in the form of an elegant, aristocratic woman. But Annika soon learns that there is much more to her mother’s, as well as her own, story than meets the eye. </span></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-37979051847272459332015-07-27T04:00:00.000-07:002015-07-27T04:00:03.564-07:00A Children's Librarian's Absolute Favorite Books for Kids<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I've been the only writer here at Fun at Home with Kids since I started it back in 2013. But with S in school full time during the year and X starting preschool in a few short weeks (eeek!), I wanted to bring on someone else to keep the blog trucking along, even if I'm sometimes posting a bit less frequently myself. I got the idea of booklists from my talented friend Allison McDonald of <a href="http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/" target="_blank">No Time for Flash Cards</a> (she has epic numbers of fantastic book lists that you can find <a href="http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/book-reviews" target="_blank">here</a>). I'm often at a loss for which books to read X or to get S to read on her own (I still can't believe she's old enough to read on her own!), so I thought this would be a great resource to add to our blog. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I am SO SO SO EXCITED to say that my absolute favorite children's librarian ever agreed to write for us. S and I started attending her legendary storytimes (they are often standing room only) back when S was just 18 months old. Erica will be added themed booklists every few weeks -- if you have any topics you'd like to see a booklist for, feel free to email me at funathomewithkids@gmail.com and we'll try to add it to our ongoing list of ideas. With that, I'll let Erica introduce herself and kick things off with her absolute favorite books for kids.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNGZ_c81tti8fFRs0eX63lEimRQyrXETskkIbGqyWX5AETyDG3RRXkqibmzxZdydd7zqRrudeEBF4l1je5UEotpd_xP8wTGEoCL2ZT_gikRZ8Qq7DmmzIQ0Et2GCsGEKwv92Mmxt94Aaj/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%252829%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An experienced Children's Librarian shares her favorite ever books for kids ages 0 -10. " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNGZ_c81tti8fFRs0eX63lEimRQyrXETskkIbGqyWX5AETyDG3RRXkqibmzxZdydd7zqRrudeEBF4l1je5UEotpd_xP8wTGEoCL2ZT_gikRZ8Qq7DmmzIQ0Et2GCsGEKwv92Mmxt94Aaj/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%252829%2529.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi! I’m Erica, mom of a pretty awesome 9-year-old daughter, and I also happen to be a Children’s Librarian. I’m super honored to be asked by Asia to contribute booklists to her website. To start, Asia has asked me to list some of my favorite books for kids ages 0-10, just so you can get to know me a little better. So, I started my list, but it really got long. There are just too many fabulous books! So, I’m going to give you my first installment of books from board books to early readers. Chapter books for independent readers (and for family read-alouds) are forthcoming. So, here are Erica’s faves #1!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1frPnlQ" target="_blank">Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton</a> is a board book loved by many, and understandably so. Boynton’s playful illustrations and gift for words and rhyme made it difficult to choose just one of her books. I chose this one because it BEGS to be danced, which I did on many occasions with my kid when she was small, and I get to enjoy again during my Baby Story Times. I love books that lend themselves to interactive reading and play (as you’ll see with other books below), and this book gets babies and and their grownups going from the start!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1LYQ97h" target="_blank">Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman</a> was another favorite board book of my daughter’s, although it’s also available as a picture book with paper pages. It’s a book of few words, but such expressive illustrations as the gorilla frees all the animals in the zoo so they can bunk with the zoo keeper and his unsuspecting wife. On the interactivity front, my daughter loved finding the moon and the balloon on each page…OK, I admit, I enjoyed that part, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1dOWUJZ" target="_blank">Gossie by Olivier Dunrea</a> is both a board book and picture book as well. I first ran across this book in a bookstore when my girl was a baby, and fell in love with Gossie and her friends. You can’t help but love a gosling who loves wearing her bright red boots…every day! But then, her boots are gone! There’s fun repetition and opposites as Gossie searches for her missing boots. The ending is sweet, but not forced, and simply put a smile on my face. