5 Things Your Kids Can Learn From the Olympics

The Olympics 2012: London

The Olympic Games has finally arrived! 

For those of you who are excited about games as I have and followed the torch as it made its way from Greece to London; tonight is when it all begins! Who will take home medals? Who will make history? Who will make the dramatic comeback? The suspense is almost keeping me up this past week. What we do know is what team USA will be wearing this year- classic American clothing (made in China) by none other than Ralph Lauren. Check out 

the uniform of team France.

©Kishimoto Hiroki Sugimoto 

5 Things Your Kids Can Learn From the Olympics:

1. Follow your dreams: If you ask any of the athletes in this year's games what their childhood dream was and you'll most likely hear, "to compete in the Olympics." Whether your child is dreaming of competing in the 2020 Games or not, the key is to never give up on your dream. Most importantly is that behind each athlete are parents and family members that have guided them on their path.
2. Persistence: Hard work and dedication quite often (almost always) leads to great achievements. No matter the sport or activity your child is engaged, the takeaway from the games is to always try your best and never give up.
3. Sportsmanship: part of playing the sport is good sportsmanship. The Olympics teach us that fair play is fair play no matter the language or background. Rivals become friends and the closing ceremony is filled with teams from various countries sharing laughs and exchanging mementos. 
4. Teamwork: growing up, we were always told that there isn't an 'i' in 'team' and there still isn't. Being part of a team is more than wearing the same uniform. It's working together to achieve a common goal.
5. Having a fit lifestyle: having active lifestyle build a strong body, self-esteem and so much more. 

Top Athletes to Watch

Here's a list of top 10 lists worth reading. Get to know the athletes and root for your faves. These lists do not include those most likely to make history, have a dramatic comeback or inspire you to do 5 laps, but should.

Top 10 Athletes to watch in 2012 London Olympics

10 Olympic Athletes for the London 2012 Games

U.S. Olympic champions seek greater glory in London Games

Have an iPad or Anroid gadget? Try these cool Olympic Games inspired apps:

1. BBC Olympics on Android (Free)

2. Samsung: Take Part 2012

3. Reuters Olympics London 2012 (Free)4. London 2012: Official Results App for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Free) 5. NBC Olympics (Free)6. 2012 Team USA Road to London Olympics (Free) 

5 Ways to Celebrate July 4th in Paris

Celebrate Independence Day in Paris

The late 18th century was a period of great change for the New World colonies. The colonists were struggling for their right to form a new nation and independence from the British Empire during the American Revolution (1775-1783).

On July 2, 1776 the Second Continental Congress approved the resolution of independence and two days later the Declaration of Independence -Thomas Jefferson being the principal author- received final approval. Thus, a new nation of 13 was formed and Great Britain was served their 'walking papers' so to speak.

Since that time, July 4th or Independence Day is observed as the birth of American independence and is celebrated throughout the nation with parades, fireworks, family gatherings, country fairs, and let's not forget barbecues!

Happy Independence Day, America!

5 Ways to Celebrate Independence Day in Paris:

courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Picnic on Quai d'Orsay - the American Church is holding a picnic on the Quai in front of the church. Join the family fun with your fellow patriots. Please refer to the flyer for more info.

2. Story Hour at the American Library- the theme will be July 4th and children ages 3-5 will love the silly songs and stories about the holiday. Click here for more info.

3. Meetup and celebrate with fellow expats at Penderie- meetup is the place to meet others with similar interests. Connect with others and there will be hotdogs!!!

4. Watch 4th of July themed movies- Get in the spirit with some classic films for the whole family. Check out a short list of Independence day themed movies available on amazon.com.

5. Start your own 4th of July tradition- add your own twist to the festivities. Why not invite friends to an American-themed soirée, or have family night in and share the story of how a nation was born and maybe belting out a few classic songs with the kiddies. The possibilities are endless. 

