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You are here: Home / Archives for Bekki

Bekki

Pi Day Fun

One of the perks of being both a homeschool mom AND a mom is going over board for things like Pi Day.

March 14 is when all the crazy, fun and quirky math lovers around the planet have a blast celebrating this amazing number.

Pi Day Shirts

Yes, there’s even a PiDay Organization to fill your imagination with amazing ideas!

We are Teachers has 31 Amazing Fun Pi Activities for you!

“Thank you, We Are Teachers

What is Pi?

Pi is the sixteen letter of the Greek alphabet, and it’s also a symbol used to describe the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, meaning that pi equals the circumference divided by the diameter (π = c/d). The interesting this about pi is that mathematicians who have been working on this number believe that it is infinite, meaning that it’s not the quotient of two integers. In other words, the number pi goes on and on and on, and we don’t know where it ends!

So, the number “pi” begins with the numbers 3.14159265, and goes on and on infinitely (so we think). Computers have been cranking away at the number for a while now, trying to figure out just how big it is (and if it will ever stop), and according to Number World, the number has been computed up to 10 trillion digits. Wow!


How do you get in the spirit of fun days like Pi Day?

Pi Day Activities
Get it? Chicken Pot Pie?!?!

But pi’s ubiquity goes beyond math.

Filed Under: blog, sticky Tagged With: math

ABW #3 Bring the Kids Along

Let’s not over complicate homeschooling! Teaching our kids is really pretty simple.

Listen now

Filed Under: Homeschool Podcast

ABW#1 & 2: Let’s Begin with a Walk, Micro-Steps, a Ferry and Orcas!

Two episodes in one!!  

This is the beginning of our walking and chatting about homeschool journey. This podcasts contains two episodes (because of was learning how to actually record them!  Lol.)

Listen now on Spotify & Anchor

Also Available on Apple Podcasts

Filed Under: Homeschool Podcast

ABW Podcast Trailer

The heart of this Homeschool Podcast. Listen Now!

Filed Under: Homeschool Podcast

Free Math Number of the Day Printables

Yes Please!!

Filed Under: blog

Life Changing Books Every Homeschool Parent MUST Read

This is a collection of the best homeschool books for parents collected from hundreds of moms and dads online! These book recommendations are from Homeschoolers in the trenches.

Is your favorite on the list?

…

Read More »

Filed Under: blog, popular

10 Ways to Homeschool with JUNK MAIL!

Let’s cut the strings of traditional curriculum and lean into the love of leanring!

When those magazines and catalogs come in the mail, turn them in to homeschooling GOLD.

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Filed Under: blog, popular

Many Homeschoolers are Delayed Readers Too

Inside: Ways to inspire your late reader. {Plus free cheatsheet}

All FIVE of our sons were delayed Learners

#1 Son

  • Didn’t talk until he was four
  • Couldn’t read until he was six
  • Wouldn’t drive until he turned 19…

    Read More »

Filed Under: blog, popular, sticky Tagged With: reading, reading and writing, reading late, reluctant reader, Uncategorized

Creativity and Boredom

Inside: Free boredom Buster Ideas {Printable}
My dad always said creativity and imagination lived just on the other side of boredom.

I used to think that was so stupid.

Sorry, dad.

Then I grew up.

collage of kids being creative, kid in sheet fort reading, kids hands with paper crafts, girl in fort using telescope

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Filed Under: blog, popular Tagged With: boredom, creativity and imagination in kids, video

How to Homeschool When that First homeschool Year is a Flop

Sifting through my emails over coffee reading through questions form homeschool moms.

  • How do you get kids to read?
  • How do I teach kids respect for others and themselves?
  • How do teach a child to write?

And then my heart sunk. This one wasn’t a question, but an exhale of defeat from a mom who just began my free Homeschooling with confidence class.

 

 “My homeschool year was a flop”.

…

Read More »

Filed Under: Blog, popular, sticky Tagged With: homeschool, homeschool mom

How to Turn Homeschool Frustration into Joy and Learning

Dear homeschool mom,

Don’t homeschool. I’m not kidding.

Yes,  kids need to read and write and solve basic math problems, but they don’t need school at home.

They need to have plenty of time to run, jump, slide, swing, lay, laugh, build, and rest.

Related: building toys

Give them time to be bored, time to think, time to day dream.

Don’t give them workbooks, worksheets, and hours of assignments.

Instead, give them LESS.

