The National Cartoonist Society in US has fixed a day 'Cartooning Day' on 5th May for all those who love to draw and use their artistic skills. This is the world's most largest and prestigious organization of the professional cartoonists. The site is informative and teaches on how to be a Cartoonist with tips of advice. You can also visit the Cartoon Factory and enter into the You can do it page and draw cartoons using numbers, letters and common every day shapes. This is much fun and I've tried a hand on this.

Making a Cartoon requires a person to be creative - a bit humorous, alert and a keen observer.  Necessarily, a Cartoonist need not be an Artist but the feeling comes from within, just an idea and an imagination and one can do the tricks. So, What's a caricature? Well, here's kidsfreesouls Cartoon fun page with info on Cartoons & Caricature. 

Kids Free Souls, get those pencils and use your whacky brains, stuff the funniest ideas and swing ahead to give the strokes of sheer joy to draw. Enjoy!

Kidsfreesouls in Alliance to Rediff.com brings to you Question & Answers - Exclusively for readers of Kidsfreesouls.com. Oft it happens, we act like a pro and think we are just perfect and know all. However, so many questions remain unanswered as to Who, What, When, Where and How - So, get-set-go, Ask Questions and be interactive to find answers that might be right or wrong. Also be a whiz wise to answer Questions you know to unleash your creative expertise. (Find Q & A Box below on this page)

Btw, as kids are enjoying summer vacation here, I did get a number of calls from Surat city and am so happy, so many parents are so active to nurture a genius in their kid and make the best of the summer hols. Well, here's my behind the scene activities going on with lot more worksheets coming up at kidsfreesouls.com. You can find 'Grammar Fun' section and check on the 'Stories with Grammar' here. Just print the sheets and get the child learn grammar through stories. I have four stories uploaded supported by more comprehension sheets too. Kids can even make Literature Profile Projects from these pages or just read, write (in your scrap books) or send jokes, Limericks and so on. Cross your fingers for more worksheets coming your way. Enjoy!

Raise an Earth-friendly child - And you have the info on Env-Talk page here. Diaperfree babies and that almost had been the routine baby care, way back years in India. However, lately we find more products for young babies in market and the savvy working moms has adopted the modern lifestyles as they baby sit their kids. Like Melinda Rothstein, she has used the method with her son and with her daughter Hannah since birth, the practice which consist of making observations of the child’s facial expressions and verbalizations (like squirming and grunting) whenever they have to go. This is a part practically missed out these days!

All the beginnings of the Child Development are worth a deep thinking as kids take their first steps to breathe the future - in a safe and clean surrounding with a much better environment for future. The path of a child's lifetime development is laid down mostly at the age of three. The IQ, EQ and SQ are the important factors that play a role as parents and teachers strive to strike a balance to up bring children. Here's on Child Development in the Inside Pages of Guardian of Angels. Click Inside the book at Amazon to read. Keep the Faith!

It always happens - When a Politician works favorable for the citizens, the media slash over the negatives of the politician and the party. It is said, check the P's and beware of them - the Politician, priest and the press. I wrote this article on Politicians-Endangered species quite long back. However, I do admit that some politicians may be a lot corrupted but our Gujarat government CM is on way to road ahead for promoting the state to newer heights and give a label of metro city to my town Ahmedabad, which is just about next to a Bombay or Delhi and Bangalore city in India. No wonder, by 2010, we can see tremendous changes for sure if the CM is able to fight out the odds and the black scars on his image.

Btw, 1st May is the 'Gujarat Day' and I heard Narendra Modi, the CM on the television. A man with a vision, he spoke on the development of the state and mentioned the many Initiatives taken by the Government. The government has implemented a scheme to impart education to children in rural areas through ‘Gyan Rath’. The other Initiatives are Raksha Shakti, Jal Shakti, Urja Shakti, Jan Shakti - Education, Security, Water, Energy and human resources are covered up by the State government and major initiatives are being taken for the e-Governance and with IT implementation, the Gujarat state is expected to reach milestones in the coming years. Here is the Gujarat State Profile and the CM's earlier speech.

This reminds me, I once did a Project with past students on 'Asia' and 'Europe'. I guess, such projects help the kids learn their Geography much easier and it's interesting too. On web, we have the Google Maps, - a Project for classroom. Children can look up and study maps and find locations. Students can make a trip from their home, visit to shops, restaurants and places and write down their adventure Google Map Tour in form of a composition. Children can explore places, homes, streets, neighborhoods & find their own schools and homes too. Find kidsfreesouls city too. They can even enjoy games on Google Maps mania Blog.  What more, even Teachers can participate in the Google Educator's Program and join the Google Educator's Resources Group and share your very own Classroom Projects. Enjoy!

