Winnie the Pooh - The Winnipeg Connection

By Morris E. Brown

The famous story book bear character "Winnie the Pooh" has a real life connection back to the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

The British author A.A. Milne , who created and wrote the world famous Winnie the Pooh character , named the bear character after a favorite stuffed toy bear owned by the author's young son - Christopher Milne. The interesting question is how, where and why did young Christopher Milne name his favorite toy bear "Pooh".

It seems that Christopher Milne named the toy after a favorite actual real life alive bear that lived and was on display at the London Zoo, in London England. Then as now a major enjoyable jaunt by families on weekend trips was to the Zoo - in this case the London Zoo. Young Christopher Milne was so enamored and enthralled with the zoo bear named "Winnie" that he named his favorite toy after the bear. Thus when his father - the author, wrote his books of poetry and novels and named the central character, this was directly after the bear at the London Zoo - the bear named "Winnie".

The name "Winnie the Pooh" has a direct connection to the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. A black bear cub "Winnipeg ", proper, or the shortened nickname "Winnie" , was the mascot of the "Fort Garry Horse" , a Winnipeg based infantry unit.

Along the way of the transport of the Fort Garry Horse unit across Canada by train the train attended a "whistle stop" at White River Ontario. Among the members of this unit was a young veterinarian, who had enlisted in the army, named Harry Colebourn. Harry had a real appreciation and a real manner with animals - be they domesticated, farm stock or wild animals.

While at the White River Train station, the young Lieutenant Colebourn took the time to notice a hunter carrying a black bear cub. It seemed that the hunter had shot the mother bear. The young cub was a sort of pet and was too young to care for itself or fend for itself in the wild. Harry Colebourn took interest and pity on the poor black bear cub realizing that the hunter would soon lose interest or would be unable to care for the bear to a point that it could be released back into the wild. After a period of haggling the hunter reluctantly sold the young, innocent yet playful bear cub to Mr. Colebourn for the then princely sum of $ 20. After purchasing the bear, and becoming familiar with it during the train journey to the Canadian province of Quebec - name the bear after his and the regiment's home town of Winnipeg. At some point this was shortened to the bear's nickname of "Winnie". Thus the young bear cub was named "Winnipeg" and nicknamed for short "Winnie" "

Winnie the bear cub went along for the train ride, as well as the boat ride and traveled with this Canadian infantry group all the way to England. The bear cub "Winnie" became the famed mascot of the Winnipeg based "Fort Garry Horse Regiment" While stationed in England , at Salisbury Plain , Winnipeg the bear of "Winnie " for short stayed in Lieutenant Colebourne's tent , sleeping under his cot , and becoming a favorite of the Canadian soldiers.

This bear cub "Winnie" stayed with the regiment and continued to be a source of pleasure and enjoyment to the group and indeed became rather famous and well known. However when the regiment itself unfortunately was to be shipped off to the battlefields of France Harry placed Winnie in the safeguard and safekeeping of the London Zoo, in London England. Four years later, Harry Colebourn, now promoted to Captain returned to London to take Winnie home. However seeing what a beloved fixture and hit she was to the British schoolchildren Colebourn decided to let the bear stay put and officially donated Winnie to the London Zoo making the zoo the rightful owner and guardian.

When one realizes the world wide impact that resulted from the story book character of Winnie the Pooh to children throughout the world and in many different languages in culture one can envision the admiration and love that young Christopher Milne had for the black bear cub "Winnipeg" or "Winnie" the Pooh for short.

Morris E. Brown Winnipeg Zoo Hotels Winnipeg Hotels Polo Park Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morris_E._Brown

Electricity & Magnetism - Hands-On Experiments For All Ages

By Rita Webb

Being without power due to a storm gave us the opportunity to explain electricity to our four-year-old daughter who was quite confused and angry when the lights and TV did not work. So I read Switch On, Switch Off by Melvin Berger, a really great book that describes electricity, how it works, how to create it, and how it travels through our neighborhoods and homes.

Reading about electricity and magnetism with my children, I learned a few things about electricity myself. I already knew that breaking a circuit would end the flow of electricity, but what I did not know was how the electricity was created in the first place.

This science story book shows how magnets are used to move the electrons inside the circuit, and this is how electricity is created. A power plant uses large magnets to generate power, and we can do this on a small scale with a small wire and a hand-held magnet.

Here are a few experiments and resources to help get you started learning about electricity and magnetism.

CAUTION: For safety reasons, all electrical experiments should be performed with a battery rather than an electrical outlet. A battery will provide only a small amount of electricity. Also, all experiments should be performed with an adult.

Experiment #1

Materials:
Circuit Wire
Bar Magnet
Compass

Steps:

1. Wrap the cord around your hand a few times.
2. Carefully remove your hand without disturbing the coils.
3. Wrap the cord around the compass.
4. Connect the two ends of the wire.
5. Move the magnet in and out of the coils.

Results: You will see the needle of the compass move in response to the electricity flowing through the wire. The magnet is creating electricity by forcing the electrons in the wire to move from one atom to another.

Experiment #2

Materials:
Battery
Strip of Tin Foil
Circuit wire
Strong, horseshoe magnet

Steps:

1. Connect the wire and the tin foil together.
2. Close the circuit by adding the battery.
3. Put the horseshoe magnet over the tin foil strip.

Results: The tin foil will bend in response to the magnet reacting to the electricity passing through the tin foil.

You can continue to explore magnetism with these books and materials:

Experiment Kits

You can buy magnet or electricity kits at a toy store or teacher store. We found one at an art store, and it made a great Christmas gift for the family. Kids of all ages love to explore with magnets, and even after learning all the lessons on magnets, the children still love to play with them.

What makes a Magnet? by Franklyn M. Branley.

This illustrated science story book not only tells you how magnets work but why. The pictures and descriptions make it easy for even young children to understand.

Janice VanCleave's Magnets: Mind-boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave

Janice VanCleave writes easy to follow steps. This book is for older children, but with the help of an adult, these experiments can be done with younger children as well.

Janice VanCleave's Electricity: Mind-boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave

This Janice VanCleave book is dedicated to electricity. Again, you will find easy to follow steps and descriptions. Her books are great science resources for all ages.

Rita Webb is a homeschooling mom for three young children, aged two, four, and six. Rita researches many homeschooling resources and writes reviews on these materials in her http://mrkreview.blogspot.com blog.

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Book Review - How Do I Tell the Kids About the Divorce? By Rosalind Sedacca

By Susan Heim

When I went through a divorce more than 14 years ago, my two children were a baby and a preschooler, and thus weren't old enough to be given too many details. I have often wondered, though, how different it would have been if they had been older. How would I have told them that their father and I were divorcing, and we'd be moving to another home? Would they be scared or cry or begin acting out? Indeed, one of the most difficult conversations a parent will ever have with his or her children is telling them that their parents are separating or divorcing. Children may blame themselves, worry about the future, fear they'll never see one or both of their parents again, or feel that their safety and security are crumbling before their eyes. So, how can parents allay these fears while imparting such a scary message to their children?

Fortunately, a book by Rosalind Sedacca, CCT, provides a great start. How Do I Tell the Kids about the Divorce? A Create-a-Storybook™ Guide to Preparing Your Children - with Love!is a fill-in-the-blank book that guides parents through making a personal family storybook they can share with their children. The text was designed to convey six key messages to children of divorce:

1. This is not your fault.
2. Mom and Dad will always love you.
3. Mom and Dad will always be your Mom and Dad.
4. You are, and will continue to be, safe.
5. This is about change, not about blame.
6. Everything is going to be okay.

Using the templates provided, parents can customize their book to reflect their personal situation. Parents are encouraged to include stories (and photos) from their family's history, guided on ways to explain "the problem" without inflicting blame on the other parent, and coached on how to provide a picture of the future and how it will change. Parents can use materials as simple as a photo album or as elaborate as a scrapbook. Two versions are provided, one for kids aged 5-10 and another for kids aged 10-15. How Do I Tell the Kids About the Divorce? also provides advice and insights from six therapists who specialize in family issues.

Divorce is never going to be an easy adjustment for children, but with the help of this book, parents can provide their children with the information they need to be assured that they're loved and their future holds promise. How Do I Tell the Kids About Divorce? is available as a downloadable eBook at www.howdoitellthekids.com (and also includes some great bonuses!).

Susan M. Heim is a former Senior Editor for the bestselling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. Her published books include "It's Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence"; "Oh, Baby! 7 Ways a Baby Will Change Your Life the First Year"; "Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons"; "Boosting Your Baby's Brain Power"; and, "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More." Her articles and essays have appeared in many books, magazines and websites. Susan writes a regular online column for Mommies Magazine called "Loving and Living with Twins and Multiples." She is also an expert on twins and multiples for AllExperts.com and ParentsConnect.com, and a parenting expert for SelfGrowth.com.

Susan is the founder of TwinsTalk, a website about twins and raising twins (http://www.twinstalk.com). Susan shares her parenting wisdom on her blog, Susan Heim on Parenting, at http://www.susanheim.blogspot.com She is the mother of 4 sons -- two teens and twin preschoolers.

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Tween Halloween Costume Ideas

By Janet Wallace

Tween Halloween Costume Ideas

If you are looking for tween Halloween costume ideas, here are some ideas to get you started. From storybook characters to tween celebrities, tween Halloween costumes can be cool.

Celebrity Tween Characters

Tween celebrities, such as the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana are hot in the tween set. Dressing like them can be a fun tween Halloween costume too. You could be Miley Cyrus, and have the best of both worlds! Groups of girls can also dress up like The Cheetah Girls. Don't forget about High School Musical for more characters like Troy, Gabriella, or Sharpay.

TIP: Watch your favorite shows on TV and DVD with your remote control to copy the tiny details - and you'll stand out!

Classic Storybook Characters

Your favorite storybook characters also make great tween Halloween costumes. You can be Little Miss Muffet with a big spider attached to her dress. Dorothy from Wizard of Oz is also fun with red shoes. If you like Disney World, Minnie Mouse might be your choice.

TIP: Hair and accessories make the difference. Props win costume contests!

Traditional Characters

Tween Halloween costumes still come in traditional styles, whether you make your own, or buy them. Wearing a scarf and eyepatch makes a quick Pirate. The hat is your finishing touch to become a Witch. Drawing in a black nose and whiskers looks great whether you're a Cat or a Mouse. Find some white go-go boots and be a Disco Doll.

TIP: Don't be afraid to look through closets for long-forgotten stuff!

Would you like to more tween Halloween costume ideas? Visit http://www.tweenpartyblog.com for tween Halloween ideas and more!

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Holiday Season in Estes Park, Colorado

By Brandice A Thorn

Tradition: Estes Park always has treasured families. Holiday activities here are planned so people of all ages will enjoy the outing.

The Lights: At one time, no holiday lights in Estes Park were turned on until the official lighting at dusk the day after Thanksgiving, a tradition that began in the early '50s. The ceremony featured a small contingent of locals and high school band members who gathered around a spruce tree in Bond Park (the park in the center of downtown) to play and sing Christmas carols.

In 1951, the town's light and power department first created re-bar Christmas trees and attached them to poles throughout the area. The design plans have been shared with communities across the United States and our village now has 120 "trees" in the collection. Along Elkhorn Avenue (the town's main street) trees now wear thousands of white twinkle lights, creating a storybook look after dark. In all, there are 175 decorated trees downtown. Merchants carry out the theme in their storefront windows.

The Murals: Between 1957 and 1966 Buell Porter designed and constructed the billboard murals seen around town. All are individually lit and provide a special addition to the ambience of the holiday season here. Six of them were refurbished between 1988 and 1993 by local artists. Santa Claus (constructed in 1957 and reconstructed in 2005) was the first mural designed by Porter. With Rudolph leading the sleigh, Santa appears to fly over Estes Park from the green space known as "The Knoll" just north of Town Hall. The display stretches 80 feet.

Facts about Estes Park's Holiday Season

The Nativity Scene (resorted in 1989) is at the corner of Virginia Drive and Elkhorn Avenue in Bond Par. It was Porter's second mural and originally was constructed and painted in 1958. The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe is the first display seen when entering town on U.S. Highway 36 (from Boulder and Denver) and was added to the collection in 1965.

The Three Wise Men on the hill above the Riverwalk (south of Elkhorn Avenue) are nearly 20 feet tall. Shepherds, part of the scene above the Riverwalk, features sheep that are six feet tall. Years ago, local high school students protested that the herd wasn't politically correct and made frequent attempts to make certain at least one of them was a black sheep. The town eventually helped the youngsters out by officially painting at least one of the lambs black.

Christmas in Bugville (restored in 1990) now is in Bond Park, at the corner of MacGregor and Elkhorn Avenues.

Santa's Card Shop (restored in 1988) is on Elkhorn Avenue in front of the Public Library.

The Holy Figure overlooking the West end of Elkhorn Avenue provides a special religious message for the holiday season. It was constructed in 1966.

The Parade The lighted, evening parade was started in the late 1980s so the town could share its Christmas magic with others. The first three years, the parade was billed as "Santa's Storybook Parade" and featured walking characters and a few floats depicting storybook themes with Santa Claus. Later, the theme of the parade swelled as the floats became Disney-like: large, lighted floats and units. Floats are constructed by a team of volunteers beginning months before the parade. Some are more than 40 feet long, 12 feet high with more than 6,000 lights.

Community participation is widespread with school children of all ages riding the floats, carrying banners and portraying costumed characters. Parade attendance has grown steadily over the years, with last year's estimate placed at nearly 25,000.

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Divorce Doesn't Scar Children - Selfish Parents Do!

By Rosalind P. Sedacca

Divorce is a highly emotional topic. When children are involved the consequences are far more dramatic - and, not surprisingly, so are our opinions. I know there are many people who sincerely believe that no divorce is a good divorce. That children are always and inevitably harmed by the physical and emotional separation of their parents. And that parents should - for the sake of the kids - just stick it out and not rock the boat with divorce or separation until the children are grown.

This is a particularly prevalent view for many who are grown children of divorce. These adults have experienced the dramatic life changes that come with divorce and feel permanently scarred as a result.

This response is certainly understandable. But it's not the final word on this subject. I have another perspective based on the experience of being raised in a family that chose to stay together "for the sake of the kids." My parents should have divorced early in their marriage. They were both miserable together, had little respect for each other, and raised two children in a home fraught with anger, tension, frequent loud arguments and discord.

I remember my mother asking me one day when I was in early adolescence whether she should divorce Dad. "No," I cried. I wanted a Mom and a Dad like the other kids. My childhood was miserable and filled with insecurity. Immersed in that insecurity I feared what life would be like if my parents were divorced. Mom didn't have the courage to do it anyway (those were vastly different times, especially for women) and she continued in her unhappy marriage for decades more.

Looking back, I feel that was an unfortunate mistake. Neither of my parents were bad people. They were both just totally mismatched. Their communication skills were miserably lacking and they were wrapped up in winning every battle at all costs. The cost, of course, was the well-being of their family, especially of their children. I believe that each of them would have been happier and more fulfilled had they parted ways and remained single or chosen another mate.

Based on my own personal experience, I've come to firmly believe that it's not divorce that scars our children. It's wounded parents who do not care, understand or see that their behavior is hurting their children. It's vindictive parents who put down the other spouse in front of their kids. It's parents who decide they should have sole custody or primary influence over the children with little regard as to the kid's relationship with the other parent. It's parents who confide their adult dramas to innocent children who just want to love Mommy and Daddy. It's parents who put financial gain and material decisions over the emotional well-being of their children.

In essence, it's selfish parents who scar their children through divorce. They put their own needs ahead of those of their totally dependent children when making life-altering parental decisions. When these parents get a divorce, the consequences are not only sad. Too often they end up wounding innocent psyches. They forget -- or are ignorant about -- how their decisions will affect their children in the months, years and, yes, decades ahead. It is not divorce per se, but the divorce of two parents so enraged by each other that they make decisions based on blind hatred rather than conscious, educated wisdom.

For more information about Child-Centered Divorce visit http://www.childcentereddivorce.com

Rosalind Sedacca, CCT, is the author of the new ebook, How Do I Tell the Kids ... about the Divorce? A Create-a-Storybook™ Guide to Preparing Your Children -- with Love! The ebook provides expert advice which helps parents create a unique personal family storybook that guides them through this difficult transition with optimum results. To learn about the book visit, http://www.howdoitellthekids.com

There is much more that can be said on this subject but space prompts me to stop for now. I value your feedback on this controversial topic and encourage thoughtful dialogue. Please send your comments along to me for more in-depth discussion at rosalind@childcentereddivorce.com

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How to Design a Little Girl's Fairytale Bedroom

By Joann Means and Johnny Means

Every little girl lives in a fairy tale storybook world all her own, so why not help her bring that passion and creativity into her actual living environment?

