Invitation to Learn Architecture

We discovered the book "Who Built That?" and it opened a unit of study in architecture!

Beware! There are a LOT of books out there. These are our favorites because they are well-written, beautiful, and interesting. "Iggy Peck" and "The World is Not a Rectangle" can be read in a single sitting and, in my house, they were. The other books we used differently...reading one page or one topic at a time.

"Dreaming Up" could be read in a single sitting. However, each page-spread suggests a different provocation for building along with the real-life architectural interest to which it relates. What is really appealing is that most of the materials are probably laying around your house like blankets, a deck of cards, toothpicks, or wooden blocks.




Enjoy!!

Click over to Free-Learning for more...

Invitation to Learn Spiders

 Our study of spiders began with autumn activities from The Artful Year. Using yarn and glue, we made stiff spider webs. Using pipe cleaners, puff balls, and a hot glue gun we made spiders for those webs. Then we found books, videos, and a song about spiders to help us dive a little deeper.

Surf over to Free-Learning to find the treasures we uncovered.

Invitation to Learn about Wetlands

A Learning Lifestyle

My preschoolers are officially not preschoolers any more. As we step into Kindergarten and 2nd grade, and as a family new to "officially" homeschooling, I recently bought writing curriculum from BraveWriter and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The guidance offered essentially advocates for 1) focusing on creating an environment filled with books, music, and experiences; and, 2) a language-rich lifestyle - one where you listen to your child, respond thoughtfully, and pursue ideas together. (This builds on what we know about how preschoolers learn, too. ) She, of course, weaves writing lessons into the day and provides structure so parents don't have to come up with everything on their own. (Whew!) 

Books, Music, and Experiences

Despite being regulars at the library, I often find myself scouring the catalog and shelves for books that might work to answer my child's question or delve deeper into the subject du jour. It is no wonder why lists are some of the most popular blogs in the world. You know the ones: "101 Books to Read Before Kindergarten," "10+ Children's Books to Inspire Kindness," and my own  "24 Books for Preschool Engineers."

A Smaller, More Approachable List

The problem is that sometimes we want a smaller, more approachable list. One with fewer books that includes other things. I just want a few good books, a CD, and a video, perhaps a toy. Something like a thoughtful little themed basket.

Invitation to Learn

It is in the spirit of having a small sampling of one topic that I am writing Invitations to Learn. Each invitation grows from our homeschool life and is a pint-sized unit of study for the DIY crowd. With this list, I am inviting you to learn alongside your child and giving you a small amount of guidance for creating a rich learning environment in your home or school.

Read a book one day; listen to an audiobook another day; watch a movie a different day; go on a field trip a different day. By offering one great thing at a time, you are inviting your child to learn with you and enjoy learning with you! Over time you and your child will consider the topic in several different ways, using different materials, have different but related conversations about it, and you will grow your knowledge in wonderfully robust ways.

NOTE: Blogger seems to be acting weird. So I have moved the Invitation to Learn Wetlands post to another of my websites called "Free-Learn Colorado."

https://sites.google.com/view/free-learning/invitations-to-learn/wetlands

Invitation to Learn Pirates

A Learning Lifestyle

My preschoolers are officially not preschoolers any more. As we step into Kindergarten and 2nd grade, and as a family new to "officially" homeschooling, I recently bought writing curriculum from BraveWriter and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The guidance offered essentially advocates for 1) focusing on creating an environment filled with books, music, and experiences; and, 2) a language-rich lifestyle - one where you listen to your child, respond thoughtfully, and pursue ideas together. (This builds on what we know about how preschoolers learn, too. ) She, of course, weaves writing lessons into the day and provides structure so parents don't have to come up with everything on their own. (Whew!) 

Books, Music, and Experiences

Despite being regulars at the library, I often find myself scouring the catalog and shelves for books that might work to answer my child's question or delve deeper into the subject du jour. It is no wonder why lists are some of the most popular blogs in the world. You know the ones: "101 Books to Read Before Kindergarten," "10+ Children's Books to Inspire Kindness," and my own  "24 Books for Preschool Engineers."

A Smaller, More Approachable List

The problem is that sometimes we want a smaller, more approachable list. One with fewer books that includes other things. I just want a few good books, a CD, and a video, perhaps a toy. Something like a thoughtful little themed basket.

Invitation to Learn

It is in the spirit of having a small sampling of one topic that I am writing Invitations to Learn. Each invitation grows from our homeschool life and is a pint-sized unit of study for the DIY crowd. With this list, I am inviting you to learn alongside your child and giving you a small amount of guidance for creating a rich learning environment in your home or school.

Read a book one day; listen to an audiobook another day; watch a movie a different day; go on a field trip a different day. By offering one great thing at a time, you are inviting your child to learn with you and enjoy learning with you! Over time you and your child will consider the topic in several different ways, using different materials, have different but related conversations about it, and you will grow your knowledge in wonderfully robust ways.

INVITATION TO LEARN PIRATES

It is "Talk Like a Pirate Day" so I've collected treasure from the far reaches of the high seas (the internet). If you accept this Invitation to Learn about Pirates then grab your 'scopes (paper towel rolls) and set off to learn about lenses, map-making, and adventures on the high seas.

I have found some of these at the library or for free online. For your convenience, I will also include affiliate links when available.

Books

I always love to start with a book (or two or three). 

Pirate Pete's Talk Like a Pirate by Kim Kennedy  (Author), Doug Kennedy (Illustrator)

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
• Lexile Measure: AD790L (What's this?)
• Hardcover: 40 pages

Popular Pete is Perfect for Talk Like a Pirate Day!  

Following the success of Pirate Pete and Pirate Pete’s Giant Adventure comes a new book by the celebrated brother-and-sister team of Doug and Kim Kennedy. In this new adventure, Pete has a wonderful new ship, but no crew. But not just any crew will do. As Pete explains:  

“Ye gots to be stubborn and mighty cranky, Ye gots to be dirty and awfully stanky!Ye gots to load a cannon and know how to fire it,But most of all, ye gots to talklike a pirate!”  

One by one Pete interviews his potential crew, and one by one they get the boot! Whoever will he find to help him sail the high seas? A hilarious and fun-to-read-aloud book that will have every child talking like a pirate. 

We're also HUGE fans of the VNHLP (Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates). You can get started today with the audiobook version of the first book in the series titled "Magic Marks the Spot"!

Magic Marks the Spot (Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates) by Caroline Carlson  (Author), Dave Phillips (Illustrator)

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Lexile Measure: 900 (What's this?)

Pirates! Magic! Treasure! A gargoyle? Caroline Carlson's hilarious tween novel The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates: Magic Marks the Spot is a seafaring romp like no other. The paperback features an Extras section containing an interview with the gargoyle, Hilary's application to the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, and a sneak peek at the second book in the series, The Terror of the Southlands.

Then you might want to give yourself a pirate name. 

Go to the Quiz, which will give you your name and a horoscope-type description of your swash-buckling ways.  http://www.piratequiz.com/ Or just make one following these simple instructions:

Pirate Activity Books 

There is a big selection of pirate-themed books published by Usborne Books and More. I'm a HUGE fan of their activity books like Build Your Own Pirate Ships (building with stickers), Pirate Maze Book, and the Wipe-Clean Pirate Activity Book. 

Make a Telescope

You will likely need a 'scope of some sort before you head out on an adventure. So surf over to National Geographic for how to use these items to make a 'scope:

• Two paper towel tubes
• Scissors
• Masking tape
• Paint (any color you like)
• 2 convex lenses (you can get these from a pair of magnifying glasses or order them online)

(Of course, just a paper towel roll to peer through could be enough for preschoolers.)

And for a little extra check out this video by Mr. Wizard!

Mapmaking with Preschoolers

Go into the backyard and count your paces between objects (door to the sandbox, from one side to the other, etc.). Use blocks to model the couch and TV in the living room. Or color a picture of your child's bedroom. The possibilities for rich discussions that touch on STEAM are endless. And if you talk like a pirate then it is even more fun! 

For more ideas go to EcoBabySteps...

