More Outdoor Winter Play, the Star Wars Way!

Since 1977, re-enacting scenes from Star Wars has been a fun outdoor activity for kids. Depending on where you live though, it might take a little more imagination for some moments!

If you live near a forest then it is easy to recreate the battle of Endor. If you live near swamps then you have an instant Dagobah for Jedi training with Yoda! If you happen have a sandy desert area nearby suddenly you can imagine you’re podracing on Tatooine or stealing the Millennium Falcon from Unkar Plutt on Jakku.

Mittens? I don't even need a jacket!

Then there’s winter…

A while back we looked at playing out the snowy scenes of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back and parts of The Clone Wars. Since then, The Force Awakens has introduced several new “cool” scenes to kids who don’t mind a little cold weather.

Whether you get your lightsabers out and duel in the snow, or bring your action figures outside and hope they don’t get lost until spring, here’s a few ideas for more outdoor winter play the Star Wars way!

In the movie Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren face off in an epic winter lightsaber fight. Finn starts trying his skills with the lightsaber but it’s Rey who really challenges Kylo during the snowy battle.

Starkiller Base itself offers many wintery moments, from the crash of the Falcon to Han, Chewie and Finn trying to get inside. If you think the Force will keep you warm though, remember Han’s words there: “That’s not how the Force works!"

Or you could recreate General Hux’s passionate speech about the First Order, though you may need a lot of friends to be the Stormtroopers! Perhaps a few of the troops could be snowmen?

Do you want to build a snowtrooper?

The deleted scenes from The Force Awakens (available on the bluray) provide even more inspiration for fun, including a snow-speeder chase that did not make it into the final movie.

Here she'll wear a jacket!

May the Force be with you, however you play Star Wars this winter!

 

Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Young Star Wars Readers!

Looking for a few last-minute gift ideas for a youngling on your list? There's a safe bet they don't have any of these books, all released December 18, 2015 to coincide with The Force Awakens. Hot off the press comes some terrific gifts for young Star Wars fans, assuming they've seen the film already. Warning: these books contain spoilers!

From DK comes The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary and Incredible Cross-Sections. Both are coffee-table sized books filled with beautiful visuals from the film. If you love extremely detailed looks at the vehicles and spaceships then Cross-Sections books are for you. The Visual Dictionary covers more about the characters. Both are pretty terrific books though.



Until the junior novel of the movie comes out next year there are a few story books from Disney Press to tide over an avid young reader.  A middle-grade novel in three parts, Before the Awakening by Greg Rucka tells the stories of what Finn, Rey and Poe were up to shortly before the events of the movie.

Also from Disney comes 5-Minute Star Wars Stories, a collection of comically illustrated stories based on the events of all seven Star Wars movies, including two from The Force Awakens. Some of the material here has been previously seen as World of Reading early reader books. The artwork is fun, exciting and light-hearted and the stories are, as the title suggests, very short for quick reads.

Still full of illustrations but intended for stronger readers comes Rey's Survival Guide from Studio Fun, a journal-like book as if written by Rey herself, much like these Star Wars Rebels books.

For a bit of silly fun also check out Star War Mix & Match where you can not only swap costumes and weapons of the major characters but also story elements to create a very different, often absurd version of the movie!

Have a Happy Star Wars Rebels Valentine's Day!

Guys? Where's Hera or Sabine?

Valentine’s Day means giving out heart-covered cards and other goodies to friends and classmates, but also can be another way to share your love for movies, TV shows and toys. Star Wars valentines have been around almost as long as Star Wars movies.

This year’s batch of valentines feature for the first time characters from Star Wars Rebels, so there’s yet another opportunity to spread the word about this fantastic DisneyXD show.

Will next year’s cards have characters and scenes from the new Star Wars movie The Force Awakens? Very likely, but for now here’s a look at some of the cards and treats available.

Paper Magic has at least two sets of Star Wars Rebels valentines out there. One contains miniscule glow rods to go with each card, presumably because they sort of look like little lightsaber blades? They are only slightly larger than LEGO Star Wars lightsabers. Another Paper Magic set comes with tattoos of the main Rebels characters. There is also a very similar set that comes with stickers instead of tattoos.

 

The glow stick is actual size!

Rebels candies in a heart-shaped box

One odd thing: throughout the first few episodes of Star Wars Rebels, Hera is often calling Kanan “Love” as a pet-name. Obviously they are very close, whatever she means by the term. So why isn't the word Love on any of these valentines? Seems like of all days, Valentine's Day would be appropriate to say it.

Not all the valentines out this year focus on Star Wars Rebels though.

There's a lot of images from our friends at JediNews.co.uk with new Star Wars valentine items from several countries.

Here's a few more of this year's items at RebelScum.com 

Vader wonders...When will we see Empire Day cards?

And don't forget Scholastic's A Very Vader Valentine's Day, illustrated by Katie Cook, guest on Star Wars Kidscast podcast episode 6!

HAPPY  VALENTINE'S DAY!

- Chris @SWKidscast

Star Wars Kidscast Episode 10: What About Mom?

