Ways to Celebrate and our 3rd Giveaway

The morning will be coming very early today, so here are just a few ways that your familia can celebrate Día…

- Have your child make her own book. If she is still too young to write, have her draw the story on separate pieces of paper and have her dictate the storyline while you transcribe them onto the pages. Then staple, tie, or glue them together.
- Host a poetry reading. Great for older children! Send out invitations and have each guest bring some poetry in whatever form they prefer. Research with your own child the different poetry styles that are out there – haiku, abc poem, cinquain poetry type, limericks, free verse, etc – and choose one (or a few!) for each of you. Types of Poetry is a great resource to help you explore the forms that poetry may take. Make things extra creative by writing your poetry on non-traditional media. For example, write a nature poem on a leaf or piece of tree bark, write a recycling poem on a milk jug or sour cream lid.
- Make a mobile using letters or words and hang it in your child’s room. Have your child write the names of family members, emotions, his favorite book titles, or just his favorite words and then cut them out. Use contact paper to seal the individual letters/words/phrases. Punch a hole in the top and add yarn, tying the words at different lengths to a hanger/tree branch/paper plate and then hang it from the ceiling. For a twist, use double-sided tape to stick the words to the walls of your child’s room.
- Make a kite and write a story on it. The fly it high in the sky!
- Take your children’s favorite story and make puppets out of felt. Then have your kids put on a puppet show for family, friends and neighbors.
- Host a book lover’s sleep over. Invite friends to come over in their pajamas and bring their favorite bedtime story.
- Hand out tablets and pencils to your children and have them interview abuelos, tios, primos, neighbors and friends. Have them illustrate a page for each interview, then bind the pages together and have a party where you read the book aloud.
- Check out your local senior citizens’ center. You can do the same project above there, or simply take some books to the center to read to it’s residents.
- Make bookmarks! Pass out blank cardstock 2 to 3 inches wide and 7 to 8 inches long. Give your kids colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons, markers, chalk, watercolors, paint, whatever…. When they have created their masterpieces, use contact paper to seal it, punch a hole near the top and add yarn and beads as a final touch. (These bookmarks make super birthday and Christmas presents, too!)

These are just a few suggestions for celebrating this holiday. But remember, EVERY DAY is an opportunity for us to enjoy our children, encourage the love of learning, and promote bookjoy. So these activities can be done year round.

THE GIVEAWAY
Today’s giveaway is Paco y la planta de chile gigante. This Spanish-only version (sorry, I could only find a picture of the English title) takes the Jack and the beanstalk story and gives it a Latin twist. It is humorous in parts with a serious and sweet ending. The illustrations are beautiful. I don’t know the artwork is done in chalks, but it is soft… almost glowing.
You know the drill by now: leave us a comment before midnight and the winner will be announced tomorrow. Don’t by shy, if you’ve already left a comment this week, you can try again! The odds are in your favor, amigos!

UPDATE:

The winner of yesterday's book is: Maegan!
Congratulations! Please email me at [admin at latinbabyusa dot com] and I will mail off your copy of Playing Loteria.