Where To Find Cheap Children’s Books

Posted on July 10, 2011 by jenfoote

In my last post, I talked about children’s books, buying them, and visiting the local library.  If you like to buy children’s books, but don’t want to spend a fortune, here are a few of the best places to look (from my personal experience).

Garage Sales – I get lucky and get a lot of 10 cent books!  Bag sales at yard sales are also a great way to stock-up on kids books.

Scholastic Book Clubs – If your child is school aged, try and order books from your school’s Scholastic Book Club (if they participate).  My daughter’s teachers always provide parents with an online code that enables you to order online.  The selection of books is larger and your child’s classroom can earn a free book certificate.

Amazon.com – I am a major fan of Amazon.com, especially when it comes to kid’s books.  They have great prices and a MASSIVE selection of books.  I love the fact that you can “look inside,” most books first.  I always try to buy books that qualify for “Free Super Saver Shipping,” to save even more money.

Book Exchanges – We have recently started to do book exchanges with a couple of neighbors.  This still involves buying books, but Sarah and the neighbor girls swap books all the time.  It is almost like we have our own little neighborhood library setup.

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do You Buy Books? Go To the Library? Or both?

Posted on July 9, 2011 by jenfoote

I am an avid children’s book buyer, but I have recently seen my shopping habits shift over the last year.

My daughter Sarah is going into 2nd grade this year.  She is an avid reader; she LOVES to read.  Towards the middle of 1st grade, the focus started to shift towards chapter books.

My daughter has 200+ books, but she is outgrowing most of them.

In the past, I would snag up books at garage sales, dollar stores, clearance racks, book fairs, and Scholastic Book Clubs.  This is how our collection grew to be massive!

Most of the children’s books we own are picture books and early reader books.  All of my daughter’s books have been read at least once (some as many as two or three times)!

With early reader books and picture books, they get read a lot!  With chapter books, not so much.  My daughter likes to read the book once and move onto the next.  Of course, who can blame her; I’d be the same way.

I have still be buying chapter books from the Scholastic Book Clubs, school books fairs, and clearance racks at local retail stores.  I don’t know if it is because chapter books get read once and then are done, but we have been hitting up the local library more and more.  Sarah gets an endless supply of books for free!

I’ll always still buy books.  I love the excitement in watching Sarah write her name in her “very own books.”  I don’t consider it money wasted at all, but I have grown to LOVE our local library.

When it comes to children’s books for your kids, do you prefer buying books, the local library, or do you utilize both options like us?

Posted in Activities - Indoors, Other | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bowling: A Fun Activity for Kids!

Posted on July 8, 2011 by jenfoote

If you are looking for a fun activity to do with  your preschooler, kindergartener, or first grader, I recommend bowling!  We love to go bowling.  As Sarah gets older, she relies on the bumpers less and less.  Pretty soon, she’ll be bowling without them!

Most bowling alleys are open during the daytime in the summer months.  My recommendation is to call around first.  I was surprised with the price differences at local bowling alleys.

Posted in Field Trip Ideas | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday America… Did You Have a Good July 4th?

Posted on July 5, 2011 by jenfoote

We had a great fourth of July.  A few family and friends came over.  We roasted marshmallows by the fire and waited for the fireworks to start.  We are lucky in that we can see our town’s fireworks right from our backyard!

Posted in Activities - Outdoors | Leave a comment

Fun Activity for Kids: Write a Letter or Make a Card

Posted on July 3, 2011 by jenfoote

I found this picture when searching for images to use on my blog.  This is a picture of a Christmas card Sarah was making for her teacher.

At this point in time, Sarah was in 1st grade.  She could write and spell by herself, so she really didn’t need any help from me.

If your child is a presschooler or kindergartener, they may need assistance with writing and spelling.  When my daughter was younger, she would tell me what she wanted to write, I would write it on a scrap piece of paper, and she would “copy,” it.  My thoughts are practice makes perfect and it did work!

Homemade cards are great for any occasion or “just because.”  You can also have your child or help your child write a note to a long distance relative.

So writing a note or making a homemade card is a great preschool activity for kids and a great kindergarten activity for kids.

Posted in Activities - Indoors | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Handy Manny Fan Learning to Read? Checkout These Great Books on Amazon.com

Posted on June 24, 2011 by jenfoote

If your child is a fan of Handy Manny, then you’ll love these great books.  Click the links for more information.  As of today, all of the books featured below qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping on Amazon.com when you spend $25 or more on qualifying orders.

Posted in We Like - Books, We Like - TV Shows | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Handy Manny Preschool Computer Games on Disney Junior

Posted on June 23, 2011 by jenfoote

Does your preschooler or kindergarten love to play the computer?  Are you looking for fun and educational computer games for your child that features their favorite construction worker – Handy Manny?  If so, you should head on over to Disney Junior.

On the Disney Junior website, you’ll find (as of today) a total of 17 Handy Manny computer games.  The games offer a collection of fun, education, and promote thinking.

