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Look and See
Minnesota With Me
By Kathy-jo and Ed Wargin
If your kids aren’t prone to car sickness, this book would be a great distraction on your drive up to the cabin this summer. Minnesota natives, writer Kathy-jo Wargin and her photographer husband, Ed have crafted an interactive book that kids will love, while managed to impart a lot of information about our great state in the bargain. Identical (or are they?) photos of Minnesota scenes and landmarks are placed side by side and kids must spy with their little eye the subtle differences. The search is directed by Wargin’s playful prose and the accompanying photo facts flesh out the scene. Recommended for ages 9-12. Hardcover, $13.95, available in July from Sleeping Bear Press.
North Star Numbers
A Minnesota Number Book
Written by Kathy-jo Wargin
Illustrated by Laurie Caple
As with the alphabet theme of Wargin’s book,
V is for Viking, this nicely illustrated picture book uses a counting format to introduce kids to Minnesota history and notables from the voyageurs to Tonka Trucks. The simple counting rhymes and gentle watercolor illustrations are appealing to all ages, but the informative sidebars add a breadth and depth of historical background, facts and storytelling to the iconic images that will be especially fascinating for older readers. Hardcover, $17.95, Sleeping Bear Press.
Wishing I Was Fishing
By Eva Wells
Illustrated by Chandra Dale
Here in the land of 10,000 lakes, fishing is about as Minnesota as you can get and Woodbury resident, Eva Wells has artfully captured the excitement and the sense of camaraderie that a young boy feels as he and his dad gear up for their first outing of the season. The simple story subtly weaves in themes of patience, tradition and bonding for a tale that kids will quickly respond to. Illustrator and St. Paul native Chandra Dale worked from family photos to create the lovely watercolor renderings of classic scenes that unfold across Minnesota every summer. Hardcover, $16.95, Beaver’s Pond Press.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to
Backyard Adventures
Close-to-Home Activities for Fun-Focused Families
By Nancy Worrell
While not specific to Minnesota, Worrell’s guide offers enough suggestions to fill a summer and then some. These days, tight economic times may prey on the minds of grown-ups, but kids still want to have fun, This bevy of realistic ideas, projects, celebrations and special activities are generally low-cost and easy to implement, yet have all the makings of memorable moments for the whole family. Softcover, $12.95, Alpha Publishing.
Help Them be Found
Summer means families are on the go and the oddincrease. Lost and Found Temporary Tattoos are a neat little solution that just might save you from the stress of a lost child. The colorful “I am lost, help me be found” tattoos have kid-friendly images and a spot to write in your phone number, eliminating the need for a child to supply a phone number if stressed or injured. They also offer tattoos that specify that the lost child is deaf or has autism, even tattoos that announce peanut or other allergies. At $9.99 the kits, which include six tattoos, a marker and towelettes for applying and removing, are a pretty good value for increased piece of mind. s that a little one could go missing www.tattooswithapurpose.com.
Squeeze Some Good
As any parent knows, good intentions of a summer filled with learning, character building activities and old-fashioned fun for their kids can quickly dissolve into boredom and video games. The Sunkist Growers Take a Stand program manages to promote all those good intentions with the distribution of 20,000 free lemonade stands to kids who pledge to raise money for a charity of their choice. To receive a complimentary stand, children must be 7-12 years of age and pledge their commitment to a charity online at: www.sunkist.com/takeastand. Lemonade stands will be available through the end of summer or as long as they last.
Something New
They say we need to get out and get moving, but finding activities that everyone in a family can enjoy may be challenging. Speedminton could just be the ticket. This import from Germany combines elements of badminton, tennis and racquetball for a fast paced game that is easy to master and can be played anywhere, even at night. A set retails for $29.99. Learn more at www.speedminton.com.
Summer Eye Protection
While kids probably don’t give it a second thought, contact lenses and swimming are not a natural fit. Besides the risk of loss, contact lenses can be a breeding ground for microbes found in lakes and rivers, which can cause serious damage to the cornea. In pools, lenses can absorb chlorine and cause significant eye irritation. Options to reduce risk include wearing properly fitted goggles, using daily disposable lenses or getting an inexpensive pair of prescription goggles. www.aclens.com has children’s prescription goggles, which also offer UVA and UVB protection, for $30.95.
Kitty for a Bit
“Mom, can we get a cat, puleeeze??” If your inclination is to respond with a swift, “no!”–consider Mission: Meow, an innovative new program from the Animal Humane Society. From early summer to fall, animal shelters struggle to find homes for adult cats, who come in at a rate of over 2,000 a month. But, it is at this same time that thousands of kittens also arrive, resulting in a dramatic decline of adult cat adoptions. With Mission: Meow, families take in an adult feline houseguest for the summer and bring him or her back in the late fall when the animal has a better chance of being adopted. Foster periods run a minimum of six months and require an application, interview and short workshop.
The cost is little to none. Each cat is vaccinated, de-wormed, spayed/neutered and microchipped prior to joining their temporary family. Participants can get food and litter refills at any of the five AHS locations during the foster period. Interested participants should visit www.animalhumanesociety.org or call 763-432-4826.
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www.empoweringparents.com
Online magazine and email newsletter featuring information on useful problem solving techniques for parents and children,including approaches for improving communication and dealing with behaviors that can be difficult to handle, particularly when it comes to some of the dangerous activities of teens.
www.handipoints.com
Tired of the chore battle? This site offers colorful charts, online tracking and virtual rewards to help you keep your little helpers on task over the summer.
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