Story Time at the Library

We try to go to pre-school story time at the library every Thursday.  Luke brings his book to read out in the main area while us girls enjoy some stories, along with the "Bean Bag" dance and singing about shaking our "sillies" out.  I love Meg our story time teacher.  She keeps story time pretty routine to help the children feel comfortable and familiar with it, at the same time she adds new songs and activities to keep their interest. Also, every Friday afternoon our library has "Read to a Dog."  About three docile trained dogs are there waiting for children to read them a story.  Isabel loves it.

This week we tried out toddler story time.  Pretty much the same as pre-school story time, except a little simpler.

There is always a craft at the end.  (well, in this case, it was coloring a clown.)

The other cute two year old is Hazel's friend, Ellen!

When it's time to leave, we pick up our order of books and try to get out of there before Hazel can steal too many squirts from the automatic hand sanitizer dispenser.

Rainy Day for a Picnic

With nothing to do this morning, we packed a lunch and headed out to have a picnic at our favorite park.

I always try to be a good example to my children, so a lot of times that means I have to fake it.  The biggest things that I fake are, loving dogs and going gaga over babies.  I really want my children to know that animals and babies are special.  Every dog we see we ask it's owner if it's a boy or a girl, what's it's name, and can we pet him.  My girls love dogs, Luke, not so much.

We read a few books on the blanket.  (I love the striped legs behind us.)

Luke feeding the ants.

Our picnic got rained on.  Isabel took this picture of me going back for Hazel's shoes.

Sylvia in the rain.

Some Of Our Favorite Books

My favorite homeschooling activity to do with my children is reading out loud with them.  More specifically, reading fairy tales, fables, myths and legends.  Children are naturally drawn to creative make believe stories, but more importantly, even though the stories are completely fantastical, they teach profound truths.  Tonight as a family we read from Aesop's Fables and The Very Best of Aesop's Fables

Our favorite fairy tales lately are the familiar stories, with a twist.  For example, there are so many Cinderellas!  We love The Egyptian Cinderella and Cinderhazel.

At the library today we found this beautiful book, Sugar Cane: A Caribbean Rapunzel.

In A Fairy Tale Feast after each story, is a related recipe.  For example, after reading Snow White, we followed the recipe for, and ate, baked cinnamon apples, then after reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears, we cooked porridge.