Building Character from the Start Giveaway and Review

Does your child act like a lion or a lamb? Does the answer to that question change from minute to minute? Right now it changes from minute to minute at my house. Sometimes JDaniel is a love. He loves to learn, explore, share hugs, and follow directions. Sometimes he can roar like a lion throwing a temper tantrum. I hope to help him learn and explore all aspects of his character. I hope to help him learn why he does things and how to hone the great assets of his character.

I was given the opportunity to preview a great tool for parents, teachers, and counselors called Building Character from the Start: 201 Activities to Foster Creativity, Literacy, and Play in K-3 by Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor. As someone who taught primary aged children for twenty years, I found a lot of reason to love this book. You can open this book and start on an activity with very little preparation. The books include almost everything you would need. There alternative ways listed to complete activities. There is a wide variety of activities described. Each activity works on a particular set of character traits or what the author’s call assets.

The book is divided into three sections. The first is Finish the Pieces and Masterpiece Creations. It contains worksheet like pages with a coloring area and Let’s Talk Section. The Let’s Talk section offers questions you can ask a child about the picture they have created to fit the theme at the top of the page. The second section is Experience Books. It is my favorite section. Why? It takes wonderful children’s books and applies their lessons to everyday life. This section also contains a Let’s Talk section as well as an Explore More section. The Explore More section asks children to create or participate in activities that helps further put feet on the character trait you are working on. The final section is called Play and Move. This section is filled with games and activities to do with a class or group of children that will help them work on an aspect of their character. There are word games, team building, scavenger hunts, Olympic events, and more. There is also a Let’s Talk section with each activity.

You don’t have to be a classroom teacher or counselor to use and enjoy this book. A mom who wants to help her children be the best they can be would love it too.

Would you like a copy?

Buy it? Amazon is selling this book for $22.76.

Win it?

Here’s how?

*Tell me why you would love this book.( 1 entry)

For extra entries do any or all of the following leaving a separate comment for each entry.

•Tell me something you learned from their website.(1 entry)

•Leave a comment on their newsletter. (1 entry)

•Write about this giveaway with a link back to it on Facebook or another social network site. (1 entry)

•Leave comment on non-giveaway blog post. (1 entry)

•Follow my blog. Leave me a comment saying that you now follow or that you already do. (1 entry)

•Twitter about this giveaway with a link back, you must also be following me on Twitter. Copy and paste: BuildingCharacterGiveaway@JDaniel4’sMom(1 entry per day)

•Subscribe to my blog. Leave me a comment saying that you have subscribed or that you already do. (1 entry)

•Add me to your blog roll. Please leave a link to your site.(2 entries)

•Add my button to your blog. Please leave a link to your site.(2 entries)

That is 12 ways to win. The winner will be chosen by using the random number generator at http://www.random.org/. )

This giveaway begins March 10th and ends March 18th.

Birthday Songs and Fingerplays

The Birthday Song
Oh, do you know the birthday girl (boy) The birthday girl, the birthday girl, Oh, do you know the birthday girl, Her (his) name is __________.
Do you know how old she is How old she is, how old she is? Do you know how old she is She is ___________ years old.

Birthday Doo Dah

Zippity - sung to "Zippity Doo dah"
Zippity dooh dah, zippity ay,my oh my what a wonderful day,plenty of sunshine comin' your way (you way!)zippity dooh dah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Taken from http://stepbystepcc.com/holidays/birthday.html

Five Candles on the Cake
Five candles on a birthday cake

Five, and not one more.

You may blow one candle out, [make blowing sound and motion]

And that leaves four!

Four candles on a birthday cake

There for all to see.

You may blow one candle out, [make blowing sound and motion]

And that makes three!

Three candles on a birthday cake

Standing straight and true.

You may blow one candle out, [make blowing sound and motion]

And that leaves two!

Two candles on a birthday cake

Helping us have fun.

You may blow one candle out, [make blowing sound and motion]

And that leaves one!

One candle on a birthday cake

We know its task is done.

You may blow this candle out, [make blowing sound and motion]And that leaves none!

