Showing posts with label Language. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Language. Show all posts

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Free Educational Websites For Elementary Students




We know how much kids today love to have their "screen time." Whether you give them 20 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, or more. Why not make it educational AND fun for them? There are many websites out there that want this very combo for your children. They understand the importance of keeping them engaged while learning.

Here are some of our favorites:

www.coolmath-games.com

Coolmath games is a brain training site for everyone where logic, thinking, and math meets fun and games. This site advertises that they are violence-free, so play without worry.


www.funbrain.com

Funbrain is an educational online site for kids of all ages. The site calls itself "an amusement park of math and more." Funbrain is geared towards children up to 13 years of age and is chock full of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and more.


www.makemeagenius.com

Makemeagenius.com is full of videos on science subjects such as physics, the solar system, and the human body. All videos are kid-friendly.


www.timeforkids.com

Time for kids is a site from the creators of TIME magazine. Your children will find several articles related to current news written just for them.


www.kids.nationalgeographic.com

Learn interesting facts about animals, nature, and more.  Your young learners will get a chance to watch animal cams and if they're lucky, maybe even a birth or two :)


www.scholastic.com/teachers/student-activities

Here you will find activities broken down by grades geared towards children all of the way to seniors in High School.


www.bbc.co.uk

BBC History for kids is full of games, quizzes and fact sheets taking children on a journey through ancient history, world history, and lands far far away.


www.highlightskids.com

From the creators of the Highlights magazine comes a website full of fun art activities, science experiments, and stories.


www.discoverykids.com

Here children can enjoy games, puzzles, and quizzes on studies of current events and science.


www.pbs.org

Not only can your children enjoy the educational shows on PBS, but they can also play games featuring their favorites.  Those games include math and language.


Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Happy Birthday America! Top 4th Of July Books For Preschoolers

Ahhhh Summer.

The time of year where we get to play at the pools, beaches, eat massive food at cookouts, and celebrate our Independence. Chances are, with the children being home for summer vacation, you'll take trips to the Library and book stores.

We have a nice list of fun reads for you and your child to enjoy.


1 - 


The Night Before the Fourth of July




The twentieth title in the bestselling Night Before series is the perfect summer treat! 

It's the night before the Fourth of July and all across the United States people are getting ready for hot dogs and fireworks. Decked in red, white, and blue, a family heads to a parade, hosts a backyard BBQ with friends and family, dodges an afternoon thundershower, and of course, watches a fireworks show. The Night Before the Fourth of July captures all the fun, excitement, and pride of the best summer holiday!


2 - 


Corduroy's Fourth of July 




Celebrate summer with a Corduroy board book adventure!

Today is the Fourth of July, and Corduroy and his friends are having a fun-filled picnic. They eat tasty treats and play games in the hot summer sun. Then it’s time to cool down with a dip in the pool. Next they take part in an Independence Day parade! Scruffy Pup bangs the drum, Checkerboard Bunny plays the flute, and Corduroy carries the American flag. Once it’s dark outside, the friends gather to watch an amazing fireworks display.
This sturdy, brightly colored shaped board book is perfect for the youngest fans of Corduroy, one of the best-loved characters in children’s books for nearly 40 years.



3 - 

The Story of America's Birthday




This little book presents the story of the founding of America in words that are simple enough for a toddler to understand. Vibrant illustrations paired with the text help to create the connection between the story of the Declaration of Independence and American Revolution and today's Fourth of July festivities. Parents can use this book to introduce little ones to the history and meaning behind Independence Day. Ages 2-5.


4 - 

Apple Pie Fourth of July




Shocked that her parents are cooking Chinese food to sell in the family store on an all-American holiday, a feisty Chinese American girl tries to tell her mother and father how things really are. But as the parade passes by and fireworks light the sky, she learns a surprising lesson. 


5 - 

Eloise and the Big Parade




Eloise and Nanny are going to a big parade!


6 - 

Happy 4th of July, Jenny Sweeney!




It's the 4th of July and all over town, people are getting ready. Jenny Sweeney gives her dog, Rags, a bath. All the preparations lead up to the big parade and a night of bright fireworks. It's a great day. "Happy Birthday, USA!"


7 - 

F Is for Flag (Reading Railroad)




June 14 is Flag Day, but with so many American flags proudly displayed, every day seems like Flag Day. Perfect for reading together with a young child, F Is for Flag shows in simple terms how one flag can mean many things: a symbol of unity, a sign of welcome, and a reminder that-in good times and in bad-everyone in our country is part of one great big family.


8 - 

L Is for Liberty (Reading Railroad)




For more than a century, the Statue of Liberty has stood proudly in New York Harbor, welcoming people from near and far. Perfect for reading together with a young child, L Is for Liberty uses simple language and bold illustrations to celebrate the statue, her history, and the freedom she stands for.


9 - 

A Is for America: A Patriotic Alphabet Book




Little ones will love learning American history in Tanya Lee Stone's latest alphabet book. Rhyming couplets that flow through the alphabet help kids celebrate everything from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to Thomas Jefferson and Harriet Tubman!


10 - 

The Berenstain Bears God Bless Our Country (Berenstain Bears/Living Lights)




The Bear family and their Bear Country neighbors celebrate the Fourth of July with a big parade. But not before the cubs get a lesson about the blessings of freedom for their country.  Features 12 full-color stickers.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Educational Websites for Preschoolers



We know how much kids today love to have their "screen time." Whether you give them 20 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, or more. Why not make it educational AND fun for them? There are many websites out there that want this very combo for your children. They understand the importance of keeping them engaged while learning.

Here are some of our favorites:

1. www.abcya.com/

Here you will find free games and apps for kids. Games such as connect the dots, Bingo, letter and number tracing, and more.

2. www.abcmouse.com

This site offers Reading, Math, Music, Art, and other easy to use content for preschoolers. They offer a paid subscription, but you will find plenty of great games for free.

3 - www.funbrainjr.com

The fun and vibrant games you will find here will help children ages 2 - 6 years will help them build early learning skills in math AND reading!

4 - www.pbskids.org

Learn about letters and the alphabet and play games with some of your favorite PBS Kids characters.


Monday, April 17, 2017

Earth Day Books To Read With Your Children

There is a children's book out there for EVERYTHING!  Earth Day not to be excluded.  Take these wonderful opportunities to spend time with your children by reading.  They grow so fast.  So, enjoy this time with them.

Below are our good reads picks.

I Can Save The Earth:  One Little Monster Learns To Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle




A new “green” series!: Little Green Books will educate children on what they can do to be more eco-friendly. The books in this line will be made from recycled materials, and the storylines will cover subjects such as improving the environment, learning about endangered animals, recycling, and much more. 

Meet Max the Little Monster. He is a cute, furry green monster who is an environmental nightmare. Among other things, he leaves on all the lights, keeps his computer plugged in, blasts the TV, hoards his old toys and uses so much toilet paper it clogs the toilet until finally, his excessive ways cause a power outage. With no TV to watch, computer to play on, video games to play with, Max finds there is a whole big world outside that he can make a difference in the environment.

Kids can follow Max the Little Green Monster's journey to environmental awareness and learn tips on how they can become little green monsters themselves. A kid-friendly glossary of terms is included in the back of the book.




I Am Earth:  An Earth Day Book For Kids





I Am Earth introduces kids to the basic concepts of earth science while also encouraging the importance of taking care of our special planet through environmental awareness and sustainability. Keeping Earth a happy and healthy place to live is important for everyone big and small. 

In this Earth science book for beginners, kids learn what makes our planet so uniquely special and how people can work together to keep it a healthy home.I Am Earth is a great way to start children at an early age to care for the environment by understanding why the environment is so important and what they can do to help keep nature in balance, like recycle, reuse and conserve.

 For all living creatures that call planet Earth home, every day is Earth Day!Bright, vivid illustrations will capture kids' attention and keep learning fun. 

"Keep Earth a happy, healthy place to live!"



Biscuit's Earth Day Celebration





It's Earth Day!
Join Biscuit as he helps take care of our green world. From planting seeds to cleaning up, Biscuit's celebration is an exciting adventure for Earth Day and for every day!
Woof!
Have more fun with Biscuit!




The Three R's:  Reuse, Reduce, Recycle







Attractive color illustrations and easy-to-follow text combine to present factual information that younger boys and girls will readily absorb and understand. The Three R's: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle is one in a series of four entertaining What Do You Know About? books, for very young children. It describes the ways in which kids and their families can avoid waste and be environmentally conscious. Four pages presenting activities for children appear at the back of the book, followed by a two-page section for parents, with tips on explaining the subject in more detail.



Michael Recycle







Just in time for Earth Day on April 22, Michael Recycle tells the adventures of a young superhero whose power allows him to teach people about recycling. After cleaning up a town, the people declare: "To Michael Recycle! The green-caped crusader, our super-green hero, the planet's new savior!"


Let's Explore...Ocean






Lonely Planet Kids' brand new series of sticker activity books, "Let's Explore", is perfect for any child with a sense of adventure. With fascinating facts, puzzles to solve and pages to colour and complete, little explorers aged 5 and up will love discovering the amazing environments of our planet.
Let's Explore Ocean takes you under the waves and into a whole other world. Dress the explorers in their diving gear, learn how to make a submarine-style periscope, decorate reefs with colourful coral, and loads more. An undersea adventure awaits. Let's explore! Includes over 250 stickers. Perfect for on-the-road entertainment.


The Berenstain Bears:  Don't Pollute (Anymore!)





Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Brother is doing a report about endangered species, so he and Sister visit the museum to talk to Professor Actual Factual about what they can do to help save the environment. This beloved story is a perfect way to teach children about caring for the planet. Includes over 50 bonus stickers!



The Giving Tree






'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.'
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.
This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.




It's Earth Day!  (Little Critter)








Little Critter is on a mission! After watching a film about climate changes at school, Little Critter decides to do his part to slow down global warming. With the help of his family and friends, Little Critter begins to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Together they learn about the importance of not wasting water or energy. Join Little Critter as he plants a tree, makes a climate control machine, and helps the polar bears.



The Adventures Of A Plastic Bottle






Learn about recycling from a new perspective!  Peek into this diary of a plastic bottle as it goes on a journey from the refinery plant, to the manufacturing line, to the store shelf, to a garbage can, and finally to a recycling plant where it emerges into it's new life...as a fleece jacket! 

Told from the point of view of a free-spirited plastic bottle, kids can share in the daily experiences and inner thoughts of the bottle through his personal journal. The diary entries will be fun and humorous yet point out the ecological significance behind each product and the resources used to make it. Readers will never look at a plastic bottle the same way again!

Monday, April 10, 2017

10 Books To Read To Your Children For Easter

It's that time of year again.  Spring has sprung and Easter is upon us.  Many of you are on spring break with your children.  For some it may be next week.  Well, I have a nice treat for you.

Check out the 10 books you will enjoy reading with your children.



Happy Easter Mouse!



Join Mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie as he goes on an Easter egg hunt! Who is hiding eggs in Mouse’s house? This adorable board book combines an engaging Easter theme with a story about colors!
This board book with sturdy pages is perfect for toddlers, who will enjoy the simple introduction to colors and counting. Each page has one or two sentences and points out a different color and number of eggs.


LLama LLama Easter Egg




With short and simple rhyming text, the Llama Llama board books introduce Llama Llama to babies and toddlers before they’re ready for longer full-length stories. And their small size and durable pages are perfect for little hands.

In Llama Llama Easter Egg, the Easter Bunny brings lots of treats for Llama Llama: jelly beans, colorful eggs, and a fluffy surprise!


