This software is BRAND NEW. Packaging may differ slightly from the stock photo above. Please click on our logo above to see over 15,000 titles in stock.

List Price: $ 9.99

Price: $ 6.99

This software is BRAND NEW. Packaging may differ slightly from the stock photo above. Please click on our logo above to see over 15,000 titles in stock.

List Price: $ 9.99

Price: $ 6.99

Learn To Write: Writing Logical Children’s Stories!

When we think about children’s books, many of us do not think of them as being “logical”. After all, talking animals, crazy happenings and strange events are often a part of children’s stories! However, no matter how strange the things that are happening in the book seem, an important part of how you learn to write is going to be focused on keeping your story logical. The thing to remember is that no matter how amazing or strange these books are, they still have rules and a good story will abide by these rules that it have been created. Logic is an important part of children’s books, and if that is where you want to be writing, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.

When you sit down to write a children’s book, remember that you should think about the world that you are interested in creating. Is it a world where mice live and act just like humans or is it a world that is essentially unrecognizable from the one that we know and live in? If you are concerned about moving forward and making sure that the world is a good one, you are going to need rules. You are setting up the logic for your story and your story must follow it. Even if the rules are different from the ones that we know are true, you must stick with them!

For instance, when you are creating a story, think about what needs to have happen. It is important that your character go through fascinating things or that they are able to complete interesting or daunting tasks. However, if they are able to finish the tasks to simply, no one is going to be interested in the story, and if they somehow magically finish the tasks for no good reason and without conflict, you are cheating your reader out of a satisfying story! Your character’s conquest needs to be a logical conclusion of the things that have come before it. Unless you can make the victory seem plausible, you are looking at a book that is not going to do well.

If you have a magical item in your story, remember that it should work under its own rules. In Snow White’s story, the poisoned apple would poison everyone who bit into it, and the queen’s magic mirror always tells her the truth. What a poorer story it would have been if the poisoned apple didn’t work or if the magic mirror could lie! Snow White might have been safer, but it would not have been much of a story would it. Learn to write great children’s stories by taking some time to think about the logic in your children’s books and how they work.

When you are interested in children’s books and want to learn to write them, logic is one of the best lessons that you can pick up. Take some time and consider what your options are going to be and how you can keep your logic consistent; this is an essential part of writing and moving forward.

• Let little learners play in a grown-up way with Text and Learn
• Three learning modes give children practice with letter names and sounds, QWERTY keyboard navigation and more
• Children can exchange text messages with their puppy pal Scout
• Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path for customized learning ideas and insights from LeapFrog

Leapfrog Enterprises 19143 Electronic Learning Game 19143 Learning

List Price: $ 21.99

Price: $ 15.00

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• Enjoy lots of learning fun with this cuddly friend
• Invites baby to learn through singing, dancing and playing
• Introduces baby to the alphabet, colors, numbers, manners, greetings and more
• Puppy can clap, wiggle his body side to side, and raise his ears
• Over 25 sung songs and phrases

Fisher Price Laugh Learn Dance and Play Puppy.

Let your children dance and play games with their favorite new playmate, Dance and Play Puppy from Fisher-Price’s Laugh and Learn toys. Dance and Play Puppy guides children through their first experiences with motions and games while simultaneously teaching them how to count and how to recognize the alphabet.

Dance and Play Puppy

• Ages: 9 to 36 months
• Requires: Six AA batteries (included); Phillips-head screwdriver to replace batteries

At a Glance:

• Features “ABC” and “Let’s Play” modes to help your baby learn while having fun
• Guides through motions, letters, and numbers, fostering language development and ability to follow directions
• Includes both surprising and familiar movements to engage your baby
• Knows over 25 interactive songs, phrases, and games

Encourages baby to clap, wiggle & dance along! View larger.

Press either foot to start the fun!
View larger.

Two Modes of Play Make Learning Fun

Dance and Play Puppy features two modes of play to help your baby learn while having fun. Songs, phrases, movements, and games occur in both modes, helping your baby learn without even realizing that practical skills are being acquired.

On Puppy’s right foot is the “ABC” mode, which is activated by pressing the blue “ABC” disc. Puppy will help guide your baby through motions, letters, and numbers, fostering language development and teaching how to follow directions. On Puppy’s left foot is the “Let’s Play” mode, and when you press the purple disc on his foot, he’ll come to life with baby-friendly motions, lively songs, and that irresistible puppy wiggle!

Surprising and Familiar Movements Keep Babies Interested

As Dance and Play Puppy guides your baby through easy-to-follow motions, he will also make fun, surprising movements. His ears will sometimes move up and down as he sings, adding an extra level of engagement to both modes of play.

While some movements engage by surprise, others are familiar. Our product designers included a pat-a-cake mode because it is often one of the first motions parents teach their babies. Familiar songs were also included in Puppy’s 25-plus interactive songs, phrases, and games, such as “Happy and You Know It,” “Do Your Ears Hang Low,” the “Alphabet Song,” and more! He’ll also blow kisses and teach parts of the body, manners, and greetings.

What’s in the Box

Assembled toy, six AA batteries, and instructions.

List Price: $ 39.99

Price: $ 34.88

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• Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case lets babies enjoy their very own apps while protecting mom or dad’s iPhone or iTouch
• Durable case has easy-grasp handles sized just right for baby to hold and protects your device from baby’s dribbles & drool
• Download free Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn learning apps from iTunes
• Rattle beads and a mirror on the back entertain baby even without a device inside
• Compatible with: iPhone®, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch® 2nd, 3rd & 4th generation Apple, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Babies love to play with grown-up gadgets—if you have a smart phone, chances are your baby likes it as much as you do! This sturdy case will protect your iPhone® or iPod touch® from dribbles, drool, and unwanted call-making. And it will give you peace of mind as baby enjoys Face Time with family or friends. For children ages 6 months and up.

Baby will love the Apptivity case, and you’ll love that your phone is protected!

Free Laugh & Learn™ apps will help your baby learn through play.

Busy activities for baby & protection for your phone
The Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case is fun all by itself, with busy beads and a mirror to keep baby occupied. When you insert your iPhone or iPod touch into the case, it locks securely inside. Clear film protects the screen from baby’s dribbles or sticky fingers. You can even choose to cover the home button to keep baby from pressing buttons or making calls! Additional Usage Hints: You can use anything with a strong, thin edge to open the case; There are two ways to put your phone into the device: home button accessible and not accessible (more detail in the included instruction sheet but it’s mom/dad’s choice if they want baby to be able to access the home button.); Fisher Price designed the Fisher-Price apps not to time out…knowing that baby may not always give input consistently, and we wouldn’t want the screen to time out and have the home button blocked.

Free apps to download
Don’t just protect your device, make it truly baby-appropriate with free Laugh & Learn apps. Your baby will love learning about animals and counting (Let’s Count Animals™), parts of the body (Where’s Puppy’s Nose?™) and Animal Sounds, all with fun music, sing-along songs and games. The apps were created following the popular Laugh & Learn approach of bringing learning to life through everyday play. These three apps can be downloaded at no charge from the App StoreSM. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Developmental benefits
The Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case is a great way to foster development of basic skills, helping baby practice eye-hand coordination with fun hands-on activities. There are easy-to-grasp, textured handles and beads to slide and rattle, enhancing fine motor skills. And, because babies love to look at themselves, it features a high-quality mirror that encourages self-awareness and discovery. Adding free Laugh & Learn apps to your device offers additional benefits with learning games and songs.

What’s In The Box?
Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case for iPhone® or iPod touch® devices.

List Price: $ 14.99

Price: $ 14.99

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Learn to Write Believable Main Characters For A Children’s Book!

Good children’s books are stories that are specifically written for children and have main characters who are also children. That’s why children love them and can relate to them. But authors need to learn to write effectively to create story characters that are believable, authentic, and lovable. You want to create characters children can relate to and understand. These characters must seem real or at least as real as they are intended to be. Children are very smart and remarkably perceptive, and they won’t be fooled or entertained-by a poorly developed character, particularly the main character. To improve you chances of writing main characters children will love, learn to write specifically for children.

There are several different subcategories of children’s books, so it’s somewhat difficult to tell you how to write about perfect characters for all these subcategories in just a line or two. For instance, picture books and children’s easy readers and chapter books for beginning readers generally have few words and lots of illustrations. Character development in children’s stories are not just about what the characters do and say, but also about what they look like.

However, the illustrations used for your stories like this may be totally out of your control because they are created by an illustrator who is not necessarily collaborating with you, but may simply be taking direction from an editor. Unless you are both the story’s writer and illustrator, you may have very little to say about the illustrations that will accompany your text. As a rule, the fewer words in a children’s book, the fewer words you should use to provide description. You just don’t have that many words to spare! So you’re going to have to rely on the illustrator’s good judgment to decide if the character will have red, black, blonde, or brown hair, for instance, unless it is critical to the storyline. In situations where a physical detail describing the character’s appearance must be verbalized-for instance, if the story is about a child who is teased because she has a large birthmark on her face-somewhere you will need to include enough of a description that the readers know this fact about the character and her appearance. Beyond that, you should simply limit physical descriptions altogether.

You see, with just a few words at your disposal with which to tell your story, you simply can’t afford to waste them giving nonessential physical descriptions. And in truth, you need to learn to write a lot more about a person’s character than physical attributes or description. So that is where you want to concentrate your writing. You want to show the reader the main character’s character rather than telling them about it. And the best way to do this is to apportion the majority of the words you are allotted for your children’s story to dialogue and action.

Written descriptions are often unnecessary to the creation and development of a well thought out and believable character. Story characters are about much more than just the color of their skin or hair or their height or weight or any other physical characteristic that can be described. Learn to write good dialogue and a story based on action, this is the key to developing good main characters. That’s because so much of our character becomes evident and is showcased through our words, our thoughts, and our actions. There is no-need to tell a child that the main character in a story is mean when that child says mean things to other kids, thinks mean things about other kids, and acts mean to them, too. The character’s personality shines through loud and clear by showing, not telling.

“Show, don’t tell” is the spirit of great writing-and this applies to stories for readers of all ages, not just children’s books. However, in children’s books where the author must learn to write a story and develop the main character with so few words to work with, it becomes even more critical.

More Personalized Children’s Books Articles

• 3 play modes: Learning, Music and Imagination
• Includes 2 teacups, a shapesorting cookie tray, 3 teethable cookies, and 3 songs
• Teaches baby about numbers, shapes, opposites, manners, greetings and more
• Tip the teapot to hear fun sound effects
• Press the teabag to hear a song

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea SetTime to share a pot of tea-with two pretty cups, three tasty treats, and plenty of songs, sounds and fun phrases to go around! Introduce the delights of pretend play while helping baby learn about counting, shapes, opposites, manners and more. Also includes volume control for quiet play. Requires 2 AA (LR6) Alkaline 1,5V batteries, not included.Children love to have tea parties with siblings, parents, friends, and their favorite dolls or stuffed animal companions. This Say Please tea set is a delightful way to introduce babies and toddlers aged 6-36 months to pretend play and sharing, while helping them learn important skills like counting, shapes, opposites, good manners, and more!

Silly sounds, fun songs, and surprising discoveries help make teatime memorable!

Encourages problem-solving, counting, sharing, and good manners, like saying, “Please” and “Thank you!”

Musical Surprises & Learning Fun
Chunky styling and smiling faces make the Say Please Tea Set especially baby-friendly. And it’s full of musical surprises that every age will appreciate. The magic starts when the teapot lid opens to play silly sounds and share special greetings. Tip the pot and the fun “bubbles over,” sounding as if you’re really pouring tea! Pressing on the teabag produces more sound effects and charming sing-along songs, encouraging baby to take turns and even learning to say “please” and “thank you.” There are three different modes to enjoy: Learning mode encourages counting and opposites; Music mode has fun sing-a-longs; and Imagination mode focuses on role play.