Handy Manny Games on Disney Junior

Screenshot of Handy Manny Games on Disney Junior; click the picture to go there!

As of June 2011 these were the Handy Manny preschool computer games you could find on Disney Junior:

  • Manny’s Pit Stop Stop
  • Manny’s Big Crane Game
  • Handy Manny Carnival Games
  • Clang!
  • Fix-it Fetch
  • Flicker Lights the Way
  • Manny’s Garden Gallery
  • Hop Up, Jump In!
  • Manny’s Mini Garden
  • Motorcycle Reunion
  • Pat’s Picture Puzzles
  • Manny’s Pinata Birthday Bash
  • Manny’s Puzzle Pipes
  • The Right Tool for the Job
  • Toy Factory
  • Watch Out, Mr. Lopart!
  • World Music with Manny
Posted in We Like - Games, We Like - TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Free Printable Handy Manny Coloring Pages

Posted on June 22, 2011 by jenfoote

My daughter loves to color.  Does your child?  Some of her favorite coloring pages feature her favorite television characters, such as Handy Manny and the tools.

Are you looking for free Handy Manny coloring pages to print?  If so, here are a few of our favorite sites that we have used in the past to find free Handy Manny coloring pages to print:

Handy Manny Coloring Pages at Disney Junior

Handy Manny Coloring Pages at Kids Like Coloring Pages

Handy Manny Coloring Pages at Coloring-Book.info

 

Posted in Activities - Indoors, We Like - TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

3 Awesome Handy Manny DVDs

Posted on June 21, 2011 by jenfoote

With Disney Channel having an East and a West channel on most television networks, with on-demand programming, and with DVRs, it is pretty easy to get your hands on a Handy Manny episode or full-length adventure.  Still, something is said for watching your child’s eyes fill with excitement as they open their “very own,” Handy Manny DVD case.

If you are looking for a Handy Manny DVD, here are three of our favorites:

Handy Manny: Big Construction Job DVD

In this adventure, Manny and the tools travel to Concrete Falls to work on a new project.  Back home, Mr. Lopart provides fill-in assistance (you can only imagine how funny that will be)!  You get to meet new tools, namely power tools!

Released on November 16, 2010; total run time is 67 minutes.

Handy Manny: Big Race DVD

In this adventure, Handy Manny, the tools, and Elliot take a broken down racecar and turn it into a winner.  As always, the goal is accomplished with hard work, team working, and drive.

Released on April 20, 2010; total run time is 45 minutes.


Handy Manny: Motorcycle Adventure DVD

This is my daughter’s all-time Handy Manny full-length adventure.  I think it is because her grandpa drives a motorcycle too!  Anyways, Manny and the tools setoff on a motorcycle trip to a family reunion, but Pat causes a problem when he decided to head off after his “own” family.  The tools all work together to reunite their family.

Released on December 1, 2009; total run time is 45 minutes.

 

Posted in We Like - DVDs, We Like - TV Shows | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Handy Manny For A Week: A Favorite of My Daughter’s

Posted on June 20, 2011 by jenfoote

I thought it would be a good idea to do a few themed posts.  One of my daughter’s favorite Playhouse Disney – now Disney Junior – shows is that of Handy Manny.  In all honesty, the reason why she became such a big Handy Manny fan is because he is a construction worker just like her dad!

According to Wikipedia, Handy Manny premiered on Disney on September 16, 2006, we came along a couple of years after that.

Handy Manny is voiced by Wilmer Valderrama, whom was funny as heck on That 70’s Show.  Manny is a bilingual handyman/construction worker who has a toolbox full of fun and entertaining talking tools.

As a parent, I love Handy Manny for a number of reasons:

Why I Love Handy Manny Reason #1: My daughter learned a bit of Spanish.

She was also a Dora the Explorer fan and learned quite a few Spanish words from Dora, but I thought a lot of the words were different; therefore, she continued to learn Spanish with her “new” favorite show.

Why I Love Handy Manny Reason #2:  Lessons Learned

There is usually a lesson to be learned in a Handy Manny episode.  We enjoyed watching Handy Manny’s Motorcycle Adventure.  In it, Pat and a few tools stow away on a tool truck because Pat believed he saw his cousin pictured on the truck.  Manny and the rest of the tools partake on an adventure to catch up with the rest of their “family.”  The show ends on a good note with a family reunion of Manny’s family, which of course includes the tools!

Why I Love Handy Manny Reason #3:  Community

There is quite the community to be found on Handy Manny.  In addition to the repair shop, various business owners and community members are shown.  I recall an episode when they were trying to get enough lights for the movie theater sign to light-up.  A community effort was involved when each resident rounded up and donated lights.  Although some construction projects are tackled with just Manny and the tools, a good chunk of projects are completed with the help and teamwork of others.

Okay, now that I rambled a bit…I am going to spend the week focusing on everything Handy Manny.  I’ll provide links to my daughter’s favorite Handy Manny computer games, coloring pages, party supplies, toys, DVDs, books, and more!

Posted in We Like - TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment