It's hard to believe that just four short months ago my daughter was afraid of bugs.  She freaked out if even a little bitty ant came into her playhouse.  Then I was inspired by my co-author, Susan Case, to "create a little scientist".  Per Susan's suggestion, I gave her a magnifying glass and a net, and I have to say that I have created a monster.  Our current inventory is:

• 2 Frogs
• 6 Worms
• 4 Grasshoppers
• 1 Stick Bug
• 1 Cricket

Much to my husband's dismay, we keep these in small plastic containers all around the house.  It's turned into quite a circus around here and for our latest trick, we have figured out how to....Tame Grasshoppers!!   Again, I'm shocked that my little girl who will only wear dresses wants to do this, but she is hooked.  This is what a grasshopper looks like in a box.  A little creepy, huh?

Well, one day the kids decided to try to hold the grasshoppers and lo and behold, we discovered that after they've been captive for a few days, they turn into nice little pets.  Little Buddy was the one who started it and Munchkin Girl quickly begged for him to share his new pets.  They literally spent an hour one day carrying this little guy around, and passing it back and forth and talking to it like it was a little baby.  As with all of our pets, her name was Rosita:

The first thing they want to do when they wake up is look at their "pets" and this has been going on for weeks now.  I would say I definitely have two little scientists on my hands.  The ultimate showing of how we have tamed the grasshoppers came this weekend when the kids put them on Little Buddy's helmet.  Those little grasshoppers sat dutifully on his helmet while he raced around the driveway with his little balance bike.  At one point, he crashed his bike, and Big Sis went running out there.  We thought she was going to see if Little Bro was okay.  Instead, she knelt down by her grasshoppers and picked them up while cooing, "Are you okay my little precious ones?"  She did not give a backward glance at her brother, who was sprawled on the ground crying.  I guess we know where her priorities are!  Check out those grasshoppers on his helmet below!

We have an entire chapter in our book devoted to encouraging science in little ones, and how it.  To find out more I hope you'll consider checking out The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn