How About A Sticky Education: The Candy Experiments Book

I love this book, The Candy Experiments by  and so do that kids because we get to explore candy. My biggest fear is that they eat more than they learn but we’re having fun while learning and it’s something they are going to keep with them for a long time. Plus they are so engaged and “on”.

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Brilliant use of Valentine’s, Easter, Halloween, and other holiday candy! Fun, colorful, and full of surprises, Candy Experiments will have kids happily pouring their candy down the drain and learning some basic science along the way. The experiments are quick and easy and they get to do things like make explosions.

Candy is more than a sugary snack.  With candy, you can become a scientific detective. You can test candy for secret ingredients, peel the skin off candy corn, or float an “m” from M&M’s. You can spread candy dyes into rainbows, or pour rainbow layers of colored water. You’ll learn how to turn candy into crystals, sink marshmallows, float taffy, or send soda spouting skyward. You can even make your own lightning.

Candy Experiments

teaches kids a new use for their candy.  As children try eye-popping experiments, such as growing enormous gummy worms and turning cotton candy into slime, they’ll also be learning science.  Best of all, they’ll willingly pour their candy down the drain.

Candy Experiments

contains 70 science experiments, 29 of which have never been previously published.  Chapter themes include secret ingredients, blow it up, sink and float, squash it, and other fun experiments about color, density, and heat.  The book is written for children between the ages of 7 and 10, though older and younger ages will enjoy it as well.  Each experiment includes basic explanations of the relevant science, such as how cotton candy sucks up water because of capillary action, how Pixy Stix cool water because of an endothermic reaction, and how gummy worms grow enormous because of the water-entangling properties.



Children’s Book Stella Strawberry – The fruit of Love

Stella Strawberry – The fruit of Love

By Lynn:

Being a religious person I am always on the lookout for books for my children and family and friend’s children that can read stories (or have stories read to them) that are simple and engaging.

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The premise for these stories are based on the “Fruits of the Spirit” – Galatians 5:22-23. Each “fruit of the spirit” is portrayed as a personified fruit in each book. The book I received, as I mentioned was for a strawberry who talked about love. Each page contains a verse or two about love, how we are to behave and show love to each other, ourselves and God. There are cute little pictures throughout the book of the strawberry family, demonstrating their love and prayer. There are some bible verses too, to compliment the little poems throughout the story.

imageI particularly liked the “child’s prayer” at the end of the book, it gives my little ones something to pray if they don’t know what to say to God. Or even for us as adults that need a little prompting at times. I know I get so busy during the day I forget to pray, or I just get stumped and have so much going on in my mind I can’t think of anything to say in my prayer, I want to say “thank you Lord, I love you” and this seems to be a good jump start for me. So even when I’m just reading to my children during the day I can read this book and know that at the end I get to say a special prayer to God, with words that my 5 year old can understand.photo(5)

Another fantastic reason to get one (or a few!) of these books is that a portion of the proceeds goes to ZOE. ZOE is a non-profit organization that cares for orphans and rescues children from human trafficking.

You can find out more about these books at: Fruity Friends Books 

And the ZOE organization

These books are something I will be getting for my children (they have already requested more) and the Sunday school they go to!

Enjoy!

 

Samples received

 

About Lynn:

I met Lynn in MOMS Club and she has two children. One of which is the same age as my daughter and they love to giggle and play together. Lynn Hooper is also a local Mary Kay Consultant while also being a full time mom. “A lot of what the business stands for is true to my heart. Mary Kay Inc. has a foundation that donates funds to help end domestic violence and also funds research into cancers that affect women. Mary Kay also has what’s called "The Golden Rule" which means God (faith) first, family second and business third. A great principal for me and nice to know I am part of a team that believes in this too.



How To Make The Millennium Falcon Klutz Star Wars Folded Flyers #KlutzBooks

Miles and I have made four different airplanes out of the Star Wars Folded Flyers Klutz Book we received from Klutz. The very first one we made was the Naboo N-1 Starfighter. I expected it to be very difficult because I’ve always had a hard time making paper airplanes more complex than the single folded kind. Knowing this would make my son happy, I opened the book, tore out the correct page of airplane paper from the back of the book and then turned to the directions. I let Miles do the cutting and we started folding. I let him help me push the edges together so he didn’t feel like mommy was doing it all, and I did do most of it because, one, I’m a control freak, two he’s only 4 and three details are not his strong suit (that and following directions). Check out how well it turned out!

Miles naboo fighter

Next we decided to make the Millennium Falcon and that’s what I captured on video here.

