Melissa & Doug Blog http://blog.melissaanddoug.com Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Water, Water, Everywhere: 10 Fun Facts About H2O http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/18/water-water-everywhere-5-facts-to-kick-off-summer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=water-water-everywhere-5-facts-to-kick-off-summer http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/18/water-water-everywhere-5-facts-to-kick-off-summer/#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:03 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13799 Summer is almost here, which means that beach and pool days are just around the corner! Help us kick-off summer with some “water-themed” fun. Share these fun facts about water with your child over dinner or in the car: We think they may spark some creative conversations to help pass the time (while providing a few [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/18/water-water-everywhere-5-facts-to-kick-off-summer/feed/ 0 Teaching Storytelling Skills: 3 Story Starters (Plus Printable!) http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/17/teaching-storytelling-skills-3-story-starters-plus-printable/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=teaching-storytelling-skills-3-story-starters-plus-printable http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/17/teaching-storytelling-skills-3-story-starters-plus-printable/#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:47 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13885 Sometimes, a simple story prompt is all you need to inspire hours of creative, imaginative play with your child. Whether you’re telling silly stories, or recapping a past event, the art of telling a good story is one every child should practice as they continue to develop their reading and writing skills. This Story Starters [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/17/teaching-storytelling-skills-3-story-starters-plus-printable/feed/ 0 Pre-Trip Planning Tips: Getting Ready to Travel with Kids http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/16/pre-trip-planning-tips-getting-ready-to-travel-with-kids/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pre-trip-planning-tips-getting-ready-to-travel-with-kids http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/16/pre-trip-planning-tips-getting-ready-to-travel-with-kids/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:07 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13714 The countdown to summer is on . . . Planning to travel with kids this summer? Our bloggers Zina Harrington, Tiffany Dahle, and Marnie Craycroft are helping you prepare for your upcoming summer trips! We’ve rounded up these bloggers’ recent articles on pre-trip planning in case you missed a post or just want a quick refresher. [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/16/pre-trip-planning-tips-getting-ready-to-travel-with-kids/feed/ 0 5 Fun Facts: Puzzling over Puzzles http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/14/5-fun-facts-puzzling-over-puzzles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-fun-facts-puzzling-over-puzzles http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/14/5-fun-facts-puzzling-over-puzzles/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 18:42:46 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13774 Does your child love to play with puzzles? Share these fun facts as a family! The first jigsaw puzzle was created in 1767 when John Spilsbury, an English cartographer, chopped up a wooden map of Britain and challenged the public to reassemble it. He called it a “dissected puzzle.” Jigsaw puzzles got their name because [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/14/5-fun-facts-puzzling-over-puzzles/feed/ 1 4 Activities to Teach Summer Safety http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/14/4-activities-to-teach-summer-safety/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4-activities-to-teach-summer-safety http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/14/4-activities-to-teach-summer-safety/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 17:40:52 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13705 This Summer Safety post is provided by Guest Blogger Katie Heap of Live Craft Eat. Summer is a great time for kids and adults alike to get outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather! But along with warm weather comes the inevitable  increase in traffic and construction. Kids who love to explore need to know how to be safe in [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/14/4-activities-to-teach-summer-safety/feed/ 0 Back to Basics: Using an Abacus to Teach Patterns http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/13/back-to-basics-abacus-patterns-and-free-printable/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=back-to-basics-abacus-patterns-and-free-printable http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/13/back-to-basics-abacus-patterns-and-free-printable/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 15:54:16 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13673 Our guest blogger and homeschool expert Genny Upton (In Lieu of Preschool and Parent Teach Play) shares ways you can use your abacus to teach patterns. One item we use in our homeschool a lot is an abacus: We’ve been using it to practice counting and skip counting since our children were toddlers.  Just recently, we also began [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/13/back-to-basics-abacus-patterns-and-free-printable/feed/ 0 A Special Mother’s Day Message from Melissa http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/12/a-special-mothers-day-message-from-melissa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-special-mothers-day-message-from-melissa http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/12/a-special-mothers-day-message-from-melissa/#comments Sun, 12 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13656 In celebration of Mother’s Day, we asked Melissa: “What advice would you share to your fellow moms today?”  Here are some of her insights: “After going through a whole bunch of teenage years, my philosophy on motherhood changed.  But don’t fear:  This is not a tear-jerker.  It’s really just a very healthy shift on my part toward becoming more [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/12/a-special-mothers-day-message-from-melissa/feed/ 0 Mother’s Day Gifts from A to Z http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/10/mothers-day-gifts-from-a-to-z/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mothers-day-gifts-from-a-to-z http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/10/mothers-day-gifts-from-a-to-z/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:14 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13597 Something to WEAR? Something to DO? Something to READ? We’ve got it all. From bright and flowery to subtle and secret. We’ve got a range of gift ideas that’ll make Mom say everything from “Ahhhhh…” to “ZOWIE!” this Mother’s Day. * * * Beaded Necklaces for Mom               Need [...]

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]]> http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/10/mothers-day-gifts-from-a-to-z/feed/ 1 Mom to Mom Tips: 7 Ways to Prep for Baby # 2 (or 3, or 4!) http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/09/mommy-tips-getting-ready-for-baby-2-or-3-or-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mommy-tips-getting-ready-for-baby-2-or-3-or-4 http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2013/05/09/mommy-tips-getting-ready-for-baby-2-or-3-or-4/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 22:00:46 +0000 melissaanddoug http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/?p=13627 To help celebrate Mother’s Day this week, we’ve been asking you to share your favorite “Mommy Moments” on our Facebook page.  One exciting (but sometimes scary) moment for many moms is getting ready for the arrival of a new little family member! So, we asked our group of amazing bloggers to share some of their [...]

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