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1KYOE7a" target="_blank">King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey and Don Wood </a>is just good, silly fun. I love pretty much everything they’ve done, and this is definitely at the top. Lots of repetition for kids to join in (“Oh, who knows what to do?”), amazingly vibrant illustrations, and in the end, it’s the kid who solves the problem of getting the king out of the bathtub. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1LUCFbq" target="_blank">Journey by Aaron Becker</a> is a picture book with no words. There are many illustrators who have wonderful wordless books. Suzy Lee, Barbara Lehman, Bill Thompson and David Wiesner are among my favorites. Journey is a lovely watercolor celebration of creativity, adventure and the dawning of new friendship. When I had the privilege of hosting Aaron Becker at my library, the kids were practically gathered in his lap, and he was wonderfully gracious with them, and so I have included this particular wordless book on the list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1frPUEt" target="_blank">Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin</a> is one of those can you can’t help but read aloud. “Click clack moo, click clack moo, clickety clack moo!” Granted, most kids won’t know what a typewriter is anymore. (Am I dating myself if I tell you that I did use a typewriter when I was a kid?) Doesn’t matter…kids still get the story, and it provides grownups with the opportunity to talk to them about the ancient technology of typewriters, telephones with cords and record players.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1KYOXPg" target="_blank">A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza</a> tells the story of a young bird looking for its mother. But unlike P.D. Eastman’s <u>Are You My Mother</u> (a childhood favorite of mine…I think my own mom can still recite it by heart because of me), Choco can’t seem to find a mother who looks just like him. But Mrs. Bear shows him that looking alike isn’t necessarily what makes a family. I love reading this at story time, and grownups in the room just have to deal with me getting a little misty at the end of the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1Toxlzh" target="_blank">The Family Book by Todd Parr</a> is another that I read at story time because Todd Parr’s books are so bright, colorful, and just plain fun. His signature illustration style is appealing to young kids, and while there’s no plot to speak of, his words are simple and wise. The Family Book celebrates all kinds of families with charm, a little humor and a lot of love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1KYPbpF" target="_blank">The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch</a> has stood the test of time, and it’s still a favorite of those looking for a different kind of princess. When a dragon burns Elizabeth’s dress off and snatches her betrothed, does she sit and wait to be rescued. NO! She decides to outsmart that dragon to rescue the prince herself…but her “happily ever after” is anything but Disney-fied.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1frQaU0" target="_blank">Duck’s Vacation by Gilad Soffer</a> is a new picture book that takes a takes a page from <u>The Monster at the End of this Book</u> (another favorite from my childhood). Duck wants to enjoy his vacation, but when the reader continues to turn pages, his relaxation keeps getting interrupted. When this book arrived in my library, I was showing it to everyone I could, and we were all giggling over this clever and silly story. One of my favorite parts is the disclaimer at the end of the book noting that a stunt-duck performed all the dangerous bits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1frQgLk" target="_blank">Press Here by Hervé Tullet</a> is a fabulously interactive picture book that invites young readers to press, tip and shake the book for different effects. This is a great step beyond lift the flap books because it requires a bit of imagination and suspension of disbelief, and celebrates kids’ ability to simply take the book for what it is…fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1HfO9ku" target="_blank">The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett</a> ventures