Parenting. Early childhood education.

Children's stories about nature. Ecology and our kids

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 07:59 GMT

Beauty Inside

M. Skrebtsova

One day in the woods a little birch tree sprouted up beneath an alder, and the alder was overjoyed. She was a kind tree. All the other trees were her friends. Indeed, all around the alder the other trees flourished, for she enriched the soil with a special substance called nitrogen, and the little birch was very lucky to have the alder for a nanny. The alder also protected her from bitter frosts (for the alder herself wasn't afraid of frost) and shielded her from the cold wind. Day by day the little birch grew and eventually she turned into a slim, white-barked beauty, and she no longer needed her nanny-alder. Just the opposite, now the birch treated her old nanny to a show of gorgeous colors: her spring-green covering, her snow-white bark. The alder had never worn such fancy dress, for she never had time to spend on dressing up. Raising a birch tree is not so simple!

One autumn day the birch started showing off her golden-yellow leaves.

"Just look, alder! Look at the clothes Autumn has given me! I must be very beautiful to be given such clothes! Poor alder! Autumn has left you out. You were green before, and you're still green!"

The alder got quite upset. After all, what the birch said was true: the alder keeps its leaves until the very end of autumn, and when they fall they are still green. They never turn yellow like birch leaves. Still, just once she would have loved to try on the golden clothes of Autumn!

Autumn fet sorry for the alder. "Now, alder, don't cry," he said. "It's not my fault that your leaves don't take on my bright hues. Mother Nature made you that way. Tell you what: I'll have a talk with her. Maybe she can do something to make you feel better." And so Autumn took off to talk to Mother Nature and told her all about how the alder was so unhappy.

"I will make her feel better," Mother о Nature promised, "She is such a kind and gentle tree and helps many others in the forest. I will make her the protector of water and streams, of singing brooks and crystal springs. The precious moisture of the earth - not one creature can live without it, neither people, nor animals, nor plants. There is no more noble role that to protect that water for them all."

Mother Nature kept her word. From that time onward the alder tree has grown on the banks of brooks and streams and forest springs. Her strong roots, like living pumps, are forever drawing water from beneath the ground, never letting it seep away to great depths where it could not be reached. Instead it comes to the surface, sometimes as a rivulet, sometimes as a spring. And there is another amazing gift that Mother Nature gave the alder tree: its wood changes color! When freshly cut, it is white, a little while later it begins to turn red, and when it has dried it turns a delicate pink. Furniture made from alder-wood is gorgeous! The alder tree isn't sorry anymore that she doesn't wear Autumn's colors, and she doesn't get offended by the birch. She has no time to get offended, so much work does she have: giving out water to drink, helping the grass to grow tall and green. As some people say, "Where the alder grows, the grass is tall." And when the birch is all dressed up, Autumn whispers to her neighbour the alder, "There are many kinds of beauty, dear alder. In some of us it is on the outside, and in some of us, it is on the inside."

:.: :.: :.:

The Miraculous Ash Tree

A. Lopatina

One day an old woodsman and his granddaughter chanced to meet an artist as they were strolling along on a forest path. The woodsman was out checking up on the forest, and his granddaughter had come along for the walk. The artist was out in the forest because he wanted to capture its beauty to share with others. They all stopped to chat.

"It's a wonderful day today," the woodsman said. "Not far from here I came across a tree - and what a magnificent tree it is! Every year it puts on a feast for everyone in the forest. Jays, bullfinch, thrush and tits - too many birds to name - that good tree feeds them in winter. Thanks to its berries some birds even stay the whole winter here in the woods. It doesn't ignore the animals, either - squirrels and chipmunks, martens and sables take their fill, even wolves and foxes. You know, they need vitamins too! It's not leaves and berries that tree grows, but natural vitamin packs. If a moose or a bear happens along, he'll have a feast, too - for the first course berries, for the second - leaves and twigs. That tree's generosity is just plain amazing. And its berries are miraculous: they don't spoil, they don't dry up, they don't freeze - the frost just makes them sweeter."

"Grandpa," asked the little girl. "Are you talking about the tree that I played with today? It's such a fun tree. It waved its feathery leaves at me and I danced for it. And then it gave me some red berries, for beads. I'm taking them home to Mommy."

"I saw an amazing tree today, too," the artist beamed. "I'm still singing inside, it had such beautiful colors. It was slender, wavy and lacy, and decked out just magnificently. While I was painting it, I remembered that many centuries ago our ancestors held that tree in the greatest respect. They felt that it brought happiness to their homes. When there was a wedding celebration in the village, both the bride and groom would take its leaves and put them in their shoes, and the berries in their pockets - they believed that the tree would protect from misfortune. Everyone wanted to plant one of those trees near their house. It was like a faithful watchman: it wouldn't let anything bad come inside."

"Looks like we all had a taste of the forest's greatest gift today," the grandfather observed. "But it's time to go home. Mr. Artist, why don't you to come with us and have a cup of tea?"

At one the grandmother met them all with a kind smile and immediately set about preparing the hot drink.

"Sit down, sit down, dears, there's a special tea brewing for you, with a treat from the forest. Rowanberry jam, marmalade actually, a gift of the mountain ash tree."

"Today the mountain ash gave me a gift of its beauty," the artist said, "and now we will have a new painting to hang."

"And I was reassured by its generosity," the grandfather added. "Its rich bounty helps the birds and animals live through the winter."

"I had fun today with the ash tree," said the girl, and she took out the berries that she collected for beads. Then suddenly she grew worried.

"Grandma," she asked, "I don't understand how we can have rowanberry jam. The berries are beautiful, but when I tried one it was so bitter my tongue hurt."

"Now then, dear, remember how I fixed up your anemia problem with the help of rowanberry jam, back when you came last winter, all pale and thin. Wasn't it delicious, now?"

"Sure, that jam was very good," the little girl answered, "but the ash tree that I played with today had bitter berries."

"That's because it hasn't felt the touch of frost yet," the grandfather explained. "The ash tree isn't just generous, it's also wise. Like any careful householder it keeps its stocks stored up until the time is right. All the other plants have a deal with the sun - it ripens their berries, makes them good and sweet. That's why there's plenty of food for everyone in the woods in summer. The mountain ash made its deal with the frost. As soon as the frost hits, the good tree brings out its sweet fruits, just as if it were saying, "Please, help yourselves!" That's why frost doesn't bother it, not even at fifty below."

The little girl looked thoughtful. "I want to be smart and generous and beautiful, too, just like the mountain ash," she said.

"Well isn't that just a fantastic idea!" the grandfather agreed happily. "You know what? Why don't we plant a mountain ash right here beside our house? It's not fussy, and will get along just fine as long as there's enough sun. It'll make you a faithful protector and a good friend."

Ecology and Healthy Food: stories for kids and adults

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 07:56 GMT

Let us help our children to be WISE and KIND!!
Preserve Ecology of our Planet Earth!
Participate in our Project KindBook.com!
Donate for education of our children!
Donate for Ecology of our Planet!

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

DONATE US
If you feel inspired to do something for this noble cause, to make dreams on bringing up HEALTHY, RESPECTFUL AND KIND-HEARTED CHILD and would like to assist furthering our project on Moral Education, Care for Ecology and Healthy Food, we would be greatly honoured and humbled to be a part of your valuable contribution & efforts !!

ABOUT OUR PROJECT
ON MORAL AND ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH-CARE
The project on moral and ecological education of children and teenagers has begun in 1995 in Russia . Since then 20 books and 8 methodical grants has been published (more than 250 copies). Here are some of them: Wisdom Alphabet, Kindness in Mathematics, The Magic World of Music, Trees Decorate the World, The Mysteries in Professions, Nature through the Eyes of the Soul etc. (Authors of the books – click here to preview >>)

Through kind stories, games and creative tasks our books teach the child to understand, appreciate and to love the World of Nature. These books open the door into the Miraculous Country of Wisdom, introduce children with spiritual basis of creativity, develop in them respect for family and feelings of the responsibility.

Hundreds presentations and workshops were conducted. Teachers from more than 3,000 children's organizations use our books in their daily work with children. Sometimes we receive grateful letters from the most remote areas (in Russia) how our books help teachers to develop new vision in their work with children, making the main accent on development of moral qualities of the child. (Workshops & lessons conducted with children - click here to preview >>)

Especially we are delighted to get response of the teachers working with difficultly trained children (and even children with criminal past). The quotation from one of such letters: “Thanks to the fact that t he materials in your books, which children are going to learn, represented in kind and fascinating stories and fairy-tales , children, whom difficult to guide and create interest in learning, easily get involved in the process of education. Teachers mention, that children became more sensible, have learned to help each other, to find a worthy way out of problem situations. When the story touches the heart of the child, he/she remembers all the details. The creative potential of children grows, children began to write verses, fairy tales, to draw. (Samples of children's creativity and educators' comments - click here to preview >>)

Unfortunately, in Russia till now we didn't manage to find any governmental organizations or big publishing house who are interested in developing of moral potential of future generation. Thus this project can be developed successfully only owing to efforts of hundreds of parents and teachers who are sincerely concerned about the future of the children.

This book (as well as many our books)
can't be published withour your help!

Make a donation

By making a monetary donation to the Project “KindBook.com” you will help us to meet the costs of getting our books published. Your money will go towards the costs of translating, illustrating, editing, and preparing the book for publishing.

Your contribution will also support on-going research and children education work.

You can make a donation via PayPal or by sending us a check.

Make a grant

KindBook.com needs grants for funding specific projects such as Project on children's books on ecology, Books on Moral education, Books on healthy food, books on art, music, science etc.

Volunteer your time

Recent years KindBook.com was helped by many volunteers. This help is invaluable. We are always looking for volunteers any kind: we need illustrators, editors, literary agents etc. Please contact us if you are able to assist us in any of the mentioned-above realms.

If you would like to become a member of Kind Book Programme, please contact us and we will send you an application form.

Spread the word

You can tell others about our project and our mission statement.

Sponsors: If you know people who can be potential sponsors, by all means, do tell them, or please introduce us.
Friends: If you are inspired by our project, then your friends will likely be enthusiastic as well. Your friends may be willing to get involved in this Project.
Link your personal or company web site to ours
With the increase of number of visitors to our web site, the chances to get assistance will multiply.
Please copy the html code below onto your web site to help promote this important for all Project on Moral Education making a link to our website www.KindBook.com

Link to us:
Copy and paste the following HTML code:

Educational Books on Ecology and Healthy Food. Moral and Creative Education. Kind stories for children

---

You can make your donation via MoneyGram, Western Union or PayPal.

As an alternative you can make the check payable to …
contact us for details.

Your contribution will be highly appreciated. All sponsors will be automatically included in “Friends and Supporters of KindBook.com” and regularly will receive our news (about latest achievements) and occasionally – our newsletter and our newly published books..
Also, with your permission, your name will be mentioned in our website and we will be glad to place your logo, article or even make a single webpage for you personally (under the section “Cooperation”)

Click here to make a donation for education of the future citizens of this planet…

Last but not least, you can lend us a hand by telling people about us and our website.
Thank you very much for your Kind Help!

Please contact us if you have any queries. You can get in touch with us at the address below.

Let us help our children to be WISE and KIND!! Preserve Ecology of our Planet Earth! – Participate in our Project KindBook.com!

Every donation counts.

