We had an evening at work tonight where we meet with parents and talk about ways to encourage students . I was asked to talk about a publication I feel very passionately about, and ask the parents in attendance to complete an activity related to it. At work and home we subscribe to First News, a newspaper written specifically for KS2 and KS3 students (so ages 7-14 ish). I would say the reading age is around 10 years old, but the articles are well researched, interesting and snappy, so there are no vast tracts of text for the reluctant reader to manage.
The paper is set out similarly to an adult newspaper, with different sections covering different geographical areas or topics. Unlike a conventional newspaper, however, you can be sure that the material in it will be suitable, and potentially disturbing stories will be edited sensitively.
It's a brilliant resource for students to dip into and is something a little different and potentially more interesting than reading a book for some kids. C is a little young for it, but A enjoys having a flick through, and is a fan of the puzzle section and the book reviews and shopping columns. The parents seemed to enjoy working together to complete the News Quiz, which can be found in each copy of the newspaper, an activity which we often complete with the students.
I have seen teenagers who abhor reading curl up on a sofa with First News and voluntarily read for extended periods of time. This newspaper works at motivating kids to read, and they are aware of what young people want to read. It's available on subscrition or at large newsagents and some supermarkets, and is a bargainous £1.30 an issue.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Monday, 20 February 2012
Scout and Ace
I have been up for many, many hours, so excuse me if this is not particularly coherent. This is partly why I have only started a blog in the past year. There was a LOT of sleep deprivation going on in this household in the early years. I was messaging a friend the other day, saying that motherhood really makes you appreciate the little things in life, such as drinking a cup of tea in peace, going to the toilet in peace, or having an unitnerrupted conversation. However, THE thing it makes you appreciate most is the gift of being able to get enough sleep. I remember being tortured by the feeling that I was in some kind of sleep prison, where other people dictated when I could sleep (never when I wanted to) or couldn't sleep (pretty much all the time).
I have always been a massive fan of sleep. It does not seem fair that, as a baby who slept through the night from FIVE WEEKS OF AGE, I should have two children, neither of whom slept through the night consistently until they were five YEARS of age. I used to ask to go to bed when I got home from school. One of my favourite things as a teenager was going to bed whilst it was still light to read my book and drop off again (yes, once again I am harking back to those party years). Yes, I have always liked getting up relatively early, but 3am used to be a regular morning wake-up time for me, and that is beyond early. That is dark, lonely, stagnant dead time which should be spent dreaming about going out to dinner with Gethin Jones.
In those days, I would not have dreamt of starting a blog. Getting up, eating, wearing clean clothing and having some positive interaction with my immediate family during the day was pretty much all I could muster back then. And I didn't always manage all of those. However, now I have the freedom to eat hot food, drink hot tea, have a conversation without interruption (occasionally) and go to the loo solo. I can also pretty much guarantee that when I go to bed, I can sleep and get up quite a few hours later. Bliss. Heaven. Having older children is a wonderful, wonderful thing.
So tonight's reading. Mr M is reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to them. It's a landmark occasion, because when I read them I encouraged Mr M to read them, and was greeted by a none-too-elegant response. I told him then that when we had children I would make him read Harry Potter to them, and he agreed, thinking that would be many decades into the future. Ha! A is enjoying it, C is very much yet to be convinced.
I read C one of his library books which was Scout and Ace and the Scary Bear by Rose Impey. I like Scout and Ace. They are nice and straightforward to read, but the pictures by the brilliant Ant Parker are really lively and interesting, and Scout and Ace are cheeky, funny characters. This book got plenty of laughs from C, and turned bedtime from an over-tired stress zone to a jolly old time.
I have always been a massive fan of sleep. It does not seem fair that, as a baby who slept through the night from FIVE WEEKS OF AGE, I should have two children, neither of whom slept through the night consistently until they were five YEARS of age. I used to ask to go to bed when I got home from school. One of my favourite things as a teenager was going to bed whilst it was still light to read my book and drop off again (yes, once again I am harking back to those party years). Yes, I have always liked getting up relatively early, but 3am used to be a regular morning wake-up time for me, and that is beyond early. That is dark, lonely, stagnant dead time which should be spent dreaming about going out to dinner with Gethin Jones.
In those days, I would not have dreamt of starting a blog. Getting up, eating, wearing clean clothing and having some positive interaction with my immediate family during the day was pretty much all I could muster back then. And I didn't always manage all of those. However, now I have the freedom to eat hot food, drink hot tea, have a conversation without interruption (occasionally) and go to the loo solo. I can also pretty much guarantee that when I go to bed, I can sleep and get up quite a few hours later. Bliss. Heaven. Having older children is a wonderful, wonderful thing.
