March Forth–Do Something

  A Writer’s Playground–a place to find wordplay, writing
prompts, reasons to celebrate, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those
young at heart.  “March 4th–Do Something” by Linda Martin Andersen

Writing Prompts:

1. What is your favorite fable and why?  Read a copy of the fable and then tell it to someone.  Rewrite it in your own words.
2. What famous doctor has a birthday on March 2?  Tell about celebrations you have participated in to remember this famous name in literature.
3. Have you ever played in a bucket drum band?  What thing makes a great musical sound that isn’t an instrument in the band?
4. Name a way to march forth and celebrate this month.  What will you do?
5. Name a favorite topic.  Look for poems on that topic.  Swap poems with friends for Poetry Day: 21.

Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.”  Come again soon and bring a friend. Please leave a comment.  What special plans do you have for March?  Share, if you’d like. Remember that children 13 and under need an adult to comment for them.  For more fun, sign up to follow my blog.  Thank you!

“Each Book Has Its Own Family Tree”

            

A Writer’s Playground–a place to find wordplay, writing
prompts, reasons to celebrate, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those
young at heart.  “Each Book Has Its Own Family Tree”–quoted from Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s blog by Linda Martin Andersen.

Wishing Amy Ludwig VanDerwater all the best with her book launch of Every Day Birds on February 23, 2016. 

I  love this statement by Amy:  “Each book has its own family tree.”  Read more of her thoughts at Kirby Larson’s blog, where Amy was a guest.

http://www.kirbylarson.com/friend-friday-115_amy_vanderwater/

I read another profound quote by a visiting writer at “Sharing Our Notebooks,” one of Amy’s blogs:

Jenna Kersten stated:  “I firmly believe that we can find the most beautiful moments of wisdom and insight in the minute of the everyday.”  For more visit this post:

http://www.sharingournotebooks.amylv.com/2016/02/jenna-kersten-i-am-left-wondering.html

To see Dylan Metrano, a papercutting artist creating the art for Amy’s book and a video, visit this post:  http://www.amyludwigvanderwater.com/DYLAN_METRANO.html

To see a bird recovering from a hit to a window and a poem inspired by the bird, read Amy’s post here:

http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2016/02/humble-is-beautiful-looking-closely-to.html

I hope you enjoyed these shares.  Maybe one will lead you to write something special about birds or a family tree.  If you’d like other writing ideas, try one of these:

Writing Prompts:

1. What do you think this quote means:  Birds of a feather flock together?
2. What is your favorite “every day bird?”  Name a person an every day bird reminds you of and tell why.
3. There is a famous writing skill book by Anne Lamott called Bird by Bird.  Do you know what the author meant by that comment?  How can this advice help you?
4. Name a favorite book about birds or one with birds mentioned in it.  Reread it or tell someone else about it.  What made this book special to you?
5. Have you ever researched your family tree?  What did you learn?

Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.”  Come again soon and bring a friend. Please leave a comment about birds, a book’s family tree or your own family tree.  Remember that children 13 and under need an adult to comment for them.  For more fun, sign up to follow my blog.  Thank you!

 

 

 

Meditation by Janis Silverman

                                     

“A Writer’s Playground”–A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.”

Imagine my surprise when I found a lovely meditation added to the comment section of one of my blog posts.  See here: https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/i-love-you-blog-followers/ 

I thought Janis Silverman’s meditation deserved its own space.  Check this out:

A Valentine for the World by Janis L. Silverman

Yes, I realize Valentine’s has passed, but treating yourself with love is worthwhile any time of the year. Thanks for sharing this meditation with us, Janis.

To learn more about Janis L. Silverman’s published books, visit here:  Janis L. Silverman’s  Amazon Books page http://www.amazon.com/Janis-L.-Silverman/e/B001K8HEEQ

Here is a link to Janis’ Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/JanisLSilvermanAuthor

For an earlier blog post about Janis L. Silverman, read here:  https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2014/01/22/imagine-that-an-activity-book-giveaway-by-janis-silverman-guest-blogger/

Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.”  Come again soon and bring a friend. Please leave a comment.  What do you do to unwind?  Have you tried meditation?  Remember that children 13 and under need an adult to comment for them.  For more fun, sign up to follow my blog.  Thank you!

