The country is burning. That’s the sentence that kept playing in my mind over and over again last night. A Black man had his neck crushed by a police officer, while three of his colleagues stood by and did NOTHING. Another story in the chapter upon chapter upon chapter of police brutality against a person of color. And now the country is burning…again. Enough. Action starts at home. If you’re not having talking with children about race and racial violence at home, now is the time. Below are several resources to discuss race and racial violence with children. And even if you’ve had a talk, these conversations need to be routine. As the folks over at EmbraceRace point out, “Race is a topic you should plan to revisit again and again in many different ways overtime.” Talking With Kids About Race and Racial Violence 10 Tips for Teaching and Talking to Kids About Race (EmbraceRace) How To Talk To Your Kids About Race, Racism And Police Violence (NPR WBUR) Talking With Children About Racism, Police Brutality and Protests (Aha! Parenting) White Kids Need to Start Using Their Privilege for Good — Here’s How to Teach Them (she knows) How to Talk to Your Kids About Race and Being Anti-Racist (Mommy Brain) Multicultural and Social Justice Books for Children (A Teaching for Change Project) How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race (NPR Life Kit) I’m Tired of Being Angry (The Mom Set) As a Black Parent, I need to Update ‘The Talk’ I Have With My Kids About Police (Los Angeles Times) Why …

I have been a fan of Kid Made Modern for years and love their mission to create the next generation of creative thinkers. Here are some of the fantastic products they’re offering to make your family’s world even more colorful. FYI affiliate links are used in this post. Kid Made Modern Art Supplies 1) Tired of kiddos running off with your paper for their latest masterpiece? Set them up with Studio in a Box. It has canvas boards, watercolor paper, mixed paper and more. You can also pick up some plain paper Artist Pads (48 sheets). 2) Do you have paintbrushes that suffered a sad fate because someone forgot to wash them? Consider the Brush Library. There is also a Washable Paint Set (set of 12) that includes brushes and paper. 3) Up your craft stash with the Arts and Crafts Supply Library or Rainbow Craft Kit. For youngest crafters, consider My First Arts and Crafts Library. 4) Are the crayons the way to your kiddo’s heart? Then she’ll love some Giant Crazy Crayons, Confetti Crayons or a Crayon Gem. I am also a fan of the Gem Jackpot Crayons. 5) If you have an aspiring jeweler in the household there are several kits, including Mystic Jewelry Kit, Petal Party Jewelry Making Kit and Rock Star Jewelry Making Kit. Kids Made Modern also has free projects on their Go Make Stuff Blog. Kid Made Modern Free Activities and Printouts: Cardboard Rainbow Craft Gratitude Letter Coloring Sheet Unicorn Crown – Free Printout DIY Cardboard Rocket Ships Printable Happy Birthday Poster DIY Happy creating …

Acclaimed actress Angela Bassett is joining her colleagues as a reader for Storyline Online. The platform streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Bassett is bringing to life the true story of New Orleans musician Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews in Trombone Shorty. Written by Andrews and illustrated by Bryan Collier, this vibrant 2016 Caldecott Honor book is a tale of music, cuisine, culture and family. “Some of the kids that read my book don’t even realize that I’m a real person. They see themselves in these characters that are their age, and then when they see me perform live, they can’t believe I’m the same person as the kid in the book,” Andrews explains. “I’m very proud of the book, it’s a personal story about coming up as a young musician playing in New Orleans, and I wanted to reach kids. One of the best rewards is when a kid comes up to me after a show and says they play trombone because they read my book. It’s great when it all comes full circle like that because it shows that music and following your heart can lead you to so many of the places you dream of.” In 2013, Andrews founded The Trombone Shorty Foundation whose mission is to transform young lives through the power of music while also passing down the unique musical culture of New Orleans to the next generation. Why Angela Bassett Chose the Book Bassett chose the book because it shows how the talent and perseverance of …

Is your family suffering from stressful vibes? Have everyone sit down to create art using one or several of the drawing prompts below. Prompts let creativity run wild and family members will enjoy seeing what each other comes up with. Take it one step further with having kiddos make a new list of prompts to work from in the future. 10 Drawing Prompts  Water Slide Comet Snow Globe Robot Tacos Field of wildflowers Roller Coaster Bird’s Nest Party Hat Something from the future If you have sidewalk chalk, consider taking this activity outside. Need more convincing? Check out this recent article from NPR about how making art helps your brain. Crayola Drawing Supplies Below are affiliate links, which means Girls That Create will be compensated if you purchase products by clicking on the links. Thank you for supporting the website. My First Crayola-Designed for little hands Colored Pencils, Long 12 ct. Washable Super Tips Markers, 10 Count Crayola Crayons, 96 Count Special Effects Sidewalk Chalk – Color Core Children’s Chalk, 12 Count Silly Scents Twistables Colored Pencils 12ct Happy Drawing! More Girls That Create posts: Seven Unique Coloring Books Your Creative Girl Will Love and What I Like About Me Activity Photo by Sharon McCutcheon from Pexels. www.girlsthatcreate.com