 

 

What I love most is the after effect of all of the airplanes we’ve made. He takes them to bed, he brings them back down in the morning. He re-creates battle scenes and he even makes really great motor sounds, and each one has a unique flying motor sound as they soar through the air. Sometimes he flies them, because yes they do actually fly, and other times he just keeps them in his hands has he runs through the house. image

 

WRAP IT UP SWEEPSTAKES: IMG_6494

What’s fun about the sweepstakes is you can enter once per week because the prizing changes out every Monday featuring new themes touching on the wide variety of titles Klutz has to offer – Science, Games, Classic Crafts, Holidays and more! The weekly sweeps start every Monday and fans can enter through November 26.
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I’m a Klutz Brand Ambassador and received books to review, test out and share my results and will also be compensated for my time. This doesn’t affect my opinion of the brand at all because I’ve loved using Klutz for years!!!



Better Homes and Gardens: Junior Cookbook Review

By Orshi:

When I came to the United States for the first time, pretty much every home made meal I tasted was from the famous Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. Its special red and white cover still smiles at me from my cookbook shelf as it has truly been all over the place, following me through my travels. I am tempted to by a new addition but my old one has such sentimental value that I can’t possibly part with it. So I was very happy when we could addclip_image002 a new release to our collection and I hope this will create fond memories in my daughter and sons of our times spent together in the kitchen.

The Junior edition is exactly what is sounds like: simple and tasty dishes that children can make with only a little help. The fact that my daughter knows that this book is specially made for children makes it very appealing to her. She carried it around for about a week after receiving it and she talked about it many people, in fact she was generous to lend it to one of our neighbors. She is using it not only as a source of complete receipts but also as inspiration for new ones …. I actually could not believe that she was improvising by using basic dishes to adopt them to the ingredients we had at home. Proud momma moment – she is my child after all (can’t just follow receipts).

The book is beautifully illustrated with actual photographs of dishes surrounded by cartoons. The organization is outstanding – one of the things I am really picky about when buying cookbooks. As a starter, it teaches young cooks some simple kitchen rules, how to measure ingredients properly, and familiarize them with kitchen tools, safety, how to follow receipts, read labels and make wise and nutritious choices. Contents are grouped under Power-Up Breakfasts, A+ Lunches, All-Star Suppers, Snack Adventures, Magical Desserts, and Party Time.

My daughters favorite receipt is the Mini Elf Cookies … seriously she makes better cookies than I do. I can make pies, breads, pastries, decorate cakes and you name it, but I can’t make a good cookie. Well, I don’t have to anymore because I have a young baker to do it for me.

This book would make an amazing gift to budding kitchen enthusiasts. I found that involving my children in meal planning helps them become better eaters and better partners in the kitchen and some of my fondest bonding moments with my daughter were created over a meal or some baked good that we created together. As a parent I feel responsible to teach my children to be self sufficient and well rounded adults and cooking is by far one of the main elements in that.

The book is available at Barnes and Noble ($17) as well as at Walmart and other online sites.

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

Orshi Received a Sample



Time For Kids: That’s Strange but True

The 176-page book, packed with more than 150 colorful photos that bring to life the unusual world of the animal kingdom, the human body, science peculiarities and much more, encourages readers to learn more about the subjects presented and to spur kids to find examples of strange-but-true phenomena in their own communities. Written in TIME For Kids‘ authoritative and clear style, even the strangest entries are carefully explained and will provide readers with vital frames of reference needed to make sense of the new and unusual. The book will be devoured by young readers both at home and at school.

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We are of course using it at home. With Miles at home every day I need something to have him look at and be excited about. I got this book for him and at first he was excited about it, but then what surprised me was how when daddy was reading it, it was Zoe that came over to look at it and she enjoyed it even more than Miles. The strange but true facts were interesting and I know that as we delve into it even deeper Miles will be more interested in it. So it’s actually a great book for both of my children.

The book, organized by subject, features colorful photos that bring to life the unusual world of the animal kingdom (lizards that walk on water and insects that can live without their head), the human body (hair and nails grow after a person dies), science oddities (teleportation devices and telepathy), and much much more.

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That’s Strange but True! is an entertaining mix of amazing facts and records about the most bizarre things our world has to offer, including:

· Bathtub races and other strange sports

· Quests for lost worlds

· Bionic pets

· Plants that play dead

· Upside-down houses

· Bodacious stunts and body feats

· Flying cars

· Cool robots

· Weird superstitions

· And even stranger (but true) stuff!

That’s Strange but True! is a natural progression from kid favorites That’s Awesome! and That’s Incredible!” said Bob Der, Editorial Director, TIME For Kids. “The book furthers our goal of enabling kids to understand the very strange world around them and present the information in a way that is fun and educational for the whole family.”

 

We received a sample.