"Sobel shows in Mapmaking for Children that developmentally appropriate mapmaking for children progresses through scope (home > neighborhood > community > nation) as well as through methods of representation (models > pictures > panoramas > contour and aerial maps). The more open you make your request, the more naturally your child can move through the stages of thinking about and representing the world."

...or check out a picture book that can help it come alive.

Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills by Scot Ritchie  (Author, Illustrator)

Maps are about far more than getting from a to b. Maps can help children understand and explore both their everyday environment and faraway places. With an appealing search-and-find technique, Follow That Map! is an interactive picture book that explains and demonstrates key mapping concepts. Kids will enjoy following Sally and her friends as they search for Max and Ollie, a mischievous dog and cat on the lam from the backyard. Sally and friends take an imaginative trip through the neighborhood, city and country, around the world and beyond. Kids can join in the search for Max and Ollie, who are hiding somewhere in every map. An activity at the end of the book shows children how to make a map of their bedroom.

Time to Burst Your Bubble

In an article from National Geographic, historians shed some light on the truth about pirates.

"Brace yourself for a barrage of "salty dogs," "scallywags," and "swabbies." Tuesday is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, a parody holiday and general nerdfest ginned up on an Oregon racquetball court in 1995 to honor buccaneer speech of the 17th and 18th centuries. 

But did pirates really "arr" and "avast" all the time? Probably not, experts say, though it's tough to say exactly how most so-called Golden Age pirates really talked. 

"There isn't much in the way of scientific evidence in regards to pirate speech," said historian Colin Woodard, author of The Republic of Pirates:Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120919-talk-like-a-pirate-day-news-history/

Invitation to Learn Physics - Projectile Motion & Hooke's Law

A Learning Lifestyle

My preschoolers are officially not preschoolers any more. As we step into Kindergarten and 2nd grade, and as a family new to "officially" homeschooling, I recently bought writing curriculum from BraveWriter and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The guidance offered essentially advocates for 1) focusing on creating an environment filled with books, music, and experiences; and, 2) a language-rich lifestyle - one where you listen to your child, respond thoughtfully, and pursue ideas together. (This builds on what we know about how preschoolers learn, too. ) She, of course, weaves writing lessons into the day and provides structure so parents don't have to come up with everything on their own. (Whew!) 

Books, Music, and Experiences

Despite being regulars at the library, I often find myself scouring the catalog and shelves for books that might work to answer my child's question or delve deeper into the subject du jour. It is no wonder why lists are some of the most popular blogs in the world. You know the ones: "101 Books to Read Before Kindergarten," "10+ Children's Books to Inspire Kindness," and my own  "24 Books for Preschool Engineers."

A Smaller, More Approachable List

The problem is that sometimes we want a smaller, more approachable list. One with fewer books that includes other things. I just want a few good books, a CD, and a video, perhaps a toy. Something like a thoughtful little themed basket.

Invitation to Learn

It is in the spirit of having a small sampling of one topic that I am writing Invitations to Learn. Each invitation grows from our homeschool life and is a pint-sized unit of study for the DIY crowd. With this list, I am inviting you to learn alongside your child and giving you a small amount of guidance for creating a rich learning environment in your home or school.

Read a book one day; listen to an audiobook another day; watch a movie a different day; go on a field trip a different day. By offering one great thing at a time, you are inviting your child to learn with you and enjoy learning with you! Over time you and your child will consider the topic in several different ways, using different materials, have different but related conversations about it, and you will grow your knowledge in wonderfully robust ways.

INVITATION TO LEARN PHYSICS - Projectile Motion & Hooke's Law

I have found some of these at the library or for free online. For your convenience, I will also include affiliate links to Amazon when available.

For the full list click here: Amazon Wishlist "Invitation to Learn Physics - Projectile Motion & Hooke's Law."

This whole lesson grew out of reading "Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears." It is a delightful and surprising book that I highly recommend.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Pick the Pearsby Cynthia Rylant  (Author), Arthur Howard (Illustrator)

• Age Range: 6 - 9 years

• Grade Level: 1 - 4

• Lexile Measure: 500L (What's this?)