Join Star Wars Kidscast for a Mother’s Day Special episode! Four active Star Wars fans (who also happen to be moms) chime in on characters like Shmi Skywalker & Padmé Amidala, what Star Wars means to them as moms, how they share the saga in their family and much more!

Guests contributions from:

Jen from Anomaly podcast

Amanda from MakingStarWars.net

Zannah a big-time Star Wars fan

Becca from CoffeeWithKenobi.com

Also check out this earlier episode with an interview with Star Wars artist (and mom) Katie Cook, along with her youngest youngling!

Star Wars Kidscast blog

Twitter @SWKidscast

facebook.com/StarWarsKidscast

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Star Wars Day 2014: Fun in Photos!

May the 4th, 2014 was a lot of fun in Surrey, BC. This year we had to CHOOSE between the many events happening! It was so cool to see so many fans young and (ahem) not-so-young celebrating Star Wars.

Our first stop was the local Disney Store.

Jedi Training in progress. Some Jedi came in robes!

We were one of the last few "first 100" customers so we manage received a free Star Wars pin commemorating the day. 

Disney Store hosted Jedi Training which entailed a cast member (Disney doesn't have "staff") interacting with a Star Wars video to walk kids through various training exercises. The kids all received inflatable mini-lightsabers, paper medals of honor (just like at the end of Episode IV: A New Hope) and also a pack of trading cards afterward.

Junior Jedi Knight

Training is now complete. Naptime next!

The cast members were great, the kids had fun and Disney Store truly got into the Star Wars spirit!

"Aren't you a little short for a Sith Lord....sir?"

Next stop was Indigo Books which had Stormtroopers interacting with the customers, some trivia challenges for the kids and a few fun giveaways too courtesy of DK Publishing and LEGO. 

More kids were there in costume for this event including some Clone Troopers and a little Darth Vader. Some of the staff were even dressed up or sporting Princess Leia's infamous hair buns!

These kids knew their Star Wars trivia!

What was so great about May the 4th/Star Wars Day was even though both events were aimed at kids the parents seemed to be having just as much fun. Both events had many parents in various Star Wars T-shirts too. Star Wars had its Dark Side of course, but May the 4th was a positive celebration of the Galaxy loved by all ages. 

May the 4th be with you....always!

Did you celebrate May the 4th? How did you celebrate? Comment below : )

Star Wars Kidscast Episode 6: Vader Valentines, Variety & Voicemail

It's almost Valentine's Day and Star Wars Kidscast is joined by Star Wars A Very Vader Valentine's Day illustrator Katie Cook along with her baby girl...hey, kids are always welcome on the Kidscast! We talk Star Wars, art, Muppets and briefly touch on Valentine's Day too. Also in this episode we take a closer look at the Star Wars "Gold Heart" pins available to support Variety the Children's Charity and respond to a listener voice message.

Links:
More about artist Katie Cook: www.KatieCanDraw.com
Star Wars support of Variety: USVariety.org
Star Wars Age 9

To read a review of Star Wars: A Very Vader Valentine's Day visit here.


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A Very Vader Valentine's Day: The Cute Side of the Force

"...you might say that we are encouraged to love." - Anakin Skywalker

 

Dark Lord of the Sweethearts?

Star Wars-themed valentine cards have been around for years and now Scholastic has a book full of them! On Valentine's Day you can show your love or friendship AND your love of Star Wars with Star Wars: A Very Vader Valentine's Day.

Whether you give out friendly cards or you're sneaking into Jabba's palace in disguise to be with your sweetheart, February 14th is better with Star Wars in it! Star Wars suits Valentine's Day surprisingly well with various love stories and many examples of true friendship. It's the friendship and niceness part celebrated mostly in A Very Vader Valentine's Day from Trey King and Katie Cook.

The book consists mainly of sheets with 36 removable valentine cards but if you give all of those away, there's still fun stuff left for you. The first section has a few pages of word puzzles, comics, drawing tips and many Star Wars jokes. You can even help Boba Fett find love...sort of. Katie Cook's extremely cute artwork has an adorably distinct look - and the text has a silly, pun-oriented sense of humor thanks to Trey King. Compared to the boxed valentine card sets available this book is a little more expensive but comes with quite a few bonus activities.

My only complaint about the book is the title which is a bit misleading. A Very Vader Valentine's Day is no more focused on Darth Vader than any other character, and wouldn't a VERY Vader Valentine's Day actually be pretty terrifying? Somebody would get force-choked, that's for sure.

Small complaint indeed because if you like your Star Wars on the CUTE side of the Force, check out this activity book. Spread the love this Valentine's Day...Star Wars love, that is! : )

For an interview with Star Wars A Very Vader Valentine's Day illustrator Katie Cook, have a listen to Star Wars Kidscast Episode 6!

As mentioned at the beginning, Star Wars valentine goodies have been around for a while:

Old-School Star Wars valentine cards from the 1980's

Pretty scary way to say I Love You!

Canadian valentines that came with lollipop hearts!

Clone Wars valentines too!

For a more detailed look at Star Wars valentine items, visit this link. Happy Valentine's Day!
-Chris @SWKidscast