Activities · 12-23-2016
Whether you like white or multicolored Christmas lights, both look magical when viewed with Holiday Specs. These holographic lenses are a “surprise for your eyes” because they transform Christmas lights into holiday images such as stars, candy canes, angels, and snowmen. Our pair of Holiday Specs enables us to see snowflakes on every bulb of our Christmas tree turning it into a snowy kaleidoscope of Christmas. The beauty of these twinkling snowflake lights inspired me to create the...
Activities · 12-09-2016
As King Moonracer tells Rudolph in the classic Christmas special, “A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child.” Classic toys, like Lego, inspire creative play and have been loved for generations. Other toys, such as Beanie Babies, achieve fad-like status only to fade away in popularity. Regardless of how long a toy remains popular, marketing is a key part of a toy’s success. How would you market your favorite toy? Sixty-two classic toys have been inducted into the National...
Activities · 09-11-2016
All children have interests or hobbies. Whether it’s a favorite sports team or a passion for photography, individual interests are excellent opportunities for personalized learning. Not only does independent study allow students to learn more about topics, it also teaches them how to problem solve and present knowledge in creative ways. When supervising student projects, it’s important to help students focus their research with a specific guiding question. For example, if a student wants to...
Activities · 08-10-2016
Many of my favorite things are priceless, yet they are worth little money. I value them for sentimental reasons. Some played important roles in my life, like my first stuffed animal. Others are associated with beloved family members, like my mother’s handmade baskets or family photos. We learn much about the world through the objects we save and treasure. An object’s sentimental or symbolic significance reveals our customs, interests, values, and traditions. Examining the role of...
Activities · 02-15-2016
Library of Congress Image: Illus. in: The Delineator. New York : The Butterick company, inc., v. 109, no. 2 (1926 August), p. 28-29.
Books · 01-24-2016
As a result of their passion for reading, artist Jane Mount and writer Thessaly La Force asked 100+ creative people to assemble their ideal “bookshelves.” This select group represented a variety of disciplines, and many of them cited reading as a gateway to their creative pursuits. My Ideal Bookshelf will inspire you, help you find new books to read, and make you think about your own ideal bookshelf. Included is a template that allows you to create your own bookshelf.
Activities · 11-17-2015
Are you looking for ideas to expand young students’ vocabulary skills? While the thesaurus is an excellent source for helping students learn new words, it can also be used to generate laughter and fun. One of my creative colleagues developed many engaging activities to extend speaking and writing vocabularies. One of my favorites was the highly sophisticated book of nursery rhymes. Students enjoyed embellishing traditional nursery rhymes with synonyms chosen to entertain, amuse, and educate...
Museums · 10-04-2015
The Etch A Sketch, the Hula Hoop, and Lego are three toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed great popularity. They are also members of the National Toy Hall of Fame. To date, 56 toys have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, which is part of The Strong, a wonderful “interactive, collections-based educational institution devoted to the study and exploration of play." It is one of the largest history museums in the United States and one of the leading museums serving...