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Selling on Teachers Pay Teachers

Hey my printable friend,

I earned a whole new gray stripe in my once dark brown hair when I began selling printables.

There were so many parts to discover and master and I didn’t have anyone leading me down the dark path.
This year, I’d like to bless you with some secret sauce.

No, not for your next dinner.

For your printable business.

If you’re selling on your website, Etsy, or Teachers pay Teachers this recipe is for you.

But, if like me, you have AMAZING ideas, but you don’t have 37 hours in your day.

Laundry, kids homework, and hanging Christmas lights are great activities. They just happen to take up some of your creating time.

To get your selling journey up to speed, you’re gonna want EASY.

I believe many sellers give up too soon.

NOT because they don’t have amazing ideas, but because they get tangled in the web of brainstorming, product covers and Pinterest.

That’s where I come in.

One of my passions is sharing what I’ve learned with other sellers.
I wish someone had reached out to me a the beginning of my journey, so that’s what motivates me to reach out to you.

Let me help you make your journey EASIER.

A FREE Community for encouragement and Support

A SELF-PACED Master Class

Grab your free Success Path Printable Bookmark. Here

The Day The Thanksgiving Bird Imploded

I sauntered into the kitchen. That 30 pound bird smelled so good. Opening the oven door to baste the turkey… I had a mini heart attack.

My Thanksgiving turkey had imploded.

Sitting in 3 inches of juice, with black charred ribs showing from under the skin, I panicked.

I ran to my dad.

“I need to show you something.” I whispered. “NOW.”

I’ve began cooking Thanksgiving at 17-years old.

My dad walked up to me and smiled. “We’re having 30 people over for dinner and you will be in charge of all the cooking!”

I cried, whined and begged, but he wouldn’t budge.

Bekki, YOU will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

At that point in my life, I could make Spaghetti and a bowl of cereal, so the thought of destroying a feat for 30 people made my face turn green.

“I will be there every step of the way.” Dad said.

I can still his his face as we handed me a piece of paper and pencil. First, write out a menu.

He took me step-by-step:

Menu
Recipes
Grocery list
Prep cook tasks
Cooking times
Cooking schedule
Finding bowls and serving utensils

As a homeschool mom, I can tell you he was teaching me project planning! But as a teenaged girl, I thought I was being tortured.

Dad gave me confidence by teaching me to cook Thanksgiving

By the time I was standing in the kitchen looking at an imploded turkey, I was a seasoned Thanksgiving chef with 6 successful feast notches on my chef apron.

“I need to show you something.” I whispered. “NOW.”

Dad followed me into the kitchen, leaving out house full of guests in the other room.

“I don’t know what happened. The bird has only been on the over for a couple of hours… but, look.”

The charred black ribcage mocked us.

Much later, we would realize that my parent’s oven malfunctioned and had spiked to over 600 degrees, but now. NOW, I just needed to figure out how to seve dinner tot he 23 people in the house, without dying of embarrassment.

We grabbed one more accomplice. My cousin.

Dad gave us careful instructions: Stand shoulder to shoulder and walk sideways to the garage as I carry the destroyed turkey.

Trying not to laugh, we kind of side stepped while dad removed the bird.

No one noticed.

Standing in the garage, we realized we had another problem. What are we going to feed everyone?

By the way, this Thanksgiving is one of my all-time favorite memories.

Dad hopped in his truck and reappeared 30 minutes later with a cooked turkey breast.

We popped it into the over and proceeded to finish all the sides.

No one knew about the imploding turkey until much much later.

Sometimes, the BEST memories are born out of adversity, challenge, and even kitchen catastrophes.

How about you?

Do you have a story of disaster turned to blessing?

Ways to distract your houseful of guests when your turkey implodes.

Have the Kids and guests make a fort.

Make a cootie catcher and tell jokes

Have them play Scattergories

Send everyone on a scavenger hunt!

Pull out paper and pens and have them learn a few Doodles together. Better yet? Pair the adults with kids and have the kids teach them!

Convince a cousins to help you dance as a shield.

Earth Science Worksheets: Geology BUNDLE

Inside: Earth Science Worksheets: Geology BUNDLE Mini-Lessons

Most of these products are No Prep: Just print and go!

Studying geology this year with your students?

These Earth Science and geology mini lessons are meant as a companion to all of the various topics your students will explore this year. Geology and Earth Science in general are fascinating and engaging. I hope your students enjoy these activities!

Topics covered:

Composition of the Earth: layers including core, outer core, mantle and crust, Rocks: metamorphic rock, igneous rock, sedimentary rock, and the rock cycle, minerals and all their glory, plate tectonics and oreos, weathering/erosion/deposition, glaciers, mountains: fold, fault-block, and volcanics, topography, topographical maps, volcanoes: cinder, composite, shield and lave dome, and earthquakes, and video records

Get your Earth Science Bundle in my TpT Shop

11 Mini lessons and Activities Included

Layers of the Earth (5 pages)

Layers of the earth reading
Label the layers of the earth worksheet
Layers of earth poster labeled
Layers of the earth poster unlabeled
Layers of the Earth writing paper: Teacher created prompt.