Taken from http://earlylit.net/wordpress/category/storytime-component/fingerplays-and-rhymes/

Birthdays
Birthday candles, one-two-three (hold up fingers on the count)
Birthday candles just for me! (point to self)
Last year two, next year four (hold up 2 fingers on left hand and 4 on right)
Birthday candles I want more! (hold up all fingers)

Taken from http://leland22201.tripod.com/id3.html

Learning the Color Red- Links 4 Moms

JDaniel and I have been studying the color red this week. Here are some website pages that we have used to work on the color red:

A Child's Dictionary of Red Things

An Animated Collage of Red Objects

Coloring Pages of Red Things

Seeing Red!

JDaniel has decided that everything is blue or orange. I decided that we would work on exploring the color red this week. We used the great red bag I was sent by Pam from Country Mouse, City Mouse to look for red things around the house. There were a few items that JDaniel selected that weren’t really red, but for the most part he did a great job gathering a collection of red items. Not everything he found fit in the bag.

We will also be looking for red spots I am going to hide around the house, coloring a page of red objects, and looking for pictures of red things in magazines this week.

Valentine's Day Decorated Oatmeal Container with Many Uses

I drew the hearts on the paper. JDaniel helped with coloring and adding stickers to this oatmeal container.

Now what can we do with it?

• Fill it with a present for my husband
  


• Line it with a plastic bag that comes with the newspaper and make it a vase
  


• Put pictures we find in magazines that have to do with Valentine’s Day or the color red inside. Later we can take each picture out and talk about it.
  


• Use it as a prayer stick container like the Prayer Pail Lu Bird Baby did on her blog. You have to check it out. She decorated a flower pot and then labeled tongue pressers with people she would like her family to pray for. They can pick a stick out and pray for the person on the stick that night at dinner.
  


• Roll it back and forth on the floor and name a person we love each time we roll it.
  


• Put treats in it and take out one treat each day as we count down to Valentine’s Day

How else can we use this container? Leave a comment letting me know what you come up with.

Family Dance-off Video Competition

You know that JDaniel4 and I love to dance. We are still dancing around to Ross King every night. Here is a fun competition that includes family dancing and great prizes:

Family Dance-off Video Competition, sponsored by Primrose Schools. Primrose Schools, the has launched a national campaign to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices by encouraging families across the country to boogie on down!

Here's how you can compete in the Family Dance-off:

1. Record a 30-second home video of your family's best dance moves. The sillier, the better!

2. Visit FamilyDanceoff.com and upload your best take from now until March 19th, 2010.

3. View and vote daily for your favorite family dance video!If your video makes the cut, your family can have a chance to WIN these great prizes:

$5,000 grand prize
Wii Fit Bundle
FLIP Video camera
$30,000 donation to your local Children's Miracle Network hospital

Disclaimer: I was contacted by MomSelect and asked to mention this competition. It was possible to register for a prize by mentioning it. I have not registered for the prize. This just sounded like fun.

World Math Day Competition

Do you have a child that loves math? Here is a great opportunity for them to flex that math muscles:

World Math Day for students ages 5-18 on March 3, 2010. You can register at http://www.worldmathsday.com/2010/Default.aspx?. The competition is a free, online math competition where students compete against one another in a quest to answer the most math questions in 24 hours.

Last year, a new world record was set after a staggering 1,952,879 million
students from 38,058 schools in 204 countries answered 452,681,681 math
questions correctly during the World Math Day competition. Students are looking to break the record again this year.

Making Hand Shadows- Links 4 Moms

Since it was Groundhog Day earlier in the week, I thought I would share websites that teach you how to make hand shadows this week. These sites each have very clear illustrations on how to make each shadow animal or object. Have fun!

Shadows with Hands

Ashley’s Shadows

Hand shadows

Groundhog Day Celebration Ideas

Here are some fun ways to celebrate Groundhog Day:

1.Sing a song about a groundhog:

Here's A Little Groundhog

sung to "I'm A Little Teapot"

I see a little groundhog, furry and brown,

He's popping up to look around.

If he sees his shadow, down he'll go.

Six more weeks of winter - oh, no!

See My Shadow
(to the tune of "Frere Jacques")

See my shadow,See my shadow,Move this way,Move this way,

Doing things that I do,Doing things that I do,Follow me,Follow me.

I'm a Little Groundhog
(to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little groundhog short and stout,

February second I will come out.

