LilSugar

Classic Toys For Modern Tots

LilSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:00:52 -0700

Sometimes, older is better. Toys do not have to be powered by batteries, controllers, and electricity to be a lot of fun. In fact, many knickknacks that current moms and dads grew up with required nothing more than a hearty imagination. Take a nostalgic look at some classic playthings that have stood the test of time and would make memorable additions to any modern day toy box.

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10 Classic Movies For Kids

babysugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:00:23 -0700

Before there was Buzz Lightyear or Shrek, there was Mrs. Hannigan and the Cowardly Lion. Movies made for small audiences have come a long way in terms of animation and imagination earning them an entirely separate category at major award shows, but when it comes to the classics, the old artists relied on their voices, costumes, and acting skills to create some irreplaceable masterpieces that every tot should enjoy. Check out the list of these movies, and tell me which one is your (or your child's) favorite.

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Can You Guess the Book Behind the Quote?

babysugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:00:44 -0700

Moms usually load up on the classics for their child's first book collection. Some of the most popular titles are Goodnight Moon and Love You Forever. After a while, mother will be able to recite the texts from memory. Take the quiz to see how well you know your baby books. Which quotes come from which stories?

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10 Classic Books For Every Newborn

babysugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:00:08 -0700

Studies show that babies who are read to and sung to at an early age will demonstrate higher reading skills than other children. While many parents don't think a newborn is paying attention to the texts in their early days, getting them into a routine of reading will be worth the time spent in their infancy. These are 10 books every newborn nursery should have on the shelves.

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Celebrate National Reading Day at Bedtime

LilSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0800

The National Education Association hosts a special celebration each year on March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss, to encourage schools, libraries and community groups to bring kids together to read and work on mastering basic skills. Celebrate the day of reading before bedtime by picking up one of your child's favorite tales.

Do You Know Your Kiddie Characters?	Welcome Spring With Festive Books	Do You Know Your Classic Books?
Infant Reads: Always	Toddler Reads: Good Night Moon	School Kid Reads: Alexander

Classic Book Quiz

LilSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:00:30 -0700

Reading to your children is one of the best ways to spend quality time with your tot. But, how closely do you pay attention to the tales in the texts. Take this quiz and test your book knowledge.

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Texts and Tunes: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

babysugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:00:18 -0700

Want to teach your kid a real-life lesson? Some days stink. From beginning to end, the 1972 classic tale Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day ($8) humors readers with a woeful tale of one lad's miserable day.

Judith Viorst's book starts:

I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on a skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

As you flip the pages, one might expect the childlike ramblings to turn into a sunny story of smiles and laughter. However, Alexander (and the reader), discover that some days are just destined to be well, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. Cranky Alexander is dealt one blow after another; prizeless cereal boxes, teacher scrutiny, peer rejection, sibling rivalry, tooth cavity, shoe shortages, and lima beans for dinner. Even the family cat deserts him at bedtime.

While nobody wishes such downhearted days for their child, it is a valuable lesson worth teaching - things don't always go your way.

Texts and Tunes: Classic Books That Never Get Old

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:01:00 -0700

Like them or not, classic books are staple gifts and bedtime reads because of their nostalgia inducing images and phrases for parents and their sweet tried and true story hooks that leave a smile on even the sleepiest kid's face.

I've always preferred reading my children contemporary tales, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for the classics like Pat the Bunny and Good Night Moon. I have put together a list of my favorite go-to traditional tales. What's the classic in your house?

Pat the Bunny ($10)	Where the Wild Things Are ($17)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit ($16)	Goodnight Moon ($8)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar ($18)	Curious George ($15)
The Little Engine That Could ($18)	Madeline ($18)	10 Little Rubber Ducks ($20)

Texts and Tunes: Caps for Sale

babysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:00:43 -0700

One of my former students gave my daughter the classic tale by Esphyr Slobodkina, Caps for Sale. Tired of reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, I searched her bookshelf for the gem. To see why it's a family favorite, read more.

Caps for Sale ($7) is a story of a peddler selling his wares - only to be taken by a gang of monkeys. As I jollied through the monkey business and acted out particular phrases with my hands and feet, my wee one giggled through the rest of the book. Now at story time, I can't get through one book before she's touting, "Caps! Caps!"

Text and Tunes: The Night Before Christmas

babysugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:30:15 -0800

There's a chill in the air and the crackling of wood-burning fires, and the Salvation Army bells ring on street corners. Christmas is closing in on us – less than two weeks away! Spend some time with your lil ones revisiting a classic holiday story from your youth.

Clement C. Moore published his great work, The Night Before Christmas back in 1825. The poem, already full of wonderment and cheer, is extraordinarily complemented by the illustrations of Niroot Puttapipat in the special, magical paper-cut edition. Each page offers a window into the next - leading the little ones through the glorious pages. The pop-up finale of a cityscape with St. Nick and his troop of reindeer flying overhead is truly a site to behold for both kids and adults.

Your tots will hang on every last word that comes as you tell the tale of Saint Nicholas. And, you'll enjoy the trip down memory lane.