Fortunately, we’re still mid-way through July, and all the programs listed below are still running. There are a few that run into late August too.

Free Summer Movies for Kids

• National Amusement Theatres Bookworm Wednesdays

Every Wednesday at 10:00 am beginning July 7th for six weeks. BOOKWORM WEDNESDAYS entitles kids to free admission to a select children’s film when they present a book report at a participating Showcase Cinemas, Multiplex Cinemas or Cinema de Lux box office. Accompanying parents or guardians and children under six receive free admission and do not need to submit a book report (click here for the form). Locations. Movie schedule.

• Clearwater Cinemas Free Movies Kids Club

8 weeks first come first served free 10:00am Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning June 30th. Locations and movie schedule.

• REG Free Family Film Festival

Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10am. Select threatres and movie schedule.

• Bow-Tie Cinemas Kids Club Film Series

June 22- August 18 at 10 am. Locations and movie titles.

• Marquee Cinemas 2010 Kid’s Summer Movie Program.

June 29th – August 18th. Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Two movies to choose from each day! Locations and movie schedule.

• Cinemaworld Summer KidFest

May 21 – August 12. Every day at 10am, Cinemaworld features a Family-Friendly G or PG rated film for your kids to enjoy, with new movies premiering on Fridays. Children are FREE. Adults are just $2 or FREE with the donation of a non-perishable pet-food item to benefit the Brevard County Humane Society. Melbourne, FL.

• Muvico Free Family Film Festival

10 am every Tuesday and Wednesday. June 15th – August 3rd. Movie schedule. Locations.

Low Cost Summer Movies

• AMC Entertainment 2010 Summer MovieCamp® – $1

10 a.m. each Tuesday morning this summer at participating theatres, from June 15 through August 10.  At only $1 admission, it’s an affordable option for summer fun for families and groups. All admission and concession proceeds will benefit two AMC charities, Variety – The Children’s Charity and the Will Rogers Institute. List of participating threatres.

• Cinemark Summer Movie Club House – $1

Click here for a list of all participating threatres. Movie titles and showing day and time varies with location.

• Classic Cinemas Wednesday Mornings Movie Series – $1

This year the Series will be 9 weeks, and will run every Wednesday starting June 17th – August 12th.The doors will open for the Wednesday Morning Movie Series at 9:00 a.m. (9:30 a.m. at the Lindo Theatre & Cinema 12). Make sure to come early to meet some of your favorite characters and join in on the fun games and activities. Every Wednesday the movie will begin at 10:00 a.m. Click here for a list of locations and movie titles.

• Georgia Threatre Company 2010 Summer Kids Show Series – $1

8 weeks beginning June 8th, every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am. Locations and movie schedule.

• Harkins Summer Movie Fun – $2/movie or Less

If you purchase a 10-movies movie pass, movies cost less than $1/movie. Frequently Asked Questions. Locations and movie schedule.

• Malco Threatres Kids Summer Film Fest – $1

June 1st – July 28th. Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 am. Locations. Movie titles  vary with location.

• Marcus Threatres Kids Rule Kids Summer Film Series – $2.75 includes popcorn

Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 am from June 23rd through August 12th at 10am.  Locations and movie schedule.

Enjoy the big screen!

If I missed any free or discounted deals, please comment below and share your finds with all of us. Thanks!

1. UNLIMITED LUNCH:

2. IT IS A PRIVATE HOMESCHOOL EVENT:

3. LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR TICKETS. FULL-PRICE AT THE DOOR!

4. LOOKING FOR HIGH SCHOOL HOMESCHOOLERS:

5. DESIGN A RIDE CONTEST DETAILS

6. SCAVENGER HUNT: 2 HUNTS + YOU CAN HUNT IN TEAMS.

7. DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT ON MY BLOG

8. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS & CONCERNS:

My girls and I are SO excited about bringing this fantastic learning event to your attention; and we look forward to sharing this experience with as many happy homeschoolers as possible!

I just got off the phone with the organizers, and (as usual) I asked dozens of questions to make sure the registration, preparation, and organization of this day goes as smoothly as possible. After all, we want to make sure everyone gets the most out of this day. So, please read this detailed article slowly and pay attention to all its highlighted notes, so you don’t miss out on all the fun.

If you’ve never been  to Quassy before, check out all their rides and attractions here. Those of you who have been there (like us), you’ll know that you have to pay extra for parking (which was an unpleasant surprise for us last year),  Saturation Station (water park and Quassy beach), and of course the food…BUT, Everything I just mentioned  with all the Extra Programs listed below is included in the one Discounted rate for the entire day!

And, YES, all rides, the water park and beach will be open for service from 10 am – 4pm, regardless if you participate in any of the homeschool events or not. What a deal!

Homeschool Day Program

10 a.m. – Arrive and redeem tickets

10:15 a.m. – Design Your Own Amusement Ride Model Contest (To be set up for judging). Models must be built prior to the event. Middle and high school ages must have working models based on imagination and basic principles of physics. Elementary students can enter working model or drawings. Names, grade levels must be attached to all entries. Maximum base 24 by 24 inches.

10:30 a.m. – ‘Wacky Science’ stage presentation for all age groups

11 a.m. to noon – Enjoy the rides and water park

Noon to 1 p.m. – Lunch! (Note: If more than 50 total persons are registered for the day, lunch will be a one-hour service of unlimited hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and soft drinks. If fewer than 50 people are registered for the day, participants will receive a lunch ticket valid for a hamburger and hot dog (or two of the same sandwich), french fries and a small soft drink.

Comment below and  help spread the word! The more–the merrier…with fuller tummies too.

1 to 2 p.m. – Enjoy the rides.

1 p.m. – Judging for Amusement Ride Model Contest. Students will demonstrate and explain their entries to the judges. Winners announced at 3 p.m. *Register on or before Thursday, June 10, 2010 for this first-come first-served program.

2 p.m. – Journalism Workshop for high school students. (Registration required when making your reservation; bring pencils and paper!) *Register on or before Thursday, June 10, 2010 for this first-come first-served program.

2 p.m. - Scavenger Hunts for elementary and middle school-aged students. *Register on or before Thursday, June 10, 2010 for this first-come first-served program.

“Fun With Physics,” Quassy’s new physics program, is available to all age groups. The 38-page booklet is pasted below in our doc-sharing program. You can view it directly in this article, or download it for easier access! You get to select the projects for students to work on.

4 p.m. – Day concludes.

Quassy Amusement Park Homeschool Day

When: Monday, June 14, 2010 10 am -4pm

What: The program will include numerous educational programs and interactive activities for all ages.

Where: Quassy Amusement Park Lake Quassapaug, Rt. 64 (2132 Middlebury Road) – Middlebury, CT 06762 – P.O. Box 887 Phone: 1-800-FOR-PARK or 203-758-2913 Directions available here.

