One Simple Thing - Tuesday - Environmental Print

All print our children see around them can be considered environmental print.
Just drive your three-year-old by any McDonald's and he will plead with you to get him french fries the minute he sees that golden "M."

One Simple Thing you can do today to help your child succeed in learning to read is to support her love of environmental print!

Collect five or six DVD or VHS covers of shows or movies that are your family's favorites (your local library is a great source of movies you can rent for free!).
Lay them side by side on a table or rug and begin talking about each one. Your child is likely to tell you some of the titles immediately! Point to the words in each movie title as you read it aloud. Then, the fun begins! Point to the title of a movie your child knows for sure and ask, "What does this say?" Most likely, he or she will "read" the title correctly. If it is slightly off ("Bug's Life"), point to each word and say, "Yes, "A Bug's Life." Make sure to encourage your child by saying, "You read it!" or, "You are a reader!" excitedly. He or she will light up with confidence and will continue to want to read all the movie titles to you! Once you have played this game for a while, make sure to let your child demonstrate his environmental print skills to an encouraging parent, sibling, or friend. Have fun!

One Simple Thing you can do to boost your baby's reading skills today, is to take a nature walk! Describe the flowers and bugs you see, how the rain feels, the smell of the air etc. Help her to really notice the world around her and to build her vocabulary!

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Tile Coaster Tutorial

Tile coasters are easy and fun to put together and make wonderful gifts! Best of all, they are inexpensive and functional ! Here's what you'll need: Modge Podge (available at craft stores) 12x12 scrapbooking paper (scrap paper is fine too, you'll need 4x4 squares) 4x4 tiles (13 cents and up at home improvement stores) foam brush felt pads (any size, four per tile, found at Home Depot, Lowes etc.) clear acrylic spray Cut as many 4x4 pieces of scrapbooking paper as tiles. Using the foam brush, cover each tile with a thin layer of Modge Podge. Quickly press the paper unto the tile. Let the Modge Podge/paper dry for 15 minutes. Next, apply a thin layer of Modge Podge over the entire surface of the tile and paper. Let dry, then repeat. Finally, spray each tile with a thin layer of clear acrylic to seal. Add the felt pad to four corners of each tile and...Voila -water-resistant coasters that can be customized to match any season or decor!

Roasted Garlic So easy to make, roasted garlic lends wonderful, rustic flavor to any dish. Just cut the top off a bulb of garlic. Then, add two tablespoons of butter and wrap the bulb in aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. When cool, gently squeeze the softened cloves out of the bulb and use them in any recipe as you desire. I smashed the softened cloves to season a cream sauce - delicious!

DIY Facial Powder and Blush Making your own cosmetics is inexpensive, fun, and chemical-free! Here are a couple of my favorite "recipes" for DIY make-up: Facial Powder Gently mix 1/2 cup of organic cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of organic cacao powder, adding more as needed to match your skin tone. Add 2-3 drops of Melaleuca essential oil (this helps reduce any bacteria growth). Store in air-tight container (recycled glass jars, like canning jars, work well). Blush Gently mix 1/4 cup of organic cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of beet root powder, adding more as needed to achieve the desired intensity of color. Stir in 2-3 drops of Melaleuca essential oil and store in air tight container. Depending on frequency of use, the powder and blush last about two weeks. I would recommend your local health food store to purchase the ingredients for DIY cosmetics. Internet prices may be a little cheaper, but buying local, fresh ingredients is worth it in the long run.

Chocolate Isn't a Vegetable?

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