5 Essential and Engaging Learning-to-Read Books from Amazon

We are preparing for an amazing Christmas season by purchasing a few educational items for my little one. Here's a secret, we usually like to open one (or sometimes two) presents before Christmas to engage my little one when we are on a trip in November or December.

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

1 - Learn to Read with Tug the Pup and Friends! Box Set 2: Levels Included: C-E (My Very First I Can Read)
This seems like an amazing book to engage our preschooler in sight words and reading before she enters kindergarten!

 

2 - Bob Books: First Stories

Yes! There are 12 books in this pack and each of them are easy-to-read! I cannot wait to write a review after Christmas!

 

3 - Reading Adventures Sofia the First Level Pre-1 Boxed Set

Oh, my little one loves Sophia and she will definitely love the learning-to-read process from the Disney Reading Adventures!

4 - Si llevas un ratón a la escuela (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie)
We love to incorporate Spanish for my little one's "learning at home" sessions each week! She will definitely love the Spanish version of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"! This is a great easy tool for your children to learn Spanish!

5 - Movie Night Magic! (Shimmer and Shine) (Step into Reading) 
Oh, my little preschooler loves Shimmer and Shine! In fact, she sings the song almost every day! I like the fact that we can incorporate sight words with characters that she watches almost every day! This will be great for hotel nights away when our family travels throughout the year!

I cannot wait for these books to arrive! I plan to wrap them as soon as we receive them and place them under the tree (that I plan to trim as soon as possible). Surprise hubby! Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Just in case you missed it, here's our "10 Ways to Read 1,000 Books a Year Before Kindergarten" infographic!

Remember, we will have posts each Monday at 9am CDT! Remember to come back and to subscribe to our YouTube Channel - Subscribe.

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count Magazine is focused on helping people navigate travel, build their family business, and manage their money. We provide tips, printables, and easy-to-understand infographics to help people learn amazing ways to make their lives easier.

We are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth and East Texas areas. based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and the Shreveport Metroplex area.

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Contact Information:
Weekends Count

Box 501
Beckville, TX 76048

weekendscount@gmail.com
(817) 382-8475
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Our Social Media Channels:
Check Us Out on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a Fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter! - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram! - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog! - http://www.weekendscount.com

Remember to Purchase or Download Our Family Travel Book on Amazon! - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

m/p/email-newsletter-signup-form/ 

Book Review - Look, See the Farm! - Teach Your Kids about Nature Through Reading!

We were very excited about reviewing the "Look, See the Farm" book written by Bill Wilson and Katie  Fallon. Our daughter LOVES reading books and we encourage her to reflect on the books she read by "telling us about the book" though a video or by drawing something from the book.

This time, mom and dad had a chance to ask the authors some questions. Here we go!

Why is it important to teach kids about nature?

I have two young children, and they love being outside — they turn over rocks, wade in streams, look for birds, and are curious about everything. In addition to allowing kids to investigate and explore their world, being outdoors in nature promotes healthy physical activity. It helps them realize that they’re a part of a big world, where everything fits together and every piece is important.

Where can people get more information from you?

My colleagues Bill Wilson and Leigh Anne Carter and myself have another children’s book called Look, See the Bird! that was published by Hatherleigh Press last year. It’s a book about the kids in North and Central America who are connected by migratory birds. I’ve also written two nonfiction books for adults, Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Birds(2017) and Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird (2011). My website is www.katiefallon.com.

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

This week,

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Did You Watch Our Videos on YouTube, Yet? Remember to Subscribe! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Did You Become a Fan of Facebook? - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Did You Follow Us on Twitter? - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Did You Look for Us on Instagram? - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Did You Discover the Weekends Count Blog? - http://www.weekendscount.com
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Remember to Check Out Our Book - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

The FREE Summer Read and Learn Program from Weekends Count

The final school bus has made it's route to your home and NOW you are ready for your summer..NOT! If you are like me, you are panicking and scrambling for items to do with your children during the summer. Moms and Dads, I am telling you... you can do it! You can definitely spend time with your kiddos this summer without going absolutely bonkers.

Here is the way to do it AND to keep your children accountable for the items they learned in school this year. If you are like me, you want to make sure that they are as prepared as possible for the future school year!

So, to help you (and to help me), the Weekends Count Blog is sponsoring a Summer Read and Learn Program! This program is part of the Summer Learning Series.

Here are the three simple steps to complete for full participation in the program:

1 - Complete the "Summer Read and Learn" Log each week and write the title of the books your child finished.

2 - Post on the "Summer Read and Learn" Facebook group and respond to the questions. Each week, we will have a giveaway for families who post pictures of the books they are reading!

3 - When you finish the "Summer Read and Learn" passport, then we will add your name to the Weekly "Summer Read and Learn" Honor Board!

Here you go! The "Summer Read and Learn" is featured in the Weekends Count June 2019 Magazine!

Here's the link to the Weekends Count - FREE Summer Read and Learn Program (just click the picture or link below).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Ksp1kOv0hJ5Smm8su8fb7-sV2myw-NXe

Have a great week and plan for the weekend! Please let me know if you have any questions about the program. I am happy to help!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Contact Information:
1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110
Box #145
Granbury TX 76048
817-382-8475
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Our Social Media Channels:
Check Us Out on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a Fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter! - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram! - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog! - http://www.weekendscount.com

Remember to Purchase or Download Our Family Travel Book on Amazon! - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

Keeping STEAM as a First-Grade Love, But Also Emphasizing Language Arts (as a Friend)

Recently, we moved our daughter to the new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) academy in our city and it has been a wonderful experience for her. She had an introductory experience with science and mathematics through the Tarleton State University's Child Development Center. Through this center, the teachers inspired to her develop critical thinking skills and she continues to use these skills daily at the STEAM academy.

