If you check out the Bur Bur and Friends Web site, you’ll find some great coloring pages (free to download!).

The coloring pages introduce children to the Bur Bur and Friends characters — and give them a chance to express themselves with color, creativity and imagination.

Take a look at some of the colored pages we’ve received from visitors to the site, as well as from kids who attended our national product launch at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., in late July.

We’d love to see more artwork from Bur Bur’s growing network of friends! E-mail or mail them our way! We will be posting them periodically on this site.

By Somby, age 7

By Caley, age 2

By Reegan, age 5 1/2

By Siri, age 7

By Kensie, age 3

By Torie, age 4

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By Andy Murray, swim instructor and coach

As a swimming instructor for the past 15 years, I’ve experienced a lot when it comes to first lessons with young children. It’s not just about what’s happening IN the pool, but also poolside.

Here are some tips for parents that can help make the most of your child’s early pool and swimming lessons.

Do ask questions about the program and instructors
Make sure you are comfortable with the staff. Talk to other parents and children involved in the program. The best report card a program can get is that the parents are happy with the child’s progress and that the children are just happy about swimming.

Don’t ask questions at the beginning or during the lesson
This will delay the instruction as well as be a safety issue, since you are distracting the staff from watching your child.

Do encourage your swimmer
Positive encouragement and questions about your swimmer’s lessons will let them know you think this is important and you are interested in their progress.

Don’t criticize your swimmer about slow progress or mistakes made at lessons
This will make your swimmer more anxious about the lessons.

Do get your swimmer a floatie or bubble to use when in the water outside of lessons
The swimmer should always use the flotation device until he/she can float well. Even with a flotation device, the swimmer should never be unsupervised.

Don’t have the first swim lesson be your child’s first time in a pool
Get them comfortable with water before starting lessons.

Do swim and play in the water with your child
Showing your child that swimming is fun and something you like will give them another reason to want to learn to swim. Have your child show you some things they learned in lessons, but don’t turn it into another lesson.

Don’t expect miracles
It may take years for your child to go from blowing bubbles to the butterfly stroke. Don’t get discouraged or anxious and give up on lessons. Once your child learns to swim, it will be a lifelong skill that has great benefits.

Do enroll your child in swim lessons in the winter
Most swim lesson programs run year-round and there are several reasons why the winter is a good time to start lessons. Winter lessons will give your child several months to learn before summer and classes may be smaller/easy to get into since winter is not when people typically think of swimming. There is no reason not to. The water is always the same temperature and your child will not catch a cold from being in the pool in the winter.

Do encourage your children to practice outside of lessons
This can be accomplished at a community swimming pool, a friend’s swimming pool or in the bathtub.

Andy Murray is the founder of www.SwimLessonInfo.com a children’s swim lesson resource Web site. He has taught children’s swimming lessons for 15 years. He also coaches a youth swim team in Boston, Mass.

By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series
I can’t think of any parent who has never had power struggles with their kids about food. The challenge lies in how to overcome them in a way that makes it a positive experience.

In our crazy world of trying to balance work, social, sports and family life, the last thing we want to do is have an argument with our kids about what they are going to have for dinner. When I was a child, we were poor and we got whatever was placed in front of us or we would go hungry.

Recently there was a post on the Business Week parents blog section called ‘TV NUTRITIONIST WANTS US TO STOP KILLING OUR KIDS’

This article got me thinking about so many issues. What has worked for others? What role can I play? What can we do to empower our children to make good healthy choices and stay active? We all want healthy, happy kids.

I was heavy as a child and the emotional scars it leaves behind are not fun at all. Fortunately, I had a mother, who in her loving way, sent my sister and I to what we now call fondly call ‘fat camp’. I was 12 my sister was 11. Little did we know how it would set a foundation for us for the rest of our lives.

It taught us a lot about the fact that being healthy is about lifestyle choices. It taught us what are ‘normal’ choices, portion sizes. It was amazing to me. Apparently it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full. So that is exactly what they had us do at camp. I got full off of one piece of french toast, a glass of water and a glass of orange juice! Who would have thought that?

