Topic

reading with kids

Wumber: A fun book of wordplay by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

KidsChristina Refford

Wumbers is gr8 for beginner readers

I still remember how much hard work it was for my kids to learn to read, with all the painfully slow sounding-out of words one-by-one. It sometimes seems that kids are so busy trying to figure out what the letters say that they can't eve…

Oh my oh my oh dinosaur

LivingLiz Gumbinner

Oh my oh my oh dinosaur

If there's one awesome baby gift for any kid at all anywhere, it's a bunch of books to start his library. Which means if there's one more awesome baby gift, it's going to be a sturdy bookend that does more than just sit there and look pr…

This book belongs to...

KidsKirsten

This book belongs to...

With school starting soon--or for some it's already started--books are being bought and soon, books will be lost. There's nothing like a "this book belongs to..." label to make sure that the rightful owner remains the rightful owner. Esp…

Trend alert: Balloon dogs!

LivingLiz Gumbinner

Trend alert: Balloon dogs!

Jeff Koons may have popularized the balloon dog as pop art icon, but as a figure in so many of our own childhoods , its no wonder we're starting to see all kinds of artists and brands finding inspiration in them. Here are a few super cut…

First Communion Gift Ideas? Reader Q&A

KidsChristina Refford

First Communion Gift Ideas? Reader Q&A

My 8 year old niece is about to celebrate her First Communion, and I don't have any good gift ideas. Can you help? Thanks, Sarah I don't remember much about my First Communion oh-so-many-years-ago, but I think my relatives gave me cards …

Organize your books from A to Zombie

LivingDelilah Dawson

Organize your books from A to Zombie

Run, don't walk, to get your hands on this sharp set of bookends. From Boneshaker to World War Z, you've finally got a place to keep your favorite books about how to survive the coming zombiepocalypse. Not into zombies? That's okay, too.…

Honor Black History Month with We March

KidsStephanie Mayers

Honor Black History Month with We March

Every February our communities focus on a very important part of our nation's past during Black History Month. So I'm taking a cue from our schools and continuing the discussion about civil rights at home. Our pick to get the conversatio…

The perfect board book for baby's first Valentine

KidsRoxanna

The perfect board book for baby's first Valentine

If you're looking for a ridiculously adorable Valentine for your baby too young for sweets, we've got just the thing. And it's not edible. But that doesn't mean your baby won't try to eat it. Created by Joyce Wan, the artist behind Kiwi …

Shirts for books

Doing GoodLexi Petronis

Shirts for books

I believe in the essential power of reading--my kids have the stuffed bookcases to prove it. But not every kid does. So I love the idea of this website that lets you buy an amazingly cute, supersoft, combed-cotton T-shirt to get more boo…

Meryl Streep, meet my kids' bedtime

KidsEva Glettner

Meryl Streep, meet my kids' bedtime

I love reading books out loud . They really make the stories come alive in a fun and vibrant way. But I'll admit I'm no Meryl Streep. Know who is a Meryl Streep? Meryl Streep. And now she's narrating one of my favorite children's stories…

POP! goes the bookend

LivingDelilah Dawson

POP! goes the bookend

All around the Ikea bookshelf The bibliophile chased the bookend The bookend stepped on a Kindle plug POP! goes the balloon dog! Not really, though. That's why these Balloon Dog Bookends are so special-- they can't pop. What they can do …

The end. The very end.

Random CoolnessCool Mom Team

The end. The very end.

Poking around the CB2 website this week, I kinda fell in love with this bookend. Because, we'll, it's an end. Called The End. The End bookend is such a cool little hostess gift or just a sunny pick me up for your own bookshelf. I don't k…

Shel Silverstein rises again

LivingCool Mom Team

Shel Silverstein rises again

I have no idea how missed the huge fact that a new book from Shel Silverstein was released a few weeks ago, especially considering he's my favorite modern children's author of all time. But my mother knew. And when I opened the mysteriou…

Cool educational toys, hold the batteries

KidsChristina Refford

Cool educational toys, hold the batteries

When we're running out the door on one of our million weekly errands, it's way too easy to just grab the iPad or a handheld electronic game to occupy the kids. But in my ongoing quest to "unplug" a little more often, I've discovered a ne…

Audio books for toddlers

KidsChristina Refford

Audio books for toddler? Reader Q&A

My daughter is turning 3 next month and is starting to outgrow her naps! I am trying to enforce quiet time on the days she won't nap, and someone gave me the idea of letting her listen to audio books as her quiet time activity. I was hop…

Leaves of grass, now on your bookshelf

LivingDelilah Dawson

Leaves of grass, now on your bookshelf

Some books are like cut flowers: I get them, enjoy them, and forget about them. But some books are like lawns, like rich green grass that I want to cultivate and nurture and wiggle between my toes every Spring . Okay, maybe just the firs…