v 4 issue 1: Media Mania

We have chosen some wonderful and educational programs for the web and tv for your children. We encourage you to step into the cyberworld and join your child with safe exploration of the internet.

Cover by Tina Rodgers








1 Lots of new and exciting events are buzzing about at www.thomasandfriends.com. Meet a recent addition to the Tarrytown team named Stanley. Discover a new town on the Island of Sodor. And, greet the next narrator in a line of greats- Pierce Brosnan. All this, in one upcoming DVD called The Great Discovery.

2 Bravo to SoSmart for creating such eye-catching animation with bright colors and age-specific content. Sure to catch the eye of your infant or toddler, this well researched and mind tingling DVD teaches young ones letters, first words, shapes, colors, and a whole lot more!

3 Being a realist, Dr. Algayed understands televisions sometimes do get turned on for children under the age of two. Her solution was to join forces with experts to create the As I Grow DVD Series. Taking into account the changing learning needs of infants and tots, these DVDs provide increasingly complex topics to accommodate the growing minds of 0-18 month old youngsters in a set of 6 DVDs.

4 Boost thinking skills with the Bop-a-Lots! Play along with Huggy-Bop, Silly-Bop, and Sugar-Bop to hoist imagination, creativity, and thought to a place where children are eager to explore anything and everything with the courage of a lion. We love Bop-a-Lots for their mantra of teaching children how to think... not what to think!

5 All well behaved little preschoolers (or the ones who need a little practice!) gather round to hear the tales of King Otis and his Kingdom of Goode. Theses videos do a fabulous job of teaching lessons of patience, tolerance , and sharing through warm-hearted storytelling. Brilliant animation and Broadway style tunes add to the adventures and make it a perfect fit for your 3-5 year old.

6 Stop, drop, and roll on over to amazon.com to pick up a copy of every one's favorite neighborhood heroes Fireman Sam and the Pontypandy Fire Brigade. These chaps take safety seriously and want to pass the lessons on to your little ones. Fireman Sam: To the Rescue delivers five fiery hot episodes ready to cool you off for the dog days of summer.

7 Join Bob the Builder and his Can-Do Crew by the ocean as they start construction on a new seaside town. Bob brings along two new friends, Splash & Bristle, to help get the job done. But will they finish in time for the grand opening of the Bobland Bay Promenade? Sit back and enjoy the summer fun with five episodes in all.

8 Ride along with a dog named Loopdidoo and his five year old sidekick, Petunia, for some "loopiness, laughter, and little life lessons". These two best-friends seem to get into a lot of sticky situations, but always come out with their hands clean by learning lessons through their mishaps. Just delightful!

This weeks mom tips:
Cleaning Tip:
Keep the toilet bowl ring-free by pouring a half-gallon of white vinegar in it once a month. Let it soak overnight before flushing.
Green Tip:
When buying new household appliances, electronics, and lights, look for ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR®. They meet strict federal energy efficiency guidelines that can save you money and are better for the planet.
Time Saving Tip:
Buy in bulk…if you have the space, plan ahead and buy things in bulk. You’ll save money and time by not having to go to the supermarket so often.
Financial Tip:
Save on nearly anything you need and want. Search for online coupons by searching Google with the store name or item along with the word coupon. Voila…savings! Our favorite is ChuckECheese.

Step into the cyberworld
Make sure your family is protected from inappropriate content online. Preserve the best of what's online for your kids and avoid the garbage with proper supervision.

When your children are ready to start interacting with the computer it should be with a parent or sibling. There are numerous activities and sites that are likely to be appropriate for this age group but, in most cases, it makes sense for the parent and child to be exploring together. They will need your help to navigate through the site and read any instructions that are needed.

Starting at about age 3, some children can benefit by having a bit more independence once they are familiar with how a site is set up. Sure they will make mistakes and get frustrated but that is just part of learning. It's probably best for parents to choose the Web sites they visit and not let them leave those sites on their own. You don't necessarily need to stand over them or sit with them the entire time that they're in a known safe site.

Great Websites for small children-
Playhouse Disney
PBS Kids
Sesame Street
Alphabet action

Browsers-
Some kids' browsers come with pre-selected lists of positive content built into their program; they can make it easier for children to find Web sites that are fun and educational, and can keep them from inadvertently surfing into inappropriate areas. Some kids' browsers utilize filtering software to filter out access to inappropriate content.
KidZui is a kid’s browser that makes surfing the Internet fun and engaging for kids from ages 3-12. KidZui has all the sites and games your kids love with access to over 600,000 websites, pictures and videos.
Setting time limits-
EyeTimer is software that turns televisions and computers on and off. Parents set a time budget for each child-an hour a day Monday through Friday, for example. When the child wants to watch TV or use the computer, he or she signs on to EyeTimer, which turns on the device. When the prescribed time is up, it automatically shuts off.

Set house rules-
Give time limits for computers and TV.
Use the parental controls that your ISP provide as well as your TV remote, password protect the channels that your child should not be viewing.