Readers are Made On the Lap of a Parent

guest post : our books for 2012 - PINTEREST style

2012-01-03T15:55:00.000-05:00

2012 - books for kids list

HI EVERYONE!!! Mrs. d from cnydalynn here. I haven't stopped by in so long... sorry about that. I wanted to share with you guys some of the books I plan on reading with my kids this year. I have made a board on pinterest (isn't that just the best thing on the internet?!?!?!) and will be adding to it frequently. Some of the things I pinned are children's books and some are art/craft/etc books that I wanted to make sure we checked out this year. I think this will be a great way for us to keep track of what we read this year - for me it is easier to PIN sometimes than blog:) lol

Here is where I would love your help... what toddler books do you LOVE at your house? Do you have any recommendations for us? We would love to hear them and I am sure the readers here would too. So comment away!!!! Let us know your favorites.

click here to see the board and follow us if you'd like-----> 2012 - books for kids list

Come on over to cnydalynn too to see what other things we will be up to in 2012 thanks to pinterest inspiration. oh that dang pinterest - always inspiring me to do more:)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
~ mrs. d

Homeschooling.....On the Lap

2011-08-26T16:01:00.001-04:00

I am a mom of 6 children, who also happens to homeschool. Changes came in 2010 when our 6th child was born and we've had to make many adjustments to our homeschooling schedule. At the end of last year I sat down and wondered what I could do to make our day more productive, and yet still give my very needy 1 year old the attention she craves. That's when I made the decision to start homeschooling on the lap. I've veered toward a literature based curriculum and we sit on the couch and read our way through literature, history, science, and whatever else we want to learn about. That way my 1 year old can sit on my lap and feel like she has some sort of attention from me. Of course we still do workbooks for Language/English and Math :).

All this to say, children need to be read to...no matter what their age. My older girls are 8 & 9 and they still look forward to it every morning. They write out vocabulary words they need to learn, details they find interesting, etc., which helps with comprehension. My younger ones just love being able to hear a story and have someone read to them. It is also building their vocabulary and you'd be amazed at what little children retain.

I'm going to try to do book reviews of what we read through. Many of our books can be found at the library, which happens to be our second home. :)

Kristine

Printable Page Grabber Bookmarks

2011-08-13T11:31:00.004-04:00

Family Fun has these super cool bookmarks/page grabbers for free to print.

5 Great Children's Book Authors at No Time for Flashcards

2011-08-12T07:50:00.000-04:00

Check out the list of 5 Great Children's Book Authors at No Time for Flashcards. I love her picks! Who are your favorites?

Color Book

2011-08-10T11:12:00.000-04:00

Source: havingfunathomeblog.blogspot.com via Aimee on Pinterest

Reading Aloud is Beautiful

2011-08-09T11:14:00.000-04:00

Source: allposters.com via Aimee on Pinterest

Letters ROCK!

2011-08-09T11:11:00.000-04:00

Source: etsy.com via Aimee on Pinterest

Book Club Tips and Ideas

2011-08-08T11:09:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming to a close soon but the book club ideas are for anytime. Visit Dinner: A Love Story for some good ideas, tips and tricks for getting your little ones to read and share.

Word Ending Block Game

2011-08-05T11:03:00.000-04:00

The Crafty Classroom has this idea for a great homeschool tool and it would be great in the classroom as well.

Reading Logs aren't just for summer

2011-08-04T10:59:00.000-04:00

Simple As That has a beautiful example and free printables for a reading log.

This beautiful reading log could be used year round.

Where reading begins...

2011-08-03T15:24:00.001-04:00

Reading begins with wonder at the world about us. It starts with the recognition of repeated events like thunder, lightening and rain. Reading is the practical management of the world about us. It was this for man when standing at the cave's mouth. It is this for us at the desk, the benches or computer. You are dealing with the signs of the thing represented. It is quite conceivable that a true non-reader can only survive in a mental hospital. So, when you hear the words "anyone can read" you may already consider that anyone already is.

In years before the printing press, the owner of the book was the possessor of strong magic and so was respected, or feared, which amounted to the same thing. In more recent centuries since the printing press the teaching of reading was begun as a sort of matching game in which the child was trained to fit appropriate symbols together, with the letters and building up to the words or sentences. Books were not to be mulled over, studied or struggled with. The teaching of the alphabet might still be a key to the library's treasure, it was a shining, inviting instrument, promised joys to children, pride to parents and the words riches for the whole community.

As Dr. La Brant said., "It would be absurd to think that the methods and purposes in the teaching and the learning of reading have not also changed with our world." Our children are living on a planet that differs from the one we knew. The end product of our new world is the picture magazine or website that puts almost no strain upon the literacy of its reader and the tabloid newspaper that reduces current events to slogans, nicknames and exclamations. But reading, remember, is not restricted to the printed page. Actually it never was. In one sense reading is the art of transmitting the ideas, facts and feelings from the mind and the soul of the author to the mind and soul of the reader, with accuracy and understanding, and much more.

It was only when man invented symbols for the words in his mouth and the ideas in his brain brain that other kinds of reading became useful, possible or desirable. Word magic is one of man's most wonderful and most dangerous tools. It builds air castles, raises an army of dragon men, fixes a name on a star and sends human blood running through dirty gutters. Men wanted to know things and facts and if the book could instruct them, they would read. The kind of power that is respected and sought was the kind that move and made things and the knowledge of this power eminently democratic.