Rocks (6 pages)

The Rock Cycle reading
Rock Cycle poster
Rock Cycle Writing
Label rock cycle (color and black and white)
Types of Rocks
Minerals (4 pages)
About Minerals reading
Mineral mini booklet
Minerals foldable
Types of minerals Writing

Plate Tectonics (6 pages)

About Plate tectonics reading (2 pages)
Oreo Lab: plate tectonics (2 pages)
Plate tectonics Word search and answer key (2 pages)
Weathering , Erosion, Deposition (7 pages)
Weathering Reading
Erosion Memory Game
Weathering writing

Glaciers (4 pages)

About Glaciers Reading
Glaciers foldable
Soil
About soil reading
Soil mini-booklet
Soil profile reading
Label soil

Mountains (5 pages)

Mountains reading
Mountain vocabulary
Mountain feature foldable
Mountain word search and answer key

Topography (4 pages)

Topography reading
Topography writing
Topography internet activity and questions

Volcanoes (5 pages)

Volcano reading
Volcano vocabulary
Ring of fire
Volcano in a cup lab
Volcano writing

Earthquakes (5 pages)

Earthquake reading
Earthquake questions
Earthquake project and rubric
Make a seismograph project
Video record sheet

Super Secret Code

If there’s time on the clock keep reading…

3 Ridiculous things.

One time, I opened the refrigerator and found my brother’s left shoe. No explanation. Just a left shoe.

Another time, one of my sons was hard at work making a mountain knife with his dad and needed to make sure the blade wasn’t hot. So he placed it on his arm. “That was dumb!” He screamed.
Last week, I agreed to host a Bekki Hates Bra online party. And I thought the left shoe was ridiculous!

In a closed SAFE group of homeschool moms I asked for recommendations…

A friend tagged another friend and soon I was looking at this image.

All I said was WOW, I need that!

Short version:

I need some new bras and I decided to try the ones in the picture.
When asked if I wanted to host a party to earn discounts or freebies, I RUDELY said “No!”
I felt bad for being rude, so I asked my homeschool group if anyone else hates bras and would come to a bra haters party…
Now there are almost 70 of us inside giggling about hating underwire and other bra-ish things.

What does this have to do with homeschooling?

Moms are people too!
Moms need to feel more secure and confident too!
Most moms are wearing bras that don’t fit.

Grab Your Secret Code.

Yes. The code is: SuperSecretCode

Just for pausing for 2 seconds and asking yourself if you LOVE your bras, I’m giving you a HUGE discount on anything (or a bunch of things) in my Shop.

Do you love your bras? Skip to number 3.
You hate your bras? Me too! Join the fun.
Use your SuperSecretCode before the timer runs out.

This year is DEFINITELY the year of the ridiculous. Hopefully you don’t end yours with a shoe in your refrigerator.

How To Find Your Sofa Under All That Laundry

She turned and asked the salesman, “so how many loads can this baby handle?”

“Um. Ma’am, that’s a sofa…”

She doesn’t blink, “looks like 6 loads, maybe 7. I’ll take it!”

Unless your name is Karen, you likely are a lot like me.

Sofa typically has a pile of laundry (or 12) ready to be folded.

Kitchen counter is covered in paint, an incomplete science project, and a few cardboard boxes.

Drawers are filled with an assortment of 42 things you haven’t thrown away yet that TANGLE and TRAP the drawer from sliding open so you can access the pen you need right at this moment.

If you are in this club, raise your hand…

I have something to help us.

Image may contain: 1 person, stripes, text that says 'A Raise your hand'

I don’t know about your house, but mine has basically fallen apart since COVID lockdowns.

Although I am NOT a super organized and tight ship gal, I typically keep my home pretty tidy. You too?

But now we need help getting it back under control.

If you’re nodding your head and saying, “Bekki… ME TOO!”

I’m gonna encourage you to do something scary.

Take a sober look around and ask your self these questions.

Do I have any cluttered areas that are causing me stress, frustration, or anxiety?
Do I need HELP to get the areas under control?
Would you be willing to attack ONE small space a day, in less than 30 minute chunks?
Are you willing to play “follow the leader” with someone who has NINJA skills at organizing?

Nope. It’s not me.

I need this challenge as much as the next non-Karen gal.

Don’t neglect this opportunity!

We have the ability to find our sofas and kitchen counters BEFORE the holidays bury us in trimming and decor.

Sure, you can build Christmas trees from laundry, but there really is a better way.

PS- It’s worth it.

Why is it only a few dollars?

Free challenges and classes get neglected, so a few bucks gives us extra motivation.
Sarah, my Ninja friend, is a single mom and knows how tight a budget can be… so she keeps her challenges within reach

If you Join me, I have a $10 incentive/gift for you!

Consider it a bribe.
When we visit each other’s homes I want us to be able to sit on the sofa:).

10 of the BEST Homeschool Subscription Boxes for your Kids

Inside: Top picks for homeschool subscription boxes by moms like you.

Travel to the future with me, and let’s give each other a virtual high five today.

Ready?

There are two boxes and an envelope on the kitchen table for your child.

YOU are so excited, you can’t contain yourself.