a bit into my love for dark humor. All the other birds have an egg, but duck doesn’t…until he finds a green speckled one. Then all the other birds’ eggs hatch into cute little chicks, but duck’s doesn’t…until it does. But his chick is a little more, ahem, unusual and, um, carnivorous. If you like an edge here and there to your stories, Emily Gravett is definitely an author to have on your shelves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1J6IPjG" target="_blank">I Want My Hat Back by John Klassen</a> is another wonderfully warped picture book. Bear is so sad to have lost his hat and is asking all the animals if they have seen it. Let’s just say that, while there is no illustrative depiction violence, the reader can assume that it doesn’t end well for the rabbit. Clever and grimly fun, this one raised grownups’ eyebrows at story time, but the kids enjoyed it and fully appreciated the moral that it’s not wise to steal a bear’s hat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1eKkRTu" target="_blank">What Was I Scared Of? by the incomparable Dr. Seuss</a> is a story that was originally published in <u>The Sneetches and Other Stories</u>, but is now also published as stand-alone picture book. This was another one of my childhood favorites because I loved those pants, even though I, too, was scared of them at first. We all have fears of things we don’t understand, but if we just take the time to get to know people (and pants) who are different, there might just be hope for us yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1KYPHnu" target="_blank">Just a Second by Steve Jenkins</a> adds a bit of nonfiction to this list. Steve Jenkins is well known for his books <u>Actual Size</u> and the Caldecott Honor book <u>What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?</u> This book takes the concept of time and looks at it from all sorts of animal perspectives, like in one second, a rattlesnake can shake its rattle 60 times and a bumblebee can flap its wings 200 times! From there we go up to minutes, hours, days, months and years. Time definitely flies while pouring over this beautiful and fascinating book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1KYPL71" target="_blank">There Is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems</a> was the first in the beloved Elephant and Piggie series. I really love these books for early readers. The illustrations are fun and expressive, the text nice and large, and the stories are a hoot. When my daughter was learning to read, she and I would read the speech bubbles like a play. (She always got to play Piggie.) If you’re looking for a series to motivate your beginning reader, this just might be it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMO2Vqs1csWTYexV0seG639p49W6sgeAVHFYGBqowuUyqm3J8ineYax7VBqyntBvMl_BPeNfUojiDhVYOanQNJ4XqnliEfDxFxAfHgJSLkYu0FZMQ7Y8_DlqPSRx8zA-7rxFXryQCMkHt2/s1600/51yQ4aTrYhL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMO2Vqs1csWTYexV0seG639p49W6sgeAVHFYGBqowuUyqm3J8ineYax7VBqyntBvMl_BPeNfUojiDhVYOanQNJ4XqnliEfDxFxAfHgJSLkYu0FZMQ7Y8_DlqPSRx8zA-7rxFXryQCMkHt2/s320/51yQ4aTrYhL.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1KYPPU6" target="_blank">Bears in the Night by Stan and Jan Berenstain</a> was read backwards and forwards a million times when I was a child, and I still love it. The bears go in, out, up, down, around and through on their nocturnal adventure. It’s great first taste for young readers into being scared for fun’s sake, and a fabulous foray into the many great books by the Berenstains, both early readers and picture books.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi-Mz-_KGH8Vigudo1ryTeg-dYLSJYZbXRwjJ3nSxy4iLJDymAHv6VcyrimBtcYuyE4B75D03CuLVB8cwmSZEf1yUvAKbDqQb909ME_ReOTawWvbRAHO-CSD0mdLBLsEZvoAhz4HH3xug/s1600/51Hd1R8BGIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi-Mz-_KGH8Vigudo1ryTeg-dYLSJYZbXRwjJ3nSxy4iLJDymAHv6VcyrimBtcYuyE4B75D03CuLVB8cwmSZEf1yUvAKbDqQb909ME_ReOTawWvbRAHO-CSD0mdLBLsEZvoAhz4HH3xug/s320/51Hd1R8BGIL.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1dOXya6" target="_blank">Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race by Cynthia Rylant</a> is dear to my heart. Cynthia Rylant has several wonderful series for kids building their fluency in reading, including Poppleton, Henry & Mudge, and Annie & Snowball. Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race made this list because of my daughter’s attachment to it when she was younger. Mr. Putter is an elderly man with a geriatric cat named Tabby. His neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog Zeke, convince him to run with her in the senior marathon. But can he manage to come in second place to win the train set that he really wants?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfMo0Py5AScfT1-dBQJh3LkMDW3tIfZ74XQ25WiW3fdVaX7RQfGgJrIK88IO5CfbzesNhAq-tkTI2LKMju_DNHVQj3ba7yI5hTkmwTn5s1X6Sn32xYo_eZjErlKQkoT-bdUrwQwlNETsA/s1600/61QEArZ6D3L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfMo0Py5AScfT1-dBQJh3LkMDW3tIfZ74XQ25WiW3fdVaX7RQfGgJrIK88IO5CfbzesNhAq-tkTI2LKMju_DNHVQj3ba7yI5hTkmwTn5s1X6Sn32xYo_eZjErlKQkoT-bdUrwQwlNETsA/s320/61QEArZ6D3L.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1frQPol" target="_blank">Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degan</a> brings kids on an underwater adventure to explore the animals and plants in our oceans. Just like in all the Magic School Bus books, Ms. Frizzle is the ultimate in experiential learning. And now there are early readers and short chapter books to capture the imaginations of different levels of readers. The Ocean Floor made this list because my husband and daughter made a morning routine of this book for several months running. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgAkYbcPjiBUSdV9p7DVR_3kBd6sVxSuRqf4xM9T9Yif0YsKvu26tT5QRs_xPlwQqg3BOJ15SsxV0bAjEKjoRhUP6zOibfUEu1DKw_LYpO6o3plJ_xaeI9WF9IUzWCMB2NtqBEyXkvkQI/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%252828%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgAkYbcPjiBUSdV9p7DVR_3kBd6sVxSuRqf4xM9T9Yif0YsKvu26tT5QRs_xPlwQqg3BOJ15SsxV0bAjEKjoRhUP6zOibfUEu1DKw_LYpO6o3plJ_xaeI9WF9IUzWCMB2NtqBEyXkvkQI/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%252828%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750283367328263528.post-87230326760496068412015-07-19T21:13:00.000-07:002015-07-19T21:13:07.596-07:00Which vacuum is the best for families with young children and pets?<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Disclosure: Eureka, Dyson, Bissell, Hoover, and Shark all sent me the vacuums you see in this post free of charge. The opinions are all our honest opinions of the vacuums; we were not swayed by compensation - though we are grateful to the companies for participating! :)</i></div>
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Our family vacuum was AWFUL. We agreed it was time to buy a new one, but I had literally no idea where to start. I'm pretty sure there are nearly a bajillion different kinds of vacuums out there and I was horribly overwhelmed. Then inspiration struck - I figured I can't be the only parent out there who'd rather not spend hours researching vacuums - so I'd write a post about it. I contacted seven of the top vacuum brands and five companies agreed to participate. They knew we'd be giving honest reviews of their products and that we'd be choosing a winner at the end. I gave them my list of needs and they supplied what they felt was the best performing vacuum from their line given my needs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4-jB-Sl7mN_WdMEsBUym0cSXBhANDZ4pBpqGQTI6VwUYRfXMSKfFpUeAsjBzd_oj2dv7WQrBBpKK16mKqL0CuitAqGSqXkWXwgE3r1xJLw3pnjZOBn9zTym92EGpqojr5rHIhTMeH-vY/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bissell, Dyson, Hoover, Shark, and Eureka vacuums are put to the test to see which does best at keeping up with the mess created by a 6 year old who loves crafting, a 3 year old who spills food constantly, and two long-haired cats." border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4-jB-Sl7mN_WdMEsBUym0cSXBhANDZ4pBpqGQTI6VwUYRfXMSKfFpUeAsjBzd_oj2dv7WQrBBpKK16mKqL0CuitAqGSqXkWXwgE3r1xJLw3pnjZOBn9zTym92EGpqojr5rHIhTMeH-vY/s640/PicMonkey+Collage+%25281%2529.jpg" title="" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>All images in post are courtesy of the respective brands.</i></div>
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<i>This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's the list of requirements I provided:</span></div>
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Must be good with pet hair (we have two cats)</div>
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Must be good on carpet and hardwood (we have both)</div>
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Stairs are a bonus (we have them)</div>
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Must be good at picking up little bits of things (rice, salt, sand, etc)</div>
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Must be good at picking up larger bits of things (food our toddler spills)</div>
