Do you like singing and dancing to fun music? Well if you do, we have a great suggestion for you! Canadian singer/songwriter and mom, Darrelle London, has just released an album full of fun songs for kids that will have you singing and dancing in no time!
Let’s hear what Chirp Advisory Committee Member Goldie, 3, thought of Darrelle’s new album, PRIMARY.
“My favourite song is Primary. I like the cherries! I like the ‘extra sprinkles’ part in the Ice Cream Song and the train part in Chugga, Chugga, Choo, Choo.”
Thanks, Goldie! And thank you Darrelle, for making such sweet music for kids.
Primary is available now and you can watch the video for the song “Chugga Choo Choo ” below. For a chance to WIN a Primary CD of your own, comment on this post or email us at chirpblog@owlkids.com and let us know what your favourite song of all time is!
Did you know that March is Craft Month? We love crafts here at Chirp! We celebrate by making our March issue all about art! You can celebrate too by making this awesome puffy paint. Check it out!
Let us know what you painted in the comments! Or you can send photos of your creations to chirpblog@owlkids.com.
Did you read the story The Banig Festival that was in the March issue? Chirp reader Sophie sent us her own banig story and some photos, too. Check it out!
This is Sophie laying on her Lola’s (grandmother in Filipino) real-life banig! Wow, look at all those amazing colours! It looks just like the ones in the story.
When she was a kid, Sophie’s Lola used to sleep on her banig under a mosquito net. After reading the story, she let Sophie have a try! How fun!
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Sophie! We loved seeing your pictures and hearing your family’s special banig story.
Spring is such a happy time! Springtime is one of my favourite times of the year because of the warmer weather and pretty flowers.
Are you looking for some fun outdoor activities now that it’s getting warmer outside? Look no further! Here is a list of activities that are perfect for spring!
Go on a picnic
Go camping in your backyard
Plant some flowers
Go for a hike or a nature walk
Make a bird feeder
Go on a bike ride in your neighbourhood
Splash around in puddles after it rains
Try these out in the next few weeks! What outdoor activities are you looking forward to doing this spring? Let us know in the comments!
St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th, so here are some Green-Themed “Would You Rather” questions for you! Check out the scenarios below and decide which one you would rather do.
Would you rather:
Find a lucky four-leaf clover OR a pot of gold?
Drink a mint-chocolate milkshake OR eat a mint-chocolate cupcake?
Look at this awesome photo that Chirp reader Jethro sent us this week!
Jethro went to the Snowking Winter Festival featured in our December 2022 issue! Jethro also got to meet the Snowking himself and pose with Chirp in front of the castle!
Wow! Thank you so much for sending us this photo, Jethro! We think this is super cool.
Readers, would you like to see yourself on the Chirp blog? Send your photos to chirpblog@owlkids.com.
Tonight is the start of Holi, the Hindu festival of colours!
Holi is celebrated every year to welcome spring. During the festival, people celebrate by throwing powdered paints and coloured water in the air, and on each other!
Every colour symbolizes something special and has an important meaning.
It’s also celebrated with singing, dancing, lots of yummy food, and bonfires!
If you’re celebrating Holi, let us know what you’re doing to celebrate the holiday.
We’re introducing Staff Q&A’s so you can get to know the Owlkids team a bit better.
Today, it’s Dytria’s birthday! Dytria works on the Owlkids Books team and we asked her some fun questions about some of her favourite things and birthday traditions. Check it out!
Your favourite Owlkids book?
An impossible choice because they are all so good! But my introverted heart has a special place for How to Party Like a Snail.🐌
Do you have a birthday tradition?
Nothing out of the ordinary – dinner with my family. Maybe I should start one though…
What’s your favourite colour?
Forest green. 🌲
Favourite activity:
Reading (of course), but I also love doing puzzles, building Legos, and playing sports. ❤️
If you could pick a superpower?
Teleportation for sure! There’s a whole world to see and I would love to skip the plane rides. 🌍
Did you read the story, The Banig Festival, in the March issue of Chirp magazine? It was written by author Mila Philipzig and illustrated by her childhood friend, Aura Asuncion Yambao. Mila and Aura both grew up in the Philippines so Mila wanted to tell a story that was inspired by the Banig Festival that takes place there. The bridge in the story, that the main character is afraid to cross, was even inspired by a real bridge! Let’s learn more about Mila and her story.
Mila’s son walking across the bridge from the story.
What gave you the idea to write about the Banig Festival?
I love banigs (traditional handwoven mats) and have fond memories of sharing them with my siblings and cousins for afternoon siestas (naps). The banig-weaving industry is not flourishing in the Philippenes anymore and I wanted to call attention to banig, to the festival, and to celebrate these beautiful traditional mats.
How long have you been writing for kids?
Seven years.
Banigs are very colourful. What is your favourite colour?
Purple!
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Mila!
Have YOU ever been to a festival that was special to you? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
The Amazing Animal in this month’s issue of Chirp magazine is the MACAW.
Macaws are colourful, clever birds. They squawk and screech to talk to each other in the wild but have you ever heard a pet bird actually talk to humans? This video explains how they do it!
