Bunchland

What we’re reading today:

1. You will not get to see Carla Bruni’s baby.

2. Should you be getting your kid two doses of chicken pox vaccine? The Canadian Pediatric Society thinks so.

3. Have you seen Abe’s Peanut? It’s a kids’ magazine that keeps readers engaged by sending out postcards and coming up with some pretty creative storytelling.

4. Crazy hard to get in schools in New York are changing their admissions policies.

5. Kermit the Frog reports from the first day of school:

Photo by The Prime Minister’s Office via Flickr

Biking back to school

Today’s Postcard from Bunchland comes from Flickr user two stout monks.

A 1979 guide for kids going into grade one

A blogger for Chicago Now came across the “Your Six-Year-Old” guide book from 1979. Is your 6-year-old ready to start grade one? Blogger Christine Whitley reprinted the guide book’s checklist. If your kid gets at least 10/12 on the following list, he/she is ready!

1. Will your child be six years, six months or older when he begins first grade and starts receiving reading instruction?

2. Does your child have two to five permanent or second teeth?

3. Can you child tell, in such a way that his speech is understood by a school crossing guard or policeman, where he lives?

4. Can he draw and color and stay within the lines of the design being colored?

5. Can he stand on one foot with eyes closed for five to ten seconds?  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

1. This 5-month-old baby still doesn’t have a birth certificate because her mother gave birth at home and the Quebec government doesn’t believe her.

2. Dreaded all your back to school shopping? Here are some tips.

3. Catherine Connors says she has more fun now that she’s a mom. Agree?

4. We’re totally intrigued by this new site, The Kid Should See This. Thanks GeekDad!

5. Do you know how to hula hoop? Here’s a tutorial in case you forgot. (Delivered via rap song)

Image via YouTube

What we’re reading today:

1. Picking out your preschooler’s first backpack.

2. Muppet nailpolish? Sure, we’re in. In fact, send us over some bottles of the “Excuse Moi” and “Fresh Frog of Bel Air” colours.

3. Exposure to nice, cuddly, smiley babies makes you want to have babies. And cute baby clothes and shoes. Who knew?

4. Increasingly, parents are opting for “one and done.“

5. There’s some so awesome about great kid dancers. Check out these little dudes at Battlefest:

Photo by cutestkidever via Flickr

A great and totally doable art project from We Are That Family

Projects involving melting crayons are probably our favourite. We totally dig the psychedelic melty rainbow thing that We Are That Family created for their last night of summer. (Thankfully we Canadians still have a couple weeks before school starts!) Can’t wait to try this out with different colour palettes and angles.

Here’s how to make your own

What we’re reading today:

1. September will be here in just a few weeks, and children across the country will be back in the classroom. With the return to school comes a whole slew of worries for parents – are the kids getting enough sleep? Enough exercise? Too much homework? Healthy lunches? Here’s how you can deal with some back-to-school anxieties.

2. Yesterday, we were reading about what to call stepmoms. Blended family dynamics are popping up on our radar again with the question of distinguishing “full siblings” from “half siblings.”

3. Let’s head to science class with a look at the blurry boundary between fantasy and reality for young children.

4. On an end-of-summer road trip? Don’t let each family member slip away into their iEverythings, but pop in an audiobook. The kilometres will fly by as you explore new worlds all together.  Read more...