The Kissing Hand

If your looking for an encouraging and heartfelt story to start off your child's school year, I recommend The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

My own Kindergartner has been struggling with the new school year and leaving Momma all day, so I've been giving her a kissing hand each morning to help comfort her when she misses me throughout the day.

For more information about this wonderful book, read the Amazon review below:
"Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones. The rough but endearing raccoon illustrations are as satisfying and soothing for anxious children as the simple story." (Ages 5 and older) --Karin

Take Care,

Jen

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Memories!

Fun at the beach!


Sunshine girl on the tree swing!


Peanut having fun, too!


Salamander hunting!


Crowns of Daisies!


Lots of summer birthday parties!


Lovin' the hats!

Now it is time for Back To School! We'll miss you summer fun, but we are looking forward to pumpkins, fall leaves, and the cool nights of Autumn.

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Jen

Amusement Park Fun!

There's nothing like going to an amusement park in the summer- the rides, the laughter, the games,the lights, and the food. Did I mention the food?

Boy, did we have a great time last weekend taking the girls to a park that we both visited each summer as children. We even went there on dates as teenagers. It makes it even more special. Today, I'm going to post a few photos of the girls having a blast and then later in the week, I'm hoping to give ideas on how to use rides and roller coasters as a learning experience. A little bit of kid physics anyone???

Here are the girls posing for Mom. Don't they look cute in their matching outfits and pigtails? Besides the sweetness factor, it is a great strategy for keeping a close eye on the kids.














Before the big wave!



After!!



This is a video of the girls on The Whip. You can easily pick them out by their screams. The cackling in the background- just mom enjoying the moment!



So, what is your favorite ride or childhood memory?

I've always loved the carousel. I still enjoy riding it. Something about the painted horses, the music, and lights that makes it so magical. It's like riding a big piece of beautiful art.

Well, I hope that you enjoyed our day at the park. Have a wonderful weekend!

Jen

Color My Wardrobe

Very simple idea. Inexpensive. The best gift ever!



My daughter received a Crayola: Color My Wardrobe craft kit for her birthday in April. She just loves it. Not only does it stimulate creative thinking, but also role play and hours of fun. She still has dresses left to decorate after all of these months. It is something fun to do with her older sister as well. After making numerous designs, they hold fashion shows with the cardboard doll to share their new creations with the family.



I'll have to confess, I designed a few dresses myself. Hubby even made a camo-dress. What a great Dad- designing dresses with his daughters!
(Don't tell anyone. He, He!)


Blank dress



Dress after creating!



Another creative design

And Dad's famous......


Camo Dress

Although this product is inexpensive, you could make your own cardboard doll and cut out dress patterns for your child. Use small pieces of Velcro to attach the dresses to the doll. Also, you can use other art supplies such as ribbon, little fabric flowers, or glitter glue to decorate the dresses.

Enjoy your day and have fun being creative!

Jen

Digital Storytelling

Today was the first day of a series of teaching workshops that I will be taking all week. Digital storytelling was the topic for today's study and ways to integrate this technology into the classroom. The software that we explored was Microsoft Photo Story 3. I found it to be pretty simple to use.

Here is a quick overview of what you can do with this software:

Create slideshows using your digital photos. With a single click, you can touch-up, crop, or rotate pictures. Add stunning special effects, soundtracks, and your own voice narration to your photo stories. Then, personalize them with titles and captions. Small file sizes make it easy to send your photo stories in an e-mail. Watch them on your TV, a computer, or a Windows Mobile–based portable device.
Source: Microsoft Photo Story 3 for Windows XP

Digital story telling can be used in the classroom by both the instructor and the student as a learning tool. The instructor can use it as a motivational tool to introduce content, as well as a tool to teach.

Students can use this software for a variety of classroom projects such as, a personal timeline or family tree, a culminating activity for a field trip, or to share research.

If you are interested in learning more, seeing examples, or trying your hand at digital storytelling, you can download the software for free.

Other resources that might be of interest:

7 Things You Should Know About Digital Storytelling

Digital Storytelling: Promoting Deep Thinking Through Stories


Be sure to comment and let me know if you give it a try or if you've used this software before. Beside in the classroom, this would also be a great tool to create our own family stories at home.

Take Care,
Jen