If your kids watch PBS, they're probably familiar with Mr. Steve, who plays catchy, fun songs with children in between shows. (His songs get stuck in my head for sure!) You and your kids will have a chance to see Mr. Steve at a South Florida library in just a few weeks!
Visit the South Regional / Broward College Library in Pembroke Pines on Thursday, July 21, 10:30 am until noon as part of the Soar with Reading program sponsored by WPBT2/Kidvision, JetBlue, PBS Kids and Broward County Library System. Soar with Reading helps keep children reading throughout the summer. Kids will enjoy a reading by a local author, a performance by Mr. Steve and appearances by PBS Kids characters Hooper and Super Why.
I bought a CD yesterday, and it will help save a mother's life.
A woman dies every 90 seconds from complications from pregnancy or childbirth -- and 90% of those deaths could be prevented. That's what's behind the Every Mother Counts campaign to educate people about how mother's lives (mostly in developing countries) can be saved.
The campaign was started by supermodel Christy Turlington Burns, who is behind the documentary No Woman, No Cry, which premieres this Saturday night at 9:30 pm on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Burns directed and produced No Woman, No Cry, no doubt encouraged by her filmmaker husband, Ed Burns.
That's where my new CD comes in, which is named for the campaign, Every Mother Counts. It's a compilation featuring songs by Madonna, the Dixie Chicks, Jennifer Lopez, Sheryl Crow, Ani DiFranco and other women artists. The album is available at Starbucks for $12.99, and $8.00 of that goes to CARE's maternal health programs.
Right here in my state of Florida, midwife Jennie Joseph has worked with the Every Mother Counts campaign, and she appears in the film.
As we're thinking of Mother's Day this weekend, we can think of mothers who aren't ever given the chance to take care of their babies, and offer help to prevent that from happening to more women.
When my preschooler was a baby, we received a Baby Einstein music CD. I kept it in the rotation of discs in my car, because as soon as he'd had enough of his car seat (which was after about a minute and a half), my baby would start wailing -- and hearing the Baby Einstein music calmed him down most of the time.
More Baby Einstein CDs, books and DVDs followed. (Don't tell his preschool pals, but sometimes my son still likes to watch Baby Einstein DVDs, especially Things That Go, which for some reason he calls "The Squirrel Show.")
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So I think it's great that parents can get Baby Einstein Discovery Kits, which include a music CD, DVD and either a book or Discovery Cards -- all about one theme. Baby Einstein recently unveiled three new Discovery Kits: Baby Lullaby, Neptune’s Oceans & World of Rhythm.
Baby Lullaby soothes babies (and parents!) with classical lullabies by Bach, Brahms and Mozart. Think relaxing ocean waves, cute puppet shows and tranquil images. So sweet! (Level 1)
Neptune's Oceans celebrates amazing marine life in their natural habitats: Penguins, whales, dolphins, sea lions and crabs. And it's all set to great music. (Level 2)
In the World of Rhythm, new characters Pillie, the musical woodpecker, and Coco, the dancing cockatoo, explore rhythm in music, rhythm in nature and rhythm as a form of expression. Cha cha cha! (Level 3)
In addition to the new Discovery Kits, you'll also find six other kits (in all age levels) already out there: Baby Beethoven, Baby Mozart, Animals Around Me, Wild Animal Safari, World of Colors and World of Words. Discovery Kits are typically priced at $19.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada.
Want a chance to win a Baby Einstein Discovery Kit?! Baby Einstein is generously offering one for me to give away. Leave a comment about your favorite Baby Einstein product, or mention which one you've got your eye on. (The Neptune's Ocean Discovery Kit does it for me!) I'll choose a winner by random on Friday, March 4. Please make sure there's a way to get in touch with you to tell you if you've won. Good luck!
I received this free Discovery Kit through a LBi/Baby Einstein program. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own (can you tell?), and no other monetary compensation took place.
The flyer above tells South Florida families what they need to know to enjoy some amazing free symphony orchestra concerts that are geared toward kids! But I wanted to add that I took my boys last year (when the Junebug was just an infant), and we all really loved it. The concert hall is totally noisy and busy with children -- and that's OK! I wish the concerts were year-round.
If your kids watch PBS, they're probably familiar with Mr. Steve, who plays catchy, fun songs with children in between shows. (His songs get stuck in my head for sure!) You and your kids will have a chance to see Mr. Steve at a South Florida library in just a few weeks!
