Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in sacramento, CA

The Littlest Authors

September 29, 2009

One of the many wonderful things about my son Solomon’s kindergarten teacher is that she is teaching the children not just about books, the alphabet and reading, but that they are becoming writers.  Being a writer myself this thrills me to no end.  But I’ve also spoken with other parents who are equally as excited to see their little ones able to focus their creativity in a whole new way.  Children are natural storytellers and with a little assistance they can write and illustrate their very own books as young as preschool.  Here’s how Solomon and I have been creating his most recent works of fiction. 

I set him up with a stack of white paper and fresh crayons and tell him to draw anything he likes.  Usually the picture involves several things like robots, letters and animals.  I then ask him what’s happening in the picture and as we discuss it and I ask questions the beginning of a story naturally comes to light.  I help him organize his thoughts and then he dictates the text which I write on a blank spot of the drawing – magic! Page 1 is finished.  We then discuss what might happen next in the story and he sets about drawing page two, etc.  Most of his recent books are between three and five pages long.  We staple the edges together, he thinks up a title and then does a drawing for the cover where I write: Written and Illustrated by: and he writes his name.  A trick he has just mastered.  This is a fun and easy project to do with any child who can talk a bit and hold a crayon.  In fact years ago, before he was really drawing he would just make up simple stories and I would write them down in a journal – these are some of our favorite bedtime books because the once-baby talk renditions are absolutely hilarious to the kids!  So give this little exercise a try and delight in the imagination of your little writer.

Encourage your little ones love of reading!

August 31, 2009

Life Lessons and the value of books

June 09, 2009

There are so many things to teach preschoolers – manners, strangers, school, introducing new siblings, the list goes on and on. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. Figuring out when is the right time to introduce these subjects and just how to do it can be a daunting task. So today I thought I’d talk about an old faithful child-rearing helper of mine: The Berenstain Bears family.

These books have been around forever and there are a myriad of titles including The Berenstain Bears Forget their Manners, The Berenstain Bears Learn about Strangers, The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends, The Berenstain Bears’ Bedtime Battle and more. Each book is about a happy family of bears who live in a hollow tree in the woods and experience life’s ups and downs together. They have fun silly illustrations and teach all these life lessons in an entertaining and humorous way. I have found that they are a great conversation starter with my kids.

We can read through the books and talk about what choices the bears are making and what we think about them. I think the book that has been most helpful to me is The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby – when I was pregnant with my preschooler this book really helped my older son understand what was happening and get excited about the prospect of a new brother! The best thing about these books is that they are all in paperback and only cost about $5 each. You can find them in your local bookstore or used on amazon.com for literally pennies! Go check them out today and help your little one learn a little more about life in a fun way!

Great books the whole family will love

May 26, 2009

Having a family full of book-lovers, I have a long list of favorite grown-up and childhood books.  However, one of the all-time favorites of kids and grown-ups alike in our house is the Skippy John Jones series.  The stories are centered around a Siamese kitten that lives with his siblings and mother and has an active fantasy life about being an outlaw Chihuahua.  These stories are hysterically funny, touching and lyrically charming.  Titles include: Skippy John Jones, Skippy John Jones Shape Up, Skippy John Jones Up and Down, Skippy John Jones and the Treasure Hunt, and Skippy John Jones in Mummy Trouble.  In each of these adventures this funny little masked marauder teams up with a pack of imaginary Mexican puppies and has all kinds of adventures.  Several of the books also have great educational value and can help you teach your preschooler about shapes, colors and other great lessons.  Check out your local bookstore or Amazon.com for new books for about $7 or used books for as low as $1.50!

Great books the whole family will love

May 26, 2009

Having a family full of book-lovers, I have a long list of favorite grown-up and childhood books.  However, one of the all-time favorites of kids and grown-ups alike in our house is the Skippy John Jones series.  The stories are centered around a Siamese kitten that lives with his siblings and mother and has an active fantasy life about being an outlaw Chihuahua.  These stories are hysterically funny, touching and lyrically charming.  Titles include: Skippy John Jones, Skippy John Jones Shape Up, Skippy John Jones Up and Down, Skippy John Jones and the Treasure Hunt, and Skippy John Jones in Mummy Trouble.  In each of these adventures this funny little masked marauder teams up with a pack of imaginary Mexican puppies and has all kinds of adventures.  Several of the books also have great educational value and can help you teach your preschooler about shapes, colors and other great lessons.  Check out your local bookstore or Amazon.com for new books for about $7 or used books for as low as $1.50!