With respect

Alexandra Lopatina and Maria Skrebtsova

www.KindBook.com
www.DobrieSkazki.ru

Moral lesson for educators and parents on thankfulness

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 10:23 GMT

Moral and Creative Education. Education of young people today

Inspirational story from the book
"SECRETS OF THE HEART"

http://www.kindbook.com/virtues_en.htm

WHERE THE STARS LIVE

Redback Mouse woke up so early the next morning, that when he crawled out of the burrow he could still see the stars in the sky, and the sky about the mountain had just barely begun to get light. He climbed up to his usual spot, lay down and gazed at the stars. "I wonder if stars can talk?" he thought. "And where they live: in the sky, or maybe they're higher than the sky? If only a star would fall into the forest, even a little one, I'd find it and ask it about everything."Through the branches of the tree Redback caught a glimpse of three stars shining so brightly it was if they had settled down amidst the twigs, like brilliant pine cones. For a moment he almost felt like climbing out onto the smaller branches to see if there really were stars perched there.
Suddenly one of the stars twinkled, and he heard a voice saying, "Stars live in the sky." Then another star twinkled. "And stars live far up above the sky." And finally the third star twinkled. "And stars live in your heart, too, little mouse." "Really?" Redback asked, not understanding. "Really!" the first star answered with a laugh. "See for yourself, stars live in the sky!" "But it's true, we are much higher up than the sky, little mouse," the second star explained. "No matter how high you climb, or fly, there will always be stars above you. Every star shines on its own world, just like the sun does, and every star has its own heaven to give warmth and light to, and together we all shine in more heavens than you and all the world together could ever count." "And we shine for you too, little mouse," the third star said cheerfully. "We live in your heart because you're thinking about us. You want to understand where we live, and because you care, that very instant we flash into your heart. And all our heavens come into your heart, too." "All of them?" Redback thought, and his head started spinning so much that he held on to the branch even tighter. "But how can they be inside me?" he asked. "That means I'm bigger than the sky, it's like I'm a… a… a great star mouse! But am I really?" "You are! You are! You are!" all three stars answered together, and they laughed and rang together like little bells. Other stars joined in, and then Redback started laughing too. Soon the sky grew brighter and brighter and the stars melted away, and their laughter grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared. But Redback didn't notice, because by then he was fast asleep.
Blog Dirs

Educational methodology program: what parents should NEVER do

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 11:17 GMT

IDEAS AND PROGRAMS ON MORAL EDUCATION

We are inviting parents, educators, teachers to share with usyour ideas, new methods, educational research and resources

Fragments from the educational methodology program

LESSONS ON VIRTUES

What parents should NEVER do:

There is no uniform for all occasions concerning a rule how to bring up the child. All children are different. Each child is unique, and so parents' relationships with him/her are unique too. But there are things which are counter-indicative at dialogue with any child without exception. It is a question of what parents should NEVER do, NEVER. Under no circumstances!

If we want to bring up the person with understanding moral values and with self-discipline, we, first of all, should develop his consciousness, to do our best in the task to generate in child's mind the positive image of himself. And we must avoid anything, that can destroy this positive image.
Nevertheless, unfortunately, parents from time to time use the unlawful methods in upbringing their children. Sometimes it happened due to ignorance, sometimes when they can't control the situation and can't subdue one's anger or irritation. However it is necessary to list these unlawful methods so that nobody used them (at least just /simply out of ignorance).

So, dear parents, let's remember,
What CANNOT be done, NEVER!
The same as we remember a precept "Do not sin!"

DO NOT HUMILIATE THE CHILD. Sometimes we without ceremony can tell to the child: "How this idea came to your mind? Could you make up anything better? Do you have a head on on your shoulders or something else?" And so on. Every time when we say something similar, we destroy a positive image of the child.

DO NOT THREATEN. Sometimes we say: "If you do this again - you will receive from me!" Or "if you once again will kick your little brother, I will kick you too!" Each time when we threaten the child, we, without realizing, teaching him to afraid of us or even hate us. Threats are absolutely useless - they do not improve behaviour of the child.

DO NOT EXTORT PROMISES. The sequence of such actions at times happens to be like this: the child has made something what he was not supposed to do. Imagine, mum tells him: "Please, promise me now, that you will never do it again." In response she, certainly, receives the promise. And in half an hour the child will repeat his misbehaviour again. Mum is offended and upset: "You have promised! Why did you do it then? Why?" But she does not know one thing - the promise means nothing for the small child. The promise, as well as threat, more relevant to the future. But the child lives only in the present. If he is sensitive and conscientious, extortion of promises will develop in the child the realization of own fault each time when he/she breaks the promise. If he is not sensitive, it only will teach him cynicism: when the words and reality are differs from each other.