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Must be good at picking up large bits of craft supplies (paper, stickers, yarn, etc)</div>
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I rotated through all five for over a month to get a better sense for each and I'll share a few sentences on my observations. In addition to my observations, at the end of a month of sporadic usage, we tested all of the vacuums with six challenges. I did not take apart and clean the vacuums at any point, though I did make sure to empty the canisters prior to the testing. I surveyed a few friends, and the general consensus (as well as my own habits) was that most people do not read the instruction manual and do not use every attachment that comes with their vacuum. Accordingly, I did neither when evaluating these. At the end of each evaluation, I'll provide a link to more information on the brand's site in case you'd like to read more...for the most part I'll try to keep the information here short and to the point! :) Please let me know if you have any other questions about any of them in the comments below and I'll happily answer.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Shark Power Rotator Lift Away</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejQt0VTT_Sw5MJcudHziSG01FOk4OXDuInqHHsnTC0gQbo5JzQFiZCfqbSN3D0_0fzgLET39gvWxTzIWKLei9D5I33bxIZGT8BULN35qDZutUGEbqj72w371lMY0rauxsor_H3c4GDT-P/s1600/image002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejQt0VTT_Sw5MJcudHziSG01FOk4OXDuInqHHsnTC0gQbo5JzQFiZCfqbSN3D0_0fzgLET39gvWxTzIWKLei9D5I33bxIZGT8BULN35qDZutUGEbqj72w371lMY0rauxsor_H3c4GDT-P/s400/image002.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAQ-Bgp8CJdzPue-lkBG5TTepM7b7Bxd2Xk2wGDuE2_SMZBb414KXi3Iwr68PIO6xXo7OP6xGS8CZgH7WXgNHHZeAuumkGuRcGbyh2iQprDaeFcpsniAUP_zW-lt_fdI6BJ6OpRUuY3Cg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.14.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAQ-Bgp8CJdzPue-lkBG5TTepM7b7Bxd2Xk2wGDuE2_SMZBb414KXi3Iwr68PIO6xXo7OP6xGS8CZgH7WXgNHHZeAuumkGuRcGbyh2iQprDaeFcpsniAUP_zW-lt_fdI6BJ6OpRUuY3Cg/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.14.56+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Shark has SO many awesome additions. It has a light that turns on (on both the vacuum and on the hose!) when you are using it, it comes with a ton of great attachments, including special ones for cleaning hardwood floors. Our only complaint was that we couldn't get great suction with the hose. <i> It's possible that our hose was faulty in some way or that we attached it incorrectly. I was supposed to call into their customer service and didn't have a chance to with my two little hooligans running around all day. </i><br />Click <a href="http://www.sharkclean.com/shark-rotator-powered-lift-away/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here for more information</a> on the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away from the manufacturer or <a href="http://amzn.to/1gJnKFs" target="_blank">here to see the listing</a> on Amazon.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bissell Powerglide Deluxe Pet Vacuum </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">with Lift-Off Technology</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZQvQ22Cq0F0nTLErgCSVVAFcK5jq87JC7eQdSp3AWy0WMecxFIRm8vewASapAqHau4uAV53T8sK5IJqDNPFaht3TtZr41yHMidpr39j3MIn_RNPTsehGLEcHymLdX4MjRTetoD1b6_GA/s1600/2763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZQvQ22Cq0F0nTLErgCSVVAFcK5jq87JC7eQdSp3AWy0WMecxFIRm8vewASapAqHau4uAV53T8sK5IJqDNPFaht3TtZr41yHMidpr39j3MIn_RNPTsehGLEcHymLdX4MjRTetoD1b6_GA/s400/2763.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5R4iuZGPWIoUkWNBx8YKX5b3jU25Jmhy7ThtWreP_l-ak9cmthjPP0qIL3ixBrcPtwPzCoGElr6sYszqBCw9PuyhGqafEkTMzWtzAOZeGs7bDcQbpVZKvLBiTFrGRnMUmIGcC22Eh-p3E/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.23.25+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5R4iuZGPWIoUkWNBx8YKX5b3jU25Jmhy7ThtWreP_l-ak9cmthjPP0qIL3ixBrcPtwPzCoGElr6sYszqBCw9PuyhGqafEkTMzWtzAOZeGs7bDcQbpVZKvLBiTFrGRnMUmIGcC22Eh-p3E/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.23.25+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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This vacuum had the best suction of all the vacuums we tried. It was amazing. I am seriously impressed because I even accidentally sucked up a giant rock and it just kept on trucking. It is also very compact and fits easily on stairs if your house has those. We were huge fans of this vacuum, but it is on the harder side when it comes to moving and turning (it doesn't quite swivel as smoothly as some of the others we tried).</div>