You close your eyes and think to yourself:

“Don’t say they’re for school!”
“Don’t say they’re educational!”
“Don’t say they’ll be fun learning lessons!”

You are squirming with excitement, because you know your child is holding the future in their hands and waiting with anticipation for the go ahead to peek inside.

They hold up one of the boxes.

“This one?”

YOU: Not, yet.

They try to hide disappointment, and hold the the other box.

“This one?”

YOU: Maybe you should open the envelope first.
((Insert wink.))

They tear open the paper and read, “You are about to get a glimpse of the future. Something that will some to you every month for the rest of next year!!!”

At this point, tell them to pause while you get another cup of tea or coffee and ask them to guess what’s inside.

YOU: What do you think it could be?

((Insert virtual high-five here))

They are so excited, they can barely contain themselves.

What is in the boxes?

💛 Excitement
💛 Curiosity
💛 Fine motor Development
💛 FUN

How is this possible?

I polled hundreds of homeschool moms and compiled their favorites list of kits into a list for you.

My own 15-year old gets the Kiwi Co Tinker Crate each month. When it arrives, he places it on the ottoman and waits for the end of the day.

That evening, he opens the box with great fanfare, making sure his DAD sees and is equally impressed. Then he gets building.

Careful reading of instructions

Fine motor development

Engineering and design

Problem solving and math skills

Those are the words we HIDE AWAY from his ears and replace them with

WOW!

FUN!

Let me see.

MAGIC.

You have time to make this happen. Most kits take a few weeks to get to you and there is one for almost every kind of child and passion.

Just be stealthy and I promise…

…I won’t spoil the surprise.

Food for thought: These make GREAT gifts for people in nursing homes too!!

Quick Links to the top Homeschool Subscription Boxes

Free Science for three months from Mel Science? Here’s how you register!

When you really want to know what’s best you ask the experts, right?Kids LOVE getting stuff in the mail! Surprise them with a special gift – A subscription box just for THEM! Perfect for birthdays, holidays and more!

Related: NEW to Homeschooling? Here’s a Quick Guide

But, if you’re like me you’re wondering which are the BEST Subscription Boxes for kids.

So I asked all the moms On our Facebook page:

I’m looking for subscription box and membership ideas for homeschoolers.

Most subscription boxes are chosen to meet a specific need, want, or interest. Throw in the fact that you don’t need to look for duct tape, buttons, or instructions for how to whip together something cool and BOOM. Your kids will think you’re the coolest mom on the planet.

Not sure which boxes will best fit your family? That’s exactly why I asked a few dozen of my homeschooling friends.

Check out all the AMAZING subscription boxes other Homeschool Moms love.

…

INSIDE: 24 Fun and Easy Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses

I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative way to explore verbs and their three main tenses.

I know, not your typical read-over-coffee topic.

But I’m tired of kids falling asleep or worse groaning when we begin talking about verbs and other parts of speech.

If verbs are really where all the ACTION is expressed in writing, then why can’t we find ways to make them jump off the page with our kids.

I took another big sip and started digging.

…

How to Keep Kids Dreaming, Thinking, and Happy

Inside: Easy to follow Step By Step Drawing Lessons for your kids!

Working from home is an incredible perk…

Not all homeschoolers work from home. Not all work from home parents homeschool. But MOST of us are dealing with distractions and interruptions.

Usually, it’s fine. This whole have ‘our own life at home’ thing.

UNTIL:

Your 5-year-old princess interrupts your Zoom Call for the 12th time.
Your son designs a nerf ambush for his brother right in the middle of the baby’s nap.
All of your kids decide the perfect time to come give you a group hug is right in the middle of your online presentation.
Someone screams.

Let’s be real.

You ADORE your kids.
You want to see their drawings and listen to their stories.
You want to play.

Mixing work and parenting is NOT for the faint of heart. You really want to be the best parent on the planet right now and join the nerf battle and hug your kids…

But RIGHT at THIS moment you just need 20 minutes of UNINTERRUPTED time to focus on this project.

Why don’t you let me keep your kids busy doodling, dreaming and thinking for the next 20 minutes while you focus!

In just a few minute, your child will be FOCUSED, entertained, and learning something valuable.

Developing fine motor skills
Working QUIETlY
Practicing the art of visual thinking
Building their visual vocabulary
Having FUN

How?
Learning to draw!

Let me introduce you and your kids to the Doodle Clubhouse!

Each week, I release a new series of How to Draw Videos for Kids of All ages (well, 5 and up if they need to do them independently)

The videos are EASY to follow and are sure to give them Instant mastery over drawing.

While you are Thinking and WORKING, your child will be focusing and practicing the art of bringing drawings to life, all while I teach them how to draw step by step.

Start with a Plan for Success

Without a plan, your budding little artist may decide to decorate your dining room wall, rather than that piece of copy paper.

You can’t just slap those kids of yours in front of a screen and say, “see you in 3 hours.” Even the BEST online activities require set-up and practice with kids. Because they can smell busy work and “get out of my space” tactics faster than your dog can smell the peanut butter jar open.

