Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Berenstain Bears Go Out to Eat

A great reminder for kids about manners and healthy choices when eating out!

Berenstain, Jan & Mike.
The Berenstain Bears Go Out to Eat.
December 2009.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.


Just like today's families, the Berenstain Bear family is a very busy family, that occasionally likes to take a trip out for dinner to avoid the hassle of having to not only cook a meal, but also clean it up afterwards. In The Berenstain Bears Go Out to Eat, the Berenstain family heads to the Bear Country Grill for a Friday night meal out. However, the meal goes as one would typically expect when taking three children (in this case, bear cubs) out to eat! However, Mama Bear does her best to be prepared, and luckily they get through the meal without too many problems!

As is typical with the Berenstain Bear books, children will learn a lesson in this new story! Here they are given gentle reminders of the importance of using your manners when out to eat, as well as remembering to keep nutrition in mind (by ordering broccoli instead of french fries). Not only does the book teach children a few lessons, but parents, too, will likely pick up on the importance of being prepared for a wait at the restaurant! The Berenstain Bears are well-loved characters who always have much to offer, and this book is no disappointment on that front!

Learning/Reading Activity:
  • Help your child to create an "Out to Eat" bag, packed full with activities that are appropriate for times when the family is dining out. Head to your local craft store and purchase a canvas bag. Allow your child to decorate the bag to his/her liking. Then head out to your local dollar store and pick up a coloring book and crayons. At the dollar store, pick out a few travel games, such as checkers, hand-held pinball, or a small card game. Also add to the "Out to Eat" bag a few books that your child loves and can read by his/herself, as well as an activity book that will keep him/her busy for an extended amount of time, such as Where's Waldo? The Ultimate Travel Collection. Involve your child in the process of picking out the items for his/her bag, as this will spike their interest for the next mealtime at a restaurant!


If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

0 comments: