10 Awesome Indoor Activities to do with your Kid

It's nearly winter so time, and if you're anything like me I know you're looking for indoor activities to do with your kids because it's just too darn cold to be outdoors.  Here are 10 of our favorite activities.  If you have any indoor activities you like to do with your kids please feel free to share!  I'm always looking for new ideas.

 1.  Create your own winter wonderland

Just empty one of your kitchen cupboards fill it with Christmas lights, and then let your kids design their own winter wonderland using their toys and other items around the house.

2.  Make a nest.

This was a favorite past time for me when I was a kid, and it's fun that my own son enjoys it too.  Grab every blanket, stuffed animal, and pillow in the house and build a comfy nest to snuggle in.  

3. Rice Sensory Bin

This activity will have my son entertained for hours.  It's a good replacement for a sandbox when you can't go outside.

4.  Go Fishing!

Attach a magnet to a string and tie it to the end of a stick.  Then find something magnetic!  We use poker chips, but you could also use paperclips or other metal objects.

5.  Blow up Balloons with Baking Soda and Vinegar

For instructions on how to do this activity go to http://www.wikihow.com/Blow-up-a-Balloon-With-Baking-Soda-and-Vinegar It's super fun!  It's also a good chemistry lesson.

6.  Yarn Spider Webs

Samuel loves making spider webs with yarn or string.  Usually he just wraps it around kitchen chair legs, but for picture purposes I made this particular web with him.  

7.  Richard Scarry's Busytown Game!

We love Richard Scarry books so I thought we'd give this game a try.  Best decision ever!  Samuel absolutely loves this game.  If you want to give your kid this game for Christmas you can buy it at Amazon here.

8.  Go to the Library!

We go to the library about 3 times a week.  Perhaps that's a little eccentric, but we love it.  There are toys to keep Samuel entertained leaving me time to browse for awesome picture books or read a novel.  

 9.  Cardboard Boxes are fun.

The possibilities for cardboard boxes are endless.  On this particular occasion we made a car slide and village. We've used boxes to make sailboats, cars, and a puppet stand.  Just use your imaginations and whatever resources are available around the house.

10.  Marshmallow Sculptures

Toothpicks and marshmallows.  Once you can convince your kids not to eat the marshmallows this is a fun activity.

The Waterlady: An Ozark Tale

Today I am reviewing the picture book "The Waterlady: an Ozark Tale" written and self-published by my friend Catherine Valentine which you can buy on Amazon for a mere $8.22.

First of all I need to point out that the cover for this book is just stunning. The font goes beautifully with Rebekah Burchfield McCleary's intriguing cover illustration. It was very tastefully done.

The story is written in a lyrical, easy to read style that flows naturally especially when read out loud. The book is about a mythical creature (the waterlady) who encounters a young girl in the woods. The book captures beautifully the message that we should all spend more time outside enjoying the wonders and magical beauty of nature. After reading this book I immediately wanted to pull on my boots and head outside. Catherine and Rebekah did a wonderful job on combining their storytelling skills to tell this lovely story.

I have conducted a Q&A session with Catherine since I was very interested in the process. It is fascinating to read and if you are at all interested in self-publishing yourself I highly recommend you read what she has to say.

Q&A with Catherine Valentine

1.Why were you inspired to write this particular story?

It’s hard for me to say what was the first spark, but I’ll do my best. It all began in the woods near my junior college--Bicentennial Conservation Area: Mort Walker Trail. I found the woods peaceful, imaginative, and inviting and near the trail where I walked there was a tiny pond that was nothing more than a mud hole hidden in the trees. There was something wild about this place in spite of being so close to civilization. I began free writing about ideas of a woodland mermaid (I credit Bianca Spriggs’ poem “Waterbody” for giving permission to write about a mermaid). After writing freely I began to try to craft a story and nothing seemed to work. Then one day in May of 2014 I simply wrote a poem called “The Waterlady” and it just seemed to work. It seemed right. After 3 drafts (mostly about spacing and flow) it was done.


2. Tell us about your illustrator. What is your relationship with her?

My illustrator, Rebekah Burchfield McCleary, and I have been friends since we were 4 and 5 years old. We grew up together and our families are very close (her brother married my sister, in fact). Rebekah is a talented artist and even published her own children’s book called “Where Malachi Reads” (found on amazon.com). It was a little dream of mine that she would illustrate one of my stories. Although I knew she liked my writing it was very nerve wracking to ask her to illustrate my poem. It’s hard to ask someone to love your work so much as to invest time into it. She ended up loving it and the rest is history.

3. Why did you decide to self-publish?

I fell into self-publishing. After Rebekah and I started on our project I tentatively asked about publishing (knowing she already published a book) and she’s the one who told me about CreateSpace through amazon.com. I looked it up and watched a video and it seemed to make a lot of sense. I really didn’t consider the traditional rout because the point was to just finish a book together, not land a book deal.


4. What has been your greatest reward in creating this book?

The greatest reward was working on the project with one of my oldest friends. It was truly collaborative--over 70 messages, two phone calls, 3 meetings (she lives in another state), and I even took pictures of Mort Walker Trail to share with her where I got my ideas. We are both proud of our book.

