Children's Book Week 2015 is on, May 4-10, at FUNdamentally Toys

Children's Book Week is an annual celebration that has been going strong since 1919. At 96 years old, it’s the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country with a goal of connecting young readers with books.

Once again, FUNdamentally Toys is proud to participate in Children’s Book Week, May 4-10, 2015, with a host of incentives and fun designed to instill the joy of reading in young children.

First up: Children age ten and under can cast a vote for their favorite children’s board or picture book from FUNdamentally Toys’ top 14 best sellers. Just for filling out a ballot, young voters will receive a FREE Little Golden or I Can Read book.

Here’s a look at this year’s Top 14 Best-selling Children’s Board & Picture Books at FUNdamentally Toys:

Fundamentally Toys' Top 7 Children's Board Books: Vote for One

Elmer by David McKee

Little Bee by Edward Gibbs

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Freight Train by Donald Crews

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson

Swing Like a Monkey by Harriet Ziefert

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way by Alice Schertle

Fundamentally Toys' Top 7 Children's Picture Books: Vote for One

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
Animals Home Alone by Loes Riphagen
Take Away the A by Michael Escoffier 
BackHoe Joe by Lori Alexander
Paddington by Michael Bond 
One by Kathryn Otoshi 
Ocean: A Photicular Book by Carol Kaufmann 

How to Vote: Come to FUNdamentally Toys to fill out a ballot, cast a vote for your favorite board book and picture book, then claim your FREE Little Golden or I Can Read book. You can also download a ballot from our website www.fundamentallytoys.com and bring your ballot in. Votes are due by Sunday, May 10.

Stock Up on Books: Children’s Book Week is a great opportunity to replenish your children’s home library with some fun new titles. Buy any three children's books and get a fourth one (of equal or lesser value) FREE!

While you’re at it, take a few minutes to clear out some old titles from your child’s bookshelves and bring them in for our Books Between Kids drive. We’ll donate your gently read books to children in need so they can build their own personal libraries.

Great children's books entertain, teach reading skills and calm young minds. The benefits of reading go far beyond these obvious facts. Reading at an early age:

• Strengthens bonds with parents
• Increases vocabulary and language skills
• Teaches new ideas and concepts
• Helps with concentration and focus
• Establishes logical thinking patterns
• Develops communication skills
• Primes children for academic success

If you read to your children, they will literally hang on your every word. If your child sees you reading books, he or she will be be inclined to do the same. Make it a habit to read to or with your child every day, as well as taking some time for yourself to relax and read.

If you need book suggestions, look no further than Fundamentally Toys for our expert help. We offer a carefully selected assortment of some of the best children's books to help your child grow up with a lifelong love of reading.  

Children's Book Week is administered by Every Child A Reader, a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. The Children's Book Council, the national non-profit trade association for children's book publishers, is an anchor sponsor.

Debbie School, FUNdamentally Toys

  

Think Outside the Cereal Box: Turn it into a Recycled Art Project

April is Earth Month and April 22 is Earth Day which has been celebrated around the world since 1970. While our planet still faces many perils, thanks to the founders of Earth Day, we've come a long way in environmental reform and honoring Mother Earth with care and kindness.

Earth Month is an ideal time for kids to "play with the trash." They can learn about recycling and reusing items that might otherwise get thrown out and use them instead to create a fun recycled art project.

Cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, milk jugs, magazines, greeting cards, tin or aluminum cans, and more can provide tons of creative fuel for imaginative minds--not to mention that using them can save you a little bit of money too! There's a wealth of information and examples on the Internet on how to create art with recyclable or reusable items.

Paper tubes can be cut into diagonal shapes to create an abstract sculpture. Bottle caps can be turned into medallions or pendants. Lettering or images from magazines or cereal boxes are ideal for mosaics or collages. Egg carton cups can become cute little animals or bugs. Wondering what to do with that single sock? Turn it into a puppet! I even came across a recipe for making non-toxic paint to add eco-friendly color to projects on PlanetPals.com.

A good place to start is to create a bin or box marked "Recycled Art Projects" or some other more clever or cute name. As you collect recyclable materials for art projects, it's a perfect opportunity to teach your children how to recycle and why it's important for the environment. Let kids help with collecting trash from around the house and have them examine items before they get thrown out. Ask if they can be reused and go into their project box. Turn trash time into teaching time that will establish a life-long habit of caring for our planet.

Don't let environmental teaching moments stop at the trash bin. Set an example by your actions. Some suggestions: Always take reusable bags for shopping and limit your use of plastic or paper bags; use cloth napkins for meals; clean with rags, not paper towels, and use eco-friendly cleaners. Explain to your children why you are doing these things. Stress the importance of what you do and that no action is too small to make a difference.

For Earth Month 2015, FUNdamentally Toys is holding a recycled art project contest. Through April 22, kids are invited to create an original work of art using recyclable and natural materials. They can bring their projects in anytime after April 16. We'll have Facebook posts, voting and in-store display fun with them. We're also asking kids to explain the materials they used and how they created their projects. 

We're looking forward to many creative and imaginative recycled masterpieces!

Debbie School, FUNdamentally Toys