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By Mom Unplugged, April 20, 2008 8:37 am

It’s not too late to join us for the 2nd Annual TV-Turnoff Week Blog Challenge! Turnoff Week (as it is now called, since we have more to turn off these days than just our TVs) begins tomorrow, April 21st.

Turn it off on your own, or if you need a little motivation and group support to try it, sign up for the Blog Challenge. I am giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate to a random participant and now there is even another reward: Jens Hewerer, creator of the Billy Brown series of children’s radio plays, has very generously offered to send a complete CD set of Billy’s adventures to a random participant who completes the challenge!

So if you are “on the fence” and the thought of the potential family/environmental benefits of a TV-free week is not enough to persuade you, perhaps the chance of winning one of two prizes will nudge you over the brink.

Read “the rules” and sign up here.

Comments (1)

By Mom Unplugged, April 1, 2008 8:13 pm

URGENT! TIME-SENSITIVE BLOG POST!!

In anticipation of TV-Turnoff Week (April 21st-27th), Diane at dkMommy Spot is giving away a copy of the book Living Outside the Box: TV-Free Families Share Their Secrets by Barbara Brock. Please read Diane’s review of this very interesting-sounding book, which is based on a 1999 study of over 500 TV-free families.

I have heard of the study and the results are quite fascinating. This book is definitely on my “to read” list!

Unfortunately I am so behind with my blogging, emailing, etc. (due to my week away - or perhaps simply due to massive disorganization), that I regret to report that Diane’s giveaway ends tomorrow, April 2, at noon EST. Sorry I didn’t get the word out sooner, but you still have time to hurry over to dkMommy Spot, read her review of this very worthwhile book, and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.

Good luck!

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By Mom Unplugged, February 29, 2008 8:41 pm

What makes your pre-school or elementary-aged child shine?

“Bubblegum Books is asking kids to write about – or even draw – their most creative ideas for doing fun things during the week of April 21–27, 2008 [TV Turn-Off Week]. Submit fun and educational ideas about ‘what makes you shine.’ It can include an activity, person, adventure—or even something imaginary.”

Reminder: Deadline for the Bubblegum Books/TV Turn-Off Week Contest is March 14th.

For more information, please read my post: An Unplugged-Contest! “Show Your Shiny Side” or visit the Bubblegum Books contest page.

The contest is based on the book Something Shiny, Something Round, by Julie Goulis and illustrated by John Ferguson.

NEW INFORMATION: Bubblegum Books welcomes homeschoolers!

“Homeschoolers can definitely join in the fun too. The contest is open to all elementary-aged and pre-school aged children. Just specify what grade level your child is. Prizes will be awarded by grade level. Where it asks for school phone/address, etc., just include your home information. The organizers of TV-Turnoff Week and Bubblegum Books work with a lot of schools, so the form is probably geared more for schools. We hope you’ll be able to enter and show what makes you shine when the TV is off.

- Brad Hauber - Bubblegum Books”

So don’t forget…March 14th is the deadline. And if you win something, please let me know!

Comments (11)

By Mom Unplugged, February 20, 2008 9:32 am

“What if there were no TVs, computers or video games in your life? That’s exactly what national TV-Turnoff Week is all about – and the “Show Your Shiny Side!” contest is asking elementary-aged kids to come up with imaginative ways to spend their time during those days.” -Bubblegum Books, TV-Turnoff Contest

It’s February, which means it’s almost March, which means April will soon be here. What happens in April? TV-Turnoff Week of course! April 21-27 to be precise. It is also time for Bubblegum Books’ annual TV Turn-Off contest.

Last year I wrote about the 2007 contest (which was based on their book The Things a String Can Be by Julie Goulis and John Ferguson), but back in those days no one but my sister and my ever faithful friend Wishy read my blog. Hopefully this year, I can drum up a bit more support for this fun and worthwhile contest.

