Archive for July 2011
We have read over 10000 books! I am giddy as I type this because you are all doing so well remembering to read during your busy summer days. Remember that reading comes in many forms and ebooks count too! If you need a great free picture book App try MeMeTales E-Reader , we have been working with MeMeTales and love their content as well as passion for making reading fun in all forms.
If you haven’t joined our Summer Reading Challenge yet you are not too late. All the details are here but the gist of it is that you read with your kids, tally up how many books you have read, submit a tally sheet once per submission period ( see below) and then you are automatically entered to win a $50 Amazon.com gift card at the end of the summer. Pretty cool!
Submission Periods :
June 3-9th , 10th -16th , 17th- 23rd , 24th-30th
July 1st-7th , 8th-14th, 15th- 21st , 22nd-28th
July 29th – August 4th
August 5th-11th , 12th-18th , 19th -25th.
The winner will be drawn on the 26th of August.
Submit Your Tally Here
Numbers Board Book
written and illustrated by Thierry Laval
board book
Chronicle Books
Number books aren’t new, but how the content is displayed can vary. At first look, Numbers displays the numerical form of the numbers 1 to 10 on each page in large simple writing. The number is reinforced by an image illustrating that number and the sentence below which contains the number in written form: One Spider. But the book doesn’t end there. Each number is on a large flap. When your child lifts the flap they find another image related to the first one in both number and theme. One Spider and…One Witch. Now kids can count images on the initial page and inside the flap, adding additional counting fun. And who doesn’t love to see what’s behind a flap.
picture book
age 3-5
Groundwood Books
Most number concept books I’ve come across consist of child-like illustrations but our kids see numbers all around them in everyday life. City Numbers is based on photographs of numbers found in the city. I love how it shows that numbers aren’t just things in books but are used everywhere. Each spread consists of a full page photo of the actual number in a real surrounding: on a hydro pole, a store window, the sidewalk. The other side of the page has the number appear both in numeric and written form. It’s on a clean, white background to avoid confusion and add focus to the illustration. There’s no counting but kids will love pointing out the number in the photograph. In smaller type explains the photo, what it is, where it’s taken, what material the number is printed on. The numbers go up to 20 and also include other not so common counting number (but ones we see every day): 1/2, 2.5%, 2nd, even a long upc number at the end. After you’ve gone through the City Numbers book, why not explore your neighbourhood to see what numbers you can find.
ABCDinosaurs
American Museum of Natural History
board book
Sterling Publishing
Get kids excited about their alphabet using their love of dinosaurs with the ABCDinsosaurs board book from the American Museum of Natural History. This large format board book shares 26 dinosaur species, one for each letter of the alphabet. The dinosaurs are illustrated with a large colourful letter of the alphabet and the name appears below (first letter emphasized). Your little paleontologist might even discover a few dinosaurs they’ve never heard of before.
Dolphin’s Discovery (Jumbo Jigsaw Storybooks)
Imagine Publishing
age 3-5
A storybook. A lift-the-flap book. A puzzle. Dolphin’s Discovery from Imagine Publishing is all of these. Kids will enjoying going on a simple adventure under the sea with Dophin and her friends. As Dophin encounters a problem, one of her ocean friends has a solution: Dophin can’t see inside a dark ship; Electric Eel offers some light. Each spread offers two small flaps with a question about the story on the top and the answer underneath. This is a nice way to make the story interactive, asking them questions about elements in the story, some requiring them find or count images on a page. My 4-year old loved these. For added fun, there are six 15-piece puzzles embedded within the story. Each puzzle is of the ocean friends. The image underneath is an exact duplicate of the puzzle, making it easier for younger kids to match where the pieces go. Also, should a piece go missing (and they will) the printed image helps detract from the story like a blank space would. All size animal puzzles interconnect to make a giant floor puzzle too. A perfect companion for the cottage.
Rocket Town
written and illustrated by Bob Logan
Raincoast Books
board book
Who doesn’t love rockets? I’m an adult and I still think they’re pretty cool. The story within Rocket Town is simple, about a man and his dog heading to Rocket Town to find the perfect rocket just for them. While driving trough town they see all sorts of different rockets — big and small, ones that go up and down — which are illustrated in the text as well as the imagery. I love the illustrations in this book; very retro in design and colour. My 4 and 6 year old loved looking for the various rockets found on the pages, some more obvious than others. The big payout, and the pages your child will want to read over and over again, is countdown and blast off when the man and his dog eventually find the perfect rocket just for them. The book is simple and fun for kids but the design makes it something that even adults won’t mind reading over and over again.
I want to thank Crystal at Raincoast Books, Trish at Groundwood Books, Katie at Sterling Publishing, and Donna at Charlesbridge publishing.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Carrie Anne is a contributing writer on No Time For Flash Cards , she is a mom of 3 , and is the Managing Partner and Editor-in-Chief at EverythingMom.com.
Allie did a wonderful post about play being a child’s job. That post hit it right on the head. Play is their job. I get asked a lot of questions about crafts from moms. Most of them come down to things like how often and how structured should a craft be for a young child?
If there is an activity and you want them to learn certain rules or concepts, then you should gently guide them. But unless the craft is something you are planning on entering into a competition try not to lead them every time. Are their crafts that you should? Yeah, I am pretty sure there are some you want a specific goal, like a Mother’s Day present for Grandma.
As caretakers we need to make an effort to step back every once in a while. Deliberately do an occasional craft with your child that is completely open. I mean completely.
Set out a work space filled with craft items, recycled items, and tools that you feel comfortable with your child using by themselves.
Introduce them to the work space and let them have at it!
I find myself struggling to not say, “Wouldn’t it look cool of we put this here?” or “How about making this look like this?” I find it better to just step away from the table all together.
I am usually pretty close, like in our kitchen when they are in the dining room. It is fun to listen to them talk about things as they are creating. I know that I am close enough to step in if needed or for an emergency.
Your children will love doing this. They will also love telling you all about their creations. Let’s face it, some need explanation.
This one was a gift from my son. It’s a camera. I can totally see it, too. I would not have thought to make one out of a tissue box and toilet paper roll, but a 4 year old does think of things like that.
It is great when you take time out to make sure that the process is emphasized more than the product sometimes. 
____________________________________________________________________________
Kim is a contributing writer for No Time For Flash Cards, a mom to a toddler, a preschooler, and a foster parent, too. She juggles her day by trying out fun activities and crafts with the kids. After all, she is just a big kid herself. See what she has been up to over at Mom Tried It.
Are your kids crazy for Star Wars? It is just creeping in to our house but it’s taken over playtime at some friends’ house . With an upcoming play date I knew I had to turn the extra bubble wands from my daughter’s birthday party into some bubble wand lightsabers . This would be a great craft for a Star Wars themed birthday party. My son was happily playing batman and politely declined playing with the finished craft because ” Batman doesn’t play with lightsabers mom.” Oh how silly of me.
- Gather your materials. You will need an empty bubble wand, black duct or electrical tape, a silver pipe cleaner and a round sticker/ label.
- Start by taking the wand out of the handle, throw it away or recycle it if you are able to.
- Next wrap the silver pipe cleaner around the handle.
- Add tape, make sure to secure the ends of the pipe cleaner under a few layers of tape.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Add the circle label.
Ready to play …just not with Batman
