ipad Apps for Kids for Dummies book review

I got an iPad for my birthday last year - and I absolutely LOVE it!  The only thing that I don't absolutely LOVE is the fact that my kids hijack it a great deal of the time.  Luckily for me, I was able to review the book ipad Apps for Kids for Dummies so I could find some apps for them that are kid friendly and a great way to sneak in learning!

My kids really think they know everything about the iPad and the apps available, but I found a ton of great ones in this book that they didn't know about at all.  The author, Jinny Gudmundsen is the Kid Tech columnist for USA Today, so she really is the go-to expert about all things tech for kids.

The book is really user friendly with sections divided by both age group and category.  Each review in the book details the name of the app, the cost, who made it, followed by a brief description.  The reviews end with an age range of who the app is most suited for.  And although the apps are classified as "kid apps" I have enjoyed quite a few myself!

Chinese New Year Lesson Plan Ideas

February 10th marks the new Chinese year - the year of the Snake.

The Chinese New Year is always in the month of January or the month of February.


Each year is named after an animal.

Snake - February 10, 2013

Horse -January 31, 2014

Goat - February 19, 2015

Monkey - February 8, 2016

Rooster - January 28, 2017

Dog - February 16, 2018

Pig - February 5, 2019

Here are some activities to learn more about the Chinese New Year:

Reading:

Here is a great book about the holiday.  You can view it on Youtube here.

Writing

When children in China wake up on New Year's Day, they find red envelopes with money inside.  What would you spend your lucky money to buy? Why?

For more Chinese New Year Resources visit these links:
For grades 4 and up

For grades K-3

February Hidden Pictures from Highlights

Highlights hidden pictures are a fun way to get your child to develop concentration and attention to detail.  They are a great activity for waiting times or in between lessons.  You can download February's hidden picture here.

Social Media For Dummies Book Review

I began blogging when I was pregnant with my sixth son back in 2005.  I developed gestational diabetes and really appreciated the support and resources I found through blogging and reading other blogs from people who were also going through similar experiences.  Homeschooling was a similar adventure.  Besides blogging, I also have been active in other forms of Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook, Gather, etc.

Even though I have been doing this for awhile, I was so glad to have the opportunity to review Social Media Commerce for Dummies by Marsha Collier because I learned a lot more that I did not know.

For example, I had heard about untweep for Twitter, but I didn't really know what it did.  The author explains that it allows you to unfollow the people on Twitter you follow who haven't updated in awhile.

This book is obviously suitable for those who have a business, but I also think it will be helpful to anyone who wants to know more about Social Media in general.

Social Media Commerce For Dummies
by: Marsha Collier
ISBN: 978-1-1182-9793-3
Paperback / 336 pages
Release: November 2012
SRP: $26.99 USA | $31.99 CAN | GBP 19.99 UK
Available @ Dummies US, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, Books-A-Million, Google Play, Indie Bound, & Kobo (among others, both online and in stores)

Synopsis:
Traditional advertising and marketing techniques just don’t do the job anymore. Today’s consumer relies on input from a trusted community when making buying decisions. For your message to resound wit customers, you must take advantage of their social network channels and interact with them online. Lucky for you, this book shows you how!

About the Author:
Marsha Collier is an expert on social media topics as well as the world’s bestselling author on eBay. She has written multiple editions of eBay for Dummies and Starting an eBay Business for Dummies, and she is much in demand as a speaker and trainer, appearing at many events each year.
From understanding Social Media, social business, and social commerce to revamping your website, making new sales, and keeping up with what others are saying about you (good or bad) – whether through apps, widgets and other enhanced ways of making a social media presence – Social Media Commerce for Dummies will share the ins and outs of everything there is to know about the subject…and then some!
Personally, I have taken a deep liking to this book. I’ve learned so much already. And the best part is…everything is written and explained in a way that I can understand it, and the book is loaded with step-by-step examples & how to articles for me to read and try myself. And if that wasn’t enough, For Dummies has a website too – Dummies.com – where I can see, read, and learn even more!