Here are all the details:

This year’s contest, again held in conjunction with the Center for Screen-time Awareness, is based on the book Something Shiny, Something Round, also by Julie Goulis and illustrated by John Ferguson. Bubblegum is committed to inspiring children to be creative and use their imaginations. Each book comes with a bonus activity guide too.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HOW DO YOUR KIDS ENTER AND WHAT DO THEY DO?:

+ Dream Big! Let us know what makes you shine. You can draw and/or write your idea(s) on a separate sheet of paper. Go ahead and get creative. The more details, the better.

+ Open to elementary-aged kids.

+ Complete the ENTRY FORM and staple it to your entry. Please print clearly. Attach one form for each individual entry. (Teachers: Please mail class sets in one flat envelope.)

+ All entries become the property of the Center for Screen-Time Awareness and Bubblegum Books. Please make a copy of your submissions as submissions will not be returned.

+ Submit to:

Center for Screen-Time Awareness

2000 29th Street, N.W.

Lower Level # 1

Washington, DC 20007

DEADLINE: March 14th, 2008

WHAT CAN THEY WIN AND WHEN WILL THEY KNOW???

+Winners will be announced during Turnoff Week (April 21-27, 2008)

+Prizes will include t-shirts, frisbees, pencils, stickers, books and other rewards for excellence.

+The grand prize will be a visit by the author and/or illustrator to the winning school.

NOTE TO TEACHERS - Special Educator Contest:

Educators - develop the most interesting way to make this “shiny” contest part of your class. We are looking for integration, educational value and fun. The plan should also be submitted no later than March 14. The winning teachers will receive gift certificates to a local store and/or a local restaurant.

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To read the press-release, here’s the link. For an easily-printable PDF version, click here. Why not print this and hang it in your children’s school or library? Let’s make this a national Unplugged Project!

Comments (24)

By Mom Unplugged, April 16, 2007 8:00 am

Can you and your family turn off the TV for one whole week?

In honor of TV Turn-Off Week, I would like to propose a TV Turn-Off Week Blog Challenge as an aid in turning off the TVs, and encouraging others to do so also. Plus, there is even A BRIBE…err…I mean PRIZE!! I will award a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate to a random participant. The way I thought it could work is this:1) If you want to commit to “The Challenge,” add a comment to this post.

2) Add your name to “Mr. Linky.”

3) Copy the little image below and place it somewhere on the main page of your blog (right click on it, select “save as” to save to your hard drive, then upload to your blog as usual). Link the image back to this post (please make sure it is the POST not my main blog page). Please email me if you need help with any of this. If you really don’t want the image, that is OK, but it would help spread the word.

4) Write a post about “The TV Turn-Off Week Blog Challenge” preferably before April 23rd so as to spread the word. We want to get as many participants as possible in order to make it fun and effective! Tell them why you are doing it and how they can join too.

5) Also, it would be really great if you could please link back here (to this post) from your post so that your readers can easily find all the other participants.

6) During National TV Turn-Off Week (April 23-29, 2007), KEEP THE TV OFF AND HAVE FUN!!! Play board games, read all those great books on your Callapidder Days - Spring Reading Thing list, take walks, play sports, garden (it is finally spring!) do art projects, clean out your closets, visit the library, cook meals together, have a garage sale, blog more or blog less, throw a party or a picnic…the possibilities are endless.

7) At the end of the week write another post describing how it went, whether you were successful, what you did, how it felt, would you do it again, etc…say whatever you are moved to say! If you want to write a series of posts all week about it, go right ahead. Hey…you could get a week’s worth of posts out of this! What is your family doing day by day? Inspire others. Help them find ideas for TV-free activities!

I hope that we will have some interested people. With a little involvement, this could be fun and rewarding. If you think this a worthwhile cause, whether or not you intend to participate, please help spread the word. I do not have a big readership yet and without a little help, this “Challenge” will involve only me and my ever-faithful best friend. It would be much more fun with a larger turnout!

Thanks and please feel free to email me with any questions (unplugyourkids “a t” gmail “d o t” com).