TAG: picture books

Nurturing creativity & imagination with picture books

Posted in Parents and Teachers on January 28, 2021 at 6:00 am

BY MELISSA RHOADES Children are naturally creative and tend to display expansive imaginations. It’s even a stereotype that our imaginations blossom when we’re young and get socialized out of us as we grow into adulthood. Pablo Picasso is famously quoted as saying: “Every child is an artist. The problem is staying an artist when you […]

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Reading picture books together to help grieving children

Posted in Parents and Teachers on November 24, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Tammy Henry At some point in our lives, all of us will face the death of a loved one and the grief that such a loss entails. Facing death is never an easy thing, and for children, who have significantly less experience with the complexity of life and emotions, it can be a bewildering […]

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Kid-picked books for your summer reading list

Posted in kids on July 15, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson We all know how important it is for kids to keep reading throughout the summer, but sometimes it can be hard to convince kids to pick up a book. I’ve found that kids are more motivated to read a book when it’s recommended to them by a friend. Think of it as […]

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Not too young to talk about race and social justice: Resources and booklists for parents, caregivers, and kids

Posted in kids, News, Parents and Teachers on June 12, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs It’s hard to know where to start the conversation about race with young children. After all, these conversations aren’t easy for most adults. With children there is the additional necessity of making sure the conversation is both age-appropriate and reassuring (at a time when the news is anything but). According to the […]

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Mindfulness picture books for your little ones (and you!)

Posted in Parents and Teachers on January 15, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Melissa Rhoades Definitions of mindfulness can sound mystifying and impossible to achieve. Take, for example, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition: “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” Luckily, there is a muc […]

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Finding a love of reading through fairy tales

Posted in Explore and Discover on August 22, 2019 at 6:00 am

By Caitlin Wheeler Some children are early readers. I have a friend who swears she already preferred burying her nose in a book (over any other activity) by the time she turned two, along with the photo to prove it. While this story smells faintly of exaggeration and posed photography to me, I’m sure my […]

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Celebrate the Lunar New Year with family, food, and festivities

Posted in Explore and Discover on February 5, 2019 at 6:00 am

By Susan Goertz Congratulations! You made it to 2019. I hope the year so far is treating you kindly. If your resolutions are starting to fall by the wayside, or the glum weather is getting to you, don’t worry. There is another chance for a fresh start—the Lunar New Year! As you know, the modern […]

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Young learners & families find good fun in stories, art, games, and crafts

Posted in News on January 28, 2019 at 6:00 am

Storytime is coming to Spokane Valley Mall! Families with kids who are ages 4–8 can paint together. Everyone is invited to have “lots of good fun that is funny” when we celebrate Dr. Seuss. Bring the little ones and the whole family to these entertaining (and educational… we won’t tell if you don’t) events at […]

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Holiday memories and gifts that keep on giving

Posted in kids, Parents and Teachers on December 4, 2018 at 6:00 am

By Susan Goertz The scent of holidays is in the air. Crisp frost and cinnamon seem to waft near every doorway. We scramble to prepare for social gatherings while dreaming of time. Time to relax and enjoy the season. Time to be with loved ones, remember seasons past, decorate, and eat all the desserts. The […]

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The dog days of summer

Posted in kids, Parents and Teachers on June 19, 2018 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs The hot, sticky afternoons of late July through August are typically called “the dog days of summer.” It’s that time when the only thing that sounds good for dinner is gazpacho, and even grownups without kids consider a visit to the neighborhood swimming pool. To the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, the dog […]

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