How Much: The price of the event includes all rides *even Saturation Station (water park)*, lunch and parking ($17.50 for students, $7.50 for chaperones). Everyone attending must have a pre-paid ticket. Babies or other individuals who will not ride, eat or participate in any of the programs are free of charge.

• If we get 50+ registrants, unlimited hamburgers, hotdogs, fries and drinks will be available during the lunch hour. So, comment below & help spread the word.
  

How to Attend: Reservations and tickets are available by calling the park office at 203-758-2913 ext. 105.

1. Comment below with the number of registrants attending.
2. When you call and register your family, please tell them you heard about this program from “Ponn Sabra” of AmericanMuslimMom.com. By giving credit where it’s due, I can continue to bring exclusive programs and news to you!
   

• All major credit cards are accepted.
• If reservations are placed on or before Friday, June 4th, tickets will be postal mailed to you, otherwise tickets will be held at the desk.
• Money order or checks are accepted ONLY if they are received on or before Friday, June 4, 2010. Therefore, you must call and send the payment today or tomorrow.

Quassy’s New “Fun with Physics” Program

Designed for children (and adults) or all ages, you can view or download the below booklet to work on any or all the Physics projects you want to prepare your kids for the fabulous fun learning event!

Fun Physics At Quassy Amusement Park – Elementary to High School

AmericanMuslimMom.com Get-Together

If you participated in any of the past programs I helped promotesuch as, Old State House, Chelsea Piers, Climate Quilt, you’ll know that my girls and I love to meet, greet and enjoy the day together with you! So, if you decide to attend, please comment below which events you’ll be attending so we can try to get together. We’re definitely designing a ride, and participating in the Scavenger Hunt. And, we’re going to fit in some time to sit down at the beach to relax a bit from all the rides and water park.

After-Program Feedback

Since this is Quassy’s first Homeschool Day, I’m sure to follow-up with them after the event to share our comments, concerns and recommendations. So, stay posted as the day approaches…and, after it ends!

Disclosure: Depending on the number of referred registrants, AmericanMuslimMom.com may be compensated with discounted registration fees.

And, don’t worry if you’re not a blogger. You can simply join by commenting on various UBP10 bloggers’ party posts that originate at the Ultimate Blog Party 2010 post that will go live on Friday, April 9, 2010 at 12:01 am at 5 Minutes for Mom.

During the week of April 9th – 16th, the blogosphere will be partying carnival style — jumping through our MckLinky lists of participating bloggers.

And, there are tons of prizes! Check out the growing list. What’s really cool is that if you want some added exposure, you can donate a prize too.

To get a better understanding of how things work that week, check out last year’s party post, or check out the instructions here. They even host some live events throughout the country as well.

Some of the testimonials of the above linked posts are truly amazing!

I look forward to posting our introductory party post to increase awareness of our unique mommy blog.

After all, our data shows about half our readers and subscribers are actually non-Muslims eager to learn more about our lifestyle. Then, they stick around, because they quickly find out that we have more similarities than differences–and, it’s our differences that make our friendships deeper, more meaningful and unique.

If you write a blogpost like this one inviting your readers to join the party and help spread the news, on or before Sunday, March 28th, you also have a chance to win a  Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video camera. Now, that would come in very handy at American Muslim Mom, so we could produce some more fun videos, especially during the party, inshaAllah (God willing).

And, don’t forget to tweet it up with #ubp10! Please comment below if you’re going to join the party, to make sure we keep an eye out for you.

Our youngest even has her roller-backpack of “Lion of Ain Jaloot”.

Seiffunddin Qutoz was born a prince, orphaned and sold into slavery with his cousin, earned his freedom at adulthood, and died as one of Islam’s greatest rulers who defeated the Mongols in honor of Islam and our beloved Allah (May He be Glorified).

Please share your review of this movie with us in the comments section below! If you have an Islamic movie video or nasheed you’d like to share, please let us know about it by clicking here.

Just by tweeting your hot deals and bargains with the hashtag #nobetterdeal, you’re entered for a chance at a new TV. Now, that’s a great deal that I couldn’t hold back from sharing. The details was just posted this morning, so click here to learn more.

And, just like the infomercials; “But, wait! There’s more!” NoBetterDeal.com along with the Global Influence Network asks you to

JOIN US ON MARCH 12TH AT 9PM EST AS WE HOST ANOTHER #NOBETTERDEAL TWITTER PARTY! Show off your wit to the #NoBetterDeal online community AND be entered for even more prizes!

My girls and I have loving these twitter parties. We’re meeting many new deal-seeking, like-minded mommy bloggers, learning (yes, they’re very educational) and winning tons of prizes along the way. [A post with more details to follow, inshaAllah ]

As for hosting real-time social media parties, American Muslim Mom is surveying our readers to find out the best time you’d like to participate in a Facebook Fan Party of our own. So, if you haven’t shared your opinions to this quick 3-question 30-second survey, please do so by clicking here.

And, if you share your “No Better Deal” on your blog, please comment below so we can cash in on your great online deals too

Disclosure: This contest was brought to my attention by the Global Influence Network. By writing this post, I am entered to win a Nintendo Wii or amazon e-gift card.

Title: Attack of the Turtle

Author: Drew Carlson

Illustrator: David A. Johnson
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5338-7
Number of Page: 149
Genre: Historical fiction
Kid Reviewer: The Sabra Girls
Reviewer’s Age: 6.5, 8.5, 9.5 years old

Date submitted:     2/2/2010
Reading Time: 1-4 days

Intended Audience:
Kid Reviewer: The Sabra Family
Age: 6 – 12 years old
Gender: Both

Rating: 5 of 5. Excellent.

Review:

6.5 year old girl:I liked this story because it is a historical fiction book and we live in Connecticut. When we coming home from Boston, MA we passed by all the towns in this book, like Old Saybrook and New London. Also, I’ve been to all the places in NY City too.

8.5 year old girl: By reading this book, it’s a fun way to learn history.

9.5 year old girl: I really liked this book because I usually don’t like history, but this book changed me. It discussed inventors, what happened during the Revolutionary War, and I liked the explanation between what was fact and what was fiction in the book.

Mama: Overall, this was an incredible book. Please read this book as a family, and enjoy opening a unit study in the Revolutionary War, inventors and inventions, and/or New England geography.

Interesting facts:

The Epilogue, American Turtle diagram and its description, Author’s notes and Bibliography are all must-read sections of this book. They were so funny and interesting that we look forward to going to the Submarine Museum in Groton to see the life-sized model of the American Turtle ourselves in the Spring, inshaAllah. We read the “Bushnell’s Submarine – The Best Kept Secret of the American Revolution” by Arthur S. Leftowitz the Uncorrected Proof to verify the historical and scientific information shared in “Attack of the Turtle”.

* We read this book as part of the 2010 Intermediate Nutmeg Nominee Book Club at the Hamden Public Library. Previously reviewed books in this category included:
- Drita, My Homegirl

We’d love for you to share your kid’s book reviews on AmericanMuslimMom.com Click here to complete a review form.

