Make a story CD for your child
- by Debra McDuffee on Jul 1st 2008 4:00PM
- kids, toys
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My three-year-old loves to listen to stories. As a conscientious mom and former reading teacher, this thrills me beyond words. We read books together often throughout the day, and though I love to spin a good yarn, we really like to listen to audiobooks while traveling in the car.
We own some good ones, and we frequent the library to check out lots of recorded books every three weeks. But Owen's favorite stories we can't find on CD, so we've just had to be creative about it. Here's what we've discovered:
- Robert Munsch is an author and storyteller with the sense of humor of a six-year-old boy. This works out for us, and since he's got scads of downloadable stories, it is a great resource.
- If you and your child like the classics, Kiddie Records Weekly has all the old recordings you listened to as a child, scratchy LP quality included! Some of these are really priceless; my son loves this version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

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Eric Stromer. 
This DIY children's book is a great way to teach your little one about the day. It could be a great transition tool for outlining how preschool days will go, or other routines that they might struggle with. If your child has difficulty getting in gear for school, take pictures of each step: Getting up, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, getting dressed, walking to school, hanging his coat, greeting the teacher and so on. Print out these free comic captions to animate the story. As you narrate the steps, they'll have fun with the pictures and captions. This will reinforce routine and help them prepare for the coming day. 
I have wonderful old (circa 1800's) books in my house that are pretty beat up from so much use, and because they are, well, old. Some of my
Tim Ferris, author of
Privacy is such a great thing, and something some people get very little of. We live in a small house, so if one of us wants privacy, we have to go into a different room. Some people might not be so lucky to escape into a different room, or even be able to leave the premises, and that's exactly what privacy screens are for.
Duct tape is one of those essential materials in every DIY tool box. I am a big fan of
There is something special about toys that talk. I guess the whole idea of personifying a toy is exciting to many of us. Your fascination probably started with that doll that could be programmed to say your name, or your talking remote control car. If you're like me, the fascination probably didn't go away. This new book is sure to get you excited.







