Unplug Your Preschooler with more than 200 screen-free games and activities

Unplug Your Preschooler with more than 200 screen-free games and activities!

“Just plain fun!... Will help parents give their children the kind of childhood that more and more children are missing.”––Mary Piper, PhD., author of Reviving Ophelia Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls
 
From Animal Doctor to Lunch Bag Puppet, Letter Hunt to Life-Size Me, here are more than 200 screen-free games and activities to help kids enjoy the wholesome, old-fashioned experience of playing creatively and freely...without technology. There are outdoor games and indoor games, games to play solo and games to play with others, arts and crafts, songs and rhymes, playdates and party favorites––even instant activities to do at the kitchen table while dinner’s cooking. All games are preschooler-tested and approved.  

A note to parents: Play matters! Technology has its place, but these unplugged games are designed to stretch the imagination, spark creativity, build strong bodies, and forge deeper connections with family and friends.

My Thoughts

So we all know that this last year has been tough. There has been a lot of time spent in the house with our children. In the beginning of quarantine and the lockdowns, I remember saying, "He is cooped up inside and can't see his friends, who cares if he watches a bunch of tv or plays with his tablet." Well as Covid lockdown goes on and on and on and on, we have to change up our thinking with that. No one thought it would go this long. It is time to put some structure back into the world for my children lol. This book is adorable, and well organized. There are sections for how you are going to play; by yourself, with mom and dad, other kids, at a party. There is indoor activities, outdoor activities, things to do in the car, etc. There is a great and descriptive introduction on their theories behind this back and how children should and do play, and also how to use the book. Definitely something a parent should read before getting into these activities. There are quick activities, long activities, toy recommendations, recommendations for children with special needs.  

Sometime they are things as silly as putting stickers on cans in your pantry, building a fort our of a kitchen table, to more intricate things like making your own play dough, and art work out of fabric scraps. Some of the things were a little obvious like sidewalk chart or painting, but some of the things got me excited to try and were very inventive like Dunkin' Ducks. They even have a "shopping list" in the back for what you should have on hand for a good preshcool play closet. We have tried a bunch of them. We just moved and the tools and fix it activity was adorable. It went really well with him "fixing" a bunch of stuff in the house while we unpacked. It backfired us when he took Daddy's hammer for him, and gave him his "hammer" telling him he wanted to switch lol. Otherwise it was adorable. We have done sidewalk chalk, built forts, made our own play dough. I think as we get into more of the cold of winter this book will become our everyday manual. Highly recommend for your kids. It gets very inventive. 

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Review: National Geographic Home Learning Essentials

 

National Geographic

Home Learning Essentials

Beginner's United States Atlas, Third Edition: (ages 7-10) The fully updated edition of this popular atlas introduces young readers to the wonders of all of America's states and territories, with maps, fun facts, geographical features, and more. It’s accessible design showcases what's unique about each state and territory and every profile starts with a colorful map and essay and includes capital cities; population; important land and water features; state birds, flowers, and flags. It's all packaged in a bigger format, with a refreshed design, and bold, bright photos and illustrations.

United States Atlas, 6th Edition: (ages 8-12) Current, authoritative, and produced by the expert cartographers at National Geographic, this best-selling United States atlas is newly updated with all the latest info and is packed with maps, stats, facts, and pictures. National Geographic's world-renowned cartographers have paired up with education experts to create maps of all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C., that pinpoint the physical features, capitals, and other towns and cities. Discover the latest data along with colorful photography of each state and the people who live there. Key points reflect the latest information about land and water, people, and places. Essays cover each region of the country while eight specially themed maps on nature, population, economy, energy, climate, and more delve deeper into key issues. State birds and state flags add to the high visual interest.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2021: (ages 8-12) - The latest installment of the New York Times best-selling almanac is edutainment at its best. With features like Homework Help and STEM related topics, and deep dives into history, geography and cultures from the world, combined with facts, crafts and activities, this is the go-to reference for both the school day and down time. This new edition also includes the Almanac Challenge 2021 — which inspires kids to reduce their plastic waste and encourage others to do the same — and also highlights the winner of the 2020 Almanac Challenge.

You can purchase these books from ShopDisney, Amazon. and other major retailers.

My Thoughts

As many people probably are doing right now, we find ourselves in the position of distance learning for school and began to throw in unofficial homeschooling. These National Geographic books for kids are awesome - my son loves all the detail in the United States Atlas, 6th Edition. Our current lesson is learning about the Midwest, where we live. The atlases are divvied up by region, making it even easier to explore. There are facts about the USA itself, each region, and each individual state plus information on our territories. A glossary and index are at the back.

The Beginner's United States Atlas, Third Edition edition has a little less of the same great details which is great for younger learners. You can see in the photo above the detail comparison for the state of Minnesota.

