Every parent has heard the familiar request at one point or another: “Can we get a puppy? Or a kitty?” You smile, because puppies and kittens are cute, but you also groan at the thought of taking on another responsibility. While no one is going to claim that pets aren’t worth it, we all know…
Gradeschooler
Green Child Talks With Oak Meadow Homeschoolers: The Doughty Family
Like many parents, I never planned to homeschool my kids. But an out-of-state move showed us just how irreplaceable our former Montessori school (on 6 acres of land with horses, chickens, sheep, and an outstanding staff and group of families) was. After much trial and even more error, we decided to homeschool. I quickly discovered that doing the…
Good Sports: Encouraging Healthy Competition & Learning Life Lessons
It’s no fun to lose. When your child tries really hard and doesn’t get the results she intended, you can help her see it as an opportunity to succeed. Or if she does well, instead of bragging on herself, you can show her how to respectfully celebrate her achievement. One study revealed 70% of U.S….
Kindergarten Goes Into the Woods
Meridian Hills Co-op in Indianapolis brings the kindergarten classroom outdoors. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. This isn’t the official motto of Malkah Bird’s kindergarten class at Meridian Hills Cooperative Nursery School & Kindergarten in Indianapolis, but it very well could be. Every day, the 14 kindergarteners spend a good chunk of…
Roughhousing & Developmental Play
A kitten makes a sideways run to pounce on her unsuspecting sibling. Two puppies growl and nip each other, all the while thumping their tails with glee. Roughhousing comes naturally to young animals (even non-predatory animals), so it should be no surprise our kids have the same instincts. “Play fighting” can actually help kids learn…
Flexible LEGO® Compatible Tape is a Game Changer!
Few things capture the imagination of a child like the classic LEGO® brick. These open-ended toys stand the test of time, and now a new innovation is propelling the already endless options for creativity. Nimuno Loops is a flexible roll of building block “tape” that can be cut to any length and applied to nearly any…
Hiking with Little Kids: How to enjoy hiking without overdoing it
A family hike is a wonderful way to spend time together in nature and get some great exercise. If you’re nervous about hiking with little kids, here’s how to enjoy a great day without overdoing it. Hiking with little kids is the ultimate way to enjoy a free range summer. My niece and nephew are…
The Spring 2017 Issue of Green Child Magazine is Here!
The Spring 2017 issue of Green Child is here! You’ll find natural parenting advice for all ages & stages… from handling baby’s first fever to creating a safe environment for your preschooler’s roughhousing to helping set rules for your teen’s first cell phone. You’ll also find healthy recipes, a peek at our favorite books in…
Why & How to Embrace Minimalist Parenting
Could your family enjoy life more by doing less? Minimalist parenting challenges parents to cut through the clutter of more, and edit your activities and belongings down to what’s truly important. For many years, the parenting climate has been all about more. More expert advice, more gear, more competition, more fears about safety, and more choices to make…
Learning and the Natural World
Spending time in nature can lead to some of the most enjoyable and profound learning experiences. Nature-based learning touches on and connects every academic discipline imaginable while enlivening the senses and invigorating the body. It encourages curiosity and inquiry, exploration and experimentation, while the mind catalogs, analyzes, and compares. Homeschoolers are in a unique position…
Oak Meadow Full Homeschool Curriculum Package Giveaway
If you’ve been considering homeschool, here’s your chance to try one of our top choices for learning at home. Oak Meadow has been a part of the educational landscape since 1975. Their compassionate, child-centered approach to homeschool encourages critical thinking and intellectual development through hands-on activities, interdisciplinary projects, and thoughtful reading and writing practice. This…
Coping With Colds: The Best Herbs For Cough, Congestion, And Infection
Dealing with a cold is terrible. But having a child come down with a cold? Any parent would happily take on the virus rather than put their kid through the breathless nights of hacking, sneezing, and stuffy noses. No, we can’t take up sneezing on their behalf, but herbs can be the next best thing. Use…
Children and Chickens: What Backyard Chickens Can Teach Kids
Children and chickens may not seem as natural a combination as a child and a puppy, but you may be surprised at the bonding experience your family can have with a flock of chickens. Keeping a small flock of chickens in the backyard is much more than a passing fad or trend and is slowly…
Nutritional Nuggets: Holidays Don’t Have to Equal Sweets
Question: Is there a way to stop the sweets – holidays association before it starts? My husband and I went off of sugar several years ago, and it’s been the best health decision we’ve ever made. Our son is almost 2, and we’d like to keep sugar from becoming a reward or celebratory association in…
DIY Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping Fun
What do you get when you ask kids to wrap gifts with recycled papers, fabric, and craft items they found lying around? We got an afternoon of DIY eco-friendly gift wrapping fun… and a pile of off-the-chart festive, creatively wrapped gifts! And personally – I got to share my obsession with Furoshiki (the Japanese art…
Naturepedic Verse Review: An Organic Mattress Upgrade for Your Child
Your child spends a third of his time sleeping. One of the most critical ways to decrease his exposure to chemicals is with a non-toxic sleeping environment. In our Naturepedic Verse review, we’re taking a deep dive into the benefits of this non-toxic mattress. When it’s time to transition to a big kid bed from…
Unleash Your Child’s Creative Genius By Nurturing These 6 Traits in Yourself
Is creativity an innate talent or a learned skill? Many people think creativity is something people are born with—either they have it or they don’t. That’s one myth about child rearing that needs to be debunked because, in fact, creativity can be learned. As a parent who wants to nurture their child’s ability to think…
Eco & Socially Conscious Fundraising With Equal Exchange
“I vote for the wrapping paper. Didn’t we make good money on it last year?” “Yeah, well at $12 a roll, we should have made a fortune. I vote for the scented candles!” This was the school fundraising conversation at my first PTO meeting when our son was in kindergarten. The squirmy toddler on my…
Free Printable Children’s Reading Kit
Recently I wrote an article about bringing mindfulness to story time, and the Green Child team told me it resonated with a lot of parents. We started looking at other ways to encourage creating a special ritual around reading, and we came up with the idea of a free printable Children’s Reading Kit. So, we’re…
School Incentives That Aren’t Junk Food or Cheap Toys
School incentives don’t have to be junk food or cheap toys. To be frank, we should be teaching and modeling to students that a job well done is its own reward. But we get it – bribery works. And sometimes it’s more fun if the group is working toward a common goal. So today we’re…
How to Talk with Kids About Climate Change
When we talk with kids about climate change, we’re planting a seed. A seed that blossoms into more than just an understanding of the challenges our planet faces, but a respect and understanding for the broad field of science. As we work to curb climate change, we often come up against an epidemic movement to marginalize science. In his book Science…
Bringing Mindfulness to Story Time
Once during story time when my son was just four years old, he taught me a lesson that changed me forever. I was reading to him, as we did every day. It was a little more rushed than usual. I was tired and hungry, and we sat on the edge of the couch going through…
Mindful Parenting: Releasing Your Expectations
Editor’s note: We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Shefali Tsabary’s voice to Green Child, as she shares her perspective on mindful parenting and releasing the expectations we have on our children. To learn more about parenting from a place of peace, presence, and connectedness, check out her new book, The Awakened Family. What is Mindful Parenting? Mindful parenting is the…
Nature-inspired Art: How to Make Your Own Nature Brushes and Paints
Mother Nature is definitely her own artist. And you can channel her talents when you make your own nature brushes and paints. As a former art teacher, I reveled in preparing these activities because there are so many varied points of interest that capture a child’s fascination. Whether you want to make your own nature brushes…
