Category Archives: The Arts

Best Job Ever – Story Epilogue

Since that wonderful day last week, when a child asked me to sing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles, there has been more.  The music exploded in ways I never expected. Well, it was more than the … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, joy, Love, music, picture books, reading aloud, Singing, The Arts, The Beatles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 71 Comments

Art and Music and Italy – Part 3

In Part 1, children began to learn about Italy through maps and a big atlas. First we ‘travelled’, then we learned fun facts (pretzels were invented in Italy, pasta was not).  We learned that opera is from Italy, and children … Continue reading

Posted in art, Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Imagination, Inspiration, music, picture books, preschool, The Arts, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 71 Comments

Best Job Ever

Friday was a rainy day.  I played the autoharp, and children sang and danced their hearts out.  I love rainy days.  I love music.  More importantly, children love music.  A child came up to me in the middle of the … Continue reading

Posted in Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, joy, music, preschool, The Arts, The Beatles | Tagged , , , , , , | 111 Comments

Art and Music and Italy

We are learning about Italy, which is just perfect as we prepare for our annual Art Show. It’s only a few days into the learning, and already we are bursting at the seams in the best of ways.  Here is … Continue reading

Posted in art, children's books, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Imagination, Inspiration, Learning About the World, music, picture books, Teaching young children, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 46 Comments

Children and Art

Today we begin our month-long journey of creating masterpieces for our annual Art Show. “It took me a lifetime to learn to draw like a child.” -Picasso- “I would like to paint the way a bird sings.” -Monet- “Great things are done … Continue reading

Posted in art, Diversity, Expressing words and feelings, Imagination, Inspiration, joy, preschool, Quotes, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 61 Comments

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – 50th Anniversary

Fifty years.  That’s a very long time.  For a book to still be alive, vibrant, and read all over the world – fifty years later – is astounding.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Eric Carle, history, picture books, preschool, reading aloud, reading aloud, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , | 38 Comments

The Light in the Toothbrush

This week my Book Bears reading group at the public library had our first meeting of the year.  September is always ‘bring your favorite book that you read over the summer’.  It’s a great way to meet the kids – … Continue reading

Posted in books, children's books, Early Education, Imagination, reading, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , | 72 Comments

The Autoharp

I had just met the children.  The classroom was overflowing with eager parents and not-so-eager children.  New + big + different = scary. For fifteen minutes we looked at each other, me smiling and children with big worried eyes.  The … Continue reading

Posted in behavior, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Family, Inspiration, joy, Kindness, music, preschool, Singing, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , | 69 Comments

The Legacy of Milly, Part 10 – The Final Curtain

In Part 9, Milly continued her visits to school.  The children and Gloria were always thrilled when it was a ‘Milly day’.  At last, after years of quilts that went away to places of honor, Milly made a quilt, “Our Towns” … Continue reading

Posted in art, books, Death and dying, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Family, Imagination, Inspiration, Kindness, Love, Peace, quilting, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 98 Comments

The Legacy of Milly, Part 9

In Part 8, Milly and the children were guests of honor at the one-year anniversary of the Boston Fisher House.  With a full crowd in attendance, including members of the Fisher family, we presented the God Bless America quilt.  And, a … Continue reading

Posted in art, Early Education, Gloria, Imagination, Inspiration, Kindness, Love, Peace, quilting, Singing, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , | 58 Comments