So, let me give you some NINJA Skills for getting those kids to draw happily for a few minutes! NINJA skills are those secrets for success that we brilliant work from home parents keep to ourselves so our kids begin to trust in our creative brilliance.

I won’t tell on you if you won’t tell on me; deal?

NINJA TIPS for SUCCESS:

Do the first one TOGETHER. Seriously. Don’t roll your eyes. Do the first few videos of the SPACE theme inside the clubhouse together. Your kids will buy in to these drawing lessons if YOU show them they are worth YOUR time and interest.
Layout paper and markers. If necessary, buy some new ones as a surprise. Drawing with pen is a powerful lesson for letting go of perfectionism. I talk about that all the time in the videos. Don’t let a lack of supplies slow you down. Use what you have and then sneak in a few new markers later to keep them doodling!
Pick up a pen and a blank piece of paper and write the words: DOODLE CLUBHOUSE across the top. Set a timer and draw with your kids. Every day. One doodle goes a LONG way. (NINJA high five)
ESTABLISH rules of engagement. “I know you’re going to be excited to show me what you’re learning, but when I am working, you’ll need to wait until (insert your secret cue here… I suggest a timer) to show me.”
Instruct young kids about markers… Only on paper, not on the baby, or the wall… you know the drill… Once, I thought my little angel was doing exactly what I thought he was doing. Reality? He was painting hime]self and the bathroom with red nail polish. A few minutes of proactive will set you up for success!
AFTER work, or when you take that coveted break mid-day, Be sure to find a few minutes to OOh and Ahhh over their creations. Better yet, watch their favorite How to Draw Videos together and YOU DRAW WITH them and create a happy memory.

The Great news?
Anyone can draw.

The Better news?
I’ve grouped the themes into 20-25 minute themes, BUT each image is its own separate video, making them easy to follow!

Sign your kids up for the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids today!

For only a few dollars a month, I can give you those 20 minutes you are looking for instantly.

Ready?

FAIR WARNING: Your kids are gonna LOVE the Doodle Clubhouse!

Be sure you establish the boundaries for your work time.
PRACTICE for a few minutes each day for the first few days.
Heads up. The first few minutes of each theme include fun hand warmup videos that will make them laugh. Out-loud. They will make a little noise as they get started and then they will quiet down as they draw. The goofy videos are a NINJA trick to get kids to exercise their fine-motor muscles.

You need some time to work.

Let me help you!!

Doodling and Drawing is NOT just something to keep your kids busy. It’s REALLY powerful and beneficial for their learning!

Who benefits from the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids?

Kids ages 5 and up. Our oldest doodlers are in their 50s!
Anyone who wants to draw, but feels like all they can muster is a dot or a very short line. Yes! You can draw!
Homeschool kids
Public School Kids
Your kids
My kids

There’s something MAGIC that happens when a person suddenly is able to MASTER a little drawing.

CONFIDENCE blossoms
Creativity is UNLOCKED
JOY flows in

The Doodle Clubhouse for Kids includes:

Video lesson on how to deal with mistakes. Really important lesson for our perfectionists!
Weekly themes including multiple step-by-step videos showing just hands and the images come to life.
Printable sheets including step by step drawing, a coloring page, a worksheet template and a colorful display of the theme.
Access to a private Facebook Group where you kids can share their creations (optional; but fun)

Why only a few dollars a month?

All kids benefit from the POWER that is unlock as they master hand eye control and overcome those self-imposed hurdles. “I can’t draw” TRANSFORMS into “LOOK what I drew!!”

I believe all kids need this type of confidence building, fine-motor development, joy bringing activity in their lives.

I don’t want any child to be left out. This Clubhouse could easily be priced much higher… but then the kids who really need it would miss out.

You need a few minutes to think, true. But you’re kids need the CONFIDENCE and JOY just inside the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids.

Give it a test spin, today. Those 20 minutes of time for you to focus are hiding right around the pile of colorful markers and smiling faces.

How to Make Math more fun for Your Kids

Inside: 7 Math Picture Books For Kids

As I dreamed about my future as a little girl, I KNEW I was going to do a few things.

Be an amazing wife and mom.
Grow up to be a teacher.
And dance. I was CONVINCED I’d be a ballerina.

The only problem I didn’t factor in, was math.

It turns out that being good at math and teaching math are two very different skill sets.

How do you bring math to life for your kids?

I stayed awake many nights trying to figure that out.

It turns out the solution is also one of my favorite “do with kids” activities.

Reading!

7 Math Picture Books For Kids

The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague

After touring a German submarine in the early 1940s, young Raye set her sights on becoming an engineer. Little did she know sexism and racial inequality would challenge that dream every step of the way, even keeping her greatest career accomplishment a secret for decades.

Do Not Open This Math Book: Addition + Subtraction

Finally, a FUN book to read with kids that helps bridge the gap between what’s being taught in school and how today’s parents learned math back in the day. Giggle your way through entertaining lessons on addition and subtraction involving muffins, turkey sandwiches, kittens, googly eyes, and more!

A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars

Did you know that the earth is covered in three trillion trees? And that seven billion people weigh about the same as ten quadrillion ants? Our world is full of constantly changing numbers, from a hundred billion trillion stars in space to thirty-seven billion rabbits on Earth. Can you imagine that many of anything?