DO NOT SPONSOR UNDULY (excessively). It belittles the child in his own eyes. Excessive trusteeship accustoms him to an idea, that he cannot do anything. Many parents underestimate ability of the child to do something independently. It is necessary to accept as the motto: "Never do for the child what he can do himself ".

DO NOT SPEAK TOO MUCH. Unduly long explanations mean for the child: "You are not capable to understand simple things, rather listen, I shall explain to you".

DO NOT DEMAND IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE. Imagine your husband tells you: "Dear, leave everything and prepare me for a cup of coffee this very minute!" Would you like it? In the same way it is not pleasant to your child somebody (even his own parents) demand from him that he should immediately leave everything whatever he was engaged with. We, at least, should tell him it in advance; "In ten-fifteen minutes we are having dinner together" We quite presume to allow him to grumble a little: "Oh, mums, I'm still playing!" Blind unconditional submission appropriate for a puppet, but it does not suit or help in formation of an independent person.

DO NOT PAMPER THE CHILD. In this case it is a question of permissiveness. The child at once will feel, that parents are afraid to be firm in observance of borders, that they are afraid to tell him "no". It installs confidence in the child, that all rules are not firm (a rubber-kind) – they will stretch just under a little of pressure. It can work within the family, but outside bitter disappointments can await such child. To indulge the child - means to deprive him the opportunity to grow the person who will well adapted in any situation.

BE consecutive in your REQUIREMENTS/RULES. For example, if on Saturday mum is in good mood and thus she allows to her child to break all rules (or some of the rules). But on Monday when the child does the same, she "leans on him, as ton of bricks (i.e. she reprimand, scorn etc)." Imagine yourself on a place of this child. How well you would learn to drive the car, if on Monday, Tuesday and. Thursday red light meant "stop", and on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - on the contrary (go)? The sequence in requirements is necessary for the child. He should know what he should expect. Disorder in following the rules (allow this one day and forbid the same on another day) does not promote good discipline, on the contrary it confuse the child and he won't know what to expect from his parents next time.

DO NOT MORALIZE. It installs feeling of fault in the child and develops a negative self-estimation. All of morals finally are reduced to one for the child: "What you have made is bad. You bad because you did this. How could you do such a bad act after all good, what mum does for you?" Every day thousand words of criticize and reprimanding are splashed out on our children. If to write down all this on the tape recorder and then let our mums listen to, they would be amazed. So many various inappropriate words and methods they use in speaking with the children! Here are threats, and sneers, and constant grumble, and, certainly, moral lectures. Scientifically established, that under such ‘stream' the child becomes ‘disconnected' (doesn't paying much attention anymore). It is his unique way of defense which he quickly masters. Certainly, the child cannot be disconnected completely and feels himself guilty.

DO NOT DEMAND SOMETHING THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO THE AGE OF THE CHILD. If you expect from the two-year-old kid that he should obey like five years' – by doing this you install in the child feeling of hostility toward you. You demand from him a maturity of behaviour of which he is not capable due to his age. And it will badly affect development of his consciousness.

http://www.kindbook.com/eduideas.htm

Stories about fruit: a unique approach

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 17:56 GMT

The books on healthy food. The healing power of Fruits and Vegetables

A unique approach to cook in style

FRUITS VEGS

THE FAIRY-TALE STORIES ABOUT FRUITS

80 stories, tasks and creative games about fruits. Each story in an entertaining fairy-tale representational form tells about a particular fruit, its importance in daily diet, its values and concludes with a healthy recipe. This unique idea of presentation makes the reading very easy, light and interesting. The stories in this book help children and parents to acquire knowledge on the value of fruit, to improve their own health and to be grateful for all the gifts of Nature.
?: Amrita-Rus (2005). Hard cover. 224 pp. Price: $ 4,5