So tonight's reading. Mr M is reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to them. It's a landmark occasion, because when I read them I encouraged Mr M to read them, and was greeted by a none-too-elegant response. I told him then that when we had children I would make him read Harry Potter to them, and he agreed, thinking that would be many decades into the future. Ha! A is enjoying it, C is very much yet to be convinced.
I read C one of his library books which was Scout and Ace and the Scary Bear by Rose Impey. I like Scout and Ace. They are nice and straightforward to read, but the pictures by the brilliant Ant Parker are really lively and interesting, and Scout and Ace are cheeky, funny characters. This book got plenty of laughs from C, and turned bedtime from an over-tired stress zone to a jolly old time.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Oooh - shiny fing!
As the goblins in Mr Gum would say. Not strictly books (well not books at all), but we had an exciting delivery this morning. A set of 96 Lyra Ferby colouring pencils. We all sat and just looked at them for a while, all beautifully sharpened and arranged in a perfect spectrum in their wooden case. And then the kids got to work producing a woodland scene (A) and a three-eyed, eight-hearted monster called Uh-Uh (C). The pencils are beautiful. Really sturdy, but with excellent pigment, and good coverage. I really ummed and ahhed about buying these pencils, as they have quite a hefty price tag, and spending the best part of 30 quid seemed very excessive. However, I honestly think cheap art supplies are a false economy. Most of the pencils we have break easily, are faint and therefore very unsatisfying to use, so there is really no point having them at all. The same can be said of colouring pens, and we are waiting for our delivery of upgraded versions of these. We bought them from Baker Ross, and they arrived very quickly.
Another non-book item which we used today, from another rather fabulous company is the TTS Flip-It. TTS sell some lovely teaching resources. We have the sparkly glitter numbers, which are wonderfully tactile and fun to hang on the washing line to create sums and do some outdoor maths. Recently I invested in a Flip-It for both kids, and a selection of the Flip-It cards. The idea is that you place a card in the Flip-It, read the card, answer the question, and then flip the card to see if you were correct. It's a nice hands-on learning experience. Not great for teaching new things, I would say, but excellent for cementing knowledge that kids have already acquired. A uses them for helping with her note recognition and times tables, for example, and they are definitely a useful revision tool, because they offer a slightly more interactive experience than simply reciting tables or looking at them on a page. They are made of cardboard, so are not the most solid items known to man. If your kids are on the destructive side, might be best to steer clear. And make sure they are put away after use, because if they were trodden on, I fear they may not live to flip another card.
Another non-book item which we used today, from another rather fabulous company is the TTS Flip-It. TTS sell some lovely teaching resources. We have the sparkly glitter numbers, which are wonderfully tactile and fun to hang on the washing line to create sums and do some outdoor maths. Recently I invested in a Flip-It for both kids, and a selection of the Flip-It cards. The idea is that you place a card in the Flip-It, read the card, answer the question, and then flip the card to see if you were correct. It's a nice hands-on learning experience. Not great for teaching new things, I would say, but excellent for cementing knowledge that kids have already acquired. A uses them for helping with her note recognition and times tables, for example, and they are definitely a useful revision tool, because they offer a slightly more interactive experience than simply reciting tables or looking at them on a page. They are made of cardboard, so are not the most solid items known to man. If your kids are on the destructive side, might be best to steer clear. And make sure they are put away after use, because if they were trodden on, I fear they may not live to flip another card.
Oxford Reading Tree
In an audacious but ultimately foiled bid to avoid doing her clarinet practice this morning, A decided that she was going to read C three stories in a row. They picked three from the Oxford Reading Tree Time Chronicles series (I am not sure which three, but it doesn't really matter, since they are pretty much all the same book). I bought them in the same order as the Maths Quest books that have been the obsession this half-term. Unusually for me, I did not actually want to buy these books. I didn't really feel the need for any more Oxford Reading Tree books in my life. But the kids really, really wanted them, and it was against my better judgement to say "No! You are not having this collection of books that you will read and enjoy because I don't want them!" That would be fair enough if they were pornographic, or contained scenes of violence and cruelty. But they don't. And I suppose it's better than reading Danielle Steele books you have nicked off your Mum, like I did when I was 8.
