WORDS is a brilliant short (1:54) film that blends images to create a flowing “word poem” that is lovely, fun and thought-provoking. It starts out with “play,” which leads to “blow” and then “break” and “split” and then “run.” The images examine all aspects of the words. For instance, “run” is a person running, and […]
Activities
Parents can teach media literacy
The North American House Hippo exists… right? Move media literacy up on your curriculum. The world for kids today is increasingly packed with messages from the media that are contradictory, confusing and overwhelming. (By media, I mean primarily advertisers, news organizations and the Internet.) Media literacy—being able to make sense of […]
Promote literacy: four important activities
There’s a fourth promoter of literacy. You know that I’m always going on about the three most important things you can do to turn your kid into a great reader: 1) Read to her every day. 2) Have lots of books scattered throughout your house. 3) Let her see you […]
Mother-Son bookclub part II
Our mother-son book club met again this week. It’s a great example of parents taking their children’s literacy into their own hands. And anyone can do it – you can do it. The boys drew, read, wrote, ate, chatted, answered quiz questions and had an amazing time. Once again, the […]
Mother-Son book club
My friend Joulie is a supermom. That needs to be said right off the bat. There is no way to live up to the things that Joulie does with her kids. And for the kids at the school. And for the neighbourhood kids. Luckily, I don’t have to be as good […]
Blocks With Letters On 3
Oh my, this one’s tricky! If you have a kid who’s a real fan of puzzles, he’ll love the newest Blocks With Letters On online game – their third in the series. Once again, you have to figure out what word the jumbled letters spell, and then try to manipulate […]
Vote on Munsch’s next book
What’s Robert Munsch going to write about next? You (or your kid) can help him decide. Munsch has three outlines for new books. Kids can pick which one they’d most like to see made into a book by clicking on the voting button. Go to Pick-A-Munsch on Scholastic’s website and […]
Scrabble Flash (Boggle Flash)
Don’t you wish there was a board game that encourages literacy – but which your kid would actually enjoy? Scrabble Flash goes one better… it’s also electronic, which kids love. And it’s completely portable, packing down into a little holder about the size of a small TV remote. (Which parents […]
Back to school 2010
By Julia Mohamed It’s nearly back-to-school time! Time to go from running wild and free to becoming a studious student once again. Here are a few ideas to help make the transition as smooth as possible: Goal Journal Have your kids contribute to a nightly journal. Begin now, with their […]
Supermarket Scavenger Hunt
By Julia Mohamed The next time you go grocery shopping, make it a more educational, enjoyable and literate experience for your kids with a Supermarket Scavenger Hunt! 1. Give each child a list of items to gather. Be as specific as possible (include a brand name, size, etc.) For instance, […]