• Series: Mr. Putter & Tabby

• Paperback: 44 pages

It is fall and juicy things are growing in Mr. Putter’s backyard--apples, tomatoes, and pears. Mr. Putter dreams of all the juicy things he loves to eat, but most of all, he dreams of pear jelly. There’s only one problem--cranky legs keep him from climbing up to pick the pears. His ingenious solution will have young readers cheering him on.

It brought to mind Angry Birds and we were delighted to find this book about the Physics of Angry Birds!

National Geographic Angry Birds Furious Forces: The Physics at Play in the World's Most Popular Game 
by Rhett Allain  (Author)

Another Angry Birds National Geographic mash-up! This fun, engaging paperback uses Angry Birds to explain the physics at work in the world--and behind the popular game. 
National Geographic's trademark science blends with Angry Birds' beloved entertainment to take readers into the world of physics. Rhett Allain, physics professor and Wired blogger explains basic scientific principles in fun, accessible ways; the Angry Birds come along for the ride to illustrate concepts we see in the real world--as well as in the Angry Birds games. Packed with science and a sense of humor, this book will improve readers' understanding of the world and how it works--and it may just improve their Angry Birds scores as well. 
Rovio Learning is known for collaborating with several scientific and educational institutions, such as the National Geographic Society and NASA. The recent collaboration with CERN brings quantum physics to the reach of children. There is no subject that young children can not learn - when the medium is age-appropriate, fun and engaging!

Rubber Band Engineer: Build Slingshot Powered Rockets, Rubber Band Rifles, Unconventional Catapults, and More Guerrilla Gadgets from Household Hardware 
by Lance Akiyama  (Author)

"Whoa, that shot a lot farther than I thought it would!"

Shooting far, flying high, and delivering way more exciting results than expected are the goals of the gadgets in this book.

Discover unexpected ways to turn common materials into crafty contraptions that range from surprisingly simple to curiously complex. In vivid color photos, you'll be guided to create slingshot rockets, unique catapults, and even hydraulic-powered machines. Whether you build one or all 19 of these designs, you'll feel like an ingenious engineer when you're through.

Best of all, you don't need to be an experienced tinkerer to make any of the projects within. All you need are household tools and materials, such as paper clips, pencils, paint stirrers, and ice pop sticks.

Oh, and rubber bands. Lots of rubber bands.

So grab your glue gun, pull out your pliers, track down your tape, and get started on the challenging, fun, and rewarding journey toward becoming a rubber band engineer.

PhET Simulation Games

From https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion

Description

Blast a car out of a cannon, and challenge yourself to hit a target! Learn about projectile motion by firing various objects. Set parameters such as angle, initial speed, and mass. Explore vector representations, and add air resistance to investigate the factors that influence drag.

Sample Learning Goals

• Determine how each parameter (initial height, initial angle, initial speed, mass, diameter, and altitude) affects the trajectory of an object, with and without air resistance.
• Predict how varying the initial conditions will affect a projectile’s path, and provide an explanation for the prediction.
• Estimate where an object will land, given its initial conditions.
• Determine that the x and y motion of a projectile are independent.
• Investigate the variables that affect the drag force.
• Describe the the effect that the drag force has on the velocity and acceleration.
• Discuss projectile motion using common vocabulary (such as: launch angle, initial speed, initial height, range, time).

From https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/hookes-law

Description

Stretch and compress springs to explore the relationships between force, spring constant, displacement, and potential energy! Investigate what happens when two springs are connected in series and parallel.

Sample Learning Goals

• Explain the relationships between applied force, spring force, spring constant, displacement, and potential energy.
• Describe how connecting two springs in series or parallel affects the effective spring constant and the spring forces.
• Predict how the potential energy stored in the spring changes as the spring constant and displacement change.

An Easy Way to Find 100 Things That Make You Happy

The Weight of a Word

Sometimes semantics get me. More often than not "gratitude" feels heavy to me. It feels serious. And as much as I know that it is the "little things" that count, it is easy for me to miss them. The wide eyes and smile of pride from my daughter when she does something hard.

So when I spotted this book at the library, I felt curious. It looked playful and fun and light and, well, happy. I mean the word is right there in the title.

