Fan Favorites - December 2016

Daddy Daughter Hair School


The Japanese Yosegi Art of Parquetry

Instead of using paint, Japanese Yosegi decorations are made out of natural fine grains and textures of wood. First, timbers are cut into rods of desired sections, the rods are then glued together to form a section of geometrical design pattern. The surface is sliced into thin plates of wood, which are glued onto boxes and other handicraft works. This mosaic-like art originated during Japan's Edo Period (17th-19th century) and are still respected all over the world.

Check for more Japanese arts here: http://kougeihin.jp/

Man Creates Amazing Snow Art with Footprints

It's possible you've never heard of Simon Beck, but after today, you won't be able to forget him or his wintry works of art. Simon is an artist and is most well-known for making incredibly delicate and detailed art in the snow, just by walking over a fresh snowfall.

For more, check out the National Geographic Short Film:

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/one-mans-walk-in-the-snow-creates-a-giant-masterpiece

The Physics of the Hardest Move in Ballet

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-physics...

In the third act of "Swan Lake", the Black Swan pulls off a seemingly endless series of turns, bobbing up and down on one pointed foot and spinning around and around and around ... thirty-two times. How is this move — which is called a fouetté — even possible? Arleen Sugano unravels the physics of this famous ballet move.

Lesson by Arlene Sugano, animation by Dancing Line Productions.

Cool Toy Alert: FlowToys: Toroflux Demo

My kid came home from school raving about a toy he discovered in the principal's office. By the miracle of Google, I was able to find it my first try by typing "rings twirl connected toy" and what I found was something worthy of sharing here. It is called "Toroflux" by Flow Toys. One look at a still photo of this toy and it is no wonder that my kid picked it up......and after watching a video of Toroflux in action I understand why he fell in love.

Mom Invites Children to Become Santa
http://www.scarymommy.com/viral-post-breaking-santa-news-to-kids/

Fill unused Amazon boxes with donations and they'll be shipped to Goodwill for Free
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2016/12/fill_unused_amazon_boxes_with.html

Can we practice handwriting without a pencil, please?

http://therapyfunzone.net/blog/can-practice-handwriting-without-pencil/

Efficient handwriting skills require some very complex skills that can be developed in some very simple ways.  Children seem to know how to hone these skills when they are given the freedom to experiment.  That’s called “play,” by the way!  There are five areas where children need to be proficient in order to be “handwriters.”  I will connect them here with some very simple and inexpensive activities that will create fun handwriting experiences – without a pencil!

Avant Garden: Seven Botanical Sculptures Inspired by Haute Couture

Vacation Tradition
Whenever we visit Ann Arbor, we make a trip to the University of Michigan Botanical Gardens. In the summers we spend most of our time in the Children's Garden building and exploring. In the winter, we look forward to the original exhibits in the conservatory.

Exhibits in Nature
This year's exhibit did not disappoint. I wandered through the conservatory with my little family, my mother-in-law and my sister and her husband. The theme? Fashion. We walked up and down the paths in search of seven fantasy outfits made from plants and organic materials. To our delight and surprise, there were a dozen other small treasures to spy - tiny dresses that could fit in the palm of my hand made from silk florals and imitation berries, bark, etc.

To Share with You
Since we're big fans of exploring nature, I had to share this discovery here, with you. (I asked permission to share these pictures with the staff at the gardens.) So without further adieu I offer you images from the University of Michigan's Avant Garden...

Avant Garden

Weaving Fashion & NatureTogether

Avant Garden brings to life the connection between plants and fashion. Seven fantasy outfits adorn the conservatory, each incorporating plant materials such as succulents, Spanish moss, ferns, and poinsettias. The result is topiary couture that ignites the imagination. Permission to try this at home!

Below are the fairy-sized garments we spotted on our journey...

Last but not least... This isn't fashion inspired per se but a fairy-sized castle made out of empty sparkling water cans screams "PRINCESS ENGINEERING!"