Place Value

You had better not monkey around when it comes to place value. The monkeys in this book can tell you why!

Order of Operations Task Cards

Students work backwards from the answer and a set of four numbers.

Using the information given, the student (or team) must add the appropriate symbols to solve their task.

Fractions in Disguise: A Math Adventure

Crack the case with George Cornelius Factor in this entertaining math adventure that introduces simplified and reduced fractions with equal parts intrigue and humor.

When a valuable fraction goes missing, George Cornelius Factor (a.k.a. GCF) vows to track it down.

I’m Trying to Love Math

Do multiplication tables give you hives? Do you break out in a sweat when you see more than a few numbers hanging out together? Then I’m Trying to Love Math is for you! In her signature hilarious style, Bethany Barton introduces readers to the things (and people) that use math in amazing ways — like music, and spacecraft, and even baking cookies!

Fall Worksheets: Math Mazes, Targets and more

These Fun Math worksheets are all centered around 3rd Grade multiplication practice and mastery.

9 No PREP 3rd Grade Math-Multiplication Activities Included in this pack:

3rd Grade Math: Multiplication- Mazes solved with multiples
3rd Grade Math- Sudoku puzzles
3rd Grade Math: Multiplication-Candy Corn Multiplication Families

The Grapes Of Math

“This…clever math book uses rhyming couplets… riddles…visual clues to help the reader find new ways to group numbers for quick counting…A winning addition!

FANTASTIC Math Manipulatives and Games

Best math books — Problem solving is so important!!

Best Subscription Boxes for Kids

More Math Products

Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Division (Thanksgiving)

Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Division and Divisibility (Christmas)

Classifying Numbers Bundle.

Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Order of Operations

14 Divisibility Games and Activities.

Scattergories Game BUNDLE (Thanksgiving & Christmas Themed)

Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Number of the Day

Middle School Math Worksheets: Budget Project

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.

…

17 of the Best Advent for Kids Activities for your Family

<small>Inside: Fun Advent for Kids Printables to help countdown Christmas</small>

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!

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

Bible Studies for Kids:

Your Brilliant Dyslexic Child Will Surprise You The Most

Homeschool Hack: Grammarly is free. This is one of those “no-brainer” add-ons for your devices.

“Mom, can I sit next to you and work on my story?”

Sure kiddo!

Enjoying the warmth of his shoulder resting upon mine as he typed away at the computer, I glance at his screen and almost spit out my drink.

…

Life Skills for Kids of All Ages

This is where the rubber hits the road in homeschooling and raising up the future generation!

Be nice to people
How to make a bed
The proper handshake
5 ways to cook an egg
How to sew a button
How to iron a shirt
Digital manners
How to tie a tie
How to secure passwords
What to do if locked out of your house
Gross habits to STOP and avoid
Small talk
How to pass on a compliment
Small talk
and so much more!!!

These mini units are hands-on, FUN, and guaranteed to be filled with things your kids REALLy need to know to ROCK Life!

Don’t miss a lesson!

PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER.

This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on those important life lessons. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it!

Here is a sneak preview…

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE

Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.

WANT MORE POSTS ON HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE HEART?

120 is the number of classics you need to read

Don’t homeschool your kids

Godly women and homeschool

You don’t need to apologize

Homeschool and Delayed Reader

I spent about 30 minutes searching for my then 10-year old.

It was cold and rainy, so I doubted that he had adventured outside.

I looked everywhere.

We lived in a big home then, so it took me a while to go back and forth while calling his name.

Silence.

I couldn’t find him anywhere.

I walked faster toward the back door so I could begin looking outside.

Movement caught my eye as I called again from the kitchen.

The little squirt was hiding in plain sight, as still as a statue, curled between a black bean bag and our fluffy black and white dog.

“What the heck are you doing?” I asked.

He lifted a Magic Tree House Book in the air without making eye contact.

I almost spit out my gum.

The boy’s reading!!!!

Did you catch that he was 10-years old?

That’s old enough to thoroughly enjoy the sight of me walking right by without seeing him.

It’s also way beyond the “normal” reading age.

I get messages from frantic mama’s often about:

how to teach their 4-year olds to read
What language curriculum to buy for their kindergartener
and suggestions for chapter books for 5-year olds

Meanwhile, my own kids took their sweet time learning to read.

As my son grew into the, “I’m starting to wonder if I am the right teacher for this child” age I began to leave him hanging in a story.

My goal became leave him begging for more…

And you know what? It worked.

We never stressed about his lack of reading skills (out loud).

We just kept reading.

All five of our sons were delayed readers.

Our youngest was the most delayed.

His brain had too much going on to be troubled with the task of decoding the dancing syllables on the page.

This extra busy, brilliant, and wiggly son couldn’t be bothered until that day he disappeared in plain sight.

So how did I get him to read?

I didn’t.

I just kept reading to him.

I read his math instructions, his history and science lessons to him and marinated him in exciting read-alouds.

Sure, I pointed to words, tracked with my finger, and read slowly and carefully, but I kept reading without adding pressure on him.

