Give your little one a bright and comfy spot to play on. These Little Journey Foldable Playmats will be available at ALDI starting Jul. 29. Choose from several designs, each with reversible sides.
Little Journeys Reversible Playmat Safari
Little Journeys Reversible Playmat Elephants
Little Journeys Reversible Playmat Sea
The mats reverse to reveal an adorable animal themed alphabet.
Each mat retails for $14.99 and is available for a limited time.
Dr. Tameka Maiden, a single mom, pharmacist and former teacher from Houston, Texas, created the Cubby Love Bears line in 2019 using her own personal savings and a makeshift home workshop. Her young daughter, Tori, helped her to realize the importance of bridging the gap in early childhood language development by teaching children primary educational skills while building their vocabulary in both English and Spanish. The cuddly interactive teddy bears she created teach children colors, numbers, alphabet and other primary skills while teaching them a foreign language at the same time.
Cubby Love Bears allow children to vocally hear English and Spanish words with a simple click of the bear’s paws. The colorful dual-language educational line includes bears like “Yancy the Time Bear”, who helps kids learn the days of the week and months of the year in both English and Spanish, “Ory the ABC and Number Bear”, a Cubby Love Bears Color Set, with four color block bears and accompanying bilingual books, and “Zoli”, a non-speaking bear that holds on tight to mobile devices in both portrait and landscape mode; keeping it steady for children to enjoy their apps, games and movies hands-free on phones and tablets!
Maiden will be launching a one-of-a-kind bear to help special needs families in Spring 2020. The cuddly new baby blue Teddy Bear, named “Auzy Bear”, can help children on the autism nonverbal spectrum and kids with language barriers verbally communicate their needs and feelings to parents and caregivers through pre-programmed voice commands in the bear’s paws and ears!
Cubby Love Bears are appropriate for children as young as one-year-old. The Cubby Love Bear Line includes eight bears, retailing for 24.99 each.
Many parents are finding themselves in a new role while they are homeschooling their children. As they become acclimated to this new normal, more and more resources are becoming available to assist during this time. Plus-Plus and The World of Eric Carle are now offering ways to help parents engage with their children and teach valuable lessons to keep them on track.
Plus-Plus has just launched an educational web page where parents can find printable activity sheets for counting, measuring and more. There are also instructions for how to build letters, numbers and more with your Plus-Plus pieces.There is also an App available in the App Store, Google Play and in a web version. Older kids will learn how to build characters from animals to robots and toddlers will learn the alphabet, counting and more.
Visit the World of Eric Carle for fun coloring sheets and activities. Your child can print and color their own bookmarks, color the Hungry Caterpillar, start a scavenger hunt and more. The site also features lesson plans for parents-turned-teachers. Parents can access a variety of resources from a complete teaching kit to a Very Hungry Caterpillar poster and activity sheets.
Do your kids love Dr. Seuss? Now they can see their favorite characters literally jump off the page as Dr. Seuss Enterprises, in a partnership with Sugar Creative, introduces their first augmented reality experience. Using Dr. Seuss’s ABC-An Amazing AR Alphabet! App your kids can play with their favorite characters and create their own Suess-tastic AR story world.
Dr. Seuss’s ABC—An Amazing AR Alphabet! App was launched in honor of the brand’s annual Dr. Seuss’s Birthday celebration which kicked off on March 2nd, and will continue through the week. Based on the bestselling book Dr. Seuss’s ABC, the app lets kids interact and learn the alphabet along with Seussian characters.
Using augmented reality technology, kids will be able to direct their own experience. “Story Mode” will guide them through the alphabet from A to Z, allowing them to select a chapter of the book to listen to. The app also offers an innovative “Sandbox” feature that lets kids select animated characters and create their very own AR world.
The celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2nd kicks off National Reading Month! At Stratford School, we love to read. And we love to share our passion for reading with our students. Not only does reading enhance a child’s imagination, but it also expands their vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills but most importantly, it develops a love of literature. A wonderful way to encourage your child to read for fun is to have conversations about the books they read. Children love talking about their favorite part of the story, or connecting the story to their own lives, or comparing stories to others they have read. We hope you’ll enjoy reading along and sharing the fun with your children as they get to know the characters in these books.
Preschool +
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont, Illustrated by David Catrow
A dab of blue here, a splash of red there, a goopy smear of green… everywhere. To the tune of “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More,” one creative kid floods his world with color, painting first the walls, then the ceiling, then HIMSELF! Before this feisty artist is through, he’ll have painted his head, back, hands, legs, feet, and… Oh no—here comes Mama! Karen Beaumont’s zippy text and David Catrow’s zany illustrations turn an infamous childhood activity into raucous storytime fun, giving a silly twist to the fine art of self-expression.
