I smell cookies?

Cookies...don't they make everyone smile? The smell of them baking, the joy of dunking them in milk, and of course, eating them with the master spokesmonster, Cookie Monster...who could ask for anything more? Luckily, we at KLRN had the opportunity to provide this type of event for children and families who really do deserve a "special" night.

Earlier this week, we held the first of several events at the Warrior and Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston. Families were able to make an average Wednesday an extraordinary one where everyone was able to step away from their own reality to paint and personalize an apron, play games and of course munch on freshly baked cookies with Cookie Monster himself. In essence, kids were able to be kids and parents were able to be kids...again.

It sounds so cliche to say that "it's the little things that make the biggest difference" but for these families who are coping with the stress of having a parent, spouse or loved one wounded and/or hospitalized, every bit of help matters. We already look forward to our next visit...

Great photo opportunity...

What a great treat for your child...a picture with his/her best TV friend! I found this link recently and think that it is such a wonderful way to bring a smile to your child's face. You can add Elmo, SuperWhy, Curious George or even Sid the Science Kid (just to name a few) to your favorite photo. The process is very easy and the end result is one for the scrapbooks. Just upload your photo, choose your character and voila, you are done! The best part? It is free! Enjoy.

P.S. This is not for kids only. If you've always wanted your own photo with Super Grover, please, help yourself.

Healthy Habits for Life - making an impact one family at a time!

KLRN recently received funding from the Baptist Health Foundation to implement and study the impact of the HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE curriculum, developed by Sesame Workshop to reach 200 children. The program is conducted in two separate phases. Each phase studying 100 youth, their families and caregivers.

The HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE project will teach children: 1) how to make healthy food choices, and 2) how to be physically active so that they can begin to establish healthy habits for the rest of their lives. The project also includes several other components which include training, modeling, strategizing and engaging the youth as they learn all techniques and practices for their well being.

As we are reaching our final post assessment phase, to show our appreciation for the time and amazing energy given to this study. We gave the children, parents and the caregivers a very Healthy dinner! A special guest flew in from New York to attend this dinner and meet the participants. None other than COOKIE MONSTER !!

We had a spectacular evening and I truly believe that we have made a difference, not only in the children... but the parents, siblings and the caregivers. We look forward to beginning Phase II and seeing where this study will lead us in the future.

Until then...remember to eat your colors!

Submitted by:
Marissa Tejeda Ximenes
Special Projects Manager, KLRN
Healthy Habits for Life

Learn more about KLRN educational resources at klrn.org.

Grab your magnifying glass!

If you have tuned into KLRN at 7:30am anytime Monday through Friday you've already entered the world of scientific exploration with Sid, May, Gabriella, Gerald, Teacher Suzie, and Baby Zeke. We are really excited to share that we have now kicked off our Sid the Science Kid workshops in San Antonio! Today was our first science lab at Washington Elementary and we had a great bunch who shared their excitement with the group! We have 19 more labs to go in 2009 and we hope to see you there! Take your magnifying glass out, get your science journal in your hand, and come learn with us about Sid the Science Kid! Be on the lookout for our dates that we will post as the months go by.

Sid will make a special appearance as he joins us on June 6th at Rosedale Park (303 Dartmouth)! So bring your cameras and your smiles and grab a hug from Sid the Science Kid!

Preschoolers Are Clicking Away

USA Today reviewed two PBS Kids interactive websites yesterday. These sites (PBS Play! and PBS Kids Island) are both designed to help todays preschoolers learn alongside some of their best friends: Curious George, SuperWhy and of course Elmo (just to name a few). Read the article.

You can access PBS Play! and PBS Kids Island through the new KLRN Kids Website--just click on the "games" tab at the top.

Below is a preview of PBS Play! for you. Enjoy.

Happy Friday!

Exciting news from PBS Showcase

This week PBS is holding their annual meeting, PBS Showcase, in Baltimore, Maryland. PBS executives and producers have announced some exciting changes to the schedule coming down the pipeline. One such announcement is the addition of a new animated children’s series, “THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!” which will premiere in Fall 2010. Martin Short will voice the Cat in the Hat and the series will feature his two helpers, Thing One and Thing Two. Children will follow 6-year-old Sally and Nick as the cat leads them through amazing discoveries of natural science. Program outreach will also feature an important element to all PBS Kids series—an interactive website with learning tools for children and resources for their parents. To read more about this new series, click on the following link: http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/news/20090511_pbskidscatinthehat.html.

Andrea.

Become a fan of Earth

So, I'll admit it. I'm a big fan of our Earth...and I know that I am not alone. I am at the pinnacle of my happiness when I am outside, and I believe that my 3-year old is the same way. The fresh air, green grass and never ending exploration is enough to fuel my fire. That said, you can probably imagine just how much I love Earth Day.

I want to encourage all parents to remember to teach our young ones (and not-so-young ones) to be kind to our planet...on Earth Day and beyond.

Here are some links to help you start the conversation:
Fun Earth Day projects for your kids: http://www.pbs.org/parents/special/earthday.html
Your kids can post their favorite Earth Day idea: http://pbskids.org/speakout/earth/
Of course, Earth Day programming:
(0-6 yrs) http://pbskids.org/video/
(7-12yrs) http://pbskids.org/go/video/

What ideas have you and your kids come up with?