Mermaid makes waves while looking for love

The city-wide swim meet is this weekend, and your daughter's relay team is expected to win the top trophy. After weeks of hard work, the race is on. As your daughter swims her fastest, the other girls cheer her on with all their hearts. It's not enough—her team loses the relay race by a millisecond. You're comforted to see the girls hug—as they realize their friendship outlasts any championship.

Love—for friends or family—supports you in good times and bad. That lesson makes a splash in the movie Aquamarine, released on home video June 13. After watching the movie, dive into a fun family talk about lasting love. Then do our activity “Shell Station” to bring the lesson to life!

When the movie opens, best friends Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (JoJo) are swooning over hunky lifeguard Raymond (Jake McDormand). But despite their giddiness, the gal pals are also sad. It's the end of summer, and Hailey is supposed to move to Australia at the end of the week.

After a violent storm hits, the girls are shocked to find a beautiful and sassy mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) in their beach club's swimming pool. The girls agree to help Aquamarine find true love in a matter of days so that she can avoid an arranged marriage under the sea. In return, Aquamarine will grant the girls their wish to keep Hailey from moving away.

Can Aquamarine find true love in such a short time? Or can true love come in different forms, like friendship?

Talk Together

Loving someone means you celebrate with that person in good times and cheer her up in tough times. In what different ways did the characters in the movie show their love for one another, such as Claire facing her fear of water?

Take turns talking about the people you love the most, from family to friends. What are some of the things you do to show your support?

Do you think Aquamarine and Hailey and Claire will remain friends, even though they'll be far apart? How do you think their friendship will change?

Who are some people you love who live far away? Brainstorm ways you can show them you love them, despite the distance. Maybe you can make a recording of yourself reading baby books to send to your new cousin. Or give your best friend some stamped postcards so she can share secrets from summer camp.

Play Together: Shell Station

Make this ocean-themed message center to help keep in touch with friends and family this summer.

You will need:
• 6- by 9-inch piece of colored foam
• Colored marbles
• Glue
• Mini clothespin (available at craft stores)
• Several sheets of paper
• Pen or pencil

Glue the marbles around the border of the foam. While the glue is drying, cut out the circles of the same size (about the diameter of a large mug) from several sheets of paper. Lightly draw a sand dollar on each circle.

Stack the circles and center them on the foam sheet. Glue a clothespin to the foam at the top of the circle. Let dry. Clip the circles with the clothespin.

Place the Shell Station near your phone or on your desk. Jot down notes to yourself about who you want to send a nice note or make a happy phone call to. Or write down your ideas from the Talk Together section about how you can show people you love them when they're far away.

Your kids will learn— j ust like Aquamarine—that even though you may be oceans apart from the people you love, you can still help your love stay afloat.