Monthly Archives: October 2012

Sunday Post: Delicious…Healthy Snacks for Kids’ Backpacks

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Mommy, can I help in the kitchen?

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is DELICIOUS.

Fresh fruits and crisp veggies make some of the best snacks your child can eat.  It’s important to make every meal as nutritious as possible and snacks are a great way for kids to get important vitamins, minerals and fiber into their diet.

When my children were young, one of their favorite places to be was in the kitchen, helping me prepare meals and snacks.  Even though there might have been some additional cleanup…it was definitely worth it…for me and for them.

Here are two simple healthy snack recipes from Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.

 

Overnight Cookies (Gluten-Free)

You will need: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup ground almonds, 1 cup raisins, 1 large bowl, 1 mixer and 1 greased cookie sheet.

1. Beat egg whites in bowl till stiff peaks form.  Your little ones will LOVE watching how the runny egg whites turn to mountains of cream.

2. Add 1/4 sugar and fold in gently.

3. Add ground almonds and raisins and fold in gently.

4. Drop by tablespoonful onto the greased cookie sheet…I use a canola oil spray.  If you want a smaller cookie, use a teaspoon.

5. Place the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven and bake for 5 minutes.  Turn off the oven and leave the cookies in at least 15 minutes…or overnight if you wish.  If you have a hot oven, you might want to check the cooling cookies at 15 minutes and remove them then…otherwise the raisins will taste burned.

6. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen, more or less, depending on the size cookie you make.

Traveling Trail Mix (Nut-Free)

 

You will need: 2 cups Corn Chex, 2 cups Wheat Chex, 2 cups Rice Chex, 2 cups mini-pretzels, 1 cup raisins, 2 tsp Braggs Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce and a 13x9x2 inch microwave-safe baking dish.

1.     Melt margarine, mix with Braggs Aminos or soy sauce and pour into baking dish.

2.     Add the cereals and pretzels and mix thoroughly to coat.

3.     Microwave on high for 3 minutes.

4.     Stir and continue to heat in microwave, one minute at a time, until evenly toasted.

5.     Add raisins and mix.

6.     Store in an airtight container.

You are invited to a Google+ Hangout!  This coming week you can check out ‘the parents that make Halloween happen’ on Google+ Hangouts.  On Thursday, October 11 at 2:30pm Mountain Time, I will be joining long-time educator and blogger, Susan Case, author of The Happy Mommy Handbook.  Susan is going to be reading a special Halloween story and I will be doing a simple craft.  We’ll chat about children and picture books and why reading with kids is just about the most important thing you can do with them.  I’ll post a link here and on my FB page as soon as I get one.

PARENTS MAKE HALLOWEEN HAPPEN ON GOOGLE HANGOUTS

This week celebrates “the parents that make Halloween happen”
A full line up of HOAs celebrating
#parenting , #kids , and all things #Halloween 

Monday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Witches story and cupcakes

Tuesday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Monster song and craft
+ Join +Susan Case and guest +Rachelle Doorley at 5:30 PM CST for Spooky Simple Science Recipes

Wednesday
+ Join +Holly Homer at 9:30 AM CST and guests as they discusses Candy Control
+ Join Kimberley Blaine and guests at 1:00 PM CST as they discuss children’s age differences and participation in Halloween
+ Join +Green Kid Crafts at 2:00 PM CST for Greening Your Halloween
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Ghosts! story, song, and craft

Thursday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Black Cat! story and song
+ Join +Holly Homer at 9:00 PM CST for a discussion on Homemade Costumes
+ Join +Susan Case and +Vivian Kirkfield at 3:30 CST for Halloween book reading, craft and discussion on how picture books help children deal with their problems

Friday 
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Pumpkins! rhyme and song

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

 http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/ 

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PPBF: Hooway for Wodney Wat…Believe in Yourself!

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Today is Perfect Picture Book Friday where I link up with Susanna Leonard Hill’s fantastic group of picture book writers, illustrators, librarians and others who contribute a picture book review and related resources for parents, teachers and children.

Can you stand some really good news?  Actually, two good newses…is that a real word?

GOOD NEWS NUMBER ONE: Julie Hedlund, founder of 12×12 in 2012, put together a cornucopia of amazing prizes to reward the people who are participating in her picture book writing challenge.

The prizes ranged from manuscripts critiques to autographed picture books to query critiques to helpful books on creative writing to…Emma Walton Hamilton’s 8-week online picture book writing course.  This last is something I have been wishing I could take…tongue hanging out as I visited the “Just Write For Kids” website and scrolled down the awesome list of lessons. 

Can you imagine how thrilled I was when I saw my name as winner of the gift certificate (provided by the generous Emma Walton Hamilton) that entitles me to take the course FOR FREE?  I don’t think you can…my husband came running downstairs, sure that some terrible catastrophe had befallen me, as all he heard was me yelling at the top of my lungs (and I have a pretty healthy set there), “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!!!!!

I’ve already connected with Emma and have downloaded the first week’s lesson…Hooray!!!!

GOOD NEWS NUMBER TWO: Kathy Ellen Davis is having an October challenge…31 in 31 .  She is encouraging everyone to read 31 picture books during the 31 days of October.  Needless to say, Kathy had me from ‘read picture books every day’.  If you are interested, you can click on her link or on her cute ’31 in 31’ button on my sidebar…I know she would be thrilled to have more people participating.

 To date, I’ve read “Neville” by Norton Juster, “Cloudette” by Tom Lichtenheld, “The Jellybeans and the Big Camp Kickoff” by Laura Numeroff and “Knuffle Bunny Too” by Mo Willems.  It’s been a lot of fun reading the newer books…and I just put two dozen more on hold at the library…all published in 2012!  I do have to say that there is a BIG difference between the classics of years ago and the new generation of picture books.   I notice that many of the newer books have humor that probably goes over the head of the young child…I guess parents are really having a great time while they read these stories to their kids…and that’s a good thing!

Since October is National Bully Prevention Month, I want to continue to highlight some amazing books and other resources that address this important issue.

If you stopped by last Friday, you might have seen my spotlight on a new anti-bullying app: AWESOME UPSTANDER.  Here’s the link: http://www.awesomeupstander.com for those of you who might have missed it.

I encourage anyone who is involved with kids to visit the website at http://www.awesomeupstander.com.  There are free downloadable info sheets for parents and teachers that address positive action plans for kids and adults.  You can follow Awesome Upstander on Twitter or on Facebook.

The game identifies the participants to a bullying problem…the bully, the target and the bystanders.  The key to the game (and perhaps an important key to putting an end to bullying in real life) is to turn the bystanders into ‘Awesome Upstanders”…people who get actively involved to help the target or victim and stop the bullying.

And, as with my Perfect Picture Book Friday pick last week, the concept of group dynamics brings me to today’s choice.

Hooway For Wodney Wat

Written by Helen Lester

Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Ages: 4 and up

Themes:

Bullying, teasing, self-esteem, creative thinking, cooperation, group dynamics, being comfortable with who you are

Synopsis:  

From Amazon: “Poor Rodney Rat can’t pronounce his R’s and the other rodents tease him mercilessly. But when Camilla Capybara joins Rodney’s class and announces that she is bigger, meaner, and smarter than any of the other rodents, everyone is afraid. It seems she really is bigger, meaner, and smarter than all of the rest of them. Until our unwitting hero, Wodney Wat, catches Camilla out in a game of Simon Says. Read along with Wodney as he surprises himself and his classmates by single-handedly saving the whole class from the big bad bully.”

Why do I like this book: 

I love books that celebrate each individual’s uniqueness!  We each bring special gifts to the table of life…and Rodney Rat seems to embrace that concept.  Every child will understand how difficult it is to be different.  Rodney had a strong positive self-image and this helped him triumph over the bully.  The illustrations show us how each character is feeling…even I wouldn’t want to cross paths with Camilla Capybara!  What a wonderful story to read to a class during National Bully Prevention Month…or to a child who is having a hard time feeling good about himself.

Related Activities:

RODENT PAPER BAG PUPPET

Photo from www.EnchantedLearning.com

Role playing with puppets is a fantastic way to help kids express their feelings.

Here’s an easy paper bag hand puppet that even the youngest child can make!

You will need: 1 brown lunch-size paper bag, 1 brown oval piece of construction paper, 1 smaller pink oval, 2 small white circles, 2 smaller black circles, 1 small red circle, 1 black rectangle, scissors, glue and a marker.

1.      Cut the brown oval in two pieces and paste each at the top of the paper bag for the ears.

2.      Cut the pink oval in two pieces and paste each on top of the brown ears.

3.      Paste the white circles for eyes…then paste the smaller black circles on top for the pupils.

4.      Paste the red circle for the nose.

5.      Cut the black rectangle into six strips and paste on for whiskers.

6.      Draw in the mouth.

7.      Now read the story again and let your child use the puppet to speak Rodney’s words.

Play ‘Simon Says’…this is a wonderful game to help a young child learn to listen carefully and follow directions!

Lovely lesson plan from Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/hooway-wodney-wat-lesson-plan

A lesson plan for second and third graders: http://www.drforgan.com/Adobe%20files/Hooway_For_Wodney_Wat_sample.pdf

 

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susanna Leonard Hill.  Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.   This is an unbelievable resource for any parent, teacher or children’s librarian.

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October: National Bullying Prevention Month and More!

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October is shaping up to be a pretty busy month and it’s only just begun!

First of all, it’s National Bully Prevention Month.

I’m planning on spotlighting books and other resources that can help parents and teachers address this issue.

Second, I’ve signed up for 31 in 31, the brainchild of writer/artist Kathy Ellen Davis.  Kathy is encouraging everyone to read a picture book every day in October.

Since this is what I would like to do 365 days a year, I decided to hop aboard.  Usually, for Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, I review the older classics.  For this challenge, I’m going to pursue the best new picture books of 2011 and 2012.  On Fridays, for Perfect Picture Book Friday, I’ll review the best of the seven (as long as it hasn’t appeared on Susanna’s resource list yet) that I’ve read during the week…and give a list of the others.

Third, thanks to children’s author (Annie’s Special Day), fellow 12x12er and PPBF participant Clar Bowman-Jahn (thank you so much, Clar!), I was reminded of the Muse Online Writer’s Conference in time to register last night!

I’m excited to take part in this FREE writer’s conference that is being held October 8-14.  I’ll try to participate as much as possible…there are workshops and seminars and even a possible opportunity to have your work critiqued.

Fourth, Fire Prevention Week is October 7-14.

Some of you might remember the interview during Susanna Hill’s self-publishing mini-series with Patrick Milne, author of The Adventures of Lucy Snigglefritz.  I’ll be spotlighting and reviewing that book during Fire Prevention Week…if you have the book, you’ll know why!

Fifth, as a participant in Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 in 2012, I’m checking in with my completed September picture book draft.

Over 400 people signed up for Julie’s challenge to try to write a picture book draft each month this year.  Personally, I know that I would NOT have nine picture books drafts sitting on my desk (dining room table) if not for Julie and the inspiration I draw from the other members of this amazing kidlit community.  I pitched two of the stories (The Tomato Turner and Confessions of the Tomato Turner) on Susanna’s ‘Would You Read It Wednesday’ post…and I’m busy working on my October picture book draft, the third in this series of books about how a love for tomatoes helped my son learn some important lessons.

Sixth, we have twelve lucky winners in the Show-Me-How School Initiative!

I’ll be notifying each of the twelve people as soon as possible.

  1. Erik: L R Appleman Elementary School, Pennsylvania
  2. Tracy C: A family who home schools
  3. Stacy J: Banning Lewis Ranch Academy, Colorado
  4. Milka P: Her son’s preschool, California
  5. Jennifer B: Mt. Olive Early Childhood Education Center, Aurora, CO
  6. Barbara P: Lyle Creek Elementary School, Conover, NC
  7. Laura B: Montgomery City Elementary, Montgomery City, MO
  8. Kimberley M: Hollis Elementary, Hollis, Maine
  9. Lesley F: Friends for Mental Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

10. Monica D: McKay School, Fitchberg, MA

11. Lisa Winkler: Montessori Netivot, Edison, New Jersey

12. Barbara L: Millstream Elementary, Victoria, BC, Canada

Last, but certainly not least, October means HALLOWEEN!

Do you celebrate Halloween?

Do you buy ready-made costumes or make your own?

Do you go out trick-or-treating with your kids or do you opt for a family or community-run party?

I want to ask all of my readers to do a big favor for me…in return for which I am offering a Halloween prize package…please visit and ‘like’ the new FB page for Show Me How and leave a comment on my wall: http://www.facebook.com/showmehowbuildyourchildsselfesteem

Leave a comment on this post, letting me know you did it…or that you are already a fan of Show Me How…and I will enter your name in a drawing for the prize…it includes a box of cupcake liners and Halloween decorated toothpicks, a fun Halloween board book that uses Cheerios for interactive play…and more!  I’ll announce the winner on October 15…so that I can mail out the package in plenty of time for Halloween!