Mother's Day Gifts for Your Kids to Make from Usborne Books

Mother’s Day is May 10th

Here are two books your kids will really love!

	Things to make for Mother’s Day Make delightful things to give to Mom (Grandma, Aunt or Teacher) using this really fabulous book. Follow the simple step-by-step instructions and find out how to make pretty cards and gifts that everyone will love, (includes over 200 stickers.) (For ages 4 years and up.)
	Usborne ART ideas: Making Cards This inspiring book is packed full of creative ideas for making cards for all occasions. You can follow the clear, simple step-by-step instructions exactly, or just use the imaginative ideas to create your own cards. (For ages 10 years and up.) Make a Pop-Up Card – Download the instructions from page 20 & 21 of Making Cards.

Painting Doesn't Have to be a Mess! Tips to Keep Painting a Fun and Clean Experience for your Kids and for Yourself.

So many kids do not get to paint at home because the messy paint is too stressful for some moms. Kids LOVE to paint. I feel so bad for kids who tell me, "My mom won't let me paint." Those kids are missing out on such wonderful creative experience.

I leave the paints out on a shelf at kid level for my kids. They can grab the paints any time they wish and paint away. I love the paintings I have on my walls, all painted by my own artists. Creativity flows in this household. How on earth am I not afraid to keep the paints out for my kids to use? I taught them early on about how to paint properly, and how to have fun with it, without making a mess. And people who know me know I am not an anal person. I am not a clean freak. And I certainly don't pressure the kids to be either.

So what can you do to help your kids have a clean - free painting experience? Here are my tips:

1. Put down newspaper or paper on the table or floor. My daughter loves to paint on the floor. I do have a cloth for her to paint on. When she uses her easel, we put the easel on it too.

2. Make sure you have a fresh cup or two of water to put the brushes in to clean them off. Have the kids dab the wet brushes on paper towel to clean off left over color and excess water.

3. Use one color at a time:

a. For younger kids - have them paint with one color. Then let that color dry. Get the next color out. Have that color dry. This way you don't have a bunch of paint out at one time, and by letting each color dry, their painting comes out looking the way they envisioned instead of one giant blob of brown ick.

Put just a dollop of paint on a piece of paper for your child to dip his/her brush into. If they are allowed to dip their brush into the big bottle of paint, they will end up with way too much paint on the brush - hence how big paint messes are created.

b. For older kids - let them put a "little" bit of different colors of paint on a paint palette. A little bit of paint goes a long way. Make sure they clean their brushes as they change colors.

4. Each of my kids has a painting shirt. They use the same shirt every time they paint. This way, mom, you don't have to worry about paint getting on that new shirt you just bought. The kids like their paint shirts too because it shows all the paints and different colors they have used.

5. Wash you paint brushes with soap and water when done. Let them dry before you put them away. If you keep them in a cup, store them with the brush tips facing up.

Happy Painting!

Literacy for a Lifetime - Usborne Books and More/EDCs Matching Grant Program

Literacy for a Lifetime (LFL) is a matching grant program sponsored by Educational Development Corporation (EDC), the parent company of Usborne Books and More. The program is designed to help schools and organizations get more "bang for their buck" when using grant money or money from donations to purchase books.

EDC will match any literacy grant or donation by 50% provided the organization purchases books from Usborne Books and More. This means that if the organization purchases $1,000 in Usborne Books, EDC will kick in an extra $500 in books - which really stretches the amount of the grant or donation money.

All monies received from grants and donations are elegible for LFL. An easy way to determine if it "qualifies" for the matching grant is if the funds are not coming from the regular budget of the organization. PTAs donating money to their school library to purchase books are eligible. Parents donating money to their child's classroom to purchase books are elegible.

There is no grant or donation too small or too large to qualify. All LFL orders are tax-free (as they are tax deductable). All orders over $200 receive free shipping.

If you have a grant or donation to purchase children's books for a school or organization, please contact Kristie Glascock, Educational Supervisor, kristie@usborneactivities.com, for more information on this rewarding program.

