Rockin’ Out with The Fresh Beat Band

Last week, the kidlets and I headed out to Paramount Studios to meet the rockin’ members of The Fresh Beat Band!  It’s actually one of the shows I not only tolerate, but enjoy.  The show, which is geared towards preschoolers, is centered on four best friends in a band who attend music school together and enjoy singing and dancing.  Nickelodeon offers both 30 minute show segments and music videos interspersed between other shows.  The show includes modern, upbeat music and teaches preschoolers how to express their feelings through movement, song, and instrumental music.  It also encourages music appreciation and introduces children to music fundamentals including melody, rhythm, tempo, and music terminology.

Some of the other bloggers had an opportunity to attend a live taping (you should check out what they had to say!) at their new home (Stage 13 on the Paramount Lot) but my kiddos are just too young to be quiet for any length of time. We did have an opportunity to tour the set and meet the members.  Here are some of the pictures from the event:

The Fresh Beat Band is currently in their second season of production.  Tomorrow, their Earth Day-themed episode “Bubble Blast” premieres in which the entire neighborhood cleans the street for Clean and Green Day.  The Fresh Beats use discarded woodwind instruments and cleaning supplies to build a bubble-making, music-cleaning machine that allows them to clean the street and play music at the same time.  We’ve already seen it and I can tell you my son and I were grooving and dancing as we watched it.  I like how the show incorporates music and dance into their problem-solving episodes.  You can watch The Fresh Beat Band weekdays at 1:30 pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon.  And if you’re planning on attending the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at UCLA this weekend, they’ll be performing both Saturday and Sunday at 10 am on the Target Children’s Stage (the event is free but be sure to check the website for details).

I did not receive compensation for this post.  We were guests on the Paramount Lot for lunch, a tour, and photo opportunities.

Summer Camp at KinderCare Learning Centers

Last summer, we finally decided to put our son in a preschool. After much research and several site visits, we settled on a KinderCare Learning Center in our area.  We initially only placed him in the center two mornings a week, but every morning he’d wake up excited to go to “school” and see his teachers and play with the kids.

KinderCare Learning Centers also offers a Summer Camp, developed in partnership with teachers. KinderCare Summer Camp surveyed 3,000 kids to find out how they like to spend their summers.  The consensus was that kids want adventures, arts and crafts, and trips.  I take my son a lot of places and I know that when we have to stay home, he isn’t totally happy about it.  KinderCare Learning Centers developed 12 unique week-long camps with themes like Wild Wild West, Wilderness 101, Dig Ancient Egypt, You’ve Got Talent, Puppeteer Road Show, Gross & Gooey Science, Spectacular Sports, Animal Antics, Science Adventures, Art Expo, Kids’ Kitchen, Splish Splash, Surfs Up!, and Everday Heroes.  Last summer, my son caught the tale end of their summer camp and really enjoyed the water play days.  Because the themes are a week long, parents are offered the flexibility to sign their children up for as few or as many sessions as they’d like.

My son and I have had the opportunity to personally experience KinderCare Learning Centers and I can attest to how caring their teachers are.  My son new his teachers by name and would ask for them.  We’re planning on putting him back once cold & flu season is over.

There are 1700 KinderCare Learning Centers within 39 states (including DC) and offer a variety of educational programs and after-school care for infants (6 weeks old) to school-aged children (up through the age of 12).  The centers are accredited as an early childhood provider and are run by specially trained, passionate teachers who fully embrace a balanced approach to learning.  KinderCare Learning Centers aim to educate and entertain children within nurturing environment, and encourage strong communication between families and teachers.  I really like how my son would get a progress sheet on the day’s activities every day he was there.  I knew what he ate, how many diapers he had, what he learned and how he interacted with the kids.

For more information on KinderCare Learning Centers, just visit their website.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of KinderCare and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.  However, we have had my son at a learning center for almost one year.

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Discovery Kids Scanopedia Electronic Talking Animal Encyclopedia by JAKKS Pacific

My son and I spend a good part of our day reading…it’s part of how I’m teaching him about shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and animals.  But there is only so much reading that can be done.  After all, he’s two and needs just as much time playing as he does reading.  I spend many of my days at home (I know it doesn’t seem that way) and I have to get creative with our activities.  Along with reading and coloring, we also play with toys.

