Books parents can enjoy with their young children

If you are looking for some great reads the entire family can enjoy together, then look no further than these books curated by the Funtides review team.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Have you ever wanted to sleep overnight in the library? Well, even if you haven’t, you’d like to stay overnight in Mr. Lemoncello’s unique game-focused library, and Kyle Keely and eleven other kids get that chance! But when the doors don’t open at the end of the night, will Kyle and his friends can make it out of the library? You’ll inadvertently learn an extreme amount about how libraries work, and the whole family will join in the games and sit at the end of their seats in suspense.

Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Whatever Cure by Ann M. Martin

If you grew up with Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, you’d be thrilled with this fantastic companion series about Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s niece, Missy. If you have never heard of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, don’t worry – you and your family will still love this series! Made up of a series of short stories that compile together to create a hilarious, heart-warming novel, this book will have your kids wishing they had an upside-down house in your town.

Missy Piggle-Wiggle will capture your hearts, and she just might give you some ideas for conquering those bad habits you see in your kids!

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Ready for some realistic fantasy? Introduce your kids to a whole new world – well, almost. The Underland is technically part of our planet; it’s merely beneath the world as we know it. Gregor is an ordinary boy who finds himself a great part of the Underworld, a kingdom he had no idea even existed.

Get ready for giant bats, a perilous adventure, and a quest to bring a family together. This book will captivate every member of your family.

For more great family reads and eBooks, check out Funtides.

Cute Family Quotes and Sayings

If you have children you have likely used the phrase: "Can't live with them, can't live without them." These cute family quotes can help lighten the burden of stressful situations and help you express your love for your family.

Family ties mean that no matter how much you might want to run from your family, you can't.

The bigger your family, the bigger your problems.

Family is like that annoying itch you can't scratch.

Caller ID was invented for family screening.

Family is a blessing. Just keep saying that when you are irritated by something a family member does or says.

Once a mother, always a mother.

Family knows your flaws but loves you, anyway.

Love your family as you love yourself.

Family makes you who you are and who you aren't.

God wouldn't have given you a family if He didn't think you needed it.

Where there is family, there is love.

Family is the heart of a home.

Love starts with family.

A family takes care of their own.

The strength of family isn't determined by the number of members, but rather by the amount of love given and received.

Family is forever.

A hug from family lasts a lifetime.

Whoever said, "Love 'em then leave 'em" wasn't talking about family.

Life begins with family and ends with family.

A mother's love never wanes.

You can't control what your family says, but you can control how much you listen and how you react to it.

The love of family is like no other.

A family who disagrees, cares.

You inherited a piece of everyone in your family. If you insult them, you insult yourself.

Family gives you the roots to stand tall and strong.

Tears flow from the eyes of loved ones the day you're born, and the day you pass.

In a family, the sadness of one is the sadness of all.

Family love is never broken.

It only takes two to make a family.

There is no love greater than the love shared within a family.

Your family will always hold your heart.

Family is there to support you and honor your decisions.

No matter what happens, a family will always have your back.

A family is the purest form of love and acceptance.

No one knows you better than your family does.

Love, honesty, and connection are cultivated in a family.

The bond between a parent and child is unbreakable.

A family that supports one another thrives.

Connections within a family are powerful forces of nature.

All families are different and unique, but they all have one thing in common- love.

Families should celebrate each member's unique identity.

No matter how big or small the family, what matters most is love.

A family is a group of people who love unconditionally.

Through ups and downs, a family will stand by each other.

A family creates a safe space for each member to grow and develop into the person they were meant to be.

There is no more powerful love than one a parent feels for their child.

A family is who you choose to be by your side and love unconditionally.

Families shape who we are and who we choose to become.

It's hard to put into words just how much love a parent feels for their child.

No matter what a family looks like, it is always filled with love.

For more content celebrating family, check out www.funtides.com.

Quotes for Kids to Inspire Them to Take Action and Be Proactive

Here are some great quotes to share with your children to teach them about the importance of taking action and being proactive.

