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Summer Reading Programs for Kids

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It has been said that kids can “lose” some of what they learned during the school year if they don’t practice those skills while on summer vacation. Summer reading programs can inspire kids to read books during the months when school is out. Your child could benefit from participating in a Summer reading program. Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program This Summer reading program began in May and will end on September 5, 2017. Children need to fill out a Summer Reading Journal (which can be printed from the Barnes & Noble website in English or in Spanish). Kids must … Continue reading →

Where to Find Summer Reading Programs

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One of the things that kids like best about summer vacation is that they get a long break from school. It is important to keep your child’s reading skills sharp over the summer. A fun way to do that is to get your child involved in a summer reading program. There are several to choose from. Your local library The first place to seek out a summer reading program is your local library. Ask the librarian in the children’s section if they are doing this type of program. If so, he or she can help you get your child involved. … Continue reading →

Free Boredom Busters for Summer

Monday was the last day of school for our kids, and they “escaped” school, eager for some fun. While their friends all headed off the camp the very next day, it was left to me to make sure that each day had some new adventure planned, all while keeping house and working from home. Fortunately, there are a lot of great resources to help me. Our local community, for example, provides a number of free and low-cost activities. On Tuesday, the kids learned about cave painting and created their own art through a library program, and they also got to … Continue reading →

Simple Summer Sanity Savers

School’s out for some kids, while others are just a few weeks away from enjoying the freedom of summer vacation. For parents, the end of the academic year brings excitement and some trepidation.  After all, most moms and dads know it’s just a matter of time before seasonal boredom sets in. To preserve your sanity in the weeks to come, consider keeping your kids busy with the following summer-themed crafts: Sugar-Free Ice Cream Cone Not only is this adorable ice cream cone sugar-free, it’s also calorie-free and drip-free.  All you need to make this cute craft are a few sheets … Continue reading →

End-of-Summer Mom Savers

Kids in Hawaii started the new school year last Monday. Meanwhile, my pal in Atlanta just told me her kids head back to class tomorrow. Are you ready to say so long to summer? I’m not! I am dreading the back-to-school blues, including packing lunches, ironing uniforms, looking for missing shoes as the bus sits at the end of the driveway, and fighting with kids about going to bed when the sun is still shining brightly at 7:30 p.m. Still, if there is an upside to back-to-school, it’s got to be the sales. Not the ones on school supplies; rather, … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet

What do Three Billy Goats Gruff and Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet have in common? Believe it or not; an important lesson in parenting. Allow me to explain. A few months ago, my daughter’s second grade class decided to put on a play. Yup. Three Billy Goats Gruff. Tryouts were held and my seven-year-old did her best to score the part she had her heart set on: Baby Goat. Fortunately, I had enough time to emotionally prepare her in case she didn’t get the coveted role. “That’s okay, Mommy,” she reasoned “if I don’t get to be the Baby … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: Pink-a-Rama

There’s nothing quite like a package full of pink to beat the summer blues. Enter Pinkalicious: Pink-a-Rama. The new box set filled with five fabulous Pinkalicious titles is the perfect addition to a family vacation. Whether you are traveling by air, land or sea, the collection of Level One, I Can Read stories by Victoria Kann couldn’t be easier to tote. Not only can your pretty princess escape to the world of Pinkalicious during a family getaway, she can do so in style. Pink-a-Rama comes packaged in a sturdy box with Velcro closures and a hot pink handle. Inside the … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: An Awesome Book!

Some book title, huh? It takes guts to bestow such a lofty label on your debut work, but there seems to be a method behind Dallas Clayton’s madness. Clayton penned and illustrated the psychedelic children’s picture book about dreaming big, and there’s no doubt he has equally high expectations for its future. At first glance, An Awesome Book! appears to be a sweet bedtime story, which encourages young readers to never stop dreaming, or perhaps, more importantly, never allow anyone to limit their visions. However, as pint-sized bookworms dig deeper into the 64-page explosion of colorful images and whimsical wording, … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: I’m Fast!

Looking for a way to rev up your kid’s summer vacation? Have him go along for the ride when a burly blue freight train challenges a hot little red sports car to a cross-country race. The high-octane adventure is detailed in Kate and Jim McMullan’s colorful literary creation: I’m Fast! The race begins in Sacramento, California, and ends in Chicago, Illinois. In between young readers are treated to a series of twists and turns through the desert the mountains, urban jungles and country passes where herds of cattle aren’t keen about moo-ving off of train tracks. Despite having to haul … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Summer and learning. For most kids, the two don’t go hand in hand. Fortunately, if you disguise the lessons with a fun-filled feline adventure, you can likely avoid summer brain drain. That’s where Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons comes in handy. The eye-popping picture book written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean combines reading, math, music and slew of helpful life skills in a delightful tale featuring a laid-back cat with a passion for wearing button-down shirts. Thanks to Pete’s panache for crafting catchy tunes your kids won’t even realize they are getting schooled in … Continue reading →