Archive for the ‘Rabbit Ears’ Category

Macaroni & Cheese Chef, Boo-Boo Kisser, Monster Scarer, and Reading Teacher

Posted by allyson on March 27th, 2012

… are just some of the many roles parents play.

I remember when I first learned to read. I remember when the words to my very favorite children’s book, Clotilda,  started to becomes clearer and sounding them out started to become easier.

I think about my childhood often as my oldest daughter, who at three-and-a-half, is starting to remind me of myself at that age. She has learned to write the letters in her name and while she struggles with the ‘Y’ every time, when she finally does get it, the proud look on her face warms my heart. Her interest in books is getting more and more profound. She asks me every day if today is “library day” and points out the Library when we drive through town.

(c) Cass Just Curious Photography

Where do parents begin to teach their kids to read? I think it starts with building a love for books and stories. Town libraries offer free, weekly story-times, some for babies as young as 6-months. We’ve read books before bed nearly every single night since my kids were infants (I’m a bit of a stickler for a routine). If there was ever a night that they didn’t want to read a book (rare!), my oldest would ask us to tell her a story. If we started with anything other than, ‘Once upon a time’ and ended with anything other than ‘Happily Ever After’, we were instantly corrected.


Where does new technology come in? An app is a great way to learn to read. And it’s a guilt-free excuse to let the kids use the iPad! When learning to read books, kids are dependent upon their index finger pointing to words and saying them aloud simultaneously. In most apps, this is done automatically with words highlighting or being underlined while spoken by a narrator. There are also options to turn the narration off so that your child can read alone. Other ways to introduce a love for words and letters is stenciling. Tracing is not only important for recognition, but also for muscle-memory and small-motor control.

Using the iPad as a learning tool not only allows parents to continue the use of a device that has gained popularity with their kids, but it also helps children gain necessary life skills. Reading along with the ponies from My Little Pony or the trucks like Chuck from Chuck & Friends, and reading classic books like Velveteen Rabbit and Thumbelina – these are brands that win with kids and story lines that contain popular, important messages.

Apps today make it easy to build a love of words and stories with your kids. To visit the full library of Ruckus Media Apps, please click here.

“LIKE” Ruckus Media Group on Facebook to Benefit the Children of St. Jude

Posted by ruckusholly on December 6th, 2011

facebook

This holiday season, we’re making it really easy for you to help us raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

First we put our entire library on sale during the week of Thanksgiving and we donated 100% of all net proceeds to the cause ($1.39 per app).  The Rabbit Ears apps continue to be priced at $1.99 until the end of the month, and all proceeds are going toward this important cause, so don’t forget to stock up on these great stocking stuffers and Hanukkah gifts.

Now, we’ve come up with another way to donate funds to the lifesaving work of St. Jude.  All you have to do is “Like us” on Facebook and we’ll donate .25 cents to St. Jude.  If we reach 1,000 fans by December 31st, we will donate 100% of the total donation.*

Please invite your friends to like us on Facebook today so we can make our goal!

*Maximum donation amount from the Facebook campaign is $250.

 

 

 

 

Thanks and Giving All Week on The Today Show

Posted by ruckusholly on November 21st, 2011

Today Marlo Thomas appreared on NBC’s TODAY Show to ask the public to help save the lives of children stricken with cancer and other deadly diseases.  Watch the clip here:

 

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Thomas, the national outreach director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, is appearing on the top-rated morning show to raise awareness of the St. Jude mission of finding cures and saving children during the hospital’s annual Thanks and Giving campaign.

Thanks and Giving is a holiday campaign that unites shoppers, celebrities and national corporate partners to help find cures and save children.   We are thrilled to be joining forces with St. Jude this holiday season  to “give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not.”

Between now and December 31, we will donate 100% ($1.39) of the net proceeds of our classic Read-Play-and-Record Along Rabbit Ears interactive storybooks to the St. Jude cause. Buying an app will give you, the consumer, a dual purpose. For example, when you pick up a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit told by Meryl Streep, not only will you be providing quality story-telling to your child, but you will also be supporting the lifesaving work of finding cures and saving children with deadly diseases. Plus, for a limited time, all of our Rabbit Ears apps will be priced at $1.99.  Not only are our apps on sale, but you can feel good about making a donation to this important charity, knowing that $1.39 of each download goes to help save a child’s life.

The apps that are on sale include: Pecos Bill told by Robin Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit  and The Night Before Christmas told by Meryl Streep, John Henry told by Denzel Washington, Tom Thumb told by John Cleese, Goldilockstold by Meg Ryan, Johnny Appleseed told by Garrison Keillor, The Steadfast Tin Soldier told by Jeremy Irons andThree Little Bears told by Holly Hunter.  In addition we are releasing two NEW stories during this time period, as well, both launching today: Thumbelina told by Kelly McGillis and Paul Bunyan told by Jonathan Winters.

We are so honored to be amongst a prestigious group of partners teaming up with St. Jude during this fabulous, important campaign (check out the list here), and we hope that you head to  iTunes today to purchase our interactive storybooks.  To learn more about the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign or to make a donation, go here.

We’ll have more big news tomorrow about this partnership, so stay tuned.