A wordless picture book is a great tool for developing a child’s love of storytelling. Free of reading levels, there is no wrong way to read these works by five talented women illustrators. The tales have the ability to teach story structure and further vocabulary development. When reading with your child, allow her to examine the pictures and tell you what SHE is seeing in the story. You might just be surprised by the answers. Five Wordless Picture Books by Women Illustrators Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle Molly Idle considers herself both an author and illustrator; she is living the best of both worlds. Flora and the Flamingo, about the budding relationship between an awkward young girl and a graceful flamingo won the 2014 Caldecott Honor. There are several more Flora adventures, including Flora and the Peacock (see video below). The Red Book by Barbara Lehman In school author Barbara Lehman used to stare at maps and wish she could look right into a map itself and be able to see the actual places they represented and the people who lived there. This book is about a very SPECIAL book that takes readers on a magical journey without a single word. The Red Book is a 2005 Caldecott Honor Book and dedicated to Lehman’s father. She credits him with giving her a love of books. Wonder Bear by Tao Nyeu Tao Nyeu is the creator of Wonder Bear, which won the Founder’s Award from the Society of Illustrators and a Marion Vannett Ridgway Award Honor. The book follows …

The number one furniture item for kids art space is a table. Credit Maria Montessori with introducing child-sized furniture into learning environments. The concept gives kids more access to learning materials and greater opportunities to explore. Plus, having a table specifically for your kids means you’re less likely to find marker streaks across the heirloom dining room table. Here are five kids art tables with storage ideas that will give your kids space for their creativity to bloom. This post contains affiliate links. Five Kids Art Tables With Storage Aspen Table & 4 Chairs Set This high-quality birch wood table and set of 4 chairs in a durable clear finish adds a fun touch to any play area. Table measures 23-1/2″L x 23-1/2″W x 19″H Chair measures 12-1/2″L x 11-3/4″W x 21-3/4″H with an 11″H seat Assembly required Star Table and Chair Set with Bins Perfectly proportioned and kid-sized, the natural wood rectangular table has built-in storage bins in blue, green, red, and yellow. Bins are conveniently tilted for easy access and are easy to reach from either end of the table. Two chairs are finished in a combination of natural wood and red and blue lacquer. Table and chairs have whimsical star cutouts. Table is 30 1/4″L x 22 1/4″W x 20 1/4″H Chairs are 12″L x 11 3/4″W x 20 1/4″H and seat is 11″H Assembly required Our Spot Table & Chair Set (this is the table I used with my girls) The unique “x” leg design provides great stability. High quality and …

Christmastime is here again, and its music is coming at us from every direction. Whether you love it or hate it, I am confident you’ll find these songs sung by women worthy of your attention. A little rock, a little soul, and some delightful spins on classics, this playlist shakes the bah humbugs from even the most determined holiday grouch. 10 Christmas Fabulous Songs Sung By Women 1) It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Diana Ross Born and raised in Detroit, Diana Ross rose to fame as the lead singer for the Supremes (one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time). Ross is the only female artist to have number one singles as a solo artist; as the other half of a duet (Lionel Richie); as a member of a trio; and, as an ensemble member. Watch her perform It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year with a full orchestra. 2) Go Tell It On The Mountain: Dolly Parton Oh Dolly, how we love you. A lot of folks have been talking about the new podcast Dolly Parton’s America from NPR (and rightly so). However, look no further than this video of Dolly performing Go Tell It On The Mountain to grasp the power of her voice. 3) One More Sleep: Leona Lewis Singer, songwriter and actress Leona Lewis recorded this tune in 2013; it peaked at number three on UK charts. With this chart entry, Lewis became the first British female solo artist to reach the top five with eight …

Ever since reading the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I always found the idea that a simple wardrobe could be an entryway to another world fascinating. Imagine my delight when my oldest daughter and I saw a travel show snippet about a fantastical slide whose entry point began in a laundry room dryer. At the bottom of that slide was a world unlike any we’d ever seen. The woman who slid down shared she was at Meow Wolf, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. My daughter looked at me and said with 100 percent assurance, “We are SO going there”. This month her wish came true. What Exactly is Meow Wolf? First, you need to understand the Santa Fe location is just one chapter in the Meow Wolf story. Meow Wolf started in 2008 as a small collective of artists who could not find their way into the “traditional” art world. At their very first meeting everyone put two words into a hat. They then picked two random words out and got “Meow Wolf.” The group’s goal was to create immersive, multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of storytelling. Through many ups and downs (well captured in the documentary Meow Wolf: Origin Story), these determined artists brought several brilliant exhibitions to life on their own terms. Then, with the help of longtime Santa Fe resident George R.R. Martin, Meow Wolf took over a vacant former bowling alley, transforming it into a multi-use art complex. House of Eternal Return  Today Meow Wolf Santa Fe …

Girls That Create is excited to share a guest excerpt from Dr. Vanessa Lapointe’s book Parenting Right From the Start: Laying a Healthy Foundation in the Baby and Toddler Years. Dr. Lapointe is a mom, registered psychologist, parenting educator, best-selling author, international speaker, and a regularly invited media guest. Founder and director of The Wishing Star Lapointe Developmental Clinic, she has been supporting families and children for almost 20 years, and has previous experience in community mental health and the school system. The Importance of Development Awareness in a Fast-Paced World How many times have you sat in a restaurant and watched a child under the age of six receive a scolding for not sitting still during a meal? Or heard a three- or four-year-old admonished for not sharing? Or observed an eight-year-old punished for having a meltdown when asked to take out the garbage? Or witnessed a fourteen-year-old get grounded for freaking out when told they couldn’t hang with friends on a Friday evening? The parental response of punishment and consequence for such actions is not an uncommon occurrence in our world. Yet each one of those examples represents a child with an underdeveloped brain responding exactly as they should according to their stage of development. Many of us fall into the trap of expecting a child to absorb and adopt adult behaviour even though the human brain doesn’t fully mature until sometime in the mid to late twenties. That six-year-old fidgeting at the dinner table is incapable of sustained focus and attention; the three-year-old simply …

Why Girls That Create? Several years ago, I became part of the team behind WONDER WOMEN! THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICAN SUPERHEROINES. The documentary film explores the enduring legacy of Wonder Woman and how powerful women are often portrayed in mainstream media. It also encourages girls to be creators of the media they want to see. Fast forward to 2019. The need to nourish and inspire girl creators is just as necessary now as it was then. Although women currently comprise half of the U.S. population, mass media continues to show them in much smaller numbers. This underrepresentation is also true for women who are behind the scenes, creating. That is why I launched Girls That Create in 2019. This online platform exists to support the parents and caregivers of future female creators.  Consider The Numbers • A 2019 report found 69 percent of news wire bylines (AP and Reuters) are snagged by men; 31 percent by women. (Women’s Media Center) • In 2018, women comprised just four percent of directors working on the top 100 films, eight percent on the top 250 films, and 15 percent on the top 500 films. (Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film) • In a recent study of 820,000 exhibitions across the public and commercial sectors, only one third were by women artists. (The Art Newspaper) • Another 2019 study on the music industry revealed female songwriters and producers are vastly outnumbered. Across seven years, 12.3 percent of songwriters of the songs were female. More …