Brain Quest Workbooks and Giveaway

The Bear is still one year away from Kindergarten yet we spend a portion of each Stay At Home Day (M and W if you're keeping score at home), sometimes just 10-15 minutes, working in her awesome Brain Quest Kindergarten Workbook. It's almost exclusively brought up by the Bear because she wants to work on her math or on patterns or something else.

Workman Publishing makes these workbooks for each grade level. The book is split into color-coordinated sections with numerous activities to teach, reinforce and review concepts like (for Kindergarten) Phonics, Numbers, Money, Time, and Science among 6 others.

The Brain Quest Workbooks are terrific tools for parents who want to engage their children in their educational endeavors and for kid's who actually enjoy learning and can do so independently. Many of the pages need no parental involvement at all, even for a pre-reader, but for those that do it's just a little bit of kick-start instruction required, like a gentle nudge down the slide at the playground. You start the movement but momentum and gravity finish the job.

Check out the cool Brain Quest website for some fun and games and consider buying a workbook for your child's school level. They are all on sale at Amazon for about $10 each which is a great value for a 300+ page workbook.



**************** THE BRAIN QUEST WORKBOOK GIVEAWAY***********************
OutWithTheKids.com is pleased to be able to give away 1 copy of the 2nd Grade Edition of the Brain Quest Workbook (Ages 7-8). Topics covered inside the 2nd Grade Workbook include, but are not limited to: Cursive, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts and Multiplications & Fractions. Also included in the workbook are a Brain Quest Q&A mini-deck of cards and a big fold-out 50 states/50 flags poster. Simply leave a comment here before 11:59pm on Friday, October 10th 2008 for your chance to win.

Justin Roberts Show Review

OutWithTheKids.com was fortunate enough to be part of the crowd at World Cafe Live this past weekend for a rare Sunday morning kid's show. The famed Peanut Butter and Jams series is usually held on Saturdays at WCL but when Justin Roberts needs a Sunday gig, accommodations can (and should) be made. The show, surprisingly enough, was not completely sold out. Roberts (and Liam Davis) filled the place last Autumn and with the full band in tow this time around I was certain they'd be turning sad little children away at the door. It was, after all, the band's (known as the Not Ready For Naptime Players) first ever gig in Philly. Maybe the Pro Football Sunday slot kept some folks away (even though the Eagles were in Roberts' hometown of Chicago for a Sunday night game).

The band played 12 songs spanning 5 different records (see set list below) lasting for a touch over 50 minutes which is standard at these kiddie shows. I personally think the tots can handle a bit more of the rock, say an hour and 15 minutes or so, but nonetheless they all seem to halt at the 45-50 minute mark.

The band sounded tight, as always, and Justin's vocals stellar. I have only one complaint and it's the same beef I always have at JR shows. My problem? The over-use of audience instructions (dance moves, hand motions, etc). It takes a lot of the spontaneity out of the experience and it's rare that the thing itself holds the attention of the kids for the entire song (or even through the end of the first chorus). If it makes sense for the song, like on "Imaginary Rhino" or "Willy Was A Whale" then OK but not every song needs it's own scripted movement.

Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players Set List from Philadelphia, PA on Sunday September 28th, 2008:

Old Pajamas

Pop Fly

Our Imaginary Rhino

She's a Yellow Reflector

Henrietta's Hair

Willy Was A Whale

My Brother Did It

Giant Sized Butterflies

Way Out

Stay At Home Dad

The Backyard Superkid

I Chalk

If you don't remember how much we love "Pop Fly", go ahead and re-read the OWTK review of The Greatest Children's Record Ever Made.

If you have the chance to catch JR on tour don't even think twice about plopping down the cash for tickets. Whether as a duo with Liam or with the full band, it's a show you will not want to miss seeing with (or without!) your kids. Roberts is simply the best thing going on the kiddie circuit right now (yes, better than Dan Zanes, better than They Might Be Giants, better than any other children's act playing live today).

Justin Roberts' 20% off shop sale ends today! Buy stuff and support great independent kid's music!

Music Together CD Giveaway WINNER!

Congratulations to Jenny of Babyfingers Blog! She has won the Music Together "Family Favorites" CD. You still have a chance to win OWTK's current giveaway...the terrific Jane and the Dragon DVD. Enter now!