A custom theme bed is the perfect way to set the stage for your little girl's fairy tale fantasy. Be it a modest forest hut or a decadent princess castle, it's now possible to make your little girl's bed stand out as the centerpiece of a whole storybook reality.

And with today's developments in creative carpentry there's no reason anymore for a bed to be just a bed. It can now be a full-fledged multi-functional magic kingdom where a little girl can not only get a good night's sleep filled with sweet dreams but where she can also frolic and play. Loft beds and canopy beds help add to the fairy tale mystique, as do multiple levels that allow her to climb, slide, and crawl around and through, allowing her multiple settings for the various scenes of her fairy tale romance adventure.

Custom bedding, drapery, and throw pillows can unify the theme, adding further splashes of magic to her fantastical realm, be they bedecked with images of her favorite fairy tale characters for her to share her dreams with or twinkling, shooting stars for her to make wishes by.

Fairy tale worlds are filled with vibrant colors and both the custom theme bed and the rest of room surrounding it should be filled with the same eye-catching vividness that fills her fantasies. Bright pinks, reds, blues, and yellows make a custom fairy tale bedroom come alive. Touches of glitter or other reflective surfaces will make more than her eyes sparkle - they'll make the whole room sparkle. And fancy borders in lace or floral molding or other such touches of simple elegance add both depth and enchantment to the overall atmosphere.

Painting murals befitting of your little girl's fantasy world help extend the theme beyond the bed to the rest of the bedroom in a relatively easy and affordable manner. Paint the forest creatures that live in her enchanted forest. Paint elves, gnomes, and fairies too. Paint tall trees and vibrant flowers and sinuous vines across her private landscape. You can even paint a river, stream, pond, or waterfall running through the scene if you like. And above it all, paint a sunny blue spring sky where it's always clear and bright.

There's no shortage of storybook stories a little girl can act out when she has her very own custom fairy tale themed bed and bedroom. Let her be carried away into boundless worlds of the imagination without her ever having to leave the safety and comfort of home. Because, after all, there's no place like it.

Joann Means, interior designer, and her husband Johnny Means, master craftsman, have spent the last several years bringing fairy tales to life for little girls and boys alike, far and wide. Their creations are both beautiful and functional, stimulating a child's fantastic imagination and never-ending craving for fun and excitement while at the same time serving a parent's need for safety and security. Come see the enchanted realms the Means' have already created for other little girls and boys at Sweet Dream Children's Interiors http://www.sweetdreambed.com

Whether she imagines herself a princess or a witch, a fairy or a humble maiden, a flower or a swan, your little girl can have her dreams come true with a custom theme bed and bedroom designed and built by the expert minds at Sweet Dreams Children's Interiors http://www.sweetdreambed.com

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Once Upon a Princess Theme - Fairy-Tale Princess Room Decorating Ideas

By Joann Means and Johnny Means

All little girls reside, at least in part, in a world of their imagination, a world inspired by the fairy tales and storybooks they encounter every day. Fulfilling her fantasy of being one of those princesses that she reads about in books, hears about in stories, and sees in movies, is the best way you can help her bring those wondrous tales to life.

Princess Castle Beds

Every princess in every fairy tale has her own private chambers where she dreams about life in her magic kingdom. To make your little girl feel like a princess, then, all you really need to do is give her such a bed. Providing such royal treatment is as simple as finding a qualified custom children's bed designer and introducing her to the vivid fantasy life of your little princess.

Adding elements of luxury to her princess castle bed will only delight her the more. This can include a canopy bed, a loft bed, big plush pillows and silky, satiny custom bedding.

Evoke the Images of Her Favorite Storybook Princesses

Give her a magic mirror on one wall of her custom castle bed so she can fawn over her pretty face - "the fairest one of all". Give her a settee that's as decadent as Cinderalla's horse-and-buggy and she can always feel like she's on her way to a fancy ball. Line the floors of her custom bed with elaborate carpet and throw rugs and she can imagine she's Princess Jasmine "on a magic carpet ride" with her handsome Aladdin. Bedeck the custom castle bed in colorful shells and coral and starfish and she can imagine herself Princess Arial relishing in life "under the sea".

Make-Believe Worlds, Real Life Play

Pretending that she lives in a storybook fairy-tale world is only half fun; acting it out in her environment is the rest. And you can help make this possible too by making her princess castle bed more than just a place to lay her weary head at night but one in which she frolic and play during the day as well.

Adding slides, climbing walls, swings, tunnels to crawl through, and other design elements that she can enjoy will only heighten that sense that she's living in a world of her own imagining. And all of this can be built straight into any custom princess castle bed.

It's a Colorful Life

Rounding out the fairy tale fantasy will be vivid, vibrant colors that sparkle and shine, like the light of her imagination. Find out her favorite colors and then, with a can of paint and a few yards of fabric, you can complete the image of being the heroine of her very own fairy tale living in her very own custom princess castle bed.

Joann Means has been helping families design fantasy kids rooms that kids and parents alike treasure for years. At the centerpiece of Joann's designs are custom theme beds built by Johnny Means, her husband and business partner in Sweet Dream Children's Interiors (http://www.sweetdreambed.com).

Visit Sweet Dream Children's Interiors (http://www.sweetdreambed.com) now and browse their galleries of photos of actual fantasy kids beds they've built and fantasy kids rooms they helped create. See Joann and Johnny's princess castle beds, cottage beds, treehouse beds, and more. And best of all, learn how a custom theme bed can turn any fantasy kids room into a combination bedroom, play room, study room, and storage space.

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15 Top Christian Books For Children

By Kristina Seleshanko

One way to instill Godly principles in your children is to read them Christian books from an early age. Even babies and toddlers benefit from hearing God's truth on a daily basis, and colorful picture books are a great way to expose them to biblical principles.

As editor of Christian Children's Book Review, I see a lot of books published for children of Christian families. Some are ho-hum at best, but here are a few gems that no family should be without.

Adeline by Kathryn Rathke. In this delightful tale, a little girl who loves Valentine's Day learns a lesson about the ultimate Valentine: God. For kids 4 and up. (Baker Books, 2004)

Bible Animal Friends by Matt Mitter. With vivid illustrations, googly eyed animals, and rhyming text reminiscent of well-loved nursery rhymes, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers will love this volume. This book is a great way to start introducing Bible stories like Balaam and his donkey, the Egyptian plague, how ravens fed Elijah, and more. (Multnomah, 2007)

Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers by Joey Allen. This is actually a series of four books: The Scripture, The Gospel, The Trinity, and The Mission. Here is intelligent talk about what the Bible and specific Christian tenants are, explained in a way that young children (ages 3 to 7) can understand-and enjoy. (New Leaf Press, 2005)

God's Wisdom for Little Girls by Elizabeth George. If you have a girl, one of the key things you can teach her is what a Proverbs 31 woman is. George does an excellent job of explaining this important passage to 5 to 8 year old girls. (Harvest House Publishers, 2000)

I Can Talk with God by Debby Anderson. When it comes time to teach your children how to pray, this book is an excellent tool. The pictures are bright and colorful, and the truths of how to pray (and how God might answer) are told in an engaging, fun way. For kids 2 to 5. (Crossway Books, 2003)

I'd Be Your Hero and I'd Be Your Princess by Kathryn O'Brien. For children 4 to 8 years old, these books (one designed for boys, the other for girls) explain Godly characteristics and how important they are. I'd Be Your Princess won the Gold Medallion Book Award in recognition of excellence in evangelical Christian literature. (Standard, 2004 and 2005)

Little Girl's Bible Storybook and Little Boy's Bible Storybook by Carolyn Larsen are excellent choices for kids 6 to 9. Each tells Bible stories in an appealing fashion, and there are study sections throughout to help kids understand important biblical concepts. Best of all, there are ideas for parents on how to discuss these concepts with their children. (Baker Books, 1998)

Little One, God Made You by Amy Warren Hilliker. I began reading this book to my daughter when she was an infant. Now she's two, and she still loves it! The text is extremely simple and establishes one important fact: God made you and loves you just the way you are. For children 4 and under. (Zonderkidz, 2004)

Little One's Bible Verses by Stephen Elkins is a superb way to introduce even the youngest babies to God's word. With sweet illustrations of children and babies, plus notable quotes from Psalms, this is an excellent first "Bible." (Broadman & Holman, 2003)