There are so many factors that contribute to healthy eating.

1. Balance and and learning what is ‘normal’. I used to know a guy who defined ‘normal’ as ‘the setting on your dryer’ which I think is funny. We all have different thermostats, settings, etc. The bottom line is we each have to establish what ‘normal’ is for ourselves. There is no such thing as one size fits all.

2. Habit - How easy is it to fall into routine? I think we have to create new routines for and with our kids that involve keeping active. We began writing Bur Bur and Friends book series to motivate parents and kids to get moving. Our hope is that our children’s books and the characters featured in them, will make a difference in this world. When was the last time you went outside with your kid to kick the soccer ball around or throw a football, frisbee, basketball, etc? Those are the things that teach our kids about interacting with one another. They will remember those moments. I don’t think it is likely they say: ‘Hey - remember that time we all sat around the house watching TV?” The time to create memories is NOW.

3. Portion size - How do we know what is a serving when american culture teaches ‘more is better’? It is important to teach our children that information. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Recently revised their food pyramid and established a website that can help figure out and track adequate portion size. They even have a special area for kids. My sister used to keep a copy of the food pyramid hanging in her kitchen so she could talk to her kids about it while cooking or eating. You can print out the food pyramid at the site referenced above.

At the beginning of the post I talked about power struggles with food. I don’t have all of the answers, none of us do. Perhaps if we teach our kids not just that they have to eat something, but why it could make a difference.

Please share what has worked for you in the comments section below.

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By Jodi Nelson, Minnesota Mom of 2

Getting my 4 1/2-year old daughter to sleep has been, well, a nightmare. After reading countless books on sleep, visiting a sleep specialist and tearing my hair out for four years, I finally resorted to my own agenda and approach.

We don’t give my daughter candy very often and one day, she was begging for a roll of “Smarties.” I said fine, you can have two now and if you go to sleep right away, with no crying and no getting out of bed, you can have the rest right away in the morning.

She said OK and went right to bed (for the entire night!) and was proud to get the rest of her Smarties in the morning. We continued with various rewards the rest of the week and by the weekend, we were on track. (I try to use stickers, pencils and other novelty, non-candy items as much as possible)

The second week, I started spreading out the rewards every other day, then every couple of days, etc. Eventually, the sleep struggles were under control!

We definitely have had relapses, but when we resort back to the plan for a few days, the bedtime challenge is a non-issue.

The key to the strategy for me is to give special rewards — i.e., things that my daughter doesn’t usually get, so they are very special. If you give in and give them something, it will backfire immediately. These kids are too smart, if they figure out they will get the prize anyway, they won’t bother doing what you ask.

I have used this same technique for other things that I have wanted my daughter to succeed at. Sometimes it works right away and other times it takes a little bit, but in the end, it has worked every time.

I hope this strategy works for others!

P.S.: Don’t forget to put the reward next to your child’s bed or in a special designated spot once they are asleep. If they wake up after doing what you ask and it is not there, they are not as receptive to trying it again the next night. Good luck!

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By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

When we chose to become authors of Bur Bur and Friends, multicultural children’s books that educate kids about sports, outdoor exploration and active play, it did not occur to us that it would change how we watch these activities.

Now, I find myself taking mental notes and paying closer attention as I watch how the kids play together. It is exciting to see them catching on as they learn more about the sport and teamwork. It has become more intriguing to watch the different ways a coach interacts with the kids and encourages their growth.

As parents, we wander around trying to figure out the whole balancing act thing. How do we define balance? What is it supposed to look like? Is there any one right way? Something happened to me the other night that I think many of you can relate to if your kids are in sports… I felt compelled to share it. Below is an hour and ten minutes in the life of a soccer mom: (more…)

By JoAnne Pastel, President and founder, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

Is anyone else bothered (i.e., concerned) by all of the recent press and reports regarding childhood obesity and inactivity? Or the concept of soda machines in schools? Or all of the hidden sugars in today’s food products?