5. What has been your greatest challenge in creating this book?

I think I was surprised by how much work goes into creating a children’s book and how much time. Our finish line kept being pushed back because of the demands from everyday life and distance and wanting to have the best book possible.


6. If you could do it over again what would you do differently?

I am proud of the project, but the one thing I would do differently is that I would be more patient. Books take time to create, even children’s books. The point is to have something good, not just reach the finish line.


7.What advice do you have for other writers out there looking to self publish their own picture books?

Treat your children’s book like it’s your first novel. Give it all your time, creativity, and energy. Give it the respect it deserves. Give a lot of thought into illustrations and the relationship between images and words. Give time to formatting and do all the nitty-gritty work to make it as professional as possible. This is a real book, treat it as such.

Let's Talk about Racism

Okay. Racism is an uncomfortable topic. Especially for white people. I’m a sociology major and took an “interracial communications” course in college and I still feel highly unqualified and awkward whenever I broach the subject. However, I am going to try to blunder my way through this post, because I honestly believe that we (especially white people) need to talk about racism, and recognize our own racist tendencies if we ever want to break free this horrific cycle of events we’ve been reading on the news. Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Tamir Rice. Eric Garner.  I am scared to turn on the radio or get on Facebook these days for fear of hearing yet another story like theirs. I have always been the kind of person who tries to keep a positive outlook, but if I keep seeing news stories like this it’s going to rip apart my belief in the good of mankind.

Racism is real. I have been a personal witness to this. Not just on the news. In real life. I’ve watched my friends grow uncomfortable at a public swimming pool from the squinty-eyed stares of white people looking at the color of their skin. I’ve seen a white man completely ignore my friend when she asked for directions because she was black. I heard the man who lived next door to me begin a rant about a neighbor with “Now I’m not a racist” and end the rant by calling her “a fucking monkey.” Racism is real. I’ve seen it in others. I’ve seen it in myself.

There is a quote by bell hooks a beloved writer from Berea where I used to live. It says “Individual white people, moving from denial of race to awareness, suddenly realize that white-supremacist culture encourages white folks to deny their understanding of race. Yet when the denial stops, it becomes clear that underneath their skin most white folks have an intimate awareness of the politics of race and racism. They have learned to pretend that it is not so, to take on the posture of learned helplessness." The truth hurts. It really does. It’s time for white people to face the reality.  It's time to stop pretending everything is oaky.  It's not okay!  Something has got to change.

Racism and racist are strong words. They tend to scare people away. I would suggest we use words like prejudice and bias instead. Everyone knows that racism is wrong. No one is going to admit to being a racist. However, we all have our prejudices, and we need to be able to identify and recognize them before we can eliminate them. A friend of mine posted this facebook status yesterday that eloquently mirrors my own thoughts and feelings about this matter. She said, “Personally, I think that all of us white people (and ESPECIALLY the liberal ones) need to stop freaking out at the mere mention that we might be racist. Instead, we need to pause, reflect, and ask ourselves honestly, "do I ever have racist thoughts? maybe even a teeny tiny bit?" And then ask ourselves, how can I change? How can I be better? None of us are perfect, and people need to stop being so damned defensive about it.”

I have been debating whether or not to write this blog post for a long time. I am always so worried about offending people in my writing, and racism is such a sensitive topic, but then I thought about all of the other safe, inconsequential posts I might write. No. This is something I need to say. I may hurt or offend a few people, but at least I will be able to provide some slight relief for growing knot in the pit of my stomach.   At least my voice will be heard.

“In the end we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
                ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Happiness

Last week I received a most delightful package in the mail, a copy of the book I illustrated for my Aunt Linda, Lucy and Friends.  It was the first time I'd seen it in the form of an actual book. There is something incredibly satisfying about seeing your work in print.  Throughout the entire evening I kept peeking at it to admire my handiwork.

The next morning when my 3 year old son woke up I had him come sit on my lap and showed him the book.  "Look!"  I said.  "I illustrated this book.  I drew the pictures!"  Not many people out there get to say these words.  It felt so good.

After reading the book my son said, "That book is awesome."  Boy, oh boy!  My son really knows how to pay a swell compliment.  The countless hours I spent drawing, painting, and formatting were entirely worth it just to hear those 4 words.  I gave him a big ole squeeze and felt like a million bucks.  It's his opinion (as well as other kids) that mean the most.  He even asked me to read it again!

This is why I do what I do.  Money is nice.  Recognition is even nicer.  But being able to connect with the imagination of children is the reason I got in to this business.  Words cannot express my happiness in achieving this goal with my first illustrated book.

Dear Parents

Dear parents of the screaming child throwing a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store,

I know that you feel like everyone is watching and judging, and you're probably right! It has been my observation that people in today’s society are quick to judge parents and slow to understand that children can’t be perfect little angels every waking moment of their life. There are a handful of compassionate people out there who will empathize with you, and may even offer to lend a helping hand, but the cold truth of the matter is that the majority of people judge.