The teaching of reading should begin as early as possible, never sooner. The child who has been prepared shows it by a willingness, an eagerness to learn. Parents have more and more relinquished their own peculiar responsibilities towards preparing their children for what they want and expect. We consume a mountain of print before we die, for amusement, for escape, for enlightenment and for living. We have a gadget that pushes the child's nose down a page at the prescribed rate and another that whips his eyes back and for with the speed of a a sidewinders tail. All we lack is a pill to make him want to read.

Reading Journals

2011-08-03T10:55:00.000-04:00

If you haven't read "The Book Whisper" by Donalyn Miller and you are a teacher or home-school mom then you should. These beautiful journals were posted by The Apple Basket Teacher and made after having been inspired by the book.

Book journals are a great way for a reader to incorporate writing and to have them learn to write reflections of what they have read. They journal in what they liked and didn't like and even how it may have affected them as readers. Then, when they need to recommend a book or are asked about a book they read, the reader has a reference of their initial thoughts and feelings. Sharing a great way to inspire others to read as well.

Read Aloud Ideas from Others

2011-08-02T10:46:00.000-04:00

The Pioneer Woman posted a question on her HomeSchool blog about Read-Aloud ideas and the response was huge. Check it out here.

Book Party Idea

2011-08-01T10:38:00.001-04:00

I'm read to host a book party for my boys and their friends. Here is an example of a Book Baby Shower. over at Erin Ever After. I love her book mark, I must say!

Encourage Writing Old School Style

2011-07-29T10:35:00.001-04:00

I have searched and searched for one of these. My kids had never laid eyes on one before but the day I brought it home and rolled some paper into it the fell in love. After they explored the functions, the writing began. My oldest sat down to write a letter to a friend while my middle typed his name. If you have one of these in your garage or run across a working one for cheap, you'll be glad for bringing it out or bringing it home.

Author Inspired Birthday Party

2011-07-28T10:25:00.001-04:00

Check out this Pottery Barn party inspired by one of my favorite author/illustrators Eric Carle.

Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School

2011-07-28T10:21:00.004-04:00

Ohdeedoh featured David Mackintosh's new book.

As a book it’s pretty fantastic, thick high-quality pages, bold colors, quirky illustrations and a great moral message. But it’s the subtle details that wink at things like ingenuity, food, hospitality, kindness, and even home design that really won me over. Ben Partridge

Head over to Ohdeedoh to read the full review.

Inspiring...

2011-07-27T10:56:00.001-04:00

Source: None via Aimee on Pinterest

Writing Pillow

2011-07-27T10:23:00.000-04:00

great bag for BIG books!

2011-06-25T14:10:00.000-04:00

Head on over to Love Endures All Things for instructions on how to make this bag. I thought it was so cute and funny! I bet you would get some looks at the library:) Book humor... we love that on this blog!

Click HERE for the tutorial.

~Mrs. D

Pinterest: Literature Placemats

2011-06-24T08:59:00.001-04:00

Source: realsimple.com via Aimee on Pinterest

Father's Day Books

2011-06-16T07:44:00.001-04:00

We are getting mighty close to a special holiday on Sunday - Father's Day! If you are still looking for a gift for dad or just something special as you celebrate, consider one of these daddy themed books!

Day Out with Daddy by Stephen Cook – A simple, funny tale told from a young boy’s point of view about a special day with Dad while Mom’s away. Appropriate for older preschoolers and young elementary students (who may get the jokes a little better).

Daddy Hugs by Karen Katz – This brightly illustrated story shows Daddy and Baby throughout their day, giving different kinds of hugs (teeny tiny finger hugs, boo-boo hugs, etc.) from 1 to 10. Appropriate for babies and toddlers.

The Very Best Daddy of All by Marion Dane Bauer – I find this book so refreshing because it features animal dads and their children – something that seems hard to find in picture books. My daughter always sees the pictures of animal moms and asks where the daddies are! This is a sweet book showing animal fathers taking care of their offspring and ends with a human father who is, of course, the very best! The pictures are soft and the text is rhyming, so it’s a great bedtime book. Appropriate for preschoolers.

Toilet Paper Tube Books (with pull tabs)

2011-06-14T15:11:00.000-04:00

I can teach my child!: Toilet Paper Tube Books (with pull tabs)

Hey there.... long time no see:)

2011-05-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

Hey you guys! I thought I would pop in here on On the Lap and say HI! I miss you guys. I have been reading to my children just not posting about it like I should! I am making no promises but I hope to be regular this summer when reading is at a HIGH around here... we have to fill our hot days with something FUN!!!!

hop on over to my blog, cnydalynn, where I posted about a couple of books we have been enjoying lately! And yes I changed the blog name but it is still the same stuff just a new name. change is good:)

READ ON!

Mrs. D

Raising Boys Who Want To Read

2011-05-17T07:10:00.000-04:00

For a variety of reasons, it can be harder to get boys interested in reading than girls. Check out this post over at No Time for Flash Cards for some wonderful ideas to get the boy in your life excited about reading - some of which we've shared here before!