If I see my shadow they will shout,

"Six weeks more winter without doubt!"


2.Print out a groundhog bookmark.

3. Create a pop-up puppet of a groundhog. ( Today we went outside on the deck briefly between raindrops. Our groundhog did not see his shadow.)

Happy National Popcorn Day! Celebrate with a Rhyme!

Today is National Popcorn Day. Here is a fun rhyme to do with your children:

Pop! Pop! Pop! Put the corn into the the pot. (Pretend to pour popcorn in the pot)

Pop! Pop! Pop! Shake and shake it 'til it's hot. (Pretend to shake the pot or shake your whole body)

Pop! Pop! Pop! Lift the lid and what have you got? (Pretend to lift the lid of the pot)

Pop! Pop! Pop! POPCORN! (Clench your hands and release them to make a poping movement)

Two Songs About Martin Luther King and a Craft for Children

Martin Luther King’s birthday is this week. I thought I would share two songs for children I found on the internet about him and a wonderful art project my nephew Charlie did in preschool to celebrate his birthday.

Here are the songs:

Freedom, Freedom, Let It Ring to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

Freedom, freedom, let it ring.Let it ring, said Dr. King.

Let it ring from North to South.

Let it ring from house to house.

Let it ring for everyone,

All across the whole nation.

Let it ring for black and white,

Let it ring both day and night.

Let it ring for young and old,

Forever may its song ring bold.Freedom, freedom, let it ring.

Let it ring, said Dr. King.

Let Us Keep His Dream Alive to the tune of "This Old Man"

This young man had a dream;

In his eye he had a gleam.

We must love each other to survive.

Let us keep his dream alive.

He believed man was good;

He had dreams of brotherhood.

We must love each other to survive.
Let us keep his dream alive.

All join hands, let us sing;

Let the bells of freedom ring.

We must love each other to survive.

Let us keep his dream alive.

We can learn from the past;
Then we'll all be "free at last!"

We must love each other to survive.

Let us keep his dream alive.

Here is the wonderful craft:

Charlie and his classmates put handprints on each person’s paper to create unity ring of many skin tones. Then they played this beautiful dove in the center of the ring.

Repost:Mommyhood Tip- Using Greeting Cards to Make a Picture Walking Book

This idea was originally posted during recycling week on JDaniel4's Mom in September. I thought I would enjoy seeing it again. You may have a lot of Christmas cards piled up in your house and this is a new use for them.

Here is how you put together your greeting card picture walking book:

1.You remove the front part of a bunch of greeting cards.
2.You take a hole punch and punch a hole in one corner of each card.
3.You put a metal ring through the holes.

How do you use them to picture walk?
-You can flip through the cards and talk about what it happening on each card.
-You can look for a particular color on each card.
-You can look for a particular element on a card.(trees,animals,candles,flowers)

Older Children
-You could use them to discuss the setting of each illustration.
-You could have a child select a card and use it as a story starter.
-You could have a child select a card and make up a word problem for that card.

International New Year’s Eve for Kids- Links for Moms

Here is another great idea from my sister Kate for New Year’s Eve. Have your kids pick a country and then find out the traditions of the country (food etc). Then you celebrate New Year's at the time that country does so the kids can get to celebrate early and learn something.

Here are some links that share international New Year's Eve traditions:

http://www.fathertimes.net/traditions.htm
http://www.novareinna.com/festive/atw.html
http://www.daytimer.com/E-Talk/Trivia-Time-New-Years-Food-Customs-Around-the-World/0/False

Guest Post: A Family New Year's Eve Party by Kate H.

Kate H. is my youngest sister. She is the mother of two, an adjunct college instructor, war veteran, and so much more. She is very creative. I thought you would enjoy hearing about how she celebrates New Year's Eve with her family and friends.

We invite over 3 families with children around 7pm. They are encouraged to bring an appetizer or dessert to share. We play family games with the kids.

Last year I used a cut-out Snowman from a Holiday card and we played secret snowman where the kids try to secretly attach the snowman (I put strong tape on the back) to someone. If the person notices them they need to try another person. It was great fun. The kids could not keep a straight face, but the adults pretended not to notice when the snowman was stuck to their backs. (This year the kids got Operation, and I Spy board game and Farmyard Uno so we will probably stick with board games.)

