The Healthy Journal

It's back to school time and learning is in full swing. Some kids are getting more screen time (the good kind) as more schools roll-out iPads. Here's where a company called eSpark is making a difference helping teachers achieve goals for their students. Using the technology of iPads in the classroom, eSpark is focused on education that is student-centered—working with the needs of an individual student. Each child gets a personalized assignment, called a quest, using particular apps to achieve defined goals. "eSpark empowers teachers to transform their classrooms with technology.... Teachers can focus iPad instruction on students' individual needs to improve their academic outcomes." Rather than creating educational apps for their platform, eSpark scours the vast ecosystem of iPad apps to identify highly engaging and challenging activities. Apps are vetted through a strict rubric to ensure Common Core alignment, academic rigor, and engagement. The Prisoner of Car...

I wanted to point you to a guest post I did this week over at Grace for Moms . Most parents are challenged to get their kids to eat healthy foods. The key is start early. First foods are very important and interaction (yes, getting messy) with those foods is part of gaining a love for healthy stuff. Pop on over to the post at Grace for Moms to add some tips to your arsenal. NOTE: You'll see there was a giveaway for promo codes of The Prisoner of Carrot Castle iPad storybook. No worries. I'll give out 5 codes to 5 commenters on this blog. Spread the word to moms and dads to read the article then scoot over here to post comments for a chance to get a code for your own personal copy of The Prisoner of Carrot Castle * —a fun way to encourage eating veggies for your kids. *iPad required to download the book app. However, if you have an iPhone, there is a FREE game app kids LOVE that goes with the story. Download the iPhone app here .

Happy Food Education Day! Worldwide, there are more than 42 million children under the age of five who are either overweight or obese, and it's the first time that the next generation will live shorter lives than their parents if things don't change. We eat, but we eat foods high in calories and low in nutrients. We are overfed yet undernourished. So much so that the world's biggest killers are now diet-related diseases, including heart failure and stroke. So what can we do? It all starts with education . It’s essential that we arm future generations with the life skills they urgently need in order to lead healthier, happier, more productive lives. Educating the next generation about real, nourishing foods and supporting them to live healthier lifestyles is the key to a real food revolution. Jamie Oliver has made it his lifelong work to teach kids to eat a healthy diet. Join Jamie and other health-minded people like him and sign the petition to educate our kids. As a chil...

Let's celebrate the hardest job on the planet. Motherhood. Celebrate the Mom YOU are! It's not one size fits all. Many flavors color this oftentimes underrated and over looked calling. Grace for Moms (skillfully run by Jessica Wolstenholm) has gathered moms (including me) at different stations to Celebrate the Mom YOU are. Check out all the blog posts about mothering and share them with your mom friends. Oh, and don't forget to enter the Giveaway . Subscribe to Grace for Moms to get posts delivered to your inbox. Don't miss my post on Teaching Your Child to Love Healthy Food . Join Joanne Kraft and Jessica on Facebook for the grand finale party on May 12th at 8PM CST (6PM PST). I'll be there along with many of the moms who've passed along their grace and wisdom for this Mother's Day celebration. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The BIG B.A.S.H. is HERE . The Book App Alliance (BAA) wants more moms and dads, aunt and uncles, grandparents and librarians, teachers and therapists to discover our wonderful apps. These beautiful, clever, funny, entertaining and educational book apps just happen to be interactive books for kids. Win an iPad Mini and enough book apps from our amazing Author Members to keep your kids busy all summer long! Books that engage the reader get more attention, especially by the reluctant reader. If you haven't discovered these gems for kids because you're attracted to the shiny appeal of the Disney and Sesame Street offerings. Look no further. The BAA was founded by independent authors to be an organization of industry leading authors and developers/marketers who offer quality interactive books for kids. Our mission is to create and grow a community of fans and advocates for the book apps represented here . As a community working together, we bring awareness and spread the word abou...

I can't believe that it has been three years since The Prisoner of Carrot Castle hit the App Store for the iPad. Since then Aiden's adventures have been read to children around the world from Brazil and China to Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Through an interactive story, kids learn that eating vegetables is an action-packed adventure. Today through the use of iPads in the classroom, The Prisoner of Carrot Castle is enjoyed on a richer level. Schools across the US are using the story with a curriculum that supports Common Core Standards. Find out how eSpark is using The Prisoner of Carrot Castle  and other educational kid's apps on their platform to accentuate learning and track student progress. If you are a teacher and wish to learn more, you can download the free curriculum at Purple Carrot Books . For educational discounts, please contact Apple about their Volume Purchase Program . Meanwhile if you don't have your copy of The Prisoner of Carrot Castle , you can d...

Many of you know I'm a children's author and today I'm pleased to announce my latest book, Ethan Blecher Braves a Bully , is officially launched. Volume 1 of this new series with Ethan Blecher navigates the struggles every child might encounter in elementary school. Parents and teachers will appreciate that it's a fun read for kids, but not irreverent. Our "every child" hero finds himself the focus of a bully in his new school. His parents decide to send him to spring camp hoping he will make some friends, but the outlook turns terrifying when his nemesis shows up. Find out if Ethan's fearful attitude and shy nature get the best of him or will he muster some courage and stand up to the bully? The sensitive issue of bullying is a timely subject in our culture today. It is a huge problem by the time kids enter middle school . Too many young children have tragically taken their own lives because they were being bullied at that tender age. Emotional trauma rea...