Here are just a few of the headlines and findings that have caught my eye lately:

• “Sugary drinks tied to extra pounds in preschoolers,” by Amy Norton, Reuters Health, June 8, 2007

• Roughly one in four American children – or 23%- are overweight (Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Tooth decay is on the increase in young kids’ baby teeth, caused by too much sugar in their diets. A study by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (April 2006) found that tooth decay increased to 28% in kids ages 2-5 from 1999-2004. This was up from 24% in 1994.

The sugary drinks article was one that has had many of my mom friends talking upon realizing how much juice their kids are chugging down each day – and the implications of that.

Basically, a study by Canadian researchers found that: “Preschool children who are regularly given sugary drinks between meals are more likely to be overweight than their peers before age five.” (Findings are published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association). The research did not include children who drank only 100% pure fruit juice.

Tonight, I think my son and I are going to the park – armed with lots of good old H2O and ready to run and play!

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By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

My son began playing soccer at five years old. At this point we were about two years into writing multicultural children’s literature about sports, outdoor exploration and active play. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Little did I know we were both at the beginning of a metamorphosis in our lives that taught us both some key lessons.

At first, I observed he intentionally would stay back when all of the kids were running after the ball. It was as though he was waiting for permission to get in there. He didn’t know any of the other children and wasn’t sure how to jump in and participate.

At all of the practices, nobody was officially keeping score or even talking about who was winning or losing. Instead, everyone was cheering on all of the kids regardless of whether they missed kicking the ball, fell down or didn’t block the goal.

Parents were shouting from the sidelines comments like; “Nice work!”, “Good save,” “Good try,” “Get in there,” etc. One of the greatest things about watching kids as they begin to play sports is when you see the little victories by the smiles on their faces. Especially the ones where they are trying to play it off as no big deal, but you can tell inside they are about to explode with pride.

It was fun to see the kids grow throughout the months of games and practice. My son eventually figured out how to get in there and run with the ball along with his teammates. As the season came to a close, they were cooperating, jumping in there to participate and working together as a team. They figured out how to follow the rules, the importance of good sportsmanship — and to get back up when they fell.

They also learned the dynamics of how to engage other kids and develop social skills. For many of them, sports will become a lifelong passion. More importantly, they learned how to belong and be a part of something larger than themselves.

As for me, it was a lesson in letting go and allowing my son to figure things out for himself. Sometimes I think parenthood teaches us little lessons along the way of how to let go and trust in a process. The time seems to be passing along so quickly. I want to soak in every moment I can while I still have it because I know soon it will be a memory.

As parents, it is up to us to lay the foundation for them so they can learn the power and importance of making the right decisions. Then we simply do our best to point them in the right direction and hope for the best.

Please share some experiences about the lessons participation in sports has taught you, other parents and or with kids!

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By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends Book Series

When we wrote the book, “Bur Bur Throws out The First Pitch” it was based on a real story about JoAnne’s son who got to throw out the first pitch when he was 2 1/2 at a professional baseball game opener. It got me thinking about my first experience sharing baseball with my son and something that will keep me smiling the rest of my life.

I took my little guy to his ‘first’ Minnesota Twins game at the age of five. He has this obsession with trains, so I thought it would be fun to take the light rail from the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., to the Metrodome stadium. At each stop, more and more people hopped on until it was standing room only. I could see many of the men watching my child with smiles and a spark in their eyes that took them back to their own childhoods. Then one of them looked at me with a smirk and asked; “First game?” I nodded with a grin.

My son had brought a little fanny pack stuffed with small happy meal toys. As we passed through the gates, one of the guards wanted to look inside the pouch for security purposes. When I opened it he laughed and also said, “Oh, first game” It was comical. He then gave a big smile, put his hand on top of my son’s head and said, “Welcome to the world of baseball young man.”

It was like a rite of passage to something he very well may become passionate about for the rest of his life. We made it through the 5th or 6th inning clapping, cheering, buying mini-doughnuts and enjoying one another’s company.

