My Kingdom for a Book

First let me say that if procrastination were an Olympic sport, I’d be bringing home the gold. Why? Because I was approached to review The Reading Kingdom program ages ago and after shouting out an enthusiastic YES! I just let it fall on the back burner. Not because the program isn’t incredible. It was more to do with the fact that we started Buttercup a little early and I wanted to give her a chance to master a few of the skills before giving my thoughts. That, and I’m just really really good at that procrastination thing.
The Reading Kingdom is a program designed to get children ages 4-10 reading and writing at a third grade level. Obviously, Buttercup isn’t there yet, but I love the fact that she is the one who comes to me asking if she can play her “Birdie Reading Game” on my laptop without me bribing her with cookies. (She’s referring to the cute owl you’ll see on the site and in the program lessons.)
Because the program customizes itself to your child’s individual learning needs, there’s no need to worry about information learned not being absorbed. Buttercup has been at the same level for months now, but that’s okay with me. I’m not trying to get her to pick up Harry Potter tomorrow. I just want to give my four-year-old a literacy boost since I myself didn’t even know how to write my name until I was six. She enjoys learning and I love programs like this that allow for me to help foster that love.
You just need a computer with a mouse and the program does the rest. A 30-day free trial gets you and your kid going and then if you like what you see, it’s basically about 50 cents a day to get your kid on the happy path to learning.
For more information on The Reading Kingdom, check out their website and blog, follow them on twitter, or like their Facebook page.
But before you go, check out this cute interview I attempted with Buttercup on her point of view about The Reading Kingdom.





*The Not So Fine Print: I was offered the opportunity to try out The Reading Kingdom at no cost to myself. But this is my blog and my sandbox which means I only write about what I want to and my opinions are my own. That being said, thank you to The Reading Kingdom for your patience and understanding and for this incredible learning opportunity for Buttercup.

**This post originally appeared on Aspiring Mama. 

Rock out with Lullabies for Baby!

Buttercup and I share a love of music and it's a bond I cherish. My little girl was humming "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" at 10 months, is begging Santa for a piano at two-years-old, and loves to try playing her daddy's old guitar.

I say she's destined for Broadway. But for now, I'm content to sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" as many times as she requests. Okay, okay, so even a big music lover like myself can get a bit tired of the kiddie songs that come standard with Toddler Territory, so getting the chance to listen to some Aerosmith with Buttercup tonight was a huge treat for both of us. It was awesome; she fell asleep and I couldn't stop smiling.

And no, I did not deafen my daughter to sleep with rock legends blaring on the iPod. It was really a much more soothing experience thanks to Rockabye Baby! The company, which specializes in lullabye renditions of music parents actually want to listen to like AC/DC, Green Day, Queen, The Beatles, and Coldplay, was gracious enough to send me a review copy of the newest addition to their library, which includes liner notes by Steve Tyler!

It's.Just.Awesome. And I'll tell ya, listening to "Dude (Looks Like a Lady), and "Walk This Way," in a genius rendition soothing enough to almost lull me to sleep but so good I could hear the lyrics in my head was just the coolest musical experience I've had since becoming a mother.

My husband loves it, too, and we're already planning on adding to our collection. I see Metallica in Buttercup's future. (And I'm going to admit here and now that I'm adding the Aerosmith collection to my own mp3 player for those crazy moments when Mama needs some soothing of her own.)

So who wants to call dibs on cool music for your kid that you can't wait to tell your own friends about?

To enter, simply visit the site and leave a comment telling me which CD you'd love to get if you are selected the winner. Please note that the winner also has the option to choose the new green Digital Download Card option instead of a traditional CD. Make sure to include your email or Twitter ID so I can contact you if you are selected as winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Nov. 3, 2009 and winners have four days to respond or an alternate will be selected.This contest is limited to US residents only, and to those 18 years and older.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:

* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Tweet about this contest and leave me a comment with the tweet.

* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address or Twitter ID to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address or Twitter ID to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Sweet Sunday

One of my favorite books when I was a kid was a sing-along version of "Turkey in the Straw," complete with the cassette tape that allowed me to belt out the tunes as I flipped the pages. I was off-key, probably hurting the dogs ears, and happy as happy can be. Because right in front of me, I had my two favorite things in the whole world: Music and words.

Times have changed, but the power of music and the magic of a storybook are still enough to delight any child. Take our recent experience with Sunday in Kyoto, the new children's storybook-music CD from the award-winning publisher, The Secret Mountain. It's set for release tomorrow, Oct. 27, and Buttercup were given the opportunity to take a sneak peek, and oh what a peek it was.

Sunday in Kyoto features illustrations by Stephanie Jorisch, who has created sets for Le Cirque de Soleil, and songs by Gilles Vigneault, a central Canadian music figure. Vineault also wrote the 14 pages of text for the story, capturing his love of nature, culture, and travel, while telling the story of a Cajun musician enjoying a Sunday afternoon jam session in Kyoto with friends from far away places.

Sounds great to parents, but what's this all mean to kid? And to an American, at that, one who has never heard of these famous artists? Buttercup will tell you...it's magic. The combination of all creative talent fused into this one musical story-telling event is enough to whisk my two-year-old to a magical place where T.V., toys, and afternoon tantrums don't exist.

And I have to smile each time she tugs on my shirt and looks up with an expectant smile on her face. "Music story, mama. Please?"

Sunday in Kyoto will be released tomorrow. You can get more information by clicking here.

Buttercup has a new music box

Buttercup just got a new music box and she's absolutely in love with it. But this isn't just any ol' music box...it's a new CD from Maine musician Mary Kaye, and it's been a non-stop request from my music loving toddler since the folksy collection arrived in our mail box.

Mary Kaye's vocals are surprisingly deep and rich, and hooked Buttercup right from the start. And with the lyrics to each song reading more like the pages of a much-loved and dog-eared book, it's no surprise Buttercup keeps asking for me to play, "Bok, mamma!" (That's "Buttercup" for "Box!")

Music Box is slated for an official release date of July 2, and will be available at CD Baby and Amazon. The indie children's recording artist has received rave reviews from Parenting Magazine, The Los Angeles Daily News, Booklist, and many more.

Five lucky winners also get the chance to each win one copy of Mary Kaye's Music Box CD for their own child's enjoyment, thaks to Mary Kaye herself, before you can actually buy it! To enter, please click here and leave me a comment telling me which other CD you and your kids would like to have reviewed on Berrie Sweet Picks! Make sure to include your email so I can contact you if you are selected the winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on May 20, 2009. Please note that the contest is limited to the United States and Canada, only.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* Become a fan of Berrie Sweet Picks on Facebook
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"!
* Vlog about the contest and post at www.newbaby.com!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)