Happy Winter!

 

Hi Owlkids Family,

Winter is here and it’s time to get cozy! Here are some fun family activities to try this year.

1. Decorate gingerbread cookies to look like people in your family.
2. Make candles out of old crayons to add some colour and warmth to your surroundings.
3. Wrap up in blankets and read picture books your children loved when they were younger.
4. Build an elaborate contraption like this, using stuff from around the house.
5. Make yummy frozen hot chocolate.
6. Hold a board game tournament. Final winner gets to choose a special dinner or a movie to watch.
7. Watch a video together about why there is snow on mountain peaks.
8. Gather evergreen branches and make a winter wreath.
9. Settle into relaxation with a pyjama day.
10. Grab a pencil and complete some fun puzzles from one of the Owlkids special issues.

Stay warm, everyone!

– Jackie

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Fall Family Fun

Hi Owlkids Family!

What do you like to do in autumn to celebrate the changing of the seasons? I love going for walks in the crisp fall air and also looking at the tree outside my window. Its leaves seem to change colour so suddenly every year and  then fall to the ground, creating piles of yellow on top of the grass.

Here are some other fun activities to try with your family this fall. Have fun!

Go for a hike somewhere you have never explored before. How is it different from places you have been before? How is it the same?

Build a wind vane and see which way the fall winds are blowing.

Make pumpkin everything! Add pumpkin puree to smoothies, pancake mix, cookies, and pasta sauce.

Collect fallen leaves and press them between the pages of books to enjoy later or turn them into a door wreath or a colourful crown.

Hang a recycled bird feeder outside to help the birds now that food will be more sparse.

Bundle up and have a picnic in a park.

Check out one of the great books from the Owlkids Fall 2021 catalogue. See previews of some of the books here.

Make a cozy pillow to cuddle up with on those extra cold days.

Blow bubbles and see if you can get them to pop by landing on an evergreen tree’s needles.

And last but not least, of course, you have to jump into the biggest leaf pile you can find!

Happy fall!

— Jackie

 

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10 Ways to Haunt Your House

Happy Halloween, Owlkids Family!

Here are some tips to turn your house into a Halloween Spook-tacular this year.

• Hang indoor and/or outdoor decorations like a paper ghost garland or orange and black streamers.
• Create a music playlistand set it up to play continuously from your TV or separate speakers.
• Tape a picture of a jack-o-lantern or ghost in cupboard to give someone a surprise.
• Carve or paint a pumpkin family. Or recycle old crayons to make a spooky wax-dripped pumpkin.
• Tape plastic bug toys onto walls or place them on cushions and chairs.
• Create a cozy blanket fort, perfect for telling silly stories in.
• Set out some scary snacks like these apple monsters.
• Decorate a window with orange and red tissue paper so any light shining through has a glow to it.
• Shine lamps or flashlights at objects to create giant shadows on one wall or make bat shadow puppets.
• Serve a magic potion smoothie made of blueberries, vanilla yogurt, milk, and few candy sprinkles on top.

Once you’ve got your house decked out, take advantage of the spooky atmosphere with a fun activity! Put on costumes and play hide and seek in the dark with flashlights, organize a candy scavenger hunt, or put on a magic show. Whatever you and your family do this Halloween, we hope you have a hauntingly happy time!

— The Owlkids Team

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SAYING GOODBYE TO BOB KAIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Way back in 1997, cartoonist Bob Kain helped create our favourite little bird character and brought him to life in the pages of Chirp magazine.

We were saddened to learn of Bob’s passing last week.

But we are so happy that his legacy lives on in the magazine. Bob shared so many of Chirp’s sweet and silly qualities and even though he stopped drawing the Chirp Comic years ago, we still see much of him in the character. Bob Kain helped us build this magazine to what it is today and we are honoured to have been part of his inspiring life and his ever-evolving cartooning journey. 

In honour of Bob, we thought we would share his first-ever Chirp Comic. Enjoy!

— The Owlkids Team

 

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Story Time

Hi Owlkids Family,

Looking for a cute story that deals with some of those back-to-school feelings? Check out the audio version of this story from Chirp magazine, as read by author and parent, Adrienne Brown.

In this story, Finley the fish is feeling a range of emotions as he goes about his school day. With the help of his friends and family he learns how to get through the hard stuff in a positive way.

 

 

 

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