Activity Village News
2nd February 2007

If you have any behavioral issues with your kids, you might want
to check out the
Better Behavior Wheel,
from Robert and Julie Butler. We've been recommending it at Activity
Village for nearly two years now and have had great feedback from
purchasers (as well as resorting to it ourselves on occasion!)
Available as a real product (sent internationally) or as a digital
download, the Better Behavior Wheel allows you to set consequences for
undesirable behavior that fit your family - and the unusual and very
clever twist of having to spin the wheel to discover your punishment
works wonders to take the stress out of the situation for the parent and
reinforce the message for the child. This is an excellent product and we
recommend it highly.
Product review here
Get the
Better Behavior Wheel
A MESSAGE FROM LINDSAY
If you are one of our American readers, you will be
well aware that it is Groundhog Day today! Check out our Groundhog
Day activities (including two new jigsaws, one to download and one to
play online, here:
Groundhog Day
On my web travels this week I came across a
thought-provoking post at
Scribbit, a
blog I keep an eye on, written by a mother of four in Alaska - "Five
Points of Time Management For Children". Well worth a read. And
I have used the theme of the article in this week's poll at Activity
Village, "How Many Activities Does Your Child Enjoy Each Week?" which
you can find and take part in on the Activity
Village home page.
WHAT'S NEW AT
ACTIVITY VILLAGE?
We've just updated our St David's Day page. St David
is the patron saint of Wales and St David's Day is celebrated on 1st
March. Find out more about it here:
St David's Day
We have some great new photo jigsaw puzzles of African
animals to add to our African animal theme - a lion, zebra, elephant and
giraffes in an assortment of sizes to suit all ages of kids
African animal jigsaw
puzzles
We have three types of bookmarks featuring a
lion, zebra, elephant and giraffes: some with fun facts, some with jokes,
and some - for the youngest kids - with the appropriate letter and word.
African animal bookmarks
We have some cute new Valentine's Day coloring pages
here:
Valentine's Day coloring
We had a special request for some lined paper "blanks"
to be used for various projects in the class and home, which leave space
for the page to be hole-punched and filed without detracting from the
child's work. Here they are in case they are of use to anybody else:
Lined paper blanks
We have added some spectacular videos to our Chinese
New Year and Chinese New Year links pages - so that your kids can watch
a lion dance and some beautiful Chinese dancers and musicians if they
don't have access to the real thing!
Chinese New Year
We've also added some Valentine Sudoku puzzles to the
site - one page of 6x6 puzzles, perfect for all ages. If your children
enjoy them, don't forget to check out our
Sudoku for Kids publications!
Valentine Sudoku Puzzles
(instructions, if you
are new to Sudoku, here)
There are so many interesting holidays and "events"
coming up, and we are adding new activities and links all the time. If
you haven't visited recently, don't forget to check out the following:
Groundhog Day (today, 2nd
February) Valentine's
Day (14th February)
Chinese
New Year (18th February)
Mardi Gras
(20th February) St David's Day (1st March)
READER COMMENT "I loved your b and d
Confusion poster. I never thought something so simple could end a
problem which has plagued us for the best part of the last year. My son
saw the poster, held up his hands to echo the shapes of "b" and "d", and
grasped the concept immediately. His teacher was amazed."
Brenda, NJ
If you missed the poster, you can find it here:
b
and d Confusion poster
ACTIVITY
VILLAGE
POLL
Here are the results of last week's poll:
Thank you for your excellent feedback - and I will be
working on offering more of the activities that you voted for in the
future!
Please visit the home page to take part in this week's
poll, "How Many Activities Does Your Child Enjoy Each Week?"
Activity Village Poll
THIS WEEK'S
POEM
My hands were busy through the
day.
I didn’t have much time to play
The little games you asked me to.
I didn’t have much time for you.
I’d wash your clothes, I’d sew and cook,
But when you’d bring your picture book
And ask me please to share your fun,
I’d say “A little later, son”.
I’d tuck you in all safe at night,
Hear your prayers, turn out the light,
Then tiptoe softly to the door.
I wish I’d stayed a minute more.
For life is short, and years rush past.
A little child grows up so fast.
No longer are they at your side,
Their precious secrets to confide.
The picture books are put away,
There are no children’s games to play.
No good-night kiss, no thoughts to hear.
That all belongs to yesteryear.
My hands, once busy, now lie still.
The days are long and hard to fill.
I wish I might go back and do
The little things you asked me to.
Author Unknown
THIS WEEK'S
QUOTE
"It takes a village to raise a
child"
African proverb
Back to Newsletter Archives
|