Contests
Sign up for the Wicked Local Parents
Thu, 05/22/2008 - 9:27am
Busy Siblings’ Corner
By Heather Kempskie and Lisa Hanson
On a clear summer night, head outside with your family to view the sky. Supplies:Large blanketFlashlightCelestial map or book on constellationsRed tissue paper Find a rural location without much artificial light. Spread a blanket for your family to sit on. There are approximately five thousand stars visible to the naked eye. BabyThe stars may be too dim for your baby to see, but she’ll enjoy listening to her family talk and hearing the nature sounds. Lay her on her back with her siblings. Point to the stars and talk with her about all the nighttime noises she hears.
ToddlerYour toddler will find an outdoor nighttime activity exciting!If the moon is out, ask him if he can point to the brightest object in the sky. Entice his imagination by asking if he can see the man on the moon and what he may be doing up there. Count the stars together.
PreschoolerHelp your preschooler find a few popular stars and constellations, like Polairs (North Star) and Ursa Major (the Big Dipper). Tell her the stories behind the constellations names. She can find her own too and create stories about them.
School-Age ChildYour school-age child will enjoy using a celestial map to identify a constellation. To help him see the stars more easily, have him place red tissue paper over his flashlight. Excerpted from The Siblings’ Busy Book. Copyright 2008 by Heather Kempskie and Lisa Hanson. Reprinted with permission of Meadowbrook Press, www.meadowbrookpress.com. Available in bookstores nationwide August 2008.
Busy Siblings’ Corner
Star Gazing
By Heather Kempskie and Lisa Hanson
On a clear summer night, head outside with your family to view the sky. Supplies:Large blanketFlashlightCelestial map or book on constellationsRed tissue paper Find a rural location without much artificial light. Spread a blanket for your family to sit on. There are approximately five thousand stars visible to the naked eye. BabyThe stars may be too dim for your baby to see, but she’ll enjoy listening to her family talk and hearing the nature sounds. Lay her on her back with her siblings. Point to the stars and talk with her about all the nighttime noises she hears.
ToddlerYour toddler will find an outdoor nighttime activity exciting!If the moon is out, ask him if he can point to the brightest object in the sky. Entice his imagination by asking if he can see the man on the moon and what he may be doing up there. Count the stars together.
PreschoolerHelp your preschooler find a few popular stars and constellations, like Polairs (North Star) and Ursa Major (the Big Dipper). Tell her the stories behind the constellations names. She can find her own too and create stories about them.School-Age ChildYour school-age child will enjoy using a celestial map to identify a constellation. To help him see the stars more easily, have him place red tissue paper over his flashlight. Excerpted from The Siblings’ Busy Book. Copyright 2008 by Heather Kempskie and Lisa Hanson. Reprinted with permission of Meadowbrook Press, www.meadowbrookpress.com. Available in bookstores nationwide August 2008.
