Jumpstart World is Giving Away a $10,000 College Scholarship
Friday, December 26, 2008
What better way to reward your child's creativity than with a $10,000 college scholarship?Jumpstart World, a virtual, educational world for children, is proud to announce their very own CREATE YOUR OWN "JUMPEE" AVATAR CONTEST. With virtually endless avatar combinations for face, hair, eyes, mouth, hats, and clothing; children can jump, hop, skip, and swim their way to cool prizes and non-stop adventure.
Kids can win cool daily, weekly, and monthly give-a-ways including: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, free year subscriptions to Jumpstart.com, and a $10,000 grand prize college scholarship!
On the Net: www.jumpstart.com
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 12:17 AM,
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The Tale of Despereaux: Coming to Theaters on December 19
Monday, December 8, 2008
There are few children's books that I love more than The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. If you haven't read it yet, it is absolutely riveting, even for an adult. It's an amazingly engaging novel with a wonderful plot and magnificent characters. I cannot say more about it than that. It's absolutely fantastic.
Labels: boys, education, entertainment, girls, holidays
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 7:21 PM,
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Questions for Curious Kids: Table Topics to Go
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Curiosity is one of the mainstays of early childhood. Children are always interested in knowing such things as why the sky is blue or where do babies come from. As much as kids love asking you questions, the next time they're in an inquisitive mood, have your kids ask each other questions. Table Topics, a company that has built its success on conversation starters, has created a set of 40 questions for kids to ask each ot
her if they're on a trip, at a sleepover, or if they're just plain bored. Questions such as "Are you afraid of anything?", "What's your favorite joke", and "What's your favorite Disney character?" will get their little minds thinking and give them constructive game-play. The Table Topics to Go for Kids retails for $9.00 and comes in a plastic slipcase. My daughters, who are 10 and 7, love it and invariably learn something new about each other even though they're around each other the vast majority of each day Table Topics to Go for Kids is a great learning and discovery tool for children.
On the Net: http://www.tabletopics.com/
Labels: boys, education, entertainment, girls, kids
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 6:06 PM,
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National Geographic Teaches Kids About Pluto
Monday, November 24, 2008
It can be a bit puzzling, but after all these years astronomers have declared that Pluto is no longer a planet. If you have children who knew all nine planets by heart it is a little difficult to tell them that there are only eight planets now and in actuality Pluto is a dwarf planet. Sensing the frustration from parents and teachers nationwide National Geographic has launched a web site, "Pluto's Secret" to help educate children on the recent intergalactic change.
Based at
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Games/ActionGames/Plutos-secret, kids can play games that teach them about all of the planets, but puts extra emphasis on Pluto's recent downgrade out of planet status.
Science and space are popular categories for National Geographic Web site visitors of all ages. Check out a wealth of space stories, photos and interactive features at www.nationalgeographic.com.
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 2:54 AM,
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Are Your Kids Ready for the ACT/SAT? Here's How to Find Out
Thursday, October 2, 2008
You remember what it was like preparing for the SAT, don't you? That was a stressful time, for sure. We recall the pressure to score high like it was yesterday. If you are wondering if your child is ready to take the ACT or SAT Sylvan has devised a quiz to determine your child's test readiness.SAT/ACT Readiness Quiz:
Please answer the following questions with a "yes" or "no." For each "yes," give yourself and your teen 2 points. At the end of the quiz, add up your points and see how prepared your teen is for SAT and ACT.
1. Do you and your teen feel confident that his classes, such as
Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry, and school have prepared him for the
SAT/ACT?
2. Have you and your teen identified her weakest subject areas and developed a strategy for those portions of the tests?
3. Is your teen familiar with the rules of the SAT vs. the ACT? (For example, is there a penalty for answering incorrectly?)
4. Have you bought, and opened, a test prep review book for your teen?
5. Have you made a SAT/ACT study schedule with your teen to set aside a minimum amount of time each day or week?
6. Has your teen made his own flashcards outside of those provided in a review packet?
7. Has your teen taken more than one practice exam for the SAT or the ACT?
8. Has your teen practiced writing an essay in 25 minutes?
9. Has your teen developed a timing strategy for the test?
10. Has your teen enrolled in or taken a test prep course?
SCORING
0-5 Points
It's never too late for your teen to begin preparing for either test! Here are tips that your teen can use to begin preparing now. And remember, there are always multiple test dates!
- Buy a test preparation book.
- Make flash cards.
- Enroll in a test preparation class.
- Take a practice SAT/ACT test.
5-10 Points
Congratulate your teen on beginning to practice for the SAT/ACT. Now is a perfect time for your teen to concentrate on creating a "SAT/ACT study guide." Here are some tips you can give your teen to get started.
- Divide the study guide into three sections: math, critical reading
and writing.
- For each section, write down your weak areas.
- Under the weak areas, write down any formulas, vocabulary words or
grammar rules that you need to learn.
- Flip through the quick guide once a day.
10-15 Points
Practice makes perfect. Give your teen these testing tips to consider while he continues to map out his strategy for the big day.
- Skip an answer. If you are unsure of an answer, skip the question and
go back if time permits.
- Share your time. Don't spend too much time on any single question.
- Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
- End each section by reviewing. Revisit the questions that you either
circled or marked with a question mark.
