Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in baltimore, MD

Ha-Ha-Ha: Five More Books to Make You Laugh

August 03, 2009

Children, as you've no doubt learned by now, have their own ideas about what's funny and not funny.  Toilets, for example, are comedy gold, particularly among the preschool set, as are underwear, body sounds and trick-performing animals.  And while I don't always share my children's sense of humor (though body sounds, I must admit, can be kind of funny), it's nice to know that there is some universal comedy out there, that there is some stuff in the world that makes both my children and me belly-laugh.  And where do we often go for this universal comedy?  Why, we travel no farther than our bookshelves, where we always find stories that tickle our funny-bones.  Following are five of our favorites, only a couple of which make reference to the purpose of a toilet.

 

Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller

No potty humor here . . . just straightforward, superb, multi-layered comedy.  This book is so rich with detail and subtlety, some of which, especially if you're reading to a very young child, you may be forced to condense a little.  Don't worry if your child doesn't "get" all of the humor right away; there's plenty here that he will get, and plenty more that he'll flat-out love.  My kids roll at Arnie's stunned surprise as he realizes that Mr. Bing is planning to eat him, and always relish in the very satisfying conclusion.  I read this book to my daughter's class last year, and it kept, despite its abundance of text, the kids' attention all the way through.  Really, really funny.

 

Any of the Junie B. Jones/Junie B, First Grader books by Barbara Park (author) and Denise Brunkus (illustrator)

Every one of these amazing chapter books-and there are quite a few of them-offers something to make us laugh out loud.  Junie B. is a child who never fails to speak her mind, often with hilarious and borderline-disastrous results.   Kids will cheer as she stands up to that Meanie Boy Jim, and chuckle as she gets herself into yet another sticky situation.  If  your preschooler's patient enough to sit through chapter books, she'll love the antics of June B. Jones.  And once she's able to read independently, she'll be eager to visit/revisit the world of Junie B. on her own.  Keep 'em coming, Barbara Park and Denise Brunkus!  

 

Olivia by Ian Falconer

This is the book that started the Olivia phenomenon, and it remains, though we have and love all the others, the one that we read most frequently.  It's impossible not to adore Olivia, the spirited pig who's constantly getting into trouble, and it's equally impossible not to laugh at her mischief.  Whether she's scaring off her little brother with a paper bag costume or splattering paint on the wall, Jackson Pollack style, Olivia's always doing something that makes us smile. 

 

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Get the kids laughing-and loving poetry-with this Shel Silverstein classic.  They'll never look at a boa constrictor-or anything else-the same way.  Hilarious.

 

Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes

The funniest book ever written about new siblinghood.  Not ideal for very young children, as they might be inclined to copy some of Lilly's jealous attacks against her baby brother, but perfectly suited for, say, children three and above.  Any child who's ever welcomed a younger sibling will appreciate Lilly's feelings of betrayal and isolation and will laugh as Lilly gets sent-repeatedly-to the uncooperative chair.  Funny and realistic (except, of course, that it's about a family of mice), right down to the ending, when Lilly comes to terms with what it means to be a big sister. 

 

Your turn!  Tell us all about the books that make you and your children laugh! 

 

PS  Here are five more books that'll make you giggle.  

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Saturday Morning Fun: Favorite Cartoons for Kiddos

July 27, 2009

Sure, there are some awful cartoons on TV.  And yes, some of them are so darn abysmal that they give all of children's television a terrible name.  But there are also some excellent animated programs out there, some of which are so beautiful (yeah, I said it), educational or just plain entertaining that they go so far as to redeem the genre.  And while we don't watch a lot of TV in our house (you wouldn't, either, if you didn't have cable), there are some shows, thanks to the miracles of PBS and DVD, that we like to snuggle up on the couch for.  So here, in no particular order, are five of our family's favorites.

 

1.  Looney Toons

Some of the political incorrectness will make you cringe, but if you choose wisely, sticking to the basics like Bugs Bunny and Sylvester and Tweety, you'll generally be all right.  Still, it's best to preview each cartoon before sharing it with your preschooler.  Also, as you may remember, these cartoons can be pretty violent.  But if you're creative, you can use the TNT and anvils and shotguns to start a conversation with your child about TV violence.  Even if you don't have the conversation, though, your kid probably won't turn out to be a psychopath.  After all, I didn't, and I was watching this stuff before I was toilet-trained.  But you know what?  I'm not a therapist.  Introduce the Looney Toons to your preschooler at your own discretion.