A Happy Book

We sat around the kitchen table for our afternoon snack and read it together:

In the grand tradition of “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” comes an uplifting tribute to 100 everyday things worth celebrating. The list, in rhyming couplets, draws directly from a preschool­er’s world—from slippery floors to dinosaurs, from goldfish to a birthday wish. Amy Schwartz weaves a masterful balance between art and text, with each of the 100 items portrayed as its own well-observed and warmly detailed vignette. While the contents provide readers with a frame of reference for the quantity of “100”—a celebratory milestone in preschools and early elementary grades—the oversized pages envelop young children in the wonderful things surrounding them.

It Seems Like So Many...

...but its not. If you just look around at your life you could probably find one thing that makes you happy. It might be a cup of coffee, a piece of chocolate, a sweetly sleeping baby, a clear night for walking around the block, an empty dishwasher...the possibilities are endless.


Reading "100 Things that Make Me Happy" got us all thinking that we should start writing our happinesses down - one per day. (My daughter even asked about our Thanksgiving tradition of doing something like this.) Plus, it is commonly recommended to write gratitude journals. It is supposed to help you be happy. But I always felt the heft of "gratitude" weighing me down.

Simply reframing the word to "happy" made things infinitely easier for me.

The Perfect Happy Journal

To my delight, I found the perfect happy place to record our ideas: 101 Joys Make a Rainbow

Themes

Then I realized that we could write 100 things that make us happy and then read them all on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

But why stop there? Just imagine all the ways you could use "100 Things That Make Me Happy" as inspiration for gifts. Here's just a few ideas to get those creative (and happy) juices flowing:

• 100 Ways You Make Me Happy (to give to a child, a parent, a teacher, a friend)
• 100 Day Countdown to Something Big (holiday, birthday, vacation)
• Baby's First 100 Days

Short and Sweet

One of my favorite things about this project is that it invites my reluctant writer to something feasible. Just like the book is a list of simple things, short phrases, sometimes just a word, his journal can also be short and sweet and to the point.

Invitation to Learn Fairy Tales - Cinderella

A Learning Lifestyle

My preschoolers are officially not preschoolers any more. As we step into Kindergarten and 2nd grade, and as a family new to "officially" homeschooling, I recently bought writing curriculum from BraveWriter and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The guidance offered essentially advocates for 1) focusing on creating an environment filled with books, music, and experiences; and, 2) a language-rich lifestyle - one where you listen to your child, respond thoughtfully, and pursue ideas together. (This builds on what we know about how preschoolers learn, too. ) She, of course, weaves writing lessons into the day and provides structure so parents don't have to come up with everything on their own. (Whew!) 

Books, Music, and Experiences

Despite being regulars at the library, I often find myself scouring the catalog and shelves for books that might work to answer my child's question or delve deeper into the subject du jour. It is no wonder why lists are some of the most popular blogs in the world. You know the ones: "101 Books to Read Before Kindergarten," "10+ Children's Books to Inspire Kindness," and my own  "24 Books for Preschool Engineers."

A Smaller, More Approachable List

The problem is that sometimes we want a smaller, more approachable list. One with fewer books that includes other things. I just want a few good books, a CD, and a video, perhaps a toy. Something like a thoughtful little themed basket.

Invitation to Learn

It is in the spirit of having a small sampling of one topic that I am writing Invitations to Learn. Each invitation grows from our homeschool life and is a pint-sized unit of study for the DIY crowd. With this list, I am inviting you to learn alongside your child and giving you a small amount of guidance for creating a rich learning environment in your home or school.

Read a book one day; listen to an audiobook another day; watch a movie a different day; go on a field trip a different day. By offering one great thing at a time, you are inviting your child to learn with you and enjoy learning with you! Over time you and your child will consider the topic in several different ways, using different materials, have different but related conversations about it, and you will grow your knowledge in wonderfully robust ways.

INVITATION TO LEARN FAIRY TALES - CINDERELLA

I have found some of these at the library or for free online. For your convenience, I will also include affiliate links to Amazon when available.

