Books and Stories
Children's Books written by Local Authors
February 06, 2009
"Buying local" can refer not only to local bookstores, but also local authors. There's certainly no shortage of talent in these parts; I was pleasantly surprised at the number of our favorite children's authors that actually come from the Bay Area. Here is a list of local authors your preschoolers will enjoy: 1) Did you know that the popular Klutz and Chicken Sox craft book series started Read more...
Weekend Outlook: January 9th-11th
January 07, 2009
Weekend, weekend, who has the weekend? I feel like I'm coming off a month-long-weekend, but being back at the grind has made me remember that normal, non-holiday weekends, are just as important as those involving Santa. So, here's what's happening at a place near you: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is being produced at the Louis B. Mayer Theater in Santa Clara at Read more...
Weekend Outlook: December 19th-21st
December 17, 2008
'Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all through the Peninsula Not a creature was stirring, not even a min...su....la? Sorry kids, your uncle Shawn is seriously lacking in the Holiday Poetry department. But, I do have some things lined up for you to do out of the house this weekend that don't involve going to the mall in any way. Because the mall is going to suck this weekend. Read more...
List Day: Consumable Gifts
December 16, 2008
Today on Savvy Source we're talking about "consumable" gifts. Not "gifts you can eat" but gifts that you use up, like gift certificates and memberships. My favorite gifts as a kid were always bookstore gift certificates, and I think my post-Christmas Certificate-Shopping-Spree kept the local bookstores in business through March. But not everyone is like the nerdy kid I was (am?), so Read more...
Baby books my preschoolers still love
December 04, 2008
Our house is fairly small, and we don't have a lot of space for a library for babies, adults, and every age in between. So I periodically sift through the kids' shelf, pick out a couple of books that my kids have outgrown, and donate them to charity. It always pains me to let go of a book, but I console myself with the thought that we're giving other kids the chance to love them like we did. Read more...
Weekend Outlook: November 28th-30th
November 26, 2008
Many families are traveling this weekend, meeting up with relatives and friends to celebrate the holidays, to give thanks, and to get a jump on National Shopping Month. But there are reasons to stay close to home this year, and I'm not talking about the negative reasons like the economy or the hassle of travel. I mean that there are, as always, things a-happenin' right here in the Read more...
Books essential to kids in Silicon Valley
November 25, 2008
Pussy cats go to London and Madeline lives in Paris, but does your child ever get to see anything from his home town in one of his storybooks? Here in Silicon Valley we're lucky to live near so many famous (and well-published) landmarks, so it's not difficult to assemble a collection of books that capture the essence of where we live. Here are several that your children will love: 1) With Read more...
Building Early Literacy Skills
November 21, 2008
For today's expert post, instead asking a guest to write about his or her topic of expertise, I'm featuring highlights from a great educational discussion I attended a couple of weeks ago . I listened to Dr. Anne Cunningham of UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Education speak on helping children learn (and love) to read. Since I have two preschoolers, I soaked in every word -- and I'd like to Read more...
Weekend Outlook: November 21-23
November 19, 2008
This weekend, like last weekend, seems to be full of stage productions geared toward kids. I didn't really want to list a bunch of plays again but I just can't help it because the ones I came across look too cute/fantastic/strange to just ignore. Also, this month at Savvy Source our focus is on Books and Stories, and although storytimes are great to go to (and I include a unique one Read more...
List Day: Funny Books
November 18, 2008
What is the difference between a funny book and a silly book? We're talking about "funny" books here on Savvy Source and I'm having a hard time just coming up with pure, guffawing, funny books for the newest readers in the house. My daughter likes Dr. Seuss and the Oswald books, but they aren't really "so didja hear the one about the monkey?" books. The Cat in the Hat is silly; Read more...
Bringing Books to Life: Plays and Musicals
November 13, 2008
All throughout the month of November, the editors at Savvy Source are browsing through bookshelves and exploring the wonders of children's literature . So come join me in celebrating the joy of reading a great book -- by watching a play. Well, why not? What better way to get a child excited about reading a book than by firing up his imagination beforehand? What better way to instill the Read more...
Weekend Outlook: November 14th-16th
November 12, 2008
Welcome to Weekend Outlook, your weekly peek forward into the depths of the weekend. This week our focus is on THEATER. Because it's never too soon to introduce kids to the world through the stage. Well, maybe 1 is too soon. Let me rephrase. It's never too soon to introduce the kids who can sit still without erupting into tears and cries to the world through the stage. Better? Yeah. The kids Read more...
