What's on our bookshelf....

A Tree Is Nice - Written by Janice May Udry and Illustrated by Marc Simont

This Caldecott award winning book takes you and your child through the many benefits of trees. You will read about the changes in season, playing in leaf piles, climbing trees to pick apples, and how trees provide shade along with many other pleasures a tree provides.

I love reading this book to kids this time of year because it is a great way to talk about the leaves turning color and falling off and the how the weather will soon change. This short book would be good practice for the emerging reader because of it's simple sentences and illustrations that perfectly capture what the words say. A Tree Is Nice also explains, in basic terms, how to plant a tree and how fulfilling it can be to watch it grow over time. It may even inspire your family to plant your own tree.

Get out those rain boots!

We've been cooped up in the house way too long. The rain seems to be sticking around for awhile so let's take advantage of it. Grab those rain boots and a few waterproof toys and head outside. Here are a few ideas of what to do:

Water
- Splash around with your hands. Is the water warm or cold?
- Stomp in those puddles and compare the splashes made by big stomps vs little stomps.
- If you have a larger puddle, see if some of her toys float.
- Absorb water with sponges. Show him how the water goes into the sponge and what happens when you squeeze the sponge.
- Measure the water with measuring cups. See how many cups it takes to fill up a bucket. When one bucket has 1 cup of water in it, is it heavier than the bucket that has 2 cups in it?

Worms
- Count how many worms you see.
- Talk about how fast or slow they move. What other animals move like a worm does?
- Pick them up, how do they feel?
- Compare sizes of different worms. Do all worms look alike?
- Talk about why you see worms after in rains.
- What do worms eat? Which animals eat worms?

Mud
- Find some mud and get dirty!
- Let your child feel the mud with his hands and talk about how much heavier it is than regular dirt.
- Build a mud castle.
- Dig in the mud to find bugs.
- Play with cars and build a race track in the mud.

As I finish this post, the sun is peeking out a little bit so hurry before the puddles dry up! Hey, is that a rainbow I see?

What are your family's rainy day activities?

What's on our bookshelf....

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett

This is a great book for any age - young or old. It's been my favorite for as long as I can remember and I'm so excited because it's just been released as a movie.

The book features a town called Chewandswallow where food drops from the sky three times a day instead of snow or rain. Life in Chewandswallow is really fun and convenient (no more grocery shopping!) but as you can imagine, it can get pretty messy. When the storms roll in, the food gets bigger, the portions are super-sized and people start to fear for their lives.

The illustrations alone will make you fall in love with this book. There are so many silly and outrageous drawings to look at, it's hard to get through the book without seeing something that you've never noticed before.

If you love the book, check your local listings to see the animated movie (available in 3-D at some locations).

Preparing your child for a new situation

Children can often be frightened by new places or experiences such as a first haircut or dentist appointment. This is understandable as they are used to a world of familiar things and all of a sudden they are sitting in this big chair with a masked person coming at them with loud buzzing tools. Who wouldn't be scared? When kids are prepared for a unfamiliar situation they will most likely do better because they will know what to expect.

Here are some tips to use when preparing your child for a new situation:

1 - Read a children's book - Choose a book that includes the upcoming event. Talk about the book and how the characters handled the situation. Ask your child to imagine other possible scenarios.

2 - Incorporate the event during playtime with your child - For example, if your child has an upcoming dentist appointment, set up a makeshift dentist office with a desk, waiting area and some items to use as tools. Act out what will happen in the reception area and then lead the child to the "dentist chair."

3 - Get creative - In keeping with the dentist situation, use a cloth or bandanna that will mimic how the dentist will look in his mask. If you have an electric shaver or small appliance available that will make a noise similar to that of a drill, incorporate that during play so your child will not be as surprised by the noise.

4 - Take a tour - If possible, bring your child ahead of time to visit the location of the new experience.

5 - Children's museums or events - Keep an eye out for exhibits that may assist you in preparing your child. For example, Sciworks has an area called "HealthWorks" which has several doctor and dentist tools. Check out the Greensboro Children's Museum and the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem as they may also have helpful exhibits.

We hope that these tips help you in preparing your child for a new situation. Please let us know what works for your family as it may help others.

What's on our bookshelf....

