Author: tigerandtim.com@gmail.com

Christmas is one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. Let’s see how different countries celebrate the Yuletide season!

There is no doubt that Christmas is one of the most exciting celebrations all over the world. Even tigers for kids like me get excited! The most wonderful time of the year is also Tim Hague‘s (my human buddy) favourite holiday!

People (and pets!) from all over the world celebrate Christmas in their own unique way. Take a look at the different Christmas traditions around the globe.

SWEDEN

When we think of Christmas, a goat is probably not what we have in mind. But for the Swedes, a goat is one of their most endearing Yuletide symbols. Called the Gävle Goat, the Yule Goat is erected every year at the beginning of Advent in Gävle, Sweden. In 1966, a 13-metre-tall Gävle Goat made of straw was put up in the city’s square, and it has been a popular Swedish Christmas tradition ever since. I wonder when people will put a giant straw statue of me?!

AUSTRALIA

Whilst many of us are bundled indoors every Christmas, Aussies Down Under gather together on the beach with a barbie to grill since Christmastime falls during their summer season! A surfboard-ridin’ Father Christmas is also known to make an appearance during the festivities. How cool is that?!

JAPAN

White hair? Check. Friendly smile? Check. Famous and well-loved Christmas symbol? Yes! But we’re not talking about Santa Claus!

In Japan, Colonel Sanders, the face of Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a popular Yuletide symbol because the Japanese love to have KFC as part of their Christmas celebration! The tradition started in 1974 when the fast-food chain began marketing its fried chicken as a Christmas meal, similar to turkey that Americans have for Thanksgiving. Now that’s a finger-lickin’ Christmas, right Tim Hague?

ICELAND

Who doesn’t want to receive gifts at Christmas? Us tigers for kids do, for sure! In Iceland, they have a tradition wherein children are visited by the 13 Yule Lads each day before Christmas. According to tradition, the Yule Lads will place some candies inside the child’s boots placed by the window if they have been good. But if they have been naughty, expect to see some rotten potatoes inside your shoes the next day! Yikes!

CHINA

Although we all love some sweet treats as part of our Christmas celebration, something a bit healthier for tigers and for kids is also a good option.

In China, apples are the treats of choice for Christmas celebrations. Giving apples wrapped beautifully and adorned with well-wishes for Christmas is becoming a popular tradition in their country, as the words apple and Christmas Eve sound similar in Chinese.

COLOMBIA

One of the prettiest things about Christmas is the bright lights people hang outside their houses or on their Christmas trees! But in Colombia, they light up their holiday season with colourful lights and make use of candles and paper lanterns to signal the beginning of the Yuletide festivities..

Called Little Candles Day or Día de las Velitas, Colombians use candles and beautiful paper lanterns to light up their windowsills, porches, and sidewalks on the night of December 7, the eve of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. This century-old tradition is considered a traditional holiday for everyone, including tigers for kids, in Colombia.

PHILIPPINES

Speaking of sparkling lights, in the Philippines, bright lanterns take centerstage every Christmas in a celebration called The Giant Lantern Festival! Now that’s a sight to behold for tigers and for kids, alike!

Every year, in the city of San Fernando, people from the different villages create a beautiful masterpiece – a parol (or Christmas lantern) six metres in size! That’s way bigger than Tim Hague! Dancing lights, colourful designs, and patterns – all these can be found in their giant lanterns! I wonder if we could hang one here at home?!

That’s it, cool cats! There are more great Christmas traditions all over the world, and we simply cannot cover them in one blog post. We’d love to hear about how Christmas is celebrated in your country. Tell us about it in the comments below!

Read our other Christmas post and Tiger’s past blogs here.

Christmas is almost here! Have you started your shopping yet? Well, here are some alternative gift ideas for all the family!

A lot of things may have changed this year, but one thing’s for sure: Christmas is still the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, my cool cats, Christmas is just around the corner and we all know what’s coming…GIFTS! 

Whilst the calendar days to Christmas are getting crossed off…I still don’t know what to give my human best friend, Tim Hague! We’ve had lots of fun over the past few months making our learning videos for kids, but I’m not sure what gift to get him…I am a Tiger for kids after all, and my pocket money from Tim isn’t enough! Actually, Tim isn’t into material things that much, so I need to give him something I know he will love and without the added clutter at home!