Parables Jesus Told by Ella K. Lindvall. In simple words and colorful images, this book retells five parables, ending each with a brief explanation of how to apply the story to real life. The book is designed for 4 to 8 year olds, but many younger children will enjoy it, too. (Moody Publishers, 2000) Sidney and Norman, the Tale of Two Pigs by Phil Vischer. Pigs Sidney and Norman are opposites. One is messy, the other neat. One seems to always succeed, the other never does. Then they both meet God. One pig learns that God loves him just the way he is, while the other learns that God loves everyone...even messy neighbors. (Tommy Nelson, 2006)

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones is an ideal Bible for kids 4 to 8, detailing 43 stories from Genesis through Revelation. Each story in some way relates to Jesus and who he is, giving children the big picture of what God is all about. The text is engaging, as are the illustrations. (Zonderkidz, 2007)

The Lord is My Shepherd by Hans Wilhem. The greatness of this book is its simplicity. The text of Psalm 23-one of the most beautiful and comforting passages in the Bible-is paraphrased in kid-friendly language that clings closely to a modern translation. This book is another great way to introduce even the youngest children to the Word of God. For babies on up. (Scholastic, 2007)

Wait Until Then by Randy Alcorn. Any parent who wants to explain what happens to us when we die, how to deal with the death of a loved one, and how to cope with serious disappointment will want to read this book with their child. Beautifully written and illustrated, for kids 9 to 12. (Tyndale, 2007)

Will: God's Mighty Warrior by Sheila Walsh. Very few Christian books are targeted specifically to boys, so Will is a welcome addition. For 4 to 8 year olds, this book teaches children about the armor of God in a kid-friendly way. (Thomas Nelson, 2006)

Kristina Seleshanko is the editor of Christian Children's Book Review (http://www.ccbreview.blogspot.com), which won two Litty Awards in 2007 (Best Christian Litblogger and Best KidLit Litblogger). She's also the author of 16 books.

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How Can You Make an Impressive Wedding Gift?

By Jerry Leung

When you know your friend is going to get married, you start to think about the wedding gift. You may want to give your friend an impressive and creative wedding gift but it is usually quite hard to do that. Eventually you may just follow the gift list from your friend and buy him / her a plasma TV.

In fact it is not really an impossible task for your to make a more creative and impressive wedding gift. First of all, you should of course try to think of it with your sincere. And the followings are some directions you can follow to get your impressive wedding gift for your friend.

Thinking of what they need after wedding

You can think of what the couples may need after the wedding. It will be better if the item is related to the wedding itself. A TV set or air-conditioner should not be the choice since they are not really related to the wedding.

For example, they will certainly have quite a number of wedding photos, and then you can probably think of the idea of a wedding album. In this case, you may find someone to make a hand making album for them. You may even try to make this album yourself so that it will be even more special.

Recalling the old memories

Recalling the old memories here does not mean that to buy some vintage gift for your friend. You may have known your friend for twenty-five years. And both of he / she and you may have lost contacts with some good old friends. You can try your best to gather these friends and help your friend to invite them to the wedding. This can become a really good wedding gift.

If it is too difficult for you to invite these friends or it will make the wedding of your friend out of budget, a simple card with your bless can be an equally good idea. We used to make cards to our friends when we were small. If you can gather the good old friends and have them sign on the card, it will certainly become an invaluable gift. You can imagine how touching it is when your friend see this card on his / her wedding.

Investigating the story of the couple

Besides, you can also try to make your wedding gift by investigating the story of the couple. You should try to find out (or you may already know) how they met, when they started to get together, and how he made the proposal. It will be extremely touching if you can make a wedding gift based on their story. And this gift will also be a unique one indeed!

If you are good at drawing, you can just "draw" the story of the couple and this story book can become a very impressive wedding gift. It will be even better if you can make some child like drawings. The story book will become even more interesting and touching. It will be enjoyable and romantic for the couple to read this story book at home.

The above are just some simple directions for you to make an impressive wedding gift. You can use your imagination and there should be thousands of directions and concepts you can think of. So please do not wait and start thinking of it and preparing for your unique wedding gift to your friend.

Jerry Leung is a wedding invitation designer with great interest in Chinese Style Wedding cards. He designs unique Chinese Wedding Invitations in different styles. Besides, he runs A Wedding Blog to share wedding tips. You can also find lists of wedding vendors from his Wedding Directory Websites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Leung

Fun Kids Games To Keep Your Preschooler Busy And Happy

By Yogi Shinde

When its dull and raining and kids are having a bored and lazy afternoon, fun kids games like these can be just what you need to lighten up the afternoon.

1. Lets begin with the kids favourite toy - their soft and
fluffy toy, the teddy bear.

Pull out an old white shirt and let your preschooler try it on. Tell your little one that he or she is the Doctor and

you can pretend play 'Doctor, Doctor' and her favourite teddy can be the patient. Let them use the kitchen table to examine the patient, and you can even hand them a popsicle stick as a tongue depressor.

2. Create your very own Story book

This one can be as good a fun educational activity as one of a fun kids games. Let your child know that you plan to make a story book.

Let them have some crayons, paper or pictures and you can ask them to do some coloring and drawing. You can then cut and paste the pictures in a book. And once finished with pasting the pictures, ask your
little one what the story behind the pictures is and then you can write the story for them in the book under each picture.

You can even use old magazine cut outs and paste it and make the story book with your little one.

3. Have a Playdough making afternoon -

Make your very own play dough with this simple play dough recipe. All ingredients you will need to make
play dough are household.

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 teaspoon Cream of tartar

1 cup Water

1 teaspoon cooking oil

Few drops of food coloring

Mix all the above ingredients an cook it or a minute on a medium flame. It will form into a ball. Knead it into a smooth dough and you have your very own playdough ready.

You will find a good collection of fun kids games, whether its kids outdoor games or educational online preschool games you are looking for, you can find them at best-preschool-games.com

Yogi Shinde is a busy Mum and a web master of a kids games website featuring games for preschool kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yogi_Shinde

How to Write a Children's Picture Book

By Eve Heidi Bine-Stock

If you are a parent or grandparent with young children around, you’ve probably read so many children’s picture books, and they look so simple to write, that you think, “I can do that.”
But what you may not realize is that hidden in the most popular children’s picture books are structures that give shape to the story just like a hanger gives shape to a shirt. If you want to write a successful children’s picture book, you need to know what these structures are and how to incorporate them into your own writing.

Let’s look at the most common structure in picture storybooks, called by the $25 name, “The Symmetrical Picture Storybook Paradigm.” You are probably already familiar with the ideas of “Beginning, Middle and End,” and “Act I, Act II, and Act III.” The Symmetrical Picture Storybook Paradigm has a few important refinements to make on these ideas.

First of all, in most popular children’s picture storybooks, Act I and Act III are roughly the same length. That is the first way in which the stories are symmetrical.

And what about that long block that makes up Act II? It turns out that it is not just one long stretch of story – it has its own structure: there is a Midpoint in Act II, and the First Half of Act II is about the same length as the Second Half of Act II. This is the second way in which the stories are symmetrical.
Another important part of the Paradigm is the Plot Twist. At the end of Act I is a turning point or Plot Twist that leads to Act II, and at the end of Act II is a turning point or Plot Twist that leads to Act III, the resolution.

The big surprise about how to write your own story when incorporating the Paradigm is that you do not write it the same order that the finished story is read. That is, you do not start at the beginning and write straight through to the end. Rather, you start at both ends, and work your way toward the middle!

You can read all about the Paradigm, and follow step-by-step instructions for using it to write your own story, in the book How to Write a Children’s Picture Book by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock. It is available from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

This book shows you that no matter how carefully you labor over a story's tone, word choice, plot, character, setting, theme and style, you must have a thorough grasp of its structure for it to succeed.

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A Room Divided - Children's Decor for Siblings

By Joann Means and Johnny Means

One way to try and build consensus among siblings with differing tastes, preferences, and desires is to see if you can get them to agree on a theme. Many times, agreement on a theme for their custom children's bedroom will be all the guidance you need to design a room they both/all will love.

And no matter if one's a boy and the other's a girl, as there are plenty of custom themes that might appeal to both. The following examples - jungle, ocean, and fairy tale/storybook custom theme bedrooms - can serve as a launching pad for you and your children's imaginations.

