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Hi, I’m Sharlene!

A mother of 5 boys, grandmother of 12, and author of Good Music Brighter Children. I started the blog, “good parenting brighter children” to share my 40+ years of experience swimming in the delightful (and sometimes shark infested) waters of parenthood. It’s been quite the experience and one I want to share.

Hopefully, you find this blog helpful and inspiring as you travel your own unique parenthood journey.

the latest from the Blog

How to Discover Bugs and Insects with Grandparents

6 Fun Ideas for Grandparents with Grandkids at the Zoo

Grandparenting Roles: What You Need To Be an Influential Grandparent

How to Have Fun with Dinosaurs at Grandparent’s House

7 Amazingly Fun Activities that Show A Grandparents Love

Here are the Best Activities for Grandparents and Grandchildren

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A FUN SENSORY ACTIVITY: GRANDKIDS FINDING BUGS IN

A FUN SENSORY ACTIVITY: GRANDKIDS FINDING BUGS IN THE SAND WITH THEIR FEET! Sensory activities are important for kids to engage in. A fun one is hiding plastic bugs in your sandpile and letting your grandkids find them…with their feet! They’ll love the sensation of wiggling and squishing their feet around in the sand looking for buried bugs. Another fun sensory activity we did was making bugs from playdoh, and to increase the sensation, we added beads, glitter, little rocks, and small Legos to the playdoh. Why are sensory activities important for children? Sensory play supports language development, fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving skills, social interaction and the child’s ability to learn. Kids need sensory activities to grow and develop. As a grandparent, discover different ways of adding sensory play to the activities you do with your grandkids. Details: link in bio

FUN WAYS GRANDKIDS CAN DISCOVER BUGS & INSECTS WIT

FUN WAYS GRANDKIDS CAN DISCOVER BUGS & INSECTS WITH GRANDPARENTS Ever hear of Sophie Spencer? When she was 2 years-old, she fell in love with bugs! Today at 11, she has appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and has co-authored a book about bugs (The Bug Girl). Like Sophie, most grandkids are fascinated with bugs—especially when their grandparents are nearby. So, grab your grandkids and go hunting for bugs and insects. Take along binoculars, a bug house, tweezers (to pick up the bugs) and let the hunt begin! We found the best times of the day to hunt for bugs is early morning or at dusk—that’s when the little critters come out of their hiding places and are dying to be discovered. We found dead bees, red ants, roly-poly’s, spiders, box elder bugs, butterflies and beetles. After “catching” them, we checked them out and then let them go back to their habitats. Have you ever been on a bug hunt with your grandkids? What did you discover? Here are some great ideas for bug-hunting and more with grandkids: link in bio.

GOING ON A FIELD TRIP TO THE ZOO WITH GRANDKIDS A

GOING ON A FIELD TRIP TO THE ZOO WITH GRANDKIDS After you’ve completed all your pre-zoo activities—then grab your grandkids and head to your local zoo! Going to the zoo right now is actually pretty amazing—instead of hundreds of people you have to climb over—zoos are running at 25% capacity—making it easier to see those animals up close and personal. (there’s always a silver lining in every cloud). My experience is—if you prepare your grandkids (or kids) for a field trip—it enhances the experience immeasurably! All the preparatory work of doing art, music, cooking, painting pictures and reading zoo books pays off! Get all the details here: link in bio

FUN ZOO BOOKS TO READ TO YOUR GRANDKIDS! Prior to

FUN ZOO BOOKS TO READ TO YOUR GRANDKIDS! Prior to going to the zoo, read your grandchildren a bunch of zoo books. Reading aloud daily to children helps with speech & language, increases vocabularies, jump-starts early readers and increases reading comprehension. If I had to choose only 3 activities to do with my grandkids, they would be—reading, music and art. These activities build the brain and makes kids smarter! Plus, grandkids love having books read to them. One activity that we do each time they come to visit is yoga and breathing exercises. Two fun books that teach these simple exercises are: Zoo Zen and Breathe Like a Bear. Go to the blog and I’ll tell you how we incorporated these books into our zoo activities: link in bio

