Barefoot Books Makes Life a Fairy Tale

We are big readers our home. It is a daytime and nighttime thing for us. My daughter will not go to sleep if we do not read at least four stories. Even on my most hassled days, this is the time I sit down and we connect. I was delighted when I found Barefoot Books. Barefoot Books
are a magical, award-winning collection of books that teach children diversity, acceptance, and whimsy with every turn of the page. Each book is lovingly illustrated and even familiar tales are transformed into new wonders. Barefoot Books
was started by two mothers

...who wanted their children to have books that would feed the imagination, while instilling a respect for diversity and a love of the planet. Today, are a world-wide community of writers, artists, storytellers, musicians, and others who are committed to providing timeless stories and captivating art that can help children become happy, engaged members of a global society.

We are currently enjoying three of the Barefoot Books
family. The Barefoot Book of Faeries is a vivid collection of poems, stories and legends that entrances readers young to old. The illustrations are nothing short of magic. We love the included CD for our long car rides. My daughter begs to be read to from this book, and the tales are from all around the world.

The Barefoot Book of Fairy Tales includes 12 of the classic stories told with a twist. Young ones can learn the provenance of the tales, and relish the intrigue of a fabulously-told Fairy Tale.

My personal favorite is The Snow Queen which is probably one of the most beautifully illustrated stories in our collection. The illustrations are ethereal, and the familiar story is taken to new heights. My daughter knows the tale of the Snow Queen, but she adores this version the most.

Reading is an adventure, and a learning experience. It is the time where we can escape daily life and run barefoot through the beautiful world of literature.

For Small Hands

Anyone with children knows that they love to help and do the same things we do. Children learn by watching their parents and adults and emulating their actions. That is why I cook and clean with my daughter. I learned from Montessori teachings that those seemingly simple actions are actually teaching a child about measurement, actions, and even practice for writing by simply holding a sponge. Amazing! Montessori Services was founded in 1976 to provide Montessori teachers with the tools they need to bring child-sized items to the classroom. For Small Hands was created in 2004 as their family resource catalog at the request of Montessori teachers.

For Small Hands gives parents access to many of the same child-size items children use at school, enabling children to participate in the home environment with the same ease and success they enjoy in the classroom.

We are a huge fan of the For Small Hands catalog and online shop. I find the most amazing items that my daughter can use in everyday life. The new favorites are the Glass Pitcher with Lid and the Durable Juice Glasses. They are scaled to a child's size, so your little one can get their own water, juice or milk. The feeling of independence is so special for children. For weeks before we got the set, my daughter kept arguing that she was old enough to use the family glasses. I was wary, but this set made it possible for her to feel grown-up and learn the skills you need to hold and be careful with a glass. With the holidays coming up, I cannot wait to stock up on more items that allow her to participate in family activities with ease.

ABC...Come Meet The Waldorf Alphabet Book

Learning the Alphabet is daunting for children. We expect them to understand that a symbol represents a sound, and then linking them to create a word. Often, children memorize the symbols and sounds but have no true understanding as to what it all means. Waldorf principle tells us that when teaching any subject, to integrate intellectual development with artistic creativity and practical skill. This comes from developmental psychology of linking cognitive development, emotional intelligence and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. Children are currently being taught to read and write so early without these important connections being made. Often children are wrongly diagnosed with learning disorders, when it was simply a matter of the time and way it was taught to them. Steiner Books has a large collection of Waldorf Books to help you in this process.

In the Waldorf Alphabet Book, words, symbols and art are linked. The pictures come alive and do the "reading" for them. Each page in the Waldorf Alphabet Book is filled with pictures that relate to that letter, but in a drastically different manner than the simple "A is for Apple."

In the "M" page pictured, your see mermaids making up the letter "M" and then the moon with mountains and monkeys. It becomes a visceral and emotional experience for the child.

My daughter knows her letters, but certain ones were giving her trouble. I did not want her to just "memorize", but to understand. We looked through the entire Waldorf Alphabet Book and she was intrigued and charmed by each picture. Even better, because the pictures told a story, we had conversations about each one. The pictures translated in her mind to letters, making it easier for her to understand. She was learning through art. I have since been recommending this book to friends and family. Learning should never be stressful, and maybe if we learn to better understand the minds of our children, we can help them flourish as adults.

