Let’s take a joyous walk today with your children and 20th century poet Japanese Chiyojo as we celebrate a simple wonder and question of life captured in her haiku… Dragonfly catcher, How far have you gone today In your wanderings? Read the poem to your children.  Talk about the dragonfly catcher.  Who is he/she.  Is it a child?  How old [...]

Remember… “To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for a walk in June.” – Jean-Paul Satre Children learn words by hearing words, using words and experimenting with words.  Getting caught up in the technicalities of words is something reserved for later.  Appreciating, loving and having fun with words… wanting to see them and use them [...]

The excitement and rush of the holidays is over and kids are settling back into their routines of ordinary.  But teaching kids the secret of ordinary is one of the most extraordinary gifts you can give to your children.  The secret begins with WORDS… and ends in a lifetime of delight. Remember Satre’s words, “To read a poem in January [...]

“To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for a walk in June.” – Jean-Paul Satre But sometimes, reading a poem in January can be as fun as swaying through a savanna in June. Why?  Because today’s poem, THE GIRAFFE, by Ron Padgett is about… you guessed it, a giraffe!  Poetry is often called the most [...]

Jean-Paul Satre wrote, “To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for a walk in June.” With that in mind, I’ll be offering you a poem each day in January to read with your children… poems that will take you on lovely walks, lovely journeys, lovely adventures… all the while filling their heads with words and [...]

Kids love words.  Kids love to use words.  Kids love the creative spontaneity and fun of knowing and using words.  Having fun with POEMS is a wonderful way to hear, see and use words with kids.  I will be highlighting a different poem each day in January, for kids of all ages… but if you have any special poems, let [...]

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been in love with words… their meanings, their origins, their significance when standing alone or when strung together with other words. WORDS. Spoken or written or felt. Words make us think. Smile. Laugh out loud. Sometimes even cry. Words take us places. Help us. Explain our deepest feelings. Words heal us. Heal others. Sometimes [...]