Usborne's Jigsaw World Atlas - A Great Way to Teach Your Kids the Continents of the World

As my kids were learning the continents, I used Usborne's Jigsaw Atlas of the World to help them have a "hands on" learning experience with the continents. Each page of the book is a different puzzle for each continent. My kids loved taking the puzzle out and putting it back together again. On each puzzle page is a map of the particular continent you are are studying along with highlights from each continent.

Each continent also has its own search and find game. For Europe kids need to find the Eiffel Tower, flamenco dancers, narwhal whales and the Leaning Tower of Pisa to name a few. It's cute too because the middle puzzle piece is a reflection of the continent it comes from. Africa's center piece is an elephant.

Your kids will remember all the continents and a little bit about each one, because they enjoy working with each page. This also helps them to remember the names of each continent.

This book is great for teachers to use as center work, for home schoolers, and for parents who want to work with their kids. My kids had so much fun with this book. It's almost a shame they are too old for it now, but they sure did get their use out of it.

Purchase

PS - As I write this I notice that all the puzzle pages have been put in backwards by someone (I'm sure my son). Too funny.

It's A Mystery to Me . . . Who the Hostess will Be!

Help me celebrate my 3rd Anniversary with Usborne Books!!

The great mystery will be how many of YOU will win tons of FREE and reduced books. The Mystery Hostess could be YOU!

Here's how the party works: Everyone who resides in the United States is invited to attend the online Mystery Party at www.ubah.com/HOS140178. Anyone who places an order at the online party will be eligible for the Mystery Hostess rewards. These rewards include:

Mystery Hostess - Yeah!! Win up to a $100.00 shopping spree!

Hostess Special - Get $25.00 in books for only $5.00!

Hostess Appreciation Gift - Win $20.00 in FREE books!

Bonus Gift - You get ANY one item in the online catalog at 65% off!! That's a HUGE savings!

Starter Kit - Yes! I am offering one lucky person who is interested in their own Usborne Books business a FREE business supply starter kit. You'll get all the supplies you need to get your business started along with your own e-commerce site. You must email me separately that you are interested in being included in this drawing. Email to: kristie@usborneactivities.com *must be a US resident.

Here's to solving the mystery together!

Kristie

New Titles From Usborne Books!

New titles have just arrived in the Usborne Books warehouse and are ready to be shipped to the homes of happy readers! There are some great new titles that I will highlight below for you.

Apollo is such a cute book! It's about a little wiener dog that teaches preschoolers math concepts in a very fun way. There is also Counting With Apollo which obviously teaches kids to count.


Dan's Angel: A Detective's Guide to the Language of Paintings. This is a fantastic book to teach art appreciation to your kids.






My daughter absolutely loves this book! It's clearly above her reading level, but since I have it in my house for my Usborne business, she reads it about 5 times a day. Kids are fascinated with this topic, and
Everyone Poops shows kids just how Everyone Poops!



I've been waiting for the US to get this series from the UK. Lizzie's Wish is part of the Historical House series which charts the life and times of girls who have lived at 6 Chelsea Walk during some of histories most fascinating times. Lizzie's Wish is about Lizzie, who lived during the 1850's at 6 Chelsea Walk. Other books in this series are: Mary and Miss Mozart, 1764; Cecily's Portrait, 1895; Polly's March, 1914; Josie Under Fire, 1941; and Andie's Moon, 1969. For ages 10 and up. Each book includes internet links so readers can learn more about life during the time of the setting of the book.

See Inside Famous Buildings is a great lift-the-flap book that shows kids the inside of some of the world's most famous buildings.






The Story of Science is a wonderful introduction for children to the brilliant brains behind some of the greatest scientific discoveries in history. It includes fascinating facts about black holes, magnets, DNA, diseases, atoms, and x-rays. It also makes complex ideas fun to learn. Includes internet links.




Kids will love the touchy-feely patches in This is My Tractor. Patches show bumpy wheels, shiny paint, and sparkly lights. Kids will also love to press the sound button that makes the tractor go "brrm, brrm!"



These are just a few of Usborne's new titles. You may check out the full list of new titles here.

Happy Reading!