I’d love to hear from the parents, grandparents and teachers in this community: what types of stories can the children in your lives simply not get enough of? Are they obsessed with magical adventures, funny animals, mysteries, superheroes, friendship stories, fairy tales, spooky-but-cute characters — or something completely different? Please share their ages too, as I’d love to understand how children’s interests vary across different age groups. Your insights would be incredibly valuable to me as a children’s author! 😊 👉 I'm listening. 😉

The first Saturday of each month, I invite all members to share their community, business, Etsy/Shopify stores, etc. Our community is growing and we have some talented and dedicated members here. Today is your day to tell us a little bit more. 🦉Who are you and who do your serve? 🔂 In 1 or 2 sentences, describe your community. 🔗 Drop a link to your about page, shop, website, etc.. Comment on 1 or 2 that interest you. Let’s support each other and build new relationships.

I want to extend a warm welcome to our newest community members. Please say hi and make them feel at home. @Nur Banu Kahtalı is nurturing the creative child within, exploring imagination and skill-building through play such a beautiful way to reconnect with that spark in all of us. @Mario Mills just switched to creative director and is hungry to share that passion with his 6-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son through family play. You should definitely connect with @Gus Gray, who's also got young ones and runs Career Skool, both of you are dreaming up ways to bring imagination into everyday moments with little ones. @Andrea Turner is a web designer by day and handmade artist by night who wants to pull her 9-year-old away from screens and toward real creativity. Check out her Skool community The Creative Current, . Andrea, you'll find kindred spirits here, @Natasha Bryant teaches family yoga and homeschools in Dublin, running The Family Yoga Club, and @Andrea Quintal Portas is bridging the gap between a super-active child and screen time too, with her community Pain Relief and Recovery. @Arnetta Williams is here to help her grandkids learn and discover, you'll find @Ramona Zihlke, also a grandparent with grandchildren across multiple ages, running ArtofCraftyJournaling, and @Anna Murrietta exploring creative ways to connect through play with her almost-5-year-old granddaughter via her Grandparents Corner

This week, over in the Crust & Crumb Academy @Sandy Chong and I are experimenting with homemade pita pockets, let me know if you'd like the recipe. Here in the community though, we're wrapping up sweet science week with one of my favorite treats - brownies. For the full activity, complete with twists and variations by age check out #The Great Brownie Experiment the short version is provided below. What's your favorite sweet treat? Brownies can be thin or thick, chewy or cakey, crisp at the edges or soft in the center. Small changes in how you prepare or bake them can create surprisingly different results. If you bake, don't forget to share your results with us. Gather Your Gear: Use your favorite brownie recipe or a boxed brownie mix. You'll also need: - Ingredients required by your recipe - Mixing bowl - Spoon, whisk, or spatula - Measuring cups and spoons - Two small baking pans, or one pan divided with folded aluminum foil - Parchment paper or cooking spray - Oven mitts - Timer - Knife and cutting board - My Science Notebook (optional) Optional additions - Cooled caramel - Mini marshmallows - Sugar crystals - Chocolate chips Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling food. Adult help is required when using the oven and handling hot pans. Steps: 1. Read the recipe together before beginning. 2. Choose one brownie question to investigate. Examples: - Thin brownies or thick brownies? - Warm brownies or completely cooled brownies? - Plain brownies or marshmallow brownies? - Plain brownies or caramel brownies? - Shorter baking time or longer baking time? 3. Predict what you think will happen. 4. Prepare the brownie batter according to the recipe. 5. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans or pan sections. 6. Change only one variable while keeping everything else the same. 7. Bake with adult supervision. If one section is thinner, begin checking it a little earlier. 8. Allow the brownies to cool enough to handle safely. 9. Compare:

Does anyone else remember this saying? Either way, here in Tennessee it’s another hot and humid summer day and another reason for ice cream. This week’s Curious Kitchen Lab will focus on sweet science. The first activity goes live tomorrow. Today, a sneak peek in honor of Ice Cream Day. Answer our flavor poll and then let us know if you make your own ice cream. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?