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I Don’t Want to Go to Camp
Written by Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Veteran children’s author, Eve Bunting is a master at connecting with and carefully addressing the anxieties that kids experience. In this story Lin, who is resolute about NEVER going to camp, gradually comes around when her mother goes to a camp for adults and she discovers bit by bit all the fun and foolishness that make the camp experience so appealing, but from the safety of the sidelines. The gentle sideways approach makes the message much more palatable and the lovely, soft watercolor illustrations nicely reinforce the idea that it is all good…when you are ready. Boyds Mills Press, $8.95.
I Don’t Want to Go
Written by Addie Meyers Sanders
Illustrated by Andrew Rowland
Here is another title that could be of help to your reluctant camper, or any child who is struggling with increasing independence that includes new experiences away from mom and dad. Joey is visiting his grandparents for the first time and allows his fears of the “what ifs” to convince him that this will be the worst trip ever. Of course Grandma and Grandpa have nothing but fun in store and Joey discovers that overcoming his fears leads to some exciting and fun firsts. The great imaginations that kids have can work against them when it comes to trying something new; as with Joey, they can vividly conjure up all sorts of terrible outcomes. Discovering that trying new things can not only be fun, but can make you feel good, is a great lesson to reinforce, even if it is just on paper to start. www.lobsterpress.com $9.95.
Indie Girl
From Starting a Band to Launching a Fashion Company, Nine Ways to Turn Your Creative Talent into Reality
By Arne Johnson and Karen Macklin
Before you know it summer will be upon us and question of what to do with the teens in your life looms large. This appealing little book might just be a lifesaver. Kids with a project tend to make for much happier parents and Indie Girl offers nine great ones, which might just take all summer and, more importantly, help channel your daughter’s creative energy into something very real. Combining step-by-step instructions with personal insight from professionals in each field, the book makes it easy and relatively cost-efficient to embark on one or more of these artful endeavors. And it is not just inspiration, the projects are detailed with supply lists, resources for additional tips and a dictionary of industry terminology, as well as how to raise funds to get it done. And the title notwithstanding, the ideas could certainly work for enterprising boys as well. Zest Books, $16.95.
Have Fun and Get Paid For It
As kids get older, the summer scramble to book camps and programs may be replaced by a mad dash to line up a summer job. If your child has outgrown being a camper, but loves the camp scene, working at a camp may be the perfect summer solution, but where to look? CampJobs.com (www.campjobs.com) allows camp job seekers to search according to criteria they specify for camp jobs. It also allows them to post their resumes to be found by camp administrators. With a database of hundreds of summer job listings, the site receives an average of 50,000 visitors per month. “Camp jobs not only offer a lovely setting compared with most summer jobs, but they are also excellent resume builders,” Nancy LaPook Diamond, president of CampJobs.com said. “Employers respond well to the skills young people develop working at summer camps, such as skill-building, leadership training, social networking and personal growth.”
Zero in on Teen/Tween Summer Options
If your teen is ready to move beyond the standard camp experience, but you don’t know what is available or how to find it, the free camp locator service from Tips on Trips and Camps can help. The eclectic offerings for adolescents and young adults have burgeoned. Families looking to expand their child’s experiences over the summer can choose from international programs, community service camp options, career-oriented internships, academic study and language programs and gap year programming. Tips on Trips and Camps, in business since 1971, offers registrants a personal advisor, virtual camp fairs, resources and access to in depth information on different 600 accredited camp programs.
More information at: www.tipsontripsandcamps.com or 1-866-222-TIPS.
One Mile at a Time
Watch most kids at recess and you can tell they love to run, but increasingly they are getting fewer and fewer opportunities to do it. In an innovative program, Medtronic TC Kids Marathon is providing a fun and effective way for teachers, youth programmers and parents to encourage kids to exercise by offering a free, flexible and practical online running program that can be tailored to an individual family’s needs. You can register at any time at: http://kids.mtcmarathon.org, but there are special times throughout the year when incentives are offered if you register and participate in certain activities by posted deadlines. The program includes 12-week, 8-week and 4-week options geared to varied levels of fitness and is recommended for kids in grades K-6. For added motivation, regularly held community running events celebrate training activities by bringing classes and families together in a fun-filled, supportive environment.
Running With the Wolves
Do you have a budding biologist in the house? WolfQuest, a new immersive, 3D wildlife simulation game, is now live and available as a free download for Macintosh and Windows computers at www.wolfquest.org. Developed by the Minnesota Zoo and St. Paul-based eduweb, award-winning developer of digital learning games, WolfQuest allows players to learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Players can play alone or with friends in on-line multiplayer missions, explore the wilderness, hunt elk, and encounter stranger wolves in a quest to find a mate. In future episodes, success will depend on forming a family pack, raising pups, and ensuring the survival of the pack. Players can go beyond the game with an active on-line community where you can discuss the game with other players, chat with wolf biologists, and share artwork and stories about wolves.
Personal Assistant… for Me!?
You know you need one, but who could afford the luxury? Well, now you can Ask Sunday (www.asksun day.com), a virtual assistant online service that gives over-tasked soccer moms (and anyone else who’s starved for time) the ability to get their “busy work” managed by trained professionals working in real time. Services cover most of the items on your to-do list that you would rather not – tasks such as, scheduling appointments, finding a pediatrician, online grocery shopping, making travel and dinner reservations, being on hold with tech support and even include an additional option of messenger or time services. Membership plans start at $29 per month for 30 requests and are on a month-to-month basis, no contract or start-up fee.
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www.dividetheride.com
This site provides parents with a free, secure and easy to use method of creating carpools with families they know, utilizing online carpool calendars which are based on parents’ schedules and driving availability. Calen-dars are emailed to everyone in the group along with text messages and email reminders. The service is free and all information is secure.
www.momfinds.com
Looking for the perfect baby shower gift, mom-friendly jeans or age-appropriate gift for the hard to shop for tween? Save time and check MomFinds.com, the site that scans the Internet for online shopping finds especially for moms.
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