"Graham Cracker Kid" & More on Kid Lit Giveaway Hop

I'm very pleased to be donating 7 books (4 autographed) for The Kid Lit Giveaway Hop! It is open May 13 to 19th, 2013 in honor  of Children’s Book Week and hosted by Mother Daughter Book Reviews, Youth Literature Reviews and others. Over 90 children’s book or teen literature bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists are giving away copies of fabulous books, gift cards, cash, or other prizes. What better way to celebrate Children’s Book Week than GIVEAWAYS! Here is what I am offering to a lucky winner in the US or Canada: 

Mom Never Knew But She Taught Me How to Fly

Nancy Robinson Masters is my special guest today. She is a pilot, inspirational speaker and the author of 42 books. Her more than 3,000 feature articles have appeared in a variety of publications. Her writing has taken her around the world including traveling with the National Science Foundation in Antarctica. She has twice been named the Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the United States Air Force and became the first woman to receive the Stephen F. Austin Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Scottish Rite Masons. She has spoken to more than 300,000 students and teachers promoting the power of free people to freely read and write. 

Best FREE Children's Ebooks Daily and Free App

Today, my special guest is Bethany from the kid lit and play blog No Twiddle Twaddle. One of her most popular features is the almost daily list of the best free kids' eBooks available on Amazon:

"The Graham Cracker Kid and the Calico Girl" Picture Book

I am very honored to interview Tommy Overstreet, legendary singer/songwriter who co-wrote The Graham Cracker Kid and the Calico Girl with Dale G. Vest. It is a beautifully written poem with 46 pages illustrated from oil paintings by Jesse Anderson. This book is a touching and timeless story about two charming children in the Old West, filled with humor, suspense and a host of delightful characters that add joy and delight to every page. {Below is a link to adorable Free Printables to go with the book.}

Halloween Book Reading, Craft and Feelings Google+ Video

Autographed copies from Nancy Robinson Masters

Halloween can be an exciting time for children—or it may be a bit scary. Picture books provide an excellent opportunity to help children express their emotions. Encourage children to identify their feelings through the use of books, crafts, art, and by expressing your own emotions. This will enable children to better cope with various situations, or when things don’t go as expected, or when they need comfort. 

Help children know that all emotions are okay, but it is how we handle our emotions that can be good or bad. You always want children to know that you love them; it is the behavior that may not be appropriate. Reward good behavior and help children know how they can discuss any feeling with you.

Parents Make Halloween Happen on Google Hangouts

October 8th - 12th, 2012

Monday

• Join +Angelique Felix and guest +Cerys Parker at 2:15 PM CST for a Witches story and cupcakes

Tuesday 

• Join +Angelique Felix and guest +Cerys Parker at 2:15 PM CST for a Monster song and craft
• Join +Susan Case and +Rachelle Doorley at 5:30 PM CST for HOW TO MAKE SLIME - Now available below:

Show Me How! Book Review

Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem through Reading, Crafting and Cooking by Vivian Kirkfield is a wonderful book for planning activities to build a child’s confidence – through fun hands-on activities and cooking while a child is being exposed to classic children's literature. The book is recommended for ages two through five but would also be a helpful resource for children of special needs and also parents who homeschool. It shows a guided way for adults and children to cooperatively engage in many avenues of child development through a love of books.

The Table of Contents will give you an idea of child developmental areas covered:

• “One Picture Book is Worth a Thousand Words!” Building Self-Esteem
• “I Can Do It Myself!” Mastering Tasks and Skills
• “I’m Special!” Valuing Strength and Qualities
• "I Love You & You Love Me!” Feeling Appreciated, Loved and Accepted
• “I Am Really Mad Right Now!” Expressing Feelings
• “I’m Afraid!” Acknowledging and Coping with Fears
• “I Like Myself!” Developing a Positive Self-Image
• "Tell Me One More Story, Please!” Creating Family Harmony and Balance
• My Successful Routine – Vivian details her successful routine for teaching preschool, kindergarten or children at home.

Within each chapter are perfect choices of children’s literature totally 100 books.  Vivian describes each book and has a Positive Parenting Partiicpation paragraph with insightful benefits in six child developmental areas. Then a craft is detailed and a healthy recipe included for each book.

The book is 230 pages with an index of classic book titles, craft activities and recipes. It is an amazing resource of information. Children will love you for teaching in a such a fun way.

I highly recommend award-winning Show Me How! to teachers, child-care providers, parents and grandparents of young children. You’ll have so many wonderful activities and recipes to coordinate with great children’s literature. It is easy to know that Vivian Kirkfield loves children and has the experience and expertise to help you build self-esteem in those children in your care or to give as a much appreciated gift. The book is available in Kindle and print format. With this type book, I prefer the print copy so that I can write in the "Notes" sections and easily access various topics. You'll have a treasure of ideas and books to share. You can visit Vivian Kirkfield's blog at Positive Parenting Participation.

For a glimpse into Kindergarten see my book. Would you like inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? Mommy with Selective Memory and I can help save your sanity, one project at a time, with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn.