Independence day themed recipe ideas

Kid-friendly 4th of July recipe ideas

Independence day themed songs

Le Paris Weekend: La Fête des Peres

La Fête des Peres: Father's Day

Celebrate Dads this Sunday

The idea to have a day honoring fathers and fatherhood is said to have originated from Sonora Dodd in the early 20th century after hearing a church sermon about Mother's Day. Sonora Dodd's father, a Civil War vet, was also a single parent. She told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. The first Father's Day celebration and sermon took place the third Sunday of June in 1910. 

But it wasn't until 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday in 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed it into law.


To all fathers out out there: Thank you!

Things to do with dad this weekend

1. Hearty American breakfast in bed: skip the croissants and give dad a hearty stack of pancakes, eggs, bacon. Can't find pancake mix and other products from home? Check out Thanksgiving located in the 4th arrondissement.
  

2. Shop for this year's must-haves for him: Decathlon has all the essentials and more for the sporty dads, while your techie-dad will love the items from Fnac. But if he's all of the above or hard to shop for- why not get him a gift card and let him be the kid in the candy store this time?

3. Relax: sometimes the simplest things are great things. Take the children out for a nice long walk (weather permitting), movies, or the mall and let dad relax and slow down for a few hours.

Le Paris Weekend: Fête des voisins

La fête des voisins: 

As an American, who is used to warm greetings from neighbors and block parties during the summer months- this festival hits a sweet spot for me.

This festival is due to the initiative of Atanase Périfan, who had launched the idea in 1999 in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, with the association he had founded some years earlier, Friends of Paris.
But this was  not the first, many Belgian municipalities had similar initiatives known as the neighborhood barbecue, Street Party, Dinner neighbors.

The following year,  the Association of Mayors of France, then social landlords (HLM), supported this initiative which later developed throughout France. From 2000 to 2009, fête des voisins was held on the last  Tuesday of May but in 2010 the festival was moved to the last Friday of May. After the creation of Voisins Solidaires in 2008, the festival has since been gaining support of city counsils, housing organizations, and local businesses.

Also known as Neighbor's Day, this festival is also celebrated in more than 30 countries!

Le Paris Weekend- Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day 

Sunday April 22nd

Started in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Nelson calling for an environmental teach-in on April 22nd and has since been celebrated on that day and was recognized as International Mother Earth Day by the United Nations in 2009. It's important to teach our children about how crucial it is to care for our planet. Here are a few ideas to keep the earth clean and well for generations to come.

- Growing an indoor garden- it's easy and cost efficient to grow your own herbs and small veggies (like tomatoes) without needing a green thumb. Check your local market or florist for seeds and planting tips. For more ways to add green to your home try Jardinland

- Unplug and connect- turn off your electronics (even better to unplug) and conserve energy. Use the time away from the TV to connect with the family outdoors. Why not make it family game night and play one of the classic games you grew up with. Toys r us has a full listing of classic games and more! 


- Know your carbon footprint- learn about reducing you ecological impact on the world with this cool calculator (for kids). Parents you can try this one. 


The most important thing to remember is that small changes to our everyday behavior helps our planet.

Elections!!

The French round one of the elections is this Sunday. Who will make it to round two? All major newspapers are covering the elections but I liked this chart from lemonde.fr. 

American Elections:

Also do not forget to register for the absentee ballot- there is a deadline, so do it NOW if you haven't done so already. Click here for more information. 

Easter Issue

Easter Fun!

Find great Egg Hunt locations and more!

Now that spring is here and the flowers are in bloom, Easter fun is just around the corner..Well this Sunday to be exact. So, don your Sunday best outfits and check out these many chasse aux oeufs  and other Pâques-themed events.

Thoiry Egg Hunt

La Traditionnelle Chasse Aux Oeufs de Pâques at Thoiry: How many of the 8,000 hidden eggs can your children find? Join Thoiry in their traditional egg hunt and celebration Sunday April 8th and Monday April 9th between 10h and 13h. Search for hidden surprises in the labyrinth. If you tour the wildlife area, you'll also notice a few animals partaking in the celebrations as well.


