Parenting & Grandparenting Links

New Links

We're always on the look out for catalogs that reflect intelligent choices for children's toys, games and activities, especially before gift-giving season. Here's a new one:

Museum Tour - We have often recommended museum shops for a unique selection of products that celebrate both the exhibits that are found there and a sensibility about what the young (and their parents) want in an intelligent gift selection. This site (after you get past or increase the font point of their text) has a selection from some 22 institutions across the country. It's going to take me a long time to wade through the almost 100 pages of selections, much less make a choice.

Global School Net Foundation: Some of the goals of the foundation are to combine smart teaching ideas with web publishing, video conferencing and other online tools that bridge geographic gaps, allowing young people around the world to learn together. Global SchoolNet is subscribed to by 70,000+ online educators, who engage in online project-based learning activities. Global SchoolNet was founded in 1984 by San Diego teachers and is still based in that city. A project seeking responses poses the question, Imagine your country and yourself in the future. If wishes came true, what will it be like and what will you be?” Unlock the Doors to Diplomacy 2004 included winning schools as varied as the Oswego High School, Oswego, New York, USA on U.S. Diplomatic History: What If? and another by ITESM - CEM, Atizapan, Mexico on Terrorism, the Biggest Challenge for Diplomacy.

The Reading Connection— reading activities for everybody - Links hosted y the NEA, including ), Youth Leaders for Literacy, designed to help youth direct their enthusiasm and creativity into reading-related service projects. Grants are available up to $500.00.

Another link is to one launched by Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Education Association (NEA): A new literacy program that 'taps into the excitement of professional soccer and the star power of many of the League's top players.' Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo! is a literacy program in part directed to the growing number of youth new to America who might have limited English skills.

Between the Lions, a PBS show, has shared their reading materials with A's Read Across America including a selection of reading tips for parents and teachers, as well as book lists.

Museum Kids of The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Sulaiman the Magnificent sounds more like a magician than the ruler of an Ottoman empire but his tughra (official signature) is one of the art history pages created for this site. A Korean dragon, Marco Polo's journey to the land of the Great Khan and the Unicorn tapestries are among the other Internet adventures.