FRAGMENTS FROM THIS BOOK ABOUT FRUIT
page 1::: page 2:::

Tales of the Fruit Fairies

Nothing is as close to the light as a ripening fruit - the sun is always shining down on it and warming it with its streaming rays. In the springtime, when trees all around the world are in bloom, they are visited by magic fairies who come from the orchards of heaven. The fairies are garbed in white, pink and burgundy petals, which they gather from flowering fruit trees. They wash in water of the purest dew, and every once in a while one of them falls into a deep sleep in a fruit-tree blossom, lulled by the scent which they love so dearly. Out of those favoured blossoms grow the juiciest, most delicious of all fruits.

Contents
(L. Skrebtsova, M. Skrebtsova, A. Lopatina)

• The Fruit Fairies' Council
• The Cherry Tree
• The Wonderful Garden
• Pomella the Apple Princess
• The Woodland Apple Tree
• Apple Trees and Roses
• The Amazing Grape Vines
• Teacher and Pupil
• A Dangerous Potion
• Mommy's Pear
• The Wise Pear
• The Plum Fairy
• The Plum Brothers
• The Vitamin Treasury
• The Apricot Pit and the Clever Starling
• Sweet and Sour Oranges
• The Citrus Kingdom
• Vitamin C
• The Miraculous Grapefruit
• Bananas for Lunch
• The Enchanted Pineapple
• Feijoa and the Gifts of the Sea
• The Tart Persimmon
• The Kind Man and the Pomegranate
• A Wise Decision
• The Pot and the Peach Pit
• The Peach Fairy's Orchard
• Quince Jam
• Happiness is a Melon
• Watermelon Seeds
• The Quest for a Watermelon

The framents from this book:
http://www.kindbook.com/fruits_en.htm

Healthy food. 80 stories, tasks and creative games about vegetables.

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 17:39 GMT

Lopatina A. Screbtsova M.

THE FAIRY-TALE STORIES ABOUT VEGETABLES

80 stories, tasks and creative games about vegetables. Each story in an entertaining fairy-tale representational form tells about a particular vegetable, its importance in daily diet and its values. It explains how to heal a particular illness. Each story concludes with a healthy recipe with usage of this particular vegetable. This unique idea of presentation makes the reading very easy, light and interesting. The stories in this book help children and parents to improve their own health by enriching their daily diet with vegetables, to acquire knowledge on the healing qualities of vegetables and to appreciate the wonderful gifts of Nature.

The Vegetable Kingdom

We, the vegetables, are quite upsest. People know so little about all the good things we do for them! We feed them, and we help them when they're sick in so many ways. We give them the very best present there is: all the warmth of the sun that our leaves gather, and all the moisture of the earth collected by our roots. How we could possibly tell you about all these wonderful treasures. What should we do? Did somebody say, "Ask the scientists to write books about vegetables"? Hm! They've already written all sorts of books about us. But grown-ups don't read them to children, and children need vegetables more than anyone else! So, to help us make friends with the children, we decided to tell you all these stories.

For more info

http://www.kindbook.com/booksvegs.htm

An inspirational story from the book Secrets of the heart

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 17:37 GMT

FRAGMENTS FROM THE BOOK "SECRETS OF THE HEART"

The cactus flower

M. Skrebtsova

One fine morning in a very hot desert, where the same baking sun scorched down in the morning as in the afternoon, a little plant was born. He was a cactus - the tenth child in a very big family. All the children in the family were brought up very strictly: in a whole week they got only a single drop of water each. It was hard, but the strict upbringing was not without its fruits, for the little cactus grew up to be tough, and they would never say more than needed to be said. They knew how to wait patiently, and how not to bother others with silly questions. But the tenth little cactus was different. He asked lots of questions. At first he asked his mother and brothers, and then, when he got no answer from them, he started asking questions of whoever he happened to see. «I wonder if you can drown in the sand?» he said dreamily. «Is the sky made out of sand, too? Then why is it a different colour? And why does it cry so very little, when its tears make us feel so good and fresh?»

