12 Great Blogs to Read in 2012

I was tidying up my blog reader over the new year and thought I would share some of my favourite-to-read blogs. I subscribe to quite a lot of blogs so this really is just the tip of the iceberg, and some you may have heard about before if you have been around these parts for a while or in the ‘Play Online’ section of the Play Grow Learn, but I can guarantee that these twelve always provide good blog – whether it be for information, inspiration or educational purposes…

1. Not Just Cute: I love learning from others in my profession and Amanda never fails to get me thinking!

From the Not Just Cute About page:
“I don’t have a personal grievance with the word “cute”.  I use the four letter word frequently when describing my fashionista friend’s new shoes or something comical my two-year old just said.  I have no problem with activities for preschoolers being “cute”.  “Cute” however is not an acceptable educational objective.  It is an adjective of appearance, and I believe we should be concerned with much more than appearance when dealing with the children we love and teach.”

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2. Sew Liberated: A qualified Montessori educator and Mum of two, Meg of Sew Liberated, continually inspires me with images of her family life.

“I am a Mama. My life is full of ups and downs, just like yours. I prefer looking up to looking down. I struggle with balance, my ever-growing to-do list, dust bunnies and mess in my home, and other minor inconveniences in life. More than anything, I strive to live in the moment and enjoy mothering my two young boys.”

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3. 1000 Homes of Happiness: I fell in love with the simple but precious idea behind this blog the first moment I stumbled upon it in blogland   Kellie and her three girls are on a mission to fold 1000 origami homes, writing a different word of reflection on each of them and leaving them in random (but related) places for others to find. What a wonderful way to spread just a little happiness in the busy world!

“Our little home is a mixture of chaos, laughter, clutter, mess, love and sillyness….it is perfectly imperfect. My three little monkeys and I are making 1000 origami homes of happiness and intend to leave them at some of our favourite places we visit….or just anywhere that may take our fancy. We plan to write a word on each little home that comes from our house and can be shared in the home of who ever discovers our little gift.”

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4. Zella Said Purple: Through her documentation of young children’s learning, Jeanne provides very special insight into the many ways in which children think and learn.

“I am an early childhood educator passionate about photography and documentation as daily integrated tools for understanding young childrens play, process and development. It inspires me to take photos of children during their work -  their hands and minds engaged – and I feel that the child’s focus and intention comes out in the photo.”

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5. Li’l Magoolie: I don’t read many design or decor blogs but Maddie of Li’l Magoolie continues to amaze me with the great ideas she sources from all around the web.  My go-to place for everything from fabulous birthday party decor ideas to the latest in kids storage.

“South of the equator but at the centre of anything colourful and creative for mums & kids.”

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6. Tinkerlab: You’ll find creative play ideas galore at Tinkerlab, including a series of fun challenges using everyday materials.

“TinkerLab is an online community for parents, teachers, and caregivers who are interested in supporting the creative growth of young children. The projects and ideas shared on this site are child-centered and value the processes of experimentation, iteration, playfulness, and curiosity.”

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7. The Artful Parent: If you are looking for creative art projects for your young children, The Artful Parent is a useful place to hang out!

“I want to parent in a way that encourages creative expression, imagination, joyfulness, and a love of learning, not just in my daughters but in our entire family. I welcome you to join me as I attempt to be an artful parent…”

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8.  Stuff With Thing: With her youngest daughter diagnosed with high functioning autism and her eldest with aspergers, Marita never fails to inspire me as she shares insight of her parenting journey. Many of Marita’s ideas for accommodating her daughters’ needs would be beneficial for any child.

“A diagnosis of Autism, the label given to my child has not been the end of the world, we have used it to open doors to places we otherwise would not have known existed. Yes some days it is hard but it is also amazing.”

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9. Janet Lansbury: Janet discovered the teachings of infant expert Magda Gerber when her first child was a baby and she credits Gerber with changing her life. Eventually training as a parent educator herself, Janet provides some very valuable insights into parenting babies and toddlers. Another blog that really makes me think!

“The difficulties I faced as a new mother caught me off guard. I had looked forward to motherhood all my life and assumed that caring for a baby would happen naturally. Instead, I soon found that I had no clue. My beautiful baby daughter’s needs were unrelenting, especially since I thought mistakenly that I should entertain her every waking moment. After spending my last ounce of energy attending to my baby, she would then sometimes cry for no discernable reason, and it put me over the edge. I found no effective child care strategy to latch onto in the parenting books I’d read. I was deeply disappointed in myself, lost and overwhelmed.”

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10. Teach Preschool: Deborah is an early childhood teacher with a generous heart, connecting others and sharing great preschool ideas from around the web on her blog and popular Facebook page.

“Deborah invites you to join her here on Teach Preschool to share, learn, and discover the wonderful challenges and rewards in the field of early childhood education together!”

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11. Planning With Kids: The mother of 5, Nicole (aka PlanningQueen), shares advice and practical ideas for getting organised as a family, including lots of family friendly recipes (which have rescued me on more than one occasion!) Nic is so good at what she does, I am convinced she even dreams in spreadsheets!

“I love my family. I love nothing more than to whip up a quick spreadsheet, to make life easier and more enjoyable for us. I passionately believe in equality and peace and try to teach my children this through life experiences.”

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12. Sesame Ellis: I have been a stalker of Rachel’s blog for two years now. Her gorgeous photos never fail to inspire, providing a fresh, bright perspective on everyday family life. And she is even nicer in person!

“ever tried typing with one hand while nursing a baby in the crook of that arm while the other hand pulls the rat’s nest of your four year old’s hair into a ponytail?  something has to give and the first thing to go is capital letters.  i rarely use them while typing now unless it is to tell you something really IMPORTANT like the fact that i LOVE coffee and sushi or that i REALLY can’t stand the sound of people chewing gum.”

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Special Mention
Special mention must be made of my four wonderful bloggy friends and Childhood 101 contributors. It goes without saying that you should be reading these blogs! Picklebums, SquiggleMum, Little Eco Footprints and Oesch & Doots.

So there you go, a little insight into my blog reader!  What are go-to blogs to visit?

Tagged as: parenting