If you’re like me and are also scouting for non-material gifts to give this holiday season, then you’re in luck because we have ten alternative gift ideas to give to your family and friends this Christmas. 

1. Subscription Service

There are many great benefits in giving someone a year’s worth of a subscription service! First of all, there are hundreds of different online subscription services to choose from. There’s one for almost everybody! For the Mum who loves to read great articles while drinking her morning coffee, there’s Medium. For the science and history geek Dad, there’s CuriosityStream. Something for the Tiger Cubs could be… Kidoodle. So many options, so little time! One thing to remember about cool subscription services is that they are typically cheaper and more useful than a boring old mug or another pair of Christmas socks.

2. An Online Course

Give the gift of wisdom with an online class subscription for your loved ones! Much like our learning videos for kids, online courses nowadays are not just confined to academic topics (though those are great, too). Anyone can take classes on things they would love to explore but have never got around to doing so. From photography, to baking for beginners, there’s an online course for just about everything and everyone. MasterClass, Udemy, Anglia Education, and Outschool (something for Tigers and for kids!) are just some of the best sources of online courses.

3. Donate On Their Behalf

Perhaps the best gift to give is the gift that keeps on giving! Donating to a charity on behalf of your loved ones emphasises the true meaning of Christmas – to give to those in need. There are several charities across the UK and the world to do this with, such as the World Literacy Foundation, the National Literacy Trust and global organisations like UNICEF and the World Vision.

4. Homemade Goods

Homemade goods are not only more affordable, they also offer the personal touch! If you’re a talented baker or a home chef (ahem, like me!), then you can whip up your specialty and give it as your Christmas treat to everyone. The best part about this is you can get your Tiger Cubs involved, too. You can also have them make personalised gift cards, tags, and wrapping papers. The gift they make (and give) becomes much more meaningful and memorable because they gave a part of themselves too.

5. Digital Portrait

Gifting someone a digital portrait is a fun way to show the other person how much they mean to you! Not only that, but getting commissioned artworks like digital portraits also helps talented, independent artists. To make the gift more special, you may print out the picture for them. Just don’t forget to give them the soft copy so they can use it as their social media display photo, too!

6. Photo Album

Nothing is more sentimental and memorable than a photo album. You may choose your loved ones’ best photos uploaded on their social media account, or you can also use pictures of a special moment (like when I first met my BFF Tim Hague in the jungle), event, or the best memories that you shared with them. A photo album is also a versatile gift. You may have the photos individually printed and placed in a scrapbook, or it could also be a printed photo-book. The choice is yours, but the idea is awesome!

7. Book (with a twist!)

There’s no secret that we love books as much as watching learning videos for kids! But books might not be considered a unique gift. So why not make things more exciting by giving your loved ones a blind date…with a book! Just wrap the book and write a short teaser about it and why you chose that particular title as your friend or family member’s ‘perfect match’! A Blind Date with a Book will be a sure-fire hit with both the bookworms and mystery-loving friends!

Bonus: You can also opt to buy a second-hand book as a more eco-friendly option, or try supporting small independent book shops that are badly affected by the pandemic.

8. A Plant

House plants and succulents are the perfect gifts to give to the green-thumbed loved ones (both pro and novice) in your life! Choose from a wide array of plants that are easy to take care of with minimal effort. Plants and succulents do not just add to the ~aesthetics~ of the space, but they could also help relieve stress and make the air cleaner, too! Something tigers for kids like me would appreciate!

9. A Reworked Item

We all know that a lot of clutter *does not spark joy*. So instead of giving something that might end up in a sad corner in your storage, why not rework or mend something for your loved ones? There must be something they own that can still be repaired, like a broken dresser or an old dress that needs a make-over? With a reworked item, you save the Earth and your pocket, too! Not only that, much like your handmade goods, you also give the gift your personal touch.

10. Handwritten Letter

We live in a world of instant messaging, e-mails and Zoom calls. But I believe that there’s still something special and sentimental about handwritten letters. Writing a letter takes time and effort (like how we make Tiger and Tim learning videos for kids). It also reminds people of the good ol’ days. And I bet my paws that your family and friends have not received a handwritten letter for a long time! So that is something they would definitely cherish.

So, that’s it! I hope you were able to gather some ideas on what to give to the special people dear to you. But remember that the best gift anyone can give is kindness and love – two things we all believe in at Tiger and Tim headquarters!