From the page:

“My Masjid” Art contest.

Do you like to draw? Art is a wonderful way to express ones creativity. If you like to draw, then this contest is just for you. Family Reads is hosting an art contest featuring local masajid around the world. Young artists, you are invited to participate in the contest by submitting hand-drawn or computer drawn illustrations of the local masjid you attend. Please include a 50-100 word description of your masjid, ie name, location, history, what makes your masjid unique or special. Winning art work will be featured on Family Reads. Please send submissions to familyreads@ymail.com and type “My Masjid art contest” in the subject line.

Contest Rules:

* One submission per person
* Submission should be your own drawings, computer or hand-drawn
* Submissions should be submitted no later than Feb 25th
* Submission should include: Name, Age and City/State

Contest Age Categories:

Ages 4-8 years
Ages 8-12 years
Ages 12-16 years

Contest Prizes

* Winning Art featured on Family Reads
* A collection of delightful books and/or coloring activity book
* A gift certificate to www.islamicbookstore.com or www.store.dar-us-salam.com

Loom Knitting for Kids by Kids

• We purchased this Kinifty Knitters round loom set. We got some extra blue circular looms. And, one red long looms.

Loom Knitting Easy Patterns for Kids to Start With

• Blue hat – Knifty Knitter’s pattern with the round loom kit with 12-ewrap (12 lines of stitches)-brim. Our 6 yo made this so, it’s easy!
• Tan hat – Same pattern without a brim
• Black hat – Same pattern with 8-ewrap-brim
• Brown hat – Same pattern with 10-ewrap-brim, I used super bulky yarn for hubby
• Brown scarf – Knifty Knitter’s pattern with the red long loom package, using all the pegs with super bulky yarn, also for hubby
• Black scarf – same pattern for me. I used all pegs, but it’s very thick, so I took it apart and now only using 1-line of pegs, since I used super bulky wool yarn
• The girls’ handbag & purse – My 9 yo daughter made up her pattern, which she’ll write-up for a future post. So, keep please stay posted.
• Sock pattern – We didn’t like the tip like a hat, so I took the 3 extra strings at the end and stitched a straight edge like this:

We love loom knitting, so if you have easy, fun patterns to share for kids or want to explore some projects together, please comment below. Again, this was our 1st month loom knitting and youtubing, so any helpful tips are greatly appreciated.

Well if you haven’t, you’re at the right place; because me and my sisters will share our tips, tricks, and reviews for one of our most favorite programs–JumpStart!

We have 11 JumpStart DVDs and have been fans for over 5 years. So, we are so excited they are online now!

Now, we will begin to “register” at JumpStart.com

How to Register in JumpStart Virtual World

• At the right top of JumpStart’s home-page it says “Welcome Guest”, under that it says “Login” and “Register”. Click on “Register”.

• Now you need one of your parents with you to help you sign-up and fill in:

* Parent’s First Name,
* Parent’s Last Name
* Parent’s E-mail,
* You need to confirm The E-mail,
* Password, and you need to confirm the Password
* Parent’s Birth Day, and
* Have them fill in the information for Child One-you can add more kids later.

• Then click “Finish and Play”.

• After you click “Finish and Play” a window will pop up and that is the one to make your Jumpeez a made-up name, and then you will create your Jumpeez (JumpStart’s character).

Labeled World Map of JumpStart

So you can find your way around more easily, below is the World Map of JumpStart labeled.

February Fun at JumpStart

If you register right now, we’re finding 35 hearts for this month’s scavenger hunt. Try to get as many as you can, before heading here for the answers:

• Main Street
• Downtown
• Speed Drome Finale

Note to Parent

We recommend that your children go to Storyland (ages 3-5), Adventureland (ages 5-8), Marineland (ages 5-8), or Futureland (ages 8-10) for some learning first, and then let them explore JumpStart and have fun.

Note from Mama: The kids have tons of fun in the learning lands too. So, free to recommend a certain amount of time in one of the learning lands before they play around JumpStart–that’s what I do.

Have fun as you play JumpStart and come back so we can share our experiences in the comments area below!

Disclosure: I was provided with a JumpStart membership at no cost by Knowledge Adventure in order to test the products’ abilities and give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.

Where: Levi E. Coe Library at 414 Main Street in Middlefield, CT.

When: February 20, 2010 from 5:00 -8:00pm.

Homeschool Art Gala Mission

To provide homeschooled children the opportunity

1. to present their art work to the community;
2. to learn to critique their own work by determining the worth of their art work within the given parameters; and
3. to give back to the community through the donation of art work to benefit a local non-profit organization.

Who may participate

• We are looking for interested young artists to donate their art work to be sold for a small fee or those who wish to display art can pay a small fee. Our youngest participant has been 18 months and our oldest has been 17. Art work has been of every description and medium imaginable. We only ask that the art work be appropriate for a family venue.

What to do

• Each artist prices their work for $1, $2, $3, $4 or $5. If they are donating it, the piece will be on display in the upper level of the library for the public to purchase for the donation price. If being pre-bought & only to be displayed for viewing pleasure then it will be placed downstairs in the Children’s Room & must be pre-bought by a parent. Some artists are reluctant to part with their artwork so parents have opted to pre-buy artwork for a dollar or two per piece. Pre-bought work is designed for budding artist to display their prized creations while having their parents/guardians support the cause monetarily.

The money raised allows the Levi Coe Library to purchase additional materials for The Children’s Room & Young Adult Department of the library.

• Each piece of artwork needs an artist information card which has the child’s name (first & last), age, Title of the artwork, price & if it is pre-bought or not. The cards are available at the Levi E. Coe Library (available at time of drop-off) or from Regenia Allen or Candy Hayden (Mueller).

• The artwork can be of any medium which you can conceive. If your child can imagine it and make it happen then we can find a place to display it. We have had sculptures, etchings, drawings, paintings, cards, sculpey creations, quilts & other fiber arts, recycled art and so many more submitted in years past. We do ask you group small items together, ie a set of 2 or 3 mini light bulbs.

• Drawings, paintings, etc. need to be framed or suitable for hanging. Some people buy frames from the Dollar store & others opt to back with poster board or foam board. Since the organizers try to hang as much of the artwork as is possible, it is important is be in hangable condition when we receive it.

How to make this a successful event

• We need at least 300 pieces of art work to make this a successful event. Each participant is asked to donate/show at least 4 pieces and can donate/show up to 15 pieces. We are beginning to collect art pieces now and will be accepting donations until February 15th. You can call Regenia Allan at (860)349-1577 or drop off donations at the Levi E. Coe library during their business hours M-Th 10am-7pm & Sat. 10am-1pm.

Parental obligations

• Pre-Gala Meeting: We will have a meeting on Feb 19, 2010 @ 3pm to go over the expectations for the the night of the Gala & to familiarize everyone with the library and where everything will be found and to answer any questions.
• Mandatory refreshments: On the night of the Gala, we ask families with participating artists to bring 2 clear drinks (water, 7up, white grape juice) and a plate of finger foods.

