Baby Steps - Some Thoughts on Entrepreneurship
3 Simple Ways to Encourage Good Behavior in Children with Storytelling
Beyond Kumbaya - Six Campfire Songs to Share with Today’s Preschoolers
Storytelling Meets Lunchtime - A Three Little Pigs Lunch
How to Choose Travel Toys That Really Go the Distance
Books You Don’t Have to Read: Story Podcasts for Kids
5 Preschool Books to Spur Imagination Outdoors
3 Great Reasons to Give Old Fashioned Toys a Serious Look
Like our grandparents we are once again falling in love with the idea of having fewer great things. See how your family can be happier with fewer, better toys.
4 Types of Educational Toys Kids Actually Love
Our house is tiny, so we strive to only keep a few toys with that magical combination of educational value and fun! Here's what we look for...
WHEN IT COMES TO EARLY LITERACY, HUMOR AND KINDNESS HELP
Ask any first-grader and they'll tell you that learning to read English can be really tough! This brilliant poem by Gerard N. Trenité shows us why.
5 Fabulous Ways to Inspire Pretend Play
Independent, creative play doesn't always come easily to kids. Set the stage for pretend play with a few simple steps and they will be on their way!
How To Make A Snowman Jar: Inspired By The Best Snowman Books Ever!
There's something magical about snow, don't you think?
The Science of Creativity
Creativity is a powerful tool that doesn’t always get enough credit.
Growing Flowers: A Fun Use For Your Old Lipstick Tubes
Cute and Easy Paper Bag Bear Caves
In New England the winters are long, why not hibernate?
Goldilocks Popsicle Stick Puppets
8 Ways To Create An At Home Makerspace For Your Kids
Create a fun at-home maker space for your kids!
A Fun and Easy Felt Giraffe Project
Giraffes are the tallest mammals on earth with legs that can be up to six feet tall! Now you try putting your dancing shoes on when your legs are that long. This project is based on the book Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae about Gerald the giraffe who wants to dance but is too shy until...he finds his own rhythm with the help of a friend. Build your own giraffe and have fun making him dance on his wobbly legs!
If You Give a Mouse a Felt Sandwich?
We adore Laura Numeroff's "If You Give..." books about a Mouse, Moose and Pig who ask for favors and keep wanting more and more!It's so much fun to think about what would happen if you gave a mouse a cookie, took him to the movies, or even to school! Make this delicious-looking sandwich that can be built, rebuilt, and rearranged and have a fun sandwich-building experience again and again.
Make Way for Ducklings and Magnets
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey is one of my all time favorite books for many reasons. The illustrations are nostalgic and sweet and they show Boston landmarks like the Public Garden and the Charles River the way they looked almost 75 years ago! As a child I loved going to visit the Public Garden and seeing the bronze statues dedicated to the book - they made the story feel so alive. To make story come alive at home, try making these duckling magnets.
Storytime Toys is launching a blog!
Do your children have a favorite book? Have you ever noticed that some special books begin to take on a life of their own? When my 5 year old daughter latches on to a book, she wants to act out the story, she imagines what happens to the characters after the story ends and sometimes she even wants to build or make something based on the book. That what this blog - Playing off the Page - is all about! We've picked our favorite children's books and put together really cool building projects based on those books.