It was too much. His mother lost her temper and snapped at him, «You ask quite too many questions for a cactus. Now just you be quiet and patient, like the rest of us!” But the little cactus didn't want to be patient. His proud, silent brothers were so cold and distant that he could hardly bear it, and his little heart burned fiercely inside from loneliness. He started to talk to the sun and the sand and the wind, and to the rain that came every once in a long while, and at night he talked to the far-distant stars. They sang him songs of other places and other worlds, magic songs of a different life…

“Oh, something different! If only I could see it myself!” the little cactus exclaimed longingly. The sands told him about «people». Oh, they knew so much about these people! The little cactus loved the wonderful stories, which were happy and sad, and sometimes funny, and sometimes even scary as scary can be.

“People! I wonder what do they look like? I ' d sure like to touch one with my spines,” the dreamy little cactus said with a deep sigh.

“Oh ho ho!” the stars laughed. “People don't like prickly things, little cactus. They run away from whatever hurts them. First you have to shine for them, and then they'll shine too, and then they'll be happy to stay with you for as long as you like. Forever, even.»

The stars were always saying things like that.

“The sands say that people know everything about everything in the world. They”re not quiet, like us,» the little cactus thought aloud.

“That”s true, there's never a silent moment with them,» the stars agreed. «Even when their tongues aren't talking, their eyes speak to you, and their heart, and their soul.»

«Soul? What's that? Do cacti have them too?» the little cactus asked.

And then one day a miracle happened. The little cactus saw some people, and even heard them talking.

«What a place, this desert! Nothing but silence and sameness all around. Nothing to greet you but prickly plants, if you can call that a greeting. It's ugly and bare, nothing like the beautiful, sweet-smelling meadow flowers at home…»

The little cactus understood that they were talking about him, and for the first time in his life he realized he was ugly. He felt like crying. Sure enough, tiny drops seeped out the tips of his spines.

«Hey, look, a crying cactus,» one of the people said, and reached out gingerly to touch it. «Its prickles aren't sharp at all. New kind of cactus, I guess. I wonder if there's a lot of them around here?»

The people looked around and saw other cacti growing, poked at them, and yanked their hands away sharply, for the sharp spines hurt their fingers!

«Looks like it's the only soft one.» the people said, and came back to look more closely at the one special little cactus.

The little cactus almost died he was so happy when the people came up to him again. And the closer they got, the more their faces lit up with in indescribable delight.

«Just look at it! It's gorgeous! A snow-white miracle! A treasure! There's not a flower anywhere on earth that can hold a candle to this perfume. We must be dreaming.»

And the people gathered around the little cactus and gazed at it in silent admiration.

«What are they talking about?» the little cactus puzzled. «Such strange things, these people are. First they say I'm ugly, and now they stand around admiring me.»

For he had not noticed the beautiful white flower, the magnificent and wondrous miracle of nature that had so patiently grown out of his side. All around him the air was filled with its delightful perfume, and the most amazing light seemed to shine from the snow-white miracle he had created, and the same light was in the people's faces. At night-time the star-studded heaven seemed to surround the cactus flower with a magic embrace. In their light he shone with a heavenly beauty.

«Now you have seen a soul,» the stars told the little cactus. «Your flower has opened up the people's souls for all to see. You should feel very happy indeed.»

http://www.kindbook.com/secrets.htm

Early childhood education. The foundation of educational system

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 17:33 GMT

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. CHILDEN'S BOOKS: A UNIQUE APPROACH TO EDUCATION

We have compiled the books for teachers and parents who believe that teaching morals is the foundation of any system of upbringing or education. We say "teaching" because only such purposeful and systematic activities can act as a real force for educating a child's character.
The lesson materials on early childhood education consist of stories, games, questions for discussion and creative tasks all intended to help the child internalise the ideas on a deep and personal level.