My son is very into nature and often asks to learn about specific animals so we are supplementing his education with the National Geographic Kids Almanac 2021 as well as the National Geographic Ultimate Weird But True book. After utilizing National Geographic Kids and other websites, we then turn to these two books for added fun facts. 

I'm sure we'll be adding more National Geographic books to our collection in the future! What a great way to make learning fun!

Winnie the Pooh Baby Record Book: Celebrate Baby’s 1st Year with Personalized Book

Put Me In The Story, the #1 personalized books platform in the United States, is thrilled to announce a personalized baby record book featuring the one and only, Winnie the Pooh!

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: Baby’s First Record Book, is the perfect way for new parents to capture the everyday moments – big and small – of their baby’s first year.

Each page of this sweet, heartfelt record book featuring Pooh Bear contains simple prompts for families to record their favorite memories, from “Baby’s First Day on Earth” to “Baby’s First Steps.”

Filled with beautiful illustrations of the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods and quotes from the silly old bear himself, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: Baby’s First Record Book will remain a cherished keepsake for generations.

My Thoughts

This book is absolutely adorable. The website was super easy to use, and personalizing was nice and simple. You just put your child's name in. You could put anything you want. They have the suggestion of Baby Meenan, but I tried out a bunch. I tried Declan Meenan, Baby Declan, and Baby Meenan. I finally set on simple Declan's. You can then write the sweetest personalization message. I did not share mine for personal reasons, but I teared up righting my baby a little note for the inside of the book. Then you upload a photo for the cover. They make is very easy to edit it and guide it. Your job after that is done.

I like the fact that they let you look through every picture on the website. You can preview the entire book. Which is good for me, because I am OCD, but also have terrible handwriting. So I actually took a screenshot of each page and put it into a power point and typed in my answers so I could edit and organize first, but also because my handwriting is terrible. This way I can get everything set for the book and then give it to my aunt to write in the answers, because she has pretty handwriting. Your child's name is on every page, and it has some cute sections too for what was popular the year he was born and things like that. Most of the sections have a corresponding photo page where you can put a photo for the event like "First Bath" or "First Outing". The book was a perfect size. It was about the size of one of those Golden Books, and nice quality with a good hard cover. It makes it look expensive. The photo printed on the cover well too. This would make a great baby shower gift for someone if you wanted to get them a gift card for future making or for a first birthday. 

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Book Review: Capturing Cresselia by Alex Polan (Pokemon Stories)

Welcome to Camp Pikachu, where kids can act out adventures from their favorite Pokémon games and cartoons, battling other teams to earn points and badges and, if they’re lucky, make it into the Summer Camp Hall of Fame!

Marco, Nisha, Logan, and Maddy can’t wait to embark on their latest adventure: Pokémon Orienteering! The friends are eager to catch sight of the legendary Cresselia. So, armed with just a map and a set of clues, they strike out to explore the forest around Camp Pikachu. But when the clues lead the group straight to the shore of a nearby lake, Marco is shocked to realize that the only way to move forward is to ride a zip line across the water.

If Marco can’t find his courage with the help of his friends, his fears will keep him grounded—and his chances of seeing Cresselia’s Lunar Dance are shot. Just as Pokemon can evolve through training, can Marco get stronger through new experiences?

Longtime fans of Pokemon, or new fans of the hit app Pokemon Go, will love reading about Marco and his friends at Camp Pikachu.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft and Pokemon; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

My Thoughts

I let me son review this book and then I did a quick read of it myself to get an idea what the story was about. He really enjoyed it, especially since he's a big Pokemon lover these days. It is a short chapter book and it didn't take him long to read. Being a boy, it was hard to get much feedback from him other than he liked it and he'd read more from the author and series.

I sat down with the book to get an idea what it was about. Marco was a great leading character. Of course, he isn't the only character in this book, as there is a great cast to also get to know. The book does have Pokemon in it, but there is more to it then that. The characters have to deal with real life situations and fears they may have and learn how to deal with them. I found this to be much more of a book with a message in it then I expected.

The writing was good too. It flowed well in sentence structure with realistic dialogue. The author kept my attention and didn't overly detail things. I really enjoyed this book and I'd read more as well as my son.

Election Day is coming! Get kids excited about the process with Barron’s!

With the Democratic and Republican primaries being hotly contested, the 2016 presidential race is gearing up to be the most pivotal election this country has had in generations. Kids, parents, and teachers will certainly be discussing this important topic through November. Children will also have many questions about the history of our country's elections, from George Washington in 1789 to Barack Obama in 2012. That's where Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts can help.

No Question Left Unanswered:

*Who can run for president? *Who can vote? *What is the Electoral College? *What is a third-party candidate? *Which Republican president had a Democrat for his vice president? *Who was the only U.S. president to be elected for more than two terms? *Which candidates have won the popular vote but lost the election? *Why was President Truman laughing in 1948 when he read the Chicago Tribune headline that declared: "Dewey Defeats Truman"?

