Pepakura Designer allows you to create paper craft models from 3D data. Note that Pepakura Designer does not contain software to create the original 3D models, but instead translates them to a 2D printable format. A colleague used this to create HALO armor costume for Halloween.

Online Math Adds Up to a Lot of Fun

DreamBox Learning delivers fun math lessons. Kids can choose from the site's four themes (pets, pixies, pirates, and dinosaurs) and complete math-related tasks to earn objects that help the animated stories progress (earn a hammer to repair a pirate ship, for instance). With about four games per task, six tasks in each story, eight stories in a theme, and four themes ... well, that adds up to a lot of fun math. After finishing a story, players earn a certificate. The site's Parent Dashboard continually assesses and informs parents of kids' progress, all while making real-time adjustment to their math level.
(source: FamilyFun magazine)

A free website for creating comics

At MakeBeliefsComix.com, aspiring cartoonists can create strips with just a few clicks of a mouse. Select a two-, three-, or four-panel spread, then follow on-screen prompts to tell a tale. The cels play host to one or more of 15 predrawn characters. Choose a mood - happy, sad, angry, worried - for each featured figure, then add word balloons to fill out the funnies. When kids achieve comic genius, they can print their strips or email them to family and friends.

Child directed Play

Research shows that when you play together you can help your child learn, connect with you and build self-esteem. Child Directed Play(CDP) is a special form of one-to-one play
between you and your child in which your child directs and leads. CDP can be used with
children approximately ages 2 to 10 with slight adjustments for age and/or developmental level. Playing with your child in this way can:
(1) Build a sense of self-direction and self-confidence.
(2) Allow your child to receive focused attention from you without having to misbehave to get it.
(3) Strengthen your parent-child bond.
(4) Help you practice parenting skills.

http://www.minti.com/parenting-advice/4286/The-Key-to-Your-Childs-Heart-Child-Directed-Play

9 things to observe when visiting a childcare center

Here are 9 thing you must consider when visiting a childcare provider:

1. Kids to teacher/caretaker ratio
   This ratio should not really be more than 5 to 1, ideally more in 3 to 1 range. The more the number of kids the more divided the attention from the provider.
   
   
2. Age groups of other kids vis-a-vis your kid
   A mixed age setting is actually good for your kid unless the gap is too much. But there should be kids of same age as your kid also.
   
3. Cleanliness and Safety - for e.g. are there cleaners lying around ?
   You would be surprised when you look at county audits of the licensed day care. One of the most common issues we have seen are where cleaning liquids were lying around in children's reach.
   
4. The toys, posters and other such kid items - how and where are they placed
   Toys, books and their condition tells a lot about kind of activities as well as discipline that the care take is able to maintain.
   
5. Is the care take CPR certified.
   In case your kid is an infant there is a separate Infant CPR - ask for the certificates. The certificate should not be expired.
   
6. Look at the sleeping arrangements for the kids
   Where do the kids sleep, is it comfortable, quiet and safe?
   
7. Presence/Absence of television
   Lost of provider keep television in the same area as the kids play. There is a just a greater tendency to use the television this way, especially in a mixed age setting.
   
8. Backup plans
   What happens when the provider has to take a vacation
   
9. Provider's flexibility
   Time and again you'll find you get late, or leave early. The kids get attached to providers, it's important to choose a provider who is flexible enough that you don't have to ask the kids to adjust to someone else also.
   
   

Time with your child

To a child, LOVE is spelled TIME...

Watch this inspirtional movie taken from Simple Truths website:

http://www.tacmovie.com/

'Mommy bloggers' vow to avoid ethical conflicts

A nice article at about how mom bloggers found themselves blogging commercially and an ethical conflict. It's important for the authenticity of a medium that it is used truthfully.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/10/mommy.bloggers.ethics/index.html