This is unfair. Tantrums are completely normal! All parents have experienced the horrors of their child misbehaving in public. If they say otherwise they are either lying or they have an abnormally perfect child. But the sad thing is it’s not only the people who don’t have kids that are judging. Parents are guilty of this as well. I am sorry to say that I also am guilty of passing judgment.

Earlier this week I took Sam to a children’s museum and every time we passed this mom and her 4 year-old son he seemed to be throwing a horrible fit over some minor thing. I thought, “She is letting that kid walk all over her. I’m sure glad my son never acts like that.” I left the museum feeling rather smug. I am not proud of this. That very evening I read a blog post from my cousin who is a wonderful mother to 4 adorable kids. She wrote about a truly horrific experience she had at Target where one of her girls was having a melt down and a complete stranger walked up to her and said, “I think you should take parenting classes.” This experience really shook my cousin up, and I was outraged that someone could be so blatantly cruel. I stewed over that post all evening. I think one of the reasons I was so upset was because I realized I was one of those people passing judgment. Even though I would never approach a complete stranger and criticize them out loud, I was still guilty of thinking unkind thoughts. I resolved to stop.

Perhaps it was bad karma for being judgmental, but the very next day Sam had his first horrendous tantrum in a public place. Of course he would choose the library of all places to do this. He made a little friend in the kid section and the other kid ran into another section where adults worked on computers looking very much like they did not want to be disturbed. Sam was looking like he was going to follow him so I said, “Sam don’t go in there.” But he did. I put on my stern mommy expression, stormed in after him and grabbed his arm. I began to pull him out of the room and he just flopped on the floor and started screaming “No! No! No!” Heads turned in our direction. I flushed crimson. The other little boy allowed his mom to guide him quietly of the room. Sam on the other hand continued to make a scene. Not knowing what to say I just picked up my son and walked out of the room without a word. I could feel their eyes upon me as we retreated.

Dear parents. I know what it feels like to be judged. I’ve been there. It’s not fun. We can’t change the way other people will think about us, but we can choose how to respond to the situation. We could spend the day analyzing what we did wrong, reliving the embarrassing moment, and worrying what other people think, or we could allow the moment to pass and move on with our lives. Tantrums are fleeting. They flare up, they explode, and then they’re gone. We teach are our children how their actions affect those around them. They learn to stop throwing tantrums. They grow up into decent human beings. Who cares what those uppity, snobbish strangers think? They don’t know anything about you or your child. Just hold your head high, love your child, and love yourself. In the end that’s all that matters.

Board Games Bracket

I make brackets when I'm bored. Today I am especially geeky because I made a bracket of games that most people have never even heard of before.  Even if you are a board game fanatic like me this list is by no means perfect.  I designed it specifically for my own Game Night friends and family.  Still I thought I'd throw this out there for anyone who might want to participate.  Enjoy!

If you are ever looking for board game recommendations let me know!  I am more than happy to share my knowledge.  Christmas is coming up and board games make terrific gifts.

Dare to Discover Something New

A few weeks ago I went to Barnes and Noble to buy, "Ernest the Moose Who Doesn't Fit", a picture book I discovered at our local library and fell in love with.  When I got there I was appalled to discover that they did not have the book or any book by that particular author/illustrator, Catherine Rayner (who is fantastic btw).  When I asked the nearest employee if they had the book she said no and then went through the trouble to find me another moose book, but it was vastly inferior to Ernest the Moose so I left the store without purchasing anything.

The more I learn about the children's book industry the more I realize how terribly unfair the market is.  Publishing houses and books stores, like any other business, are mostly concerned with making money so they sell the classics.  When people go to the store to buy picture books they are naturally drawn to the ones that their parents read to them as kids: Goodnight Moon, Curious George, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Generation after generation are buying the same books again and again and again, not because they are the best, but because they are familiar.  This needs to stop.  Wonderfully talented new authors and illustrators are producing absolutely stunning picture books, but they are too soon forgotten because they don't fall under the "classics" category on the bookshelves.

Don't get me wrong.  There are a great deal of many wonderful classics and they deserve to be read.  My own picture book collection includes: Ferdinand the Bull, Love You Forever, Strega Nona, and On the Night You Were Born.  These books have become classics for good reason.  Classics are great, but it's a problem that they are the only books selling.  Emerging writers and illustrators deserve some love too.  I think people would be astonished at the wealth of talent out there if they only ventured to open books they never heard of before.

Here is what I suggest.  Spend time in the picture book sections of your nearest local library or used book store where you don't feel bombarded by marketing techniques.  Pick up books that you have never heard of before.  Dare to discover something new.  Allow yourself to become lost in the picture book world.  When you find a book that you really truly love then buy it!  You may have to order them online because book stores tend to sell only what they see as marketable.  I guarantee it will be the kind of purchase you can feel proud of.  There is something wonderful about supporting the creators of a work of art you love.

Keep the forgotten picture book illustrators and authors in mind as you search for Christmas gifts this year.  They've worked hard to produce something beautiful in this world.  They deserve some recognition.