Admission is 27.50€ for adults and 21.00€ for children and is located just 35 minutes west of Paris. Address: Parc de Thoiry, Rue du Pavillon de Montreuil 78770 Thoiry.


Grandes Chasse Aux Oeufs dans les Jardins at the Vaux le Vicomte Château:
Sunday April 8th and Monday April 9th from 10h to 17h30, enjoy a day of egg hunting, face painting, pony rides (2€), and various family friendly workshops (there's even one on making chocolate). Over 35,000 eggs to be found including 7,000 Kinder chocolate eggs. Each egg hunt session last 40 minutes. There is so much to do at the château that "inspired Versailles."
Admission for a family of 4 (2 children and 2 adults) is only 44€!
Address: Vaux le Vicomte 77950 Maincy
Accessible via the RER D to Melun, a chateaubus is available from the gare.

Chasse Aux Oeufs de Pâques de la Ferme de Gally: enjoy the egg hunt and other fun farm activities including soap making, pony rides, egg decorating, and petting the many farm animals. There are two locations available: 
1. Address: Ferme de Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole, Route de Bailly à Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole (CD7), 78210 Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole
Admission is 6€ for those over 3 years.


2. Address: Ferme de Sartrouville, Rue de Chatou, 78500 Sartrouville
Admission is 5€ for those over 3 years.

Educational Fun and treasure hunt in Paris: This Easter Sunday, the National Monuments Center invites you to participate in a treasure hunt that spans through 52 castles, fortresses, archeological sites, gardens and more. Children from ages 5-12 and their families can visit, have fun and discover more about the holiday. The special program includes solving history-related puzzles. Here's a list of participating sites: 

Île de France/Paris: Conciergerie - Tours de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris - Château de Rambouillet - Villa Savoye à Poissy - Château de Maisons à Maisons-Laffitte - Domaine national de Saint-Cloud (Metro #9 Pont de Sèvres) - Basilique cathédrale de Saint-Denis - Château de Vincennes

Le Paris Weekend- Happy Spring!

Happy Spring

Celebrate the new season in and round town

Good by gray skies and hello sun! March 20th marked the first day of spring and the spring equinox (March 21st) sealed the arrival of the new season. There's a wide assortment of activities in Paris and the surrounding departments to celebrate the coming warm weather. Check out a few events happening near you below:

Jardin des Tuileries (Metro 1: Tuileries): great for walks and relaxing in the sun, this jardin features statues dating from the early 18th century, fountains, and a water feature that children and adults alike may race mini sailboats- a tradition dating over a hundred years. Click here for events happening at the jardin. 

Parc Monceau (Metro 2: Monceau): If you're in the 8th arrondissement, this park should be on your check list. You'll find elements that will remind you of NYC's Central Park (see pic). There's a small children's area with a manège and swings. Lounge on the lush grass and have a picnic, and relax. Be sure to check out the ornate gates as you enter the park.




Jardin des plantes (Metro 5, 10 Gare d'Austerlitz): the name says it all. This jardin features greenhouses with a large collection of plants from all over the world and a colorful display of fragrant flowers. Not a plant and flower buff? Don't worry, the labels will guide you. A bonus here is that the Jardin des plantes has a managerie (one of the oldest zoos in Paris), a rose garden, iris garden, maze and much more. 

Road Trip! Explore Auvers-sur-Oise

Located just 18 miles north of Paris, Auvers-sur-Oise is the quaint small town with a village feel that inspired many Van Gogh paintings. Be inspired with the amazing hilltop views on your way to the Notre Dame church, tour Van Gogh home, see the latest exhibitions at the chateau. The town also has small shops and restaurants, this town will make you feel that you're farther away from home. The town is easily accessible by car (A86 ->A15->A14) and SNCF (Avers-sur-Oise).