COOKING & BAKING IN THE KITCHEN—MAKING ZOO HAYST

COOKING & BAKING IN THE KITCHEN—MAKING ZOO HAYSTACKS WITH GRANDKIDS! Our grandkids love baking & cooking in the kitchen—do yours? If so, give them lots of opportunities to create in the kitchen. For this zoo theme, explain to your grandkids that many zoo animals eat hay and plants and you’re going to make edible haystacks from chocolate, peanut butter and Chow Mein noodles. Haystacks are the perfect recipe for small hands to make. The recipe is easy to follow and if you’ve been baking in the kitchen with your grandkids—they’ll practically make these on their own! Let each grandchild have a turn measuring, mixing and melting ingredients—all these activities increase their confidence. Afterward, create a zoo habitat using the haystacks and wooden animals. And last—eat them for lunch! Get the recipe & more here: link in bio

ZOO ARTS & CRAFTS FOR KIDS: PAINTING ZOO ANIMALS!

ZOO ARTS & CRAFTS FOR KIDS: PAINTING ZOO ANIMALS! If your grandkids like to paint—check out the Dollar Store for a variety of wooden zoo animals to paint. And grab some of their tempera or acrylic paints in every color of the rainbow. It’s a fun activity that teaches your grandkids all about mixing paint colors and color decisions while developing fine muscle coordination. There is a whole branch of psychology dedicated to studying the colors kids choose to color and paint with—down to the intensity of their brushstrokes or crayon strokes. And allowing your grandkids to mix colors—different shades of blue, or red, etc., is important. Kids who like to mix paint colors are calmer and more connected to their emotions (or so say the psychologists). Every activity grandkids’ do with their grandparents—have multiple lessons and fun! Details: link in bio

COLORING & PAINTING ZOO ANIMALS! Do you grandkids

COLORING & PAINTING ZOO ANIMALS! Do you grandkids love to color with markers and crayons? If so, here are some zoo animal posters for your grandkids to color prior to going to the zoo. Plus, it’s a great activity for fine muscle coordination. I’m not a fan of coloring books—but on occasion, coloring books can be fun for kids. Add crayons, markers and stickers and encourage your grandkids to make their pictures as colorful as possible. Do you have a grandchild that likes to use the same colored crayons or markers over and over again? Or make rainbows on every painted or colored surface? I do! Sometimes, certain colors just “speak” to a child—just like certain color clothes “speak” to adults. Believe it or not—there is a whole psychology behind the color’s kids choose to color and paint with. More ideas here: link in bio

6 FUN ACTIVITIES FOR GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDKIDS TO

6 FUN ACTIVITIES FOR GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDKIDS TO DO BEFORE GOING TO THE ZOO. Ever taken your grandkids to the zoo? Here are 6 super fun activities, games & ideas to prepare your grandkids for an exciting zoo trip. Are you familiar with ligers (pictured)? It’s an animal that’s a hybrid offspring of a male lion and female tiger. There are only about 100 ligers that exist in the world today. When I was little, my grandmother took me to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah to see Shasta the liger. It’s an exciting memory I will never forget—especially since not many people have ever seen a liger. You can create wonderful memories with your grandchildren by taking them to your local zoo. Check out these activities prior to going to make the experience one they will always remember! Get the details here: link in bio

BOOKS FOR CHILDREN THAT TEACH AND ILLUSTRATE: “A

BOOKS FOR CHILDREN THAT TEACH AND ILLUSTRATE: “ALL ABOUT ME” TO YOUR GRANDKIDS When grandkids come to visit—make certain you spend time reading aloud to them. It’s one of the most memorable, fun and educational activities you can engage in. You will teach them to love books and learning and foster a curiosity for life and the world. Here are 6 books that complement the theme of “All About Me.” Check them out at the library or buy them from Amazon or other bookstores. Books become an investment in your child’s future! More here: link in bio