Start a Discussion Children Will Enjoy Having:

Perfect to spark classroom conversations and perk up students, this book brings history and social studies classes to life. Children will thoroughly enjoy learning all of the intrigue, trivia, and little-known facts about the important people, places, and events in the history of presidential elections in the United States.

About the Author:

Syl Sobel is an attorney who has worked on many well-known publications about the U.S. judiciary. He has also consulted on behalf of the U.S. government with judges from around the world, and has spoken about the judiciary at conferences and with visiting delegations. Mr. Sobel is the author of several children's books on U.S. government and history, including titles on the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and presidential elections.

My Thoughts:

My little brother loves anything and everything history! He's been studying it and collecting books for the last few years. He has quite a collection! This will be his first election voting, and he has enjoyed researching information as much as he can. I knew this would be the perfect reference for him. 

Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts is a great fit for kids, teenagers, teachers and even adults looking for more information. If anyone has any questions about the presidents and how elections are run, this is a great guide. It is informative, but written in a way that is straight to the point and easy to understand. The pictures are a nice addition too! What I enjoyed the most is that it goes back throughout history, bringing a full circle understanding of how rules and regulations have been formed throughout the years. There are even fun facts! 

With 48 pages and a personable writing style, this book is an easy, fun and educational read! Click on the photo below and zoom in to get a view of some of the pages! 

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Book review: The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan

New Children’s Book Explores the U.S.A with 50 Fact-filled Maps! 
The 50 States Will Be a Sure Hit with Kids and Parents

Children will be inspired by the inventiveness, beauty and diversity of the United States in this lavishly-illustrated collect of fact-filled maps. There are thousands of wondrous locations to be explored, hundreds of historical moments to discover, and the book also includes information on hundreds of people who helped make America what it is today.

A sampling of Inspiring People:
•        FLORENCE SABIN 1871–1953 A Central City native, the “First Lady of American Science” was a groundbreaking medical researcher. (Colorado)
•        LANA TURNER 1921–1995 Born in Wallace, this movie star was discovered by a Hollywood scout in a malt shop while playing hooky from high school. (Idaho)
•        TONY DITERLIZZI b.1969 This author and illustrator who co- created The Spiderwick Chronicles series now lives in Amherst. (Massachussetts)
•        NEIL PATRICK HARRIS b.1973 A Ruidoso native, this Tony Award winner’s first big hit was playing a teenage doctor on TV. (New Mexico)
•        MARIA TALLCHIEF 1925–2013 Born in Fairfax, this skilled dancer was the first Native American prima ballerina. (Oklahoma)

A sampling of Moments to Remember:
•        JULY 4, 1881: Booker T. Washington begins Tuskegee University in a one-room schoolhouse; 30 students are in the first class. (Alabama)
•        MAY 16, 1966: The popular band the Beach Boys release their album Pet Sounds, featuring unusual instruments such as bike bells and dog whistles. (California)
•        1610: English sea captain Samuel Argall sails into the bay and names it “Delaware” after the governor of Virginia, Lord De La Warr. (Delaware)
•        MAY 24, 1883: The Brooklyn Bridge opens and 21 elephants cross to test its strength! (New York)
•        JANUARY 3, 1987: Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, becomes the first female performer in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Tennessee)

The 50 States is a big, beautiful book kids can explore over and over again.  A winner!

The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps!
Gabrielle Balkan
Illustrated by Sol Linero
HC 9781847807113 $30.00/$33.00 Canada
Wide Eyed Editions
October 1st, 2015

My Thoughts

This book is full of fun facts and history for each of the 50 states. A lot of time was put into the developments of this book. I really like how large it is. It's a good book to set on the floor and sprawl out on your stomach and look at with your kids.

My favorite part was learning about facts for each state. And in my home state of Georgia, I found it quite funny that in the city of Gainesville, a law passed in 1961 that said you couldn't eat chicken with a fork. Gainesville is big for their chicken plants. I lived there for a short while, and I must confess, I broke the law many times when I ate chicken with a fork.

On top of fun little facts like the one above, you also get a history lesson on the different states. As well as learning facts, such as the state birds, tree, etc. The kids really enjoyed looked in the back at all the different state flags and finding the similarity between some of the states, as well as some of the plain to colorful designs.

This is a really great book. One I think not only a child will enjoy but also an adult.

Book Review-- Texas Farm Girl: Reap What You Sow

Synopsis: Texas Farm Girl learns from her PawPaw what Reap What You Sow means when she makes a big mistake on the farm. The lesson learned from Reap What You Sow can be applied to all of us so that we can overcome adversity and Shine Like A Lone Star Pearl. Written and inspired by an actual Texas Farm Girl that grew up farming with her grandfather, it's a book and series you will want to be a part of. 

