Valle Dwight

Valle Dwight is a reporter, writer, and mother of two school-aged boys. She has written for many magazines, including FamilyFun, Wondertime, and Working Mother.

Make a scene

When books begin to seem like hard work, dioramas help bring their magic to life.

Going down in history

Make a multimedia family tree

Use your next family visit to teach the kids about their roots.

Putting your town on the map

Give your little one the bigger picture by mapping out a kid-friendly landscape.

Starry, starry night

The night sky offers hours of entertainment for aspiring astronomers.

Word for word

Do-it-yourself magnetic poetry kits make language come alive.

Top 3 mistakes parents make when talking to preschoolers

Want better communication with your preschool-age child? Try to avoid these conversational pitfalls.

Top 3 mistakes parents make when talking to middle school kids

Encourage open communication by avoiding these common conversational pitfalls.

Top 3 mistakes parents make when talking to elementary school kids

When adults ask a question (like, How was school?), trying to get kids to talk can seem nearly impossible. Here's where you're going wrong.