As much as I hate to admit it, summer is quickly drawing to a close. If you happen to live in a place where school has already started, then you know the sting of those first few weeks: Everyone is desperately trying to get back into the swing of things, and you promised yourself you would start off the new school year without yelling. (OK, so promises are made to be broken.) But seriously, we know how hard it can be to motivate your kids to get to the bus on time, do their homework and get to bed…just so they can wake up and start all over again. To give my girls a little boost, we ease into the whole homework cycle by making [&hellip
back-to-school Archive
As August begins to wind down and the new school year looms in the not-so-distant future, my thoughts always turn to ways to get my kids back into the groove. (And of course, if you know me well enough, that usually involves a good book.) For any parent who’s fretting over how their child will fit in to a new class of kids, the delightful Ally-Saurus & The First Day of School offers some much-needed reassurance. This story follows the antics of a precocious tot who appears to be more comfortable as a dinosaur than in her own skin. Like so many imaginative, young kids her age, her cuteness borders on near-frustration for her ever-patient parents. So when the first day of school arrives and [&hellip
Now that summer is in full swing, we’ve officially moved onto camp season. My older daughter has decided that she’s outgrown her lunch bag, so we’re in the market for something a bit more, shall we say, “sophisticated?” (read: middle school cool). While out shopping the other day, I came across some bento boxes, which seemed like the perfect upgrade to the lunchtime routine. But upon further investigation, I decided the plastic containers appeared a bit too flimsy, and figured they wouldn’t hold up to a rough-and-tumble camp day. So when I heard about PlanetBox, a line of stainless-steel, multi-compartment lunch boxes, I was determined to check it out. There’s so much to like about this product line…where do we start? Kids with fussy appetites [&hellip
“Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed” is a fitting description for my soon-to-be kindergartner. She’s been enthusiastically picking out her backpack, new school clothes and supplies like there’s no tomorrow. Plus, we’ve been checking out nearly every first day of school picture book from our library (luckily, there’s no limit!). While I don’t fear my 5-year-old will have any separation issues, reading with her about what she can expect is my way of preparing her for the big day–and getting her into the groove for storytime. One of my favorite books so far is the just-released Rufus Goes to School, an adorable story about a precocious pig who’s determined to go to school, even if he is an animal. Prompted by the desire to read his favorite book, [&hellip
Today we picked up school supplies for my 9- and 5-year-olds. We have it easy this year, as our school works with a local retailer to fill orders by grade and have them boxed up and ready to go. It’s truly one-stop shopping, and there’s no hunting for that special 3-ring binder or illusive composition book with the correct number of ruled lines. It also means no fun extras that we always manage to accrue every year, like scented colored pencils or purple glue sticks. But that doesn’t mean we can’t pick and choose an item or two that can shake up the classroom routine and update our home repertoire. Enter the Crayola Wild Notes line of notebooks and journals, featuring black (gasp!) lined paper [&hellip
At Target, the school supplies are crowding out the summer gear. Coolers and beach bags are making way for binders and backpacks, whether we’re ready for them or not. Because the first day of school is the farthest thing from my kids’ minds, I know we’ll need some motivation once it’s time to prepare for September. And since your average tween doesn’t exactly get jazzed by a new lunchbox, we moms must find creative ways to get the kiddies psyched for school. Enter Happy Charmz, a fun way to spice up your pencil box. These sweet little charms find right over the top of a pencil eraser, adding a little pizzaz to penmanship. (Think of it as bling for your favorite writing instrument.) Available in [&hellip
My 5-year-old had her kindergarten screening yesterday, and walked out with the biggest smile on her face. “I can’t wait to learn!,” she told me later. It’s moments like these that make you want to stop time, and bottle that infectious enthusiasm. To help my daughter get off to great start, even before September comes, we’ve been playing lots of simple learning games–using magnetic letters to spell out fun words, talking about the bugs and birds who’ve been making a home in our backyard–and I’m watching how they fuel her imagination. Just as important as these creative teaching moments are the opportunities to reinforce what she already knows and keep it fun. Just in time for back-to-school comes Priddy Books’ Schoolies, a line of educational [&hellip
In today’s mail, the Old Navy back-to-school catalog arrived. It wasn’t the first one we received, and it isn’t even August yet. Seems hints of backpacks, lunchboxes and all things back-to-school are happening earlier and earlier this year. If you haven’t already gotten a jump yet on school supply shopping, allow us to whet your appetite with some items that are making a name for themselves–literally. Makaboo lets kids design and personalize their own lunchboxes, backpacks and other cool-for-school accessories. Simply select an item, and then choose from one of over 30 colors, a font for your name and favorite icon (take your pick of 100 different pictures!). You’re good to go! We think Makaboo will be a big hit this September, especially for kids [&hellip
Got a summer reading list? If your teen hasn’t cracked open this year’s selection, it’s time to get crackin’ (only 6 more weeks ’til Labor Day). But if the sun and surf are competing for her attention and making it difficult to hunker down with her Kindle, Nook or hardcover, it’s time to offer a little inspiration. Out of Print Clothing features an entire line of book-themed T-shirts, tote bags and journals for kids and adults alike. Whether your grade schooler has just finished “Charlotte’s Web” or your high schooler has plowed through “The Great Gatsby,” there’s an item that’s just perfect for her. Among our favorites are the literary covered journals that invite aspire young writers to keep at their craft, and the bags [&hellip
I always get a little bummed right around the summer midway point; when I was a kid, my grandmother used to say, “After July 4th, summer’s over.” To this August-born babe, I was horrified by her statement and to this day, I still relish those dog days of lemonade drinking, firefly catching and all the little joys that make the season what it is. Imagine then those bittersweet feelings I experienced this week when the Lands’ End back-to-school catalog landed in our mailbox. It got me to thinking that it’s time to replace last year’s backpack with something a little more, shall we say, “lively.” After all, when you’re a rising third grader, anything remotely babyish just won’t do. So when we got a load [&hellip
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