Learning the Shape of Things

If any of you have tried to teach your child the alphabet, you will understand where I am coming from when I say it can be hard work. I never want my daughter to just parrot what I am teaching her. I want our learning time together to be special. I embarked on teaching my child the alphabet and numbers, and she easily could recognize them as symbols, but I knew it was not sinking in that they had actual sounds, shapes and meaning. I turned to my favorite place-Etsy! Polliwog Learning Products, Llc was my saving grace. Polliwog makes Sandpaper Letter sets in uppercase and lowercase. She also makes Sandpaper Numbers. All of them are mounted on birch. What are Sandpaper Letters and Numbers you ask?

In the Montessori approach, the sounds of the letters are taught before the child is introduced to the names of the letters. Research has shown that it is best to learn one thing at a time. It is too much to have to remember both names and sounds. The teaching of the sounds and letters is through a multi-sensory approach. The child will hear the sound, see its representation in the form of a letter, and feel the way it is written as the child feels the letter with his fingers. Since a motor pattern should be learned correctly the first time, it is very important that the child trace properly formed letters. This will help him develop a good pattern for handwriting.

(Montessoriworld.org)

By using Sandpaper Letters, you are teaching your child the sound, showing them the letter, and allowing them to gain a muscular memory of the shape of the letters as a prelude to writing. With Sandpaper Numbersm the same concept applies.


Polliwog Learning Products, Llc are handcrafted, and super sturdy. We got the Sandpaper Letters in uppercase and lowercase, and the set of Sandpaper Numbers. With the letters, the vowels are blue and the consonants are a reddish pink. I was amazed when within 10 minutes of "tracing" letters with her finger, my daughter easily wrote an "F" and an "S". These were letters we struggled with for some reason. She got it instantly by using the Sandpaper Letters. Polliwog Learning Products, Llc makes both regular and small sized sets (perfect for travel). We even use them as flashcards! Whereas my daughter usually fights me tooth and nail when we discuss writing, this concept helped her to feel less pressure. I think she felt more in control. I love watching my little one learn and understand, and even better, getting to do it with something handmade by a mommy just like me!

eeBoo Makes Learning Fun Again!

Learning and playing make up the day of most children. I learned very early that even in the simplest ways (like how i talked to my daughter), that like a sponge, she was taking it all in. This year has been a huge one for milestones of learning to write a little bit, learning numbers, letters and applying them to practical life. If my daughter suspects she is learning, she rebels, so we have had to make it fun (and a little bit sneaky). Enter eeBoo. eeBoo makes educational games and gifts for kids. All products are beautifully decorated with illustrations from children's storybook artists. There is a good reason that so many of their toys have been awared the Oppenheimer Best Toy Award. I love their motto

...eeBoo products inspire parents to get down on the floor to play with their children.

We own quite a few eeBoo products. I find that they are so deceivingly fun, that my daughter eats it right up and wants to play (learn) more. The Alphabet Cut-Out Letters have been wonderful. They are made from 90% recycled grey board and non-toxic ink. They come in a sturdy box , and your child can hold each letter. We currently use them as a fun twist on flash-cards. I find they make it fun, and she likes to tell us each thing she knows about the letter. The adorable animals on each card are a great reminder of what the letter is, and they really help to prompt her.

The Counting Animal Puzzles are 3 piece mini-puzzles with a number in numerical and written form, and a picture of an animal that corresponds to the number on the card. Puzzles are a great way to teach coordination, dexterity and problem-solving. These mini-puzzles are made from 90% recycled grey board and non-toxic ink. My daughter puts these together and proceeds to either tell us the number or count the animals and then announce with joy what number it is. Amazingly, after a few weeks of her wanting (yes, wanting) to do these puzzles, she saw the number 3 written in a book, and could recognize it. See, she was learning and did not even know it.

The Cupcake Game is a fantastic way for kids to learn patience (waiting for their turn) and even learning how to follow a recipe. The game is made from 90% recycled grey board and non-toxic ink. The child spins to add ingredients to make their cupcake. eeBoo has variations on this game like The Picnic Game and The Tea Party Game. Playing can definitely be educational. It was fun to watch my daughter learn that she needed to do what the spinner said, and she was pretty psyched when she won.

I cannot say enough good things about eeBoo, from the darling artwork, to the eco-conscious use of recycled materials. eeBoo is focused on helping you raise a socially, ecologically conscious, and educated child...who also happens to want to have a lot of fun in the process.