Munsch at Home Contest

Enter the fourth annual Munsch at Home contest for your family's chance to win a visit from Robert Munsch. Canadian families are invited to submit their event ideas and compete to have Munsch attend their Family Literacy Day (FLD) celebration.

From September 12 until December 12, 2008, ABC CANADA will accept contest entries from families anywhere in Canada who are planning FLD parties. Each contestant writes a short description about how they plan to celebrate FLD and mails it to ABC CANADA.

• Complete Contest Rules
• Application Form
• Promotional Flyer

Robert Munsch at Bayview Village Chapters

9:30am sharp last Saturday my kids and I were at Chapters, ready to meet Robert Munsch. The show didn't actually start until 11am but my son wanted to make sure he got his latest Munsch book signed. He was so excited to meet the man that wrote so many of his favourites: Mortimer, Smelly Socks, We Share Everything etc.

The show was wonderful! Mr. Munsch called up different kids on stage and made up stories about them. His funny faces and charismatic presence really engaged the children in the audience. He threw in a few classics, Mortimer and I Love You Forever to name a few. I have I Love You Forever at home but I can't bring myself to read it out loud as it makes me want to cry. Lovely book but really chokes me up.

After the show someone wrote in the Child's Life Parent Forum that he had a link to listen to Robert Munsch read his books on-line. Check out it out at www.robertmunsch.com/storytime.cfm.

There are tons of great events coming up in March and April for kids. Go to www.childslife.ca/events/events.html to find out about more great events in Markham and the GTA!

~Shannon

Easter is Just Around the Corner

It's hard to believe Easter is almost here. It's always such an exciting time of year, knowing that the snow will soon melt away and the spring blooms will be popping up here and there.

Shannon and I have just begun our own 'hunt' to collect fun Easter themed links, recipes, activities and more for the Child's Life Easter Page which will be featured soon on the site – look for it after St. Pattys Day.

Scholastic Book orders are due in classrooms next week, so I thought I'd share a wonderful book I discovered last Easter – 'The Great Easter Egg Hunt' by Michael Garland, is one of my kids favorite books - all year long! Not only are the illustrations wonderful, but the story is just loads of fun for kids. In the story 'Tommy' is led to wonderful places in a magical Easter world, through ryhming clues left by his Aunt Jeanne. Kids have to find hidden things on every page including baby chicks, bunnies and my favorite - fancy letters. I would definatly recommend this for anyone who wants to add to their holiday book collection this Easter.

~Justine