“A thousand words leave not the same deep impression as does a single deed.” – Henrik Ibsen

“Action is the foundational key for all success.” – Pablo Picasso

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” – Mother Teresa

“Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.” – Bruce Lee

“Folks who never do any more than they get paid for, never get paid for any more than they do” – Elbert Hubbard

“Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it.” – Cathy Hopkins

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa

“The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.” – Sydney Smith

“People who end up with the good jobs are the proactive ones who are solutions to problems, not problems themselves, who seize the initiative to do whatever is necessary to get the job done.” – Stephen R. Covey

“It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.” – George Eliot

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” – William Hutchison Murray

“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Folks who never do any more than they get paid for, never get paid for any more than they do” – Elbert Hubbard

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” – Barack Obama

“The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” – C.G. Jung

“Faith is about doing. You are how you act, not just how you believe.” – Mitch Albom

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – William James

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” – Joseph Campbell

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.” – Muhammad Ali

“Do what matters, now.” – Leo Babauta

“Forever is composed of nows.” – Emily Dickinson

“Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

“It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action.” – Honore de Balzac

“Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.” – Edith Wharton

“So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.” – Malcolm X

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.” – Khalil Gibran

“Action expresses priorities.” – Mahatma Ghandi

“If you don’t make a conscious effort to visualize, who you are and what you want to become in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape your journey by default. Your silence makes you reactive vs. proactive.” – Shannon L. Alder

“I say if it’s going to be done, let’s do it. Let’s not put it in the hands of fate. Let’s not put it in the hands of someone who doesn’t know me. I know me best. Then take a breath and go ahead.” – Anita Baker

For more family fun related content, check out www.funtides.com.

Raising the Kids to Be Critical Thinkers

We all want to give our kids the best possible start in life, to ensure they’re equipped with every possible tool in order to achieve success. And while we can certainly go out and buy every possible kind of educational toy and product designed to boost their brain power, or even play classical music while they’re in the womb as some have suggested, one of the best boosts we can give our kids may just life in how we speak to them.

In asking our kids questions, rather than merely explaining things to them, we may increase their odds of becoming critical thinkers later on in life. If, for example, your child is assigned some homework but is overwhelmed by the task, a better option than sitting with them and explaining the assignment may be to ask “what do you think the first step should be.” From there, your child may just be able to work their way through the assignment, provided they’re prodded with the right questions along the way.

It’s an approach that may be difficult to adopt at first, but definitely one worth considering, and one that could easily be applied to many aspects of life. Key questions like “How will you remember to remember?” “Do you think you’ve eaten enough to be done dinner?” or “What do you need to do in order to…?” could go a long way to raising some critical thinkers.

Looking for some family fun? Visit our online library at www.funtides.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Card Games for the Whole Family!

It’s the best night of the week, family game night! But what to play? Here are some of the best card games around that are tons of fun for the whole family!

Uno. A variation on Crazy Eights, Uno has delighted friends and families since its invention in the 1970s, and thanks to many variations of its own it now reaches a wider audience than ever! Kids and adults alike love the game’s unpredictability, and families can certainly add some of their own rules for an extra level of enjoyment.

Concentration. Sometimes the classics are still the best, and this time-testing matching game comes with plenty of single-player and multi-player variations. Cards are laid out in a grid with the goal being to match the pairs. Some versions reveal pictures or puzzles as the pairs are matched, but for those in a pinch the game can be played with nothing more than a single deck of standard playing cards.

Phase 10. Much like Uno, Phase 10 is a variation of an existing game, this time Contract Rummy, but with interesting twists and gimmicks. In each round, players must lay down the right number of runs or sets to move on to the next “phase.” The challenges do get more difficult as the rounds go by, making the game frustrating at times, but ultimately quite rewarding! The game has a number of variations of its own, ensuring that there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Looking for great reads for the whole family? Visit our online library at www.funtides.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Why You Should Read With Your Kids

As if you didn’t have reason enough, here are five reasons why you should read with your kids.

It’ll get them started young. Reading with your kids, even before they’re ready to read, is a great way to get the kids started early on books. They’ll mimic your actions one way or another, might as well show them how much fun it is to read!

It’ll promote active imaginations. Kids are definitely imaginative creatures to begin with, but any imagination could use a boost from some inspiration. Books are filled with magical worlds of awe and wonder that serve as the perfect fuel for the creative engines in your kids’ minds.

It’ll expose them to a whole range of topics. Books can help expose children to the world and teach them more than perhaps even their parents know.

Reading together helps strengthen bonds. There’s nothing stronger than the bond between a parent and child, but the act of sharing in a world of imagination through reading only helps strengthen that bond.

It’ll get you into the habit of reading too. Between work and home life, odds are you haven’t had much time to read lately. Reading with the kids is not only a great way to get some of your own reading time in, it’s likely to help you prioritize reading in your down time.

Looking for more family fun? Visit our online library at www.funtides.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more, accessible anytime from your favorite devices.