That day he curled up in the beanbag with our dog and read his first chapter book launched him from not reading, to devouring books almost overnight.

Some may be tempted to roll their eyes.

A 10-year old reading Magic Tree House? Big Deal.

I think that’s where so many people miss the point.

The point is not to rush your kids through the easy readers and into the ocean of “Big Kids Books”, the point is to get your kids to love to read.

I mean head over heels in love with reading, reading.

I make it a point to never roll my eyes at the book choices of my kids to their face.

Instead, we embrace the fact that they love to read.

Magic Tree House for Big Kids ? You Bet!

My son burned through 1-3 books a day when he discovered he could read.

I even sat him down and picked his brain.

Together, we created learning activities to go along with the books he was reading.

Excited, overjoyed, and proud.

That’s how those silly little kid books made him feel.

Just keep reading to them.

It will click eventually.

The goal is NOT when they read, but THAT they LOVE to read.

When that cold rainy day comes and you are frantically searching for them, just be sure to check the beanbag in the corner!

Do your kids love Magic Tree House Books?

Click here to grab some fun activities for books 1 and 2.

Print this free homeschool mom reminder.

This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it!

Here is a sneak preview…

Download Your Free Printable

Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.

What You Really Need to Homeschool

Homeschool Supplies at Your Fingertips

When we had our first son, we had all the gadgets.

Bassinet, stroller, carrier, car seat, bouncy seat, playpen, baby gate, huge diaper bag, and a baby monitor for our 425 square foot apartment.

By the time we had our fifth son, we had narrowed down what we really needed: a crib, a car seat, a diaper in my purse, and a fun toy for him to play with (my car keys).

Homeschooling is like that.

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7 Easy Thanksgiving Desserts that Kids Will be Proud to Make

Inside: Thanksgiving Desserts for kids and made by kids.

The first time my oldest son tried to cook he was about three.

He had decided that “I will make eggs”.

Thank goodness the only damage was done to the eggs. I believe a dozen fresh eggs met their end that day.

Kids love to help in the kitchen.

All five of our sons can cook to some degree or another. We even have their favorite “fails”.

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Make Toys from Sticks, Stones, and Natural Materials

Just because you’re stuck at home due to injury, illness, or global pandemic, doesn’t mean you can’t create a magical playtime for you and your kids.

While we all live in different climates and have different types of raw materials near our back doors, we can use what we find to make some fun natural toys.

Browse for a few ideas.
Go outside and gather your materials with your kids
Let them lead

I bet you’ll make something cool, but I’m also guessing you’re gonna make something else: MEMORIES!

toys from nature — Learn more from The Best Ideas for Kids

Make a SIMPLE draw string bag with your kids to store these NATURAL WONDERS!

Learning at Home: Everything you need in one place

Don’t stress about Screen Time

How to Homeschool: Quick Start Videos to Rescue

“Help! We just decided to homeschool our kids and I’m freaking out!”

I’ve received various translations of the same message from so many family members, neighbors, friends, and readers that I’m, putting all the answers on one page. –>THIS ONE.

Homeschooling is like eating and elephant, you’ll have to do it one bite at a time.

Pages: 1 2

100 Easy Earth Activities to Delight and Inspire your Kids

Inside: 100 Earth Crafts and Activities for Kids

As I emptied the hot clothes from the dryer, socks, jeans, t-shorts, sea shells, rocks, and sand fell into the basket.

A cup of sand.

I sighed.

Someone lost their earthen treasures; AGAIN.

You don’t need to tell your kids; they just KNOW.

Mud makes perfect Pies.
Sand can be molded into amazing castles.
Worms will continue to bury themselves in the soil.
Trees beg to be climbed.
Rocks and shells need to be collected.
Earth is filled with treasure.

Your kids don’t need to be told that earth is a great place to live, explore and conquer. They were born ready to go forth and enjoy and collect all sorts of treasures.

It’s the big people on this planet that need to be reminded. You. Me. Them.

Earth Day was established to help moms like me not implode when the clean laundry turns into a sand box.

As I folded the clothes, I collected all the treasures into a pile.

I saw an oyster shell, a smooth flat rock, a bumpy black rock, and one of those boring “looks like every other rock on the planet” rocks.

But that wasn’t all I saw.

“Hey, buddy,” I called. “Come get your laundry, please.”

He came flying around the corner holding a Lego.

“Those are mine!” he declared.

“Not so fast, buster. You’re gonna have to prove they are yours,” I winked.

Eyes twinkling, he grabbed the flat gray stone…

100+ Ways to Celebrate Earth with Our Kids

Embrace it mom. Your kids LOVE the dirt, rocks, sand, shells, grass, and sky.

Get creative, head outside, incorporate green, blue, scissors, glue, and mud and you’ll have your child’s full attention a sneak in some learning without them knowing!

Let’s begin with BOOKS!

Grab your favorite blanket and a few picture filled books and head outside. Let the world slow it’s spin long enough for your heart beat to slow down and for your kids to kick off their shoes and enjoy a few books with you by their side.