Talk to you soon, cool cats!

Lots of love from Tiger xoxoxo (and Tim and Mummy Susy)

Click here to read more of Tiger’s blogs.

Building your children’s vocabulary is important in developing their language skills. Here’s how storytelling through learning videos for kids can help.

We all love a good story – yes, even tigers for kids like me!

Thanks to my best buddy, Tim Hague, I’ve grown to love reading and telling stories. It’s one of my favourite activities (well, aside from eating, of course!). I have even learnt different words because of the many stories we read and share with each other all the time, some of which have made their way onto our Tiger and Tim learning videos for kids!

Your Tiger Cubs can also build their vocabulary through stories. Whether it’s reading from a book, listening to a tale told by a grown-up, or watching through learning videos for kids, storytelling plays an essential role in developing language skills.

Here are the different ways storytelling can help build your Tiger Cub’s word bank and improve their literacy level:

1. Words Are Used In Action

Stories make words come alive! When used in storytelling, children can make sense of the terms even more. They learn about how the word is pronounced AND spelt. Children can also learn about grammar and syntax rules by looking at how words are used in a sentence, all without any explicit instruction. Young learners (and tigers, too!) can make sense of words because they can see them being actually used, making learning more meaningful.

2. Words Are Used In Context

My human BFF, Tim Hague, knows a lot of words. But it’s impossible to know the meaning of EVERY.SINGLE.WORD. I tried – but the dictionary was just too heavy!

So how can Tiger Cubs learn the definition of words that they encounter? Two words: CONTEXT CLUES.

The words or phrases (or even pictures!) in which an unfamiliar word is found form part of the word’s context. Using the word’s context to unlock its meaning will not only sharpen children’s critical thinking skills, but doing so can also build their vocabulary! Smart hey? I know!!

3. New Words Can Spark Curiosity

A single spark can start something HUGE. Similarly, a single word can spark your Tiger Cub’s curiosity. Exposing them to different words through storytelling can make children (and tigers for kids!) more interested and curious about the world around them. Is your Tiger Cub interested in sports? Share stories about different athletes and sporting moments (like this one!). Or if they love the arts like “The Art Critique” (who I still think is Tim dressed up), then stories about famous artists could help them become more interested and passionate whilst building their word “repertoire” (a fancy word I learnt from The Art Critique!). All it takes is a fascinating story with a rich vocabulary to get them hooked! 

How Grown-ups Can Help

Grown-ups can make storytelling more fun and interesting for Tiger Cubs! Keep in mind that storytelling doesn’t always have to come from books (although that’s a great resource, too). Simply talking about how your day went, or a funny story from your childhood days (I love it when Tim tells me about his days as a Tiger Cub!) can expose children to different words that enrich their vocabulary. Asking them about their day also encourages your Tiger Cubs to use the words they know to tell their own stories. I LOVE doing that.

Exchanging stories during meal times and before bed also serve as a great bonding opportunity with your little ones. Not sure what to talk about? Try reading a book or watching some short storytelling learning videos for kids to get the conversation rolling. Avoid asking questions with definite answers, but instead, use questions that allow your kids to express their creative thoughts and ideas!

Learning Videos For Kids Can Help Build Vocabulary

Stories are everywhere! From books to learning videos for kids, like Tiger and Tim!

Watching Tiger and Tim episodes can help children build their vocabulary, too. “Storytime with Tiger and Tim”, through our creative and well-written stories written by Tiger for kids (and grown-ups, too!), is one of the best ways to learn new words. If you don’t believe me, check out our videos on the website!

I may be too shy to speak in front of the camera, but my human bestie Tim Hague, talks a lot! Tiger Cubs could learn more new words from him! Now that’s ANOTHER good reason to watch Tiger and Tim, I think. Don’t you agree?

Well, that’s it for now! Talk to you again soon, cool cats!

Lots of love and hugs,

Tiger xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

For more of Tiger’s blogs, click here.

For centuries, tigers have wowed us with their great characteristics. Now it’s time we learn essential lessons from these great and wonderful felines.

Tigers are majestic – that’s a fact! But beneath our imposing stance and regal stare, we are among the most fascinating creatures of the animal kingdom. With our extraordinary abilities and cool demeanor, humans (like my best friend, Tim Hague) can pick up a thing or two from our kind. Tigers, for kids and adults, can offer valuable insights that no animal can offer.

Here are life lessons tigers can teach you humans, from the littlest child to the biggest grown-up.

1. We look after the weak

Tigers are one of the jungle’s heavyweights – we are the largest kind of wild cats and can weigh as much as 48 stone! However, while we are strong, tigers also know how to take care of the weaker ones in their group. Male adult tigers often let their female partner and his cubs eat first before he does, making sure that the weaker ones get the nourishment that they need to survive the harsh savannah. The male tigers also make sure that the more vulnerable group members are safe from other predators that can attack at any time.

This unique tiger behavior simply shows that one’s power does not lie in strength alone but also in how we use our strength to help those in need.

2. To accept one’s own ‘stripes’

A tiger’s stripes are unique, they are like human fingerprints, Tim told me. No tiger has the same pattern, which makes our marks part of our identity.

Learning to embrace one’s differences is another lesson tigers can teach for children. To accept (and celebrate) one’s uniqueness is something many people struggle with. Children may find it difficult to appreciate what makes them different, but they can learn that what makes them unlike others also makes them special. Like me, I am the only tiger in the world that can’t roar – that makes me uniquely ME!

3. To be patient

Tigers are patient creatures – we know how to wait for the opportune time before we act. For kids, tigers can show that patience is indeed a virtue. In most cases, children do not learn the value of working patiently and consistently to achieve a goal. But tigers are masters at being remarkably forbearing, and this is something kids can learn from us.

Being patient has a lot of perks, one of which is regularly beating my buddy Tim Hague at a staring match!

4. To be confident

One thing that makes tigers soooo effortlessly cool is that we move with confidence. We are confident in our abilities, and we know our strengths.

For children, a tigers‘ confidence is something that they can emulate. Not all Tiger Cubs are born confident, and grown-ups can significantly help develop the little one’s self-mastery and awareness. 

I exhibit my feline confidence in different ways, but mostly whenever I strut down the street with my human BFF Tim Hague!

5. To be adaptable

We may not look like it, but tigers are excellent swimmers and can run quite fast, too. We are able to change and adapt our hunting techniques on both land and in water – just like how I change up my tactics whenever Tim doesn’t give me the last piece of the doughnut!

Being adaptable to one’s environment is considered a valuable trait. Acquiring different sets of skills and knowing when and where to use them is something kids (and adults) can learn from tigers. 

As I said at the start, Tigers are truly majestic creatures – we are smart, strong, caring, and confident, just like your Tiger Cubs! Watching Tiger and Tim episodes can foster their innate gifts and talents, such as their language skills, creativity, and curiosity! Grown-ups, too, can learn a lot from Tiger and Tim, just as Tim Hague is learning a lot from me, as well!

For children and adults alike, tigers can be sources of essential life lessons that they can carry with them for the rest of their days.

Lots of love, from Tiger xoxoxoxoxo 🐯 

Want to read more of Tiger’s blogs? Just click here!

Tigers are certainly one of the coolest cats out there! Get to know more about the striped felines with our tiger facts for kids.

Let’s take a break from our blog posts for grown-ups and do something fun for the Tiger Cubs! As you all know, I am a tiger – and a unique one at that! There are soooo many other exciting facts about tigers for children that they should know about. Please pass on the information I’m going to give to you grown-ups!

My best friend, Tim Hague, knows a lot about tigers and ME in particular. He read all about it in books and learnt all about my cousins whenever he was at home, when he wasn’t on the TV for the BBC, or when he visited me in the jungle! So Tim (with my help of course), decided to round up the top ten TIGER-RIFFIC facts about tigers – for kids!

1. Tigers are the largest wild cat species in the world

I may look all cute and cuddly, but tigers are actually the largest species of wild cats! A typical male adult tiger typically reaches 3.3 metres in length and weighs as much as 670 pounds / 47.86 stone / 303.9 kgs! That’s the combined weight of at least six average-sized human beings. So, six Tim’s would be equal to one tiger. Amazing!

Tigers are also the third-largest land meat-eating animal (known as a carnivore), with only polar bears and brown bears being larger than us. The biggest of all the tigers are the Royal Bengals, who also happen to be the most popular tiger breed.