Jane and the Dragon "A Dragon's Tale" DVD Review & Giveaway

If you have daughters and you're paying even the slightest bit of attention to the world around us you probably know that there is a critical shortage of strong-willed, independent-minded female figures in the pop culture world today. We live in a society dominated by Bratz dolls, Hannah Montana-like starlets and a multi-channel "news media" dedicated to each movement, boyfriend choice and hair style of every Hollywood vixen. In America in 2008 a girl is a sex object from the moment her breasts begin to sprout...if not earlier. We truly live in troubling times.

As a father of two young ladies I often find myself searching for some glimmer of positivity in the entertainment world today and usually I find very little of it. Fortunately, I've found Jane and the Dragon, an intelligent-female-adolescent-driven program that is well-written and well-constructed. Jane and the Dragon is a funny, substantive show that any dad can feel great about letting his daughter watch.

The story starts out like many fairy tales: medieval castle, royal family, dragon, all that business but takes a sharp detour with Jane, it's title character. She is a knight-in-training, not a lady-in-waiting, and takes on the challenges thrown her way with the real-life authenticity of a 12 year old girl. She is not even close to perfect or super-confident, often needing reassurance from her buddy Dragon or the cook, a quirky girl named Pepper. The emotional blemishes give her character depth and a pathos not found in many TV characters (animated or otherwise). They also allow the audience to feel empathy for and connect with Jane.

The lessons taught in Jane and the Dragon - teamwork, friendship, courage and humility among others - are super and, even though they're being presenting through 9th century situations, can be transferred easily to 21st century life. What is refreshing is that the writers don't smash your kids over the head with the moral of each story. The tales develop naturally and each concludes in a manner that will please the audience while shining a little light on what it means to be humble, kind, brave, etc.

While the show's eight or ten recurring characters are wonderful it's the writing that's the real star of the series. Adults will love the West Wing-style of banter between Dragon, the knights and the castle's "maintenance" staff (consisting of Pepper, Smithy, the blacksmith, and Jester). The comments are almost always sparse, quick-hitting and fun and never sink to crude or dumbed-down toilet humor. Talk about refreshing! And your kids will delight in watching Dragon attempt another bad landing, breath fire while coughing and humorously threaten to turn Jane's adversaries into charcoal.

If you're looking for something unique and utterly brilliant for your little knights-in-training at home you will not find anything better in the DVD space than Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale.

Buy Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale containing 5 episodes plus some bonus material today. Or can also pre-order the next DVD in the series, Jane and the Dragon: Dragon Rules.

WATCH A FULL UNCUT JANE AND THE DRAGON EPISODE ONLINE RIGHT NOW...FOR FREE!

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OutWithTheKids.com is quite pleased to be able to give away one copy of the Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale DVD. Simply leave a comment here before 11:59pm (ET) on Friday October 3rd, 2008 for your chance to win.

Cheap Unexpected Entertainment

The girls and I took a little drive today so I could do some drive-thru banking. On the way back home the Mouse fell asleep so I kept on truckin'. I ended up at a Philly-style soft pretzel store nearby, just as the little girl awoke. The pretzel shop sits at the end of a strip mall and to it's left, where a movie theater once stood, is a pile of dirt...currently a construction site. How perfect for a Mouse infatuated with trucks! We sat in the car eating our pretzels and watching from the front row as the big scooper truck collected dirt and deposited it into dump truck after dump truck. We had to be there for at least 20 minutes and the Mouse loved every second of it.

It reminds me, in an odd way, of my trip to Chicago last month with my Dad. Other than the ballgame, I made no plans. We decided on a whim to visit Soldier Field early on Saturday morning and discovered a high school football game about to kickoff. We got to experience the legendary venue from the inside and saw Donovan McNabb's (our hometown QB) famous high school play ball on a gorgeous August morning. A totally random situation that had we planned a visit probably wouldn't have occurred.

I tend to prefer both traveling and living this way...plan-less. I do often enjoy the skeletal outline of a plan when heading into a day home with the girls, a weekend or a vacation but generally speaking I love to wing it. There are seriously annoying downsides to this manner of being, of course. Like in Paris during our first trip there 5 years ago, when it was just The Mrs. and I. We walked for hours trying to decide where to dine one evening. I was so unsure of my choice that I wish I had researched a place and booked it in advance. The wife still brings up that evening every now and again when a plan-less plan of mine goes down the crapper. While that Paris dinner experience could be blamed more on indecision than a lack of a plan (after all it's not like we couldn't find a place to eat and went hungry that night, I just couldn't pick a Parisian cafe for one of our 3 dinners in the city of lights. I wanted perfection and was paralyzed by the fear of anything less).

