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| Child of Wonder Nurturing Creative and Naturally Curious Children Author: Ginger Carlson Publisher: Common Ground Press; First edition (April 1, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 0979702704 ISBN-13: 978-0979702709 |
I have to say as a home-schooling Mom, I really enjoyed the creativity this book abounds with. The author gives us parents ideas on how to stimulate our children's senses as well as how to stimulate their creativity.
When I was first contacted to review this book, I was a little leery as I'm not a huge fan of the majority of the "educational help" books because I find that many of those "educational helps" are more clinical than they are personal. That being said, I don't fit the norm that the clinical books seem to focus on. I homeschool. I'm a mother of 7. I'm unashamedly Christian. I can be very outspoken when it comes to my children's education as well as my beliefs.
I was delighted to find that this book is not a "typical educational help book". The author gets up and personal with the readers. She not only gives the reader a "suggestion" of how the child can learn but follows up with ways to actually engage that suggestion with your child.
She also touches on something that I believe as well when it comes to our children learning... playing can be a learning tool. My girls love to play at their toy kitchen center when I am working in the kitchen. When possible, I include them in whatever I am doing. They think they are helping Mom, and they are, but they are also learning. The same goes for when they are playing at their kitchen center, they are mimicking things they learned while working in the kitchen with me.
Overall, I have to say I enjoyed this book. Would I recommend it to others... yes! It's a great jumpstart to get your brain boosted back up for ideas to spark your child's learning and imagination.
Book Summary:
Designed to nurture children who think, wonder, and love to learn, this well-organized, easy-to-read collection of inspiring ideas and techniques guides children?s creative development. A thoughtful, engaging resource - for parents and educators seeking to understand creativity and to encourage it in practical ways - this guide illustrates multiple intelligences and learning styles and provides tools to develop a creatively supported environment that cultivates family participation. An array of complementary hands-on activities explores topics such as imaginative play, math, movement, music, cooking, science, storytelling, visual arts, questioning, cooperative games, media, and nature.
About the Author:
 | Ginger Carlson, M.A. Ed., is a speaker and education consultant. She has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Oregon and has taught in public and private schools in the United States as well as in International and Embassy schools abroad. She speaks and leads workshops in creativity building for parents and educators throughout the country. She lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon. Visit her at: |
Giveaway
Courtesy of the author, I have one copy of this inspiring book to give away to one mom (or dad) who wants to really want to get their children to using all their senses and surroundings to learn by. The book will come straight from the author, so you must be willing to share your address with me so I can forward it to her.
To enter, just leave me a comment telling me something out of the norm that you do with your children to spark their interest in learning.
OPTIONAL: Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this contest and Then leave me a SEPARATE comment with your link and you will be entered twice into the drawing.
Anonymous comments without an email will be deleted.
This giveaway is open to all.
Deadline to enter is April 30th at 11:59 PM EST.
Winners will notified via email and/or blog as well as will be announced here on my blog. Winners have 72 hours to reply or will forfeit their prize to analternate winner who will be drawn at random.
Posts
36 Comments:
I would love to find more way to stimulate my son's creative side. Please count me in for this giveaway. Thank you.
Sounds like a great book! When the president dollar coins started coming out my dad started using them to teach my girls about the presidents, it has totally sparked their interest in US History and the presidents, they review with him the ones they've learned so far & eagerly look forward to each new coin coming out so they can learn about another president.
To inspire their creativity, I sometimes have to sit back and let the kids take the lead. It's not easy to watch them make messes but I love watching their smiles and hearing their laughter!
I blogged about your giveaway here http://broadhorizonsschool.blogspot.com/2008/04/its-bloggy-giveaway-time-again.html
Happy Earth Day! I have one son who will only wear costumes from our big bag of play clothes. When we go shopping, he is either a Ninja, Batman, Spiderman, etc. That is one thing I do! I have been a mom at home for many years! Please enter me in your delightful book drawing.
Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Thanks for the giveaway! Sign me up! ( :
In Christ,
Mandi
We are homeschoolers, and the kids love lots of free play, playin gdress up, playing in their kitchen, helping mom and Dad cook, our read aloud time inspires many learning conversations too.
This sounds like a wonderful book! I got my oldest into stamp collecting (from all around the world). It's amazing what one can find on stamps - Christmas (customs), animals, art, composers, astronomy, etc. His collection has sparked some interesting discussions and research.
