Recently educator Mandy Swan of the Kinderberry Hill Child Development Centers in Plymouth, Minnesota, used our very popular Bur Bur's Boating ABC's children's book as part of curriculum for her pre-schoolers.The book is the first in a series of educational adventures that uses a cast of multilcultural characters, Bur Bur and Friends, who educate kids about sports, outdoor exploration and active play. Below is an interview about how she built upon the theme.

How did you choose Bur Bur's Boating ABC's book as part of your lesson plan?

We decided to incorporate "Bur Bur's Boating ABC's" into our lesson plan based on the fact that we were doing a unit on summer and summer activities. In Minnesota (the land of 10,000 lakes) boating is a common summer activity and we felt it might make the children more familiar with boating safety and be more apt to enjoy it

How did you use the book in your lesson plan?

We chose to read the book on day during our group time activity and then we discussed all the things we learned. We talk a lot about safety and how to stay safe when you are on a boat. We also discussed the animals we saw especially those the children didn't know like the Egret.

What was the response from the kids?

The kids love all the Bur Bur books and always want to read them so when it came time to read the book they got very excited. It was their favorite ABC book and we would always incorporate the Bur Bur books into our lesson plans they are great books and both educational and fun.

Any Advice to other educators considering the same theme?

I highly recommend using the Bur Bur books as part of the pre-school curriculum. The books are fun and they also teach meaningful lessons. They are also very versatile and go with many possible classroom themes.

Note: These beautifully illustrated children's books are a must see. To view pages within the Bur Bur and Friends books for kids, please visit http://burburandfriends.com/products

Great Children's Book Review Award Testimonials from Bur Bur's Boating ABCs

"I have never seen another book that offers young children an introduction to the world of boating. We are on the lake every weekend in the summer and this was a perfect addition to our library for our young daughter."  — iParenting Media Awards reviewer

"I loved the diversity in this book. It also offers questions on many pages, which promotes interaction between parent and child while reading." — Learning Magazine Teacher's Choice Awards — For the Family reviewer

"My kids were very interested in the active role they were able to play as this book was read. The details in the pictures amazed them!" — Learning Magazine Teacher's Choice Awards — For the Family reviewer

Using a diverse cast of characters, Bur Bur and Friends stories take children along on a series of first-time experiences. Simple text and colorful illustrations nurture young imaginations and inspire kids to get active. The characters are based off of real kids and the stories are real experiences.

Bur Bur and Friend's multiethnic children's story book series: 

Bur Bur and Friends is a cast of friends, multicultural children who help kids cultivate their self-esteem and talents by teaching them about sports, outdoor exploration and active play though diverse learning experiences. Bur Bur and Friends characters are based off of real life kids like yours! Teachers, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarten and all early readers think they are the best children's books and our awards back that up!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 at 12:30 pm and is filed under Community Board. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.