I’m a big believer that if you want kids to understand words and letters, they’ve gotta get their hands dirty. If there’s something to feel, touch, throw, squish and otherwise interact with — kids are going to get the message on a whole different level. (It’s called kinesthetic learning, but […]
Other News
Silent E
Here is a great video that teaches what Silent E does. (Spoiler alert: For one thing, it makes a hug huge!) Thanks to thekidshouldseethis.com, who brought this to my attention via a tweet. Their website is fantastic – it’s a collection of videos that kids just gotta see. And if you’re in […]
Fun online spelling bee
This one’s for kids who are already good spellers and who think spelling is fun. (To me it’s a no-brainer, but I have to remember that not everyone reads the dictionary for fun.) Anyway, that kid will appreciate this great online spelling bee from Oxford. It’s fast and it’s fun […]
Every Canadian in grade one gets a free book in October
Barbara Reid, Alan Convery (TD), Jo Ellen Bogart, Charlotte Teeple (Exec, Dir. CCBC); image: Joyce Grant This month, every grade-one child in Canada will receive a free book. That’s every grade-one child, including those home-schooled, or in any school in the country, private or public. What’s the catch? There is […]
Literacy opportunities are everywhere
You don’t always need books to help your kid read better.
The School for the Insanely Gifted, by Dan Elish
I heard about this book and thought it sounded interesting. Long-story (oh-so-long!) short, I ended up having to get a review copy sent to my vacation-hotel in California because the publisher wouldn’t ship to Canada. Was it worth it? Yes. Memorable characters and interesting premise. Things get a little wild and crazy […]
Scrabble – Alphabet Scoop game
Caution: Don’t eat actual soup while you’re playing this game. (We did – it was an issue. I’ll tell you at the end.) Scrabble – Alphabet Scoop is a fun new game that you can play with kids who are at different levels of literacy and of different ages. It’s […]
Advice from a young author: Dare to suck
Do you have a kid you’re trying to encourage to write more? Is your kid discouraged because she’s worried that her writing isn’t good enough? Here’s some great advice from a young author, Maureen Johnson, who is currently working on her 10th novel for teens. She will tell your kid (in her […]
TDSB writing contest – win a laptop!
It’s time to get writing again – and here’s a wonderful incentive for kids in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Write 150 to 250 words about what you’re most looking forward to this school year. And you could win a Dell Inspiron Duo Laptop (value $550) or a backpack full […]
Collection of videos kids gotta see
You’ve gotta love the spirit behind The Kid Should See This. You’re trolling the Internet (as you do) and you come across a crazy video showing lightning strikes on the CN Tower, and you think “I’ve gotta show this to my kid!” That’s exactly what TKSST is. A collection of fascinating, […]