Jungle

Both Tarzan and Jane alike would feel perfectly at home in a jungle or rainforest setting. Starting with a custom theme bed designed like a tree-house or a forest village hut, you can then extend the theme out to the rest of the room in a number of ways:

• by painting the walls in greens, oranges, and/or browns or with an entire tropical rainforest mural,
• by furnishing the rest of the room with kid's furniture that incorporates lightweight natural wood, like bamboo,
• by using leafy printed fabrics for your window coverings, bedding, and kid's furniture upholstery,
• by installing a grassy carpet floor,
• and by filling the room with large stuffed animals and animal-shaped accessories.

Ocean

This time you can start out with a custom theme bed in the shape of a giant seafaring vessel, equipped with galley, poop deck, gangplank, and bird's nest. The color selection for the room this time would be the whole spectrum of blues, from deep oceanic blue to light sky blue, along with whites for the clouds and yellow for the sun and stars.

And an ocean theme can include underwater elements too. Just as your kids have diverse and distinct personalities, so can their ocean-themed custom kid's bedroom, with an above the sea and below the sea element. This way, animals bedecking an ocean fantasy children's bedroom might include seagulls and other birds, sea turtles, and breaching whales on the surface and dolphins, starfish, seahorses, octopi, and multi-colored tropical fish below the surface.

You can also throw in little touches like mermaid and seashells for her and sailboats and a sunken pirate ship, buried treasure and all, for him. Other creative elements both siblings will surely adore include sand castles, coral, fish netting, and fields of tall seaweed. And when your kids are old enough, you can even add a real aquarium to the décor.

Fairy Tale/Storybook

Boys and girls alike love stories, many of them the same ones, even if for different reasons. Princesses and Princes, Knights and Fair Maidens, Kings and Queens every child has envisioned themselves with glee as a player in a fabulous medieval fairy tale adventure.

And setting up a custom fantasy children's bedroom that transforms their world into a fairy tale storybook is as easy as ordering them custom castle themed bunk beds. With its tall towers and high walls, even a drawbridge and a moat if they want, the castle custom theme bed sets the stage perfectly for a medieval fairy tale fantasy kid's bedroom that'll keep your children's imaginations sparked for years.

Interior design expert Joanna Means creates shared custom fantasy girl's and boy's beds that supports and expresses each of your child's individualities while providing them a space they can feel comfortable sharing with one another. The beds at Sweet Dream Beds create a single, fantastical world, that meets both of your child's desires and allows each of their unique personalities to flourish.

The fantasy boy's and girl's beds at Sweet Dream Beds, http://www.sweetdreambed.com allow families with more than one child or frequent sleepover guests to accommodate all their needs by merely requesting either a Murphy bed or trundle bed built into the structure, making it at once both a convertible bunk bed and play space, as the need requires.

From Joanna's designs, her husband, master carpenter and craftsman Johnny Means builds custom bunk beds in the form of jungle treehouse, storybook castles, or any other custom fantasy themes you and your children can dream up. To begin generating your own ideas for custom fantasy boy's and girl's beds, browse the galleries at http://www.sweetdreambed.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joann_Means

Telling Kids About Divorce? Avoid These Mistakes

By Rosalind P. Sedacca

Getting psyched up to tell your children about your pending divorce
-- or separation? Not sure what to say? When to say it? How to
say it? What to expect after the conversation? What to do next?
How do deal with your special circumstances? What therapists,
mediators, attorneys, clergy and other professionals suggest you do
and don't do to make things better all around? Well, you're not
alone.

Having the "divorce talk" with a child you love is one of the
toughest conversations you'll ever have. Shouldn't you be prepared?

Professionals all agree on some of the most common mistakes parents
make when bringing up divorce or separation. These include:

* asking children to bear the weight of making decisions or
choosing sides

* failing to remind children that none of this is in any way their
fault

* forgetting to emphasize that Mom and Dad will still always be
their Mom and Dad -- even after divorce!

* confiding adult details to children in order to attract their
allegiance or sympathy

* neglecting to repeatedly remind children that they are safe,
innocent and very much loved

* failing to explain clearly that everything is going to be okay!

These are just some of the most common messages that parents fail
to convey because they're just not prepared -- and most probably
quite scared!

If you're about to tackle this tough conversation -- or you know
someone who is – there's help you can depend on to simplify the
process. Don’t wing it unprepared. You wouldn’t go on vacation
or plan a party without advanced preparation. Why tackle one of
the most important and emotionally charged talks you’ll ever have
with your children without giving it just as much – if not more –
thought and attention?

If you’re not sure what to say and how to say it in age-appropriate
language, there are many resources available to help you. Therapists
and mediators provide excellent personal guidance. Collaborative
divorce attorneys (those who specialize in creating non-adversarial
divorce solutions) can be of great assistance at this time. So can
clergy, school Guidance Counselors and parenting experts. There are
many articles and books written on the subject as well.

One digital guidebook that was just launched on the internet provides
a unique approach through the creation of a personalized family
storybook – prepared in advance – with photos and fill-in-the-blanks
templates. To learn more about How Do I Tell the Kids about the
Divorce? A Create-a-Storybook™ Guide to Preparing Your Children
– with Love! visit http://www.howdoitellthekids.com

However you approach this challenging conversation, be prepared.
Understand the effects – both emotionally and psychologically – this
news can have on your children, and learn how to avoid the common
mistakes parents can make when they haven’t done their homework
in advance. You and your children can survive -- and even thrive after
divorce. Think before you leap and give your family a sound foundation
on which to face the changes ahead with security, compassion and love.

Rosalind Sedacca, CCT, is the author of the new ebook, How Do I Tell the Kids … about the Divorce? A Create-a-Storybook™ Guide to Preparing Your Children -- with Love! To learn more about the guidebook, visit http://www.howdoitellthekids.com Rosalind can be reached at rosalind@childcentereddivorce.com For free articles on child-centered divorce or to subscribe to her ezine, go to: http://www.childcentereddivorce.com

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Azada - Ancient Magic

By Steven H. Ng

Azada: Ancient Magic is the highly anticipated sequel in the bestselling Azada series. Another masterpiece containing dozens of puzzles, this game takes place right after you rescue the mysterious Titus from the magical book in the original Azada game.

After Titus is freed from the curse of becoming wallpaper, he reveals to you that Azada is just one of many mysterious books that contain wondrous puzzles and knowledge. There are in fact over 20 other books waiting to be explored! However, Titus has learnt his lesson and is afraid to tackle the mysteries of the books. Instead, he has asked you to venture into these fantastic realms and solve the mysteries within.

It appears that an evil magical force has transformed the books in the library. This has brought to life literary classics such as Rapunzel, Dracula, Robinson Crusoe and many more storybook staples.

Each book features a main character from these stories, and your task is to solve the many puzzles in that book in order to release that character from confinement.

You solve the puzzles by flipping back and forth through the pages of each book, combing hidden objects and puzzles from each page on your quest to solve the mystery of each book. And each page is a fantastic picture of a scene from the related storybook, and include such classic scenes including Dracula lounging by his fireplace and the Big Bad Wolf trying to climbg down the chimney of the little piggy's brick house.

The puzzles in this game are finely crafted as well. Dozens of unique puzzles have been seamlessly interwoven into each storybook, and each of them more challenging than the last.

Solve puzzles such as pattern matching, jigsaws, 3D visualization puzzles and even dynamic arcade games!

Rekindle your love of the hidden object genre as well as the storybooks you used to read. Azada: Ancient Magic will take you on an adventure that will keep you entertained for hours!

And if you have not had the chance to play it, check out Azada, the mystical book that started it all!

Steven maintains the Hidden Puzzles website at http://www.hidden-puzzles.com/

Read reviews and hints on the best and latest Hidden Object games online, including the award-winning Azada, Mystery Case Files, Hidden Object Show and Big City Adventure series.

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Writing a Child Story: 8 Elements to Consider

By Paul Arinaga

While writing an entertaining child story is obviously more art than science, most successful child stories pay attention to the following 8 elements.

#1: Theme

A good child story has an underlying theme. The underlying theme of “Peter and the Wolf,” for example, is “don’t tell lies” or “be honest.” The underlying theme of “The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss is “don’t be racist” or “all (Sneetches) are created equal.” A theme can be the moral of the story, or an insight or viewpoint that the story conveys. Common themes are courage, love, perseverance, friendship, etc.

As an underlying theme, the theme usually emerges subtly as the story unfolds. A direct statement of the theme usually comes across as preachy and uninteresting. Remember what your high school English teacher used to say: “show, don’t tell!”

Also, keep your theme positive and constructive. Your story may be sad, but make sure it’s not negative, cynical or depressing!

#2: Plot and Pace

Plot is what happens in a story. Pace is the speed at which the story develops.