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Click <a href="http://www.bissell.com/powerglide-deluxe-pet-vacuum/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here for more information</a> on the Bissell Powerglide Deluxe Pet Vacuum with Lift-Off Technology from the manufacturer or <a href="http://amzn.to/1HDOO1t" target="_blank">here to see the listing on Amazon</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Eureka Brushroll Clean with Suction Seal</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhsglD4akMoxE8o-9LvMWjjIkuJ2RGFATAu5xw0ploiiIv29dC8OCXi-sdFTeAQ9WWgSTG5iYePJh6peQO1eqfWnX42t7ehwUh22_Ww1RvVqiPShYwHysIQTtqLvuV-RdOkzA1pYDM4Gt/s1600/AS3401A_1_381x510.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhsglD4akMoxE8o-9LvMWjjIkuJ2RGFATAu5xw0ploiiIv29dC8OCXi-sdFTeAQ9WWgSTG5iYePJh6peQO1eqfWnX42t7ehwUh22_Ww1RvVqiPShYwHysIQTtqLvuV-RdOkzA1pYDM4Gt/s400/AS3401A_1_381x510.png" width="298" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxyivuQXEASbFKSzsoiUuFKQbHxuOL3ZInkxKT1zEB84xcm6c1qQxK7cIHls-XiRU1RbgkpvViMfbDiQ_6aYokPq3AGSBGy9nuZTVOj_Qe0DkNxUX_-32sFoPOuKR26dQHrFhMaYvqtMW/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.17.52+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxyivuQXEASbFKSzsoiUuFKQbHxuOL3ZInkxKT1zEB84xcm6c1qQxK7cIHls-XiRU1RbgkpvViMfbDiQ_6aYokPq3AGSBGy9nuZTVOj_Qe0DkNxUX_-32sFoPOuKR26dQHrFhMaYvqtMW/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.17.52+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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This vacuum was the most difficult to maneuver and it was also the heaviest. *It worked really well on cat fur and toddler messes for the first 2-3 times I used it. After that I presume a filter got clogged or something got stuck because the suction was very impacted, and remained that way when we tested it. Not everything was exactly the same when we tested each vacuum so it's possible this one got hit with more cat fur or a bigger chunk of toddler food than the others, but one of the things I wanted to test was hardiness over time, which is why this one didn't get taken apart and cleaned prior to the challenge. It does have a very strong hose, and despite the main vacuum being impacted, the hose suction remained strong for the challenge. It also has some neat features that the other vacuums didn't - such as an automatic cord rewind (I hate winding cords, so this was pretty snazzy) and a pedal you can push with your foot that scrapes the brushroll clean (which is also awesome because I hate touching the brushrolls).</div>
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Click <a href="http://www.eureka.com/en-US/Vacuums/Uprights/Brushroll-Clean/Uprights-EurekaBrushrollCleanwithSuctionSeal-AS3401A.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here for more information</a> on the Eureka Brushroll Clean with Suction Seal from the manufacturer or <a href="http://amzn.to/1fhlC6E" target="_blank">here to see the listing on Amazon.</a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hoover Air Pro Bagless Upright</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIIBdPllGggwj3yZFLjwj8_yq6ZzyK1jtjPZ4xFjrwSXV_EPIA2S01oLYsr4H8pDRudvg4w-oa9-KUSlsXdlrAmCjguBlK1glgdVOCBamD7noxXBUC9BbDx7YCfOT38ijHw4ntp3wpTUh/s1600/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIIBdPllGggwj3yZFLjwj8_yq6ZzyK1jtjPZ4xFjrwSXV_EPIA2S01oLYsr4H8pDRudvg4w-oa9-KUSlsXdlrAmCjguBlK1glgdVOCBamD7noxXBUC9BbDx7YCfOT38ijHw4ntp3wpTUh/s400/download.jpeg" width="116" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8qYEP08Wqk-TXAYRmqLvMiahzn-zAFAvCQH2RP3TKCc3Uk12XTXvtWAUa3yWOyYZlP-wd1Xc90gfg5zjLJSZY58cmLxQg0sloxfnjmlopmkkGE0tihzg8fiKs9KlNyul_l6sdNHOGHbR/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.20.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8qYEP08Wqk-TXAYRmqLvMiahzn-zAFAvCQH2RP3TKCc3Uk12XTXvtWAUa3yWOyYZlP-wd1Xc90gfg5zjLJSZY58cmLxQg0sloxfnjmlopmkkGE0tihzg8fiKs9KlNyul_l6sdNHOGHbR/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.20.43+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was another fantastic vacuum. It performed very well - it only struggled with the largest paper scraps. It took 4 passes to get those up, but it did eventually get them. I love that the head of the vacuum is very long and flat because it easily sneaks under the edges of couches, which are always gross around here (toddler) and I'm way too lazy to get the hose out to clean them (usually).</div>