 

2.  Charlie and Lola

Clever and funny as the Looney Toons, but without all of the political incorrectness or violence, Charlie and Lola always makes us smile.  We love Charlie and Lola because they're cute but not cutesy, because they vacillate between being best friends and rivals, just as real brothers and sisters do.  Plus, Lauren Child (Charlie and Lola's creator) comes up with the most awesome animal names anywhere.  Sizzles the dog is a particular favorite.

 

3.  Martha Speaks

Based on the superb books by Susan Meddaugh, Martha Speaks is about a lovable dog with a very above-average vocabulary.  My husband, who is more of a realist than I am, has a bit of trouble with the basic premise-Martha's ability to speak can be attributed to her affinity for alphabet soup-but even he must admit that the show is funny and educational.

 

4.  Spongebob Squarepants

It's underwater life as you've never imagined it, complete with fast food, surly squids and light potty humor.  What distinguishes Spongebob from his lower-brow peers is his innocence, his cuteness and his utter lovability.  Lots of fun, if you can stand the LOUDNESS (Spongebob and his friends do a lot of screaming).

 

5.  WordGirl

Another one of our PBS favorites, WordGirl is smart, funny and indisputably educational.  Though it's intended, I assume, for early grade-schoolers, my preschool-aged son and I find it plenty entertaining, and always laugh at the bumbling villains, like Chuck the Evil Sandwich-Making Guy and Dr.Two-Brains.  And kids of all ages will adore Captain Huggyface, WordGirl's expressive (though unspeaking) monkey-sidekick.  Want your kid to learn the definition of "pensive"?  Then get going with the WordGirl! 

 

I could list a bunch of others, but it's time to turn the keyboard over to you.  What are some of your favorite cartoons? 

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Weekend Highlights, 5/1 - 5/3

April 30, 2009

So it's May--arguably my most favorite month of the year--and there's so much to do around town this weekend that my head is going all washing machine-like.  Have a look:

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Must-See Event: The Kinetic Sculpture Race

April 27, 2009

The Kinetic Sculpture Race, one of my favorite annual events (now in its 11th year!), is coming up this Saturday, May 2.  And though I will try to describe the race with the rich, evocative detail it deserves, I will fail, because words cannot possibly do justice to what unfolds, come rain or shine, every first Saturday of May in Baltimore.

If you've ever wondered about the mobility of a massive, pink, fluffy poodle, or about the buoyancy of a "boat" constructed of otters, then this, my friend, is the event for you.  Sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum, the Kinetic Sculpture Race is a showcase of some of the best-looking--and most durable--human-powered sculptures on the East Coast . . . or anywhere.  It's also an open-air people-watching extravaganza, complete with costumed spectators and copious cheering.  If your kid digs costumes, now's the time to break out the capes, boas, masks and cowboy hats, as costume-wearing is highly encouraged and very much part of the overall scene.  Rubber chickens also figure prominently, as do paper smiles-on-sticks.  Silliness and oversized animals abound.
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April Fool's!

March 31, 2009

Almost every kid enjoys a little silliness from time to time, and when better to celebrate all that is silly than on the silliest of holidays, April Fool's Day.  Depending on how well your child tolerates changes in routine--and some kids, particularly those who thrive on predictability, will not dig April Fool's hijinks at all--you can really have a blast with the whole April Fool's thing.  So be imaginative, and bust out a little harmless mischief with the children.  Here are five of my favorite April Fool's ideas:

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Ha-Ha-Ha: Five Books to Make You Laugh

by Laura Stallard Petza

November 18, 2008

We're talking about funny kids' books at Savvy Source today, and if you're like us and all of our children, you probably have a ton of funny favorites. The classics like Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are , while brilliant and beautifully illustrated and funny in their own ways, are not the ones that make my children laugh the hardest. Probably because, like me, the kids have  Read more...