The STEAM academy has positively impacted my daughter in various ways. She continues to question "why" X (this) caused Y (that) and she has fallen in LOVE! Fallen in love with science that is! We could not be more proud of her new found relationship with the field we would have chosen for her in the first place.

As a result of this love for science and math, her love for reading and language arts (her first love) has experienced a small amount of difficulty. You know, those first loves always stick around, but sometimes you need to focus on the relationship from the "just a friend" level. So, she has her primary love (math and science) and her first love (and now friend) (reading and language arts). Both of these relationships are fundamental to her development as a young learner.

So, our goal is to discover ways to integrate the love and the friendship together to form the ultimate learning experience. All of us need friends and the love of our life! We've decided to integrate the two  by participating in the reading bingo program at her academy (she is very competitive) and we will also emphasize guided journaling next month.

These are the books that we introduced to her this month:

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier! 

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13.

My little one stated, "Read this book and you can almost be like her. "She found out how to send a rocket to the moon!" - M. Edwards

Pick Three: You Can Have It All (Just Not Every Day)

As a mom who works full-time, I am always seeking books that helps me organize my life and it gave me my second wind!  - @drjtedwards

Go! (Blue): A Kids' Interactive Travel Diary and Journal

Make it a point to travel during the upcoming year! Celebrate these new locations with your child!

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

Meal plan with your kids on Friday or Saturday night and purchase groceries on Sunday! If they plan it, they will eat it!

We have to log these books on our reading sheet from the STEAM academy, but we are making our own reading sheet for the weekends. Look forward to this link soon!

If you have any questions about these books, please let me know! We will be happy to help!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Contact Information:
1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110
Box #145
Granbury TX 76048
817-382-8475
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Our Social Media Channels:
Check Us Out on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a Fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter! - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram! - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog! - http://www.weekendscount.com

Remember to Purchase or Download Our Family Travel Book on Amazon! - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

Seven Travel Books for Children - Road Trips with Kids and Great Christmas Presents

As an only child, I had to discover ways to discover the world through other people's eyes in a book. Books enable children to visit places around the United States and the world without leaving their house. Through our local library, the Sammy Brown Library in Carthage, Texas, I traveled to China with Big Bird and to France with Madeline.

Your children can travel to unique destinations as well. Through the bookstore or the public library, you child can develop their own unique taste in travel. Here are some books that can help your child develop their own travel adventure OR can prepare them for their own REAL travel adventure with their family. Here are the Top Travel Books for Children:

1) Curious George Takes a Train



This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier! 

2) Maisy Goes on a Plane: A Maisy First Experiences Book



3) My First Plane Trip - Flying For Kids Airplane Book (Children's New Experience Series 1)

4) Train: A Journey Through the Pages Book



5) My Plane Trip (Dover Coloring Books)


6) Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing!

7) National Geographic Kids Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas: Maps, Games, Activities, and More for Hours of Backseat Fun


Also, you can check out Amazon Kindle Unlimited! We read a book each week and I never have to leave the house! Just one flat fee!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Contact Information:
1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110
Box #145
Granbury TX 76048
817-382-8475
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Our Social Media Channels:
Check Us Out on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a Fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter! - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram! - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog! - http://www.weekendscount.com

Remember to Purchase or Download Our Family Travel Book on Amazon! - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

Learn About Fish and Travel with Tam Warner Minton!

Do your kids love fish? Do you love to travel? Do you homeschool your kids?

Then incorporate All Fish Faces by Tam Warner Minton into your next learning unit or family vacation!

 

All Fish Faces examines tropical reef fish around the world.

This book could be incorporated into a homeschool unit on fish or sea life.  The pictures and descriptions can be used to compare and contrast characteristics of different fish.  If you are teaching fish characteristics, you can show how there are similar characteristics of fish that live in different parts of the world.

This book could also be incorporated into geography lessons by studying the fish that live in a particular region of the world.

Parents can also use the book to extend learning before, during, or after a trip.  For example, many of the fish in the book can be found in Cozumel, Mexico. Cozumel is a common port of call for Caribbean cruises and you can fly there as well.

How might you incorporate this book into a homeschool lesson or family vacation?

Let us know in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

This week,

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com

Find Out How Trees Are Just Like Us!

Planning a nature homeschool unit? Have a child that loves to learn about nature?

Then order a copy of Trees by Shondra M. Quarles and Kristi Ferguson!

 

Trees helps children understand what trees need to survive and what happens during their life cycles by comparing trees to people.  Interestingly, trees and people have a lot in common.

As a parent, you can ask your kids what they learned in the story and connect the book to trees in your yard, neighborhood, or local park. If you're on a family vacation, be sure to have your kids discuss similarities and differences between the trees they see on the trip and the trees they see at home.

Our daughter loved the book and it helped her better understand how we as people relate to nature in our world.

How might you incorporate Trees into a homeschool lesson or unit?

Let us know in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

This week,

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com

Travel with Unlimited Books Through Amazon Kindle Unlimited

We are still on our journey to read 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and we reached our halfway point! Yes, I know that we have three more months, but we will MAKE IT! Yes, I am the mom with optimism! Plus, I have to add the books from her bedroom as well! :)

To help us on our endeavor and to prevent the weekly run to the city library, the church library, and the local Goodwill, I decided to purchase the Amazon Kindle Unlimited App for our family. I use it for my college courses, my little one uses it for her 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program and my husband uses it for church! There are 172,347 books for kids!

 This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

We love this app, because it is easy for summer travel (instead of traveling with 8+ books) and it is great for the family! Check it out and let us know what you think!

Here are 10 Ways that you can read 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten as well! Thank you to the Hood County Library!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com