Last saturday, we had an Archie & Comics Day at our Library, reading sessions. A number of children came to read and picked up the Archie, Betty, Jughead Jones and Laugh, Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, champak magazine, etc. From a vast collection of a couple of thousands of Archie, I could display merely 200 archies and yet, the rest remain waiting in the Library shelf for reads for a next Archie Day. I think, I should have planned for an Archie Week instead of a day!

Well, it is my observation that while we encourage kids for reading, they build their concentration, get involved in a creativity with co-friends while caring and sharing, build confidence as they read and most of all, create love for reading. I remember our school days when we read the Archies, Enid Blyton, classics and as we grew up, the Mills & Boons Romance, Barbara Cartland and even the Kiss and Darling Romance magazines.

Summer time is all for Play and No Work - Just about Creativity. Though I do not believe in the so-called Summer camps when parents push the child for an activity he do not like. We should be considerate of a child's personal likings and not force the child to engage into an activity that we like. However, if an extra activity is good or necessary for him and within our financial support, we should encourage the child and provide guidelines. Creativity is individual and so, even one has own potentialities. Here's on Creativity from my book 'Guardian of Angels' Make the best out of the Summer time. Enjoy!

Planting the seeds of Tomorrow today. Every country has set up it's own Arbor day. India celebrates it's National Festival of Tree Planting (Vanmahotsava) somewhere during the Monsoon. However, World Arbor Day is set for 27th April or last friday in April. The idea originated from Nebraska. A journalist who became an Editor of a Newspaper, J. Sterling Morton spread agricultural information and advocated tree planting by individuals in his articles and editorials. On January 4, 1872, Morton first proposed a tree-planting holiday to be called “Arbor Day” at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture. The date was set for April 10, 1872. Later on, it was officially announced and the tradition began in schools nationwide in 1882 when tree awareness programs are held. It spread from US to worldwide with each country with it's own Arbor Day celebration.

Arbor Day gives a meaning of life to trees as children can explore trees and feel the rustling of the leaves. Ask a child to answer and pops up the replies - trees give us oxygen, provides shelter, protects from wind, reduce noise pollution ...so goes on the multiple answers and we find trees useful for medicinal purpose too. You can click here for the Trees page on kidsfreesouls for the useful trees like the Neem, Peepal, Palm and more.

Well, take a Tree stretch here with gentle stretching exercise when you feel you wish for a break. This will really help to shrug off the stress - whether it's parental stress or kids under stress.

William Shakespeare who was baptised on 26th April is believed to have been born on 23rd April 1564. His works include 37 plays, including comedy, Tragedy and Historical alongwith Poems, sonnets. A brief listing exposes his imaginative style of writing, rich in language literature and imagination. This is the day when all over the countries, "World Book Day" is celebrated. A lot is said on Shakespeare on the web but here is Kidsfreesouls Literature page that you may look forward for my update. Also, I enjoy reading Shakespeare Sonnet a Day and am sure, you will like to get the same in your mail box.

I have a couple of Shakespeare books but the most easier for children and a must in Library shelf are Cherrytree books "Shakespeare for Everyone" by Jennifer Mulherin and Illustrations by George Thompson (As You Like It (Shakespeare for Everyone Series)). If Shakespeare plays are performed in the classroom, children understand the story and its character. These books describe the play's characters, story along with illustrated pictures and supportive maps and explanations.

I got all the Shakespeare easy to read quotes for children in the library. Also, kids refer the Quotations books and write down quotes in their scrap books. We have a number of books for quotes but if you need to buy a copy for reference read, I recommend Oxford Reference - The concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations with over 9000 quotations from nearly 2000 authors. The best is the keyword index to trace quotations and their authors. You will 30 pages of Shakespeare quotes in this book. Enjoy!

In 1963, former US Senator Gaylord Nelson began to worry about our planet and talked to other lawmakers and the US President. The President spread the message but enough people did not understand the seriousness of the concern. Senator Nelson came up with an idea and thought of setting up a special day for spreading Environmental concerns. He wrote to kids and 22nd April 1970, the first EARTH DAY was held. All over the world people joined the mission. It is required to tackle the day to day rising problems and concerns related to environment - the imbalance is all due to natural calamities and man made problems.

Here are 10 Personal actions that make bring about a difference to save Environment. You may draw and color Earth with your own ideas and list down all that you can do to save environment. Maybe, grow some plants or explore nature. Think of the forests, know the animals or birds, paste pics of animals or collect feathers; think of the seas and paste pics of different fishes n species of ocean world in your scraps or get to know of earthquakes, volcanoes or cyclones. Know the consequences of war. Just the food you eat, music you listen and learn how environment play a role in your life. It's time about to learn to use things with utmost care - reduce electricity - energy is getting short supplied so flip off the lights of room, television, computers, etc when not in use. Close the taps when you don't need water, walk down or travel on bike if you need to go to short distances instead of using car, use dust bins for the waste and not scatter things around....Save trees, save water, save energy....Little beginnings take to higher results. It's Earth Day - 365 days!