Links

Alice in Wonderland, an Interactive Adventure - I found myself trying out the 27 activities on this site including a Wonderland word search, Alice reflected in the Pool of Tears, watching the Cheshire Cat disappear and help paint the roses red. Try Alice's card trick, play chess with the Red Queen, solve the maze and try the poem, the Jabberwocky, in Latin. Take part in Tweedledum and Tweedledee's battle and help put Humpty Dumpty back together.
Compilations of Book Award Lists - Children's Book Awards, Young Adult Book Awards & Other Literary Prizes.
USGS Biology Section - This US Geological Survey site includes links to informative sections including butterflies, hummingbirds, fish, why leaves change colors, geese heading north, dirt and those ever popular creatures, whales and sharks.
Children's Guide To Discovering Contemporary Art - A lovely little trip through contemporary art by the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego. "We sense that time passes quickly. Some artists want to slow time down. They help us appreciate the things in our lives that we sometimes forget." Says it all, doesn't it? Subjects such as What Is Art? How Long Should it Last? How do We Know It's Art? Exploring the Unknown. Art Since 1960. List of Art Terms. Where Should We Put It? What Should Art Be Made Of? cover those questions we find so difficult to answer.
Children's Literature Resources on the Internet - A goodly selection of links to other recommended reading web resources compiled by the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL).
Children Now: The site lays out their goals: "The Girls, Women + Media Project is a 21st century, non-profit initiative and network working to increase awareness of how pop culture and media represent, affect, employ, and serve girls and women — and to advocate for improvement in those areas. The Project also seeks to educate and empower all consumers and citizens about consumer rights and responsibilities regarding the media, and to promote universal media literacy.
Children's Picture Book Database - Based at the University of Miami in Ohio, the database gives an abstract of about 4,000 picture books and mainly designed for teachers but the topic listings should be of interest to all parents and grandparents. There are links to a literacy project (Reach Out and Roar) and those that use children's picture books to teach nutrition and health concepts, grades 1-3.
Children's Partnership:A Santa Monica, Ca. based organization that is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to inform leaders and public about the needs of children and to engage those leaders and the public.
Cool Cosmos - This “Cool Cosmos” portal is the main gateway of the “Cool Cosmos” Education and Pubic Outreach (EPO) group at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center based on the campus of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. After that mouthful, this site is structured for learning about the universe. Cosmic Classroom offers classroom activities, lessons, reference information and an Ask an Astronomer option. In addition, the Cosmic Kids section is where kids can learn about what's in space through stories. The Infrared Astronomy Timeline (offered in Spanish, too) through clear, short paragraphs begins in 1800 with Sir William Herschel, the discoverer of infrared radiation. A gallery demonstrates visible and infrared views of the geothermal features found in Yellowstone National Park.
Department of Justice Kids Cybercrime Link - Dos and Don'ts related to use of the Internet: "DO be careful about talking to "strangers" on a computer network. Who are these people anyway? Some people say and do things which are NOT NICE." and "DON'T arrange to meet anyone you've met on the Internet without telling your parents. Some people on the Internet lie about who they are, how old they are, and why they want to meet you." There are links to other resources on the Internet that will be of interest.
DragonSkies.org - We took our young granddaughters to the Astronomy of Imperial China exhibit at the Chabot Space and Science Center (Oakland, CA) and even though it consisted of scientific facts above their years, the exhibit was full of activities that they could participate in on their level. The site gives a glimpse into various aspects of the exhibit by topic: Courtyard of Discovery, Water and Light, Eyes on the Skies and Heaven Speaks. Explanations for oracle bones, comets on silk paintings, armillary spheres of incredible beauty and Su Song's extraordinary water clock are testaments to the 5,000 year-old story of ancient China's astronomical achievements.
Exploratorium - A selection of webcasts, activities and articles on the site recently: Learn about origami, discover what makes a paper airplane fly, and create your own handmade paper. Learn what powers an awesome home run swing with the Science of Baseball, learn how frozen frogs are helping human beings. Find out about eclipses, transits, SETI, auroras, scale solar systems, 'your weight on other worlds'...etc. The famed San Francisco museum is a perfect rainy day destination if you're not fortunate enough to be physically near it.
The Franklin Institute - Puzzles and Perplexing problems contains such links as puzzlemaker word search, Frederick Frog's word search (java-enabled) an applet download site, 'inQuiry Attic' offers an online exploration of an object that would not otherwise be available for the public to see, an exploration of the heart, Design your own model aircraft and many other features.
How Stuff Works - Answering those questions you, your children and grandchildren might have. Complex objects explained as well as concepts explored in understandable language with a searchable database and a monthly newsletter.
Government Sites: The after school list of sites for kids and teens, the Think College Early site and the CIA Home page for Kids, replete with the Pigeon Recon Flock punctuated by soft flapping wing sounds. Helping Your Child Learn Geography is a useful section of the US Department of Education
Just for Fun (NASA) - Designed for young people using games that will teach you about space flight and what happens to the human body in space. There's also information about what it's like living and working in space or how to become an astronaut...This is a very homey site with text designed to endear it to parents and grandparents alike who would like to inspire their children to 'think big': "Some people think astronauts are people who just go to the moon and come back. NOT! Astronauts are just like you! They eat breakfast in the morning and go to sleep at night.. They went to school just like you and studied real hard."
Just For Kids - This site has several sites within the Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Library website. StoryPlace is a bilingual web site (English and Spanish) with on-line stories, interactive activities, reading lists, and take-home projects. The Bookhive is a reading club for children with book reviews. Kid's Links is just that: links to other sites on the web and Flags and Maps of the World will provide those images your child or grandchild might need for a report. Electric library elementary provides research tools as well as there being some additional ones on the Search Tools site.
Let Their Voices Be Heard - A site based on the PBS series with sections focussing on helping children to grieve, understand death, a list of 10 things you can do to help children cope, children's books, video, links and a bibliography.
The Library of Congress site can be used to introduce children to history. Parents & Grandparents, eager to keep the younger generations amused and perhaps less focussed on game playing will recognize its appeal.
Lilliput Motor Company - I've collected car models for years, sometimes from 'tag' sales, sometimes from foreign countries (the Zil fell apart). One of our daughters always gives me birthday presents of models from Lilliput. There are boats, trains, tin toys, extraordinary (and yes, very pricey) dolls, toy soldiers, trucks, motorcyles, music boxes and books about toys. If you love these kinds of models, this site can become addicting.
Magic Tricks - Enough to make you decide to take up magic, even if your grandchild doesn't care to: Magic effects groups by skill level; 750 tricks you can order; links to magicians and magic organization, a magic museum featuring props and memorabilia, including a thorough biography of the master, Harry Houdini. See Ethel Schatz's memoir of her husband and Houdini.
Activities, Memorial Hall Museum Online - When exploring the history of New England at this site, there are activities available for children to use. The Dress Up portion of this website's activities include instructions as to accessing each layer to learn about the unfamiliar garments worn by women over 200 years ago. Now Read This tests your skills at reading old handwriting methods; Come on a Scavenger Hunt has the searcher find the things listed in documents or shown in picture by searching the Museum's Digital Collection. The Magic Lens reveals the text of manuscripts; Objects in the Round has you rotate these objects from the museum's collection to see all sides. Learning to Look permits examination of an object closely, forming some guesses about it, then learning more to find out if you were right. Before starting, the site informs about the background of the objects you'll be examining.
Narnia & C.S. Lewis- The Narnia site was inspired by the land created by C.S. Lewis in "The Chronicles of Narnia". There are interactive maps to be clicked on and a chance to learn its history through illustrations and profiles of the characters. There are excerpts from the books, enough to whet anyone's appetite for the entire series. Take a short quiz after reading the first six books and win a copy of the seventh. There's a teacher's guide and information about the various illustrators from Pauline Baynes to Chris Van Allsburg. The C.S. Lewis site was begun by an admirer and is an informed look at the author, though not scholarly. The original illustrations are available at another site for Pauline Baynes
National Gallery of Art Kid's Site - Try not to be enchanted by this site: Lizzy's visit to the sculpture garden draws you in inexorably with an interactive map and musical story; 'hide and seek' is based on a Tissot painting's subject with seeking out objects; a collection of paintings of native America inspires some activities; Watson and the Shark recounts the adventures behind the painting; using Napoleon's head on other bodies from paintings, finding clues within the original painting; and a dissection of Martin Heade's Cattleya Orchid painting that we use as a SeniorWomenWeb postcard.
NGA (National Gallery of Art) Kids Art Experience - Grandchildren who are allowed to use the computer (with or without you sitting beside them) will enjoy this series of interactive art projects online. For the youngest, River Run allows young children to orchestrate a flowing array of colorful shapes and patterns online. Build a geometric sculpture online with Cubits and Use 3-d TWIRLER to design and texturize three-dimensional shapes. Then see how artists create these effects without a computer. PixelFace is an interactive portrait maker and drawing board. You have 49 colors and 24 brushes to play with. Collage Machine is fun for children of all ages and by clicking a picture you can see what happens, or roll over the question mark and hold down the mouse button to learn how the program works. There's also a Children's Guide to The Art of Romare Bearden.
National Association for the Education of Young Children - Sue Shellenbarger's great WSJ column on 'Work & Family', gave this source: NAEYC has resources on violence prevention as well as giving accreditation to child-care centers which is a good indicator of quality child care, for both parents and professionals.