Setting the Tone for the New Year
I love everything about these treasures offered by the University of Michigan Botanical Gardens. The way they weave together art and nature echoes how they weave together knowledge and whimsy, which I think are key features for inviting people of all ages to explore, to learn, and to celebrate creativity. And I cannot think of a better way to celebrate the beginning of the new year.

Happy New Year!

Post-Christmas: It is ALL ABOUT BOWS

It is the day after Christmas and I am struck by the attention all the bows and leftover tissue are getting. I suppose the adornments of gifts are the sparkly counterpart to the empty box from which the toys came. And I'm here to tell you that is OK to stop cleaning up. Let your children play with the day-after debris.

Perhaps they will decorate their pet snake...

...Build a home for a frog, complete with lake, bed, and sparkling lilypads...

...or any other number of ways.

Kick back. Relax. And let the children play.

Merry merry.

Adventures in ING: GivING

Adventures in ING

ING is a wonderful world where kindness is important. In fact, kindness is the most important thing in ING and all the elves, sprites, fairies, and gnomes who live there celebrate kindness every chance they get. They celebrate small kindnesses like when someone smiles at them and they smile back. And they celebrate big kindnesses like...well...like when someone smiles at them and they smile back.

One of the best things about ING is that everyone knows that there are countless ways of being kind and countless ways of celebrating kindness. The tricky thing for humans to learn is how to notice kindnesses. Humans have to learn to notice when other people are being kind to them just as much as the need to learn to notice when they are being kind to others (and themselves). (Yes! You can practice being kind to yourself!)

But...once someone learns how to notice kindness, many wonderful things happen. First, they start to see kindness everywhere. Then they are able to be kind wherever they go. And the funny thing about being kind - the more you do it, the more you want to do it, and the more ways you imagine to do it!

Those are the Adventures in ING. Noticing kindnesses. Being kind. Imagining new ways of being kind.


December is for Giving
The elves from ING take turns inviting humans to practice being kind. Every once in a while a couple of experts from ING offer ideas about how little humans can learn about giving, sharing, caring, loving, laughing, and living in kindness.

In December the Giving Elves, named Portu and Porvu, like to imagine all the ways to be kind through giving.

A Letter of Introduction
When they arrive, Portu and Porvu like to introduce themselves because that is the kind (and polite) thing to do.

Dear Little Humans, 

Our names are Portu and Porvu. We are elves from ING, Giving elves to be exact. We like to visit little humans, like yourselves, in December. Together we can imagine all the ways we can bring kindness to others through giving.

We look forward to doing this fun and important work with you! Sincerely,  

Portu & Porvu

What is Giving?
After introducing themselves, Portu and Porvu like to explain a little about Giving.

Giving is the simple act of offering something you have to someone else. 

Four Weeks of Giving - Some Ideas

Then Portu and Porvu suggest some ways to notice giving and even ways to practice giving. Once a week, they ask the children to notice when other people give something to them and when they give something to others.

WEEK ONE: GIVING AFFECTION

Dear Little Humans,  

A sign of affection is a gentle way of touching someone. 

It can be a hug, a high-five, a friendly pat on the back, or a gentle squeeze of the hand (we like to call these "hand hugs"). 

You can hug yourself or... 

...ask someone if you can hug them. 

We think Giving Affection is easy! Do you think you can Give Affection to someone today? Tomorrow? Every day this week? 

Hugs,
Portu & Porvu 

WEEK TWO: GIVING KIND WORDS

Dear Little Humans,  

A kind word can change someone's day. "Please" and "Thank you" are kind words. So are Compliments. 

Compliments usually start with "I like..." or "I feel happy when..." You can say things like "I like the bright color of your shirt."  or "I feel happy when we play together." You can Give a Compliment to yourself and to other people! You can say compliments out loud or sing them. You can even write them down. 

We think Giving Kind Words is easy! Do you think you can Give Kind Words to someone today? Tomorrow? Every day this week? 

Portu & Porvu 

WEEK THREE: GIVING GOODS

Dear Little Humans,  

Goods are things that you can hold in your hand like food, money, or presents. 

We like to give food to all sorts of people. Sometimes we make cookies for our neighbors. Other times we make a meal for people who cannot afford to make their own meal. 

We also like to draw pictures or make something special for our family or friends.

We think Giving Goods is fun! Do you think you can Give Goods to someone today? Tomorrow? Every day this week? 

Portu & Porvu 

WEEK FOUR: GIVING SPACE

Dear Little Humans,  

Giving Space is sometimes the easiest thing to give! Here are some ways you can Give Space to someone: 

- You can hold the door open for someone. - You can move over to let someone sit next to you. - You can let someone else go first. - You can even give space to yourself by finding a quiet place to hide when things are loud.   

We think Giving Space is tricky but fun! Do you think you can Give Space to someone today? Tomorrow? Every day this week? 

Portu & Porvu 

Saying Goodbye
Before departing, the Giving elves say goodbye because that is the kind thing to do.

Dear Little Humans, 

We have had great fun with you. Thank you for practicing giving with us. You had many clever ways of giving big and giving small. And every kindness counts! 

Portu & Porvu

++++++++++

A Letter of Transition
If you are recovering from Elf on the Shelf, then here is a letter to introduce the world of ING, and its agents to your family.

Dear Little Humans, 

Our names are Portu and Porvu. We are elves from ING, Giving elves to be exact. We heard that the Elf on the Shelf was causing problems by looking for problems. Well we are optimists and like to look for good things instead of bad things. It is a much nicer way to see the world, don't you think? We are here to teach the Elf on the Shelf about the goodest goodness in life - kindness. 

We like to visit little humans, like yourselves, in December. Together we can imagine all the ways we can bring kindness to others through giving.

We look forward to doing this fun and important work with you! Sincerely,  

Portu & Porvu

Don't be afraid to fall in love with something and pursue it with intensity

From E. Paul Torrance's Manifesto for Creativity:

Don't be afraid to fall in love with something and pursue it with intensity.

Nerd Alert: An Electrical Engineer Tries to Make Sense of Fashion

I Just Don't Get It
I have struggled my ENTIRE life with clothes. In fact, I would not have been surprised if my family and friends nominated me for an intervention for What Not to Wear. Slowly but surely, and alongside my preschool-aged daughter, I am learning about how to match materials, how to coordinate colors and patterns, and how to work in layers. During my 40th trip around the sun, I think that I am finally learning a little about fashion.

Read the rest of my post over at Fat Brain Toys...

Fall in Love with these Four Fabulous Ballerinas: 14 Must-Read Books

More than once Anna has opened my eyes to new ways of seeing STEAM learning. She has challenged my framework, putting the "A" in STEAM. She has recognized patterns in fashion and music that takes me out of my comfort zone, inviting me to learn new things. And ultimately her interest in stereotypically "girl" contexts like sewing, tea parties, princesses, and relationships, set in contrast to her brother's obsession with mechanical things, has brought forth what I call "Princess Engineering." This list is born from her interest in dance, where we have learned about shapes (different dance poses), grit (working toward something great), and, above all, culture.

For Beginners

Flora

Molly Idle has written/illustrated three books that feature Flora, a young girl who explores dance alongside a flamingo, a penguin, and some peacocks. The wordless books show Flora and the birds mimicking each other, moving away from one another, and ultimately demonstrating the give-and-take of partnership. The images are beautiful and the stories are heart-warming.

Excerpt from "Flora and the Flamingo."