2. A tiger’s stripes are unique

Tigers are a lot like children – we are also unique from one other! Our stripes serve as our identity – no two tigers have the same print. Much like human fingerprints, our stripes are ours alone, and they are our marker from other tigers.

Did you know that our stripes are not only found in our fur? Our tiger marks can also be found on our skin, unlike other cat species! So, the popular saying is true: a tiger earned his (or her) own stripes.

3. Tigers can swim very well

There’s a reason why I kept on bugging Tim to go to the beach – that’s because tigers love to swim! Unlike most cats, tigers like water. As young cubs, we love to play in the river for hours to cool off. Tiger mums encourage their cubs to practice their swimming skills every day, too. Our strong legs and webbed paws make it easy for us to swim underwater.

As we grow older, we become one of the best swimmers in the savannah, making tigers skilled hunters on both land and in water! Tigers can even swim up to 17 miles in just one day!

4. Tigers have been living on Earth for 2 million years

Tigers are one of the oldest surviving animals on earth. Scientists have discovered the fossil of a tiger that is around two million years old! The fossilised head was found in Longdan, China, in 2004 and closely resembles me – although my ancestor is a bit smaller than the average tiger.

Fossils are remains of an animal or plant that lived on Earth a long time ago. Geologists and scientists study fossils to know more about life on our planet that happened waaaay before us. That includes tigers, for children to learn and understand for years to come! Pretty cool don’t you think?

5. A group of tigers is called an ambush or streak

When tigers get together, the group is called an ambush or streak. However, an ambush of tigers is not typical in the jungle because wild tigers prefer to be alone, like most pet cats! An ‘ambush’ or ‘streak’ of tigers would only usually appear when they are hunting together.

But unlike most of my tiger friends in the wild – I am a friendly tiger for kids and even adults! Just ask my good friend, Tim Hague!

6. Tigers are humble creatures

If lions are known to be proud (a group of lions is called a PRIDE), tigers are quite the opposite. Tigers don’t roar as much as lions do, especially towards our own kind. Also, male tigers allow their female companion and cubs to eat first. A true gentleman – I mean, gentlecat! 

7. You can hear a tiger’s roar from 2 miles away

By now, you probably know that I am the only tiger in the world that can’t roar. But my tiger cousins and friends can do it so well! In fact, a tiger’s roar can be heard from 2 miles away! In some cases, even as far as 3 miles!

The four cat species that can roar are tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars. A particular two-piece hyoid bone in their throats makes it possible for them to make a booming, roaring sound!

8. Tigers can run fast, too!

Cheetahs, another wild cat, are known for their speed – they are the fastest animals on land and can run at a top speed of 73 miles per hour. But tigers are quick-footed, too! Our strong legs allow us to sprint as fast as 37 miles per hour – not bad for a heavyweight! Sorry, Tim, but I DO run quicker than you!

9. Tiger cubs are born blind

Tiger cubs are cute – just look at me? But another point about us cubs is that we are born blind, and we can’t see anything until we are around two to three weeks old. This means we are entirely dependent on our Mums for protection and care. Our tiger Mums ensure that we are safe and away from harm until we can open our eyes and see correctly, making them super Mums! Much like Tim‘s Mummy Susy Hague!

10. There are five subspecies of tiger alive today

Siberian Tiger

Indochinese Tiger

Tigers may look similar for kids, but there are many different kinds of tigers living on Earth. The most popular ones are the Bengal tigers I mentioned earlier. Other subspecies include South China tigers, Indochinese tigers, Sumatran tigers, and the Siberian tigers. We are all found in different parts of the world – some in jungles and savannahs, while others are being taken care of in zoos. I have to say, not a lot of tigers live with human friends!

Caspian Tiger

However, many years ago, there were more than five kinds of tigers roaming the Earth. Some subspecies of tigers have become extinct, like the Caspian, Bali, and Javan tigers. That makes me a sad Tiger Cub.

Tiger and Tim and Tiger Conservation for Kids

Aside from making our online learning videos for kids, Tiger and Tim also helps to make sure that all tigers are safe. Our friends at For Tigers take care of wild tigers in Thailand and other parts of Asia. Tiger and Tim episodes also help children learn valuable lessons on animal responsibility and fostering a love for your own pets – a tiger or otherwise!

See you next time guys! Lots of love, from Tiger xoxoxoxo

For more of Tiger’s blog, click here.