GRANDPARENTS—BE A TEACHER TO YOUR GRANDKIDS! Th

GRANDPARENTS—BE A TEACHER TO YOUR GRANDKIDS! This activity has layers of learning where grandparents can play the role of teacher. All the senses are explored, energy is expended, problems solved and creativity enhanced. It’s sidewalk chalk at it’s best! Start out with pattern blocks. Have your grandkids strategize by creating a design using all kinds of shapes (triangles, squares, rectangles, trapezoids, parallelograms, hexagon, etc.). Afterward, they transfer the shapes to cement or on a fence with masking tape. Using sidewalk chalk—color in the shapes and then lift off the tape and voila! A beautiful design! For young kids—it’s more difficult to put down the masking tape, but that’s where grandma and grandpa can help and be the teachers—guiding, directing and helping the kiddies create something fun and memorable! Check out the fun details here: link in bio

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN MAKING FUNNY FOOD FACES WITH G

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN MAKING FUNNY FOOD FACES WITH GRANDPARENTS! Keep your grandkids busy baking, cooking, and creating in the kitchen. Nothing like kitchen activities to build their kitchen, math skills, and confidence. To go with the theme, “All About Me,” make funny food faces using healthy foods—rice cakes for faces, Nutella and peanut butter for skin—and all kinds of fruits and veggies for facial features and grated cheese, carrots and broccoli for hair. After their imaginations run wild—have the grandkids eat their healthy creations. More details here: link in bio

GRANDKIDS HAVING FUN MAKING LIFE-SIZE DRAWINGS OF

GRANDKIDS HAVING FUN MAKING LIFE-SIZE DRAWINGS OF THEMSELVES One of the best roles grandparents play is being a playmate to their grandchildren—doing crazy fun things that only a grandparent would do. For this art project—trace the outline of your grandkids on utility paper and have them decorate their drawing with things that say, “This is ME!” For fun, have them include on their drawing symbols or words of their talents, interests, friends, hobbies, favorite foods, and more. Supply them with plenty of crayons, pens, stickers, glitter, ribbons, and popsicle sticks. Details here: link in bio

THE MASKS WE WEAR! BE A NURTURER AND GET YOUR GRAN

THE MASKS WE WEAR! BE A NURTURER AND GET YOUR GRANDKIDS MAKING PAPER BAG MASKS One of the “rights of passage” in childhood seems to be making the proverbial brown paper bag mask. I made one, you made one—and now you get to help your grandkids make one! But make it more than just one more creative, crazy-fun art project—play the role of nurturer and make it meaningful for your grandkids. How do you do this? By explaining to your grandkids what it means when people say, “the masks we wear.” Take this opportunity to give them some nurturing advice—get rid of the phony masks and be true to yourself and become the person you’re meant to be. Here are more ideas on making this “right-of-passage” project for grandkids: link in bio

THE ROLES GRANDPARENTS PLAY AND WHAT’S IN A NAME

THE ROLES GRANDPARENTS PLAY AND WHAT’S IN A NAME? As a grandparent—you fill many different roles for your grandchildren—nurturer, role model, playmate, spiritual advisor, caregiver, teacher, and more. Many of these roles become lifelines for your grandchildren. They depend on your wit and wisdom. This week’s theme is: “All About Me”—starting with “What’s in a Name?” – fun art activity for your grandkids to decorate the first letter of their name (cut out of cardboard) with yarn, feathers & pom-poms while exercising fine muscle coordination. Be a role model & help your grandkids understand what it means to “live up to your name.” Is there a story behind your name? Were you named after a special ancestor or parent? Share it with your grandchildren—that’s how legacies are born. All four of our grandchildren pictured have meaningful names. Three of them are children of my youngest son who is married to a Japanese girl. In Japanese culture, children are given meaningful names—and these cute kids all have meaningful names. The little blond grandson also has a special name. His middle name is Samwise—from Lord of the Rings. Samwise was a faithful friend—something they hope he will be. What about you and your grandkids—what is the meaning behind your names? Get all the details here: link in bio