The Trials and Tribulations of Young Dancers

Tallulah

Tallulah is a young aspiring dancer. She covets a tutu, toe shoes, and the opportunity to perform a solo. In each story, she wrestles with the patience, discipline, and commitment it takes to become a "real" ballerina. Your young dancer will likely connect with Tallulah's desire to be great. The text is easy-to-read and the illustrations add dimension to the story, showing Tallulah's imagination and aspirations in a gentle but relatable way. There are two other books, too: one about performing in the Nutcracker and another when Tallulah explores tap dance. Altogether, there are five books for you to enjoy with your young dancer.

The Greatest Ballets 

Ella Bella

James Mayhew has written and illustrated five books that feature Ella Bella and a magic music box. In each book, Ella Bella listens to the tinkling of a magic music box. As the music plays, Ella Bella meets a character from a classic ballet story - for example, Puck from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Together with her escort, Ella Bella learns all about classic ballet stories including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake. Mayhew successfully weaves Ella Bella's real world where she practices under the guidance of a patient teacher and her imaginary one where she dances with the stars.

Historical Fiction

Anna Pavlova

I saved this historical fiction picture book for last for one simple reason. It follows Anna Pavlova's entire life story to her death. It is a beautiful book that shows the patience and discipline required to be a ballerina. But it also shows how utterly talented and extraordinary Anna Pavlova was as a dancer and international ambassador of dance culture. It ends on a nearly empty page with gentle words that elude to her death. This euphemism is an exact representation to how she chose to die, performing as a swan one last time until the final scene when the curtains opened to an empty stage. I recommend "Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova" to more mature audiences.

Excerpt from "Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova."

Blow Your Children Out of the Water with these Coloring Books

Foot-Dragging Frustrations

My son was never interested in coloring. It was probably a combination of his vision problems and his sensory processing disorder. But over the years we have done plenty of occupational therapy to help him develop his fine motor skills so he could participate in the world - be more comfortable and more confident in himself. And once we addressed his self-esteem issues that surrounded being a young artist, the floodgates opened.

Turning the Corner

Nowadays he has embraced writing and coloring and drawing. I love to see the stuff he brings home, the gifts he makes for himself and the people he loves. And since his interest has grown, we all have had more opportunities to do art together, especially coloring. What I didn't see coming was how much my kids would LOVE "adult" coloring books.

Like Moths to a Flame

We have perpetually had character coloring books around the house, typically untouched. Strawberry shortcake, teenage mutant ninja turtles, Disney princesses...all of them partially used before being set aside for something "more interesting." When I got an "adult" coloring book for Christmas, my kids flocked to it, and to me, like moths to a flame. They exclaimed that the pictures were so interesting and begged to either help me with my coloring page or have one of their own.

See... Sharing IS Fun

I am very happy to have coloring together as a regular activity in the house. We often find ourselves sitting together after dinner has been eaten and the kitchen cleaned. We listen to a book on tape and take turns with markers or colored pencils. Sometimes we take turns with the page on which we are working. It turns out that adult coloring books are not just for adults. Preschoolers enjoy them, too!

Find One that Suits You (I Mean Them)

Here is a list of the different "adult" coloring books that my four year old and six year old enjoy:

Illusions

http://www.mindware.com/modern-patterns-illusions-coloring-book-a2-36017.fltr?Ntt=coloring

Garden

https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/chronicle_books/secret_garden.cfm#


Patterns of the Universe

https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/workman_publishing/patterns_of_the_universe.cfm

And some adult activity books:

Mosaics - Something for the older child who knows his or her numbers and letters.

http://www.mindware.com/mystery-mosaics-book-a2-56191.fltr

Extreme Dot to Dot (there are a lot of themes but for the Iggy Peck fans I'm showing you the "Around the World" one)

http://www.mindware.com/extreme-dot-to-dot-destinations-set-of-a2-69066.fltr?Ntt=extreme

https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/monkeying_around/the_greatest_dot_to_dot_books.cfm

Fan Favorites - June 2016

It's Hard for Them, Too

When they push us to the edge of our limits, let’s try to remember that we’re doing the same thing to them.