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Read More »

Filed Under: blog, Homeschool Hacks, popular, Ready to go Resources

Advent Calendar Ornaments

Keep Christ as the center of Christmas with these easy-to-create, simple paper Names of Christ Ornaments that will look beautiful displayed on your wall, strung across the mantle, or as unique tree ornaments.

Included in this download are files for printing 4-inch Star Ornaments.

Professional printing is recommended, but not necessary.

Such a simple, fun, and engaging way to help your kids enjoy Christmas!

Get your set here

Filed Under: blog, slider Tagged With: paper projects for kids

You Don’t Need to Apologize for Raising Kids In a Greenhouse

It’s not fair.


When you dedicate your life to raising your kids and personally stay at home to make sure their needs are met, you are like a master gardener inside a greenhouse.


Greenhouses are safe and controlled environments which provide optimum conditions for seeds to grow.

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Filed Under: blog, Mom Solutions, popular, slider, sticky

Homeschool Math: Grab your Roadmap to Success

BEFORE you spend a moment worrying about math curriculum, let me share a secret.

I didn’t understand where I was supposed to go until I’d been on the road almost 20 years.

It’s crazy that it’s taken me almost two decades to truly understand this thing we call MATH.

…

Read More »

Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, slider, sticky, Teens and High school Tagged With: homeschool math, math, math curriculum

17 of the Best Advent for Kids Activities for your Family

Inside: Fun Advent for Kids Printables to help countdown Christmas

Share the nativity with your kids in a fun and unique way with these FUN and Easy Advent Activities.

On Christmas morning, there were ash boot prints on my carpet and sleigh marks on my roof in the snow. To say my parents went over board to help us believe in Santa is an under statement.

My child hood is filled with stories of Santa, reindeer, and all things Christmas.

Did you grow up KNOWING Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas? I sure didn’t. And yet, Christmas remains magical in my life, even without a jolly old man in a red suit.

Weaving the truth about the nativity story into our kids’ lives while surrounded by tinsel and elves can be a bit challenging, right?

17 Quick Advent for Kids Activities

All 17 activities included in the BUNDLE

1. Advent Door Hanger Craft

For 8 days, read a little bit about the nativity Story as found in the Bible.

Then cut, laminate, and hang a decorative door hanger as a reminder that we choose to let Jesus in.

A New Door Hanger for 8 days!

Advent Craft for Kids

Includes: mini story book foldable with prompts to help your child learn and re-tell the greatest true story of all time: The Birth of our Lord and Savior!

8 Advent style Door hangers (With light and dark skin alternatives!)

These make fun and easy craft and story time, but also make a fantastic gift set!

I laminated mine with –> peel and stick self laminate.

Get your free copy of this set here.

2. Advent Scattergories

3. Advent Dice Game for Toddlers

4. Build your own Nativity Board Game

5. Mini Jesse Tree Activity/Craft

6. Daily Readings to Help your Kids understand the Nativity story from the Bible.

As I began having kids of my own, i really wrestled with Christmas in general. Yes, I LOVE that it’s all about Jesus. But would my kids miss out on the MAGIC I experienced as a child?

Nope.

Heads up: No judgement here! Although you and I both know Santa is a myth and Jesus is real, many still bring the belly jiggling fellow into their homes. Like my third son.

He was about 5-years old when he said, “Mom, I KNOW Santa is make believe, but I’m gonna have fun pretending to believe in him anyway.”

Even at 18-years old, he just loves to add ALL the holiday flair into the scene; even as a sold-out-for-Jesus worship leader at church.

7. Ornaments for a flip Book

8. Advent Ornaments for a tree

9. Christmas Chain Countdown Craft

10. Advent: Make Your Own Calendar

Adding Advent themed activities into our kids learning activities is another fun way to bring the advent season alive.

Just make the focus the Lord, rather than the grade.

11. Advent: Language Activity- Find the Missing parts of the word

12. Advent: Writing: Diamante poem about Jesus

13. Advent Themed Math: Fact families

14. Advent themed math:Pie Graph

15. Advent Maze: Help Joseph and Mary find Bethlehem

16. Maze: Help the wise men find Jesus

17. Christmas Eve Reading

No matter how you bring the Nativity truth, advent, and Jesus into your lives, have fun.

It’s LOVE, laughter and memories that bring this amazing season to life for our kids!