Generally, a simple chronological unfolding of events works best for storybooks (no flashbacks or complicated jumping around in time).

The plot usually revolves around a dominant problem or conflict which the main character must resolve. The problem or conflict may be with another character, with circumstances or even internal to the main character (e.g. overcoming their own fears).

The plot usually proceeds through phases: beginning of the conflict, initial success or difficulties, further difficulties or reversals, final resolution or victory, and outcome. As the story progresses through these phases the conflict becomes more intense and increases the dramatic tension, until it the story climaxes and the conflict is resolved.

For the most part, the main character succeeds or fails through his or her own efforts. In fact, it is through this process that the character learns or grows, and this lesson or growth typically conveys the theme.

TIP: Create a thumbnail layout/mockup of your text. This way you’ll be able to better judge how your story unfolds and its optimal pacing.

Proper pacing of your story is essential. Too slow and the reader/listener will lose interest, too fast and they won’t have time to get excited or they will miss important details.
The pace in storybooks should be fairly brisk without “rushing.” Avoid lengthy introductions or descriptions of the setting. Start the action immediately from the beginning and bring the story promptly to a close at the end.

Even more so than adults, children appreciate action. So, keep the pace of your story fairly quick by using action and unfolding events. Don’t get bogged down in lengthy descriptions or reflections. Again, “show, don’t tell!”

#3: Narrative Voice and Point of View

Narrative voice is the viewpoint from which the story is told. Most stories are told either in the “first person” (from the perspective of “I”, “I did this”) or “third person” (from the perspective of “They”, “They did that”). If you choose to write from the first person perspective, you’ll need to decide which character is the narrator. Whichever point of view you choose, make sure that you stick with it. Jumping from one point of view to another can be very confusing.

TIP: Study storybooks similar to yours or the books of a publisher you’re targeting to see what narrative voice they use.

#4: Characters

Creating interesting characters is as important as developing a solid plot. The more readers can relate to your characters, the more they will like your storybook.

So, how do you make your characters come alive? As with real people, characters come alive when they have real characteristics: personality traits, quirks, physical traits, mannerisms, a certain way of talking, fears, joys, motivations, etc. If you had to describe yourself or your best friend in a few words, what would the salient characteristics be? Try to identify one major character trait and a few minor ones for each character. Write out brief profiles if that helps.

TIP: Apart from describing them, you can also reveal the characteristics of your characters by showing how they respond to situations, or through the way they talk.

An important point is to be consistent. A character should be “true to character” in order to be believable and gain the reader’s acceptance.

#5: Setting

Set your story in a place and time that will be interesting and/or familiar.

#6: Style and Tone

Remember your primary audience: children. Write accordingly, using (mostly) short words, short sentences and short paragraphs. Write simply and directly so you don’t lose your reader (also, don’t forget that a lot of children will only listen to your story as it’s read to them; it needs to be easy to listen to and understand like stories have been throughout time).

TIP: Before the written word, stories were transmitted orally. A good story still should “sound” good. So, try reading your story aloud. Does it flow naturally and capture the listener’s attention? Are there opportunities to use your voice (tone, loudness, etc.) to make the listener feel like they’re there with the characters?

Use direct quotes (e.g. “‘Jump!’ she said.”) instead of indirect quotes (e.g. “She told him to jump.”

What is the tone of your story? Is it an epic story? A funny, wacky story? An adventure story? A scary story?
Make your writing suit the atmosphere or tone that you wish to create.

#7: Dialogue

Read your dialogue out loud to make sure that it doesn’t sound stilted or unnatural. Does your character talk the way people would expect him to?

#8: Openings and Closings

You need to hook your reader from the beginning, so start your story with a “bang!”. You want people to finish reading your child story feeling satisfied so make sure that the main conflict or problem is resolved, even if the story doesn’t have a “happy” ending.

© 2005 Paul Arinaga. All Rights Reserved.

Paul Arinaga is founder of the Child Stories Bank (http://www.child-stories-bank.com). The Child Stories Bank provides FREE original children’s stories as well as resources to help writers create and get their stories published, and a directory of child storybook illustrators.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Arinaga

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Your Baby Room Decor - What Babies and Toddlers Want

By Gord Collins

Consistent Timeless Storybook Nursery Themes

There are a lot of opinion floating around about a baby's early years and what affect a baby's surroundings have on a child's mind and development. The formative years of up to 5 years are highly influential on character development. The mind is extremely receptive to the images, sounds and sensations it picks up and that imagery is integrated and becomes the foundation of the child's intelligence and personality. That's why your nursery or baby room décor can have positive or negative effects on your growing child and you yourself.

Give your baby room décor themes rich with meaning for the child and to make you feel better too. If your current baby room / nursery is empty or filled with pop culture items and images, then fill it up with imagery the child can relate to and stimulate their imagination. Children play with an infinite number of new products which often lack character. The goal of the product after all is to promote their brand. They want to get the logo firmly entrenched in your child's mind and your mind as well. The rich cultural meaning is absent, often because it detracts from the power of the logo and the branding effort.

Your wall decor can compensate for that lack of mental stimulation and deeper association with nature, storybook themes, and happy pleasant themes. From ballerina picture themes to zoo animals for boys, vintage storybook themes have much to offer for child's development. Simple themes to us, but rich in meaning for toddlers.

Baby Shower Gifts

If you've already been shopping for a baby shower gift for a friend, or for an item for your own toddler's room, you're probably worn out at the commercialized, brand heavy décor products at the mall or strip plaza. The big box stores make shopping a depersonalization event leaving you drained in spirit, especially after you get home and look at what you've purchased.

What's sometimes awful about the latest craze in baby clothing, décor, furniture, and accessories is the lack of consistency for the child. To the child's mind, the items are disconnected and babies and young toddlers are very sensitive to change. They crave things that are similar and help them to understand and manage their environment.

New baby room decor items lack a connection to the real world and timeless values. The storybook themes you grew up with were used for that very reason. They made a child's imagination relevant to real life, not to a fantasy video character who may or may not have a good attitude. Attitude is so important, because it's your child and you'll have to live with them for many decades ahead.

Vintage storybook type themes are perfect for making a child feel their thoughts and actions are relevant. Children have self esteem needs very early in life. Cowboys, ballerinas, firemen, fairies, zoo animals and cars and trucks are excellent themes for toddlers. The sooner you start to utilize these child friendly themes, the more confident your child will be. Mastery of life starts with a solid foundation.

Try shopping online for baby shower gifts and baby nursery décor items such as clocks, picture frames, baby memory books and wall art. It's a lot easier to find what you want and the shipping costs are negligible. Why settle for a product that's not really going to improve a baby's development or a child's imagination?

Discover more about vintage Baby Gifts and nursery room decor Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gord_Collins

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More Creative Birthday Party Ideas

By Nicole Munoz

Storybook Birthday Party

This is a fun party theme for any age child and is a perfect setting for a gift like the KidKraft dollhouse bookcase or Avalon bookcase. Send out invitations that look like books and encourage guests to give books as their gift. Also asks your guests to dress up as their favorite storybook character.

Provide plenty of comfortable seating for the party and decorate with a variety of storybook decorations, concentrating on your child’s favorites. Begin the party by guessing each guest’s character and voting on the best costume. Activities may include a craft project, like making a bookmark or designing a book cover, a special story time that may involve a storyteller, and book games, like word puzzles or building towers of books.

Refreshments for your book birthday party could be foods from a favorite book or traditional party foods. A cake shaped like a storybook or decorated with favorite characters will fit the theme perfectly. Give your guests small book totes or decorative bags with an inexpensive book, bookmarks, an interesting pen or pencil, books of candy, stickers, or other inexpensive storybook favors.

Let’s Get Cooking Birthday Party

This is an ideal birthday party theme for preschoolers and young elementary age children. A cooking party may be more appropriate for little girls, but can be adapted for boys or a mix of children. Recipe card style invitations are a creative way to announce the details of your party. Remember to tell parents that the children will be cooking and that they may get messy. You will also need to enlist the help of another adult to monitor the oven.

Before the birthday party begins, prepare a few batches of cookie dough, as well as some pizza dough. As guests arrive, get their hands washed and give them a small bowl of cookie dough and a variety of items to mix in to it, like marshmallows, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and nuts (check with parents about food allergies before the party). Then let the child drop the dough onto a small baking sheet and put them in the oven.