How to sign up

If you are interested in signing up your child(ren), you can do so when you drop off your artwork at Levi E. Coe or you can email me with their name(s), age(s), parents name, email address & phone number. If you attend GreenSchool, you can also find Regenia or Candy and sign up, get artist information card & drop off art work for the Gala.

Organizer’s Contact information:

Regenia Allan (860)349-1577

Candy Hayden (Mueller) at themueller<at> mac.com.

Newcomer Tips:

• Created some practical art pieces. Since I did not know what to expect the first year and was very nervous that no one would buy their art pieces–or worse, I’d be stuck buying all their pieces, while this art gala is my attempt to clean out my house filled with art pieces in the first place…I decided to direct them towards so practical, usable, creative pieces, such as motivational bookmarks, very creative pencil holders, and fancy decorative jewelry. A number of my girls’ work were purchased by people we didn’t know. So, the intrigue and excited that my girls felt, knowing that “someone else” “really interested” in purchasing their work did!
• Display the art pieces “for sale”. Our oldest daughter, then 7 yo, created quite the ‘talk’ that evening, when we arrived and Papa tried to purchase his favorite piece she painted. Only to find out that it was already sold and he was the fourth person to ‘try’ and buy it. While it was a beautiful piece, it was one of her quickest paintings, but with the help of the organizers, because we found a gorgeous dollar store frame that fit it perfectly, it looked very professional.
• Price the art work based on time spent, ability, and saleability. We priced our daughter’s painting based on time for $3, but we didn’t take into account that it was very professionally displayed and truly worthy of being hung on someone’s wall. Do not underestimate your child/ren’s ability. I learned the hard way..because…next tip:
• Have your kids look forward to being designated as an “Artist” for the night. Since our daughter had her name tag prominently pinned, one of the four people wanting to purchase her painting, “commissioned” her to paint one for her, and offered to pay her more than $3 as long as she used the colors she requested. All her friends were so proud and excited for our daughter. Since I lost her contact information, and we agreed to have her pay only when my daughter completed the painting, I let this great opportunity slip. Rest assured, my daughter is going to make it again, and create similar appealing pieces this year.
• Expect an enchanted, elegant, fun, educational evening for the entire extended family and friends. While people dressed from jeans to black-ties since some of our daughters’ girl-friends were even getting their hair done, my girls decked out in their formal Eid gowns. My parents joined my entire family, and we had such a great time, that it was SO hard to drag them away early–since me and one of our daughter’s was nursing the end of a flu. The ambiance, entertainment, organization and lay-out of this evening has caused this night to never be erased from our memories. Since grandma, may God have mercy with her, won’t be joining us, we’re working hard to have my sister come all the way from NJ this month.
• Designate a fair “allowance” for each child to spend & set some rules. The night is a great math and economics lesson too. Kids walk around and weigh her needs and desires along with new-found or old homeschool buddies. Our rule was, don’t spend so quickly–take your time, and they were not allowed to purchase their own or their sisters’ work
• If you’re not sure if you want to participate–at least attend! This is the one most unusual experience in my 10 years of homeschooling, that I’ve ever witnessed homeschool kids and families, babies to grandparents, sipping drinks elegantly, kids walking confidently and proudly eager to satisfy their friends and guests, lessons in all subjects like art, math, and networking among all ages with no havoc or chaos. It’s truly a night to remember a time to mark on your calendar to attend!

Book Review for Muslim Kids by Muslim Kids

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN: 0-375-91526-5
Pages: 155
Genre: Children’s Fantasy Novel

Kid Reviewer: DMS
Age: 7.5
Date: 6-22-09
Reading Time: 1-week

Intended Audience:
Gender: Boys & Girls
Age Group: 7-10 (because there are lessons are for kids)

Rating: 4 of 5 – Very Good

Review:

I would like other kids around my age to read this book because it will teach them lessons, such as not being brat, not to think you’re so smart, and to listen to your parents and adults. Just because you’re famous, doesn’t mean you can do anything you want.

My favorite part of the story was when Charlie the little boy wins the whole factory at the end. One thing that is so cool is that Charlie loves chocolate and he wins the most famous chocolate factory in the world.

My favorite characters were Charlie and Grandpa Joe, because they did the hardest work at the factory.

The book was okay.

Differences between the movie and the book:

In the book, when Grandpa Joe got up (from his bed) the soup went into Grandma Josephine’s face, which did not happen in the movie. Also, in the book, everyone (all the kids) went to the factory with two of the parents except Charlie who went only with Grandpa Joe. In the movie, everyone went with one parent.

We’d like to showcase the best nasheed and Muslim Kids videos on the web every Sunday. So, please leave a comment below with your favorite link and check back each week to see when we post it!

Title: Drita, My Homegirl

Author: Jenny Lomnbard
Publisher: Puffin

ISBN: 978-0142409053
Pages: 144 pages

Kid Reviewer: Sabra Family
Age: 6, 8 & 9 yo

Intended Audience:

Gender: Girls.
Age Group: 6 – 8 years old. Grades 1 – 3. Early pre-chapter book readers. It was such easy reading that our 8 year old read it in less than 2 days.

It saddens our family greatly that the publisher and the reviewers say this book should be read by 3rd through 5th graders. We found the vocabulary to be very remedial. The content is not even equivalent to a newsstand newspaper which is geared towards a 3rd to 5th grade level reader, it is so elementary.

Rating:
Our 8 & 9 year old daughters and I each read this book and collectively give this book 2 out of 5 stars. Our 6 year old gave it a 3.

Recommendation:

We do not recommend this book. It’s not the worst book we’ve ever read, but it is not “okay”. Our 8 year old said “I just don’t really like this book”.

Review:

We are greatly disappointed that this was nominated for the Nutmeg awards. We discussed chapter by chapter for content, plot, setting, writing style, tone, vocabulary, and mode of each character.

Writing style & tone:
While we understand the author’s desire to use ebonics for Maxie since she’s an African American girl in Bronx, NY, it would have been a better reading experience if Jenny Lombard used proper English when Maxie was thinking and/or describing other parts of her chapters. However, we were impressed that Maxie was actually able to write a fourth grade level proper English speech for the last chapter. Since she was able to do this, we collectively believe that the author used ebonics too freely, as we believe Maxie was/is much more capable of always speaking poorly, especially since her father and grandmother did not approve and Maxie was able to correct herself.

Writing level:

• This book is definitely too elementary in its writing style and vocabulary for the 4th – 6th grade Intermediate Nutmeg Nominee category. Our 2nd grader easily read the first chapter, but given our review of this book; she too became uninterested in this book. It’s a very simple, easy “chapter” book, equivalent to picture chapter books for early (not intermediate) readers.

• It is definitely not for 9 -12 year olds, as Puffin describes.

Poor research:

• The author did not thoroughly research Muslims, for example the father put out his hand to shake with their case worker, a woman. As Muslims, we do not shake/touch the opposite sex except within immediate family members.

