Home Depot Kid's Workshop

Have you heard about this?
On the first Saturday of each moth, Home Depot puts on a workshop for kids ages 5-12.
My boys went with their dad for the first time on Saturday and had so much fun.
They got to use a screwdriver and hammer to build a little table that can also be used as a football stand.
Check out more details here.

*photo from the home depot website*

This is definitely something we'll do again!
Did I mention that it's completely FREE?

Summer Reading List

Thought I'd pass this list along. It was complied by a friend of mine who is currently a reading tutor.
These are her recommendations. Some I've read, so I have not.
My kids love to read and be read to.
We try to hit the library about once a week. (There is one about 5 min. from our house.)
So, it's always good to have new ideas.

Picture Books
When Sophie Gets Angry
LaRue For Mayor
Skippyjon Jones
Click Clack Moo
Dooby Dooby Moo
Science Verse
Math Curse (has problems for the kids to solve)
Walter the Farting Dog
Squids Will Be Squids
Hooray For Diffendoorfer Day
Chicka Chicka 1 2 3
Chicka Chicka A B C
Piggies
Big Plans
The Touch of the Master's Hands
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O
Pricilla and the Pink Planet
How Do Dinosaurs...
The Giving Tree
Tuesday
Duck For President
Grace for President (great for teaching about elections)
Purplicious
The Day I Became a Pirate
Pirates Don't Change Diapers
What Pete Ate
I Can Be Anything


Workbooks
Summer Bridge series or Brain Quest Series
Primary journals (available at Walmart) to write an entry every day


Early Readers (30 minutes a day recommended)
Step Into Reading books level 1 (not Fancy Nancy though)
Hop on Pop
Fox in Socks
Cat in the Hat
Go Dogs Go
Easy Readers for Dr. Seuss series

Grades 2 - 3 (30 minutes a day recommended)
Junie B Jones series
Frog & Toad
The Magic Treehouse series
Step into reading level 2 and 3
Amelia Bedelia
Super Fly Guy

Grades 3 - 5 (30 minutes a day recommended)
Clementine
Star Girl
Matilda
BFG
James and the Giant Peach
Lemonade Wars
Lawn Boy
Hoot
Time Warp Trio books
Stink
Grades 5 -7 (30 minutes a day recommended)
Wrinkle in Time Series
Tuck Everlasting
The Bronze Bow
Prom
The Little Prince
Star Girl series

My 7 year old has gone through the Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones series. Now he's onto Beast Quest, but he doesn't have many more of those left. We'll need a new series soon.

Are there any books or series that you recommend?

Border's Free Book Program

We did this last year.

C & E both got a free book!

E wasn't reading yet, but I just read to him and still got the free book.

The website lists several free books to choose from,

but last year there were way more choices in each age category.

I'm thinking that when we get to the store, they will have more choices.

Click here to download the form and check out the program.

*p.s. if your kids like reading, check out your local library.

they may have a similar summer reading program.

we have done one with our local library for several years.

they get lots of prizes, coupons and a free book every year.

E even did it when he was only 2 years old.*