Don’t you love a long weekend in the middle of winter? Family Day is coming up (February 20th) in many provinces across Canada. Instead of staying cooped-up and cozy inside, throw on a pair of thick socks and venture out into the cold.
We’ve gathered some some fun winter activities to keep you and your family toasty warm!
• Build a snowman: Be it an Olaf lookalike or a upside-down snowman, get creative with your family in the snow!
• Sledding races: Grab your silly carpets and toboggans and head to the hill!
• Make snow angels: Playing in the snow isn’t just for kids, but something the whole family can enjoy.
• Ice skating: Check out your local skating rink for some good times on the ice!
Don’t forget to wrap up this fun-filled day with steaming cup of hot chocolate – or whatever your fave drink might be!
The March issue of Chirp magazine is here and it’s all about ART!
We were honoured to feature beadwork artist Skye Paul in the Look & Learn section this month. Check out the issue to see step-by-step photos of how Skye makes one of her beaded pieces. To learn more about Skye and to see more of her amazing art, be sure to visit her website: runningfoxbeads.com
What is your favourite kind of art to make? Tell us about it or send us a picture! chirp@owlkids.com
Have you ever heard of Disney on Ice? It’s a live performance of your favourite Disney characters … skating on ice! This year’s performance is called Disney on Ice: Find Your Hero and it’s all about recreating tales of heroism from famous Disney stories. It stars Micky, Minnie, and many of their friends.
Chirp readers Norah, Alistair, and Milo got to see a Disney on Ice performance this week. Let’s hear what they thought of the show!
Norah, Alistair, and Milo in front of the Disney on Ice stage. The show is about to start!
“I liked how Eric’s boat fell apart so fast in the storm. And I liked when Moana’s boat and the staircases moved by themselves around the ice. I was a teensy bit scared when the firecrackers went “KABLOOEY!” I think other kids would like to see this show because it has lots of characters and maybe they can even get a snack.” – Alistair, 6
“The one time when Rapunzel whacked Flynn in the head with a frying pan was funny. The next time too. Flynn made funny noises. I liked Flounder, too. He was so cute. I think other kids would like to see the cute Flounder in the show with Ariel too.”- Milo, 3
“My favourite part of the show was when the princes lifted the princesses off the ice and the princesses did acrobatic things in the air. I also liked when Ariel got her new feet and was lifted up into the air on this pulley-thing and did acrobatics. It also had cute characters like Maximus, Olaf, Sebastian, Flounder, Lumiere, Cogsworth, and others. The Ursula costume was very impressive.” – Norah, 8
Sounds like a great show, thanks Alistair, Milo, and Norah!
Disney on Ice: Fine Your Hero is playing across North America until April 2023. If you are in Ontario, you can check out these upcoming shows:
It’s handwriting day! Celebrate this day by practicing your handwriting. Trace over letters or try some fun dot to dots – the choice is yours! Check it out.
Chickadee reader Alexander sent us this cool drawing. Check it out!
This is Flam, and we think it’s awesome! Great job, Alexander. We love that it has all the colours of fire!
Readers, would you like to see your art on the Chickadee blog? Send it to chickadeeblog@owlkids.com. And if you want to see more super cool dragons, check out the Jan/Feb issue of Chickadee!
Did you know that the Popsicle, the television and earmuffs were all invented by kids? It’s true! Today is Kid Inventors’ Day and its a day to celebrate the great stuff that kids invented in the past…and will invent in the future!
Check out some cool facts below about what was invented by awesome kids…just like you!
Benjamin Franklin invented…swimming flippers.
George Nissen and Larry Griswold invented….the first trampoline.
Louis Braille invented…the Braille system.
These inventions are still used today and changed the world. Maybe this will inspire you!
It’s International Creativity Month! Here’s a fun Button Tree craft to celebrate. If you don’t have buttons, you can use other things like macaroni or pompoms!
Flip the paper so it is vertical or with the edges going up and down. Fold the bottom half up to the top. Then fold the bottom right corner over to the left and pinch the edge so that it makes a small crease. Then open it back up.
2. Use the crease as a guide and fold the left and right bottom corners up to the middle. Rotate the paper so the point is up to the top and fold one layer of paper up.
3. Flip the paper over to the other side and fold the bottom edge up. Unfold the paper and then fold the bottom right corner along the crease you made. Repeat on the bottom left flap.
4. Re-fold the bottom edge back up. Open the bottom of the boat and flatten them. Insert the overlapping flap on the left underneath the right section.
5. Fold one layer up to the top and repeat on the back. Then, open the bottom of the model.
6. Pull the left and right flaps apart, flatten it out and make sure it is in the shape of a boat. Open it slightly and you have a boat!
Tonight marks the last day of 2022. When we wake up tomorrow it will be a new year! We hope you have a fun New Year’s Eve and a great start to 2023! We are excited to bring you 10 new issues of Chirp in 2023. We have all kinds to great issues coming up, including DINOSAURS, ART, DOGS, and more!
What was one of your favourite memory from 2022? Share it in the comments below.
Today is the first official day of winter, otherwise known as the winter solstice! To celebrate the shortest day of the year, check out these cool facts!