Many folks can't handle a day without a detailed map of the whats/whens/wheres let alone an entire vacation but sometimes the best plans are the ones not made and the best entertainment is that which occurs all around us everyday...especially for a little Mouse.

The Retreat at Tree Gap -The Ideal Woodstock Hideaway

Nestled into the Catskill Mountains, just down the road a spell from the historically unique Byrdcliffe Arts Colony, sits a private getaway so charming and devastatingly comfortable that your body and mind will ache for just one more early morning to snuggle under a quilt atop the over-sized window seat with a cup of fresh ground coffee in one hand and a fine work of literature (or in the Mrs. case a Nicholas Sparks novel) in the other. This dreamy location is referred to as the Retreat at Treegap.

It is so incredibly close to the "downtown" section of Woodstock (an easy 3 minute car ride or healthy stroll downhill) yet it's far enough away from the hustle and bustle, of which there is a surprising amount, of the famous hamlet that you feel as if you and your mate are the only people on earth.

Breakfast is home cooked and served in-room. Morning one consisted of fresh fruit, muffins, breads and biscotti with tea, cider, jellies. Morning 2 was our choice of eggs, french toast, and the shallot, chevre, herb omelet that I ordered. It was served with crunchy grilled think bread. Yummy!

If you're so inclined, the Retreat at Treegap provides free Wi-Fi and DirectTV with a nice flat panel television. I was able to watch MSU crush the Irish on Saturday while the Mrs. finished her book. Simply a perfect Autumn afternoon.

If you're heading up to Woodstock to relive the 60's or to catch Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble (OMG! haha...how amazing. If you love The Band, Dylan, etc. spend the $150 per person and see Levon play in his home - it's unreal) and you're looking for a great place to stay while there you should consider The Retreat at Treegap - Megan and Joan will take good care of you during your visit.

Soulville - Soul Stuff for KIds of All Ages CD Review

Little Monster Records has outdone themselves this time. Soulville - Soul Stuff for Kids of All Ages is a beautifully recorded and packaged collection of some of the greatest soul and r&b tunes of all time. These 11 songs were originally written and recorded by some heavyweights of American music history: Jackson 5? Check. Marvin Gaye? Check. Sly Stone? Check. Martha and the Vandella's? Yep, them too.

The songs on Soulville are covered by modern r&b artists along with a stellar and energetic kid's chorus. The renditions are for the most part faithful to the originals or at least faithful to the faithful covers previously recorded. For example, if you close your eyes and listen to the "Mustang Sally" version here you might actually think you're watching The Commitments...only with a gaggle of children having been snuck into the Dublin bar to sing backup.

The result is one of the most instantly enjoyable, danceable and sing-along-able records to be released this year. Add the ultra-hip illustrations and witty, educational liner notes in the form of a Soul Music 101 board book to the outstanding music and what you have is a contender for album of the year.

Listen to samples of a few tracks here on the Little Monster Media Page.

Pick up a copy of this tremendous record from Amazon.com

Money Well Spent, but Spent None-the-Less

In the span of 10 days we've spent $300 on a more-complex-than-expected dryer duct cleaning, $140 on Maytag fridge service and $150 on a new tire for our little car because I got a flat on Monday night. There's nearly $600 we didn't have...a nice start to living on one income! It's because of these expenses, along with an uncomfortable monetary feeling I had since I saw it advertised at $100 per person, that we did not attend the NFL Films event last night at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. They were honoring Steve Sabol of NFL Films and the event was hosted by voice of the Eagles Merrill Reese and one of my personal favorites Ray Didinger (one of the smartest football people I've ever heard talk). I'm sure it was fantastic.

It was the first time since becoming professionally unemployed that I've had a big financial decision to make - the whole "but I really want to go" balanced with the unavoidable "but we don't have [fill in large dollar amount here] to go to it". It sucks but that was and is the known trade off when I left my job last month.

We are splurging this weekend though, as the Mrs. and I celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary in Woodstock, NY. We're staying at a beautiful looking bed and breakfast, having dinner streamside at the Bear Cafe and attending Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble on Saturday night. The weather up there is to be in the high 30's at night!

