Flood Safety, Safe Storm Cleanup for Kids

Kids see water as fun. We play in pools, lakes and oceans so they see no reason why rain and flood water shouldn't be fun. Children need special safety precautions around flood water. Not only from drowning issues, but health and sanitation, too. Standing water breeds insects, mold and infection. As flood waters move they pick up debris. They overflow sewers and drag organic and biological waste up from underground. Flood water picks up toxic chemicals from damaged property. It gathers debris and tainted water from storm drains. Drowned animal carcasses add disease to flood water. Even if it looks clean, flood water is one big poisonous soup pot. Here are ways to keep kids safe and healthy in storms and floods.  How to Keep Kids Safe in Flood Water Clean Up

Free Printable Earth Day Endangered Species Activity Booklet

 Earth Day, which replaces the original holiday Arbor Day is celebrated in the United States on April 22. Here's a free printable booklet, Save our Species, with information, activities and coloring pages exploring endangered species in the US. The purpose of Earth Day is to celebrate our earth, educate people and explore ways to protect our natural resources. Protecting our earth include supporting our animals, plants and habitats. Earth Day reminds us that we rely on the earth for sustenance and the earth relies on us for care and safety. Exploring and understanding endangered and threatened species helps us to learn better ways to care for our environment as a whole. Free Printable Earth Day Endangered Species Coloring Activity Booklet

Free Printable Earth Day Coloring Activities

April 22 celebrates Earth Day, formerly called Arbor Day. Need free printable Earth Day lessons and activities for your science classroom, homeschool, 4H club or scout troop? Here are links for free printable environmental science activities. EPA.gov has free printable lesson plans for Earth Day. This link takes you to a free printable cartoon style graphic novel entitled 'On the Trail of the Missing Ozone'. Students learn about atmosphere, the ozone layer and what we can do to protect it. Students can color the cartoons in this free printable 8 page booklet. Makes a great preschool and homeschool resource.  Free Earth Day Printables

Free Printable Preschool Story Starters, Picture Cue Writing Prompts

March 21 is World Poetry Day and April is National Poetry Month in the U.S. Teachers, why not celebrate in school by hosting creative writer workshops with students? Parents, you can do with kids at home or make activities part of a homeschool lessons. Here are free printable preschool story starters and picture cue writing prompts to get the ideas flowing.Free Printable Preschool Story Starters, Picture Cue Writing Prompts

Free Printable HOP Movie Easter Crafts

 HOP is a fun, funky new movie that came out around Easter, 2011. E.B. (voiced by Russel Brand) is the teenage son of the Easter Bunny. Like the 1980s Roger Rabbit and Space Jam, HOP features live actors with animation. Use these printables for activities on Easter, spring, animals and movies. Here are free printable crafts and coloring pages from HOP. Free Printable HOP Movie and Easter Coloring Pages and Activities

Recycled Arts and Crafts Using Kids' Valentines

 Little Miss took her neatly-labeled valentines to school and arrived home with reciprocal Valentine cards from friends. So now, what to do with these prized missives? Clean freaks will surrepititiously toss them when she isn't looking. Sentimental (ahem, packrat) parents will encouraging saving. Artsy (aka messy) moms won't know what happens to them as valentines will filter into the child's general room litter. None of these is very satisfying considering cost and work put into valentines. Here are five cheap, homemade recycled ways to repurpose kids valentines. 5 Repurposed Uses for Valentines--Art Projects, Crafts, Gifts

Attachment Parenting: Bonding with Your Preschool Toddler

 The "attachment parenting" catch phrase has infiltrated common parlance. Speaking as a 25-year attachment parent, I think the term is often misunderstood. I knew a gal who had no kids say she was an attachment parent because she babysat her brother's children occasionally. It isn't part-time; it's a lifelong, all-invasive commitment. Here's how we did it when kids were toddlers and preschool age.  Attachment Parenting: Bonding with Your Preschool Child or Toddler