• Ramazan is the less popular way, and incorrect way to spell Ramadan. It’s ‘dal’ in Arabic = D in English; not ‘dhal’ = ‘zal’ in Arabic = Z in English.

• We don’t know if it was assumed to be a Kosovar’s, Muslim’s or foreigner’s explanation, but when Drita was thinking about her mother’s unusual behavior and although she was curious, she said she didn’t ask her grandmother (let alone her father) questions, because as a young girl she’s not supposed to ask or discuss those kinds of things!? A concerned, lovingly daughter interested in the well-being of her mother is perfect reason to mature with this experience, by asking questions and seeking answers. This was a great missed opportunity for Jenny Lombard to educate her readers.

Things we did not like in this book:

• Maxie’s description of Drita being as white as a scary “ghost” and being tall and thin is “awkward”. MashaAllah, God willed, the Albanians have beautiful, fair white skin, and tall, thin physiques. The reader is left to think that either Maxie is really cruel, or Albanians are scary and ugly. While we read at different paces, this one scene jumped out for all three of us.

• There were numerous typos and grammatical errors. If it was on purpose to show how poor Maxie’s English is through ebonics, this only creates a “dumber” reader through the “dumb” character; which we do not promote. We actually discussed throughout our reading experience, that “Maxie “sounds” stupid, but is not *that* stupid!” Often, we discussed that it looks like Jenny Lombard is obviously not African American, yet she’s trying to write as or for African Americans–she’s doing a very poor job of both. It’s obviously, in the scene when Maxie is defining “homey” and “homegirl”.

Missed opportunities for Jenny Lombard to educate her audience and create a more complete reading experience:

• The scene when Drita was bulleed and punched left the reader thinking “well, what happened to Drita?” Jenny Lombard missed the opportunity for her teacher, principal and parents to share some compassionate, empathic, emotional moments with Drita; so the reader can experience more than “oh, the bullies got punished, but the victim was still friend-less victim”. Drita and the other characters could have been more triumphant emotionally and socially in this scene. Drita’s conversation with her grandmother did not suffice for us. Also, two weeks of being “benched” rather than suspended was a very light punishment for a slap in the face and being punched in the stomach.
• Why did Jenny Lombard than leave her young readers still wondering what is medically, psychologically or emotionally wrong with Drita’s mom? Since she was admitted and released from the hospital without any explanation, we leave the story with a parent, guardian and/or teacher to assume or try to figure out and then describe to our readers that maybe she had post traumatic stress disorder, is severely depressed, experiencing hallucinations, and/or other issues. Rather then having the adult reader assume something that the author actually wrote into the storyline, why not define and describe it in an educational way for Drita, Maxie, and most of all her readers.
• We agreed that while Maxie matured into a more open-minded, kind, young girl willing to open herself up to her “secret” of her mother’s death with her new found close friend in Drita, the multiple reviews sharing that “this is a story of two girls from different worlds coming together as close friends” (paraphased) is not a unique theme to entice readers to read this story. It’s a redundant theme shared in many books for girls in this age group; and given all the reasons written in our review, we do not find anything unique enough to recommend this book.
• Even the notable reviews share that its theme connecting bullies with war and refugees as poignant; in our view, it is unfounded. We feel strongly that the author does not give justice to these idealistic reviews. We expected much greater things from these highly inflated reviews and was gravely disappointed. These reviews make my family wonder about the veracity of these reviews from notable news sources. The “idea” for this book was good, but the story did not fill its ideals.

Closing Remarks:
While we may be a bit defensive, since we’re reading other Nutmeg Nominees simultaneously; and have not faced any of these above problems in any other book thus far, we feel “Drita, My Homegirl” should not be categorized with these books at all.

Attendance Update:

1. We reached our maximum class size of 21 kids aged 6 – 12 years old.
2. All commentators will receive an email questionnaire stating your place in the class or if you were placed on the waiting list.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• This  program is open to any homeschoolers aged 6 -12 years old in the Tri-State area willing to drive into New York City, and not limited to American Muslim homeschoolers.
• An age range was determined to allow maximum benefit for the attendees and the instructors teaching the classes. Not only do we want our children to “try” a new sport, but we’d like them to learn enough basic fundamentals so they can determine if these are different sports they would like to explore further in the  future.
• No, this was not a publicly marketed program. American Muslim Mom through RoleMommy has been directly working with Chelsea Piers. We are exploring the utilization social media, bloggers, and email lists as a publicity method, while finding new ways to showcase their facilities and services to the local homeschool population.
• While we’d like to focus on local New York homeschoolers, since we were unable to gauge how much interest CT families would be willing to drive into the City, we set the rule that the first to comment on this blog will be the first served.
• We do not want to turn any interested child and their family, but we have a limited number of instructors to teach the classes.

However, if you’d like to participate in future programs with Chelsea Pier, and  other homeschool and family events organized by American Muslim Mom, we highly recommend that you subscribe to our RSS feed and our email list on the top right-hand corner of this page to stay posted.

Some future possibilities include:

• Chelsea Piers Spring Bowling and Golf Lessons,
• Experimenting Physics at Quassy Amusement Park,
• Free admissions and programs at area museums,
• Private movie screenings, and much more.

Please fill out the questionnaire as thorough as possible:

• Reasons for some questions:
• We’d like to thank whichever party referred you to American Muslim Mom for this program, and/or see which method was the best in reaching local homeschool families.
• We’d like to see how we can better serve NY versus CT families for future programs.
• We’d like to serve as many interested families as well.

If you missed this opportunity, subscribe to our RSS feed today!

Tri-State Homeschoolers ages 6-12* years old Updated

Are a homeschooler in the Tristate area (NY, NJ, CT–or anywhere willing to drive into the City) and have kids between the ages of 6 -11 years old?

Pre-Olympic Sports Lessons for Free

Chelsea Piers is offering an afternoon of pre-Olympics sports lessons–all expenses paid! Professional athletic instructors will be leading our kids, and mommies and daddies can join the fun and skate too.

Chelsea Piers is committed to being the best amateur sports and entertainment complex in the country, with state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge programming, first-rate instruction and a courteous, professional staff.

We wanted to make the day worthwhile for the long drive, so check out the following

Instructional & Physical Activity Itinerary for this Friday, January 29, 2010:

11 am: Sky Rink for Bring-Your-Own-Lunch or Pizza. Kids Get-Together. Parents & Chelsea Piers Homeschool Brainstorm Session. * Updated*

12 noon – 1:30 pm: Field House Gymnastics and Rock Climbing Combo Class.

Parents can watch the class from the mezzanine, take a complex tour, or an adult gym class

12 noon – 1:30 pm: Parents, are you feeling really adventurous? Enjoy a real great workout in another area of the gym, within eyesight of the kids. Cost: $28.

Clothing requirements: Kids and adults wanting to do gymnastics should be in stretchy, comfortable clothes. Socks or bare feet in the gym. Keep in mind that girls may flip upside down so tight tank tops, sports bras, the ability to tuck in your shirt, etc. are suggested.

1:30pm: Head to Sky Rink for a 2pm skating school class.

2-2:30pm: Skating school lesson for the kids.

Parents can sit and watch, rent skates and skate, or relax for a cup of coffee in the Olympic Village (tables and chairs in the area between the rinks). If parents want to skate the cost is $13 admission and $7.50 skate rental.

Clothing requirements: I suggest warm clothes for skating – particularly gloves. Beginner skater spend a fair amount of time with their hands on the ice as they try to stand back up The rink is indoors but still cold since it’s an ice rink.

2:30 pm + Sky Rink for pizza and snacks. [Parents' expense].

2:30pm – 5:20pm Open General Skating – Everyone is welcome to keep skating.

Parents must sign a general waivers for their kids when they arrive.

*Update* Chelsea Piers will NOT be taking videos and photos; so please bring your cameras to capture this wonderful opportunity!

We live in the Greater New Haven area, and willing to get a caravan of like-minded amateur athletes to the Big Apple! We can meet early enough to enjoy a light lunch before all the fun.

Limit: 21 children. First-to-comment, First-served.

Please comment below with the gender and ages of your kids, and the best email address to contact you today.

From the page:
Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex is a 28-acre waterfront sports village located between 17th and 23rd Streets along Manhattan’s Hudson River. This $120 million, privately-financed project has transformed four historic, but long-neglected, piers into a major center for public recreation and waterfront access. Situated on Piers 59, 60, 61 and 62 and in the headhouse that connects them, the Complex features the following sports and entertainment venues:

• Golf Club at Chelsea Piers
• Sports Center Health Club at Chelsea Piers
• Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers
• Field House at Chelsea Piers
• 300 New York
• PIER SIXTY at Chelsea Piers (Events Center)
• THE LIGHTHOUSE at Chelsea Piers (Events Center)
• Chelsea Piers Maritime Center
• Studios at Chelsea Piers
• Chelsea Piers BlueStreak

The scope and quality of the facilities available at Chelsea Piers is unparalleled in New York City. Many of these facilities cannot be found elsewhere in Manhattan, and all are unmatched in quality.

A special thanks to Beth at RoleMommy for making the introduction to Erica at Chelsea Piers!

]]> http://americanmuslimmom.com/grab-sneakers-skates-free-athletic-lessons-21-kids/feed 18 http://americanmuslimmom.com/muslim-kids-video-upsy-daisy-yusuf-islam http://americanmuslimmom.com/muslim-kids-video-upsy-daisy-yusuf-islam#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:30:37 +0000 muslimonthego http://americanmuslimmom.com/?p=1746 This week’s Muslim Kids Video recommendation is “Upsy Daisy” from the “I Look, I See 2” by Yusuf Islam. We love the little Muslim Kids  from all around the world with their vividly colored native outfits. This is such a cute nasheed video. Enjoy!

We’d like to showcase the best nasheed and Muslim Kids videos on the web every Sunday. So, please leave a comment below with your favorite link and check back each week to see when we post it!

We were very excited that Yoplait Kids is the sponsor on this contest, because our family loves Yoplait yogurt! While, we haven’t tried Yoplait Kids yet, this contest have our girls eagerly waiting for our next grocery run so we can check them out.

Without further ado, our daughter’s creative entries are pasted below.

When I asked my 8 year old, “What do you think of when you’re thinking of being ‘Strong and Happy’ because you just had some Yoplait yogurt?” She immediately thought of showing off her muscles after finishing her daily dose of Yoplait yogurt. “Can you draw that?”, I asked. “Ohhh, yeah!”, she replied.

In her favorite new dress, here’s our family’s entry:

When I asked my 6 year old, “What do you think of when you’re thinking of being ‘Strong and Happy’?” She said, “Amo Mahmoud lifting me in the straight up in the air!…Oh, Oh, and I’ll hold Yoplait too!”

After tripping around the dining room as we posed and tried to figure out how to draw her idea, here it is:

While in the excitement of discussing her younger sister’s creative ideas, my 9 year old said, “I think of having a strong deen (way of life in Islam)…that makes me ’strong and happy’”. So, I asked, “how would you draw that?” We all agreed, “learning and teaching the Qur’an!” Masha’Allah, God has willed. She opted not to draw it because she felt that no one would understand. She didn’t want to  elaborate when I tried to convince her that it was a great & unique idea, and ideal for our American Muslim Mom blog…but, she wouldn’t share anymore and went to the other room to hide her new idea.

Pasted below is her “Strong and Happy Yoplait moment”:

Since I wanted to join the fun, I decided to draw and color our great idea.

Below is the American Muslim Mom and her daughters happily learning and reading the Qur’an to keep us strong in this dunya (life) and the ahkira (Hereafter), inshaAllah, God willing.

So, what makes you and your little ones feel “Strong and Happy”? Please share your thoughts below, or enter the contest yourself: Click here for the rules.

Get Drawing and Win $1000:

Since Yoplait Kids is a tasty yogurt snack with 25% less sugar and calcium and Vitamin D in every serving – have your little ones draw a picture showing themselves as the happy and strong kids that Yoplait Kids can help them become!

We are sponsoring the “Strong and Happy” Drawing Contest, and offering an exciting prize courtesy of Yoplait Kids for our winning artwork: $1,000 to use towards classes (including sports) and/or education material for the child(ren).

We will also award a prize to our second place drawing: $300.00 to use toward classes (including sports) and/or educational material for the child(ren).

May Allah bless you dearly in this dunya (life) and the akhira (Hereafter). Ameen.

InshaAllah (God willing), we will introduce new Muslim Kids Weekly Videos every Sunday, and keep them nicely categorized for you under the “Nasheeds” category.

To best prepare for Eid al-Fitr and Eid prayer, as well as fasting six days in Shawwal is detailed nicely here.

Also a nice piece we encourage you to read as we begin our month of Shawwal is Du’a Of Last Night, Zakatul Fitr and Sallah Celebrations written by Al-Amin Ciroma. For more details on with his section about  Zakat al-Fitr can be found here.

When: Friday, September 11, 2009 through Sunday, October 11, 2009
Final Preview, Thursday, September 10, 7:00 pm
Curtain times: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7:00 pm and Sunday, 3:00 pm

Where:

The Nuyorican Poets Café
236 E. 3rd St. (between B & C Avenues)
New York, NY 10009
212-465-3167

Tickets:

$20 general admission;
$15 for advance ticket purchases, students and senior citizens.

For reservations call: (212) 465-3167 or (212) 780-9386

Purchase tickets online through the Nuyorican Poets Café: GET TICKETS

NBC Weekend Today feature with Wajahat Ali (playwright) and Pat Battle

Just based on the Today Show interview, a few things stand out that are not based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, which we feel is pertinent to bring to your attention as unacceptable in Islam:

Dear Brother Wajahat, I pray that you take my below critiques as modest recommendations intended only to please our Creator and Him Alone, as a means to make your play closer to the Qur’an and Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Mushammad (peace & blessings be upon him). They are not meant to criticize. By staying straight in our paths, we will help each other and all our brothers & sisters (those witnessing your written words) reach furdose, the highest heaven. Ameen.

• Hand-shaking between opposite sex is not acceptable. While I have no problem politely declining a handshake with a male, saying “I’m sorry, I don’t shake hands with any men”. Only once in my 10 years did a man asked why. But, a colleague shared a wonderful experience she had with a male Muslim, who said (paraphased), “Since I don’t shake hands with the opposite sex, I’ll shake my hand for you”, and he firmly shaked his own hand; and they both shared a pleasant lasting moment.
• Dancing Women & Music. Now, I know thousands of Muslim American moms and grandmas (foreign and native-born) and don’t know a single one who listens or dances to Tom Jones. Since Muslim women (especially hijabis) should be acting and speaking modestly (which includes not dancing) in front of men; the whole scene can/could be “implied” by having the daughter speaking to her dancing mom, listening to acceptable non-instrumental (without strings) music in the background, unseen by the audience.
• Hijab tight clothes. Acceptable modest hijabi attire does not include form-fitted outfits that shows one’s figure–otherwise it defeats the purpose of “covering or veiling” oneself the true definition on hijab.

These are just a few observations made by the short interview above.

How-To Win Two Tickets to Domestic Crusader’s Sold-Out Saturday Show:

The only requests that you have in entering this contest is that you:

• All entries to be submitted by 12 midnight tonight, Friday, September 11, 2009,
• Are available Saturday night,
• Due to the time limitation, please comment below and email contact<at>americanmuslimmom.com your cell phone number, and full names of the 2 people who are available to attend–to make sure I can reach you,
• You will write a full review and critique of Saturday’s show no later than Wednesday, September 16, 2009 12 noon EST, to be posted here on AmericanMuslimMom.com with full byline and bio; or on your blog (if you have one).

Look forward to your responses below.

• MSNBC: Play about Muslims in US debuts on 9/11
• The Huffington Post: ‘The Domestic Crusaders’: Making History With Muslim American Theater, by Wajahat Ali * This is a beautifully written, inspirational article that is filled with passion and emotions.

How the Stop & Shop Back-to-School Event works:

General Mills and Stop & Shop are teaming up to give families a great way to stock up and save, as they gear up for back to school. Here’s why shoppers should shop at Stop & Shop’s big Back to School Event.

1. Great sale pricing on the participating General Mills brands:
   Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Reeses Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie Crisp Sprinkles, Cookie Crisp, Fruit Snacks, Old El Paso Dinner Kits, Pillsbury Strudel, Pillsbury Scrambles, Green Giant Boxed Vegetables, Yoplait Yo-Plus Multi-Pack, Fiber One Yogurt Multi-Pack, Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookies, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Pillsbury Sweet Rolls and Yoplait Delights
2. Additional savings for you or your school, depending on which Stop & Shop location you shop
   If your Stop & Shop store sells gas

• Buy four (4) participating General Mills items and you’ll automatically earn 100 points on your Stop & Shop card
• For every 100 points earned, you’ll save 10¢ per gallon of gas (Please note: Total discount cannot exceed price per gallon)
• Just swipe your Stop & Shop Card at the pump to redeem your Gas Rewards

If your Stop & Shop store doesn’t sell gas

• For those Stop & Shop locations without gas stations, don’t worry – you’re not left out of the savings – if you buy five (5) participating General Mills products, you will receive 20 Bonus Box Tops for your school

Win a $10 Stop & Shop Gift Certificate

MyBlogSpark & General Mills is offering one of our readers a $10 Stop & Shop gift card, that does not expire today . Please comment below with your favorite General Mills products and why. UPDATE: MyBlogSpark graciously extended this offer until Wednesday, September 16, 2009 as 12 midnight. So, please comment below.

Extra Coupon Savings on General Mills brand products

• Printable coupons: General Mills cereals, Yoplait, Old ElPaso & Pillsbury
• Circular coupons: General Mills, Fiber One

Photo: Eike Schroter/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Good Wife – This new drama kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. Julianna Marguiles does a fantastic job of expressing the multitude of emotions a proud mother would have given her situation. From anger and disgust  to her husband, gracious gratitude and honest defensiveness to her mother-in-law, pride and honor as a mother willing to make sacrifices and changes for the better, and a ton of self-confidence, strength, will-power and focused determination to make her return to the legal field a promising one for her family, despite the opposition from co-workers, colleagues, boss/mentor and/or everyone watching her. While her husband’s charges may tarnish her name personally and professionally, Alicia Florrick is expecting to strike a successful path of her own despite her last name.  While the background to the story is definitely unacceptable, the future is promising. There were some implied sexual scenes.

Program details:

THE GOOD WIFE is a drama starring Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband’s very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Pushing aside the betrayal and crushing public humiliation caused by her husband Peter (Chris Noth), Alicia Florrick (Margulies) starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney. As a junior associate at a prestigious Chicago law firm, she joins her longtime friend, former law school classmate and firm partner Will Gardner (Josh Charles), who is interested to see how Alicia will perform after 13 years out of the courtroom. Alicia is grateful the firm’s top litigator, Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), offers to mentor her but discovers the offer has conditions and realizes she’s going to need to succeed on her own merit. Alicia’s main competition among the firm’s 20-something new recruits is Cary (Matt Czuchry), a recent Harvard grad who is affable on the surface, but will use any means to ensure that he, not Alicia, secures the one full-time associate position that’s available. Fortunately, Alicia finds an ally in Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), the firm’s tough in-house investigator. Gaining confidence every day, Alicia transforms herself from embarrassed politician’s scorned wife to resilient career woman, especially for the sake of providing a stable home for her children, 14-year-old Zach (Graham Phillips) and 13-year-old Grace (Makenzie Vega). For the first time in years, Alicia trades in her identity as the “good wife” and takes charge of her own destiny. Tony Scott, Ridley Scott, Robert King, Michelle King, Dee Johnson and David Zucker are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

GOOD WIFE will premiere this Fall, Tuesdays (10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Accidentally on Purpose is a new sitcom is based on Mary F. Fols book, “Accidentally on Purpose” – The True Tale of a Happy Single Mother.

Overall, the preview on this new comedy was just Okay. I don’t know if I’m so used to Jenna Elfman and Grant Show’s previous characters (Drama of Drama & Greg, and Jack of Melrose Place) or if it’s Jon Foster’s not-so-great acting that turned me off a bit. Jon Also, the fact that the story line (episodes and the “lines” themselves) were very predictable as well. Yet, I appreciate the not-so-typical choices Billie makes to handle the consequences of her actions; such as keeping the baby, agreeing and “keeping” the father to be apart of her/their lives, and finding peace as she goes to bed each night.

So, although I only saw the debut episode; if it’s truly based on Mary F. Pols book, the “purpose” of finding humor and joy through certain “accidents” in her life is reason enough to give the show a few more viewings. Also, I’m interested to find out what happens to Zack in Billie’s life; when the book’s subtitle is “The True Tale of a Happy Single Mother”…Since I only perused the book I have in my hand, I’m interested in finding out which one will keep my attention longer? Will one be better than the other or the same?

Program details:

ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE is a comedy starring Golden Globe Award winner Jenna Elfman [Darma of Darma & Greg] as Billie, a single woman who finds herself “accidentally” pregnant after a one-night stand with a much younger guy, and decides to keep the baby… and the guy. A newspaper film critic, Billie is barely surviving a humiliating breakup with her charming boss, James (Grant Show, Jake of Melrose Place), who’s still trying to resume their relationship. Suddenly expecting a child with her “boy toy,” Zack (Jon Foster), Billie and Zack make an arrangement: to live together platonically. Billie’s party girl best friend Olivia (Ashley Jensen), and Abby (Lennon Parham), her conventional, younger married sister, eagerly look forward to the new addition and offer their own brands of advice and encouragement. But when Zack and his freeloading friends, including Davis (Nicolas Wright), start to turn her place into a frat house, Billie isn’t sure if she’s living with a boyfriend, a roommate, or if she just has another child to raise.

ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE will premiere this Fall, Mondays (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Habitat Heroes – Saving the Planet One Game at a Time

Get your little ones into environmental conservation and learning about new cultures! Kids can travel the globe, learn more about environmental causes and new cultures by using their imagination and the click of the mouse. HabitatHeroes.com, the first online social networking site for young eco-warriors includes games that teach children about endangered species, the environment, healthy eating, and cultures around the world.

The ideal age group is 5 – 8 years old as tested by our daughters ages 9, 8 and 6 years old and discussed with other moms.

• Registration is free.
• When you login, you pick the Server to get to all the games. The first one is “Earth”. After nearly 2 weeks, the girls are still in “Earth”, and the below reviews are based on their experience thus far.
• When you play a game, you earn CC (Creature Cash) which is money you can use to buy food, clothes, and furniture.
• Every day there raffles in which a certain amount of CC is deposited into your account.
• After you completed a full game, you can also win furniture and clothes which is similar to WebKinz.com, but you don’t need a code to get in, and the idea of Habitat Heroes is to learn while you play.

Please note: our daughters are world-travelers who have been homeschooled since birth. By visiting 2nd an 3rd world countries, their first-hand experience with water and food conservation, knowledge of  animal rights and their existence, and exposure to multiple cultures, languages, clothing, religions, etc. is not typical to other American children aged 6, 8 and 9 year-old.  The girls said that they learned about all the endangered animals taught on this site simply by visiting museums and previous internet research available for free. Our girls on the mission to find “Fun Facts” that they do not know…and haven’t found any yet. Please read their reviews with this in mind.

Over all, our 6 and 8 year old daughters enjoy playing the games immensely, and ask to play them often. The colors, characters and sound effects are awesome.

Habitat Heroes Review from our 6 year old:

The games I like best are:

• “The Bully”. He runs around the school and turns on the lights, runs the water in the bathroom, and turns on the computers. The goal is to turn everything back off.
• “School” has three kids (one little kid who’s about 4 years old, and two older kids about 6 years old). They make a tube from a water pump in school. Some local gardeners who wait at the end of the tube to fill their buckles so they can water their garden.
• There’s a gardening game that I get to plant peppers, onions, pumpkins and tomatoes which I like to play. I have to water the plants not too much and not too little or else they’ll die.
• While the games are fun, I already knew about the lessons taught in these three games.

Habitat Heroes Review from our 8 year old:

• I like the “Rhino Attack”  game in India because I can help the rhinos from the people who try to take away their horns.  I am a “truck”, and then I “net” (catch) the bad people. I already knew that people use the rhinos’ horns to make swords.
• In China, there’s a place where you type in your birthday, and they tell you which animal you are. I didn’t know which animal I was, so this was a fun activity.
• I like “School” too, because I like to help people with their gardens and I love taking care of my gardens. It’s fun putting the tubes together. Once you put the tubes together right, they share you a a new fact; such as how much water Americans use. Although its a cool feature, I already knew all the facts they share about water.
• I like the game called “Shanti’s Sari Salon” in India because it is a dress up game. I like dressing up the girls, teens and women; then, picking  where they will go.

We’re wondering if one of the optional backgrounds is a masjid (mosque), because the building has a moon and a star on top of it. Since there are masjids and Muslims in India, we believe it is one. While Muslim Indian women also wear Sari dresses, they cover their stomachs and arms completely; whereas the non-Muslims show their tummies and wear short sleeves. Therefore, we recommend that either the selection of clothes are expanded to be appropriate for the background they choose, or the background should be eliminated or adjusted without the moon/star symbol. We recommend this because we should not mislead, misguide anyone, especially children, about global cultures.

Habitat Heroes Review from our 9 year old:

• I think the games are very easy and the lessons learned are for much younger children.
• Recommendation: Since  some kids may just want to gain as many CCs as possible to buy more things, he/she may click around the website just to find CCs, without reading the important “Fun Fact” along with it. To get the most educational value from this site, parents should make sure that their children are reading and understanding each  “Fun Facts” that is associated with the newly found CCs.

A special thank you to RoleMommy for introducing this site to us, and DKC for their marketing assistance.

We’d love to hear your experiences with this site. Please share below!

I shared my support for HabitatHeroes.com on Fox 61 News too. Watch below:

All the links (and more) shared in my video are available here, and my commentary of my experience with Fox 61 News here.

CTVisit.com was intregral in compiling this list. Thanks!

Break the Back-to-School Blues by promising a Family-Fun Day-Trip after school or during the weekends. Compiled is a list of 25 (+3 Bonus) area museums, farms and/or orchards that all offer free admissions (some select times & dates). Enjoy exploring CT, and please share your experiences below!

Free Admissions in CT All the Time

1. Eli Whitney
Wednesday–Friday: 12–5pm
Saturday: 10am–3pm
Sunday: 12–5pm

2. Submarine Force Library & Museum & Historic Ship Nautilus

Saturday admission from 10 a.m. to noon is free to the public.

24. The Custom House Maritime Museum
Free admissions every Sunday.

25. Yale Peabody Museum
Free admissions on Thursday afternoons from 2:00 to 5:00 pm during the months of September to June.

Bonus: Free Admission Days each Month

26. Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Free admission on the first Sunday of every month.

27. Stepping Stones Museum
Free admission on the last Thursday of every month.

28. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum
Free admissions the last Saturday of every month.

Don’t live in CT and want to find free family-fun field trips in your state, click here to find your own state’s hidden jewels.

We’d love to keep growing this resource list. So, if you know other places worth listing, please comment below! Share your reviews & experiences with us too.