I am in two minds about the Oxford Reading Tree - Biff, Kipper, Chip et al. For the uninitiated they are the Roger Red Hat and Jennifer Yellow Hat of the current generation. Well, I say the current generation, but my cousin definitely read them when she was at school, and she is 24 this year. I think they are pretty dull, but those who grew up on them seem to hold them very dear in their hearts. In fact A almost always listens to C read his book from school, especially if it's one she hasn't read before. They have stood the test of time quite well, although I do remember A being very confused at the denouement of The Land of the Dinosaurs. In the story, Biff has taken lots of photographs of said creatures, but when she gets back home, she is devastated to find that she has no film in the camera. "What's film?" asks A, a child of the digital era.
I suppose it's similar to my long-held feelings of affection towards The Village with Three Corners and Bangers and Mash books. I doubt they were perfectly crafted pieces of literary inspiration, but I loved them all the same. Learning to read can be a very special time, and I suppose a fondness for the characters who helped you on the way is natural, especially if you go on to find pleasure in reading.
My favourite characters in the ORT books are Mum, who has the most fabulous mullet and blue eyeshadow, and Gran, who I am sure is always taking a cheeky swig out of a hipflask behind everyone's backs.
In a few short years, or possibly terms, I am sure I will be missing Biff and Chip. Luckily the Time Chronicles are aimed at an older readership, so that the "joy" can be extended. The children are somewhat older (Wilma and Aneena are at secondary school!) and the stories are historical adventures where the children seek to defend the world from the malevolent virans. They meet interesting historical characters along the way. They're not going to set the world on fire, but they did entertain A and C for an hour or so this morning.
I am in two minds about the Oxford Reading Tree - Biff, Kipper, Chip et al. For the uninitiated they are the Roger Red Hat and Jennifer Yellow Hat of the current generation. Well, I say the current generation, but my cousin definitely read them when she was at school, and she is 24 this year. I think they are pretty dull, but those who grew up on them seem to hold them very dear in their hearts. In fact A almost always listens to C read his book from school, especially if it's one she hasn't read before. They have stood the test of time quite well, although I do remember A being very confused at the denouement of The Land of the Dinosaurs. In the story, Biff has taken lots of photographs of said creatures, but when she gets back home, she is devastated to find that she has no film in the camera. "What's film?" asks A, a child of the digital era.
I suppose it's similar to my long-held feelings of affection towards The Village with Three Corners and Bangers and Mash books. I doubt they were perfectly crafted pieces of literary inspiration, but I loved them all the same. Learning to read can be a very special time, and I suppose a fondness for the characters who helped you on the way is natural, especially if you go on to find pleasure in reading.
My favourite characters in the ORT books are Mum, who has the most fabulous mullet and blue eyeshadow, and Gran, who I am sure is always taking a cheeky swig out of a hipflask behind everyone's backs.
In a few short years, or possibly terms, I am sure I will be missing Biff and Chip. Luckily the Time Chronicles are aimed at an older readership, so that the "joy" can be extended. The children are somewhat older (Wilma and Aneena are at secondary school!) and the stories are historical adventures where the children seek to defend the world from the malevolent virans. They meet interesting historical characters along the way. They're not going to set the world on fire, but they did entertain A and C for an hour or so this morning.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Machines are Not People
Not the name of a book; although thinking about it, I think it sounds like C might quite enjoy it!
Picture the scene. Friend and I and our four kids in the lovely library in a town near the village where we live. All of the kids have chosen some nice books, and there is a good selection for all of them (one 5, two 8 and one 10 year old). It's particularly satisfying to find a good selection of books suitable for C, who can now read pretty well, but doesn't quite have the stamina yet for a full length Beast Quest or Astrosaurs or similar. He tends to forget which character is which, and get frustrated with himself.
Anyway, I approach the self-checkout machines with loathing and caution. They are notoriously useless, and it is very rare that I am able to actually check books out without it failing to scan some of them, and me having to join the very long queue at the desk, full of people also checking out books which have failed to scan. So, essentially a queue like there always used to be before the machines, which is now longer with extra added whinging toddlers who want to either go to the library's brilliant cafe, or go and play on the amazing park just outside (it even has a zipwire - oh yes). The machines cost time and put trained librarians out of a job. I am tempted to launch a Luddite campaign against them, but fear this might lead to me being permanently banned from the library.