More Christmas Activities

  • Christmas Color by Number
  • Kindergarten Sight words: Winter
  • Snowman Math: Kindergarten
  • Snowman Worksheet and Activities
  • Winter Writing Booklet and Writing Prompts
  • Scissors Skills worksheets and Fine Motor Practice: Winter

Bible Studies for Kids:

  • Bible Study BUNDLE #1
  • Daniel 1: Bible Study and Children’s Ministry Activities
  • Beatitudes Coloring Pages
  • Sunday School Activities: Fruits of the Spirit
  • Bible Object Lessons for Kids: Waterfalls
  • Bible Fun for Kids: ABCs of God’s Character
  • Bible Study: What Can I Learn from the Camel
  • Bible Study: Pearl of Great Price- Matthew 13:45-46
  • Bible Study: Transfiguration of Jesus- Matthew 17
  • Daniel 4: King Nebuchadnezzar’s Tree Dream
  • Sunday School Lessons on Prayer for Preschoolers
  • Bible Study for Kids: What Can I Learn From the Ant?

Filed Under: k-2nd, K-8th Grade, slider, sticky

Verb Craft and Activity Printables

Verb Craft and Activity BUNDLE

Hands on Verb Craft and Activities for Kids.

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Filed Under: blog, sticky Tagged With: verb craft

Easy Survival Tips for Living with a 12-Year Old Boy

 
Inside: The secret to surviving life with your hormonal 12-year old boy and 3 must reads if you’re raising boys.  {PLUS Free Raising Sons Cheatsheet}

My 12-year old boy almost died today. 

That’s right, I almost killed him.

…

Read More »

Filed Under: character training, Mom Solutions, popular, sticky Tagged With: 12 year old boy, Emotional Boys, popular, video

Easy Kitchen Chemistry Experiments

Science in the kitchen is a sure fire combination to draw your kids right into the depths of science.

It’s kind of like cheating!

Fizzics Brings so many fun Chemistry Experiments right into your kitchen

Create a growing carbon sugar snake with simple ingredients. A science activity for the adults to try that demonstrates combustion & chemistry for kids.

Create fireworks in a glass! This colorful science activity is highly popular with kids and can be used look at buoyancy, density and surface tension.

A simple color change in the kitchen! Simply grab a lemon and a mug of tea to explore kitchen chemistry that you can drink afterwards 🙂

The gummy bear osmosis experiment is perfect for variable testing! Learn how to design a simple kitchen chemistry activity that explores how water moves.

The Chemistry of Pizza, by my son

This was such a great project! Not only did he learn about all the chemical reactions taking place while making pizza, he taught me how to make my famous pizza dough even better!

Get Creative in the Kitchen!

Buy now

America’s Test Kitchen Kids brings delicious science to your kitchen! Over 75 kid-tested, kid-approved recipes and experiments teach young chefs about the fun and fascinating science of food. This is the fourth book in the New York Times bestselling cookbook series for Young Chefs.

collage view of kitchen chemistry books for kids
So many amazing picks!!

Filed Under: blog, popular

Preschool At Home MAGIC

My oldest son turned 28 yesterday. Sigh.

Childs hands covered in paint with the caption Got Handprints

Do your kids still leave their actual handprints on your walls, clothing, and windows?

…

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Filed Under: k-2nd, Preschool Printables, slider, sticky

150 Educational Gift Ideas Kids will Love

Inside: Over 150 recommendations for educational gifts and a free printable gift list!!

First words out of hubby’s mouth this morning. 
“If the kids don’t get on their Christmas lists, they’re gonna get cans of corn for Christmas.”

Me: “And they’d be blessed!”

Get yours free

Christmas is always a zoo at the Sayler home.

A big happy zoo full of my own personal band of monkeys.

The boys pull names out of a hat and then they are responsible for the three gifts that land under the tree for that person.
This year?

Back in the early days of homeschooling, I took FULL advantage of Christmas sales to stock up on goodies for school.

Pencils, erasers, paper, books, great games, and even a good microscope  were always on the list.

But experiences always made the biggest splash.

This year, I expect the holidays to be crazier than usual.

So I am refining our Gift Ideas.

Clutter-Free Gift Ideas!

Get your copy here

Over 150 Education Gift Ideas Your Kids will LOVE

Top Game Pick

best educational gifts
Ticket to Ride Board Game!!

Related: Yes, they may still play with the box, but they’ll love what’s inside as well!

Your free Cardboard CONQUEST Kit

Just don’t tell them they’re educational toys! If you’re looking for recommendations for fine motor skills, gross motor development, STEM, games, outdoor activities, and of course, books, you’re in the right place!

PRINTABLE: Free Educational Gift Organizer printable {download here}

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Filed Under: blog, Homeschool Hacks, sticky Tagged With: educational toys, gift guide

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