|
|
|
|
make learning fun
Cheese Please, Chimpanzees
Fun with Spelling
Written by Tracy Traynor
Illustrated by Lily Bronfeyn
Learning the many different spellings for the same sound can be tricky for children. That’s where a little bit of silly can help. Vivid illustrations playfully depict the improbable scenarios that result when, for example, reindeer meets pierced ear meets souvenir. They won’t even know they are learning! Includes a list of words with different spellings for the same sound. Ages 5-9. Milet Wordwise, softcover, 28 pages, $6.95.
The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science
64 Daring Experiments for Young Scientists
By Sean Connolly
Relax, it’s not as scary as it sounds. This fun manual offers a range of amaze-your-friends experiments that can be done with simple household items. Who could resist Burning Ice, a Cola Geyser or the ever-popular Do-It-Yourself Blubber? Easy instructions include a list of ingredients, special cautions and the scientific principle behind the results, illustrated with fun retro style graphics and notations. Irresponsible?… only if they are supposed to be making their beds instead. Ages 9+. Workman Publishing. Hardcover, 205 pages, $12.95.
Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables
Fun, Fast and Easy with Dazzling Patterns, Grids and Tricks!
By Eugenia Francis
Eugenia Francis knows exactly when her son lost interest in math - when it was time to learn the multiplication tables. Working with her son, Francis discovered that the patterns inherent in the “times tables” revealed themselves much more readily with grids and visual layouts. Discovering this underlying structure immediately made the math more fun and more accessible and resulted in this innovative workbook designed for grades 2-4. See samples at: www.TeaCHildMath.com. Infinity Publishing, softcover, 166 pages, $18.95.
You’ve Got Books!
With all the high tech, on-demand entertainment for kids, it can be difficult to find ways to get them “turned on” to books. Utilizing the fun of getting things in the mail-still something special for most kids-ExciteBooks.com is a book subscription service that might help. The concept is simple. Order a monthly subscription online and a teacher certified, age appropriate (toddler-teen) book is chosen and mailed for $4.99. Get two books a month at $9.99 or three books for $14.99. Shipping and handling is always $4.95, no matter how big the package. Unlike book clubs of old, the service is month to month and requires no long-term commitment. And here’s the neatest part, after ExciteBooks.com has shipped a total of 12 books, a prepaid envelope is provided to donate some, or all of the books to a library in need. Donation is absolutely not required. Subscribers can keep the books as long as they wish-even forever. The website currently is offering a free 3 book trial offer. www.ExciteBooks.com.
R U OK?
Texting is here to stay and, for teens, is increasingly the communication mode of choice. A recent study by the MetLife Foundation/Partnership for a Drug-Free America survey found that a majority of teens (67 percent) were open to receiving texts from their parents after school-a time when teens are most likely to be unsupervised. And when asked which was more important for everyday communication with friends, texting or social networking like Facebook; teens were far more likely to communicate directly by texting (63 percent).
Perhaps most interestingly, while a majority of teens would rather have a face-to-face conversation with their parents about alcohol or drugs, nearly one in four (23 percent) say they would prefer to have a “serious conversation” about this issue using e-mail or cell phone. On the other hand, just three percent of parents would opt to communicate with their kids this way.
If you are a bit behind the curve, the Partnership has created a free downloadable guide called “Time To Text” at www.TimeToTalk.org that gives parents quick tips on how to text and provides a cheat sheet parents can keep in their wallet.
Use It, Don’t Lose It
Children use locks for school, bikes, home and more, but lost keys and forgotten combinations can be a hassle. A new lock from Wordlock offers a simple solution - a combination that uses words instead of numbers. They come in a variety of colors and styles such as padlocks, travel and bike locks and you can reset the combination word as often as you like. Parents will appreciate the fact that no “bad” words are possible. Also available in Spanish versions. Price ranges from $9.99-$19.99 depending on the style. www.wordlock.com.