Great giveaway! There are two things that I try really hard to do with the kids are science experiments, and gardening. They have such fun with this stuff! Also one of their favorite things to do is paint. I cover the entire kitchen table with manilla paper and the kids all paint whatever they want. Then we hang their paintings in the playroom. They are proud, and their paintings are beautiful.
I let my son do whatever when we go on walks. Usually he collects sticks to play with when we get home.
This sounds great. My dd is only 13mn but I want her to really get out and learn everything that she can by exploring. This would be great!
I would really enjoy reviewing this book. I think something creative we do is that I tell a story (usually about a brave knight!) and my boys (2 and 4) use their boomwackers (musical tubes) to play "interpretive" music as to which character I'm talking about. They get a great kick out of it! Thank you.
My son and I could really use this book. Having a child has really revealled how un-creative I am most of the time. I need some inspiration!
I would love to be entered in this draw.
owatz (AT) telus (DOT)net
I try to change up how I get my daughter to look at things and figure them out. For example, she has a picture book of different words and each page is a different theme. One time, I'll ask her to show me something red on the page. Next, I'll ask her to show me what she uses at bedtime. Then, I'll ask her to tell me the things that go in the water, etc.
I hope that explanation makes sense. I'm too tired to think of a better way to phrase it. Thanks for the giveaway! The book sounds great!
Sounds like a great read.
Sounds like an excellent resource! I'm in!
I posted about this . . . http://laskigal.blogspot.com/2008/04/giveaways.html
Sounds like a great book, I would love to be entered into your drawing!
We do a lot of drawing and making her own books--she authors them, I'm just the one who writes down the words! Also imaginative play and word play--
rhyming, letter sounds, etc.
I always feel I'm not creative on my own, so I'd really like the book.
I would LOVE to win this! My son is only 2 but I have him help me cook a LOT, I don't think many people let their kids help, he loves it!
the book sound wonderful, my girls love to help in the kitchen too
hi! to spark their interest in learning, i make sure that books abound in the house; allows them to mess around with paints and colors.. ;)
thanks.
ivan[dot]girl25[at]gmail[dot]com
We play "I love you more than.."
One person says "I love you more than a rock."
The next person has to say "I love you more than..." and rhyme something.
We end up silly, but it's helped my preschoolers practice their rhyming.
Placemats: Glue cutouts of whatever you are learning about to construction paper and laminate. The possibilities are endless and you can have some great conversations at every meal.
my son and i always go searching for roly polys in our backyard. i try to teach him how they tickle when they crawl on your arm, that he has to be soft with them and he LOVES it.
I guess it's not too out of the ordinary but we do lots with lego.
I would love to win this! Please enter me.
taradawnrobertson[at]hotmail[dot]com
my DS is almost 2, so i don't usually have to think of ways to stimulate him, in fact sometimes i wish he was less curious!
This looks like a great book. :)
When I'm giving a spelling test. I try to use each spelling word in a sentence, but try to keep them related like a story as long as possible. not sure that makes sense. :)
adashofsassitude(at)gmail.com
We play board games
Something out of the norm. I let my two year old practice the piano any time she wants. She loves it!
I don't have kids, but in my Sunday school class for 1st graders, I get them to act out parts of the stories and they really like that. Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to win! nw_wife(at)hotmail(dot)com
umm, i try to make learning more hands on, lots of museums and other fun stuff
This book is in my Amazon wish list right now! I'd LOVE to win! Thanks!
meg.wilson@gmail.com
To encourage her natural curiosity, when my daughter asks a string of "why" and "how" and "what if" questions, I try to go along and keep it moving. It can get annoying trying to deal with a preschooler's questions, but I don't want to squash her inquisitiveness.
I found the creating folder games (or just games using flashcards and rocks, stars and other trinkets) has helped my little ones remain interested. I get surprised myself sometimes...because they learn through the games and I see that they progress without the push/nag they would feel if they weren't playing the game. I also recently wrote words on flash cards for them to practice reading...all I had to do is arrange the words in a "silly" order and they got such a kick out of it that they wanted to re-arrange the words to make their own silly sentences...I was blown away by the speed at which they started putting words into sentences and reading them! (e.g. She is a door. The Mom is closed. I am a door, Mom" We enjoyed our time...had many laughs...and learned a lot. It's so important to be "silly" and fun with kids...it's contagious!
difaa3 [at] gmail [dot] com
We go outside to learn...spelling baseball..run a base for each letter to a home run...hopscotch math...around the neighborhood social studies interviews and map drawing...sight words with spaghetti..endless fun
3beez at bellsouth dot net
special ed teacher 1st grade
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