My Thoughts: Rebecca Crownover gives children and parents an inside look at farm life with Texas Farm Girl: Reap What You Sow. Crownover, who grew up helping out on her grandfather's farm, takes a real-life experience to teach children the value of doing a job right and correcting one's mistakes.

Kids get a look at how their food is grown by following the main character through an attempt to plant a corn field. It’s accompanied by eye-catching illustrations that will make the story all the more entertaining for a child. I liked that it's written in a down-to-earth way that doesn’t talk down to children, which I’m sure parents will appreciate. This book is part of a series intended for children 5 and up.

Candlewick Press - What Would Princess Charlotte Read?

What Would Princess Charlotte Read?

In honor of Princess Charlotte, the newest addition to the British royal family, here is a list of books that any young royal would love to read!

In this selection of stories from Candlewick Press, there are tales of family, friendship, loyalty, and compromise. What better topics for a young royal to learn about? With ingenuity and curiosity, these princesses have the power to make things happen. From ornate royal gowns to black capes, from the comforts of the royal castle to dirt-filled flower beds, to learning about sharing and open-mindedness, these princesses show that being a princess is more than just a fluffy pink stereotype.

These princesses are full of curiosity, daring, and adventure, and it is a joy to read their tales and imagine along. Your young royal will undoubtedly find a book to enjoy!

THE PRINCESS IN BLACK. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by LeUyen Pham. Published by Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

The Princess in Black

Written by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

HC: 9780763665104 ∙ October 2014 ∙ 16.99 ∙ 96 pages ∙ Ages 5-8

PB: 9780763678883 ∙ April 2015 ∙ 6.99 ∙ 96 pages ∙ Ages 5-8

Who says princesses don’t wear black? When trouble raises its blue monster head, Princess Magnolia ditches her flouncy dresses and becomes the Princess in Black!

« “The authors of "Rapunzel’s Revenge" and "Calamity Jack," writing here for a slightly younger audience, successfully turn the treacly princess genre on its ear, offering beginning readers a clever, adventurous, and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in black or pink.” – Booklist

My Thoughts:

What an adorable read. I first handed this to my daughter to read who is 8 and was going to get her take on it. But then I picked it up and started to flip though the pages and found myself captivated in the adorable tale about a little princess who is like a Zorro of characters. A lot of other fun characters were created in this. It's the first book in the series. My daughter and I both enjoyed it and will be looking for book 2.

I found the writing to be easy to follow and easy for early readers. The illustrations were pretty and eye catching.

The Big Princess

By Taro Miura

HC: 9780763674595 ∙ May 2015 ∙ 14.99 ∙ 40 pages ∙ Ages 2-5

A simple fairy tale meets bold, geometric art in this fresh, witty story from Japan.

“The unique digital collage artwork will inspire a host of related art activities. The Big Princess is bound to be a big hit.” – School Library Journal

The Princess and the Peas

By Caryl Hart, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

HC: 9780763665326 ∙ February 2013 ∙ 16.99 ∙ 32 pages ∙ Ages 3-7

Lily-Rose May will not eat her peas. Even when her father turns them into the most fabulous smoothies, shakes, or cupcakes, Lily can always tell they are there and turns her little nose up at them. Luckily, the doctor knows exactly what to do. He diagnoses an incurable case of princess-itus and sends Lily to live at the palace. Unfortunately for Lily-Rose May, the perfect food for a princess is . . . well . . . that would be telling!

“Indefatigably sprightly and lovingly detailed illustrations.” – Publishers Weekly

The Princess and the Presents

By Caryl Hart, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

HC: 9780763673987 ∙ August 2014 ∙ 16.99 ∙ 32 pages ∙ Ages 3-7

Princess Ruby is the most spoiled princess you could ever meet. And when it’s her birthday, there are so many presents that the palace literally bulges at the seams. But when the palace and gifts finally collapse on the poor king, the tiny tyrant realizes that she has overlooked the most precious thing of all.

“Bright candy colors and rhyming text characterize this tale.” – Kirkus Reviews

Garden Princess

By Kristin Kladstrup

HC: 9780763656850 ∙ March 2013 ∙ 15.99 ∙ 272 pages ∙ Ages 10+

PB: 9780763676681 ∙ March 2015 ∙ 7.99 ∙ 272 pages ∙ Ages 10+

Dig in to this middle-grade fantasy featuring a horticulturally minded princess, a beautiful but evil witch, and a magpie with a shameful secret.

“What could have been just another fairy tale hints at a rich backstory and sweeps the reader into a bewitching adventure. The book is neatly paced, particularly in the latter half, when the chapters alternate between Edward and Adele. A solid choice for reluctant readers.” - Booklist