Michelle Obama Touts Vegetables, 30 Kid-Pleaser Veggie Recipes

Veggies are enjoying vogue thanks to First Lady Michelle Obama's vegetable dance, reports ABC News. Critics may fault-find, but children seem to like it. Mrs. Obama's "Let's Move'" campaign may be for kids, but who couldn't benefit from eating better, exercising more? In that spirit, here are 30 recipes to boost vegetables. These include food swaps, like those in Mens' Health "Eat This, Not That."  Michelle Obama Touts Vegetables, 30 Kid-Pleasing Veggie Recipes

Art Imitates Childhood: Hands-On, Creative Art Activities for Kids

 Kids need art like plants need sun. In fact, art imitates childhood, when it grows organically and isn't manufactured. I had a sad childhood experience with formula art. A teacher publicly criticized my piece for not fitting the mold.

Admittedly, I didn't follow directions. She specifically said start drawing in the middle of the page. And I drew a boat along the bottom. I completely forgot, being caught up in the joy of creating.

She was right and I was over-sensitive. But art is personal. If associated with failure, it suffers. As does all education. I began teaching in Montessori. Dr. Maria Montessori enjoins teachers to "follow the child," explains Metro Kids. That student-led approach served well teaching special needs, adults and homeschool, too. Art Imitates Childhood: Hands-On, Creative Kids' Art Activities

Imagination, Dress Up, Pretending Essential to Child Development

Writing about printable masks for Mardi Gras, I was particularly taken with the fierce dragon masks. I suspect children may be too. Masks both terrify and delight children, even the non-frightening ones. My oldest was petrified of clowns and costumed people as an infant (long before clown fear was a thing).

Why? Because a child's sense of object permanence is not fully developed. They don't realize that things hidden still remain. Even people. Children think people change when they put on costumes, that they become that thing or person.   Imagination, Dress Up, Pretending are Crucial to Child Development

Book Crafts, Printables, Snacks, Games, Activities from Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

2014 is going to down as the Winter of Infamy. But don't worry, parents of bored kids, teacher-mama has more children's literature activities. Hands-on lesson plans with story, game, craft and snack. Today's is on "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?" and appropriately for this arctic season-- "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" Both of these wonderful stories come courtesy of Bill Martin and Eric Carle. My oldest could read this entire books at three, thanks to the repetitive verse. Book Activities from Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Free Coloring Pages to Print for Children

One of the many things I like about blogging is sharing freebies. Today's free thang is printable coloring pages. I found a site with thousands of coloring pages on every kid subject--cartoons, Disney, vehicles, holidays, science, social studies, animals, Bible. Special needs teacher, print coloring books and use with students to help them focus during lessons. Or use for rewards. Good for perceptual skills: fine motor and eye-hand practice. Encourage children to talk together while they color, to build social and communication skills. Use as story starters. This is my favorite Disney princess, Sleeping Beauty (one the many free coloring pages). You might ask children to invent new adventures for her is she lived in modern time. Special needs kids need lots of opportunities for imaginative play. Free Coloring Pages to Print for Children