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Click <a href="http://hoover.com/products/details/uh72450/air-pro-bagless-upright/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here for more information</a> on the Hoover Air Pro Bagless Upright from the manufacturer or <a href="http://amzn.to/1gJnlTr" target="_blank">here to see the listing on Amazon</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JqVqeS-3H5CmJ1ToYwqnm6tz9Wf_xurBhzyIC_3h2pStHxZ8ELNkdsqsggBOIVqRMhyphenhyphenzyyBIhCwZBluE-QG9hxbVBgqONMN_uqJai7BRJWhNMNFqSuY0d8PNyon21aOx5lq8ZyW8CVtt/s1600/Hero_Upright_Dyson_Cinetic_Big_Ball_Animal_Allergy_DC77_Animal.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JqVqeS-3H5CmJ1ToYwqnm6tz9Wf_xurBhzyIC_3h2pStHxZ8ELNkdsqsggBOIVqRMhyphenhyphenzyyBIhCwZBluE-QG9hxbVBgqONMN_uqJai7BRJWhNMNFqSuY0d8PNyon21aOx5lq8ZyW8CVtt/s400/Hero_Upright_Dyson_Cinetic_Big_Ball_Animal_Allergy_DC77_Animal.jpeg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQJTpOmqQV5zjB5Rbell2K47o17o6CG2BMnC33sY-PRsqBHM-rmt6WZTdyBMpLjuzCNAk3jCpqaFD69NzhV1RlDLy-c41d57ht36xY_a_gW9rJTMBW82Ht5wNrCG0y3vQdUAmrE49yFv7/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.21.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQJTpOmqQV5zjB5Rbell2K47o17o6CG2BMnC33sY-PRsqBHM-rmt6WZTdyBMpLjuzCNAk3jCpqaFD69NzhV1RlDLy-c41d57ht36xY_a_gW9rJTMBW82Ht5wNrCG0y3vQdUAmrE49yFv7/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-19+at+8.21.42+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Dyson was the vacuum with the second best suction and was amazing at tackling even giant chunks of rice cake and other BIG toddler food messes. The only real complaint you could have is that it is on the heavier side, so if you need to move it up and down stairs frequently and want the lightest possible vacuum, this may not be your ideal vacuum. The biggest paper scraps were immediately vacuumed up, but they didn't make it into the canister and eventually fell out once the vacuum was off.</div>
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Click <a href="http://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/upright/dyson-cinetic-big-ball/dyson-cinetic-big-ball-animal-allergy.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here for more information</a> on the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy from the manufacturer or <a href="http://amzn.to/1gJnqX6" target="_blank">here to see the listing on Amazon</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The winner?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbpajeS8Yv69U72-W6Xc8M7P0jbHQLEgqH_3dKLsTEh9kb-SppsVs5_m5rn0C92FhtVoan0c3kgFfxFibXx2-u_EDaYdz0kRgM1ykSdVt9pto6PiUY-cLdzxT82W0EY_XLyPtU16xR74_/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbpajeS8Yv69U72-W6Xc8M7P0jbHQLEgqH_3dKLsTEh9kb-SppsVs5_m5rn0C92FhtVoan0c3kgFfxFibXx2-u_EDaYdz0kRgM1ykSdVt9pto6PiUY-cLdzxT82W0EY_XLyPtU16xR74_/s640/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My 6 year old daughter, S, my husband, and I all tested these vacuums. Here are each of our answers to the question - which is your favorite?</div>
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My 6 year old chose the <a href="http://amzn.to/1gJnqX6" target="_blank">Dyson</a> as her winner. Her reasoning was that she felt this vacuum was the easiest for her to move herself (the <a href="http://amzn.to/1gJnKFs" target="_blank">Shark</a> was her second favorite for the same reason) and she felt like it was one of the best cleaners (we all voted on the grades listed above). She also says it's way the prettiest. It probably is. It's very shiny.</div>
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My husband and I chose the same vacuums for the same reasons (we're twins - ha!), so I'll list our thoughts here. Our first choice for us was the <a href="http://amzn.to/1HDOO1t" target="_blank">Bissell</a>. We were both impressed by its insane suction power and it didn't matter to us that it was a little harder to maneuver. We did both feel that the <a href="http://amzn.to/1gJnqX6" target="_blank">Dyson</a> was a very close second, and should be your first choice if your priority is an easily moveable vacuum.</div>
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I'd like to again thank the companies - Eureka, Hoover, Bissell, Dyson, and Shark - for participating in our vacuum challenge! Please let me know if you have any questions about aspects of the vacuums I didn't address or if you'd like to know more about any of the tests, etc. by commenting below. :)</div>
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Asia Citrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06443349087947569406noreply@blogger.com16