A variation on the Japanese art of paper folding, this kit contains materials for 20 planes with 20 paper pilots and instructions. They have a retro look with stickers to add pilots and decorations. Lines on papers show where to fold. It’s very easy to get great results. Djeco Design By Art and Craft kits are designed by fine artists and illustrators. Each kit has an instruction booklet that has an image of one of the finished pieces from the kit and a self-portrait of the artist who designed the kit. (Amazon)

Can Carcinogens Be Free & Gentle?

Even after more than 74,000 consumers signed a petition asking Tide to remove the carcinogenic 1,4 dioxane from its’ Free & Gentle line of laundry detergents marketed to newborns, Procter & Gamble still has not responded. We stepped up pressure by working with Women’s Voices for the Earth to organize a Social Media Day of Action on Friday, in which 307 people posted messages on Tide’s Facebook wall with the message to get the cancer-causing chemical out of their detergent; we’ll deliver a letter to the company today, signed by groups including Breast Cancer Fund, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, and Health Care Without Harm. Meanwhile, we’re just about 500 signatures away from our goal of 75,000. Have you signed on yet?

The best course of action is to stop buying this product.  Most importantly, do not use it to wash your children’s clothing.  Support a laundry detergent company that cares about your family’s health.

photo by Alphamom

I saw this project on Alphamom today and my inner 4th grade teacher came out.  If I was still teaching this would definitely be in my lesson plans for the coming week.  The fact that it includes the reuse of a recyclable plastic bottle makes it even better.  Go to Alphamom for the step-by-step.

Before or after the project, read the following books to your children to teach them about cherry blossoms and why they are significant.  Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates spring in Washington, DC, the gift of the cherry blossom trees, and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan.  The Japanese observe the life cycle of the cherry blossom tree and compare it to the natural way of human life where rise and fall are the main elements in limited time.

“An excellent introduction to number systems that is a beautiful wordless picture book as well. . . Over the course of a year (each picture represents a different month and time of day) a little town grows up with viewers witnessing the building of bridges, streets, and railroads. . . . Extraordinary lovely art work.” -Amazon

Check out these recipes from COOKIE + kate.  I warmed up some leftover quinoa this morning and added a little Justin’s maple almond butter, some agave and cinnamon.  It was excellent and for those sensitive to grains like I am, it’s a a great alternative.

I spied this adorable Snuggle Hottie heating pad at Whole Foods while Thanksgiving shopping.  I thought it could be the perfect bribe for our three-year-old to stay in his bed at night.  He loves it!  See the details below…

Cuteness? Woof! Adorability? Woof woof! A hot, snuggleworthy new friend? You’ve got it.

Get yourself this new knitted hot water bottle alternative that everyone is talking about. This new character is the perfect companion for you when there’s a chill in the air. As the days grow cold and frosty, it’ll keep them snug, warm and smiling. This dog also has a plush fleecy back for extra huggability and the natural wheat insert is softly scented with calming lavender and chamomile for restful sleep.

Just 60 seconds in the microwave makes this dog ready for bedtime or around the house. So get ready to sit, stay… cuddle! Get yours now.

Product Info:

• Knit cover and fleece backing
• Insert filled with natural wheat grain and pure essential oils
• Dimensions: 7″ x 10.5″ x 2″

What a great find today at the library!  We randomly grabbed it, not knowing anything about this book.  I guess the super cool art is what caught our eye.  This mostly true story about the 1987 Garbage Barge filled with 3,000 tons of garbage from Islip, New York is thoroughly entertaining.  It will most definitely help young readers take recycling to heart and make them think twice before they throw something in the trash.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 2—A fictionalized account of real events that occurred in 1987, this story will convince young readers to take their recycling efforts more seriously. When Islip, NY, has nowhere to put 3168 tons of garbage, the town officials decide that shipping them south is the right thing to do, so a tugboat towing a garbage-laden barge takes it to North Carolina. But North Carolina won’t allow the vessel to dock. It goes on to New Orleans, but again is denied harbor rights. Then it is on to Mexico, Belize, Texas, Florida, and back to New York. The garbage is ripening all along the way. Now even Islip refuses to take it back. Finally a judge orders Brooklyn to take it and incinerate it, 162 days after the barge started its journey. Islip is ordered to take the remains to their landfill. The illustrations are photographs of objects made from garbage. The people, full of personality and expression, were made from polymer clay, and wire, wood scraps, and leftover materials of all kinds were used for the tugboat and barge. The inside of the paper jacket explains how the art was done. This title should be a part of every elementary school ecology unit.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI