What’s in Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday: MIMMY AND SOPHIE: THE VACATION

Posted on April 27, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image by Francisco Diez via Flickr

Are your children old enough to ask where you are taking them this summer?

Do you watch the television commercials for Disneyworld and feel badly because you can’t afford to take your children to this magical amusement park?

Is your budget already stretched thin with just providing the necessities, but you wish you had extra money so you could plan a vacation?

The parents in today’s recommended picture book story are faced with the same budget problems that many of us are experiencing. However, even though they have very little money they do have a lot of creativity.

MIMMY AND SOPHIE: THE VACATION

Written by Miriam Cohen

Illustrated by Thomas Yezerski

Summer is coming and all the children are boasting about where they are going for vacation. Mimmy and Sophie don’t have anything to contribute to the discussion because their parents are struggling financially. When Mimmy and Sophie ask their parents if they can take a vacation somewhere, their mother suggests they have a special picnic on the Brooklyn Bridge.

After helping their mother make egg salad sandwiches, the two little girls accompany their parents to the store where they buy a special treat…cupcakes with filling. Mimmy and Sophie enjoy the picnic on the bridge and spend the rest of the afternoon watching the boats in the river and the beautiful sunset. Although they have not traveled far, both girls are satisfied with the wonderful day they have spent with their parents.

Mimmy and Sophie were fortunate because their parents were sensitive to the needs and concerns of their children. They used their imagination to plan a wonderful afternoon for their daughters and, with very little money, enabled Mimmy and Sophie to enjoy a very special vacation. The time their parents spent with them helped Mimmy and Sophie understand how much they were loved.

As parents, we need to listen to our children and spend time with them just like the parents in the story: Positive Parental Participation in action!

If you are looking for activities to do for the summer or anytime, please visit my website and check out my book for parents and teachers of preschoolers. It’s loaded with easy fun-filled crafts and cooking activities.

What craft activities does your child enjoy most?

Photo credits: Image of the Brooklyn Bridge by Francisco Diez

Great ideas for end-of-summer fun!

Posted on August 22, 2010 by viviankirkfield

We just got back from a five-day vacation in the mountains of Colorado. The weather was perfect. The fishing was great. The cabin was outfitted with everything you could need…even a flat-screen TV which we never turned on because we were too busy during the day having fun outdoors and too tired at night to even want to watch anything. Cell phones don’t work there and we didn’t bring the computer. And I began to realize how life was like in the days before TV and computers and phones. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the technology that allows each of us to know what is going on in the world the moment it happens. But it made me more aware of how much closer a family could be if they were more isolated from all that is happening out there or if they made an effort to spend time together without the distractions that usually keep us going in different directions.

So here’s a list of a few great ideas for end-of-summer fun that might possibly bring your family closer together and won’t cost a fortune:

Go camping…even for the day…but overnight, if possible. Rent equipment or borrow it from friends if you don’t already have what you would need.
Check out local parks, museums and art galleries. Some are free and many have special deals for families. You might even purchase a museum membership that entitles your family to special museum privileges during the year.
Have an end-of-summer get-together. If your child is going to school (or nursery school or daycare) this year, see if you can find out who will be in his/her class or group. Invite the children and their parents…what an awesome way to help your child start the year already knowing some of his classmates. The get-together can be a pot-luck with everyone bringing something to eat so that the burden of food is not all on you. Also, have each family bring a favorite game…there will certainly be plenty to do. Take lots of pictures and have your child help you make a collage or album of this special day. He/she can bring it to school for show-and-tell…great for a child who is anxious about the first day of school…something like BILLY AND THE BIG NEW SCHOOL by Laurence and Catherine Anholt.
Plan to have dinner together as a family, if possible. And please, turn the TV off and don’t answer the phone if it rings 🙂

That’s it…just a few simple suggestions…hope they help you end the summer on a high note and begin the school year in a positive way.

Great tips for healthy summer eating

Posted on August 5, 2010 by viviankirkfield

We’re in the dog days of August and the temperatures are soaring in many parts of the country. Here in Colorado, we’ve actually had days and days of RAIN and HUMIDITY, two things we almost never get! But, before you think I’m complaining, I know we need the moisture – gardens are bursting with ripe fruits and vegetables, lawns look beautifully green without using sprinklers, and the reservoirs are being replenished. In every situation, there is positive side, although sometimes you really have to search for it.

Check out the following great tips for healthy summer eating:

Drink, drink, drink! It’s more important than ever to stay hydrated – drink plenty of water – and remember to encourage young children to drink. Health experts say we are already dehydrated if we are feeling thirsty.
Eat 6 small meals instead of 3 big ones. Studies have shown that eating smaller meals more often is better for us in many ways – keeping blood sugar levels more balanced throughout the day. Also, we are less likely to overeat because we are not starving when we sit down.
Make sure snacks are nutritious ones. Nut butters on whole wheat crackers, celery sticks or apple slices always hit the spot in our home – this type of snack is brimming with protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Prepare more vegetarian main dishes and fruit desserts. The harvest season is upon us in Colorado, with fresh sweet corn, firm zucchini, plump tomatoes, ripe peaches. Using locally grown, in-season produce is not only healthy for you, it is also eco-friendly, with a less negative impact on the environment.
Check out your local farmer’s markets. Many cities have at least one. Here in Colorado Springs, there are quite a few. Check them out at http://bit.ly/bApQyb.

Here’s a recipe from my new book, SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING that uses some of those summer fruits to make a wonderfully cooling homemade fruity raisin sorbet – the best of desserts – bursting with flavor and nutritious as well!

You will need: 2 cups chopped fruit (strawberries, blueberries, peaches – use your imagination), 2 cups sliced bananas, 1 cup orange or pineapple juice, 1/2 cup raisins, blender, and a large bowl.