Thing is, even if the machines worked, I'd still hate them. Libraries are not just places for people to go in, scan books in a machine, choose more books, scan those books into a machine, and leave again. They are one of the precious few community hubs we have left which is open access to all. They are often a refuge for the disenfranchised, particularly the elderly. Ten years ago an elderly person or lonely new mum could go the to local shop, the post office and the library, and be assured of some human contact. Now there are self checkouts in the shop and the library, and the post office is likely to be closed. It's just so depressing.
On a happier note, one of the books C chose was a Haynes Manual for Wallace and Gromit's Cracking Contraptions. He spent a long time looking at it in bed tonight and has asked for it for his birthday. Bless him I am sure he can only read about half of the words, but since he was a small toddler, C has loved looking at diagram-y type books. He often used to sit cross-legged by the book shelves, tracing particularly exciting pictures with his fingers.
This morning on the bus, he read the new bus timetable, as it was the only available reading material. I only learnt to passed my driving test a year ago, so A and C were bus veterans from a very early age. C used to have loads of different Buggy Buddies books. A did too, but she would pretty much ignore them in favour of flirting with strangers and pointing out of the window. I was very grateful for his love of books as bus journeys with toddlers are a test of anyone's patience. However, now that the kids are older, and bus journeys are optional rather than necessary for me, I permitted myself yet another moment of nostalgia this morning for a bygone age, when I would get on the bus juggling toddler, baby, double buggy, nappy bag and assorted accoutrements and bus money. It isn't actually on my CV that I used to regularly get the bus with two very small children, but it really should be. The people-management and multi-tasking skills required should not be underestimated. Even with a Buggy Buddy or two in the armoury.
Picture the scene. Friend and I and our four kids in the lovely library in a town near the village where we live. All of the kids have chosen some nice books, and there is a good selection for all of them (one 5, two 8 and one 10 year old). It's particularly satisfying to find a good selection of books suitable for C, who can now read pretty well, but doesn't quite have the stamina yet for a full length Beast Quest or Astrosaurs or similar. He tends to forget which character is which, and get frustrated with himself.
Anyway, I approach the self-checkout machines with loathing and caution. They are notoriously useless, and it is very rare that I am able to actually check books out without it failing to scan some of them, and me having to join the very long queue at the desk, full of people also checking out books which have failed to scan. So, essentially a queue like there always used to be before the machines, which is now longer with extra added whinging toddlers who want to either go to the library's brilliant cafe, or go and play on the amazing park just outside (it even has a zipwire - oh yes). The machines cost time and put trained librarians out of a job. I am tempted to launch a Luddite campaign against them, but fear this might lead to me being permanently banned from the library.
Thing is, even if the machines worked, I'd still hate them. Libraries are not just places for people to go in, scan books in a machine, choose more books, scan those books into a machine, and leave again. They are one of the precious few community hubs we have left which is open access to all. They are often a refuge for the disenfranchised, particularly the elderly. Ten years ago an elderly person or lonely new mum could go the to local shop, the post office and the library, and be assured of some human contact. Now there are self checkouts in the shop and the library, and the post office is likely to be closed. It's just so depressing.
On a happier note, one of the books C chose was a Haynes Manual for Wallace and Gromit's Cracking Contraptions. He spent a long time looking at it in bed tonight and has asked for it for his birthday. Bless him I am sure he can only read about half of the words, but since he was a small toddler, C has loved looking at diagram-y type books. He often used to sit cross-legged by the book shelves, tracing particularly exciting pictures with his fingers.
This morning on the bus, he read the new bus timetable, as it was the only available reading material. I only learnt to passed my driving test a year ago, so A and C were bus veterans from a very early age. C used to have loads of different Buggy Buddies books. A did too, but she would pretty much ignore them in favour of flirting with strangers and pointing out of the window. I was very grateful for his love of books as bus journeys with toddlers are a test of anyone's patience. However, now that the kids are older, and bus journeys are optional rather than necessary for me, I permitted myself yet another moment of nostalgia this morning for a bygone age, when I would get on the bus juggling toddler, baby, double buggy, nappy bag and assorted accoutrements and bus money. It isn't actually on my CV that I used to regularly get the bus with two very small children, but it really should be. The people-management and multi-tasking skills required should not be underestimated. Even with a Buggy Buddy or two in the armoury.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Books about love for Valentine's Day
I don't really do Valentine's day, but thought it might be appropriate to blog about some of my favourite/least favourite books about love today.
