Author: Everythinginjoy

I had the wonderful opportunity to be a guest writer on my friend Kayleigh’s blog, Sugar In My Texas Tea: A nap time blog. Kayleigh lives in Texas where she homeschools her three year old son, Everett and raises monarch butterflies. She is inspired by Montessori, Charlotte Mason, the Reggio Emilia Approach and Forest School [...]

What's on our learning path? How did we get here? Where are we going? How do I plan? Do I use a curriculum?   I was recently asked, "What curriculum do you use for Homeschooling?" That question inspired me to write a detailed blog post to share how I use the Reggio Emilia Approach at [...]

Birds have been a wonderful ongoing study in our family for the past couple years.  The interest peeks and wanes but it's constantly there.  Just like in real life.  I don't know about you, but my heart leaps when I start to hear more song birds at the beginning of each Spring.  Every Spring my [...]

That's right! Only 8 more days to enter the 2017 Honor The Child, Honor the Process Challenge! For a chance to win , simply do the following: Try out ANY open ended art idea or an idea from the book.  I take pictures of some pages and post them on the blog. Take a photo of your experience [...]

Last week it rained a lot. It was also unseasonably cold.  I wish we had used rain puddle water to paint with paintbrushes.  Do you ever have an idea of how your day or week will be and then it turns out nothing like you imagined? Ha, that happens a lot. Last week I shared [...]

In honor of Everleigh turning 2 this beautiful month of May I am giving away this book: Children older than two can also participate in the challenge! My five year old is getting a lot of out of these open-ended art experiences as well. To win this book please do the following: Try out any [...]

In honor of my baby girl turning TWO years old this month, I'm having a GIVEAWAY! I'm going to give away a copy of MaryAnn F. Kohl's book, First Art for Toddlers and Twos: Open-Ended Art Experiences.  Here's the CHALLENGE: Each week I will post an open-ended art experience(s) from pages of the book to [...]

"Mama, please remind me to say, 'Good Morning' to the birds tomorrow." - Penelope, age 5 Our Window Bird Feeder was one of the best $6 spent last year.  When the first signs of Spring arrived in our neck of the woods in upstate NY, Penelope started inquiring about The Burgess Bird Book for Children.  I love that [...]

With Spring here (and around the corner because we live in upstate NY), spring related topics naturally pop up in conversation and in play.  Penelope has been asking questions like, "When will the tulips bloom?" "Is Spring here yet or not?" The Reggio Emilia Approach values these questions and observes children as they play, as well [...]

On our way home from an errand, Penelope looks out the back carseat window and yells, "MAMA THERE'S A RED BALLOON IN THE SKY!" The girls talk about the balloon all the way home. "Whose balloon was it?" "How did it get in the sky?" When we get home I ask them, "Do you want to [...]