Marshmallow




Oliver is a tabby cat who is always the center of attention.
Marshmallow is a baby rabbit who moves into Oliver's home.
At first Oliver does not welcome Marshmallow, but the little bunny's charms are impossible to resist. This is the true story of how Oliver and Marshmallow become friends.
Clare Turlay Newberry's lifelong passions for cats and for drawing come together in this elegantly illustrated book, winner of the 1943 Caldecott Honor.




It's Not Easy Being a Bunny






Meet P. J. Funnybunny in this humorous and touching Beginner Book by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen. It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny tells the “tail” of P.J. and his quest to become something other than what he is. Is it more fun to be a bear, a bird, or a pig? Read along as P.J. tries to determine who he is—and where he belongs.

Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.




Pete The Cat:  Big Easter Adventure







Join Pete in New York Times bestselling author James Dean's Pete the Cat picture book series as Pete has a groovy Easter adventure. In this paper-over-board picture book, complete with poster, punch-out cards, and stickers, Pete helps out the Easter Bunny! Fans of Pete the Cat: I Love My White ShoesPete the Cat and His Four Groovy ButtonsPete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes, and Pete the Cat Saves Christmas will love this Easter-themed Pete storybook.




The Night Before Easter






"Twas the night before Easter, just before dawn, Not a creature was stirring out on the lawn." The Easter bunny takes center stage in this delightful spin on a beloved poem that will send families hopping to the bookstore for an Easter treat sweeter than any sugar plum!





The Itsy Bitsy Bunny








A fun and playful holiday twist on “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” makes this favorite nursery rhyme perfect for Easter!

The itsy bitsy bunny was hopping up the trail
Down fell the baskets past his tiny tail
Out came his friends to help him on his way.
For the itsy bitsy bunny was planning Easter day.


This Itsy Bitsy Bunny must hop at top speed so he can get all of his eggs hidden in time for the big holiday! Little ones will love this fresh springtime spin on a classic nursery rhyme.




Duck and Goose. Here Comes the Easter Bunny!






Join the egg-stremely popular Duck and Goose on their search for the Easter Bunny!

New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tad Hills brings our favorite feathered friends out to celebrate spring in this sturdy board book. Duck & Goose have lots of ideas about how to find the Easter Bunny, but will they succeed? Preschoolers won't be able to resist this latest board book featuring Duck & Goose, lots of colorful eggs, and the Easter Bunny.




The Berenstain Bears and the Real Easter Eggs







Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Join Brother and Sister as they go on the Giant Beartown Easter Egg Hunt. The cubs are trying to collect the most Easter eggs, but it’s the true meaning of the holiday that they find. This beloved story is a perfect way to teach children about the beauty of nature and all the wonders it holds.




Pinkalicious:  Eggstaordinary Easter








When Pinkalicious wakes up on Easter morning, she finds a note from Edgar Easter Bunny that sends the Pinkerton family on an eggsciting Easter scavenger hunt! #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Kann is back with a treat of a story that will become an Easter favorite for kids and parents. This adorable 8x8 storybook includes stickers for kids to enjoy.


Thursday, February 2, 2017

Top 9 Valentine's Day Books To Read With Your Children

Reading time is a great bonding experience between you and your child. A few minutes before bedtime can create memories that your child will cherish for many years to come.

How many of you remember stories from your childhood?

I went around the school asking our Teachers for their absolute favorite Valentine's Day stories and these were the results. 


1 - Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff


Join Mouse of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie as he celebrates Valentine's Day with all the friends he loves.




2 - Love From The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle





3 - Pete The Cat. Valentine's Day Is Cool by James Dean




4 - Llama Llama I Love You by Anna Dewdney





5 - The Biggest Valentine Ever by Steven Kroll




6 - Happy Valentine's Day Curious George by N. Di Angelo




7 - Fancy Nancy Heart To Heart




8 - The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond




9 - My Fuzzy Valentine by Naomi Kleinberg