'Tis going to be an amazing weekend with my lovely bride.

Music Together "Family Favorites" CD Review & Giveaway

Have you ever wanted to sit in on your young toddler's day at school or daycare? I have 'cause I always wondered what they did all day, how they interacted with all those kids at once and how my daughters reacted to the games/sounds/music/activities that were introduced in class. I regret not being able to see their reactions the first time certain things were taught or explained to them. Well, now you can, sort of, experience a part of what school is like at that age with this wonderful new compilation CD from Music Together - you know, those fine folks that run those parent-child music classes.

The "Family Favorites" CD is comprised of 19 tunes that are best listened to while sitting circle-time style together as a family but also work well in the car on that looong road trip with your little ones snug in the backseat. The CD comes with a great 32 page booklet containing audience participation suggestions for each track - sometimes you are encouraged to alter lyrics, as on the fun Wheels-on-the-Bus-ish "Ridin' in the Car", or you are provided tips on little movement ideas designed to make the music interactive for your pre-schoolers.

"Family Favorites" is an enjoyable and entertaining musical journey for your little ones, think age 3 and under, although the Bear (4 1/2) does enjoy spinning around the room with a stuffed friend while the carousel-esque waltz of "Dancing with Teddy" plays in the background. She also kicks it on Mississippi Cat as she attempts to scat along with the jazz. Mostly though, this record is made for the Mouse and other kiddies in the 10 months to 3 years range. The Mouse digs sitting on the floor with us, slapping her lap, just like she does at school, and rocking back and forth to the fun and diverse blues/jazz/rock/folk music on "Family Favorites".

Not only does OWTK recommend this find collection of music, I'm also pleased to be able to give away one copy to a lucky reader. Simply leave a comment here by the end of the day on Thursday Sept 25th 2008 (12pm Eastern Time) and you'll have a chance to win your own copy of Music Together's "Family Favorites". Can't wait to see if you win the giveaway? Buy the CD now!

Danielle Sansone "Two Flowers" CD Review

The last thing the world needs is another children's lullaby CD...that is, once everyone in the world owns Danielle Sansone's gorgeous "Two Flowers".

The beauty of this album begins the moment your eyes meet the fantastic cover art and carries through to when your ears hear the last note of "So Many Ways" - the precious final track. Danielle's music is expansive enough to allow every keystroke on the piano and strum of the guitar to fade sweetly into the distance while her voice floats above with an overriding lyrical theme of never ending love of one's children. The comparisons are there, so I'll just go ahead and make them - yes, indeed she sounds a bit like a less-raspy Norah Jones especially on the superb title track where the overdubbed lead vocal (or harmonized backup vocalist, I can't quite tell) adds the just right amount of depth. It is also virtually impossible to listen to a great children's record by a female artist these days without hearing, at least on some level, Natalie Merchant. One may not understand exactly how amazing a vocalist Merchant is until you hear all the singers to come after her. Danielle Sansone is another in the lineage of magical, mystical female vocalists capable of dazzling an audience with every verse.

Many of the tracks on "Two Flowers" feature sparse instrumentation with appropriate string fills scattered about. It all sets up wonderfully as the ideal foundation for Sansone's voice and her lyrics which tug delicately at a parent's heartstrings. For example, if you are fortunate enough to have a couple daughters, as I do, you will surely adore the bed time song "Shimmering".

"Two Flowers" is a must own record for any family with small children. But to be honest you don't need kids to enjoy "Two Flowers" as this 14 song collection of love songs is so sturdy it can and should stand on it's own as a great record, not just a great children's record. The Mrs. didn't even pick up on the fact that it is designated as such.
Additionally, older girls (like the Bear) who love to sing will be enthralled with Danielle's impressive delivery and may also, like the Bear, learn a thing or two about singing. The Bear already has begun to finish some phrases as Danielle does (ie: "...when the morning find the dew" from the title track).

Check out Danielle Sansone's website to purchase this fine record and to see if she'll be strolling through your town sometime soon.

What's Up with Us

Been quieter than usual on these pages. There is a good reason for that. I'm still seeking a rhythm to my days, both the two a week at home with the girls and the two I spend home alone. I am backed up on parenting blog topics and CD/Book reviews. I have oodles of fatherly wisdom such waiting to dazzle you, trust me.