Interviewed by Bee Halton–comments on writers block

  A Writer’s Playground–a place to find wordplay, writing
prompts, reasons to celebrate, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those
young at heart.”

“Interviewed by Bee Halton–comments on writers block” by Linda Martin Andersen

Thanks for the interview, Bee Halton.  I’m so appreciative!

http://beehalton.com/2016/02/loisindabl-12feb16-blog-love.html

Readers, I hope you’ll check out this post and get to know Bee Halton too.

I Love You, Blog Followers

  “I Love You, Blog Followers,” by Linda Martin Andersen

Trying new things is fun.  In January, I accepted a blog challenge to jot something down each day and post it.  This was organized by Linda G. Hill.

http://lindaghill.com/category/just-jot-it-january-2016/

I don’t know how people create blog posts every day of the year, but evidently a good many do.  The first one I remember meeting was Joy Acey at “Poetry for Kids Joy”who posts an original poem a day.  See here:

http://poetryforkidsjoy.blogspot.com/2016_02_01_archive.html

Thanks to reading blog posts I had never visited before,  I recently added additional blog followers.  I wanted to show my appreciation to them,  to my loyal followers for several years, and all those inbetween.  This is for you:

Potty Humor

“A Writer’s Playground”–A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.”

“Potty Humor” by Linda Martin Andersen

Yesterday, I found three examples of Potty Humor.

1. Riding down the highway I travel often, I noticed a young long leaf pine.  It reminded me of toilet bowl bristles and I giggled.  “A toilet bowl brush for a giant toilet,” I thought.
2. Almost immediately after that, I stopped for a traffic light behind a septic tank truck for portable toilets.  It’s motto:  We’re #1 in the #2 business.  Another good laugh.
3. My third discovery:  A blog post by John Holton.  Read here:

https://thesoundofonehandtyping.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/wednesdays-for-mary-theres-a-fungus-among-us/#comment-8555

I also recently wrote about the “magic of threes.”  https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2016/01/25/just-jot-it-january-25-prestidigitation/

Who would have thought “the magic of threes” would lead to three examples of potty humor in one day?  Do you look for examples of threes?  I like to see what things stand out to me as I go about my day.  Yesterday, it was potty humor.  Tell about one of your humorous discoveries.

Writing Prompts:

1. Do you enjoy reading “potty humor?”  Tell about a book, comic strip, cartoon, etc. you found funny.
2. Is potty humor only for kids?  Why or why not?
3. Do you have a funny family story you can share about potty humor?
4. What is #2 business?  Does your family use this term?
5. Write a riddle or joke about potty humor.  My attempt…

Riddle #1:  What do long leaf pines and toilet brushes have in common? 

Answer:  Bristles.

Riddle #2:  What is the best room to read potty humor if you’re on a diet?

Answer:  The kitchen.  The jokes will kill your appetite.

Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.”  Come again soon and bring a friend. Please leave a comment.  I’d love to hear what you’re celebrating today.  Remember that children 13 and under need an adult to comment for them.  For more fun, sign up to follow my blog.  Thank you!

 

 

Things I’ll Love to Celebrate in February 2016

“Things I’ll Love to Celebrate in February 2016” by Linda Martin Andersen

“A Writer’s Playground”–A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.”

Valentine’s Day is a special day on this month’s calendar.  I chose not to include it simply because it is so well known.  February 14 is also International Book Giving Day. Why not consider giving a book instead of a Valentine to someone special?

I hope something listed here will catch your attention and be added to your February calendar.  Perhaps you’d like to send a Valentine, thank you card, or missing you card to friends during International Friendship Week, or read cowboy poetry and haikus and write a few yourself.  Could you reach out to a school counselor, an author, or illustrator?  Make February special by finding new ways to celebrate.

What special things do you have planned for this month?  I’d love to hear about them.

Writing Prompts:

1. If you chose to give a book to someone this month, which would it be and why?
2. Do you ever swap books with friends?  What type books do you usually swap?  Have you found a favorite author by swapping with someone else?
3. What would you rather write:  cowboy poems or haikus?  Why?  Try writing one.

Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.”  Come again soon and bring a friend. Please leave a comment.  I’d love to hear what special things you have planned for this month.  Remember that children 13 and under need an adult to comment for them.  For more fun, sign up to follow my blog.  Thank you!