The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems: focuses on the complex way that God created our vast and scientifically operating universe, including the biodiversity of life on our planet and the intricacies of a vast solar system.
The Ultimate Book of Planet Earth: Learn all about our planet’s geology, geography, atmosphere, weather, and more!
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. Scenes that inspire cosmic awe.
What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet: Recycling for children.
When God Made the World: Rhythmic, whimsical journey through creation–for little readers who love science and wonder.

The laundry drama continued…

Holding the flat stone with his right hand and moving his hand in a stone skipping motion, he gleamed. “I thought I could beat Sam in our rock skipping contest with this beauty.”

His shoulders sagged just a little.

“But I wasn’t throwing great, so I saved it for round two!”

I smiled.

“And this one?” I held up the bumpy rock.

“That is proof I beat Sam in a race!”

I may have rolled my eyes. Not sure how a random rock proves a victory, but the look on his face made me stifle my laugh.

“What about this boring rock?” I smirked.

He simultaneously hugged me as grabbed the rock. “I just like it.”

And he ran off…

Let’s swirl some Shaving Creme Crafts into the day!

Again, the great outdoors is calling you to take these ideas outside. Thank her!

6. Shaving Cream Earth Painting. “We love a good paper plate craft but for Earth Day we’re taking it to the next level with this shaving cream painting craft!” by the Simple Parent.

7. Shaving Creme Earth CAKE made with food coloring and marbles! Fun brought to you by Crafty Morning.

If you have kids who can’t resist tasting… use whipping creme instead!

Earth Day Activities

Let’s Dig into MORE Cute, Easy, and FUN Earth Day Crafts for Kids!

8. This coffee filter planet Earth craft from Angela with About a Mom is great for Earth Day or a planets unit study.

9. DIY Newspaper Pots! Give your new seedlings a great start with these biodegradable starter pots!

10. Balloon Art! Grab some paint, balloons, paper plates, and paper and head outside with your kids to enjoy this simple but colorful EARTH PAINTING craft by I Heart Arts n Crafts!

11. Craft and exploration Crates to unlock your child’s creativity and problem solving skills! Using these skills, who knows what they will do to help our planet!

12. Fingerprint FUN!: Explore FUN ways to create with fingerprints! Each day’s activity emphasize how your child is uniquely and wonderfully made! “There is only one you, just like there is only one EARTH.”

13. EARTH Day Tic Tac Toe Game to explore our little planet in the Milky Way. FREE

Earth Day Printable Activities inside the mini Printable Bundle

14. I Love Earth Wristbands: Color, cut and wear yours!

15. Earth Day Memory Game Printable

16. I LOVE Earth board game printable

17. Sort the Recyclables

18. TEN things I can’t recycle

19. Label that recyclable Activity

20. Renewable Energy Mini-booklet

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
― John Muir

If the weather is too harsh for you to take your kids outside to explore, rest, and play pop some popcorn and enjoy some AMAZING documentaries, shows, and movies about our planet.

21. High Sierra – A Journey on the John Muir Trail

22. One Year on Earth – Seen From 1 Million Miles

23. What is Biodiversity?

24. How to Save Our Planet

25. How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic

26. NASA | Show Me the Water

27. The March of the Penguins

28. ((Insert your favorite movie about the Earth, Water, Oceans, Plants, or Animals here))

29. Earth Day Scavenger Hunt as you walk through the neighborhood, park, or trail with your kids.

30. Doodle and Draw together as you talk, share, and learn about the earth. No prior drawing skills required! Let me teach you and your kids to draw in short 2-minute bursts at a time!

31. Fingerprint Earth Day Craft for Preschoolers by Crafts on Sea! Simply doodle a quick earth and your kids will do the rest!

Songs that are interactive and include movement work best for aiding recall. So if you have a concept that your class needs to memorize, then turning the key facts into lyrics and actions may be the most effective way of making the lesson stick. –The Inspired Classroom

32. Get your kids singing in short EASY bursts!

Children’s Songs and Action Rhymes by Holiday Zone

33. E-A-R-T-H
(to the tune of “B-I-N-G-O”)

34. Happy Earth Day
(to the tune of “Happy Birthday”)

35. I Live Here on Planet Earth
(ESL/EFL Action Rhyme)

36. The Earth Is Ours
(to the tune of “This Old Man”)

37. The Earth is a Ball
(Action Rhyme)

38. Three Big Words
(to the tune of “Three Blind Mice”)

39. We Live Here on Planet Earth
(to the tune of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”)

40. We’ve Got the Future in Our Hands
(to the tune of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”)

41. Learn Environmental Song Earth, Earth, Earth using ASL by We Play Along

Simple Earth Day FUN with Seeds

Why try to explain miracles to kids, when you can just let them grow a garden? – Robert Brault

42. Wildflower Seed Bombs for Kids with dirt

43. DIY Seed Bombs for Kids with clay

44. Basic Seed Bomb Recipe : A great place to start

45. Seed Sorting: Give your child an assortment of seeds and beans. Have them sort the different kinds of seeds into an ice tray or an egg carton.

46. Seed Germinating! Growing seeds in a jar. By How We Learn.

47. Seeds in a Bag: Science Experiment for Kids

48. Preschool: Earth Day resource by Mrs Plemons Kindergarten has everything you need for a week packed full of Earth Day themed learning and fun.

