Here There and Everywhere

Here There and Everywhere is the name of the new Family Time class offering for the fall. Here is a sweet little dog "Wags" and his puppy, along with two tambourines, a book featuring the Band Flip Flap Sugar Snap, a wonderful home activity guide and more.

As many of you know I have been on the Family Time creative team, and I can say - unit two is full of fun. With trips to the farm, the zoo, the aquarium and more, we will provide the sound track to get you from here to there throughout your day.

Our Family Time classes are offered on everyday, Monday - Thursday at all locations. Just give me a call to find out more. (952-895-9006) or check the Kindermusik of the Valley website

I Love You Rituals

As an educator I have enjoyed Becky Bailey's writings for many years - Conscience Discipline and Loving Guidance being two of my most used books. Now a book for parents. I Love You Rituals. I haven't read it, but I am sure if it is from Becky Bailey it is worth while.

the canoe swamp

Here is Tucker and his boyscout buddies learning how to swamp and unswamp a canoe. Thanks to Lorelei for figuring out how to get our camera movies on Google video.

Pray for peace.

One small step for man

The moon boot, an odd fashion trend. Inspired by what happened on this day in 1969 when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first men to set foot on the moon. Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon, because he was closest to the door.

Art media from the Kitchen Cupboard

It is almost State Fair time, get a jump on your CROP ART creations by using some suprising media found in your very own kitchen and clean out the cupboards at the same time.

Check HERE to read about it. For more crafty ideas poke around the WHIP UP blog for crafters - the tag line reads, handcraft in a hectic world. Scroll down a ways on the home page to start seeing neat retro ideas from sewing with old McCalls patterns to gluing buttons on things.

Family Time Unit 2

Take a look at Family Time coming up this fall. Keep your eyes peeled. You may see some friends you know in this video.

It's getting hot hot hot!

It is getting to be sprinkler time around here - although the weekend is heating up we can't stay inside for the whole heat wave can we?

Here is a great idea for splaying with water and keeping cool. Read more about a PINAQUA here. You will need a plastic grocery bag, water and a clothes line - (pinaqua - pinata, you get the idea. Have fun. Stay cool.

Piano with balls

There are lots of ways to play!

Your Budding Artist

What is best for your toddler a chunkey crayon or a marker. Check out this article about the perfect tools for your toddler to explore their creativity and how to be a part of it.

T.V.

How are we spending our summer months? A quick search on Google supplies me with a list of (no kidding) 120 million citings of the phrase "watching TV". Many cites that I looked at were sounding the alarm of the dangers of TV; child hood obesity, visual lock, introduction to violenct behavior, phsycological trick of advertising to children and more.

I am not an advocate of ZERO TV, my own children loved the characters they met watching The Little Mermaid, Toy Story, the Sesame Street Gang and lots of others. But as my friend Molly puts it "I have never seen anything so compelling be so dulling at the same time. For a child's brain, which is developing at high speed, watching television is like being stuck in a traffic jam". While watching television only 2 learning senses are at play - here is a list of what is not working:

• Looking left to right, strengthening reading skills
• Practicing motor skills, such as running, jumping or using sicssors
• Practicing eye-hand coordination
• Using more than 2 senses
• Asking questions
• Exploring
• Exercising innovation and motivation
• Solving problems
• Thinking analytically
• Practicing communication skills
• Being either creative or constructive.
  

So, it is worth being mindful of how much time we spend in front of the tube. Among the alarming articles, I ran across this more reasonable one, with some good information. Click HERE to read more about it. Or keep surfing, there is probably a 1,000,000 hours of reading about TV out there on your computer screen. How ironic.

Summer classes coming up

Enjoying the long lazy days of summer? Have you and your children settled into that gentle rhythm of sleeping late, breakfasting on toast and packing a picnic for lunch at the beach? I hope so.

Thinking back to summer with little ones I remember the days rolling seemlessly one to the next. Everynight a bath at the end of a hot sticky dusty day.

If you are looking to put a little structure in place, our second session of Kindermusik Summer is coming up Juy 17. I still have room for you in either Family Time class or Sign and Sing. Mid July - how about some new songs and games to enjoy for the second half of summer? Conatct Me or give me a call to get more information (952-895-9006)

A perfect day

Sunshine, a quiet lake, great friends, good boat snacks, and plenty of fish.

Lorelei and Tucker proudly show their first catch of the day - two little crappies who are so small they got to live another day.

Enough were caught for an Independence Day fish fry. Such a sweet day, a sweet perfect memory.