Game Your Way Into College
It may seem counterintuitive to parents, but for kids, it is an obvious match made in heaven. futureU™ is a new first-of-its-kind SAT prep video game created by Aspyr Media, in collaboration with Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. Designed as prep that is supplemental to the existing approaches to studying for SATs, the game offers six interactive mini-games in three categories - math, writing and reading, as well as a test skills section that teaches time management and test-taking skills. It is available for PC, Mac and Nintendo DS™. It runs around $30 and is available at Gamestop, Best Buy and Amazon.
Brighten Your World
Looking for an easy, affordable way to brighten up your child’s room or play area? Muralunique.com has a collection of lively wall art created from original paintings that are easy to affix and are priced at a fraction of the cost of a custom creation. The murals average about 8’ x 10’ and are printed on pre-pasted, washable and reusable paper strips. They offer a varied collection of delightful images for children, plus many selections for teens or older. Average cost is $269, including shipping. www.muralunique.com.
Swim with the Sharks
Finding extreme adventures for kids in Minnesota in the winter is something of a tall order. Remarkably, it exists right in the Mall of America! Underwater Adventures offers snorkeling in the Rainbow Reef tropical tank. Anyone age 9 or older can experience an up-close look in the tank with tropical fish from every ocean, including small reef sharks, pufferfish, stingrays, clown fish and zebra sharks. The one hour experience runs about $80 and includes all necessary gear, T-shirt, souvenir photo and aquarium admission. For info visit: www.sharky.tv or call 952-853-0653.
return
to top
www.handmedowns.com
This new classified site finds items from around the web and combines them with their own listings to create a database of gently used baby gear, toys, clothing, childcare services and more, all available locally.
www.meritaid.com
This web site offers a comprehensive central site for matching students to college merit scholarships. There is no cost to access information about the $11 billion available in merit aid from more than 2,000 colleges across the country.
www.ftc.gov/YouAreHere
This site offers interactive games and activities that help kids learn to be more savvy consumers. Animated guides help kids navigate a virtual mall and interact with shopkeepers and other customers. Kids can design and print advertisements, uncover suspicious ad claims, and guess retail prices based on supply, demand, and production costs.
The Autism Trail Guide
Postcards from the Road Less Traveled
By Ellen Notbohm
For families who have spent some time “on the autism trail,” Ellen Notbohm is a well known and respected voice, offering sound advice and gentle inspiration born of her own experience. The Autism Trail Guide, her fourth book, is a compilation of essays and insights from her columns, books and articles that come together to create a cohesive road map for dealing with the unexpected twists and turns of parenting a child (or children) on the autism spectrum. From addressing, very specifically, concerns such as dealing with school bureaucracy and even the wording of math problems, Notbohm expands the conversation to encompass the broader, and in some ways thornier, questions of parenting in general. Her steadfastness in the face of challenge and her willingness to recognize the joy in where her trail has led, recommends this book as an addition to the collection of any parent who may sometimes feel they have lost their way. Future Horizons, Inc., softcover, 179 pages, $19.95.
Home Schooling Abbey
Your Basic Mom Tries Home Education and Tells All
By Carol Plum-Ucci
Sometimes it feels like homeschooling is the final frontier in education. Parents who consider themselves open to liberal amounts of innovation in teaching methods and styles will still pull back at the suggestion of homeschooling, “Oh, I could never do that!” Author Carol Plum-Ucci knows all about that, in fact she herself believed that it was really just for geniuses or religious fanatics. But in reaction to difficulties her daughter was having at school, she took the plunge. This memoir details their trial and error approach to crafting what turned out to be both a robust education for Abbey and an eye-opening and fulfilling experience for Carol. Her balanced and conversational approach to the issues and concerns inherent in homeschooling make this a great choice not just for parents considering homeschooling, but even just the curious. You might be surprised. BookSurge Publishing, softcover, 146 page, $12.99.
return
to top
|