My hope for him is that it a day he remembers for the rest of his life. I know I certainly will treasure it forever.

I would love to hear from you memories of taking your kids to first time sporting events. Reply to this post and tell us about it!

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By JoAnne Pastel, President and founder, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

I love soul food. It is an important part of my heritage and something that I am excited to introduce to my bi-racial son. In fact, having him try a diverse array of foods is becoming a fun adventure. He loves edameme and tempura at our favorite sushi restaurant; and recently tried gyros. My husband is part Scottish, but I will admit that haggis will NOT be on our “must try” list!

Soul food recipes have been passed on through generations, including dishes like black-eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread, ribs and more. Here are two recipes that have been passed along in my family that are winners.

These recipes are healthier, lower calorie versions of traditional soul food favorites – and they have passed my son’s taste test.

Feel free to share other ethnic favorites from your family here!

Peach Cobbler

Filling Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs. ripe peaches (6-7 medium peaches)
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch of salt

Biscuit Topping Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1/3 cup plain, whole milk yogurt.

1. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 425◦.

2. Peel the peaches and then halve and pit each one. Using a small spoon, scoop out and discard dark flesh from the pit area. Cut each half into 4 wedges.

3. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in a large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times.

4. Drain peaches in a colander set over a large bowl. Whisk ¼ cup of drained juice, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt together in a small bowl. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and transfer to an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around the edges, about 10 minutes.

5. In a food processor, combine the flour, 3 Tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse briefly to blend. Ad the butter and process in about 10 quick pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with a rubber spatula until a cohesive dough is formed (don’t overmix!).

6. Break the dough into 6 evenly-sized mounds and set aside.

7. After the peaches have baked for the 10 minutes, remove them fro mthe oven and place the dough mounds on top. Sprinkle each mound with a portion of the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, approximately 15 to 17 minutes. Cool cobbler on a wire rack until warm. Serve the warm cobbler with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 6 servings/Approx. 190 calories per serving

Buttermilk Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray (canola oil-based)
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white or yellow cornmeal
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 425◦. Coat two mini-muffin tins (24 muffins) with vegetable cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk and oil until blended.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder until blended. Add the buttermilk mixture and stir until smooth.

4. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn onto a wire rack and cool.

Makes 24 muffins; approx. 40 calories per muffin

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Like duck-duck-goose or a game of tag, some games are classics – they are simply FUN!

Here are three games that Bur Bur enjoys with his friends Anna, Mateo, Connor and Lily. They get the kids moving, laughing and best of all, enjoying active play.

Scavenger hunt
For ages 2+
Number of players: 2 or more
Draw a list of simple items for the kids to search for throughout the yard or park area (i.e., simple drawings of birds, a unique tree, a flower, a barn, or other distinctive landmarks). Give each child a list and encourage them to find each item and check it off with a crayon or marker. Whoever finds all of the items receives a special award or treat for their accomplishment!

Shadow tag
Number of players: 4 or more
For ages 3+
Decide which child will be “it.” When “it” steps on your shadow, you become “it” and try to capture another player’s shadow in turn.

Shark
Number of players: 4 or more
For ages 3+
Place towels, mats, hula hoops or some other flat objects on the ground to serve as “home base” for all of the “fish.” One child is designated as the “shark.” When the shark calls, “Fishie, fishie, cross my sea,” the fish have to move to a different base. If they are tagged while moving across the sea, they become a shark as well. The last remaining fish becomes the first shark in the next round.
Variation: Parents or caregivers can remove mats to make it more challenging and requiring the kids to share space if needed on one mat.

If you have any other great active preschool games, we’d love to hear about them…

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As in the book, Bur Bur loves to go fishing, but he also enjoys eating several fish entrees, including his favorite “pink fish” – salmon.

Here is one of Bur Bur’s favorites – it is simple, healthy and he loves it!