49. My Earth Day Workbook: 30 Colorful pages of earth day fun!

Food is a POWERFUL teaching tool!

50. Dirt Cups Recipe by Jessica with Mothering with Creativity

51. Make a SANDWICH Tree!

Gina is a magician with simple foods that bring earth to our kids’ mouths!

52. Ladybugs and ants! You’re not gonna believe how fast the kids eat their veggies!

More Earth Day Activities, Crafts, and ideas

53. Plant a tree!

54. Build a Birdhouse

55. Build a Bug Hotel: If you are an organic gardener like me, then you will want to be sure that there is a place in your garden for beneficial insects to lodge for the winter.

56. Build a terrarium: 12 Tips to help you make it AMAZING

Related: Want activities to make use of all those rocks and sticks your kids bring home for a nature collection? Look no farther, we’ve got a bunch!

57. Start a compost bin: Here are 35 Cheap and Easy Ideas!

58. Go on a treasure collection walk! Fill a brown paper bag with leaves, feathers, rocks, sticks, and wonders.

59. Create a nature collage with your treasures.

60. Leaf Rubbing

61. Make Fairy/Butterfly Wings with Contact paper

62. Press flowers: These are gorgeous!

63. Make Paper Mache Light-Up Globes

“Paper Mache is so easy and really cheap. Which makes it a prefect medium for crafting in large groups. We love creating simple Earth Day Crafts, and quickly feel in love with these simple paper mache globes that glow.”

-Housing a Forest

64. Make a Paper Mache Globe: The project involves making your own paper mache paste, coating newspaper strips with the paste, and molding them around a balloon to create the globe.

65. Yarn Earth for Kids: All you need is some yarn, glue, scissors, wax paper and the instructions from Made with Happy.

66. Paper Plate Earth Day Craft with Yarn

More Preschool Goodies

Explore the wonder of nature and science with the Grow ‘N Glow Terrarium Kit! This indoor activity for kids allows you to craft, plant, water and grow your own mini ecosystem. Just add water for a unique science experience!

68. Grow your own terrarium Kit

69. Grow your own Butterfly Garden

70. Release your own Butterflies into the wild

71. Printable Bugs: All About Bees

72. Printable Bugs: Units Study of Ants

73. Learn all about ANTS! ((Take this up a notch by starting your own Ant Farm

74. Visit a virtual Bug Museum with classrooms around the world!

75. Visit your nearest Nursery

76. Visit your nearest Zoo! Yes, virtual zoos are fun too!

77. Visit the nearest children’s park and play

78. Make a sun catcher

79. Experiment with rainbows

80. Have a good old fashion Wheelbarrow Race to enjoy fun outside!

81. Set up recycling stations at home

82. Play hopscotch with leave and sticks and stones as markers

83. Create an outdoor Tic Tac Toe game with paint and rocks!

84. Make a Fairy Garden! Here are 23 to inspire you!

85. Make a Fun, Colorful Miniature Garden with DIY Pond!

There really are countless ways to help our kids fall in love with our planet.

86. Talk about ways to save water

Go on a quest with NASA

87. Enjoy Earth NOW!

88. Learn about Drinking water as an astronaut.

89. Earth Day Coloring Pages

90. Going Deeper into Earth Science for older Kids MEGA BUNDLE

91. Print your own Earth Day Stickers!

92. Renewable Energy Foldable is inside the Geology and Renewable Energy BUNDLE

93. 112 Pages of fun, easy to use activities to learn about Geology and Renewable Energy

94. Make paper bead jewelry out of recycled magazines

95. Explore Waterfalls!

96. Learn all about SNOW!

97. Create your own life cycle of a SUNFLOWER paper craft booklet

98. Enjoy STUNNING photographs of mushrooms taken by a 14-year old who discovered these amazing life forms while studying fungi.

99. Learn about something wonderful in nature. Like Creepy, crawling SPIDERS!

100. Enjoy this classic Reading Rainbow Short: How Trash Is Recycled with LeVar Burton

101. Looking for MORE than a 100 ways to fall in love with our planet with your kids? Here is another jumbo list of 100 Ideas to Celebrate Earth Day for you to choose your level of greatness!

As I called my son back, “Hey you forgot something!”

He grabbed the pile of folded laundry.

“Not that, silly” I pointed.

“You forgot the sand.”

Your Turn

What are your favorite EARTH activities and Crafts? Share in a comment below!

97+ Amazing Ways to Make Math Fun for All

Inside: A master list of simple, inexpensive, and fun ways to teach all the basic math principles your kids need to thrive. PLUS- Free Math Roadmap

Most homeschoolers overcomplicate math with fancy curriculum, worksheets, quizzes, stop-watches and tests. We choose to be different!

Stripping math back to its basic foundational core, we can set our kids up for success in life by giving them a solid foundation with allows them to add, subtract, multiply, divide, count, measure, weigh, and estimate.

Pickin’ Cute!!!

Most kids are not mathematicians hiding inside little bodies. They are dancers, chefs, architects, designers, farmers, mechanics, bankers, writers or yet-to-be-decideds.

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