Once everyone has arrived, let the guests roll out their pizza dough, spread the sauce, and create a personal pizza with their favorite toppings. While the pizzas are cooking, let everyone help mix cupcake batter and pour into muffin tins. After eating pizza, if the cupcakes are cooled, let each guest frost their cupcake and top with sprinkles, adding a candle to the birthday cupcake.

Games to play at your cooking birthday party could include a shopping race to fill a bag with food items, a “name the spice” sniffing game, or a relay race to fill a bowl using a teaspoon. Send your birthday party guests home with an inexpensive child’s cooking apron, their own set of measuring spoons, a cookie cutter, a recipe card, and the cookies decorated during the party.

For more tips and information about Baby Einstein Birthday Supply, check out http: http://www.thekidstoystore.com.

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Digital Storybooks - Journaling with Style!

By Carolyn Bennett

Scrapbooking exploded into mainstream American culture in the mid 1990's. Since then, this popular craft has experienced tremendous growth and is continuing to evolve today. While traditional scrapbooking still exists, many have moved from the mess, time, and expense of traditional scrapbooking to writing digital storybooks and designing digital scrapbooks. As we make the shift from traditional scrapbooking with adhesive and stickers to digital storybooks we'd like to give three suggestions to help you continue to preserve your memories digitally.

1-Journaling is the most important element to a digital storybook.

Because of the old saying 'that a picture is worth a thousand word' we seem to think that the visual record of events is the most important. But unless there is some record that ties the names, faces, and events together, the photos will only be meaningful for a few short years. The photos may jog our memories but others will not know if the adorable birthday boy was Uncle Mike or Uncle George. Was that his sixth birthday or his eighth? The information you write about your photos can be as simple or as detailed as you like. You can simply write the names and dates or you can write the whole story. If writing the whole story is intimidating to you, we'd like to make a second suggestion, inspirational quotes and poems.

2- Inspirational and humorous quotes can share your emotion and be just the right words for your digital story.

It doesn't have to be original for it to be the thoughts you'd like to share. As long as you have included the basics: who, what, when, and where; adding an inspirational quote can share exactly what you were feeling at your daughters high school graduation. Using a beautiful poem about love can add meaning to the storybook you compile for grandma and grandpa. Quotes can add that touch of charm and a lot of style to your journaling.

3- Don't be afraid to keep it short.

As we get excited about the ease of dropping photos into pre-designed templates, it is easy to allow our stories to go on and on. Consider the reason for writing the storybook in the first place. It is to hold on to memories and share them with others. If you keep your storybook short children and guests will pick up the storybooks often and read them. A child may ask you to read him the story of Grandpa Carl every night if it is meaningful and brief. If the storybook is 500 pages long the stories and the photos will be left on the shelf. Tell the story, include a verse that matches your feeling and share your story with those you love.

So whether you are experienced with digital storybooking or are a beginner, start creating meaningful digital storybooks today. Remember to not get overwhelmed with details, keep it short. Journaling is important and can be kept brief with the use of inspirational quotes and stories. Start making memories today!

Carolyn Bennett is the author of many digital scrapbooks and story books. She invites you to take a look at http://www.thelandofquotes.com to help you find the perfect quote or poem for your digital storybook!

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Scrapbooking Children's Stories

By Wes Waddell

Children's stories and scrapbooking... who would have thought they went so good together?

Kids are always telling stories and I would venture to guess that you are always telling your kids bedtime stories. Why not capture some of them in a storybook scrapbook?

You may even find that creating the story book scrapbook together with your kids will bring you closer than you ever knew possible. Besides helping them to express their emotions and capture their memories for the future... it lets you teach them life's little lessons with the stories of your life.

Here's a few "Storybook Scrapbook" ideas that you and your child can start with:

A) Custom Version of their Favorite Children's Book

Yes, it's plagiarism, but as long as it's for your personal use and not sold or freely distributed, there is nothing wrong with getting started this way.

After all, that's how story telling got started. One person recounted or made up a story and it was then customized and retold by others for generations.

All you need to do to turn the children's story book into your own personal story book scrapbook is to change the names so that your child and his/her friends and family become the characters'. Then add photos of your child and his friends acting out the parts or use photographs you took while they were doing the same things.

For example: If the children's story book is about a trip to grandma's house, then use images you took on your last family visit to grandma's and use your families names as the characters in the book.

B) Children's Trip Book

The next time you take a trip to the Zoo or your child goes on a field trip to the fire house... or any place they feel is fun; go along and take lots of photos.

When you get home (or no later than a day or two) record your child telling the story of what they did and what they saw. Transcribe the story and add the photo's for an instant storybook scrapbook treasure.

You could even use the sound track and the still and/or video images to create the child's story on CD video or DVD.

C) Playground Monsters and Pirates

Take your child to the playground and get lots of photos of them climbing, sliding, swinging and just having fun.

While you are there or after you get home, make up stories with your child about the monsters they are escaping from or the Pirates that they are fending off. Take notes for each image and lay them out in a little story line.

Now, by hand or (even easier) using digital scrapbook techniques, add the monsters, pirates, whales or what ever they imagined into the images and fill in the whole story line.

Before you know it, you have your child's very first custom story book scrapbook.

D) Story of Children's Dreams

Children have an amazing ability to daydream, imagine and to dream really big! Encourage your child to explore all the different possibilities of life and their fantasy worlds. Take the time to record and transcribe these dreams and stories.

User your imaginations to help your child create the pictures that go with these stories and dreams. Digital scrapbook software can work wonders for this.

Whether you act out the stories and take photos or use photographic images of your child's past that you then edit digitally to come up with the graphic parts of the story. The one thing that will be certain is that you'll have one amazing story book scrapbook that you and your child will love reading for generations to come.

These are but a few of the common themes you and your kids can start with.
Once you get started, you'll find new ideas and stories poping up everywhere.

Enjoy and preserve your children's fantasy life while you can... they grow up and it disappears into history all too fast!

Wes Waddell is Co-owner of Cookbook4Kids.com and TwasTheNightScrapbook.com - the first storybook scrapbook digital download on the Internet. Now you can make your families most treasured memories a part of the story.

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First Date At Storybook Rat Cottage In Carmel-By-the Sea

By Suzanne De Cornelia

So here I am in my newly rented, jasmine-bedecked cottage in the luxury seaside village and tucked into a downy bed like Snow White and falling fast asleep.

And what days! Walks on the beach, buying armfuls of fresh flowers, picking up delectable organic fixings at Whole Foods, stopping for a latte at the smart little cafe on Ocean Avenue. Yeah, this was the life all right. And at night I'd watched a film by the fire, while out the French doors I'd spy a deer sipping from the garden fountain. I was living in a Disney film and that was fine with me. I'd even met a refined older gentleman who was coming for lunch and to paint watercolors. Yes, my life had taken a verdant turn I thought that night in my snuggly bed.

Little did I realize that the noises I'd heard that night coming from the attic was trouble was creeping up in Paradise on teeny, tiny, itty-bitty feet.

In the morning, I decided to investigate while awaiting the landlord's housekeeper and grabbed a flashlight and pulled down the ceiling ladder in my room to climb into the immense attic stored with several generations of decrepit, cobwebby junk. "Welcome to Morticia Munster's School of Housewifery and Décor" I thought as the flashlight shone on shiny piles of raisins on the floor.

The housekeeper shouted up the ladder.

"Oh, hi, " I replied cheerily. "Do you know anything about these raisins?"

She climbed up and huffed. "That's rat shit, lady! And loads of it." My scream derailed putts over on Pebble Beach's 17-Mile Drive golf courses. "Call the health department! Call the Mayor! Call someone!! What do we do?"

She deadpanned. "Traps. Lots of 'em. Cut back the trees so there's no roof access. Close up any openings," she looked around and shook her head. "At least, that's what we did last time..."

Rat Man came and flirted with me. A beefy woman from the health department arrived to advise on abatement. The tree trimmers erected tall metal ladders and flipped on screaming power saws. Their boom boxes pounded out Rap that consisted mostly of "Bitch!" The fix-it man wore a 50-pound belt of tools and trooped in massive workman boots up and down the ladder tracking rat poop through my pristine room.

I was a wreck trying to sleep that night on one of the 4' living room sofas with my knees at my chin. "What IS that snoring!" I flipped off the duvet and tiptoed outside in my white nightgown and through the witchy talons of furiously blowing trees. As I rounded the cottage, the flashlight beam landed on on a massive hulk against the house. A buck leapt up and crashed his antlers into the forest and I ran back into Rat Cottage and bolted the door. From the attic came the CLINK of a trap, and an ungodly scream that I matched decibel for decibel.

