Tag: parenting

Papercraft your own Seal of Approval

by Jef Lippiattin Activities

Perhaps you haven’t heard the term ‘papercraft’ before, well you are in for a treat. Papercraft is all about making three-dimension models or objects out of paper. Curious yet? This is an activity that you and your children can enjoy in several ways. You can download all of the files for free, look for the links near the bottom of the post.

Seth the Seal of Approval as a Papercraft

The first option is downloading the black and white version so that your child can color Seth on their own.  The other option is downloading the version that has been colored and textured by Louis the illustrator of The Seal of Approval. Kids enjoy cutting things out, but you may need to do the cutting for younger children or at least supervise as the cutting takes place (there are a few tricky cuts involved). Both options lead to great outcomes. If you don’t have any double-sided tape, I suggest using a glue-stick.

Hopefully, we’ll offer some more papercraft characters in the future. But until then, please share pictures of you and your kids putting this together with us on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram accounts. We can’t wait to see how your version turns out, #PapercraftSeth.

And if you don’t already have a copy of The Seal of Approval, you can get a copy today as a paperback or electronically for Kindle.

Summer Is A Slippery Seal

by Jef Lippiattin ActivitiesLeave a Comment on Summer Is A Slippery Seal

It seems like the Summer goes by more quickly than preferred (especially by children). Trying to enjoy every passing day can be a challenge, especially because of the unpredictable weather. Perhaps you were expecting a sunny day and the rain ruined your plans. Maybe it is just too hot to be enjoyable, even at the pool. Whatever the case, we have a treat that will work no matter the weather or time of day.

Hopefully, you noticed that we launched our second children’s book, “The Seal of Approval” this month. We truly hope you’ll grab a copy if you haven’t already ready, but today is all about Seth. After all, he is The Seal of Approval. So we created a free downloadable Seth coloring page. We believe he can help inspire your child to see the value of hard work and giving the best you have every day.

Seth really is The Seal of ApprovalIf you aren’t familiar with Seth. You need to get acquainted with him. He’ll be making many more appearances in our kid-friendly activities throughout the year.

So what are you waiting for? Print out a few copies and start coloring. Color where it is nice and cool or outside in the sun by the pool (just remember paper isn’t waterproof).

Constant Creative Engagement

by Jef Lippiattin Culture, EducationLeave a Comment on Constant Creative Engagement

Sometimes we forget that as children our daily world was full of creativity. Many lost it along the way because school systems didn’t seem to prioritize creativity (at least not after a certain grade or age level). I’m very lucky to count myself among the few kids that not only kept my creativity but actively developed it; even in a school system that did not value creative outlets. I grew up in a school system that first made Art, Music, and Foreign Language optional. However, the funding for those classes was always the first to be cut if a school levy didn’t pass.

Why am I bringing that up? You shouldn’t leave your child’s creativity only in the hands of a school system. I’m not categorically knocking schools. In fact, many schools are now embracing the Education Technology (or EdTech) movement. This movement is all about using technology in ways to really connect with your children (believe it or not, we all learn differently). This approach to technology is making room for those who learn differently or aren’t as extroverted to connect with their teachers, classmates, and their own creativity.

So how do you as a parent help your child stay engaged with creativity? Small steps. Every child has tons of creative potential, but it needs to be nurtured. Remember that your expectations for their creativity may not be what you expected. Perhaps they like drawing or listening to music. I want to stress that “creativity” is not limited to artistic pursuits, rather it is a way of approaching and solving problems. Every new experience a child encounters helps them view problems from new perspectives (art, music, foreign language, science, sports, and cooking among others will help shape how they approach thinking).

Scarf Section Break

Here are a few interesting ways to help your child connect with creativity:

  • Duolingo – a free app/website to help your child learn a variety of foreign languages in a practical approach.
  • LittleBits – technology kits that are a combination of Lego-like fun meeting science and programming (a great STEM / STEAM product)
  • GoldieBlox – construction and engineering toys focused on getting more girls interested in engineering (another great STEM / STEAM product)
  • Drawing Desk – an app to draw and color (has a specific “Kids Desk” feature)
  • Loopimal – create music in this app using animals as musical instruments (definitely hilarious!)