End Note: Whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, a banker, or someone just starting out – Social Media Commerce for Dummies will help you enhance your social media presence.

Disclosure: As an Official For Dummies Ambassador, I receive copies from the For Dummies collection. Any thoughts, opinions, and/or testimonials expressed on this blog are my own.

The Mystery of the Lost Mitten - Free I Can Read Book

If you're looking for an easy reader booklet for your kiddos to make that reviews some high frequency words,  you will want to check out The Mystery of the Lost Mitten which reviews colors and spatial direction words.


The Mystery of the Lost Mitten

Smart Chefs Stay Slim Book Review

I recently had the opportunity to read the book Smart Chefs Stay Slim by Allison Adato.  The author is a People magazine editor who started to lose the battle of the bulge as she wrote stories about the restaurant world.  Hoping to combat that, she looked towards the experts - chefs who kept themselves thin.

One thing that I really loved about this book, is that it is different from any other book I have read before, mixing healthy eating tips with yummy recipes.  The tips are very relate-able, and easy to implement.  For example, one of the tips is "They eat only treats they make themselves" which talks about bringing food that you might normally purchase (such as potato chips) back into the kitchen where they are much healthier.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about the book is that unlike many diet books that list out all of the things that you CAN'T eat - this book really embraces food and lets you know how to maintain your weight while still enjoying what you eat.

From the book's press release:

The book also goes into detail about the following topics that parents everywhere will be dying to hear:

• How chefs like Cat Cora, Marc Murphy, Ming Tsai and Naomi Pomeroy feed their kids
• Chefs’ tips for introducing your children to the healthy foods you want to eat as a family (and getting off the mac + cheese or chicken fingers train)
• What great chefs like Michael Symon, Wolfgang Puck, Michelle Bernstein and others learned from their own parents (even when mom and dad were terrible cooks!)
• Alison, the author of Smart Chefs is a mom — find out what she changed about how she feeds her family while talking to 40 of the country's best chefs

SMART CHEFS STAY SLIM will help keep New Year’s resolutions to:

·        Cook at home more (without creating a lot of work and mess). Best news: Restaurant chefs don't cook at home like they cook at work—they're just like us and don't want a lot of pots to clean up. Which famous chef uses a toaster oven for dinner? Which likes take-out roast chicken? Who cops to instant oatmeal? 

·        Eat more vegetables (and make them taste terrific)

·        Choose meals with less fat and calories — but much more flavor and satisfaction.

·        Why you should never give up dessert—especially chocolate—even if you're dieting

With a foreword by Art Smith, SMART CHEFS STAY SLIM is a beautifully written, fun and accessible journey into the private world of some of the best chefs in the world. Recipes include Rick Bayless’s Grilled Chicken Salad with Rustic Guacamole, Ming Tsai’s Pork Fried Rice, Andrea Reusing’s Warm Asparagus Salad with Soft-boiled Eggs, Simpson Wong’s Hangover Soup, Karen Hatfield’s Apple Galette and much more.

You can learn more at the book's blog SmartChefs.  You can purchase the book at Amazon. It is on sale right now so you will get a great deal!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a review copy to facilitate this post.  All opinions are my own.

Snowflake Roll and Cover Math Freebie

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here the forecast has been snow, snow, and more snow!  That is why I love this adorable little freebie from Learning With Preschoolers! Even if you don't have snow, your kiddos can learn math with some adorable snowmen.

Simply make copies of the dice game onto card stock and laminate. Give your child a game mat and game dice. Have the  child roll the dice and identify the number on the dice. Once they have identified the number have them find that number on the game mat and place a snowflake marker on top of that number snowflake. (You could use other markers such as beans, beads, cut construction paper, etc.).Have your child keep rolling the dice until they have caught all of the snowflakes on their mat.


For children that need a challenge give them two game dice so that they have to add the two dice together and find that snowflake with the correct number.

Snowflake Roll and Cover Math Freebie