Alphabet Trucks by Samantha Vamos, Illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke
Everyone’s heard of a tow truck. And a pickup truck. An ice-cream truck? Of course! But what about a quint truck? A lowboy truck? A knuckle-boom truck? Readers will learn about these kinds of trucks and many more while learning the alphabet in Alphabet Trucks. Each letter of the alphabet is accounted for in this introductory concept book for young readers. Filled with playful and light-hearted illustrations, this story is perfect for the truck lover.
Elementary
I Am Picasso—ASPCA Rescue Readers by Lori C Froeb, Illustrated by Debra Melman
This book is part of a series of leveled readers that were inspired by actual ASPCA animal rescues and adoptions. Read about the everyday details of family life through the curious eyes and mind of a pet. This story is told with exuberance and humor from the pet’s point of view with appropriately leveled vocabulary. Woven into the story is the importance of care, protection, and love of animals. There are other fun books in the series about guinea pigs, cats, and other dogs.
Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum by Dr. Seuss, Illustrated by Andrew Joyner
This amazing and lively introduction to art, art history, and museums is a delight. By focusing on horses, kids will see how different interpretations can be, depending on the style and technique of the artist. Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum captures the zany spirit of Dr. Seuss’ books and the cartoon style of his characters, but illustrator Andrew Joyner doesn’t try to replicate Seuss’ drawing style—except when a beloved Seuss character steps into a scene, like the Cat in the Hat, Horton the elephant, or a fish popping out of a teapot. Kids will have fun spotting those beloved characters. There are 35 photographs of actual art, from cave paintings that are 22,000 years old to familiar artists such as Picasso and Manet, as well as contemporary sculptures. The book includes a bit of info about each artist as well as notes from the publisher about Ted Geisel and the unique creation of this book, which began with a manuscript from the 1950s found by his widow.
The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events Book One (series) by Lemony Snicket
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odor. In the tradition of great storytellers, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy. Once your children have read the books, watch the series on Netflix together.
Middle School
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga Other Words for Home is a gorgeously written, hopeful middle-grade novel in verse about a young girl who must leave Syria to move to the United States. Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. This lyrical, life-affirming story is about losing and finding home and, most importantly, finding yourself.
The Crossover – Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
Author Kwame Alexander has teamed up with Dawud Anyabwile to create the graphic novel version of the Newberry Award-winning book by the same title. The original text is combined with action-packed graphics and the short lyrical style reads like a rap song, drawing the reader in. Twins Josh and JR Bell are seventh graders who have inherited their Euroleague champion father’s basketball skills. A distraction for the brothers is their father’s health. The former basketball star suffers from hypertension and recently chest pains that usually accompany heart disease. Fearful of hospitals and doctors since his own father’s death, ignoring his symptoms may be leading to serious consequences.
Keira Pride is the Head Librarian at Stratford School, the leading independent private school founded with a vision of creating a unique, multi-dimensional, educational foundation for children. As Stratford's Head Librarian, she manages the library services department across campuses throughout Northern and Southern California.
There’s nothing like teaching your kids their ABCs…until you really start getting into some of that upper vocabulary where everything stops making sense. Dubbed as “the worst alphabet book ever“, P Is for Pterodactyl takes a classic childhood lesson and turns it completely on its head.
We’ve all been there. Your curious kiddo asks why knight is spelled with a “k” even though it makes the “n” sound. And you’re response is—hmm, just because. Well this book is jam-packed with all of those odd little facets of the English language that we sometimes just don’t get.
Photo: Amazon
Written by Philadelphia-based rapper Raj Haldar (a.k.a. Lushlife), along with Chris Carpenter and Maria Beddia (who illustrates the book), P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever is something every family should have on hand. Seriously.
The next time your little learner doesn’t believe that “gnat” doesn’t start with an “n” or can’t fathom how “aisle” could possibly begin with an “a”—or even why the word “czar” isn’t pronounced “ka-zar,” this book has you covered. Now, why these words are spelled the way they are is another story—but at least you can point to this book’s whimsical illustrations and tell your kids, “See! I told you.”
Last week Netflix teased fans with the possibility of a Stranger Things LEGO set and today the build-up has paid off with the reveal of an epic new set that’s as ground-breaking as the series.
The new LEGO Stranger Things: The Upside Down, is an imaginative new LEGO brick set featuring the Byer’s house and the Upside Down, which can be flipped to be displayed on either side. The set is intricately detailed, like the inside of the Byer’s living room where you’ll find the now iconic alphabet wall with a functional light-up feature.
The set, which clocks in at 2,287 pieces also comes packed with Chief Hopper’s truck and eight minifgures of the show’s beloved characters, including Eleven, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, Joyce Byers, Chief Jim Hopper and the Demogorgon.
The set will be available to purchase in stores and online Jun. 1 (May 15 for LEGO VIP members) for $199.99.
Learning to read and write is fundamental to every child’s success in school and in life, regardless of their background, socio-economic status or opportunities. For many families across all walks of life, activities and discussions that center around literacy don’t typically begin until children are getting ready to enter school or are perceived to be at an age when they are “old enough” to learn to read. This view overlooks the critical importance of emergent literacy, or the skills children develop in the earliest years that set them on a positive path toward literacy.
Emergent literacy encompasses the knowledge, skills and attitudes that a child develops in relation to reading and writing throughout the early childhood period, starting at birth and well before the onset of conventional reading and writing instruction (usually at school entry). Emergent literacy includes speaking and listening, understanding that print can carry meaning and how books work, learning the alphabet and an awareness of sounds in spoken language.
In addition, emergent literacy experiences like talking and singing, being read to and scribbling or seeing how writing is used in daily life to make lists, tally scores, etc. provide the lifelong foundation upon which children will engage in future reading and writing. Early experiences with books and reading that are fun, exciting and enjoyable for a child set the stage for continuing to feel that way about reading throughout their life.
image: Courtesy of Save the Children
Emergent literacy provides the foundation and positive path toward a child’s future success with reading. Here are four things to keep in mind for helping your children gain these critical skills early in life:
Start Talking: Oral Language Matters
The early experiences of babies and toddlers with language have a considerable impact on their future reading development. The sheer quantity of parental talk is highly associated with vocabulary size in the early years. Differences in vocabulary can be seen as early as 18 months of age. The gap between children from chattier homes and their peers from homes with fewer conversations only widens as children grow.
Start Reading: The Earlier, the Better
Exposure to print and books in the early years is critical for a child’s reading success. If reading begins as early as possible, long before children enter kindergarten, children are far more likely to become skilled readers. Early interactions with books and print not only support future reading skills but also frame lifelong attitudes towards reading and writing. If these interactions are positive, fun and enjoyable (like taking part in a read-aloud or listening to a caregiver tell a good night story), children are much more likely to develop strong interest in and motivation for reading as well as a positive attitude towards books in general.
Preschools & Early Learning Programs Can Make a Difference
Some children come to school better prepared and with more advanced literacy skills than their peers because they have attended an early learning program. Research has shown that students who attend quality early learning programs tend to thrive and grow academically, while children with fewer opportunities tend to fall behind. Oral language, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge and print awareness are all strong predictors of how quickly and how well children will read once they are exposed to formal reading instruction in Grades 1, 2 or 3.
Caregivers Matter
Most children around the world spend considerable time in their early years with their caregivers and relatives at home rather than in preschools or childcare arrangements. Children living in households where an adult can read, particularly the mother, enter school better prepared, perform better on reading assessments, tend to attain more years of education and have a higher level of school achievement overall.
The bottom line is that everyday activities that engage children with language and letters help develop emergent literacy skills and can help level the reading and writing playing fields for any child in any household. And, while this isn’t a magic solution to developing a lifelong love of reading in your child, fostering emergent literacy skills during the early childhood period can prevent future reading difficulties and reduce disparities.
Dr. Amy Jo Dowd is the Senior Director for Education Research at Save the Children. A graduate of Stanford (MA) and Harvard’s (MEd, EdD) Graduate Schools of Education, she passionately works to ensure all children learn essential literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills in early childhood and early grades.
Kids will have loads of fun with letters and get a leg up on learning their ABCs with these colorful, inventive alphabet picture books. Picture books make learning the ABCs a fun and memorable learning experience for kids—and adults!
Check out this list to find a book whose characters—be they animal, vegetable, or robot—will click with your toddler or preschooler.