Shaking, I called Rat Man and left a message on his voicemail. "Please, I beg you, come get this dead thing from above my head!" With that, the wind blew the lights out. Why, oh, why had I left The City where all there is to worry about is dinner reservations and muggings.

Traps went off all night as I whimpered on the sofa in the dark. Rat Man arrived at 6AM, and with bleak determination, black garbage bags, and thick rubber gloves stormed the ladder into the gory remnants of last night's rat-rout.

"Don't tell or show me anything." I raised my hands unable to take anymore. "Just please sneak whatever out of here,"

I called Cleaning Lady and asked her to rent a shop-vac, then drove to the hardware store to stock-up on plastic gloves, plastic booties, plastic facemasks, plastic sheeting to cover the things in my room, and boatloads of bleach. She came. She saw. She sanitized. Carpet cleaners arrived en masse. I went to the beach to breath fresh air, now possessing the unfortunate literal knowledge of "I smell a rat."

I peered out to sea, hugged myself, and repeated like a mantra. "You're OK. They're handling it. Just go buy things for your nice lunch tomorrow with your new friend." My teeth chattered as I walked the aisles of my beloved Whole Foods. Or, Mecca, as I like to call it.

The next morning erupted hot and sunny. I made lobster salad from two large lobsters, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, a bit of sugar, 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil, a bunch of watercress, an avocado cut into chunks, and freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Measuring. Cutting. Chopping. I was control of my life again! I'd constructed a work of art. I put chardonnay in to chill. "All better," I smiled to myself.

CLINK.

"Oh, no! Not in this heat!" I called Rat Man. He was gone. Cleaning Lady was gone. It was a three day weekend in the tiny hamlet and everyone had split. Well, Refined Gentleman was just going to have to suck-it-up. I changed into something more persuasive. And while in the bedroom held my breath and quickly spread plastic on the bed, then assembled a soldierly line of plastic bags, gloves, booties and masks.

Then came the knock-knock-knockety on the front door. "Oh, this is so charming!" He kissed me on the cheek and swept in with an arrangement of flowers. I mumbled thanks and tossed it aside like a Field Marshall distracted with pre-mission plans.

"Yeah, well. Mmmm, hmmm. I wonder if you could do me a favor." I crooked my index finger to follow me into the boudior.

He eyed the bed, then me, "Are we having SEX?!"

"NO!!"

"Oh," he pouted and eyed the bed. "I thought this is how they do it today."

"Ahh, no." I said sweetly and asked if he wouldn't mind slipping into all the plastic, "And bring down a moldering rat." I pulled down the ladder and pointed above. He reluctantly agreed and I scooted off to arrange our lunch.

Just as I arrived at the table with the lobster salad, my friend reappeared on the deck resembling an Alien and dangling the trap at a disgusted distance with its 7-pound deceased occupant still attached. I dropped the glass bowl that shattered onto the deck. He hid the rat behind him and ran it over to the neighbor's trash where he ripped off all the plastic, then returned to disinfectant his hands.

We went out for lunch at Clint Eastwood's Hog's Breath Inn. "Carmel has HOGS?!" I lamely joked.

Never saw that nice man again.

© 2008-Suzanne de Cornelia. All copyrights apply. This article may be reprinted on websites as long as the entire article, including email link and resource box below are included and unchanged.

The author's romantic adventure novel, French Heart, set on wineries in Aix-en-Provence, France, and Santa Barbara will released in 2008. Please sign up today for the book's one-time announcement list on her blog at: http://web.mac.com/myfrenchheart

And more on wonderful Carmel: http://carmelcalifornia.com

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Have You Ever Thought About Turning Your Storybook into a DVD?

By Raymond Horner

If you have a storybook with pictures consider putting it on a DVD. It can be done using a combination of PHOTOSHOP, GARAGEBAND, and IMOVIE.

Let me go back a couple of years. My wife, Rosie Horner, is storyteller and inspirational speaker. She wrote a story called, Crumsnatcher Gets a New Name. This story has been dramatized and told to both children and adults in diverse settings.

I decided, as a fine artist, to create images of the story on large poster boards a little over 3 ft. It took a while but wives can be persuasive plus I fell in love with the story.

This year we decided to capture the story on a DVD. Since I primarily work on a Mac I brought the images into IMOVIE after doing lots of work in PHOTOSHOP.
I used a program called GARAGEBAND to create the music. Three of us, a friend, Kevin Thompson, my wife and myself did the voiceovers for the characters.

We even did our own sound effects. The first edition has been done and tested in front of children and adults. We are now doing the revision to make it longer and add more images.

We also invested in a better microphone, duplicating and printing equipment. This will help to reduce the cost of production.
Of course there is the marketing and distribution process that is still evolving.
You can go to my blog to follow the step-by-step process. Give me an email and I will be glad to share any insights I have.
So pull out that story and follow the steps in the blog as I post them almost everyday.
But know that YOU CAN DO THIS!

Ray Horner is a fine artist, inspirational speaker and art instructor http://www.hornerartworkshop.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Horner

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Little Girls Bible Storybook (For Mothers & Daughters): A Book Review

By Kristina Seleshanko

There are lots (and lots!) of Bibles out there for kids, and it can be difficult to find the right one for your child. But I think you’ll find that Little Girls Bible Storybook (for Mothers & Daughters) is unique - and ideal for preschoolers. First of all, the text focuses on the feelings of the people in the Bible, making it easier for girls to relate to the stories. For another, the Bible stories (written by Carolyn Larsen) are told in a simple, entertaining fashion. Here’s a sample:

“’Eve...Eve, wake up,’ the gentle voice whispered.

‘Who is it? Who’s there?’ Eve mumbled, stretching her arms and wiggling her toes for the very first time.

‘It’s me...God...your creator. Open your eyes, sweet child. There’s someone
I want you to meet,’ God whispered again, a little louder this time.

Eve stretched again and sat up. When she opened her eyes, she couldn’t believe what she saw. ‘Ohhh, it’s...it’s so beautiful!’ Carefully trying her brand-new legs, Eve ran through the garden, touching things for the very first time. ‘What are these?’ she cried, pointing at a mound of color...”

The illustrations by Caron Turk are also engaging and creative. And like many adult Bibles, there are sections scattered throughout that help explain important principles - and give moms ideas on how to discuss these principles with their daughters.

What I Like: The entire approach. No stuffy, boring text here. The illustrations are delightful, too. And the book encourages moms to get their daughters thinking about how the Bible applies to their everyday lives.

What I dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 6 - 9

Publishing Info: Baker Books, 1998; ISBN 0801044073; hardback; $16.99

Special Info: Also available: Little Girls Bible Storybook (for Fathers & Daughters), Little Boys Bible Storybook (for Mothers & Sons), and Little Boys Bible Storybook (for Fathers & Sons).

Kristina Seleshanko is a book reviewer at Christian Children's Book Review ( http://www.ccbreview.blogspot.com ) and the author of 14 books.

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Product Review: Personalized Storybook CD

By Kara Kelso

While personalized books make a fantastic unique gift for any child, Storybook CDs help bring your child even further into the story by adding animation and play time. Each CD features a personalized story with your child and their friends.

In between each page you read, there is the opportunity for the child to click on the pictures on the page to see what sound they make or other animation. This helps keep them more interested in the story and wanting you to read more. You can easily read through the story several times and still find new items to click that you may have missed before.

When you finish the story, there are also games to play. This bonus adds much value to the CD, because it provides hours of fun for your child, with or without you. Another important part of the CD is the three reading levels, so whether your child isn't reading yet, or has been reading for several years, these CDs have a level just for them.

Each Storybook CD has a sample text page and sample animation page to let you try the CD a little bit before you choose which one to buy. Once you decide on a CD, the first step in the ordering process is filling out their very detailed form for personalizing the book.

Storybook CDs come with the following personalization:

- Child's name

- Two friend's names

- Child's age

- Dedication (example: "From Mom")

Several different CD Storybooks are currently available for both boys and girls. The CD we got was "Too Many Monsters", which at first I was afraid was a bit too scary for my 5yr old. I quickly discovered it wasn't (although he did jump a few times at some of the animation), and found him laughing the entire time.

Personalized Storybook CDs from Ann's Personalized Books can be found at:
http://www.anns-personalized-books.com/storybook-cds.htm.

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About the Author: Kara Kelso is the owner of Mom's Market, a family friendly shopping directory featuring product reviews. For more reviews, please visit: http://www.momsmarketonline.com.

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