Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Washington DC, DC

Beachy Reads

by Leticia

August is a great time to head for the beach. With many families thinking about going back to school, the beach tends to be less crowded and rates on week long rentals tend to be less expensive. If you have a trip to the beach planned in August, don't forget to pack some books along with the buckets, shovels, sand toys, swimsuits, and sunscreen. After all, there will be that inevitable down time ... Read more >

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Books That Celebrate a Child's Imagination

by Leticia

We love imaginative play and the books we read often serve as gateways that take us away to other worlds. Here's a list of some of my family's favorite books that are pure fantasy. Who Needs Doughnuts was one of my husband's favorites as a child and we are so fortunate that it was recently reprinted. The story is about Max, a boy who wants nothing more than doughnuts and leaves home on his ... Read more >

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A Good Book Lasts Forever

by Beth Hoffman

We read a lot around here. In fact, our collection of books spans six rooms in our house and is slightly embarrassing, if you want to know the truth. The children, of course, contribute their fair share to the piles of bound paper lying around. One of my favorite parts about reading to my kids is sharing books that I remember my parents reading to me. Here are a few of my favorites that I ... Read more >

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Chapter Books for Preschoolers

by Beth Hoffman

My three-year-old loves to read chapter books, I think they make her feel very grown up. We tried a few of the learn to read types, but the books she really enjoys are the full-length books geared to kids much older than her. I was skeptical when we started, thinking there was no way she would sit still and pay attention, but she does and can recite details of the stories and incorporate ... Read more >

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Author Illustrator Extrodinare: Chris Van Allsburg

by Leticia

I remember the first time I laid eyes on author and illustrator Chris VanAllburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick . I was in sixth grade and my teacher was telling us about the book and describing our writing task where we were to choose an illustration as a foundation for a short story. There was something about the cover that drew me in without even looking at the other pictures. In the ... Read more >

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Madam President

by Beth Hoffman

At my house, we are still spending a lot of time talking about the recent election. Once we covered who the president was and where he lives, we started getting questions about what, exactly, the president does. At first, saying "Oh, he's the boss of the country" was good enough, but lately I've been getting pressed for specifics. Which is why I was thrilled to discover Madam President by ... Read more >

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Great Books for Preschoolers

by Beth Hoffman

The holidays are fast approaching, and if you have a preschooler on your gift list you might want to consider one of these books: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes . A family favorite - wonderfully illustrated and lots of fun to read. Reading can often lead to discussions of imagination, perception, and how things are not always as they seem. Or, ... Read more >

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Favorite Christmas Books

by Beth Hoffman

I have to hide our Christmas books in the dark corners of a closet in order to avoid being forced by my daughter to read them to her daily all year long. Now that I have liberated them from their off-season exile, here are a few of the Christmas books that we have in heavy rotation. Olivia helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer. Olivia is always a hit and is a good role ... Read more >

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More Books for Preschoolers

by Beth Hoffman

It was rainy here on Sunday morning, so I took a chance and hit the stores to do some Christmas shopping. And I got lucky everywhere I went was deserted. That may not happen again before the holidays though, so if you are still looking for gifts, check out a few of these easily-shipped books: Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer . I can't begin to count the number of times my ... Read more >

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You Can Never Have too Many Books

by Beth Hoffman

I know, I know, I keep recommending books! But we spend a lot of our time reading books (or eating them, babies love paper), and I just can't help myself. Here are a few more suggestions of books to share with the kids in your life. Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French . I think this book is pretty funny, but my three year old doesn't quite get it. She does like the illustrations though and ... Read more >

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Favorite Christmas Books, Toys, and Activities

by Leticia

Christmas is coming and that means we've taken the boxes of decorations out of our attic and unearthed some treasured friends- our favorite holiday books. We've used the cold weather as a great excuse to cuddle up under a blanket with a stack of books and dream in the magic of Christmas. What are we reading? Here's a list of our top 6 favorites: Eric Carle's Dream Snow is one of my favorites ... Read more >

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Book Review: Showdown at the Food Pyramid by Rex Barron

by Beth Hoffman

My preschooler isn't much of an eater, and never has been. She could live happily on pasta, crackers and grapes and has mastered a look of abject horror that she breaks out whenever someone suggests that she sample a food outside her comfort zone. In looking for ways to gently help her expand her dining repertoire, I recently picked up a copy of Showdown at the Food Pyramid by Rex Barron. ... Read more >

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Tuesday List: Favorite Counting Books

by Leticia

There is no shortage of books in this house, especially ones that teach beginning math concepts like counting. Hereā??s a list of the ones in our home library that come highly recommended by Captain Computer and Little Miss Techie: Counting Kisses by Karen Katz Bears on Wheels by Stan and Jan Berenstain Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss ... Read more >

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