Book Review: Fairytale with pictures- Little Red Riding Hood

“Little Red Riding Hood,” story and photos by William Wegman. Mr. Wegman is known for his Weimaraner (type of dog) photos with Fay Ray. In this classic fairytale he uses photos of his dogs dressed in costumes to help tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Pictures really are worth a thousand words. Kids will think the dogs look pretty silly.

Movie Review: Mary Poppins.

Movie Title: Mary Poppins. Disney Musical. Rated G. A proper English nanny, Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), comes to live with a middle class English family. With some magical assistance her two charges learn to clean up. A friendly chimney sweep, played by Dick Van Dyke, sings and dances to the tune of "Chim Chim Cheree." Children should enjoy the animation scene where Dick Van Dyke dances with penguins.
Towards the end of the movie the children’s father learns to be a better parent. When Mary’s not needed anymore the “dream nanny" fly's away using an opened umbrella. If your kids haven’t already seen Mary Poppins they should. It’s a classic.

Arts and Craft Project: Paper Clock. Help you child learn how to tell time

Paper Plate Clock.
To help teach your child how to tell time.

You will need a stiff white paper plate, marker, metal paper tab, and a piece of construction paper.
1- With the marker write the numbers 1 through 12 on the paper plate like it was a clock.
2- Using the construction paper make two pointers for the hands of the clock.
3- Make a tiny hole in middle of plate with pen knife.
4- Put clock hands in mid clock position. Now punch holes through clock hands with metal tab. Secure tab in back. Note: Do not make the tab so tight that it is hard to move the hands of the clock.

Show your child what 1 o’clock looks like, then 1:09, 1:15, 1:20, 1:22. Half past 1. A quarter to 1. Ten to 1. And so on. Do this with rest of the numbers on paper clock.

Parenting Tip for Super Active Kids

If your child has a hard time sitting still in school or at home when doing their school work let them stand while doing it. Talk to your child's teacher about this idea. Also, during homework time give your child a break every fifteen to twenty minutes to run around to get their energy out. Have them do jumping jacks, jump with a rope, or jump on a small trampoline.

Great Study Tip for Kids, Preteens, Teens

Study Tip for your child: If your child has a hard time remembering history or science facts here’s a tip a teacher taught me. Make up a word or simple phrase using the first letter of each fact. Example: Your child needs to remember the five oceans of the world. They are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic (or Southern Ocean). If your child can remember the first letter of each ocean and put them together to make a word, phrase, or something similar it will help them memorize the oceans easier. In this case if your child can associate “PI triple A” to the names of oceans it will trigger their recall of them. PI is for Pacific and Indian. Triple A is for the Atlantic, Arctic, and Antarctic. If your child has to remember a date like May 1919 they can think, “I like to play in May double 19.” Even if they can’t remember the whole phrase it will trigger their memory about May 1919. But don’t make the connecting word or phrase so difficult that it confuses them. The whole point is to have the word or phrase jolt their memory. This can help when you stress out and blank, or have the answer on the tip of your tongue. I have used this method myself when I don’t have a pen and paper handy and I have to remember certain information or groceries to buy. The phrase “sugar without the u” can help you remember to buy soap, grapes, apples, and rice. Your brain tries to fill in the blanks when you give particular letters to words. If you remember soap, apples and grapes, but you blank on the last one this method will prompt your brain to find the connection between the grocery and the phrase. You might think and think, “What is the r grocery I need to buy?” then it will hit you, “Oh yes, it’s rice.”

St. Pat's Day's Recipe: My Big Sister's Grasshopper Pie

Grasshopper Pie
(And no, it doesn't really have grasshoppers in it)

First buy or make 8-9 inch pie crust.

Ingredients you need for pie filling:
25 large marshmallows
1 cup of whipped cream
½ a cup of milk
3 tablespoons of Crème de Menthe (this is liquor)
2 tablespoons of Crème de Cacao (this is liquor)
3 drops of green food coloring

Pour milk into mixing bowl. Melt marshmallows (in another container). Once melted add marshmallows to milk. Stir in Crème de Menthe and Crème de Cacao. Add drops of food coloring to mixture. Fold in whipped cream. Pour in pie crust. Freeze pie overnight. Serve frozen.

Movie Review: Shrek 2

Movie Title: Shrek 2. Animation with music. Rated PG. It might be rated PG because a few things said in the movie aren't appropriate for very young kids. Plus, the bartender in Shrek 2 is a man in drag. I'm not too keen on sequels because if the first movie was good it's hard to compete with it. Shek 2 isn't as good as the first but it's a fun film none-the-less. In this movie Shrek and Fiona are married. With Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy) in tow they go meet Fiona's royal parents. Fiona's father is not happy his daughter is still an ogre. And he's certainly not happy she's married to an ogre. Fiona wants Shrek to get along with her father but he doesn't want to. This makes Fiona unhappy. To make things right Shrek seeks the help of Fiona's fairy godmother. But she won't help him. This is because Prince Charming is her son. The Prince still hopes to be king someday. Shrek steals a happiness potion from the fairy. He drinks it and becomes human. He must kiss Fiona by midnight to make things right. Eddie Murphy does a great job again as the annoying Donkey in Shrek 2.