There are loads of picture books for children about love. Which is nice, really, although to me curling up with your child for a story is an expression of love in itself. It sends a very powerful message to them that finding time to sit with them is important to you. Also, to my mind, you should cherish the time in their lives when they actively love the sound of your voice, because there will be times where it is the last thing they want you to hear (viz A this morning telling me "I'd rather be at school than here with you!") Ouch. I had committed the terrible crime of suggesting we go out for a walk, so it was obviously deserved.
Anyway, first I will mention the classic Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. We have a copy of this which I bought for MrM when he was doing his finals, and I was very soppy. There is a message which I wrote on the cover sleeve, which is deeply embarrassing in its sentimentality. Naturally, this is the bit A and C like best. I think this is a lovely story for babies and young toddlers. I especially like the version that comes with your own cuddly little nutbrown hair. There is not really much of a plot - a small and a large hare have a competition as to which one loves the other the most. There are some brilliant pictures though. I especially like the one of the big hare whirling the little one round by his arms, ears flying in the wind :)
Secondly, I go on to one of the dumbest purchases I ever made. It was read out as one of the stories on Tikabilla once, and it very nearly made Sarah-Jane cry. This should have been a warning to me. It is a lovely story, but it is one of the saddest books I have ever read - including The Time Traveller's Wife, which made me cry for about a week. It's called Love You Forever and is written by Robert Munsch. It tells the tale of a Mum who is seen at the start, holding her newborn baby song and singing a song which goes "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be". She continues to sing this song to him throughout his life, when he is asleep as he gets older, despite all of the mischief he gets up to. At the end, the mother is dying, and the son holds her as she dies, and sings the song to her (replacing baby with mother obv). He then goes home and takes his baby from its cot, and sings the song one last time. I am usually in several floods of tears by the the time the Mum is middle-aged, because I know what is coming next. It's a powerful tale of love lasting a lifetime, and overcoming minor tribulations, but it is very, very sad, so beware if you or your child are of a sensitive disposition.
In a similar vane, but much, much less sad is I Love you Little Monkey by Alan Durant. Little monkey gets up to all sorts of irritating acts which make his Mum grumpy, such as ruining the bed she has just made. However, despite her annoyance the book ends with a positive message about love overcoming these daily tribulations. We love the picture where the monkeys' tales make a heart shape.
Also on Tikabilla was the lovely Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke. It's a jolly tale about Sunday lunch at Granny's house. We more often than not have Sunday lunch at Granny's house, so this was a big favourite with the kids when they were a bit younger, as they identified with the child in the book, waiting impatiently for lunch to be ready. They also identified with Granny's lap being one of their favourite places to be.
Finally a dishonourable mention to the Little Bear stories by Martin Wadell. Wadell has written some truly brilliant picture books, most notably Owl Babies and the Rosie's Babies. However, he has also "blessed" the world with the stories of the deeply irritating Little Bear and his ineffectual parent Big Bear. Little Bear is the kind of kid who beats up other kids at the soft play. I just know it. And Big Bear is the parent who says things like "Oh, it's because he's bored at school and has to release his pent up rage". You'd better believe Big Bear has a stackload of back issues of Aquila in that cave. The Little Bear stories are all about love. And yet the only emotion they make me feel is anger. And they are also REALLY boring. And long. So, in summary, if you want to be bored and angry for a very long time, read them. Read the lot! One after the other. Perhaps I should start doing that in detention. "Right young meladdio. Punishment for swearing in my hearing is the whole of Can't You Sleep, Little Bear delivered in a dull monotone for the whole of break. And if you do it again it'll be Well Done, Little Bear. And let that be a lesson to you."
There are loads of picture books for children about love. Which is nice, really, although to me curling up with your child for a story is an expression of love in itself. It sends a very powerful message to them that finding time to sit with them is important to you. Also, to my mind, you should cherish the time in their lives when they actively love the sound of your voice, because there will be times where it is the last thing they want you to hear (viz A this morning telling me "I'd rather be at school than here with you!") Ouch. I had committed the terrible crime of suggesting we go out for a walk, so it was obviously deserved.