The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog by Ana Martin Larranaga

This humorous book follows a frog as he visits other animals and asks "Who are you and what do you eat?" It's a great book to experiment with silly animal voices and is informational as you learn about what the animals eat. The story gets especially silly when the big wide-mouthed frog meets a crocodile and finds out that he might be on the lunch menu.

Tummy Time

Tummy time is a specific time that your infant spends on his tummy. It is important because it helps to increase head and neck muscles, limit the "flat spots" on the baby's head and allows the baby's back to get stronger which helps them to roll, sit, and crawl.

Once the baby is used to tummy time, It is recommended that it should occur for approximately 3-5 minutes, five times a day. Keeping the time short but doing it often will allow your baby to experience several different positions and remain interested in his surroundings. Most babies enjoy looking at people's faces more than anything else so lay down next to him or lay down with your baby on your chest so he is able to see you. This may help your baby become more comfortable with tummy time. As they get older, prop up their favorite toys or picture books around them for something to look at.

ALWAYS supervise your baby's play time. Plan tummy time when the baby is alert and awake and NEVER leave the baby by herself while on tummy.

Read more information here on the importance of "Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play."

What's on our bookshelf....

Just Us Women by Jeannette Caines - Illustrated by Pat Cummings

Travel along with Aunt Martha and her niece as they go on a special road trip to North Carolina with "No boys and no men, just us women." This detailed story will come alive before your eyes with the beautiful illustrations and descriptions. You feel as if you're standing next to them when they stop at roadside markets and fancy restaurants, in no hurry at all.

Is your child's car seat secure?

A Child Safety Seat Checking Station will be held on Friday, July 31, at the Babies R Us at 975 Hanes Mall Blvd. in Winston-Salem, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Local Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be available to check your child seat installation and answer questions.

Hidden Treasure Box

When your toddler opens a present, are they more occupied by the toy or the box? Several parents will say that the box or wrapping paper holds their child’s attention longer. This shows that your child does not need expensive/fancy/store bought toys to learn. You may not know it but your recycling bin is actually a treasure chest of materials to make the perfect toys. Let’s explore a few:

• 2 liter bottles – Save up about 6 bottles and you’ve got yourself a set of bowling pins. Use different size balls and explore with your child which ones knock down the pins the best. If you have thick carpet and the “pins” are having a hard time staying up, put some dry beans in the bottle for some weight. Make a mini bowling set and use empty water bottles.

• Magazines – Cut out pictures and make a collage. You can make a collage of blue pictures or things that start with the first letter in your child’s name. The possibilities are endless.

• Newspapers – Give your child a pair of safety scissors and let the cutting begin. This is a great activity for building strength in their hands needed for writing and it also helps with hand eye coordination. There is no pressure for them to cut out a shape or to cut on a line and they get more comfortable working with scissors. Shredding the paper with their hands is really fun too. Give them a stack of paper and let them shred in the middle of the kitchen floor for easy clean up. They can make confetti for a party or use some tape and make pom-poms.

• Paper towel tubes – Color/paint the tube to make a baton or cut out shapes and glue them on to make different animals. For babies and toddlers, you can put bells or beans inside and cover the ends with masking tape to make a rattle.


Homemade toys are great but remember that they haven’t been tested for safety the way store bought toys are. Always supervise your child when they are playing. Here are some other safety tips:

• Plastic bags – make sure that the bag cannot fit over your child’s head and watch them closely to make sure that they don’t bite off small pieces of the bag because they could choke.

• Small objects – It’s best not to give your child an object smaller than 2” in diameter. An easy way to test this is to see if the object fits inside of an empty toilet paper tube. If it does, your child could choke on it. If you toy contains small objects such as the rattle mentioned above, secure the tube with super strength glue and watch her while playing with it.

• Sharp edges – Place durable tape around the sharp edges and make sure it is secure so your child cannot take it off.

Be creative. The possibilities are endless!

What's on our bookshelf....

Little Turtle's Big Adventure by David Harrison - Illustrated by J.P. Miller

This book chronicles a turtle’s journey as he tries to find a new home when his pond is destroyed to make way for a highway. Follow the turtle as he tests out different climates and environments. This book is a wonderful introduction when talking about the life of a turtle or environmental awareness. Here’s a challenge - see if you can find the turtle on every page!