This little one needs our prayers - More inside

Here's the link: http://www.preschoolersandpeace.com/?p=423

Please lift this little one up to the Father. Pass the word! I'm sure Kendra will be most grateful!

Free Summer Reading Programs!

A study conducted by Jimmy Kim of Harvard's Center for Evaluation found that reading 4 or 5 books over the summer months had an impact on fall reading achievement comparable to attending summer school." I don't know about your family, but I have a few booklovers here and they can read 4-5 thick books in about two weeks now that they are older. Books are a homeschoolers best friend. They are windows on the world that act as springboards to real learning. While many homeschoolers are avid readers, there are those that struggle with reading or are simply not motivated to read very much. Summer reading programs sponsored by libraries and corporations not only reward eager readers, but provide incentives that encourage the reluctant to read as well. Take advantage of them - they are great tools that may enhance your homeschool experience.

Here are some free Summer Reading Programs that are available to all:

About.com's Homeschooling Summer Reading Club - Homeschooled children in grades K-12 are eligible. Read books and when the total number of pages reaches 500 - win a certificate, stickers and a prize.

Barnes And Noble Summer Reading Club - This reading program (for students in grades 1-6) is based on books by children's author, Andrew Clements. Read any 8 books and write about your favorite part. Bring a page of what you wrote to a Barnes & Noble bookstore and choose a free book from a list of paperback titles.

Half Price Books' Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program - Children 10 and under (with help from mom or dad) log 15 minutes a day of reading time each week and earn a $3 gift card to Half Price Books, or a free Kids Buffet at Cici's Pizza. (This can only be redeemed at a retail location for either company.)

National Amusements Cinema: Bookworm Wednesdays - Kids get free admission to a select children's film (at theater locations throughout the U.S.) every Wednesday at 10 AM from June 25 to August 13, 2008, when they present a book report at participating theatres. Children under 6 and adults who accompany a participant receive free admission to the Bookworm Wednesdays movie.

Pizza Hut's Brain Food Summer Reading Program - Open to all K-6 students within the U.S. Each student must read a total of 5 books between June 13 and August 15, 2008. Send entry form that includes a short paragraph listing the student's favorite book and why. Many prizes awarded including Nintendo DS Lite. This is an extension of the Pizza Hut Book It Reading Program that runs from October 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 where reading earns kids a personal pan pizza each month. You must sign up for the Book It program by June 30, 2008.

Pottery Barn Book Club for Kids! - This is a year-round reading program. Kids of all ages can attend a story time at Pottery Barn on Tuesdays at 10 AM. Receive a Book Club Card at the first story time. Attend 5 more story times and receive a free gift!

Scholastic's Summer Reading Buzz! - Keep your kids turning the pages all summer long! Just choose the appropriate grade level (from pre-k through middle school), and find printable best bets for summer reading. Log the books you read at the website and access games and fun activities too. For every 4 books read, Scholastic will donate one book to those in need.

SCORE! Educational Centers' Summer Reading Program - Over the summer, students read books (at their grade level) to earn fabulous prizes such as a free pool pass to go swimming at the YMCA, or a free game of bowling at the local alley! Only available at participating SCORE centers. For information contact: Michael Solo, Community Outreach Director, SCORE! Educational Centers, Telephone (650) 948-8118.

Sylvan Learning's Book Adventure - This year-round reading programs encourages kids to create their own book lists from over 6,000 recommended titles. They read the books and then take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read offline. They earn points and prizes for their literary success.

Don't' forget to check your local library for summertime reading programs too!

Ideas for fun with water

When my children were ages 2 to 3 or 4, I would give them a regular size paintbrush and a bucket of water. They would spend at least a half hour painting the bricks on our house with water. They had a blast pretending to be a painter.

My husband brought home a big green bucket from a restaurant one day. They will give them to you for free. The one he brought home was a pickle bucket and is very durable. We have used it to wash our cars for many years. I would fill the bucket up with bubbles and sponges. The kids and I would wash the car in the mornings when it was cooler. They would wear their bathing suits. It was a lot of fun to play in the bucket of bubbles and to wash the car. The kids would squeal with excitement from the fun they were having. I was so happy to get the car cleaned at the same time. :-) You know how we moms like to "kill two birds with one stone"? That's what I was doing, making memories and getting my car cleaned at one time.

Have fun making memories with your children this summer!

BUBBLES, BUBBLES EVERYWHERE!

I don't know about your children, but when ours were little, bubbles were a favorite pasttime. I can still hear my children squealing as they chased the bubbles. I used to buy the biggest bottle I could from Walmart and then I found a homemade solution. Here's the recipe I used for a homemade solution:

Bubble Solution: 2/3 cup of dishwashing soap, 1 gallon water, 2 to 3 tablespoons of glycerin (available in pharmacies). Mix together and start blowing! I kept all the bubble wands from the containers I bought from Walmart.

Have fun making bubble memories with your children this summer!

It's SUMMER!

Well, I know it's not "officially summer" by the calendar, but where I live, it's SUMMER! We've been dealing with temperatures in the 100's for about five days. That doesn't include the heat index, which have been up to 116 degrees! This has been more like what we experience in August or September around here. Now, I don't know about you, but when it's that hot, we're going to be inside our house in the cool air, sipping lemonade! I don't like summertime heat and humidity, so I'd like to just skip summer. I enjoy the spring, fall, and winter months so much more. I can handle the heat, but it's the humidity that is so awful. I thought I'd write a few posts on things we have done in the past with our children for summer time fun.