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"Wow! I can't wait to get my hands on THAT book!"
Imagine tantalizing teasers, music, and graphics created by librarians and teachers. Imagine enthusiastic productions created by kids for kids. Think everything from Classics to new releases with enough plot to draw your child in without completely giving it away. All your kids have to do is pick up the book to find out what happens next. Brilliant!
Here are five ways you and your kids can get the most out of book trailers:
"What should I read next?" Click here at Slime Kids for a selection of books by decade and grade level.
"Maybe I'll try that kind of book for a change." Expose kids to books outside their comfort zone. Click here for Scholastic's recommended summer reading list.
"Other kids love reading too!" It's waaay cooler to get recommendations from other kids than from parents. Award-winning trailers produced by kids here at Book Trailers for Readers.
"I can picture the book!" Cool graphics and music make books come to life. Great for reluctant readers. Click here for Harper-Collins' videos.
"I want to make my own book trailer!" Click here for instructions. A lot of teachers are trying this with their students as an alternative to book reports.
So, what are you waiting for? Lights! Camera! READ!
I miss the days of travelling in my parents' non-airconditioned station wagon with our legs stuck to the vinyl seats. Oh, the days of squabbling in the back while my dad threatened to pull over and make us walk! Once my sister torture-tickled my brother so hard, he ended up denting the roof of the car with his toe.
It wasn't all mayhem. Our family would spend hours playing games on the road to while the time away. Everyone participated, and often games would lead into various topics for discussion.
I miss those days. Life is so much easier now with air conditioning, DVD players, and handheld devices, but something is missing. It's just so sterile and isolated. Why not try to mix it up a little with some unplugged activities for the whole family to enjoy?
Here are some oldies but goodies:
TWENTY QUESTIONS.
One person has to think of a famous person, dead or alive. Other players must guess the person in 20 questions or less, and answers can only be "yes" or "no." Don't get stumped!
NAME THAT TUNE.
Turn the radio on to a favourite station, and see who can identify the singer and song first. Lower the volume before the announcement of the next song coming up. It's also fun to sing along.
COUNTRY/CITY.
You'll need paper and pens for the kids. Make columns with the following categories: Country, city, fruit/vegetable, animal, famous person, object. One player chooses an alphabet letter at random. Players have one minute to fill in the categories with words that begin with that letter. Repeated words are crossed off, and the player with the most original words wins.
I'M GOING ON A PICNIC.
The first player says, "I'm going on a picnic, and I'm bringing _____________________." The next player repeats what the first person said, and adds an item of her own. Players are out when they can't remember all the items in the imaginary picnic basket.
LICENSE PLATE GAME.
Older kids can make phrases out of the letters in license plates. For example, FYH 992 can become Feed Your Hens. Younger kids can each pick a license plate, add the numbers, and see who comes closest to 21 without going over.
AUDIO BOOKS.
Everyone can read the same book at the same time without getting car sick, and it makes for good discussions. Good picks include Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Coraline, Lemony Snickett, and the Narnia series. Your local library is a good place to start, but you can also check www.audible.com to purchase downloadable versions read by authors and professionals.
We'll be packing up the mini van for our own road trip soon, and I'm looking forward to mixing it up with some plugged and unplugged activities.
Stay tuned for a future post about cool apps and websites that won't turn your kids' brains to mush!
For many parents summer vacation is yet another reason to stress. If kids are not in camp, how are they to be entertained?
Parents simply can't be children's non-stop, full-time entertainment centres. Not only is this exhausting, it actually doesn't make sense. How can we parents convey to our children that reading, staying active, and being creative are highly important if we can't model these behaviours ourselves?
Carving out time in the day for yourself is essential not just for your sanity, but also for children to see their role-model in action: Curious, excited, and engaged.
How can we find this elusive "me time" during summer vacation? Suggestion: Try having some unstructured time at home. Kids can play alone, with siblings, or with friends, and that's a good thing. Experts agree that independent play promotes creativity, intellectual development, self-discovery, and confidence.
Here are five ideas to nudge kids in the right direction. Warning: You may need to get out of your comfort zone!
#1: STOP RECYCLING. Every time you recycle a box, you destroy hours of free independent entertainment. Kids love boxes. Big boxes can be transformed into play forts, stuffy beds, and stores. Smaller boxes house play villages, and accessories for dolls. For added fun, give kids some paints or markers to decorate the boxes. Your trash is their treasure.
TIP: Let kids exhibit their creations to you upon completion.
#2: STOP TIDYING EVERYTHING. Stop! (I'm really good at this one.) You know that pile of kids' library books spread all over the table? Don't shelve them. Kids are more likely to read whatever they can see and reach easily. Kids working on a lego construction? Cars lined up on an imaginary race track? Don't be in such a rush to have kids tidy up. Leave it out so they are inspired to finish it the next day. I'm not saying kids should never tidy up, or that you should live in a pig sty. I'm just saying it's okay to leave kids' unfinished projects out , or to leave piles of books out for encouragement.
TIP: Show interest in what they're reading or building.
#3: LET THEM RAID YOUR CLOSET—with limits. Kids love to play dress-up with their parents' clothes. A closet is a treasure trove for drama productions, fashion shows, and fun. Make your "fancier" clothes off limits, if it makes you nervous. Otherwise, just let them go at it.
TIP: A little drama production with you as audience?
#4: PAINT, DRAW, CUT—OUTSIDE. Try setting up an easel outside on your deck or lawn. (Protect the surface with an old tablecloth if you're nervous.) Painting outdoors lends new excitement to a routine indoor activity. Don't stop at paper: Kids can find rocks and sticks to paint too. Chalk and craft supplies also become more interesting outdoors.
TIP: Art exhibit.
#5: LET THEM GET WET, STICKY, MUCKY. Running through sprinklers on a hot day is made even better with a sticky popsicle, or when building mucky castles in the sandbox. Be sure to leave out plenty of sand toys. Crank up the music, and let them go at it.
TIP: Don't look, and hose them off when done.
As parents, we can support independent play by praising play in action, by appreciating children's creations, and by reminding kids that we will still be spending time together.
When it comes to carving out some time for yourself this summer, try thinking INSIDE the box!
For further reading:
Why Independent Play Is Good For Childen.
Tip of the Week: Make frequent trips to the library part of your summer routine.