In this alphabet primer, a family of alligators take readers through the ABCs. Maurice Sendak's little book is charming, and even though it was published in the ‘60s, it conveys timeless warmth and humor little ones will respond to. Recommended for ages 2 and older (HarperTrophy, 1962)
Creature ABC is a lovely book that uses wonderful wildlife photos to help teach the alphabet. This massive book features two photographic spreads for each letter. The first two pages present the letter in both upper and lower case with a portrait of the featured animal; the second spread presents another portrait and the animal’s name. Recommended for kids ages 3 and older (Chronicle Books, 2009)
Authored by Bill Martin, Jr. and illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Kids will be delighted by the book characters' tree-climbing antics. Beginning readers and the read-to-me set will enjoy the vibrant art, the bouncy rhymes, the repetition, and the personification of letters. Recommended for ages 2 and older (Simon & Schuster, 1989)
Authored by William Joyce and illustrated by Christina Ellis
The Numberlys is an imaginative chronicle of a group of friends who create the alphabet in a land once ruled by stuffy numbers. It's a great book for highlighting the process of making art, the getting-your-hands-dirty aspect of creation, and the thrill of discovering new things through work and creative spark. Recommended for ages 3 and older (Atheneum, 2014)
While alphabet books can be lots of fun for an illustrator, they may be ho-hum for readers -- but not this one! Robots plus noisy onomatopoeia make for lots of participatory fun. There’s even a visual story threaded through. Recommended for ages 3 and older (Penguin Young Readers Group, 2014)
Authored by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
This is a short, simple, happy alphabet book. Kids will like its easy rhyming cadence and the engaging, humorous illustrations. The letters with their funny little faces really come alive, just like real bouncy children. And clever examples, silly details, and patterns make each page enjoyable. Recommended for ages 3 and older (Knopft, 2009)
123 Versus ABC mixes humor and a friendly competition between letters and numbers to equal one very original picture book about counting and reading. Lively illustrations and snappy dialogue between the rivals provide a fun, engaging experience for young readers and parents alike. Recommended for ages 4 and older (Harper, 2013)
From A to Z, each page of A Is for Art presents an imaginative and original work of abstract art, either a sculpture, painting, and collage, as well as a list of witty, and sometimes challenging, alliterative words to demonstrate the sound. Recommended for ages 4 and older (Simon & Schuster, 2009)
Nick Bruel's comically cantankerous cat is back with a laugh-out-loud story perfect for both building vocabularies and easing children's trick-or-treating jitters as Halloween night draws near. Bad Kitty Scaredy-Cat rips through four rounds of the alphabet, and each round is zanier than the last. Recommended for ages 4 and older (Roaring Brook Press, 2016)
Authored and illustrated by Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss turns the alphabet from 52 shapes and 26 sounds one has to memorize into an exercise in rhyming and wordplay. Uppercase and lowercase letters are taken for a spirited airing, matched with an apt selection of fun words, all set in the suitably absurd world of Seuss characters and creatures. Recommended for ages 4 and older (Random House, 1963
Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at www.commonsense.org.
If you’re struggling to finish off that Christmas list, why not pick up some last-minute gifts at Whole Foods? PBS Kids has partnered with Whole Foods Market to offer an exclusive line of toys that foster imaginative and active play by exploring concepts like sorting, shapes and colors––and they can only be found at your local Whole Foods!
The new line features over a dozen toys, ranging from wooden toys, fun matching games and the debut of new plush animals. Even more importantly, 100 percent of the net proceeds from all toys purchased will support PBS KIDS’ mission to empower children to succeed in school and in life. Check out our top ten picks!
100 Piece Wood Blocks Set
Let their imagination run free with this simple 100 piece wooden block set. It includes eight different shapes and is great for kiddos ages one and up. This classic toy never goes out of style.
Train Set with Camp Site
This adorable train set includes 14 track pieces, three magnetic train pieces, and five campsite objects for pretend play. It's great for ages three and older, and is compatible with similar style and sized train sets.
Alphabet Blocks
Great for kids as young as one, or for older littles learning their alphabet, this 26-cube block set with letters and bright graphics for A to Z is a great option for a gift this year.
City Puzzle
Young puzzlers will adore this six-piece puzzle set! Not only does it make for great fine motor skill enhancement, but the pieces also stand up on their own for pretend play.
Watermelon Drum
Making music never looked so sweet! This adorable watermelon drum comes with drumsticks and is perfectly sized for your young musicians.
Avocado Castanets
Kiddos can make some merry music with this adorable set of avocado castanets! For ages two and older, simple hold them in your hands and click together for some fun tunes.
Guitar
Strum some sweet tunes on this mini guitar this holiday. The whimsical coloring makes this instrument fun for any age.
Robot Wrangler Matching Game
Corraling robots is the game! Group by color or type and the first player to empty their hand wins! This game is great for kids three and older and for two to four players.
Wheels and Squeals Matching Game
Oink, oink! Watch out for pigs as you build a road by matching the vehicles on the cards in this game. Great for two to four players and ages four and up.
100 Piece Farm Search & Find Puzzle
After kids put together this 100-piece puzzle that measures 11 x 15 inches, they can start searching for 24 sets of different farm animals and objects!
