Get Children Involved in Seasonal Sports!

Sports are a wonderful physical activity in which children of all ages can participate. Not only will children meet a new network of friends - outside of the school and family communities, they will also find an outlet for all that pent up energy they hold! Sports introduce and foster the idea of teamwork in children and help children build important social relation skills that will last a lifetime! Prior to helping your preschooler decide upon a sport in which they might like to participate, check out a this wonderful series of books that introduce children to four basic sports!

Herzog, Brad.
Little Baseball.
April 2010.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Brad Herzog's Little Baseball introduces the youngest (and older) children to baseball by introducing the basic terms (bat, baseball, pitcher, umpire, baseball glove, home plate, scoreboard, hot dog, baseball cap and bench). Simple rhyming riddles encourage children to become involved with the story using the process of prediction - a great method to engage children in the reading process! If this basic informational book doesn't excite children about baseball, chances are baseball isn't their sport! In that case, be sure to check out some of the other titles in the Little Sports series being released by Sleeping Bear Press!

Other Books in the Little Sports series:

• Little Football
• Little Soccer
• Little Basketball

Look for a t-ball or little league team that your child could join. You can find local leagues near you here. If you're not sure if your child is "feeling" the whole baseball thing, perhaps it might be more worth your while to pick up a wiffle ball set and try out the sport in a less structured environment to get your child's take on it! I've purchased a wiffle ball set (similar to this, with a big bat but no tee) for my preschoolers to use - we play both indoors and outside in our fenced in playground area. So far we've only practiced batting (a teacher pitches and the children take turns hitting 3 pitches at a time), as the children aren't quite ready for the "rules" of the game. However, the batting alone is a huge hit and the other children keep busy while awaiting their turn by being "catchers" and chasing after the ball when ends up being hit! They absolutely love this and I have yet to find a child too reluctant to try hitting (an adult is always available to help out and encourage participating by helping a child bat if they so desire)!

Find Local Sporting Leagues for:

• Basketball
• Football and Cheerleading
  
• Soccer
• Tiny Tumblers (Gymnastics)
  
• YMCA Swim, Sports & Play

If you're still thinking these aren't the right sport for your child, check out some of the following articles about ways to encourage physical activity in your child(ren).

• Promoting Physical Activity and Exercise among Children
• Physical Activity in Children: Tips to Help Parents Encourage Exercise in Kids
• Children and Physical Activity: The Importance of Movement and Physical Activity
• How Do I Choose a Kids' Sports Program?
• Physical Workouts for Preschoolers
• Preschool Sports: Teaching Sports to Preschoolers

Most importantly - keep in mind! If your child doesn't show an interest in "sports" - don't force the participation! Rather, force the idea of physical movement - find a way to engage your child in physical movement in a fashion that will catch their attention! Physical movement and exercise are very important - encourage your child to be a part of the decision making process about how they choose to engage in physical activity!


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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!

She Loved Baseball

Learn about the Effa Manley, the first woman ever to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame!

Vernick, Audrey.
She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story.
October 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Based on a true story, Audrey Vernick shares with baseball fans across the world the truly inspiring story of a woman who refused to take no for an answer! Effa Manley grew up questioning authority from a very young age when she was banned from playing ball with her own siblings at school, due to differences in their skin color. That set Effa on the path to activism that instigated so much change for those involved in the Negro (baseball) Leagues.

This is a wonderful story to teach children about the appreciation of baseball for fans everywhere! The story itself is fun while also incredibly educational! Definitely a hit in my eyes!



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!

Yesterday was the start of baseball season!

Great new reads for the baseball lovers in your family!

Herzog, Brad.
I Spy with My Little Eye Baseball.
March 2011.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Baseball lovers will find great amusement in spying out the differences in these photo pairs with slightly altered scenes! This book is wonderful for encouraging children to become observers. Perhaps they'll enjoy looking at the pictures and trying to discover the differences on their own... and if they do struggle, the lyrical text provides readers with clues to help them hone in on a general area of where to look! Children are sure to be engaged in this book that pulls them into the reading and has them searching throughout! And, coupled with the photographs on each page is details and facts that will intrigue little baseball fans!

Michelson, Richard.
Lipman Pike: America's First Home Run King.
February 2011.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In 1845, baseball, the game that always had children hitting, throwing and catching balls, became more widely popular as the New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club drew up the games first set of official rules. From there, the sport became more widely accepted and popular. Struggling to assimilate in a new country, Lipman Pike looked to baseball as his "grounding" - his way to fit in with the new American culture to which he was being introduced. With the support of his father, Lipman did what he felt necessary to fit in, and in doing so became somewhat of a legend in the world of baseball. This book tells his story in a way that will inspire children to strive to fulfill their dreams and not give up despite hardships they may face. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most about the book was the way in which the immigration experience was brought up and shared in a manner that children will easily connect to! Definitely a great story to share this baseball season.



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!

Bats at the Ballgame

I sure hope there's some 'Bats at the Ballgame,' otherwise, there won't be much scoring of runs!

Lies, Brian.
Bats at the Ballgame.
September 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Brian Lies returns once again wtih a sure-to be hit, Bats at the Ballgame as the beloved bats characters take on the ball park. Baseball fans are sure to love this title, which incorporates all your ballpark classics, with a batty-twist! From garlic flies, gnatworst, and mothdogs to the batty version of the seventh inning stretch,

Ooh... Hang me up in the rafters!
Hang me up by the toes!
Buy me some beenuts and Cricket Jacks.
Won't you have...

readers are sure to take delight! This book is a must have for returning "Bat" fans and for baseball lovers!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Pair this book with an age appropriate baseball-related activity for your child!
• Ages 2-4: Little Tikes TotSports T-Ball Set
• Ages 5-18: MLB Pop A Pitch
• And for older fans (12+): Front Porch Classics Generic Circa Baseball Desktop Game
  

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!

Dino-Baseball

Combine summer reading with a rewarding activity!

Wheeler, Lisa.
Dino-Baseball.
March 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Dinosaur and baseball fans will take delight in this lyrical story relating the events of final game of the baseball season. The plant-eating Green Sox take on the meat-eating Rib-Eye Reds. The two teams battle for the title as champion, all the while giving readers a great deal to cheer about!

The vivid illustrations and lyrical text make the story more than worthy of an enthusiast cheery read that children will love! In fact, you could actually combine this book with a reading incentive to get your child(ren) reading this summer - and that in itself makes the book worthy of a read!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Create a themed reading pack for your child, complete with a reward for reading ten books this summer. In the pack include tickets to a local team's baseball game (obviously later in the summer, so your child has time to finish reading the stories), the local team's jersey (or tee), a baseball cap, a new baseball, a pack of baseball cards and the following ten books (or you can borrow a selection of dinosaur and baseball books from your local library):
  1. Dino-Baseball, Lisa Wheeler
  2. The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs, Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
  3. Digging Up Dinosaurs, Aliki
  4. Tyrannosaurus Math, Michelle Markel
  5. Craze Maze: Dinosaur Mazes, Don-Oliver Matthies
  6. Trading Baseball Cards: Learning the Symbols +, -, and (Math for the Real World), Jessica Baron
  7. Baseball Treasures, Stephen Wong
  8. The Boy Who Saved Baseball, John H. Ritter
  9. Baseball Saved Us, Ken Mochizuki
  10. H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet, Brad Herzog
  

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!