Month: February 2020

If they build it….they will play!

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One of the new year’s promises I made to myself and my family this year was that there would be less iPad time and I mean to keep it! Yes, they still get to play every now and again, but I have noticed that this month it’s something they ask for less than ever before. How are we doing it? With help from some awesome toys that are educational, engaging and challenging!

Our friends at The Learning Journey International sent us some toys to play with, and I was fascinated by what happened! My girls were immediately drawn to Zany Trax (a STEM interactive construction set), but they rolled their eyes at the other 2 games which, at first glance, seem to be for younger kids. They got to work right away building the Zany Trax and found it to be quite challenging. The box says it’s for ages 6+ but my 7 & 9 year old needed Daddy to step in with the assist because the instructions have to be followed quite precisely to ensure that everything works correctly!

There is something magical about giving kids the opportunity to BUILD something on their own. The process of building brought my girls together and once they had the final product completed they just kept on playing with it! If they build it, they will play! Meanwhile, I’m one happy Mommy to have kids so enthralled by one activity!

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It’s always a great time to read aloud!

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Thank you to everyone for tuning in and reading along with me on World Read Aloud Day 2020! It was my first time broadcasting a Story Time With Michele episode LIVE. Naturally, there were a few technical hiccups at first, but once I finally got going it was so much fun! It was really heartwarming to see so many people from all over the world log in and join me!

If you missed the LIVE broadcast, have no fear the video is right here! (Keep in mind, that first minute or so I’m trying to make sure that I’m actually broadcasting live – I’m a novice – what can I say?!)

There were people tuning in from San Francisco CA, New York NY, Edmond OK, Pensacola FL, San Antonio TX, Shaumburg IL, even Doha Quatar and Perth Australia!!! This is what World Read Aloud Day is all about: people all around the globe celebrating the joy of reading aloud and, by doing so, we are all amplifying the message that access to literacy is a fundamental human right. Thank you LitWorld.org for all of the work that you do to organize this event, share this message, and reach thousands of children around the world. It really is a very impressive organization!

I just love that they have identified “7 Strengths” which guide all of their work and children’s programs. LitWorld’s 7 Strengths are Belonging, Kindness, Curiosity, Friendship, Confidence, Courage, and Hope.

Belonging: I am a valuable and important member of my family, community, and world.
Curiosity: I show a willingness to explore new territory and test new theories.
Friendship: I value close, trusting relationships with people I can count on.
Kindness: I think about the needs of others and always lend a hand to help.
Confidence: I can think for myself and feel comfortable expressing my ideas.
Courage: I am strong enough to do the right thing, even when it’s hard.
Hope: I am optimistic that what I do today will result in a better tomorrow.

I hope that we all can take these 7 strengths and incorporate them into our lives and our children’s lives!

World Read Aloud Day 2020

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https://www.litworld.org/worldreadaloudday

If you have followed me for some time now then you know I am passionate about reading aloud to children. The benefits are numerous, not just for the child but also for the reader (you and me!). So, you can imagine how excited I am that Feb. 5, 2020 is a day when readers all around the world will celebrate the act of reading aloud by making an extra special effort to read to someone, anyone, out loud!

I am so thrilled, in fact, that I am going to do something I have never done before! I am going to read a book LIVE on Facebook so that we may all enjoy the story together, at the same time! (Of course, it will be archived for those of you who can’t make it.) If you aren’t following me on FaceBook yet, or haven’t joined my FB Group (Story Time With Michele Book Club), what are you waiting for?! Just click the link and you’ll be all set up to tune in on Wed. Feb. 5, 2020 at 7p.m. EST. Check out the LitWorld website; it’s where I got my idea and inspiration!!

If you haven’t yet seen my Youtube channel yet, Story Time With Michele, then you don’t know that I have spent about a year and a half filming myself reading children’s books aloud. I read them for my children and for yours and even for adults who enjoy listening to a good story. Here’s an example of a recent fun addition to the channel:

My goal is to excite young readers so that they too may fall in love with reading books. There are over 25 million children in the US that aren’t able to read proficiently. We all can appreciate just how important it is to address this so that every child may reach their full potential! Reading aloud is one way that I know I can help in a small way, and that’s why I created Story Time With Michele.

Thank you for following and supporting me on this journey! I hope you will tune in on Wed. Feb. 5, 2020 at 7pm EST. I’ll be streaming a LIVE read aloud on my Facebook page and I hope you and your kids will read along with me!