Ingredients:
Organic salmon filet
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Ground pepper

Rinse the organic salmon filet in cold water and pat dry. Rub it with olive oil, season it with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Sear it on a cast-iron pan in the oven at 500◦ for 5-10 minutes or until done (the fish flakes with a fork).

That’s all there is to it!

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By JoAnne Pastel, President and founder, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

I will admit it: I am an advocate of organic foods. I worry about health and the safety of the food we eat – and especially what my son eats. I simply get more peace-of-mind thinking that the organic products are free of the pesticides, non-organic fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics that are used in conventional food production.

Organic defined
The USDA says that:

Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation. All organic food must come from farms and processing plants that are certified by the government.

Did you read that last part about “synthetic ingredients,” “sewage sludge” and “ionizing radiation”?!?

In fact, a report by the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that organic foods are no safer or nutritious than other foods. And the USDA doesn’t actually guarantee that organic is safer or more nutritious than non-organic. It simply certifies that the organic foods can limit your child’s exposure to pesticides and other potential contaminants in foods.

But to me as a mom, these things just do not sound safe or healthy. I am not really concerned about whether organic is more nutritious as some advocates claim, but I do like the claims that it is more environmentally-friendly. And I get more reassurance that with organic foods, I am helping aid the healthy development of my son’s growing brain and body.

It’s actually an emotional topic for many parents… I guess what it comes down to for our family is that I am choosing the widest margin of safety I can when it comes to organic vs. non-organic.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t indulge in a Dairy Queen malt or KFC every once in awhile, but my goal is to keep making choices that make our diets as high-quality as possible, as often as possible.

What do you think about organic vs. non-organic? Any comments are welcome!

P.S.: One important thing to note: “Natural” doesn’t always mean organic. Only the USDA Organic label certifies that a food is truly organic.

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By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

As a mom it is really hard sometimes to pick your battles. (”How many times do I have to ask you to put your shoes on before you actually do it?”). Here are some strategies that seem have been successful for me. Hopefully they will work for you too. (more…)

By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions co-author Bur Bur and Friends book series

I recall when my son had his first bike with training wheels. His initial attempt at using it was on a beautiful day for February in Minnesota.. It took about 20 minutes for him to figure out how to use the pedals.

He was getting very discouraged and frustrated – “OH - I can’t do this!” he would yell. I kept saying calmly, “Yes, you can do this, you can do it, and you just have to keep trying. Do you remember what perseverance means?”

He responded, “Yes, when you keep on keeping on, even when it is hard.” He was gripping the handles and ducking his head down towards them with concentration. Pretty soon he was saying over and over with determination, “I can do it, I can do it, I can do it.” Then it turned louder, “MOMMY! I’m doing it! I CAN, I AM doing this!”

There I was, reveling in the experience, cheering him on, knowing it was HIS moment. If there was ever a time to be fully present in that short time span and experience the joy in it, this was it. I was running behind him as he got it and the only way I can explain it was that my heart was truly smiling along with the ear-to-ear smiles on both of our faces. I had my hands high in the air and I was cheering, “Yaay!! I just KNEW you would do it Isaiah! I am so proud of you – you have perseverance.” To which he proudly said while nodding his head; “Yep, I have perseverance! I did it all myself!” He sure did. He was riding forward from being a preschooler to a boy.

As I reflect back on it, I realize that the experience was a symbol of him coming into his own independence and my growth as a parent in allowing that to happen naturally while celebrating it. Seeing his confidence blossom in those 20 minutes was an absolutely joyful, priceless experience.

I hope this blog offers other moms the opportunity to share their special stories and thoughts on the preschool years… And the balancing act of enjoying their achievements, but having to let go as they develop and grow!

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Bur Bur enjoys jokes and loves to laugh. Here are several of his favorite “Knock Knock” jokes:

1) Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Duane
Duane who?
Duane the bathtub please!

2) Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Sid
Sid who?
Sid down, you’re rocking the boat!

3) Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Ken
Ken who?
KEN YOU HEAR ME?!?!?

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