Our newly founded art group is intended for children that are ready to use art materials safely. That being said, there are a few siblings, including Moon, that are younger than one year old and attend our group. My challenge: how to safely include infants in art explorations.   I wanted to be sure to [...]

It seems to me that we all look at Nature too much, and live with her too little.    – Oscar Wilde Children are drawn to nature. Whether its running through a pile of rakes leaves or splashing in a rain puddle, nature is undeniably irresistible. Despite this widely agreed upon phenomenon, many children’s spaces [...]

With nature as a possible source for inspiration, I set up watercolors for Greysen underneath our lemon tree. We do not have an easel, so I hang an art board from our fence. I offer her two jars of watercolor, blue and yellow.   Today, I hung up her watercolor higher than I usually do [...]

An art group! I first read about this fantastic idea on the Dilly Dali blog while I was researching music and movement groups/classes. I felt so inspired to get Greysen involved in something similar, I shared my excitement with a fellow mom who was just as eager. The result . . . a toddlers’ art [...]

Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world.                                                                  -Susan Lieberman Even though this is our second holiday season with a little one, Mike and are are still trying to establish some family traditions.  The one [...]

In her first week, Mike took Moon in to a hospital lab for some blood tests (jaundice). The lab is located in a suite of medical offices, with a clear view of its parking lot and the street. On Mike’s second trip to lab, the receptionist asked in an emphatic manner, “Did you walk here?” [...]

A classic toy by most standards, a ball is a common favorite of both children and adults. In fact, most every child has a ball among their toys. No longer are they limited in style to the red rubber balls that I used on the playground as a child. Now, balls can be made from [...]

The instant I saw Moon raise her hands to slowly turn and watch them, I bolted for the camera. A vision of a black and white photograph for her baby book was all I could hope for at the moment. The caption, “A first toy” or something along those lines.  “A toy, you say?” Well, [...]

At 18 months, Greysen is eager to try to do many of the things that I used to do for her for herself.  To make the most of this emerging independence, I am always on the lookout for new ways in which she can assert herself constructively.  In support of her developing skills, I offer [...]

Our home is a very different place than a childcare setting. Though it is not furnished with child-sized furniture, we demonstrate our respect for our daughter’s emerging skills by encouraging her to be an active participant in the routines of her daily life to whatever extent she is capable of.   At nine months, she [...]