The North Pole is tilted away from the sun during the winter time.
Each planet in the Earth’s solar system has solstices.
In Wiltshire, England, there’s a stone monument called Stonehenge that was built over 5,000 years ago. It is one of the 7 Wonders of the World and some think it was used as to mark solstices. Every year, people gather there to celebrate the event.
It’s not always on the same day. The solstice can fall on any date between December 20-23rd. This is because the Earth is never in the same spot each year.
How will you be spending your winter break? Leave a comment down below!
Today I have a fun podcast to share with you called African Folktales with Miss Jo Jo. This award-winning podcast features diverse short stories that have been passed down through generations. All the traditional tales originate from Africa and are told with a twist and a lesson to be learned at the end!
ABC Mouse is an app designed to help kids learn reading, math, art, music and so much more! It’s an app created by teachers and education experts and has over 10,000 exciting learning activities for kids at all academic levels.
There are also videos, books, puzzles, printables, games, and animations to check out too! There’s also a progress tracker, so kids can go at their own pace.
Are you looking for a wintry book to read? Check out Don’t Let Go by Elisabeth Eudes-Pascal. It’s a fun book about a polar bear family’s day at a frosty beach. Let’s hear what Chirp reader Anura thought of this book!
“It was a very good book because it made me laugh.
This book is about feeling scared. I have a connection to this book, when I go to the beach and jump in the water it’s pretty scary.
It reminds me of when we go to the beach in the summer and there are lots of people doing different things in the water.
I liked all the speech bubbles! I also loved the illustrations in the book. I would recommend this book to other readers.”
Put your thinking caps on for this mysterious story in the December issue of Chickadee! Click play below to listen to The Case of the Mysterious Tracks by Jessica Westhead, illustrated by Nneka Myers.
The Case of the Mysterious Tracks by Jessica Westhead (read by author), Chickadee December 2022
It’s International Cake Day on November 26! Here’s a yummy recipe you can make to celebrate this sweet day! Click on the link below to learn how to make it.
Optional: If you don’t want to make Shelldon cake pops, you can use different coloured candy melts and toppings to make it your own.
November 24 is Parfait (say: PAR-fay) Day! A parfait is a sweet dessert with layered ingredients. What those ingredients are, is totally up to you! Check out this breakfast parfait recipe from the September 2020 issue of Chickadee.
*Remember to ask an adult for help in the kitchen!
The December issue of Chirp is here and it will get you excited for snowy winter fun! You can learn how skates work, make a hanging icicle ornament, and read a story about a turtle getting ready for the season. We hope you like this issue!
Blast off! This month, we take off to space to explore the International Space Station. Find out how astronauts live there and other interesting facts. Then, try out a recipe for a galaxy treat and launch a paper rocket. As always, we have fun puzzles and comics, too. Look out for the issue in your mailbox or at your local bookstore or library.
In the November issue of OWL Magazine, you get to meet young scientist and inventor, Safal. She experimented with using magnets to bring an elevator to a slow and safe stop. She showcased her project at last year’s Canada Wide Science Fair. To learn more about the steps she took to get her elevator to work, click here.
Do you have an engineering project you would like to share with us? Email us at owl@owlkids.com
Gather round to listen to a spooky tale in the October issue of Chickadee! Click play below to listen to The Terrifying Tale of the Zombicorn by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier.
The Terrifying Tale of Zombicorn by Naseem Hrab (read by author), Chickadee October 2022
Today is Orange Shirt Day. Today, many people wear orange shirts to commemorate, or raise awareness, about residential schools and the process of healing for Indigenous people and their families.
It’s important to learn about Indigenous history and read books by Indigenous authors. Click here for a reading list to get you started!
For more information about Orange Shirt Day, click here. And for more resources check out these great websites: 4CAnoes.org and Goodminds.com
Let us know how you will be raising awareness for Orange Shirt Day.
To celebrate Ice Cream Cone day, here’s a yummy recipe! Check it out!
You can also find the recipe here. Always ask an adult for help in the kitchen!
You’ll need:
Your choice of cake mix
24 flat-bottom ice cream cones
Cupcake liners
Cupcake baking tray
frosting (store-bought or homemade)
OPTIONAL: You can add your favourite toppings like mini chocolate chips, breakfast cereal, animal crackers, dried fruit, candy sprinkles, crushed hard candy, or granola.
How to make:
Line the cupcake tray with the cupcake liners.
Mix the cake batter and pour evenly in muffin cups.
Place ice cream cones upside down on batter in each cup.
Bake 16-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Wait about 30 minutes, or until cooled completely.
Remove paper baking cups and frost cakes.
Decorate!
TIP: To keep the Ice Cream Cone Cakes steady on a serving plate, put a small amount of frosting on the bottom of the cone and press lightly onto the plate.
Owlkids is running a contest with our friends at Treehouse that will give readers like you a chance to see The Wiggles live!
The Wiggles Big Show Tour is coming to Canada this fall and The Wiggles will be performing all their hits for you to sing along with and dance around to.
Enter for a chance to WIN:
PRIZE: 4 tickets to The Wiggles Big Show concert of your ch