Here's a quick roundup of what is going on inside and around chateau OWTK:

The Bear now takes showers by herself. She just got out of the bathroom actually and it's pretty cool to see her growing up in that way. Now, the reason she was showering again this morning after one just last night is that she soaked the bed with pee. So, maybe she's not growing up that fast after all...and you know what, that's alright too.

The Mouse is sorta getting snuggly. She is less robo-baby and more like a warm blooded animal who loves her family. Pretty sweet. The hugs and kisses come in short bursts but when they come they stop time.

It is a lovely day here in SE Pennsylvania. 74 degrees, sunny and breezy. Perfect weather for day baseball and, wouldn't you know it, the OWTK gang are heading to the 4pm Phillies game this afternoon. 4pm is such an ideal start time for a midweek baseball game. Arrive before rush hour and by the time the game concludes around 7pm, the traffic shouldn't be too unbearable. Those 1:30pm starts are brutal as the game typically let's out at 4:30...possibly the worst time to be on the road around here (and in most metropolitan areas in the country).

The Bear has been introduced to The Muppets via the season one DVD series. I also showed her Muppet Babies via YouTube clips. She loves it all. What great shows they were. Her early favorite is Animal. I still like Beeker.

Also digging Jane and the Dragon DVD series (review to come). Had no idea what this was when it arrived but it's great, witty "girl-power" stuff set in medieval times.

John Lennon is keepin' in yellow

Congrats to Morgan Taylor for winning the kid's category during Session I of the John Lennon songwriting contest. The winning tune is "Mint Green Bee", my favorite Gustafer Yellowgold tune from the first CD/DVD. If you're not familiar with the little yellow dude from the sun, now is a great time to check him out via this lovely tune. Download "Mint Green Bee" now.

Best of luck to Morgan during the next round of voting...when he has a chance to win $20,000 (Yowzers!)

My 1st Day as a Stay at Home Dad

Yesterday was inauguration day. Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 marked my first day as a Stay at Home Daddy-O. From 7:30am to 6:00pm it was just me and my girls. Amazingly enough, we all came out of it unscathed and still friendly with one another. We really did have a good day. We spent time at the park, painted in the backyard, built towers with blocks for the Mouse to knock down and jumped on the bed.

All day this simple sentence kept running through my head - Being a parent is easy but being a great one, like the most important things worth doing well, is difficult.

Happy 70th Birthday Dad!

Sunday was my father's 70th birthday. In an odd move precipitated by my two older brothers and I being unable to come together on a joint birthday day gift/getaway for him (and our mom) all three of us produced something separate and unique for him. First, my youngest older brother took our parents away to a house in the Hudson Valley for a long weekend. They toured West Point, took a boat cruise and relaxed in a backyard that was on a cliff 90 feet above the Hudson River. Wow.

This past weekend my dad and I went away to New York City for the final Red Sox vs. Yankees game in old Yankee Stadium then we flew to Chicago from JKF airport to spend two nights in the windy city. We caught one of the Phillies vs. Cubs games at Wrigley, an amazing place that he'd never been. The Chicago piece of that gift was a surprise. We went to NYC with an extra overnight bag in the trunk for him and I sprung the news at ESPN Zone in Times Square. He was pretty floored.
As an extra bonus we got to see a High School football game at Soldier Field, an event we just stumbled into as we only went there on Saturday morning to see it from the outside and take some photos. But it turned out the 1st game of a Kickoff triple-header was starting in 15 minutes. So I bought a pair of tickets and we watched powerhouse Mt. Carmel dismantle Curie inside one of the most famous football arenas in the country. How cool.


All that was special but my oldest brother may have topped it all. He didn't whisk my dad away anywhere...his gift was enjoyed by all in my parent's living room. My oldest bro had collected old slides, photos and some of our dad's favorite songs and had a DVD made that serves as a 15 minute this-is-your-life style retrospective. We saw our dad from his childhood in West Philly to his time in the service stationed in Alaska to him and our mom meeting and getting hitched and then us as little kids and our kids, his grandchildren. We were all in tears at the end.

My brothers and I are pretty lucky dudes, and I think most of the time we three know that, but what we learned this past weekend is that my dad is also an amazingly lucky guy to have such a beautiful & wonderful wife, three sons and seven grandkids who love him so much as to want to make brand new memories with him and also to capture all the old ones for him to remember forever.

Happy 70th Birthday Dad.