How Do You Feel? -- June 2, 2015

We continue to explore opposites with hard and soft!

Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What is Texture? by Jane Brocket
Fuzzy slippers, sticky jam and spiky cacti all feel very differently. Let's learn about texture with this "clever concept" book!

The Woods by Paul Hoppe
A soft, stuffed bunny has a very comforting presence at bedtime...  But what will happen when this little boy can't find his bunny, and he has to go on a quest to find him in the spooky, dark woods?

We had fun at Craft Time with this super-cool sorting activity!

You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello -- May 19, 2015

Time to learn more opposites!  This week we looked at "hello" and "goodbye."

Hello, Hello! by Miriam Schlein
How do lions say hello?  How about zebras?  Or penguins?  Learn how different animals greet each other in this sweet picture book.

Say Hello by Rachel Isadora
A little girl named Carmelita takes a walk in her neighborhood, saying "hello" in many different languages.

Say "hello" to Craft Time with these
awesome waving hands!

Big and Little -- May 12, 2015

We love to explore opposites...  Let's take a look at big and little!

Little Mouse by Alison Murray
A little girl explains how she does not always fit her nickname, little mouse, but it is perfect for when she is cuddling with her mother.

Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond
Elephants give big hugs, ants offer little ones...  Let's see how many different ways you can give -- or get -- a hug!

Check out the fish we made at Craft Time.
Big and Little!

I hope the Little is faster than Big!

Mommy Love -- May 5, 2015

So many reasons to celebrate:  May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month and this Sunday is Mother's Day!  Let's read about Mommies!

Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho

This mommy tries to keep the animals quiet, so as not to wake her sleeping baby.  Can the mosquito, the water buffalo and the lizard learn to "hush"?

Mommy's Best Kisses by Margaret Anastas

Animal mommies lovingly kiss their little ones!

Para los Ninos: Family Communication -- April 28, 2014

We were so happy to have Miss Holly visit us from the Children's Museum today!  She spoke with us about Family Communication...  Here were her tips for caregivers:

• Learn to Listen -- Pay attention when your child speaks and listen without interrupting!
• Be an Active Listener --  Make eye contact and ask questions.
• Take Time to Talk -- Talk in the car, during mealtimes and schedule family meetings.
• Talk Less and Listen More -- Don't hurry your child along or finish their sentences.  
• Model Good Communication Skills -- Communicate frequently, openly, clearly and directly.
• Respond Honestly and Plainly -- Use "I" statements and communicate your own wants and needs.

Then we read...

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

If you give a mouse a cookie, he's probably going to want some milk to go with it.  And then he's probably going to need a napkin, or perhaps a mirror to check for a milk mustache...  Cause and effect takes us through this day with mouse, and it all began with one little cookie!

Miss Holly brought us four really cool activities to explore.  First, we wrote letters to someone special, then we were Copy Cats, using blocks to create shapes and then replicating those with the kiddos.  Next we tried Story Can, where we used objects to retell If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.  And finally...

We made family mottos, complete with pictures!

Additional information is available at http://www.cmhouston.org/family-communication.

Every Day is Earth Day -- April 21, 2015

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
Tap the tree and see how it transforms as the seasons change!

The Earth Book by Todd Parr
Turn off the lights and close the refrigerator door...  Explore ways to show you love the Earth each and every day.

It's fun to recycle old magazines...
And turn their pages into beautiful butterflies!
Thank you to the Mama's Little Muse blog for this great idea.

Ups and Downs -- April 14, 2015

Let's take a look at the opposites UP and DOWN!

Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli
When a little girl asks her father to push her on the swing, she is not satisfied with meeting a giraffe or seeing a mountaintop.  How high will she fly before she comes back down to Earth?

Up, Down and Around by Katherine Ayers
Corn grows up, onions grow down and tomato vines wind around and around!  Let's explore the garden and see what else grows up, down and around...

It's craft time!  Let's make a see-saw that goes up and down!
Thanks to Batman and his friend for demonstrating...