Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Memphis, TN

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Things to do next week

January 18, 2009

There's so much going on in Memphis this coming week. What with it being Martin Luther King Day on Monday and the inauguration on Tuesday, you should have no shortage of ideas on ways to make the most out of the week. Monday - Martin Luther King Day fun at CMOM. Tuesday - Mini Masters at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. $5 for story time, snacks and activities. Call 761-5250 for more info.  Read more...

Ten Best Posts of 2008

December 30, 2008

Though I haven't been writing here for very long, I think that I've amassed a pretty good list of posts that are worth mentioning in a Top Ten list. These posts range from places to eat with your kids to the ABC's of Memphis.  I hope that you enjoy them again or maybe for the first time. Ten Things to do Before They Grow Up - This one is pretty self explanatory.  A list of ten things to  Read more...

Books for hanukkah

December 08, 2008

Let me say first off that I'm not Jewish and don't really know very much about the religion. Having said that, I decided that I would look for children's books that would be good at explaining the meaning of Hanukkah to even the smallest of readers. Here's my list. If you can think of any others then please leave them in the comments section of this post. #1 My First Hanukkah Board Book -  Read more...

More great books for christmas

December 04, 2008

#1 He Came with the Couch - He Came with the Couch is a recent addition to Cara's bookshelf. Cara found the book while we were playing at Barnes and Noble and she wouldn't put it down so I ended up having to buy it. There was something about the "creature" that she seemed to love. I love the great illustrations and they help make this a book that I don't mind reading three times before tucking  Read more...

Great Memphis Books for your kids

November 25, 2008

It's really easy to forget about what a great and historic place Memphis is. Elvis, Chucalissa, The Mighty Mississippi...I could go on and on.  [But I won't.] I think it's really important that our kids know about that history and all that this region has to offer so here are a couple of books about the Mid-South region to share with your tikes. Who Was Elvis Presley?   - This is one of  Read more...

Five Great Books

November 24, 2008

Before I give you a list of really great books, I want to ask when the heck it got to be Thanksgiving?!  Also, people around Memphis already have their Christmas lights up!  In the almost Christmas spirit, I present to you five really great books that almost everyone has heard of and that everyone should have to share with their kids. #1 Corduroy I specifically remember my first grade  Read more...

Hilarious Humdingers for Your Whippersnapper

November 22, 2008

I love this month's Savvy Source theme [Because a Great Book...] because I've loved reading all of my life and want to share that love with my kids.  A great book can take you anywhere in [or out of] the world that you want to go.  You can be anyone or anything that you want to be and the whole affair can usually fit in an over sized pocket. Humor/funny/silly books are wonderful ways to  Read more...

Difficult subjects

November 20, 2008

The amazing thing about a book is its ability to help people [including kids] grasp tough subjects that they might have otherwise not been able to understand. When something is scary or hurts feelings, most clam up and refuse to talk about what is bothering them. Books provide parents with a wonderful way to "discuss" really difficult subjects like death and divorce. Death is one of those  Read more...

Because a Great Book Has Great Illustrations

November 19, 2008

While colorful words may enchant an older child, colorful pictures are what really hold the attention of the preschool set. There's nothing wrong with picking up a book just because it has a pretty picture on the cover.  Some of the prettiest covers end up hiding some of the best illustrated books. Just about any Eric Carle book is a winner in our house.  The colors are always bright and  Read more...

Great before bed stories

November 17, 2008

Long, long ago in a bedroom far, far away, Goodnight Moon fell on its face as a bed time story. At our house, the "regular" bed time stories just don't seem to cut it. I bought the books that everyone else's kids seem to love but Cara wasn't having any of it. One day while I was looking through the bargain books at Hastings, Cara latched on to Bad Cat and I wasn't able to pry it from her  Read more...

Chapter books for the smallest reader

November 14, 2008

Chapter books are like the last great jump for young readers. You start out with the board books, move on to picture books and before you know it, your kid is sitting through the entire Harry Potter series. OK. So maybe Harry Potter is a bit advanced for the earliest of readers but you get the idea. One thing that makes reading so magical is that it gives you a chance to expose your kids to  Read more...

Thinking about Gratitude

November 12, 2008

Gratitude: noun a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation I think that gratitude is one of the hardest things to teach a small kid. Toddler and small children, by definition, are egocentric [it's all about them]. Before about the age of four, most kids don't "get" being thankful for ideas; they only understand being gratitude for a concrete object - pumpkin pie, turkey, ice cream, etc.  Read more...

Book Nooks for Tots

November 11, 2008

Before Cara [my daughter] could even sit up, I was reading books to her.  I don't know how much she really absorbed but I do know that those nights right before bed established a routine that has continued for two years. Reading is one of those activities that cost very little or nothing at all.  Twenty minutes a day can help foster a true love of learning and reading that will last a  Read more...

Things that matter to a preschooler

January 06, 2008

There are a lot of things that can ruin a preschooler's otherwise perfect day. HUGE injustices like being out of apple juice or losing their favorite stuffed animal are crimes that some kids act like should be punishable by death. But what's funny about young kids is that the things that REALLY worry you aren't even on the top 100 of what your preschoolers are worried about. Five things  Read more...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in memphis

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Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

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Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

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Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

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Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

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Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

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A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

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Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

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The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

The Voice of Being Savvy memphis:
Amy Tucker

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