Earn My Keep: Teach Your Children to Earn & Spend

Teaching my children about money is actually very important. I don’t want my children to end up with all the debt we had so I look for easy ways to start teaching them. Earn It, Learn It: Teach Your Child the Value of Money, Work, and Time Well Spent (Sourcebooks, 2011), earned the 2012 Children’s Book of the Year Award from the Institute for Financial Literacy because it’s supposed to be a great way to teach your child the value of money, work and time well spent.

imageFinancial literacy expert, Nightly Business Report commentator, and flat-out funny mom Alisa T. Weinstein’s research-based Earn My Keep program does what no other financial literacy program does: it teaches life literacy.

Kids ages 4-12 choose from 950+, expert-approved tasks spanning 50 cool careers (Chef, Astronomer, Investigator, Disc Jockey). They complete the fun, easy, FREE task they’ve chosen. Then they get paid by their parents (not necessarily money) for their efforts. It’s that simple.

Earn My Keep allows kids to:

· Experience how the real world works

· Connect the money adults earn with the money they save, share and spend

· Learn that the reward of work can be the work itself (all praise work ethic!)

· Curb their own entitlement

I’m actually impressed with the fact that Earn my Keep goes over quite a large list of possible jobs and explains in a way children can understand what each career option entails. It’s completely different from what I expected. I expected it to be more about money. It’s more about how to do these careers and how you can do things around the house for mom and dad using the skill sets from each job. So it integrates career skills and household responsibilities. It’s such a creative spin. It teaches the difference between doing things at the house because you’re a family member and earning a real income in the real world.

 

sample received



Time For Kids BIG Book of What? Features 801 Facts Kids Want to Know for Ages 8 and Up

BIG Book of What? Features 801 Facts Kids Want to Know for Ages 8 and Up

By Orshi:

clip_image002Do you ever drive somewhere and get the question from the back seat: “Mommy, how does electricity work? How do you make tires? What are clouds made out of?” …. I hear questions like this all the time from my almost 5-year-old boy. This little man’s mind is wired to figure out how things work, why are things a certain way, or what are random stuff made out of. He asks questions like this on regular bases and he stores information like a hard-drive. Occasionally we stumble over a question that I don’t know the answer to: we were at a wedding a few months ago and we discussed how organs work. I explained the basic principal behind the instrument … then he turned to me and said ‘okay, but how does the air go from the keyboard to the pipes?” (it was one of those free standing kind that was placed in the center of the sanctuary with the pipes all around the front wall) Ummm … I drew a blank and had to come home and look it up. The Big Book of What? is the most perfect book for my boy because it answers questions like this and encourages him to think more and deeper about things he sees and learns about every day.

The 192-page book, packed with more than 250 colorful photos and diagrams, bring words to life, informing and engaging young readers. TIME For Kids’ high quality visuals, as well as clear, concise and child-friendly explanations, help kids ages 8 and up discover answers to questions covering various topics spanning twelve chapters. Topics and questions, such as:

· Animals – What is a Kookaburra?

· Space – What is a Solar Eclipse?

clip_image004· The Human Body – What is Dyslexia?

· Weather & Climate – What is the Driest Place on Earth?

· Food – What is Poutine?

· Survival – What If You Come Across a Snake?

· Sports – What is the World’s Most Popular Sport?

· History – What is a Ghost Town?

· Holidays & Festivals – What is Mardi Gras?

· Mysteries – What Was the Roanoke Colony?

· Inventions – What is a Boomerang and How Can You Make Your Own?

· The Future – What Will We Be Eating for Dinner?

Our whole family loves this book. We sit around during breakfast time and read amazing new stuff that help our minds wake up. The other day we read about boomerangs and we ended up making and testing out new toys still in pajamas. I am a teacher so as an adult I am greatly enjoying the topics and the questions under each theme. Many science questions include an activity that you can make from basic items found in your home, which makes this book interactive and encourages scientific exploration.

I was raised with book: my parents spent a lot of money on beautiful colorful hardcovers and encyclopedias that I could get lost in for hours. Today, we look everything up on the internet and I miss having the simple pleasure of just popping a book open and reading away about random interesting snips of things. Since we received this book, I have seen my son sit round more often; looking at pictures and getting even more ideas for his questions.

This book makes a great gift for anyone with a curious mind or just to have it on your coffee table for those times when your mind is hungry for new things to ponder about.

The BIG Book of What? (Time Home Entertainment Inc.; June 5, 2012; $19.95) is available at www.timeforkids.com/bigbookofwhat and retailers nationwide.

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

Orshi Received a Sample



Children’s Book One Special Day a book for Big Brothers & Big Sisters

By Summer:

What has been that one special day in your life? Can you at least pinpoint the top three? How about for your child? I can tell you one such day for my 5YO was when his brother’s birth almost 3 years ago. For Spencer, it’s the same!

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Everyday Spencer is boy who is as strong as a bear and as funny as a monkey, among other things. BUT his parents have left him with grandma and have returned soon making Spencer something he has never been before … a brother! This One Special Day is a great book for soon-to-be big brother and sisters. My sons (even the younger one) love to read this book over and over. My older can even read it to my younger; and to me it’s just sweet that they’re sharing THIS book in particular.IMG_1085

One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters is all about the specialness of your “bigger” child. The specialness is even echoed in the book’s inner cover starts with Spencer alone doing activities and if you flip to the back Spencer is with his younger sibling riding in a wheelbarrow, banging on pots, mimicking, eating popsicles, playing in the garden, and hugging. If you aren’t captivated yet, you soon will be …

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This book is an interactive book giving your child a chance to “read” the book with you as not all of the text is provided. When Spencer is as strong as a bear he is really, “as strong as a” with a picture of a bear; your child is drawn to complete the sentence and read with you. As you can tell from the cover, Spencer is like a bear, horse, giraffe, elephant, monkey, tiger, pig, and bird until one special day!

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I just can’t say enough about this book. This is a must own in any children’s library and especially those of soon-to-be siblings, but beyond that it’s a keeper! Just to get your children excited and reading on their own. Not only is One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters cute, it’s very original which is why it will survive the purge of other sibling books from your at-home library. As I said before, it’s a keeper!

One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters is available now at your favorite bookstore or on Amazon. Get it for yourself or add it to your baby registry for the big brother or big sister in your house.

My Mom Start Review Grade of the One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters Book: A+++++

In addition to this review, I’d also like to thank the distributor, Disney, for the extra copy which was donated to an under privileged school in my community.

DISCLAIMER: A book was provided for review, but all thoughts in this post are my own and not influenced by the author, publisher, or distributor.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.



Stephenie Meyer’s The Host In Theaters March 29, 2013

clip_image001THE HOST is an enchanting and fateful story about the survival of love and the human spirit in a time of war. Our world is invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over, while their bodies remain intact. Most of humanity has succumbed.

Have you read this book? I read this book because I liked the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer  so very much. The Host are the humans just as the synopsis stated above and there are a few humans that have remained safe and are in hiding coming out only for emergencies. The main character (Saoirse Ronan plays Melanie) is inhabited by one of these aliens (Wanda) and her personality is so strong that the alien can not take full control of her mind so they share the body. The humans don’t trust Melanie anymore being a host and the human part of her wants to be part of the humans more than anything. Why? LOVE Companionship all those things that humans live for.AV9D9547.CR2

Melanie is in love but he is disgusted because of the alien inside her. Of course a love triangle develops here, the alien falls in love with a different human. It will be interesting to see if the relationships are truly captured on the screen as they are in the book.

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In anticipation of this movie coming out next summer we’re celebrating summer reading.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winners:

  • Kara L.
  • Tabathia B.
  • JF W.
  • Debbie C.
  • Idaho Jill

Please see the giveaway rules.



The Bear Went Over the Mountain Children’s Book Review

By Summer:

No secret we love to read in our family. Today we went to Value Village and bought 10 new books. I love when new books get offered to Mom Start. When I saw this particular book was by Iza Trapani I was so excited! From Iza Trapani we own her first book, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and her third book, Oh Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Dog Gone! Now we own Iza Trapani’s Then Bear Went Over the Mountain.IMG_1150

This well-known little ditty about an exploring bear has now been extended covering not only “to see what he could see”, but the other 4 senses too. The bear wonders around all spring, summer, and autumn, until he hibernates for the winter. I can’t sing, but I love to; my children don’t mind my off key tune, so I always turn out getting caught up in the book and singing it by the end whether I had started the book singing or not. IMG_1153

It’s not necessarily that this book is cute. Rather this book is charming, captivating, and spell binding. The reader wants to finish it time and again. I also love that the text is so memorable that my oldest son has been “reading” it to my younger son. (My Pre-K 5YO is learning to read, but in no way would be able to simply sight read this book yet.) The “level” of this book for independent reading would be Kindergarten with some assistance. I think this is a MUST ADD classic to your at home library. This is also a great teacher appreciation week or graduation gift from a child. If you didn’t know, teachers supply their own in-class library, so you’d be treating the teacher by getting them something they would actually use, and be giving their class the enjoyable gift of literacy.IMG_1151

I’m not the only lover of Iza Trapani’s The Bear Went Over the Mountain, on Amazon the book has a 5-star rating from four reviews (soon to be five with my review). You can own the Hardcover edition of The Bear Went Over the Mountain for less than $13.

My Mom Start review grade for Iza Trapani’s The Bear Went Over the Mountain Book: A+

You can also keep up with author and illustrator Iza Trapani on her website, by Liking her on Facebook, and tracking her on Twitter.

 

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.