KIDS LOVE MUSIC! HERE’S THE BEST DINOSAUR MUSIC

KIDS LOVE MUSIC! HERE’S THE BEST DINOSAUR MUSIC WITH RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD! Music speaks the universal language and your grandkids will LOVE these 2 dinosaur songs. Do you have some great rhythm instruments for your grandkids to play and beat out the rhythm on as they march around the room? Purchasing a good set of rhythm instruments becomes an investment. I have a set from Jamtown that I used with my sons—and now my grandkids are using them! (go to the blog for the exact link). All of these rhythm instruments are from different countries. The instrument my grandson on the right is playing (on his wrist) is a goat-hoof shaker from Bolivia. Another grandchild is playing the drum from Java, Indonesia while others are playing triangles and a scraper from Peru. The set also includes claves from Bali, Indonesia, a very interesting bell from Ghana, West Africa, and more. Check out the links and more here: link in bio

THE BEST DINOSAUR BOOKS FOR KIDS AGES 2-7! FUN-FIL

THE BEST DINOSAUR BOOKS FOR KIDS AGES 2-7! FUN-FILLED & EXCITING! Learn all about dinosaurs—in these best books about dinosaurs for kids ages 2-7. You’ll discover all the different dinosaur periods—how to pronounce all those dinosaur names and more. And—reading to your grandkids regularly will simply make them smarter! Details: link in bio

GRANDKIDS IN THE KITCHEN: MAKING BLUEBERRY DINOSAU

GRANDKIDS IN THE KITCHEN: MAKING BLUEBERRY DINOSAUR PANCAKES Would your grandchildren enjoy making blueberry dinosaur pancakes? Probably! Teach your grandkids to make the pancake batter from scratch—the pancakes will taste better and rise better than with a mix. Plus, they will learn measurements, how to read a recipe, and be able to tell their friends that they know how to make something from scratch! Use dinosaur cookie cutters—available at Amazon—get the sturdy stainless-steel ones for amazingly delicious pancakes that really look like dinosaurs. Get all the links and details here: link in bio

IT’S ASPHALT ARCHEOLOGY TIME: FINDING DINOSAUR B

IT’S ASPHALT ARCHEOLOGY TIME: FINDING DINOSAUR BONES IN THE SAND Have you ever taken your grandkids on an archeology hunt for dinosaurs? (probably not). This is your lucky day! Here is your chance to discover with your grandchildren—asphalt archeology—or better known as “digging for dinosaur bones!” You’ll be hunting for dinosaur bones using paintbrushes (so you don’t damage the bones) and brushing away sand from excavator sites. Tough work, but someone’s got to do it—and that “someone” is you and your grandkids—there are treasures to be found to the lucky person who finds the most dinosaur bones! All the details here: link in bio

CRAFTY DINOSAURS: FUN & EASY HANDPRINT DINOSAUR CR

CRAFTY DINOSAURS: FUN & EASY HANDPRINT DINOSAUR CRAFTS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES Arts and crafts are great for kids—it gives them a chance to learn how to trace, glue, paint, and cut with scissors—all tasks that build and strengthen small muscle coordination. These are 2 crafts I found online—and can be adjusted for the ages of your kids—smaller kids will glue, color and paint while older kids can trace and use scissors. #simplylearningkids #thejoyofsharing Details: link in bio

PAINTING ON ICE & SEARCHING FOR FROZEN DINOSAURS

PAINTING ON ICE & SEARCHING FOR FROZEN DINOSAURS Your grandkids will LOVE painting on ice and looking for frozen dinosaurs. It’s a whole new experience—and gives grandparents a chance to explain that some dinosaurs really did die—encased in ice. The fun part? After painting—let your grandkids watch the ice melt as their amazing colorful works of art take on a new shape. Don’t forget to give your grandkids lots of different colors of paint to paint with. Colors have vibrational frequencies that will increase their positive energy levels and kick-start their creative juices, brighten their moods and more. And grandparents—join in the fun—this is one fun project that will bring memories back from your childhoods. More colorful details here: link in bio

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