- Stop and check. After every few questions, stop and check to make
sure the question number on the answer sheet corresponds with the question
being answered in the test booklet.
15-20 Points
Your teen is on her way to achieving a great score on the SAT or the ACT! Give her these last minute tips to top off her test preparation.
- Enter the exam with confidence. Know the instructions for each
section before you enter the exam room -- don't waste time reading the
instruction the day of the exam.
- The night before, read a book or a magazine. This is a good way to
work your mind with a non-stressful subject.
- Get a good night sleep before the exam.
- Always eat breakfast.
- Relax! You're prepared. Go in confident.
To find out more about SAT/ACT test preparation opportunities at Sylvan
Learning, visit
http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/test-preparation/index.cfm.
Labels: boys, education, girls, school, teens, tips
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 8:06 AM,
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Everybody Wins: Bridging the Literacy Gap
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
If you caught the Democratic National Convention and saw the tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy you probably heard him speak of an organization close to his heart called Everyone Wins. It is an amazing organization that strives to bridge the literacy gap between low-income elementary school children and their higher income counterparts.Everybody Wins pairs these children with reading mentors who volunteer their time during school hours to read one-on-one with children who have had a slower start in life.
To help this worthy cause, you can either donate money or volunteer your time to read to a child. To learn more, visit http://www.everybodywins.org/.
Here's the Convention Tribute to Ted Kennedy where you can see how Everybody Wins has impacted the lives of children.
Labels: boys, education, girls
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 8:27 AM,
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Educational Expert Pens New Blog
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Education is always a hot topic for parents, especially for those who are deeply engaged in the best ways for their children to learn. Education expert, Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., known around the nation as Dr. Rick, has launched DrRickBlog.com, a free online resource for parents and educators that offers tips and tools for students from pre-K to high school.
DrRickBlog.com features weekly topics surrounding the latest issues in education, as he shares thoughts, advice and creative ideas. In addition, Dr. Rick’s Blog invites visitors to post feedback and comments with their own views, helping to further the connection among educators and education-focused families throughout North America .
"There is such a wealth of educational information out there that it can be overwhelming," said Dr. Rick. "According to Technorati, there are more than 112 million blogs on the Web. Yet, there doesn't seem to be one place to find day-to-day tips to help with the shared responsibility of keeping students on track in their educational careers. My goal is to provide a one-stop source with 'tricks of the trade' that I've learned from helping parents, educators and students coast-to-coast."
DrRickBlog.com will include current and relevant news articles, reference lists with additional resources and many other exciting sections as the site continues to expand. It will incorporate an inspirational, informative but light, fun and interactive tone, providing a supportive destination for parents and educators to visit all year long.
On the Net: www.drrickblog.com
Labels: education
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 4:08 AM,
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Traffic.com Helps Prevent Headache on Way to School
Friday, August 29, 2008
We saw this yesterday and just have to share!If you often run into congested traffic areas when driving your kids to school you can call 1-866-698-7232 to find out which streets in your city to avoid and save valuable drive-time.
Utilize these Traffic.com solutions to obtain the latest traffic information:
1. Call 1-866-MY-TRAFC (1-866-698-7232), a free automated voice hotline for speed dial access to roadway updates.
2. Connect to http://mobi.traffic.com/, a free wireless Web site for mobile
traffic hotspot reports.
3. Text your CITY CODE (NY, CHIC, PHL, LA, etc.) to TRAFC (87232) to get
instant traffic updates for the worst city area delays. Traffic.com
city codes can be found at http://help.traffic.com/city-codes-used-for-sms.
4. Download Traffic.com2GO to bring accurate, real-time traffic reporting
to your cell phone.
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 1:51 PM,
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America's Largest Aquarium Welcomes Manta Ray
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Georgia Aquarium, the largest in the United States, welcomed the first manta ray to its waters after Nandi, a nine-foot-long manta, was rescued from shark nets off the coast of South Africa in April 2007. Nandi spent time in Africa's largest aquarium, but quickly outgrew her 580,000 gallon tank, so the Georgia Aquarium stepped in, flew her 9,000 miles and relocated her in the States through a partnership with uShaka Aquarium."The Georgia Aquarium's success in moving whale sharks across the world gave us confidence that this was the right thing to do," said Dr. Mark Penning, executive director of uShaka Marine World. "We see this as a perfect opportunity to create an international partnership and continue Nandi's incredible story, raising worldwide awareness about manta rays."Manta rays are the largest rays on earth and grow up to 26 feet long.
On the Net: http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/
Labels: education
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 10:31 PM,
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Limited-Edition Election Tees from Nickelodeon
Kids are encouraged to pick the next U.S. president and learn more about the candidates at Nickelodeon's Kids Pick the President Campaign. Kids have correctly picked four out of the last five presidents and have become little election aficionados because of Nickelodeon's stellar election news and content.Nickelodeon has partnered with Lucky Jeans to produce 4000 limited-edition election-themed t-shirts and will be sold in 115 Lucky stores and Nordstrom department stores in select cities including New York; Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Miami; and Washington D.C.
Selling for $34 the tees will hit the shelves in mid September.
On the Net: www.nick.com/kpp
Labels: education, fashions, kids
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 8:37 PM,
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