These early years are the perfect time to teach children about healthy eating by reading them children’s books about food choices.  Some of the most powerful messages I have seen expressed are one that portray sugar as the villain it is.  Being addicted to sugar can cause health concerns throughout a person’s life and, unfortunately, if we don’t fill their heads with good information about food and nutrition, they will have it filled with commercials for sugary foods and sugary drinks.

The average child in this country eats about 400 extra calories a day in added sugar found in the foods and drinks they consume.  It is our duty as authors and educators to try and teach children to limit sugary foods and instead to eat whole foods.  There have been some great books lately which use the theme of bad food VS good food as a starting point to teach children that they will feel better and their bodies will work better if they consume the proper nutrition throughout the day.

Some people claim the children’s books don’t need to have a message but I really don’t understand that thought at all.  Of course it should have a message.  Otherwise, what is the point?  If you would like more facts about sugar addiction and how to replace empty food with real food then click here.  We can change the life of these young people if we accept the challenge.

Our little Katie is two years old now.  I, as her father, have been writing a blog post about her every day since the day that she was born.  Not having grown up with a lot of children I have had to play catch up a bit.  Now that she has turned two years old the jumperoos and play yard are behind us.  Now it is time to look to the next adventure…

I think that this adventure could come in terms of preschool science activities.  Both my wife and I have jobs in the science and math fields and I suspect that it will be only a matter of time before Katie shows interest in this area as well.  Well, I’ve done a bit of research and wanted to pass on what I’ve learned on this subject…

There are a number of great books out there on the market that help guide your toddler and preschool child through the area of science and math.  One I like in particular is called Science Play by Jill Hauser.  A great resource for kids of 2-6 years old.

There are tons of fun things packed into the pages of this book.  For example, categorizing what will float on water and what will not.  This book helps young children explore the world around them and make a science experiment of sorts out of it.  They will learn a whole range of science activities…from biology to chemistry.

It can be hard sometimes as a busy parent to think up great things to do with your child when you are not at work.  This book helps resolve this issue.  Some books are made more for pre-school teachers, but not this resource.  It is a great way to have loads of fun with your child…and help them learn a lot about science and the world around them 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.