National Geo Kids - The famed and familiar organization has a section devoted to children. There are experiments, stories, games, facts, a wild and wacky feature, a 'talk back' gimmick and activities. In addition, there's One-Stop Research for pictures, articles, maps, and more on our top subjects — perfect for reports and presentations, aided by science-oriented news. A National Geo Kids shop might supply some very welcome ideas for holiday giving.
National Network for Child Care - "Cooperative Extension has an 80 year history of working in the areas of child care and early childhood development...and is supported by cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, Agriculture Dept. and CYFERNet (Cooperative Extension System's Children, Youth & Family Network). Publications are research-based and reviewed, a listserv is included as well as Person-to-Person (support and assistance from experts in child care or contact someone who is located in your region) and a newsletter.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - The mission of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is to expand the public's knowledge of nature and environmental science to promote greater understanding of Midwestern environmental issues and how those issues relate to the rest of the world. There's a butterfly lab online and a bird alert section that peregrine falcon populations are disappearing and devises a task of research for youngsters. Through the City Science Mural,l young people learn about the interconnectedness of life on Earth through the City Science Mural.
Planet Tolerance - Quoting from the site itself, "As Eleanor Roosevelt said, universal human rights begin in small places, close to home. The goal of nurturing open-minded, empathetic children is a challenging one. We offer resources to help — including a suite of online activities and a forum for parents and guardians to discuss the challenges of parenting for a diverse world." Spend time with your children at Planet Tolerance which offers interactive features such as a Turkish folk tale that is read aloud, a story of the first Jewish judge on the Supreme Court, follow an eleven year old factory worker on her quest for labor rights in Lawrence, MA and join a family of mice for lunch and discover a bilingual surprise.
Poison Control Centers - This site can provide you with a list of centers but it cannot cannot provide assistance to individuals seeking information on specific treatments for poisoning or other diseases. If you have a poisoning emergency, call your Poison Center immediately. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911.
Read Up On It (National Library of Canada) - Annual bilingual guide to the best in Canadian literature for children and young adults. Each year has a different theme and the guide lists English and French titles, English titles in Braille, award-winning French and English books and French books on cassette. There's also an interactive game for children on the site.
Science Questions and Answers - Why is the sky blue? Why don't penguins' feet freeze? And How long will astronauts' footprints on the Moon's surface remain there? New Scientist Magazine has a database of these kinds of questions that will keep you occupied and informed for a long time.
Simple Things to Keep Kids Busy ( Part One) Under Two to Over Six. Activities to keep hand, eye and mind busy when that nephew or niece, grandchild or child of friends comes to visit. Wonderful tips from a twenty-five year veteran Kindergarten teacher. Julia Sneden, Senior Women Web
Simple Things to Keep Kids Busy (Part Two) - From Six to Over Fourteen. Julia Sneden, Senior Women Web
Exploring the Solar System - A New York Times short course on the solar system just right for the curious grandchild (or adult, for that matter). The entries for the planets have just the right amount of statistics and articles from the Times' archives to inform and perhaps use for that paper: eclipses, celestial fireworks, solar eruptions, additional Uranus moons, asteroids.
Space: Earth Images from Space Page - A collection of over a dozen sites that provides images from space of the earth from different views and perspectives: NASA Space Shuttle Earth Observations Photography database, from the Scientific Visualization (SVS) Studio at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, photographs of Earth taken by astronauts from aboard the space shuttle and site for a selection of images and descriptions for topics such as: archaeology, volcanoes, oceans, glaciers, and cities. What more could you want to entertain that child who is restless on a rainy day indoors?
Tales of Wonder: Folk and FairyTales from Around the World - Piskies, Spriggans, and Other Magical Beings ( England), The Princess and the Glass Mountain (Scandinavian), Yunus and the Well of Sweetness (Arabian), We Are All One (Chinese), Why the Fish Laughed (Kashmiri), Fenist the Bright Falcon (Russian) and How Glooskap Found the Summer (American Indian) are just a sampling of the tales you can print out and read to your grandchild.
Teaching Children to Read - A national panel's report concludes that the best way to teach children to read is through a combination of methods, including phonemic awareness, phonics, guided oral reading and other strategies. The panel's home page offers background information, additional documents and related links.
Volcano World - Current eruptions, conferences workshops, terminology, interviews, e-mail notification about activity, Kids' Volcano Art Gallery, Volcanic School Project Ideas, legends, virtual field trips, quiz and a contest. Like the dino page (see above) great fun.
Zoo and Wildlife Cams: These sites are a wonderful escape for adults as well as a diversion for children. In some cases you may have to download or update various versions of a video player but most sites offer prerecorded video: The Ecology Channel Wildlife Web cams; The National Zoo cams (in Washington). San Diego Zoo - The live-panda cam and polar cam are the attractions here. Discovery.com - cams from their home base and other facilities around the country.

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