E D I T O R ' S P I C K
by Vicki Whiting, Kid Scoop News
he spirit of the
holidays is about giving,
not spending money.
Although at times,
this becomes
hard to
remember.
Here is a tip
from the Kid
Scoop News
Librarian on a
cool way to give
gifts that warm
the heart and make
your children feel
special and doesn't
cost a cent!
"Select some books
from the library!" says
Jim Silverman, the Kid
Scoop News librarian.
"Wrap them up and
tuck them under the
tree."
Of course, you have to
return them after a
couple of weeks. But
by then, the books are
read. A wrapped library
book provides
all the joy of a
gift, costs no
money and
after your
child has lost
interest in
it—you don't
have to
wonder
where to store it.
NOTE: This is a great
way for your kids to give
gifts to family members
without worrying about
the cost!
With the stress and excitement of the
holidays, you might nd it useful to
have a way to reward your children
for their good behavior.
On a wall or a door, hang a
Santa face and make a long
beard out of blown up white
balloons. Add a little note or
a small reward inside each
balloon before you tie up
the end. When a child
does something you
want to acknowledge,
let him or her pick and
pop a balloon to nd out
what is inside.
In addition to tiny little treats
that you can t into the opening
of a balloon, you can also write a
special privilege onto a slip of paper.
Select activities that are special to
your child and have fun nding
rewards that don't cost money.
Hanukkah begins on Christmas Eve this
year. That means people of
both the Christian and
Jewish faiths will be
celebrating at the same
time.
Hershel and the Hanukkah
Goblins was a favorite of
my boys when they were
younger. As you read it
aloud, take some time to
stop reading and discuss
what might happen next — a good way
to foster thinking about cause and
eect and making predictions — skills
they need in school (and life).
This is a creative adaptation of
the ancient Hanukkah story in
which the Greeks forbade the
Jewish people to practice their
religious beliefs. In this tale, a
group of goblins prevents a town
from celebrating Hanukkah, until
brave Hershel outsmarts them
and rescues the town. It also
explains some of
the Hanukkah traditions
along the way.
Read With Your Child:
A Hanukkah Read Aloud
By Eric Kimmel • Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
Here are some ideas:
23
December 2020 Vicki Whiting www.kidscoop.com Official Kids Mag