Friedrich Froebel, the German founder of Kindergarten system was born in 1782. He changed the way we think about early childhood education. Friedrich started a Play and Activity Institute which featured games, play, songs, stories, and crafts to stimulate imagination and develop physical and motor skills. He designed balls, wooden blocks, tiles, sticks and rings to demonstrate that children learn by playing. These objects were important part of child's life as these gifts will teach the child to use his environment as an educational aid, give a child an indication between human life and nature and create a bond between the adult and the child.  

Children need the moral support and physical care from parents and teachers. With changing time, children need caring of future needs to growth of development. The word 'Kindergarten' mean, kinder + garten = Infant garden - garden for children in tune to nature where they can grow in free atmosphere in open surroundings. When Friedrich Froebel flourished the Kindergarten, he thought of kids to be tiny flowers who need the care and flower. Now, the whole meaning changes and kids need to learn more than just the nursery rhymes or the first abc. They need to compete with their peers and with the technology booming in, computers and mobiles have found way to the smaller kids who just pick up the gadgets and find way to communicate. Moreover, closed activities indoors need a break for a changeover to view the outside world - into gardens, parks and places of kids interest like the zoo, picnic spots, etc. Kids learn faster in open spaces and like we have the system of 'Shantiniketan' in India (started by Rabindranath Tagore) - studying in open skies in a garden, under the shade of trees is a unique way of learning. A balance with indoor and outdoor activity is just the need of the hour.

For more on Friedrich Froebel, surf google and you are sure to find great links. Enjoy!

Have you ever thought of writing those lovely 'Thank You' notes?  It almost happens that as children grow up, they apt to forget the small beginnings that led them to climb ladders of success. I have seen children remember their teachers and the memories are very live but very few reciprocate their gratitude and revive the broken links with them.

Recently, an ex student visited the library and she was too happy to talk to the present students. She explained the importance of forming Reading habits and her journey from Swagat Library to what she has achieved today. She had attended my library for almost 4 years. Literally reading was geek for her but the guidance for reading from Swagat, helped her to pick up the right books. Step-to-step reading, from beginners stories, fairy tales to classics and later fiction reading made a big difference in her life and career as well.  She thanked me for being her mentor and my heart is filled with joy.

Saying or Writing thank-you notes is a habit, and habits are not formed out of the blue. In school, we are taught to say 'Please, sorry and Thank You' but mostly, children do not adhere to the rules of gratitude. The habit sometimes is influenced by teachers and parents who guide the children. However, many children come out with a unique card - they draw me with specks and say Thank You while some draw and color a card with wishes. Sometimes gifts are not remembered but thoughtfully spoken or written words of gratitude and courteous note makes a big difference.

I remember visiting my school Library (Mt. Carmel school) a year ago and met the Library Sister. Though I met her for the first time, she was so happy to see an ex student of the school running a children's Library and she was proud of it and happily showed me the new arrival books. I can remember all time I spent there and thank my teachers for such wonderful books. As such, 18th April is marked for "Thanking school Librarian" and you will find e-cards here on 123greetings to thank your Librarian for encouraging you to read. You can even 'Thank' your mom or teacher (even Kidsfreesouls.com!) for encouraging you to read - all that is good and nice. Why, you can even thank Google to show you such beautiful sites you surf and read. Enjoy!

The sinking of Titanic was the worst maritime disasters in history. This British luxury liner 'Titanic' of the White Star Line, struck an iceberg about 153 km south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland just before midnight at 11.40 p.m. on April 14, 1912 and the sinking of the ship continued in the early hours of April 15, 1912 in the ice cold waters of North Atlantic. Titanic Disaster occured on the linear’s first voyage from Liverpool to New York city. Of the more than 2220 persons aboard, about 1513 died including the American millionaires John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Isidor Straus. The ship weighed 46,000 gross tons. It measured 269 metres in length. The ship had been proclaimed unsinkable because of its 16 watertight compartments, but the iceberg punctured five of them, one more than had been considered possible in any accident, and the Titanic sank in less than three hours. The ocean linear Carpathia responded to the distress calls of Titanic arrived two hours later after it had sunk.

Most of us have seen the movie but do you know, it was American built Alvin that can carry Oceanographers as deep as 3600 m (12000 ft). It is equipped with underwater lights, cameras, a television system and a mechanical manipulator to collect bottom samples. This was used in 1986 and took pictures of Titanic. Robert Submersible which go deep as 20000 ft. used for underwater exploration such as "Argo" was used in 1985 to locate