Hosting a Childrens Book Signing and Reading

January 26th, 2012 by William Stephens

Cupcake Containers
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If you’re a writer who authors books for children, then you have a special task on your hands when you host a book signing and read to children. Not only do you have to have your book on hand, but you have to arrange your event for the attention span of children. Sometimes it’s not only the child who reads but their siblings. It’s not just antsy younger ones, but bored older ones as well.

You can include games and give small prizes. I love to see authors have trivia games about their books. The big difference between children’s book signings and adult signings is that children read the book before they go. I’ve noticed in recent years that grown-up don’t. Kids love to show their favorite authors how devoted they are to their work and how much they know.

You should also serve some fun food. One of the items I love is to decorate cupcakes in a theme that is complimentary to the book your signing. Then put each cupcake in a single clear cupcake container. It makes a lovely presentation and the kids have something to carry it home in. When you’re entertaining little children, they often can’t eat it all, or their parents like to limit the sweets so they give them half.

Little children love to dance and sing. So if there’s a song that goes with your book, don’t be afraid to have them sing and dance. Of course, you’ve got to be willing to do that as well.

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From TV to books – let the Octonauts help your kids discover the joy of reading

January 16th, 2012 by Malia Rose

Introducing the Octonauts

Last week saw the launch of Octonauts on Disney Jr.

I can tell you now, it is going to be a massive hit. The TV show has been available in the UK for just over a year, and the kids go crazy for it.

The show has the perfect mix of ingredients – the strong sensible captain (Barnacles); a pirate (Kwazi); a nurturing nurse (Peso); and a feisty young woman (Tweak). In every episode they need to save an ocean-dwelling creature from immediate danger, and nurse them back to health. There’s tension, drama, suspense, fear and joy – all rolled into ten minutes of animation.

So by now you may be wondering how dumping your kids in front of this show for 10 minutes is going to help tune them into the joy of books.

When the final credits roll, look very closely, and somewhere towards the end you will see ‘based on the books by Meomi’. The Octonauts characters, and their ethos of ‘explore, rescue, protect’ were born from just four short books, first published in the US in 2006.

So let your kids watch the show, fall in love with the characters, and then one story time, show them one of the original Octonauts books.

You can also now buy books based on the TV series. They have different style illustrations, and will have ‘as seen on TV’ written on them.

Developing a passion for stories

Reading books is about so much more than recognizing words. Try these activities with your kids, based on the Octonauts stories, to really help develop their interest in reading fiction:

  • As you read to them, ask your children to close their eyes and picture the story for themselves;
  • After a story, ask your child to pick a favorite character and make up their own story about them;
  • Ask your child to draw a brand new character that they think would like to join the Octonauts crew.

Octonauts toys

To date, there have been 52 episodes of Octonauts made, so you can expect to see it on your TV screens for a while.

In Fall 2011, the Octonauts toy range was launched in the UK to accompany the series. You can buy some of these toys in the US now, but the prices are steep as they have not yet been widely released.

The marketing push for Christmas toys usually begins in the Summer, so you will be able to see then which toys will be released in the US. Keep your eyes open for the Octopod playset (featured in the video) which is sure to be  hot favorite, although just the simple action figures, will provide plenty of fun, especially if you incorporate them into the activities I outlined earlier.

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Stimulating Children with Music and Reading

January 9th, 2012 by William Stephens

Children are like sponges when it comes to learning and education. You might not think they’re paying attention, but they can’t help but absorb everything going on around them. From the sound of your voice to the barking of the dog, young children are constantly observing their environment. Some parents don’t think it’s necessary to start exposing kids to books or music until they can actually read or speak. But studies have shown that stimulation at any age can help a child’s brain develop early on. It doesn’t mean that reading to your child or playing classical music is going to turn your children into geniuses, but it certainly can’t hurt. It’s also a great way to spend time with newborns and toddlers while educating their young minds.

Some critics claim that exposing kids to these elements is entirely unnecessary, and it’s better to focus on real education once they reach school age. But we’re not talking about playing music while a child is still in the womb like new age hippies. This is about building the foundation of quality time spent together doing something practical and fun. It’s not just about training your children, it’s about getting into a routine so that you can get used to it yourself.