ITunetastic

May 19, 2009

A lot of moms look at me kind of crazy when I say that my IPod comes in great handy with the kids.  I think generally moms use IPods as a source of music for working out, etc.  However, after loading mine with all of my music I discovered there was tons of room left and the wonderful world of ITunes.  After that I started to cruise around on ITunes and found some great audio books – something my kids love to listen to at bedtime.  I’ve found that putting a good story on helps us avoid the many ‘extra’ trips to the bathroom and requests for drinks of water.  There all time favorite is Amelia Bedelia – a charming and funny story about an absentminded housekeeper.  I also discovered that ITunes carries many of the shows that I watched as a child like the original Wonder Woman episodes and five full seasons of Pee Wee’s Playhouse – a show that my children absolutely adore.  As a treat for road trips I’ve downloaded movies like Inspector Gadget which helps the kids sit quietly in the car without investing in an expensive video system.   Finally, I’ve often found that my kids will discover new music that I can purchase on ITunes, for example recently my seven year-old learned to play ‘La Bamba’ on the piano and was absolutely thrilled when I bought the Richie Valens song! 

While technology is great for parents, there are so many ways to entertain kids as well and expose them to stories and music that they have never experienced before.  The other bonus is that we don’t have the stacks of DVD’s and CD’s that cause all that clutter that makes our lives seem unmanageable!  So check out ITunes today and discover the myriad of ways your kids can benefit from this amazing modern technology!

Books to cure boredom

by Kim Mordecai

January 08, 2009

I spent this morning organizing, or reorganizing you might say. I went through my pantry and three big cupboards, pulled everything out, threw stuff away, made a donation pile and reassembled. Now this is one of those things that is constantly on my to-do list ( I have yet to get to my closet, the kitchen junk drawer, the linen closet or the boys entire room!) but somehow, somewhere this  Read more...

The beauty of a book

by Kim Mordecai

December 19, 2008

With all the rush and panic of the holiday fast approaching, I'm trying to take a little time everyday to just chill out and enjoy the moment. A little of this time is spent on my own and a little bit more of this time is spent with my kids. The time I feel most at peace with my boys is snuggled up on our big purple couch, one of them under each arm with a book in my lap. Luckily, they both  Read more...

Grateful for share

by Kim Mordecai

December 17, 2008

So if you have a preschooler or a grade-schooler, you are probably familiar with 'share'. Basically what that means is that kids have certain days when they are allowed to bring in a personal item of their choice to share with their friends. Each child gets up and tells the class a little about their item and sometimes questions are taken. Share is a HUGE deal in my house. Every Friday my  Read more...

The magic of reading...

by Kim Mordecai

December 02, 2008

Today we had our official first, 1st grade parent-teacher-student conference. It was a little different from what I remember as a kid because my 6 year-old led the first part of the meeting by escorting his dad and I around the room and showing us what he has learned so far this year. The second part of the meeting was typical, the teachers (he has two) went over his test scores and progress so  Read more...

Storytime Relief

by Kim Mordecai

November 18, 2008

While generally I suggest preschool storytimes for the educational value and kid-friendly entertainment, today I am giving you an updated round-up for purely selfish and superficial reasons. As of Thursday of this week, my children are out of preschool and 1 st grade for TEN DAYS! Translation: I am prisoner and slave to the little beasts for a lot longer than I???m guessing I can handle.  Read more...

Turkey Day books to enjoy

by Kim Mordecai

November 14, 2008

So yesterday we made an early Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. It was a huge fabulous mess and the kids and I celebrated with warm pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream for dinner. Whatever - call me a bad mom but it was wonderful and festive and something we decided should be a new pre-Thanksgiving tradition. We are visiting family on Thanksgiving and have now taken on the responsibility of making  Read more...

Bubble Fun

by Kim Mordecai

November 11, 2008

So I spent all last night browsing through my new favorite book entitled Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. It is jam-packed with electronic-free games for kids from 12 months to 10 years old. It is organized really well with sections for each age divided into categories such as indoor play, pretend play, outdoor play, party play, group activities, etc. Today my boys  Read more...

Battery-free, screen-free, beep-free play!

by Kim Mordecai

November 10, 2008

One of the big challenges of parenting today is to find ways to keep our children occupied without letting them rot in front of the television or Nintendo all day long. Video games are one of those things that seem to permeate every child's life these days. And while many of the games are kid-friendly, it can be difficult to tell what games are appropriate for your child. There is also the  Read more...

Nurturing little bookworms

by Kim Mordecai

November 04, 2008

with children helps them develop language skills, listening skills and interacting with others. Whether you read at home with your little ones or take them to local storytimes, you are helping them to develop a love of reading and books that will serve them for a lifetime. As a small child I was an avid reader of Nancy Drew books. Today, there are a thousand times as many wonderful  Read more...

Holiday Traditions and Books!

by Kim Mordecai

October 28, 2008

I had the pleasure of appearing on Fox 40 news this morning and talking about Savvy Source! It was great fun; I spoke with Deborah Orozco about how families can save money generally and this holiday season in addition to making some suggestions about great holiday books. One of my very favorite books for the holidays and preschoolers is called Christmas around the World, a  Read more...

Part 3: 99 Fun Things To Do

by Kim Mordecai

October 17, 2008

Ta-Da! #'s 61 -99 of 99 things to do with your kids in Sacramento ! Read them over, pick one out and have a great weekend! 61. Go garage sale-ing on a Saturday in Midtown 62. Feed baby salmon at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery 63. Take a kid's art class with Monart Roseville or Folsom 64. See 4 th of July fireworks show at Cal Expo 65. Enjoy homemade cake at the Old Time Fiddle  Read more...