Peek Inside a Fairy Tale: Cinderella
https://m6038.myubam.com/p/6015/peek-inside-a-fairy-tale-cinderella

The classic fairy tale brought up to date for a modern audience with beautiful illustrations and fine laser-cut holes and cutaways which add depth and drama. Young children will love looking at the details in this book - both in the illustrations and in the peek-throughs and flaps - and sharing and talking about it with a grown-up. Second in a new series which takes the format of the bestselling "Peek Inside" non-fiction series and applies it to much-loved fairy tales.

The following anthology is a good one to start with because the popular Cinderella story is short, sweet, and to the point. Then followed by different versions of the tale from around the world. Start here and then dive deeper into the classic or go to Canada, China, Egypt, Iraq, Ireland, or Mexico, or dig into the Jewish version:

Cinderella Stories from Around the World

Think there’s just one fairy tale with an overworked girl and wicked stepsisters? Think again! Cultures all around the world have their own Cinderella stories. Visit Canada, China, Egypt, and France, and find out whose “glass slippers” are made of red silk, and whose “fairy godmother” is a fish.

Cinderella by Marcia Brown

There is perhaps no better loved, no more universal story than "Cinderella." Almost every country in the world has a version of it, but the favorite of story-tellers is the French version by Charles Perrault.

This translation is excellent for story-telling and also for reading aloud. Marcia Brown's illustrations are full of magic and enchantment from the little cupids putting back the hands of the clock to the last scene at the palace. They are pictures that will stay in a child's mind.

The Rough-Face Girl

From Algonquin Indian folklore comes one of the most haunting, powerful versions of the Cinderella tale ever told.

In a village by the shores of Lake Ontario lived an invisible being. All the young women wanted to marry him because he was rich, powerful, and supposedly very handsom. But to marry the invisible being the women had to prove to his sister that they had seen him. And none had been able to get past the sister's stern, all-knowing gaze.

Then came the Rough-Face girl, scarred from working by the fire. Could she succeed where her beautiful, cruel sisters had failed?

Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Tale from China

Misty, jewel-like illustrations evoke the mythic past in this Chinese Cinderella story. Ages 4-8. 

The Egyptian Cinderella

This Egyptian spin on the classic Cinderella tale was initially recorded in the first century by a Roman historian and is retold here by folklorist Shirley Climo.

Poor Rhodopis! She has nothing—no mother or father, and no friends. She is a slave, from the far-off country of Greece. Only the beautiful rose-red slippers her master gives her can make Rhodopis smile.

So when a falcon swoops down and snatches one of the slippers away, Rhodopis is heartbroken. For how is she to know that the slipper will land in the lap of the great Pharaoh himself? And who would ever guess that the Pharaoh has promised to find the slipper’s owner and make her queen of all Egypt?

Ella Bella Ballerina: cinderella

Ella Bella loves her ballet class, which is conducted by the kindly Madame Rosa at an old theatre that seems touched by magic. One day, when Ella loses one of her slippers, Madame Rosa lends her another pair for dancing--and is then reminded of Cinderella and her story of the lost slipper. Madame Rosa recounts the tale to her students, and Ella Bella listens with heightened interest. When their day’s lesson has ended Ella lingers at the theatre, then opens Madame Rosa’s music box and listens as it plays melodies from the Cinderella ballet. Suddenly, Cinderella’s fairy godmother magically appears, and Ella Bella is transported into the beloved story of Cinderella. This delightful book’s final page describes the ballet Cinderella, with music by the great Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev.

Have you ever tried to tell a story in 20 words or less? After reading a few of the longer books, you and your child will likely be very impressed that the story can be told in only a few words in these sturdy board books. Intended for the youngest readers but give plenty of food for thought for the most loquacious among us.

Les Petits Fairytales: Cinderella

Ages 1-3yo.

Discover the magic of Cinderella in this petite edition of the classic fairytale, created especially for little readers with just a handful of words and bright, enchanting illustrations.

AudioBook: Land of Stories: A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales

Dear Listener, this is a very special book that contains more than 35 classic fairy tales and nursery rhymes, plus your very own survival guide to the Land of Stories. If you notice anything glowing, followed by an inviting humming noise, don't be afraid! That is just the book's magic.

