Gardens are good for kids, whether they’re girls or boys. But since I have boys, and I’ve been reading a book called Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys, by Stephen James and David Thomas, I’ve been thinking about how a garden is an especially good playplace for preschoolers with a Y chromosome. (And I [...]
If you and your kids are looking for some new music to listen to this spring, check this out. Four working moms with a passion for the earth recruited musicians and songwriters to create My Changing Planet, a fun CD full of messages about playing outside, appreciating nature and taking care of the earth.
Released [...]
If you’re a gardener who spends a lot of time with your toes in the dirt, every day is “earth day.” But today, as more than 1 billion people in 190 countries participate in ecological celebrations, it’s Earth Day with a capital “E” and “D.” It’s a great day to remind your kids (and yourself) [...]
The health care reform bill signed into law earlier this week may be getting most of the attention in Washington and across the country, but another little bill now on its way to the Senate could potentially be just as important for the future health of Americans. It’s the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, and today [...]
Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with Sarah Palin. Whether you like her or not, we can all get on board with getting outside. And in Palin’s home state of Alaska, both dogs and people are taking to the outdoors this week for the opening of the Iditarod, the iconic dogsled race. The race [...]
Do you have a third grader at your house? Or do you know a third grade teacher? If so, let them know about Bonnie Plants’ Third Grade Cabbage Program.
Through the program, Bonnie Plants provides free cabbage seeds to third grade students across the country whose teachers have signed up to participate. Each student [...]
We parents knew that spending time outside did something positive for our kids (besides making them take a better nap). And now a new study shows that people who spend more time in the natural environment, as opposed to manmade environments, place greater value on personal relationships and community, and are more generous with money, [...]
Our Big Boy was sent home early from preschool one day last week. He wasn’t sick. He wasn’t biting other kids. He just couldn’t stop scratching. He’d clawed his arms and legs to the point of drawing blood in some places. What I’d thought were a few bug bites that morning turned out to be [...]
