Monthly Archives: March 2014

Displaying Children’s Books -Encouraging Young Readers

We are book lovers here at Our Little House in the Country.  Our home is full to the brim with books.  I recently donated about 10 large boxes of books, mostly novels, in order to make room for the rest.  I have been collecting children’s books for over 15 years and we have hundreds.  We have picture books, board books,

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Print Making – A Simple, Step by Step Introductory Guide to Print Making with Children

Over the years I have given several art courses for teachers, offering ideas for the classroom.  I recently came across some of my old files and they got me thinking about some of the most successful and fun courses I have facilitated.  One of them was a course I gave in Print making for teachers of Primary School children (ages

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Doodles’s Book of the Week – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Doodles’ is my 4 ½ year old boy and a serious book lover.  His book of choice this week surprised me a little.  Not that it’s not a great book as it truly is but because he loved this book when he was younger but seemed to have grown out of it.  However, over the last week or so his

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Our Big Blue Activity Box, aka “The What To Do When I’m Bored Box” – 15 activity ideas

Today, I have decided to share the contents of our “Big Blue Activity Box”. Back in early January I found that both of my children were grouchy and irritable and weren’t playing with toys or anything for that matter. They would not play independently and I was completely worn out plus we were battling colds and sore throats etc.  I

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5 Gorgeous Books to Celebrate Mother’s Day

It is Mother’s Day here in Ireland on Sunday 30th March.  These are 5 beautiful children’s books for you to read with your children to celebrate Mothers everywhere!  I Love my Mum – a gorgeous, simple little picture book about the bond between mum and child – Ollie the Zebra and his mummy,  by Anna Walker. Mummy and Me –

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(Books for Children) Oodles’ Book of the Week – My Mummy by Paula Metcalf & Lucy Barnard

This week’s book is My Mummy, written by Paula Metcalf and illustrated by Lucy Barnard.  I know this book inside out and off by heart.  This is by far Oodles’ favourite book!  I if you look closely at the photos you will see the tell-tale signs of a well-loved, well read, well-worn book – crinkly pages, dog eared cover, little

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(Kids) Rainy Day Survival Plan (and a little moan!)

Just when I thought Spring was well and truly under way, the storms returned.  It is dark and dreary, very wet and windy outside!  We got soaked running from the house to the car and car to school on the school run this morning!  Doodles and Oodles were delighted as they got to use their Mickey Mouse and Peppa Pig

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(Books for Children) Our Top 5 “Story” Board Books for Toddlers

Board books are such an amazing way to introduce little ones to books.  We have lots of them, I keep them in little baskets in each room for easy access as well as displaying some on our kitchen book rack and the book rack made from an old cot side in O’s room. Board books are so much easier for

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(Books for Children) Doodles’ Book of the Week – “The Great Recycling Adventure” by Jan McHarry, Illustrated by Edmond Davis & Piers Sandford

I mentioned yesterday that Doodles (4 ½) loves fact based books.  I f it a detailed filled book about how something works or experiments to try or picture books of the solar system then that’s what you’ll find him reading.  So, his book of choice this week is a lift and flap book called “The Great Recycling Adventure”, written by

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