Enter the world of fairy tales in this stunning book that includes more than 35 beloved stories and rhymes retold by New York Times best-selling author Chris Colfer.

This companion book to the Land of Stories series will appeal to new and old fans alike, who will delight in favorite classics such as "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Jack and the Beanstalk", and more. Here is the beloved fairy-tale treasury that Alex and Conner fall into in The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell - a beautifully designed addition to the series and the magical book that started it all!

CLASSIC FAIRY TALES

Cinderella

Hansel and Gretel

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Jack and the BEanstalk

Little Red Riding Hood

Snow White

The Three Little Pigs

Rumpelstiltskin

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Beauty and the Beast

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

SLeeping Beauty

The Princess and the Pea

Rapunzel

Henny Penny

The Little MErmaid

Three Billy Goats Gruff

The Snow Queen

The Frog Prince

Puss in Boots

THumbelina

The Gingerbread Man

The Ugly Duckling

Pinocchio

MOTHER GOOSE NURSERY RHYMES

Little Bo Peep

Little Miss Muffet

Little Jack Horner

The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

Humpty Dumpty

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

Three Blind Mice

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

Georgie Porgie

Hey Diddle Diddle

Pat-a-Cake

Jack and Jill

Jack Be Nimble

Cinderella Movies

Two-movie collection featuring Disney's classic animated version of the fairy tale and the 2015 live action adaptation.

In 'Cinderella' (1950), enslaved by her stepmother and two ugly sisters, the beautiful Cinderella (voice of Ilene Woods) seems destined to miss the glittering party at which the Prince (William Phipps) will choose his bride. However, a magical makeover courtesy of her Fairy Godmother (Verna Felton) gets her to the ball on time and Cinderella begins to cast her own spell on the Prince.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, 'Cinderella' (2015), stars Lily James as the eponymous character alongside an all-star cast including Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter. When her widowed father remarries to Lady Tremaine (Blanchett), Ella (James) does her best to be welcoming to her stepmother and her new stepsisters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drizella (Sophie McShera). However, after the unexpected death of her father, Ella finds herself being mistreated by Lady Tremaine and her daughters, forced to be a servant and nicknamed 'Cinderella'. One day in the woods she encounters a handsome stranger and believes him to work in the Palace, not realising he is in fact Prince Charming (Madden). Ella's household receives an invitation to a royal ball and Ella hopes she will get the chance to see the young man again. When Lady Tremaine refuses to let her attend the ball, a friendly fairy (Bonham Carter) steps in to lend a helping hand.

LEGO Cinderella

Manufacturer Recommended Ages: 4 - 7 Years

• Charming toy for 4-year-olds features cinderella's carriage, with rolling wheels, a seat, and space for her beauty chest, accessory elements include a pumpkin, magic wand, bowl, bone and a beauty chest with brush and lipstick.
• Includes easy-to-follow building instructions, castle with a ballroom and bigger pieces that make building easier.
• Includes mini-dolls: cinderella and prince charming, a puppy and a horse.
• Carriage with horse measures over 3" (9cm) high, 7" (18cm) long and 1" (5cm) wide.
• Castle measures over 5" (13cm) high, 2" (6cm) wide and 3" (9cm) deep.

DUPLO Cinderella

Manufacturer Recommended Ages: 24 months - 5 Years

Disney Cinderella fans will love recreating the ball scene with the Prince in this beautiful castle. Turn the gear wheels to make them dance, but remember to keep an eye on the clock! Develop early construction skills with this easy-to-build set with iconic accessories and decorated bricks to bring the magic to life. Includes two LEGO DUPLO figures: Cinderella and Prince Charming, plus a bird figure.

Little Adventures Cinderella Dress

Our Cinderella dress features a stretchy blue velvet bodice that is elegantly detailed with a gathered white inlay, sparkling silver trim and a beaded flower. The silver trimmed hip drapes capture that authentic Cinderella look. Features: clothing quality fabrics; machine washable. Stretchy, soft and very comfortable. Sizes: S-XL New Sizes available in Large Plus (ages 7-9), Size 9-11 and Size 11-13.