As 8 p.m. approached we break out the tacky paper hats and noise makers. I found some plastic champagne glasses at a discount store and we serve sparkling grape juice.

We have a battery operated clock in our kitchen which I take down and reset the time to make 8 pm turn magically into midnight. At midnight we toast each other and shout Happy New Year. This year I think we will make confetti because Charlie's teacher said he needs to practice cutting.

How do you celebrate with your family?

The Shepherds are on the Move

One of the ladies in my mom’s group at church shared this wonderful activity that she did with her children when they were little. She would set up her nativity scene minus the shepherds. The shepherds would start their journey to the stable far away from the nativity scene somewhere else in the house. Each day the shepherds would appear in a new location in her home closer to the nativity scene. They would move closer and closer until they appeared in the nativity on Christmas Eve.

This activity could be started at any point leading up to Christmas. It won’t be to late start it this week. I am going to try it with JDaniel. It will be fun to search the house and look for the shepherds.

Birthday Promise to Jesus-Last Minute Christmas Idea

My friend Elaine’s family writes birthday promises to Jesus every year. She places a box like the one above under their Christmas tree. In the box are birthday cards to Jesus and a set of pens. The first present they open Christmas morning is this special box. Each member of her family given their card to write a promise to Jesus they would like to keep for the year. They have been writing in their cards for years. Each person can look at the promises they have made over time as they write their new promise. The members of her family take a few minutes to reflect on their prior promises and pray for the promise they are making. Then each person places their card back in the box. No one needs to know what the others have promised in their cards. This is a special promise they each make to Jesus alone.

This year we are going to start this tradition too. My mom and dad along with a friend of my husband’s will be with us for Christmas this year. I am hoping they will all enjoy participating in this birthday promise to Jesus activity.

Great Advent Idea with Books!

I read a great Advent idea using Christmas books online yesterday. Jolly Mom suggested reading a different Christmas book everyday of Advent. She had collected books and placed bookmarks counting down the days in each book. They had them displayed in the living room of their home. You have to check out her picture and explanation of the activity.

After Thanksgiving Dinner Walk Activities

When I was little, my family used to go for a walk after eating Thanksgiving dinner. If a walk is in your Thanksgiving plans, here are two activities I found that you could do during your walk.

Paint Sample Search- Everyone is given a paint sample card and has to try and locate at least one thing on the walk that matches one of the colors on their card. If you don’t have paint samples, you could have everyone grab three or four crayons and try to find things that match their crayons.




First Initial Search- Everyone tries to find five things on the walk that begin with the same letter as their first name. If you have several people with the same first letter, you could use middle names.

Thankfulness Calendar Idea from 24/7

Step 1 - Decide how many days you would like to count down with activities- The entire month of November.- 12 Days of Thankfulness ( start 12 days until Thanksgiving with day 12 being Thanksgiving).- Choose the number of days that what works for your family.

Step 2 - Create a Countdown to Thanksgiving

1. Write daily Thankful activities on slips of papers that you then roll into scrolls and place into a decorated jar.

2. Make A Tree or Turkey out of poster board. Then cut out leaves or feathers and write on each one a Thankful activity allowing your children to choose one each day to do.

3. Number envelopes and fill with slips of paper that you have written daily activities on allowing your children to open one envelop each day.

4. Make a paper chain out of strips of construction paper. Write a thankful activity on each slip of paper. Allow your kids to tear one off each day as they count down.

Step 3 - Choose Thankful activities for you and your family to do each day of your Thanksgiving countdown.

This is just part of an article by 24/7. I thought it was an awesome idea. For more detail please visit her posting at http://247moms.blogspot.com/2009/10/thanksgiving-countdown-with-family.html.

Mommyhood Activity-Pumpkin Hunt in the Neighborhood

We like to go for walks before dinner while it is still light outside. Sometimes JDaniel needs something to focus on while we walk. Lately we have been going on pumpkins hunts around the neighborhood to see if there are any new pumpkins that have appeared. He really seems to like finding them. We talk about whether they are large or small. We look to see if they have faces or a still plain like ours. He almost sprints to the next house to see if he will find one.