This is a sponsored message from GiftLit. You really can't go wrong when you give books over the holidays, but a special way to make your gift keep on giving all year long is a personalized subscription to GiftLit . GiftLit offers more t…
We figured this was a pretty good time to start looking around at some great -- and effective -- books about manners for kids. I'm sure you feel me; my family calendar is already so booked over the next couple months, which means lots of…
If you could use a little help picking out toys for the kids on your list this holiday, we're about to make things a lot easier for you with a mini holiday toy gift guide, starting with the best educational toys for kids. This is the fir…
With Halloween coming up, I did some browsing at my local library and bookstore to find some creepy books for kids. But, I wanted books that weren't necessarily tied to Halloween so that we could read, enjoy, and be spooked by them all y…
I don't know about you, but my kids aren't the most patient people I know. I'm not either, for that matter, but I'm trying. I promise. And I think my kids are too. Still, it's hard for all of us to practice waiting in a world where almos…
We imagine that nothing makes a teacher happier than seeing their students light up about a subject, ready to learn more. Whether you've got a number lover, a big reader , a mini scientist, or an artist-in-residence -- or maybe a mix of …
My ten-year-old is the kind of kid who is still reading in bed long after his siblings have fallen asleep. But it can be hard to keep up with his pace, and continue finding age-appropriate fantasy and adventure books that tweens like him…
T he Day the Crayons Quit , written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by the amazing Oliver Jeffers, has been sitting on my kids' bedside table -- and getting read every night at bedtime -- since the day it came home from the bookstore. It…
We have no shortage of movie nights in the summer, but I would love to get my kids to crack open their books more often when school isn't in session. And I think I've found a way to encourage them to read more while still keeping movie n…
When you think of a princess book, and what the lead character wants, what springs to mind? Classically, the story would be about meeting her true love or escaping her horrible life to live in a luxe castle. Then we moved onto more moder…
It's hard not to be completely smitten with the work of Brooklyn artist Ida Pearle as we have for ages. Her cut-paper illustrations beautifully capture the whimsy and joy of childhood. We loved her alphabet book A Child's Day: An Alphabe…
We're always looking for ways to keep kids reading, especially once the school year ends and those 20 or 30 or 45 minutes a day aren't exactly "required" any more. (Well, depending on your house rules.) Plus, that lure of all that extra …
As big-time book lovers here, we've learned that a love of reading is acquired and not something kids are necessarily born with, like the color of their eyes or their uncanny inability to sleep past 6 AM on a Saturday. So we love putting…
We just finished putting together a ton of great educational activities for kids to keep them sharp over the summer, and now of course I find one more I'd love to add to the list. This free printable paper chain reading log from Eighteen…
I know that teaching my kids about personal safety is so important, but there seems to be a fine line between preparing kids for emergencies and scaring them about Things That Could Happen. Like all parents, I definitely don't want to te…
As you probably know, a good alphabet book is one of those must-haves in any child's library. Over the years my kids have loved learning about design in Maira Kalman's Ah Ha to Zig Zag , getting a real feel for their letters in Francesch…
So, there's this really interesting website called The Book of Life . And I'm trying to figure out how to describe it, but I keep coming up empty. Is it an encyclopedic resource? An online self-help book? A place to turn for philosophica…
Sometimes the simplest books are a parent's best friend at bedtime. Few words, pretty pictures, calming premise. These are the elements that come together perfectly in Case Jernigan's A Place to Live , a lovely book for a new reader--or …
Bookends are always a smart way to blend function with design in a kid's room, so I'm often looking for cool ones. I'm taken with the wooden car bookends on My Sweet Muffin, which also happen to be on sale right now. They're handmade in …
As a bona fide (oh look, I used a fancy Latin word!) word nerd, I have a particular fondness for gifts that we've featured here like the grammar police mugs or fun books for kids that play with language. But then, alas, I am imperfect. I…
Thousands of books are published for children each year, and it seems like there are thousands of "best of" lists published too. If you're shopping for kids books for Christmas like we are, you'll want to check these lists out for some g…
The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City houses incredible exhibits for lovers of design, including fantastic workshops for kids to help them gain an appreciation for fine design before they even hit kindergarten. And…
Working in the independent music world, I have a high esteem for non-commercial radio and of course the mother of it all, NPR. Supporting public radio is so important to me, as they rely heavily on listener funding to stay afloat. So if …
For those of us who love great illustration as much as a great story, I've found three new picture books that are worth making space for in your kids' bookcase or wrapping to give to a child this holiday. What I love most about all three…