Great children's bookstores
November 11, 2008
We're lucky to have a well-stocked children's library less than a mile away from home. There's no way we could afford to buy enough books to satisfy my family-of-five's literary appetite, so we always have a dozen or so books checked out at any point in time. That said, I think every child benefits from having a library of his or her very own, whether it be a shelf or a bookcase or a roomful Read more...
Bringing Books to Life: Alice in Wonderland
November 06, 2008
One of the things a great children's book does is inspire pretend play. Take the classic Alice in Wonderland ; there's something about the story and colorful characters that makes every child want to visit Wonderland himself. If your child itches to be Alice or the White Rabbit, feed her imagination by planning activities centered around Alice and her adventures. You don't need to drive all Read more...
Weekend Outlook: November 7th-9th
November 05, 2008
This Election Week Weekend Outlook is brought to you by ME. You know. As usual. What is there to do with your little one this first weekend in November, the month winter begins to close its frosty grip? This Friday Hidden Villa begins its " Preschoolers on the Farm " series of "working the farm" afternoons. The workshop runs from 3-4pm, and is continued on November 14th and November 21st. Read more...
The ABCs of Silicon Valley
November 04, 2008
Today at Savvy Source we're doing the ABCs of Silicon Valley. Do you have the song in your head? Good. A is for Armadillo Willy's Barbecue . B is for the Baby Loves Disco . C is for the Cinco de Mayo Festival. D is for ducks . E is for environmentalism. F is for farmer's markets . G is for the Gilroy Garlic Festival . H is for Hobee's . I is for Ice Skating Read more...
Weekend Outlook: October 31st-November 2nd
October 29, 2008
We're in the home stretch of October. So many costumes, so much candy. But because October isn't over yet, and because this Friday is Halloween, your weekend outlook will of course include things to do that are Halloween-related. But not your usual faire of community festivals and storytimes. This weekend there are some really unique events in the area for you and the kids. First, if you are Read more...
Weekend Outlook: October 17th-19th
October 15, 2008
Looking back at my Weekend Outlook entries for the past few months I notice that we are really and truly privileged in this area to have almost weekly street fairs of some kind or another. I keep highlighting them because I love to walk them, to experience my town, or my neighbor's town, in full spectacle. But perhaps you aren't the street fair type. Perhaps you've been crying out for me to Read more...
Sharing Time
September 04, 2008
There's a sign for share. Erin knows it. I'm not sure she understands the concept that clearly though. Everything in the world, so far, is hers . If I ask her to share something she'll give it over pretty readily, but it's a bit of a game; she'll try to take it back almost as soon as she's given it up. But we're practicing. Down at the pool, when she tries to snake somebody's ball or floatie Read more...
Not the Big Apple, But We're Pretty Good
July 23, 2008
Today at Savvy Source our editors are taking you to New York City. For a long time I lived on the East Coast, around the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. I've lived in Upstate New York. But I've never been to New York City. London, Paris, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Munich, Dublin. I've done some metro-traveling. But The Big Apple has remained elusive. Read more...
Reverse-Souvenirs
July 21, 2008
We're talking about souvenirs and memories today at Savvy Source . The last time we took Erin on a trip she smuggled a wooden fish head into the luggage to bring with us on our trip . Kind of a reverse-souvenir, something to remind her of home while we were away. I think kids do this a lot (carry a little home with them); it's what's behind the sleep-buddy that you send to daycare and pre-school Read more...
Reading Aloud (as quietly as possible)
July 15, 2008
I like reading to Erin. But she doesn't do that well with the sitting and the listening patiently as I extoll the virtues of the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays or how awesome Steve Yzerman is as a player and hockey executive. Maybe I need to stop trying to read sports magazines to her. She does love her some Dr. Seuss though (what kid doesn't?). I think that started when I would read Oh Baby the Places Read more...
The Children's Discovery Museum: The Wonder Cabinet
July 09, 2008
I took Erin to the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose on Tuesday. We've been before, but I wanted to bring her back now that she's a toddling walker instead of a mostly-stationary crawler. We explored both the downstairs area and the Wonder Cabinet, the special area for children under 4 upstairs. This post will be about the Wonder Cabinet. We happened to get there just as the art studio in Read more...
Where are the Dads? #1 Increasing your geek factor
June 26, 2008
If you are an at-home dad what activities can you do with your kid that will be great for him, but also allow you to interact with other dads out there in the Silicon Valley? From time to time I'll be writing about these secret locales and what you can do, either as a dad or as a mom with a partner who is looking for some ideas. This week the theme is "Increasing your geek Read more...
More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in san jose
Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle
Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune
Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues
Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors
Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun
A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories
Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites
Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet
The Most Fun in Life Is Free!
The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots
The Voice of Being Savvy san jose:
Shawn Burns, Bonggamom
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