beyond books
Crafty Books for Boys and Girls of All Ages

Crafty Books for Boys and Girls of All Ages

Did anyone else feel like their kids spent way too much time in front of screens this summer?  We got to that point a few times this summer, but thanks to Quarto Books the kids had some awesome crafty adventures in our own house.  When I was a kid I loved crafty books that taught...
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Learning Activities

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Learning Activities

Recently  I started teaching preschool again after nine years at home with my little ones.  For the beginning of the school year I thought it would be fun to create learning activities surrounding one of my favorite children’s books, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault.  The kids loved starting the...
20 Creative Writing Ideas for Kids of All Ages

20 Creative Writing Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Just because summer is here doesn’t mean the kids need to stop learning!  I wanted to make learning fun this summer so with the help of some friends I put together a list of 20 Creative Writing Ideas for Kids of All Ages.  My kids are all very creative, and come up with some great...
Two Cool Books for Kids That Encourage Creativity

Two Cool Books for Kids That Encourage Creativity

At our house we try to constantly encourage our children to get crafty and to lend a hand in the kitchen.  Recently I was given copies of two awesome books to review, and the kids LOVED them.  In fact, it was hard for me to actually even get my hands on the books once the...
Harry Potter Party at the Kenton County Public Library

Harry Potter Party at the Kenton County Public Library

Recently we attended a Harry Potter Party hosted by the fine librarians at the Covington Branch of the Kenton County Public Library.  They went to great lengths to make this a memorable evening for all of the children and families attending.  I had thought going in that the party would consist of a craft or...
Keeping Peace at the Dinner Table

Keeping Peace at the Dinner Table

Have you ever had a night at the dinner table where chaos reigns? Children are squabbling, parents are tense, milk is spilled, tears are shed, and sanity is called into question. Maybe your table is too small and you need to get a dining table and 6 chairs instead of the 4 chairs that you...
Harry Potter Costumes :: Halloween 2014

Harry Potter Costumes :: Halloween 2014

Ever since our Harry Potter Family Movie Night Party a few years back I’ve been wanting to make Harry Potter costumes for the kids. Well, not just the kids…for all of us! This Halloween I made it happen, and we created costumes for our family of six to represent the characters from Harry Potter! I...
Find Time to Read for Pleasure

Find Time to Read for Pleasure

How many of us have uttered the phrase: “I just don’t have time to read”.  It’s such a shame when we have trouble finding time to read for pleasure.  I know firsthand that finding that time to read can be a struggle.  We all have so many things that keep us from reading for pleasure…our...

Creating a Family Travel Guide

When Michael and I were in college we spent many weekends at the Red River Gorge, and even after we got married we still went camping pretty regularly. But once we started having kids camping got a bit complicated, and we started staying in cabins and not tent camping as much as we used to...

Family Movie Night :: A Hobbit Party

Last week we had a Hobbit Party to celebrate finishing the book.  One of my favorite things to do is to read with my kids.  It’s important for so many reasons, most of all that it helps them develop a love of literature.  And to make reading even more fun, we started a tradition last...
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Sticker Craft

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Sticker Craft

Are you looking for a simple craft for the kids to work on that will strengthen letter recognition and fine motor skills?  How about making a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Sticker Craft with them?  Before you do this craft though, you simply must read the book together with your child (Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin...

Gingerbread Man Story Starters

When I was teaching one of my areas of focus was children’s literature.  I did everything I could to bring the stories to life for the kids, and to create activities for them to do in the classroom that expanded upon the stories we read.  After I left my job as a preschool teacher to...