It's summer movie time!  Many major movie theaters offer free or $1 family movies this summer.  Find one near you!

Regal Free Family Film Festival offers free movies for kids and parents beginning at 10 am each Tuesday and Wednesday this summer.

AMC Summer MovieCamp is offering $1 movies every Wednesday morning at 10 am from June 25-August 6.  All of the proceeds will go to charity.

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse is offering 10 weeks of fun films for kids on weekday mornings this summer.  All 10 movies can be purchased in advance for $5, or purchased separately for $1 per show.

Classic Cinemas Wednesday Morning Movie Series offers $1 shows at 10 am every Wednesday from June 11-August 6.

Marcus Theatres Kids Rule Summer Film Series shows family films from June 18-August 14 on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10 am (except July 2 & 3).  Admission is $2.50 + free popcorn.

Kerasotes Summer Movie Program offers free admission from June 18-July 31 for family movies on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10 am.

Enjoy the show!

Check out this adorable balancing game called Pandobo, featuring a panda and his cute little bamboo sticks.  Don't be the one to let all of the sticks fall down!

This game requires fine manual dexterity and is best for children ages 5-12.

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A friend of mine recommended this really interesting book to me—The Price of Privilege:  How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids, by Madeline Levine.  This book looks at teenagers these days who are "missing something inside" and "feeling unhappy for no reason".  to buy

Today's teen feels too pressured, misunderstood, anxious, angry, sad, and empty.  The author finds that these teens really don't know themselves, lack practical skills for navigating out in the world, are easily frustrated, and have trouble anticipating the consequences of their actions.  They are overly dependent on the opinions of their parents, teachers, coaches, and peers.  They rely on others for routine tasks, aren't creative or interesting, are bored, and are boring.  They are unhappy, disconnected, and passive.  Why?? 

The author believes that their parents have protected them too much from challenges and disappointments.  The parents are worried and over-involved.  They don't discipline their children.  They have extremely high demands for academic and extracurricular activities, but low demands for family chores and responsibilities. 

A child who is indulged, coddled, pressured, and micromanaged is deprived of the opportunity to develop inside.  Parents who intervene—instead of support their child's own problem-solving—interfere with the child's development of a sense of self.  Kids need to be allowed to make their own decisions and learn from their own mistakes.  They need to "own" their lives, feel like they have control over what happens in it, and feel confident that they can handle it themselves. 

Have you seen Big Bird in China?

This DVD features the story of Big Bird and Barkley the Dog going on a journey to China to find the Phoenix bird.  Big Bird wants to meet her to learn all about China.  He is given a scroll with 4 sites in China to find to help him search for the Phoenix. 

Along the way, Big Bird learns so much about Chinese culture.  He sees Chinese people bicycling, boating, performing Tai Chi, and shopping at the market.  He sees the Forbidden City, Mao's Tomb, and the Great Wall.  He sees children dancing, singing, playing Chinese jumprope, and sitting in a classroom.  He evens learns how to write Da (Big) in Chinese calligraphy with a Chinese brush. 

Big Bird makes friends with a little Chinese school girl who serves as a guide.  She teaches him Chinese in a song, which includes Ni Hao (Hello), Zai Jian (Goodbye), and Wo Ai Ni (I love you).  They also meet the Monkey King, who gives them clues to finding the Phoenix.  The story is cute and allows the viewer an introduction to China by showing the local people and famous sights.

Check out these Kuaile Hanyu flash cards!  The cards feature large, child-friendly pictures with pinyin on the front of the cards and simplified Chinese characters on the back.  There are 102 cards in the pack, and they are quite large, about the size of half a sheet of paper.  The cards feature Chinese cities, family members, animals, numbers, foods, drinks, occupations, sports, vehicles, and more.   

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