Episode #101 "How Sagwa Got Her Colors"

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Sagwa is curious and energetic, and in the first episode of the show, she tumbles into her parents' work and accidentally spills ink all over herself and the Magistrate's rule scroll. The Magistrate is so happy with his revised rule that he proclaims that all Chinese cats shall have dark faces, ears, paws and tails, just like Sagwa.

Do:
Royal Scroll
Give your child a paintbrush, watercolor paint, and a sheet of construction paper, and invite your child to create his or her own royal scroll. Your child can practice "calligraphy" by painting letters, his or her name, or one of the "royal" rules of your home. After the paint has dried, display the scroll.

You might also want to read:
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
The Empty Pot by Demi

Episode #102 "New Year's Clean-Up"

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New year celebrations take place all over the world. In the New Year mini-documentary that follows Sagwa show #102 (New Year's Clean-Up"), you'll learn about different new year traditions. In Mexico, children break open piñatas to celebrate the New Year. In Portugal, people eat 12 grapes at midnight to remember the 12 months that have just passed. In celebrating the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah (which usually occurs in September), a shofar (a ram's horn) is blown and families eat apples dipped in honey in hopes of a sweet year to come.

Do:
It's important that your child feel included in family traditions. You might work together to create a special New Year's tradition for your family--cooking a favorite treat, telling a family story, or creating a photo album of the past year's events. You might also set aside time that day to call or write family members and let your child tell how he or she has grown and changed in the past year.

Of course, remember to save some celebrating for February 12. That's when Chinese New Year occurs this year. It's the biggest celebration in China--the holiday lasts 15 days. It is a time to spend with family. A traditional dance performed during Chinese New Year is the lion dance. This dance is thought to bring prosperity to all. Get a head start on planning your own special "Sagwa" celebration for this very festive holiday.

Have fun preparing for the Chinese New Year online with the Countdown to the New Year games on this site!

You might also want to read:
Happy New Year! Kung-Hsi Fa-Ts'ai! by Demi
Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year by Kate Waters and Madeline Stovenz-Low

Episode #108 "Tribal Cats"

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Sagwa and her siblings have heard a lot about the new cats that have come to town. The rumors include that the cats are strange and eat unusual food! They are certainly nothing like Sagwa. Sagwa meets one of the new cats, and they challenge each other to physical competitions. It takes a bunch of trouble and a difficult situation for Sagwa and the new cat to learn how much they really have in common.

Do:
Young children are naturally curious about people who appear different from them. It's important not to dismiss their questions, which may sometimes seem rude or inappropriate, but to answer them with simple, direct facts, and to correct any misconceptions they may have picked up.

Children take their cues about new people from the adults around them. All children should have opportunities to understand differences and similarities between people of different gender and ages, abilities, races, ethnicity, etc. Give your child opportunities to interact with people from a variety of backgrounds, read books featuring diverse characters, and play with toys that represent a wide range of people.

You might also want to read:
All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka
Bein' with You This Way by W. Nikola-Lis

Episode #119 "Master of Mistakes"

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Mistakes are the cause for a lot of frustration at the palace. Sheegwa makes mistakes practicing calligraphy and frets that she will never be as good as her big sister, Sagwa. Meanwhile, the Foolish Magistrate's daughters make their own mistakes when trying to master cooking, musical, and pottery skills. Luckily, the Master of Mistakes comes to the rescue. He helps everyone see that mistakes are an important part of the learning process and that unless we master our mistakes, our mistakes will master us.

Do:
You may notice that your child becomes increasingly frustrated with making mistakes as he or she gets older and learns to master new, and more difficult, skills. Help your child learn the value of mistakes by talking about mistakes he or she made when younger but have now conquered. When your child makes a mistake, talk about it and together look for alternative ways to do the task that avoids mistakes and frustration. Point out mistakes that you make and let your child know what you learn from the mistakes. Applaud any progress your child makes, encourage every attempt to learn something new, and help your child see that mistakes happen to everyone.

You might also want to read:
Regina's Big Mistake by Marissa Moss