Fairy Festivities

by Kim Mordecai

September 24, 2008

FREE ADMISSION to Fairytale Town all weekend! FREE ADMISSION to the biggest literacy event in the region! FREE ADMISSION to the biggest Children's Book Party of the year! Let BOOKS TAKE YOU OVER THE RAINBOW to the Target Children's Book Celebration at Fairytale Town September 27 & 28, 2008 Featuring an All-Star line-up of Authors, Illustrators & Celebrity  Read more...

Puppy Love and Letting Go

by Kim Mordecai

September 16, 2008

In our house the only creatures that are more demanding, loving and rambunctious than the kids, are the pets. We are an animal family and to we have two dogs, four cats and two fish to prove it. Our animals help us teach the kids to have compassion and to be gentle, to be responsible and fair and the most significant lesson they are now helping us teach the children is that of loss.  Read more...

Rules, regulations and rowdy little ones

by Kim Mordecai

September 01, 2008

Having two boys under 7 years old is no small job. Then again having any young children is a challenge but having two who both happen to be aggressive, stubborn and independent can be particularly daunting. Now, I'm not going to say I don't know where they developed these characteristics because sometimes I feel like I'm talking (or arguing) with tiny boy-versions of myself. However, that  Read more...

Renegade Lunch Lady

by Kim Mordecai

August 25, 2008

Now that school is back full-swing I am back to my role as active classroom mom. The volunteer hours, the field trips, the parent meetings they are enough to boggle the mind but I enjoy taking part in my kid's education. With this said, I have a bone to pick with our public school system which is San Juan Unified School District about our cafeteria food. My new first grader asked to buy his  Read more...

Yo Ho Ho and a box of juice

by Kim Mordecai

August 07, 2008

There is something about being a bad guy. The allure of the evil-doer is something that seems to make its way into many little boys hearts - and pirates are a timeless favorite. The fiendish laugh, the buried treasure, the eye-patch hiding the gruesome battle wounds - who wouldn't want a pirate's life? Ok, maybe not you or I, but if you are a young kid - often a boy - you would whole-heartedly  Read more...

Yo Ho Ho and a Box of Juice!

by Kim Mordecai

August 07, 2008

There is something about being a bad guy. The allure of the evil-doer is something that seems to make its way into many little boys hearts - and pirates are a timeless favorite. The fiendish laugh, the buried treasure, the eye-patch hiding the gruesome battle wounds - who wouldn't want a pirate's life? Ok, maybe not you or I, but if you are a young kid - often a boy - you would whole-heartedly  Read more...

Spanish for preschoolers

by Kim Mordecai

August 04, 2008

In my house Spanish is a psuedo-second language. While mom and dad are not fluent in Spanish, we both come from hispanic backgrounds and know enough that it sneaks into our daily language. Because of this both my boys know basic words and phrases like 'hola' and 'gato' and 'como te llamas?'. I have always wanted them to learn the language completely, but have yet to discover the perfect way to  Read more...

Wizardly delights at Fairytale Town

by Kim Mordecai

July 24, 2008

While I have yet to allow my boys to watch the Harry Potter movies, due to excessive marketing they are Potter fanatics like most kids. They know the characters and the movie titles and regularly beg to watch the videos. However, up to this point I have decided against exposing them to the movies not because I don't love them myself because they are a bit too scary and I am not a fan of 2  Read more...

Get-away with a book

by Kim Mordecai

July 17, 2008

In my house, books are a religion. As a child I read voraciously and I am proud to report I have passed this passion onto my boys. There are so many wonderful things about reading but in my opinion the most valuable one is the ability to escape reality and immerse oneself into magic and wonder and other worlds. Since our focus this month at Savvy Source is getting away it is only fitting  Read more...

Listen Up!

by Kim Mordecai

July 15, 2008

It's vacation time for many local families and so packing, hitting the road by car and by plane is on a lot of mom's minds. How to survive the trip without wringing your little angel's necks is an interesting challenge. There will be crying, bickering, complaining and surely public embarrassment. There are a number of ways to combat this behavior. The first and foremost that comes to mind  Read more...

The birds and the bees and books please

by Kim Mordecai

June 26, 2008

Mom, I have a secret to tell you I have a girlfriend, actually two. These are the words that came out of my six year-old's mouth today as we drove to a playdate. My heart skipped a beat and with complete calm I asked him for details. Basically he just admitted to a crush on a couple of his kindergarten friends which I already suspected. However, the conversation then took off  Read more...

Rescue Me!

by Kim Mordecai

June 20, 2008

I had one of those days today. I had work to do and my internet went down, then my computer started to freeze up. Oh, but of course it didn't stop there. The house was a disaster - you know what I'm talking about. Laundry on every surface, sink piled with dishes, toys EVERYWHERE. I am not being dramatic here, I swear. Oh, and I had to make a cake and shop for my best friend's birthday party. We  Read more...