Book 1: "The World of Love and Unity" Contains stories, histories, and parables from the world religions, and also sample lessons in the history and culture of world religions, conversations and role-playing games about peace and unity, and a games section to develop personal interaction, attentiveness and observation.

Book 2: "Nature Through the Eyes of the Soul" Talks about the sky, stars, sun, water and earth; teaches the child to observe, understand and love the world of nature. Contains stories and parables about teachers, motherly love, music and friendship. A section of philosophical stories teaches children to reflect on good and evil, beauty and love.

Book 3: "The World of Your Soul" Introduces the child to the many-colored world of the seasons, inculcates love of animals, talks about the origin of humanity in the form of stories, fairy tales and parables. Talks about God, love, faith and prayer. Contains philosophical stories about love and the magic valleys of the spirit.

Book 4: "The Art of Seeing the World" Offers around 250 games intended to develop spirituality, intellect, creative thinking and expression in the child. Talks about goodness and happiness, compassion and love of work. Introduces children to the spiritual foundation of the creative work of artists, writers and poets, and teaches them a creative way of relating to the world.

Book 5: "The Wisdom Alphabet" Talks about sacrifice and humility, generosity and respect for others, bravery and cleanliness in the form of fairy tales, parables and sayings. Includes conversations about artists, colors, musicians and musical instruments. Contains stories and conversations about the family, which teach a child to respect his or her loved ones and develops a sense of responsibility.

Book 6: "Tales of Words and Letters"Includes more than 100 stories, games and activities about letters and words, which teach a child to read, write and use the spoken language. Stories and fairy tales about the music of nature, the mysteries of portrait painting, and the healing power of art teach children to see and feel the beauty around them, to understand the language of painting, and interest them in the world of art.

Book 7: "Tales of Flowers, Trees and Growing Things" In the form of fairy tales tells about the trees of evergreen and deciduous forests, and about springtime and woodland flowers. Kind-hearted tales with moral themes include natural and scientific information about the world of plants, which children study in basic science courses at elementary school.

Book 8: "The Gifts of the Earth" Contains stories about the nutritional and curative qualities of fruits, vegetables, berries, mushrooms, grains and grasses. The kindly heroes of the stories teach children from childhood to take care of their spiritual and physical health, and talk about the right things to eat and how to heal oneself using the gifts of the earth.

We have also published Methodological materials - courses of some 30-50 sample lessons based on the books1. The Wisdom Alphabet2. Nature Through the Eyes of the Soul3. Seasons, the World of Your Soul4. Family Happiness5. The Magic World of Music6. The Color Alphabet7. The Mysteries of Creativity8. Trees Decorate the World

We are currently preparing for publication, in cooperation with the Fund for the World's Spiritual Culture, 15 collections of practical materials for preschool children, and for children of lower and middle grades. They are intended to be used by parents and kindergarten teachers, and also teachers of Russian language and literature, mathematics and science, trades, history, music and art.

http://www.kindbook.com

Moral and Creative Education.

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:55 GMT

Moral and Creative Education. A unique approach.

Awakening the heart and soul.

Our catalogue of educational books for children - the unique collections of stories, fairy-tales, legends, creative games and activity lessons for moral education and creative development of a child.

www.KindBook.com

FRAGMENTS FROM OUR BOOKS:

KINDNESS IN MATHS

50 stories and activity lessons through moral stories, creative entertaining games, logical tasks with spiritual insight helping children to achieve an important LIFE SKILL to be creative in exact science

A Health Directory from the Fairy Realm:

Fragments from the books on healthy food

Authors: A.Lopatina & M.Skrebtsova

FRUIT & VEGETABLES. VITAMINS ON YOUR TABLE

If you want your children to be really healthy then you will find this 'Fairy Directory' very useful. You will find here many unique but simple recipes which focus on the optimal preservation of all the vitamins and trace elements in a meal, as well as an entertaining collection of fairy tales, conversations and games. In addition most of the recipes have been put together so that children can prepare them without any help at all from grown ups!

Kids creativities. Research Methodology Materials. Methodology and teacher training.
Free E-books for kids online.