When Kids Recycle, Animals are Saved

When my kindergartners were having trouble focusing on being quiet, I pulled out a critter book and we were all fascinated by the amazing facts of animals, insects, fish, and birds. Science was the favorite subject in my classes and we even won 1st place in Kindergarten for our science project which involved squiggly worms. Fascinating - to five-year-olds, plus  it gave my husband a reason to go fishing when the project was finished. So when children are not interested in what you are trying to teach, throw in animals and science and they will pay attention - especially hands-on learning like taking apart owl pellets to see what owls eat (I highly recommend you have plenty of parent volunteers that day) or having races with beetles which have emerged from your mealworms.

SIMPLE WAYS FOR CHILDREN TO RECYCLE:

When we  teach children to recycle, we are helping to protect our earth's natural resources including habitats, critters, and food supplies. It is easy to separate items that can be recycled:

• Aluminum cans: We earn money for aluminum cans or donate them to the Boy Scouts for their fund.
• Plastic: Using material bags instead of plastic keeps more plastic from being deposited in landfills or burned.
• Glass: Some places prefer the glass be separated by color.
• Cardboard: Children enjoy stomping on boxes so they will fit into the cardboard recyclable container.
• Paper: We stopped taking the newspaper (read news on internet) and cut down on junk mail and magazines.
• Metal: We decided to build a home in the country and bought land that was formerly cow pasture. There was a lot of metal left on the property - even an old car with a tree growing in the middle! My husband cut the car into pieces and took it to the Recycling Center along with other metal including cans from soup and vegetables. We were happy to collect several hundred dollars for a trailer full of metal.
• Water: Did you know water is our most endangered natural resource? There is no reason to purchase water in plastic containers. Tap water must undergo more stringent standards than bottled water. It would be cheaper in the long term to purchase a filtering system if you do not like the taste of tap water. Humans need to drink lots of water, but we can use the same container over and over.
• Hazardous Substances: Model for children the proper way to dispose of oil, paint and medicine so that it doesn't end up in our water supply.
• Clothes: My personal favorite - we don't need to wear clean clothes every day - saves on laundry, wear & tear on clothes, and electricity.

Since we recycle and live in the country, we are able to burn what little trash we have left and WE HAVE NO TRASH COLLECTOR'S BILL! But remember, never leave a fire unattended.

 Note water bucket and hose nearby.Yes, those are chickens in the background. They love our food scraps and give us delicious, nutritious eggs.

HOW DOES RECYCLING HELP ANIMALS?

• It protects their habitats.
• It prevents ocean life from being hurt by trash like plastic rings choking fish or plastic littering their water space. Plastic takes hundreds of years to disintegrate and even then the particles are not good for consumption.
• It provides a cleaner water supply.
• The less space used for landfills, the fewer rodents and more room for animal habitats.
• Crafts, gifts, and cards from recycled materials help critters such as bird houses made from wood scrapes, bird feeders made from plastic jugs, or gifts made from natural objects like a Fossil Dough Stick Ornament.
• Upcycling toys lessens the cost of  manufacturing and transportation. Mommy with Selective Memory's children spent hours making and playing with their 3D House Made from Trash around Your Home.
  

Little Buddy loves collecting sticks and berries then

making a Fossil Dough Ornament gift.

MORE IDEAS ON PINTEREST BOARD:
Recycle! Upcycle! Kids Activities & Art

3D House Made from Upcycled "Trash"

Birds enjoy Little Buddy's Birdhouse

Using Less - Means More.

Would you like inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? See my new book, co-written with Mommy with Selective Memory titled The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn  - or would you like a glimpse into Kindergarten? Both are bestsellers and are also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

What other ways can children help animals?
What do you recycle?

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Play House - Build a Home

Should boys play with dolls? Should girls play with trucks? I was surprised how much has been written about this topic. I consider Pretend Play as PLAY – or a child’s work. Some kindergarten classrooms no longer have the “Drama” center. True, there may be plenty of drama abounding without a center encouraging more. But are the children missing out on important benefits of Imaginary Play? What are the benefits? Just that – children using their imaginations!

BENEFITS OF IMAGINARY PLAY
Children are learning important social, cognitive and emotional skills during Imaginary, Pretend or Fantasy Play. This open-ended play:

• Promotes Social Skills: Children are imitating their parents when they play “house” and are learning how to treat each other. Children playing school may be the future teachers, counselors, principals. Children storytelling may become the next J. K. Rowling. Little Princesses are building self-confidence as they rule over others.
• Develops Language and Cognitive Skills: I have witnessed many children talking, communicating, sharing, listening and bonding while engaging in pretend play. Much negotiation must occur between children sharing toys, deciding who plays whom, taking turns, listening to others, or deciding who's the boss or ruler of the kingdom or home.
• Increases Intellect: Imaginative play is the foundation of abstract thought and symbolic thinking which helps children understand letters, numbers, sounds, and words.
• Supports Emotional Development and Builds Self-Confidence: Pretend play builds friendships, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging. Because a young child is not able to control much in his/her day-to-day life, taking on an adult role can be very empowering. When children develop confidence in their abilities, they will be more determined and persistent when introduced to new skills.
•  Modeling or Role Playing allows children to explore their feelings and gain a sense of control. Playing doctor, nurse, or vet can help a child develop empathy. Children can  feel free to explore the more confusing feelings they experience such as jealousy, anger or frustration. In fact, play therapy encourages children to express their problems through play.
• Teaches Self-Control: Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist,  maintained that "…at 4 or 5, a child’s ability to play creatively with other children was in fact a better gauge of her future academic success than any other indicator, including her vocabulary, her counting skills or her knowledge of the alphabet." Vygotsky believed that dramatic play was the training ground where children learned to regulate themselves and to conquer their own unruly minds. When children follow the rules of make-believe and push one another to follow those rules, they develop important habits of self-control. In other words: Children can learn SELF-CONTROL and to THINK while participating in pretend play!

Listening to a child's phone conversation gives you insight into what they are thinking - or what they hear you say!

CAN PRETEND PLAY HELP OUR SOCIETY?

Allowing children to be creative contributes to novel thoughts, problem-solving skills and entrepreneurs. The highest achievers in societies were encouraged, or at least allowed, to think outside the box. If they weren’t, they stole the time to do it anyway, becoming great artists, writers and scientists. The next time you have the impulse to correct a child's art or stop their pretend play for flashcards, think of Mark Zackerberg (Facebook), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple Computers), Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com) or Stephen Spielberg (movie producer).
 
So is it all right for boys to play with dolls? I think so. Divorce rates are complicated to report due to multiple marriages but between 40% and 60% of new marriages will eventually end in divorce in the U.S. And births to unwed mothers have risen to about 41 percent today or 4 out of 10 children are born to unmarried women. The majority of children living with one parent lives with their single mother. Therefore, it is easy for me to conclude that Playing House is needed to Build a Home. Call me old fashion, but I believe children, and our society, need strong family bonds and support.

Need more inexpensive ideas, activities, and games on how children learn through play? See my new book, co-written with Mommy with Selective Memory titled The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn or for a glimpse into Kindergarten, click my other book. oth have been number 1 bestsellers on Amazon. Also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo. 

I assure you that the joy, love, and fulfillment experienced
in loving, righteous families produce the greatest possible
happiness we can achieve. That happiness is the foundation
for a successful society. ~ Quentin L.Cook 

What are your favorite memories of imaginative play? 

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Caught Being Good

Do you want to raise a responsible well-behaved child? You can - by helping them develop good character traits. I still have parents thank me for giving them the idea to use a marble jar as a reward system. Our kindergarten classroom's jar was filled as the class received compliments from staff, parents, high school helpers, substitutes, i.e. anyone 16 or over.  It took about a month for the class to fill the jar. When it was full, my husband and daughter made cupcakes to celebrate. The children were so proud that they had earned those cupcakes, even though they only cost a few dollars to make. Other class rewards could be to let them vote on a short movie, take a long walk or play a new game outside, and extend center or recess time.

For preschoolers, or at home, use a smaller jar so that it can be filled in about a week's time. The children can also learn math as you count the marbles. They will have a visual hands-on reward system. Let them help decide the reward. Sometimes spending special one-on-one time is much more beneficial than spending money. I was humbled when my daughter's kinder teacher told me that her favorite thing to do was to play dollhouse with me - no money or transportation was necessary, just some playful one-on-one time expanding our imaginations and relaxing in pretend play.

BUILDING GOOD CHARACTER
Children need to learn good character traits in order to gain respect and trust from those around them. Then they will gain a sense of pride in their abilities boosting self- confidence. You can encourage character growth in your child by using, recognizing, requiring, and emphasizing the right attitudes, words, and actions. This is best done by example. Communicate realistic age-appropriate expectations and hold your child accountable to teach responsibility.

The following is quoted from  PlayDrMom's Readathon post: "Positive reinforcement works … and also helps foster independence, life skills, and self-esteem.  It focuses more on mutual respect than power-differentials. Punishing (such as time-outs and taking away privileges) works too and it is sometimes needed, but if positive behaviors are reinforced regularly there will be less of a need for the punishments … and in turn less power struggles.... Implementing positive behavior strategies in daily family life can not only help eliminate problematic behaviors, but can give children a sense of control and help decrease parental stress.  Verbal praise, simply talking about progress made, and showing the pride you have in your children can go a long way in helping your child’s character development. "  To read the full article, click Promoting Positive Parenting.

To read my series on Discipline, click Prevent Inappropriate Behavior

 

Sisters displaying good character traits while reading: Sharing, caring, good example

  The truth of the matter is that you always know
the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.”
~ H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Am. General

For a glimpse into Kindergarten see my book. Would you like inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? Mommy with Selective Memory and I can help save your sanity, one project at a time, with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both have been number 1 bestsellers on Amazon and are helpful gifts for parents and teachers. Also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

What ideas would you like to add?

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