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No parent wants to admit it, but sometimes it’s a bit of a chore to schedule time with your kids properly. It’s not that you don’t love them, but fitting them into a busy schedule can be difficult. It takes time and you have to adapt as you go along. This is why starting at an early age is beneficial for you as well because it gives you an opportunity to get used to a schedule.

Despite what critics say, there’s no doubt that young children respond to music and books in exciting ways. Even just the sound of your voice can be incredibly reassuring and help to strengthen the bonds while they are young. And trust us, it won’t be long before your children are teenagers who are more interested in strapping on a gaming headset or talking on the phone. You should enjoy time with them while you can, and use the powerful nature of words and music to benefit you both. There are thousands of great books and exciting songs that your children deserve to be exposed to.

 

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Choosing the Right Kids Games

January 6th, 2012 by William Stephens

While doing some research on legitimate work from home ideas and skimming a Swagbucks scam article, I came across a site that talked about how the games kids play today are getting more and more extreme. Back then, we had simple games like Mario Brothers. These days, first player shooting games are all the rage. Games like Modern Warfare, Grand Theft Auto, and Skyrim are mainly about fighting and killing. These games exist because there is a market so it’s not the fault of the companies who make the games if kids play them and turn violent.

When choosing video games for your kids, look at the rating that almost all games are required to have these days and stick with the ones that are appropriate for your kids’ ages. You don’t necessarily have to go out and buy educational type games since those can be a bit boring but pick games that have high ratings from other parents. You can look up game reviews in order to make a better decision on what games to pick. The Nintendo Wii system has some pretty good games which are fun and can give your kids some exercise believe it or not. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to take them out to the park every once in a while.

mario

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Radio Flyer Trikes

December 20th, 2011 by Colin Lamb

There are a lot of different outdoor toys for kids that you can buy these days and there are none better (in my opinion) than those from the Radio Flyer Franchise.  Radio Flyer have been going for a long time and have sold many thousands of their products to many different places around the world.  If you want to get a feel for what some of their products look like, check out this Radio Flyer Video from YouTube below:

As you can see they look pretty well constructed, are durable, sturdy and some of them even have seats that are adjustable so that they can effevtively grow as your child grows.  Quite a Unique Selling Point indeed.

Buying a trike is always better to start your kids off with, especially if you want them to get out and active as a toddler.  It’s not until they get a bit older that they will be ready for two wheels so check out the radio flyer trikes that are avaialble on the US market. This will keep your kids that little bit safer because of the stability of 3-wheels.  I think you will find plenty of options that are suitable to you and i’m sure you’ll see one that your child will love.  Radio Flyer Toys have a great reputation and are held in high regard throughout the toy industry, check out DoctorFun and see what they have to say about the different toys and scooters on the market today!

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How Young Is Too Young For Music Lessons?

December 20th, 2011 by Malia Rose

Music lessons for children have always been a popular activity that well-meaning parents look into. Most public and private schools offer music programs for students of all ages, and many communities have several choices of music schools and instructors offering voice lessons or instruction in drums, guitar, piano, violin, flute and other instruments popular with kids. In addition, the Web is replete with drum courses, guitar lessons online, and other self-paced music study using the Internet.

What is the appropriate age to get your children started with music lessons? There really is no set age limit, although many private instructors or music schools require their students to be at least 4 years old. Some suggest that parents sign up their children for music programs as soon as they show an interest in singing, dancing, or musical instruments. This may not necessarily be instrument lessons right away, because there are music classes for kids that teach concepts and music fundamentals in very enjoyable playtime sessions for kids.

A good rule of thumb suggested by music teachers is that the potential student should already have the ability to focus and pay attention. Instrument or voice lessons require the student to focus on the material, and some children as young as 3 or 4 can already do this. On the other hand, some children older than 5 still have difficulty with this, so they may find music lessons extra challenging.

It is also important not to force children into instrument lessons that they are not really interested in. A love for music and appreciation for the arts can be nurtured, but oftentimes parents force their kids to endure long sessions learning the trombone or violin even when they are not really interested. This just causes the children to resent the lessons and eventually drop the instrument altogether when they grow up. Instead of forcing them, develop their interest in music through various activities such as attending concerts or recitals, or playing different music genres in the house. Once they see how enjoyable learning music can be, you will not have a hard time convincing them to take up voice or instruments. 

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