The Book Chook

Make a Video with Kids at Pixorial

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Making movies with kids is a wonderful learning activity. Children get to develop communication skills, think creatively and critically, and express themselves via digital media. I value any opportunities for kids to develop digital literacy skills in...(read more)

Children's Book Review, Night Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Children's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Night Watch is a children's picture book written by Phil Cummings, illustrated by Janine Dawson and published by Working Title Press (2013.) Giraffe, Elephant, Hippo and Baboon all live...(read more)

Have Fun with Fungooms

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Have Fun with Fungooms by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Lots of parents I know try to balance the amount of screen time their kids get. I think that's an excellent idea. Sometimes kids lives are so switched on, or so full of extra-curricular...(read more)

Let's Prepare Our Kids for the Future

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Let's Prepare Our Kids for the Future by Susan Stephenson Regular readers of The Book Chook will have picked up by now that I believe strongly in the importance of play as the way kids learn best. When children start school, I think we should maintain...(read more)

Children's Book Review, Once Upon a Slime

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Children's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Once Upon a Slime was written by Andy Griffiths , illustrated by Terry Denton and published by Pan Macmillan (2013). - Have you ever wondered where ideas come from and how stories are made?...(read more)

Create Stories at Storyboard That

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Create Stories at Storyboard That by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Storyboard That offers an online place for kids to create digital stories . Its main purpose is as a visual aid for communicators e.g. in the business area, but it would also...(read more)

Why Reading Really is Magic

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Why Reading Really is Magic by Mem Fox Reading is magical because it brings parents and children together for fun, bonding and giggles. It also helps promote a children’s brain, social and language development. Reading aloud to young children, before...(read more)

Children's Book Review, Arkie Sparkle, Treasure Hunter: Tick Tock

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Children's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Arkie Sparkle, Treasure Hunter: Tick Tock was written by Petra James and published by Pan Macmillan Australia (2013.) 7 treasures 7 continents 7 days 7 books 6 changes of clothes 5 suspicious...(read more)

Switch Kids On to Reading and Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Sun, 05 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Switch Kids On to Reading and Writing by Brian Rock As a former teacher and current parent, I’ve had experience in introducing kids to reading and writing . And while there’s no magic potion that works for all kids, I’ve learned that oftentimes the messenger...(read more)

Learning Activities for The Wrong Book

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Learning Activities for The Wrong Book by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com As I mentioned last week , 11.00 am on May 23 is National Simultaneous Story Time in Australia, when hordes of eager kids and adults share a picture book in libraries, schools,...(read more)

Children's Book Review and Giveaway, Nanny Piggins and the Race to Power

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Children's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com I love books that lure kids onto the magical pathway to reading by offering humour and entertainment, don't you? Do you remember my enthusiasm for the first in R. A. Spratt's Nanny Piggins...(read more)

Let's Celebrate Star Wars Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Let's Celebrate Star Wars Day! by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com You may have noticed by now that here at The Book Chook, I love to celebrate. I very much enjoy special days that offer us the opportunity to sneak some literacy and learning into...(read more)

National Simultaneous Story Time 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

National Simultaneous Story Time 2013 by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com What is National Simultaneous Story Time? National Simultaneous Storytime ... is organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). It is a colourful,...(read more)

Children's Book Review, Interrupting Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Children's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Interrupting Chicken is a children's picture book by David Ezra Stein, published by Walker Books (2013). It's time for the little red chicken's bedtime story and a reminder from Papa to...(read more)

Fun with Avatars

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Stephenson) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Fun with Avatars by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Avatars are definitely engaging. Creating an avatar online is a nice way to involve kids in learning digital literacy skills - they'll learn about menus and buttons, try different effects, and...(read more)