Imaginative Play, With Developmental Benefits
The Say Please Tea Set’s classic theme introduces baby to early role play and social skills. Sing-along songs & phrases help baby learn about manners and sharing. Tea Set comes with three teatime treats shaped like a circle, triangle and square, which fit perfectly on matching sections of the serving plate. This encourages shape sorting and problem-solving play. To help make the most of your teatime together, try talking to your baby as you play, to help her associate words with actions. “I’m pouring tea into the cup. Can you open the lid?” Or count the treats as you show your child how to place them on the tray. Then let her give it a try. Best of all, invite friends (like dolls) to share in the fun of a tea party. Be sure to use extra-nice manners, and make sure to say, “Please!”

Other Ways to Laugh & Learn
Babies learn more when they feel at home. Combining familiar objects, everyday discoveries, and your baby’s never-ending sense of wonder are the basis of the Laugh & Learn collection of toys. Make learning more fun with Laugh & Learn favorites like the Dance & Play Puppy, the Sweet Sounds Picnic, and the Smilin’ Smart Phone.

What’s In The Box?
One Laugh & Learn musical teapot, two plastic cups (not for real liquids), three treat/shapes, one plate. Requires 2 AA alkaline batteries, not included

List Price: $ 18.99

Price: $ 16.88

• To see more information click the “Watch it in Action” link below the main product images
• Just crawl through the barn door and let the fun begin
• Once in the barn, baby can feed the cow and turn on the lights
• 3 great modes of play including Learning Mode, Music Mode, and Imagination Mode
• Baby will have fun with role-play and realistic sound effects

Welcome to the farm, where animal friends are ready to play-and learning fun is all around! The magic starts when baby opens the gate and crawls through, triggering sing-along songs, dancing lights, music, sounds and fun phrases. There are veggie shapes to sort, chicken eggs to count, plus lots of put-and-take, flipping, spinning, pressing, sliding and turning discoveries to make. And both sides have a full crop of busy activities, with over 30 songs and tunes and 40+ first words.In

List Price: $ 84.99

Price: $ 50.85

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Learn to Write for Children: The Purpose of a Writers Group and How to Find One!

When you learn to write a children’s book there are a few things you can do to successfully write stories for children; from finding “How to” books that show you exactly what writing for children is all about, finding websites and newsletters giving tips and articles too reading and researching published children’s books. These are important aspects to building a solid writing career and also helping your writing skills but many writers start their career by joining a local writers group which you can enquire about at the local library or you can find a writers group that is online.

There can be positives and negatives to joining writers groups.

The main purpose of a writers group is to consult with other writers about your writing and to hear ideas from other writers. This is a great way to get valuable feedback on your own writing, especially if you have members in the group that have already been published or who have had experience dealing with publishers. No better way to know what you need to do to get published yourself than learning form those who have been there! Another positive for joining a writers group is that you’ll have a group of people in which you can share your success with when you get that joyful letter that you are going to be published or commiserate with when you receive that rejection letter. These special people will know what you are going through.

When you are considering joining a writers group, you would want to be sure that the group has a writing goal for each meeting. Each writer should always bring a piece to discuss at each meeting. A writer must also make sure that there is in an interest in their type of writing at these new groups. For example, find a writers group that has other passionate people writing children’s books. Keep in mind that it is also a good idea to see if there are guidelines for behavior. Sometimes writers groups can get rowdy, a good writer will have extream passion for their story, which is why some writers do not like writers groups.

Joining a writers group is a great way to learn to write for children and/or other genres. Talk to local writers to find local meetings. If there are not any meetings in your area, the Internet is a great source for up and coming writers. Whether your area of writing is picture books, early readers, or young adults; try a writers group and see where it takes you!