I actually find shopping for toys to be a little difficult, given the sheer number of them available.  Even when I narrow it down by age and gender, I’m still left with way too many choices. So I’m left looking for other characteristics such as safety, price, and overall lasting value.  JAKKS Pacific designs, develops and produces toys for children.  You are probably familiar with brands such as Discovery Kids and Girl Gourmet.  Stay tuned as I will have another post with some awesome fun and educational toys offered by JAKKS Pacific.

If you’re looking to teach your child about science and animals, Discovery Kids toys make the perfect gift.  The Scanopedia Electronic Talking Encyclopedia is an interactive way to get children excited about animals while teaching them fun facts.  I’ve never seen a toy like this, so I was highly impressed with the way it works.  Who would have thought that any toy with the word “encyclopedia” in it, would be fun?  But my son really enjoys it.  

 

The electronic scanner can be used on the Smart Animals (which are sold separately) to hear special effects and learn unique facts about that particular animal. You can use the Scanopedia by itself to reveal information about animals and maps through activities and games, and with the included interactive poster (which is HUGE by the way).  The Scanopedia is truly an encyclopedia with over 2,500 sound effects, facts and quizzes and more than 200 animals to learn about.    

 

The Scanopedia and Smart Animals can be used with children for years as they grow and develop.  Right now my son particularly enjoys talking and playing with his Smart Animals.  He also really likes when we scan the map together and hear interesting animal sounds.  As he gets older, he’ll enjoy the games and quizzes.

The Scanopedia Electronic Talking Animal Encyclopedia retails for $29.99 and Smart Animals retail for $4.99-$12.99.  Both are available at retailers such as Toys R Us and Walmart.

For more fabulous Holiday Gift Ideas, visit The Mommy-Files

 

Preparing Your Child For School

For some kids, starting school, or returing to school after a summer long vacation can cause anxiety.  We put our little boy in preschool this summer for the very first time and he’s had a very positive experience so far.  We did prepare him in advance before sending him to school.  Reading books about school was just one of the ways we prepared him and how we continue to reinforce that school is a fun, positive experience.

Reading is one of the most educational activities I can do with my son at this age.  His brain is taking in every experience and I do as much as I can to foster that.  If you are looking for some books to help prepare your child for school, Candlewick Press has an excellent assortment of titles for a variety of ages.

My son loves books that engage his senses.  Maisy Goes To School, by Lucy Cousins, follows Maisy the mouse on an adventurous day at school.  Here is a little summary about the book from the site:

School’s in session and it’s time for Maisy — and her readers — to have fun. As they watch Maisy spend an eventful day at school, little ones can pull the tabs and lift the flaps to help Maisy paint some pictures, write a story, add and subtract, and even dance like a ballerina. Toddlers who are crazy for Maisy will love going to school with their favorite mouse!

The hardcover book comes in both a full and mini size, so children can bring it with them in their backpacks if they’d like.  My son loves the pull tabs and flaps (those are his favorite kinds of books).  Maisy really portrays the school day as a fun, positive experience.  Interactive books are always the most entertaining for my son.  I spend a lot of time asking him questions about what’s going on in the story to get him to talk as well. We actually received both the larger version and the mini version (during BlogHer) and I think it’s great for children to carry the mini version with them if for nothing more than just comfort.  The book is geared towards toddlers and preschoolers.

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for School? conveys a similar message geared towards children ages 2 to 5.  It’s a simpler story about preparing for school.  Here is a summary from the site:

It’s time for school. Is Cornelius P. Mud up? Sure he is! The plucky pig has even made his bed, put on his clothes, and eaten his breakfast. But with Cornelius, things are never quite as they seem. Despite his clowning around, Cornelius does make his way through his morning routine and out to the bus stop — where readers are in for a big surprise! Barney Saltzberg is back with a second comical story about a single-mindedly silly pig. Kids who aim to do things their way — and what child doesn’t? — will squeal with pleasure at Cornelius’s merry morning mayhem.

If you’re looking for a book that will help prepare your child while showing them how easy preparing for school can be, this is a great book. We actually have another Cornelius P. Mudd book and I appreciate the gorgeous illustrations and simple way the author conveys each story’s message.  And I love that the author promotes a child’s individuality.  Children at this age (toddlers and preschoolers) are asserting their independence and I think that as long as they’re being appropriate, it’s ok to do things “their own way.”

These are just two of at least 10 titles that will help your child prepare for school.  Most are very reasonably priced.  Check them out on Candlewick Press.

For more fabulous Back to School Ideas, visit Mommy Mandy & Mommy Goggles!