Often creatives love coloring outside the lines. Other times there’s a sense of calmness that comes from staying within them. Whichever mood your girl is in, here are seven unique coloring books to share with her. And remember, it never hurts to have coloring as an option when it’s time to shut off screens. Seven Unique Coloring Books  Zolocolor! 96 pages of shapes, googly eyes, and more; all waiting for coloring inside, out, around, and over the lines. Edie Harper Coloring Book This book contains 20 of Edie Harper’s paintings. Kiddos can imitate the color schemes Harper chose for her final works or create entirely new ones.   Jungle Paradise You will find both popular jungle animals and beautiful nature quotes throughout this book’s pages. The Art Coloring Book Dozens of painters can be found in this coloring book, which also has white space for new works of art. The Night Voyage On the eve of her birthday a girl goes on a magical journey to distribute gifts around the globe. Although The Night Voyage is categorized as adult, I think an older child (over eight) who loves coloring will be swept away by its beautiful pages. The Coloring Book This book motivates readers to use colors imaginatively. It also makes them to think creatively as they respond to unique challenges on every page. Color with Mom: A Coloring Book to Share For those who want to settle down side-by-side with their child for some coloring. Each part contains two images of the same theme, like fresh fruits and frozen treats. …

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 …

If you’re a fan of the classic novel Little Women, 2019 is a very good year. Writer-director Greta Gerwig is returning to the big screen with her adaption of the beloved coming-of-age story. We’ll have to wait till December for the film, but a new cookbook lets readers bring the world of Little Women to their tables. Food writer and editor Wini Moranville has put together 50 easy-to-make recipes, all updated for the modern kitchen. The Little Women Cookbook: Tempting Recipes from the March Sisters and Their Friends and Family contains recipes inspired by specific dishes mentioned among the novel’s pages. These include Buckwheat Pancakes, Milk-Toast, Apple Orchard Chicken, Gingerbread, and more. There are also full-color photos, fun and uplifting quotes from Little Women, and anecdotes about Louisa May Alcott (the novel’s author). Harvard Common Press, publisher of the cookbook, was kind enough to share two recipes straight from the pages with Girls That Create readers: A Better Omelet for Marmee Makes 1 omelet (repeat the recipe for as many omelets as you would like to make) The boiled tea was very bitter, the omelet was scorched, and the biscuits speckled with saleratus, but Mrs. March received her repast with thanks and laughed heartily over it after Jo was gone. One morning in June, bored after a few long days of too much time on their hands, Meg and Jo make breakfast for their mother. Sadly, things don’t go quite as they might have hoped for in the kitchen. Follow this foolproof recipe, however, and you’ll …

Nothing shuts down creativity faster than hunger. It’s easy to forget about eating when one is lost in a meaningful project. This also applies to kids, so it’s important to stave off “hangry” episodes by being prepared. Here are 10 easy snacks to help your child’s imagination. 10 Easy Snacks to Help Your Child’s Imagination Popcorn: We’ve come a long way from when popcorn was only available in the movie theatre or with a microwave. There are lots of single-serve bag options. Just make sure you’re paying attention to what’s been added. Simple ingredients and flavors made from real food are what you’re looking for (it is recommended children younger than four not be given popcorn). Dark Chocolate: The magic word is flavanol. A plant nutrient found in many foods and drinks (including dark chocolate), flavanols have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain and heart. Dark chocolate has more flavanols than milk chocolate. Frozen Grapes: A staple in our freezer during the hot Texas summers, but also great year-round. Put grapes in a ziplock bag and then toss them in the freezer. Your kiddo will love the sweet, cool taste while snacking on these. If your child is younger than four, cut the grapes in half. Granola Bars: So convenient, but you have to carefully scan all the ingredients in store-bought bars. Pay attention to how much saturated fat and sugar are in each bar (I try to never go over six grams of sugar, aka 1.5 teaspoons in a bar). This past summer I received …

It’s back-to-school shopping time, which means things could be said in the dressing room that will make your blood run cold. No, not expletive language, but your daughter harshly criticizing her body. Witnessing a child unleash physical self-deprecation will break any parent’s heart. How can you help your girl have a healthy body image?  It’s no secret consistently putting down one’s appearance harms social, physical, and emotional growth. What’s a caregiver to do in a world filled to the brim with doctored “perfect” images? For starters, understand that self-esteem and body image are two separate things. Self-esteem is how we think and feel about ourselves as a total package. Body image is how we think and feel about our body; it’s just one piece of self-esteem. Five Steps: How to Help Your Girl Have a Healthy Body Image 1. Know that how you personally view your body plays a role in how children see theirs Do you stand in front of the mirror and nitpick everything you don’t like about your body? Your child will think she should do the same…that this behavior is part of growing up. Do not body bash yourself or make negative statements about the weight and body size of others (including celebrities). In addition, tell your daughter what you love most about your body. Express gratitude for the things it makes possible. 2. Have a blunt talk about media’s depiction of girls and women, how advertising works, and the truth about altered images A “perfect” body does not exist. Neither do magical products …