http://boston.citymomsblog.com/motherhood/its-hard-for-them-too/

Change the Conversation for Your Daughter

"When my daughter wears her molecular orbital dress or rocket dress, adults communicate with her differently. Instead of calling her a princess or cute, the conversation expands to rockets and then my daughter talks about the moon and Jupiter. With her molecular orbital dress, she tells them that C represents carbon and she's made out of carbon and it forms bonds. Sure, she doesn't have the best grasp of any of this, but she's 3 and learning. And adults treat her more than a cute little thing which in turn strengthens her confidence."

http://princess-awesome.com/

Why Disney Princesses and "Princess Culture" is Bad for Girls, Now There's Proof

Princesses are a big part of my preschooler's life. Despite my personal feelings about the matter, I try to maintain an open dialog with her about her ideas and I focus on long-term goals re: our relationship. I want her to bring her ideas to me no matter how different they are from my own.

"Overall, the “Pretty as a Princess” study makes good use of social science methods. It validates long-standing concerns about princess culture while suggesting some positive effects for boys. It also brings much-needed attention to the importance of talking critically with kids about the media they enjoy. If we’re careless in our approach, we might unwittingly reinforce the media’s harmful messages. But if we’re careful, we can help our children become resilient — and that’s useful knowledge."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/24/princess-culture-is-bad-for-girls-now-theres-proof/

It's Here!

Ada Twist, Scientist

http://amzn.to/28PLAhU

Evidence of Learning

Father's Day by Eric Carle

How to Boost Executive Function in children

Dear Parent – I see that you’re frustrated. And I see that your child is too. You wish your child would just listen, follow through and complete their schoolwork; stop getting so distracted and stop over-reacting when things don’t go their way.

What if I told you that what appears to be a behavior issue; something worthy of a time-out, lecture, loss of privilege or other such punishment, might actually be a cognitive issue, requiring quite a different response?

http://www.heysigmund.com/how-to-boost-executive-function-in-children/

Put Down the Pitchforks

"To the mother and father who went for a walk on vacation for the last time with their little boy yesterday, I am deeply sorry that you had to experience the worst kind of tragedy possible, an accident. I grieve with you. Your baby was my baby. Your son was my son. I have nothing but love for you, love to help you get though the pain yesterday, today, and for what is gonna seem like a thousand tomorrows. I wrap my thoughts and prayers around your aching heart and soul. May the God of this universe in some miraculous way bring peace to you and your family.

That is what you say. That. And just That.

Stop the blaming.

Stop the shaming.

In their darkest hours, can we please just love other parents. Please?"

http://www.scarymommy.com/perfect-parents-put-down-pitchforks/

24 Books for Preschool Engineers

A list sorted into a handful of useful categories:

Trucks, Tools & Machines, Child-sized Engineers, Thinking Outside the Box, Big Ideas, and Mechanically Interesting Books

http://preschoolengineer.blogspot.com/2016/06/24-books-for-preschool-engineers.html

Girl Who Wore Hot Dog Costume to Princess Week is Our New Role MOdel

"In a world full of princesses, dare to be a hot dog."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/girl-who-wore-hot-dog-costume-to-princess-week-is-the-cutest-trailblazer_us_575585c8e4b0c3752dce1b4c?

Ready to Learn

Five-Year-Olds "Falling Behind"

"They are telling parents and teachers that children are "falling behind" despite the fact that every single legitimate study ever done finds that there are no long term advantages to being an early reader, just as there are no long term advantages to being early talkers or walkers. In fact, many studies have found that when formal literacy instruction begins too early, like at 5, children grow up to be less motivated readers and less capable of comprehending what they've read. That's right, if anything, this "school readiness" fear-mongering may well turn out to be outright malpractice.

But the worst thing, the unforgivable thing, is the cruelty of the assertion that five-year-olds are "falling behind.""

http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/five-year-olds-falling-behind.html