Nanny to Mommy

National STEM Day is November 8th and National Geographic Kids is celebrating in a BIG way with new releases that inspire and allow kids to explore the fields of science, technology, engineering and math -- and have fun doing it!

Attention shark lovers! Looking for some jaw-some new books for your favorite fin fans? National Geographic Kids Books is celebrating this majestic beast and its habitat with a fantastic shark-themed review opportunity and giveaway for all ages. Dive into these six picks for stellar shark info, vibrant photos, exciting first-hand accounts of shark encounters and weird, wild and fascinating facts that your kids will fall for hook, line, and sinker.

Today is National Get Outdoors Day! Summer is here and there is no better time for outdoor adventures. Whether it's going on a hike, visiting a park, planting a garden, camping, geocaching or stargazing, Nat Geo Kids makes it easy and fun for kids of all ages to #EscapeTheIndoors and explore their world.

It’s common knowledge that reading is an important skill for children, but it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Reading helps children and adults to exercise their minds, become exposed to new ideas, and expand their vocabulary. There’s no “wrong thing” to read because almost everything has a benefit.

However, not every child has a natural inclination to read. Some children would rather watch television, play video games, or do something active. There’s a time and place for everything, including sitting down with a good book. So, how can you make reading less of a chore for your child?

Looking for gift ideas for a truck loving kid? I don't like to over buy or overwhelm for Christmas, but I do purchase based on the idea of something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read.

My family and I were recently sent "Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of Christmas" Hardcover by Mark Lee and illustrated by Kurt Cyrus. The creative team that conceived Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street wants to add a big dose of Christmas cheer to an array of trucks for counting with the components of read-aloud holiday magic.

As your kids stay home for the summer holidays, they are bound to miss out on new information and skills. They may end up losing up to a whole semester of reading skills and mathematical skills from their school year. Therefore, it's up to you to ensure that they keep acquiring new skills or at least retain the ones they've received.

If your kids genuinely dislike the school curriculum, they will transfer this resentment and frustration with their school to you. However, making your kids do homework or review flashcards repels them from the whole idea of learning. It would help develop fun and entertaining ways to deconstruct your kids' most challenging subjects subtly. For instance, math learning games can transform the attitude of one of your kids struggling with algebra or fractions.

Furthermore, your learning sessions should involve your children's extensive participation. If they participate in their daily routines, you won't have to worry about focus loss. Sometimes, treating your children with confidence in their judgement asserts their inner drive and competence. The following are some of the ways you can start with:

The ability to comprehend what they read is perhaps one of the most important skills that any reader will develop. If you want your child to be able to do more than just call words then you will have to teach them how to read and comprehend.

While this skill is not the easiest to develop it is not impossible. The key is knowing what to do and when to do it, this will give you all the keys you need to help your child succeed. Here are the steps you should be taking to help your child to read and comprehend. 

Whether you are going back to school in person, home schooling, distance learning, or decided to switch to private school, this year will look different. Our children are going in two weeks to in person school and they will have to wear masks for most of the day. Right now we are virtual learning and have been having a ton of tech issues. So supplementing their education is important to me.

As millions of kids (and their parents!) embark on distance learning, what’s on the family bookshelf has never been more important. Nat Geo Kids Books has always been the gold standard when it comes to providing educational, fun, engaging books for kids, and this fall is no different. I was recently sent a National Geographic Kids Books Home Learning Essentials that I am excited to share with you as well as giveaway! I love National Geographic Kids books for my family and these are no exception. Here is a bit more about these titles that are must-haves for the school year:

I love sharing my joy of reading with my children and others. My favorite each season is celebrating the individual holidays and what is more fun than combining my passions? Here are Valentine's Book Ideas for Kids that you and your little reader are sure to enjoy together. This list is mainly for preschoolers and early readers, but my daughter has been enjoying some of these titles as well. Enjoy! Also you can scroll to the bottom to find some awesome free printable Valentine's too.

This list contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission while you still pay the same great price. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Make Valentine’s Day special for your little bookworms with three books about things kids LOVE - baby animals, music, and dinosaurs!

With my son going into kindergarten and my daughter going into third grade (but reading on a fourth-grade level already), I want to keep this momentum going. So, we have been reading all summer long! If you take a look at my Summer Bucket List Ideas, it included completing a reading log.



So, I searched the web and found this printable reading log that we have been using. And the kids are earning their rewards. Y'all let me know in the comments what some good reading log reward ideas are. Maybe something from my Spectacular Summer Toy Guide? Anyways, we were sent a wonderful book from Silver Dolphin that is great for summer reading and a new spin on some awesome classics!

Every year my son has had a Dr. Seuss parade at his school every year to celebrate Read Across America Day. The National Education Association's Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too! Incorporate these guides and activities to celebrate reading with young people.


With my daughter, my mother-in-law made a "Cat In The Hat" embroidered shirt that was pink, but with my son I didn't want to bother her so I thought I would try something homemade and easy since that's how I roll.

This sponsored post is brought to you by The Ucan Group and coordinated by Wendy’s Bloggers.

Ever wondered why we wait until first grade to get our children reading? Before age six, children have enormous capacities for learning. Yet, some struggle to learn and others take to it easily.

With step-by-step, guided instruction from Ucan Courses, you can give your child the advantage of a lifetime. This proven method for teaching your child to read by first grade is getting attention. It gives kids a running start, boosts confidence, and eliminates that overwhelming feeling so many have on the first day of school. Importantly, it puts the parent in the driver’s seat: All you need is 10 minutes a day for 15 days! 

Have you ever met a mom who said, “I have too much time to do everything I love?” Me neither. The idea of being a “Super Mom” who can handle any mile-long to-do list while averting every kid crises requires the same amount of arms as an octopus, actual eyes in the backs of our heads, and other totally unrealistic expectations.

Audiobooks.com is helping moms do more of what they love and making the things we don’t love more enjoyable. These handpicked books for everyday activities can help make listening to great books a priority, no matter what your summer plans or projects are. I am so excited to share this giveaway with you all as I love reading and if you have been following my blog, then you probably do too!

Audiobooks.com is giving away a FREE one-year subscription so you can take your favorite books anywhere, anytime. Get inspired, educated and entertained by books no matter how hectic your schedule is. Instantly stream and download more than 120,000 incredible audiobooks to your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Easter is right around the corner and I am just now starting to find goodies for my kiddos Easter baskets. I have some ideas. Last year I was so fortunate to work with so many amazing companies that their baskets kind of fell together. This year is different. I want to continue to give them items that are meaningful and they can use over again.