Did you know that using classical music for studying will increase your ability to absorb, retain and retrieve the information (all components of memory)? It does! Studies show that listening to certain pieces of classical music changes the way the brain processes information and it helps you to focus and concentrate better and learn information easier. It’s referred to as “classical music for studying and concentration.” 

Halloween is not just about the candy or an amazing pumpkin—it’s more about the costumes! Since the Middle Ages, people have celebrated the end of summer and the harvest season and dressed up in costumes and animal heads. It’s only been in the last 100 years, here in the U.S. that kids of all ages dress in spooky Halloween costumes and go trick or treating. There are tons of Halloween costume ideas for kids and choosing the “perfect” costume is part of the fun. Whether it’s a cute Halloween costume or a terrifying Halloween costume—kids love Halloween! 

Finding healthy snacks for kids can be a challenge. As moms, we don’t want them eating a ton of sugar, but coming up with easy snacks for kids doesn’t always translate into the healthiest snacks. Here are some ideas for quick healthy snacks that are nutritious and will give them the energy they crave. Fruits such as blueberries are great, along with oranges, apples, bananas, dates or raisins. Try vegetables such as carrot and celery sticks or cucumbers. And seeds and nuts such as almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds are all healthy snack ideas. These are quick snacks that pack a powerful healthy punch. 

Christmas with grandparents is synonymous with excitement! Celebrating memorable traditions with loving grandparents (with advice and wisdom) makes Christmas a holiday to remember. Here’s talented and clever Yaya (Violet Favero—author and favorite Yaya), and the fun traditions she celebrates with her grandchildren to make the holidays unforgettable and a legacy in the making! 

Want to raise smart kids? Choose brainy toys and brainy games that spark their imaginations and get them thinking on all four cylinders. There are tons of kids' toys that provide educational learning and hours of discovery and fun. Check out, “The Best Brain-Building Toys in the World”—toys for girls, toys for boys, toys for toddlers, learning toys, and science toys—they’re all there! Discover how these toys help develop a child’s budding brain and why they make the perfect year-a-round gifts!

Do you know that the library is one of the best places to take your kids? It’s more than a place to read or check out books—valuable lessons can be learned at the library near your home. Look for a public library near you and take your kids each week—for storytime, and to experience the sights and wonderful library sounds contained within those walls. There are many reasons to take your kids to the library (check them out on the blog) It’s a place to nurture your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity.

If you want something to stimulate brainpower—it’s all about music and the brain! More than any other activity we are engaged in: fine arts, sports, designing, computer—none of them compare to how music affects the brain. Not only are the auditory, visual, and motor areas of the brain impacted, but the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum are also affected positively by music. Music and the brain exercise the entire brain at once and kids who study a musical instrument are just plain smarter! Get your kids involved with music—today. 

If you want a close-knit family then hold family meetings! The benefits of family meetings include a family meeting agenda and family meeting topics. They are also times for family meetings to resolve conflict, establishing family meeting ground rules that help to organize a family, etc. Family meetings can help create a strong bond between family members that will last a lifetime. Check out the details here.

Being a grandparent to grandchildren is the best “job” on earth! The impact of grandparents on child development is huge and the relationships that are forged by grandparents sticks with a child his/her whole life. Meet Dodi Poulsen—grandmother extraordinaire! She has a strong bond with all her grandchildren and has created a legacy of the value of grandparents in the lives of her grandchildren. Using her talents of quilting, fabrics and teaching her grandkids to sew, here’s what she does to make this relationship meaningful and very special!

Looking for brainy games that will build your teens’ imagination and curiosity and make them smarter? Discover the 10 best brainy games for teens and tweens. They are an educational learning tool that includes strategy/thinking, spatial organization, and visual perception which translates into better and smarter learners. These brain games for kids will help your teen to think and problem-solve. The perfect brainy game for the brainy kid! 

Did you know that fruits and veggies can actually “talk” to us? They don’t communicate in words—but their shape and color tell us what part of the body they heal and strengthen. It’s called “The Doctrine of Signatures”—and it’s fascinating stuff! Read all about this list of vegetables and fruits and find out what these foods are telling us about healthy eating!

Read-Aloud: What Are the Best Children's Books to Read to Babies & Toddlers Children’s books read aloud to babies and toddlers will create in them a lifetime love of books! Make the books, bold, bright and beautiful such as the books of Eric Carle or Margaret Wise Brown. Read bedtime stories, organize a storytime; read books with little dialogue; read in short segments—but no matter where or how you read to your baby or toddler—just read! 

Music strengthens the auditory, visual, and motor areas of the brain. By strengthening the auditory cortex, a child will learn to read, spell, write, and learn easier in school. Music is brainpower for learning and helps with concentration and brain stimulation. If you want to raise a brighter child you need to add music and the brain to the quotient. 

One thing that impacts learning for kids is music and the brain! Music strengthens the motor area of the brain which increases brain power, physical coordination, timing and thinking skills in children. It acts as brain stimulation, concentration, and more. When listening to classical music, children can get up and move or march to the music thus strengthening those motor areas of the brain associated with learning. Do it before school and get them thinking on all 4-brain cylinders!

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful and for expressing gratitude but being grateful and having an attitude of gratitude should be something we practice all year long. Did you know that gratitude is considered a universal trait and being grateful has been scientifically shown to have health and other benefits?  Teach your children how to be grateful, how to have a grateful heart and the positive things that happen when using gratitude in their lives. Develop an appreciation of how a gratitude journal can help them see what they can be grateful for.