July is National Ice Cream Month, which isn’t surprising since the weather tends to be so hot! It’s a shame I don’t currently have ice cream in my freezer, but if I did it would probably be chocolate chip cookie dough, which happens to be the fifth most popular flavor in the U.S. What are…
Yes, that’s my foot in the photo. I’m in the office and I’m painting with my toes. Why? Because this art project is in an upcoming issue of The Mailbox® magazine, preschool edition, and I want to make sure it’s not too awkward for little ones to accomplish. You would think I would get strange…
I’ve been working at The Mailbox for 14 years, and in addition to managing the preschool magazine, I’ve worked on a LOT of books. I like all of them, but of course, I have a favorite. And it’s now available in eBook format. I’m totally geeked about it! My favorite is Totally for Twos: Art….
Process art is the BEST! Why? Because it’s calming. It doesn’t cause frustration like many craft-related experiences. (Think: “I have to cut out all those pieces!?” and “Mine doesn’t look like it’s supposed to!” ) It allows children to explore the senses. And it lets youngsters experience success. Although some children frequently have successful experiences,…
When I taught kindergarten, I didn’t use washable paint. Yes, I was probably nuts, but hear me out. Washable tempera paint just isn’t as vivid as regular tempera paint. (And don’t even get me started on those off-brands that have ridiculously dull colors!) In my opinion, if children are having an art experience, they should…
It’s in my nature as a preschool editor to pay a lot of attention to process art projects I see online. There are so many cool things to use when making process art! And what’s particularly amusing is that when I’m done pondering the benefits of a project for a preschooler, I usually think about…
This Friday, I am off to Michigan to spend Christmas with my parents. Growing up in Michigan, I feel that Christmas should look a certain way. It should involve snow—lots and lots of snow. Christmas in North Carolina, where I currently live, generally looks very brown and gray over the holidays. However, I’m clearly not…
They changed Facebook again? Why is my menu now on the left? Is yours on the left yet or is it just me? Also, we’ve changed to Google Docs here at work, and more than one coworker has caught me muttering at my computer while gesturing wildly with my morning cup of chai. We can…