Anyway, first I will mention the classic Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. We have a copy of this which I bought for MrM when he was doing his finals, and I was very soppy. There is a message which I wrote on the cover sleeve, which is deeply embarrassing in its sentimentality. Naturally, this is the bit A and C like best. I think this is a lovely story for babies and young toddlers. I especially like the version that comes with your own cuddly little nutbrown hair. There is not really much of a plot - a small and a large hare have a competition as to which one loves the other the most. There are some brilliant pictures though. I especially like the one of the big hare whirling the little one round by his arms, ears flying in the wind :)
Secondly, I go on to one of the dumbest purchases I ever made. It was read out as one of the stories on Tikabilla once, and it very nearly made Sarah-Jane cry. This should have been a warning to me. It is a lovely story, but it is one of the saddest books I have ever read - including The Time Traveller's Wife, which made me cry for about a week. It's called Love You Forever and is written by Robert Munsch. It tells the tale of a Mum who is seen at the start, holding her newborn baby song and singing a song which goes "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be". She continues to sing this song to him throughout his life, when he is asleep as he gets older, despite all of the mischief he gets up to. At the end, the mother is dying, and the son holds her as she dies, and sings the song to her (replacing baby with mother obv). He then goes home and takes his baby from its cot, and sings the song one last time. I am usually in several floods of tears by the the time the Mum is middle-aged, because I know what is coming next. It's a powerful tale of love lasting a lifetime, and overcoming minor tribulations, but it is very, very sad, so beware if you or your child are of a sensitive disposition.
In a similar vane, but much, much less sad is I Love you Little Monkey by Alan Durant. Little monkey gets up to all sorts of irritating acts which make his Mum grumpy, such as ruining the bed she has just made. However, despite her annoyance the book ends with a positive message about love overcoming these daily tribulations. We love the picture where the monkeys' tales make a heart shape.
Also on Tikabilla was the lovely Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke. It's a jolly tale about Sunday lunch at Granny's house. We more often than not have Sunday lunch at Granny's house, so this was a big favourite with the kids when they were a bit younger, as they identified with the child in the book, waiting impatiently for lunch to be ready. They also identified with Granny's lap being one of their favourite places to be.
Finally a dishonourable mention to the Little Bear stories by Martin Wadell. Wadell has written some truly brilliant picture books, most notably Owl Babies and the Rosie's Babies. However, he has also "blessed" the world with the stories of the deeply irritating Little Bear and his ineffectual parent Big Bear. Little Bear is the kind of kid who beats up other kids at the soft play. I just know it. And Big Bear is the parent who says things like "Oh, it's because he's bored at school and has to release his pent up rage". You'd better believe Big Bear has a stackload of back issues of Aquila in that cave. The Little Bear stories are all about love. And yet the only emotion they make me feel is anger. And they are also REALLY boring. And long. So, in summary, if you want to be bored and angry for a very long time, read them. Read the lot! One after the other. Perhaps I should start doing that in detention. "Right young meladdio. Punishment for swearing in my hearing is the whole of Can't You Sleep, Little Bear delivered in a dull monotone for the whole of break. And if you do it again it'll be Well Done, Little Bear. And let that be a lesson to you."
Maths Quest by David Glover
I bought the complete set of Maths Quest books from The Book People a while ago. At the time, they were a bit hard for A, and she did do some of them with supervision from Mr M, but preferred the Usborne Puzzle adventures which she could do herself.
However, she has now clearly grown into them, since she sat for 90 minutes solving the clues in The Museum of Mysteries. C sat alongside her - it was his job to remember which page they had to turn to next. It's a bit like a Choose Your Own Adventure puzzle book - you have to solve the maths puzzle to work out which page to go turn to. It's the most maths I have ever seen A voluntarily do, and therefore has already repaid the money I spent on it (which probs wasn't very much anyway, given it was from The Book People).
A great buy for your little mathematicians (reluctant or otherwise!) Some puzzles are harder than others, and A required some help with some of them (and she is quite good at maths, thanks to my strong mathematical genes obv), but the concept is extremely good, and it was enough to amuse both kids for an extended period of time in that late afternoon grumpy phase that children have. Well, I say children, but to be quite honest, I am not immune to a touch of the 5pm grumpies myself.
However, she has now clearly grown into them, since she sat for 90 minutes solving the clues in The Museum of Mysteries. C sat alongside her - it was his job to remember which page they had to turn to next. It's a bit like a Choose Your Own Adventure puzzle book - you have to solve the maths puzzle to work out which page to go turn to. It's the most maths I have ever seen A voluntarily do, and therefore has already repaid the money I spent on it (which probs wasn't very much anyway, given it was from The Book People).
A great buy for your little mathematicians (reluctant or otherwise!) Some puzzles are harder than others, and A required some help with some of them (and she is quite good at maths, thanks to my strong mathematical genes obv), but the concept is extremely good, and it was enough to amuse both kids for an extended period of time in that late afternoon grumpy phase that children have. Well, I say children, but to be quite honest, I am not immune to a touch of the 5pm grumpies myself.
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