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You are here: Home / Archives for k-2nd

k-2nd

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

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?

…

Read More »

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

Best Homeschool Math Curriculum for Struggling Students and Their Parents

Since you mentioned math…

Five kids later, I can testify that most kids are NOT future mathematicians.

In my “scientific study” of five kids, only one is a math guy. He went all the way through Calculus 3 and cried when it was done.

The other four?

They burned their books the moment they reached “high enough”.

collage of math images with the text don't overthink mat

Please…

…don’t try to make your artist, dancer, or farmer fit into a mathematicians world.

Mathematicians reveal themselves.

I knew my son was a math brain long before high school, but I purposefully held him back until he touched 9th grade so I could make sure he didn’t miss the math of daily life.

  • Measuring twice, cutting once.
  • Building and managing a budget.
  • Tripling recipes.
  • How to know you have enough gas to make it home.
  • Are the beans on sale for $3.00 a can REALLY a better deal than the ones sitting next to them?

Math has always been my love hate subject- yours too?

  • I love math.
  • I just hate teaching it to kids older than 12 because I have to study their math lesson and do all the problems first- then teach them the lesson and have to endure the frustration.
  • I always frustrated my older sons when teaching math. SIGH. Why? Because I don’t know the harder math off of the top of my head.

But we survived.

And the boys all thrived!!!

Lessons from a mom of five boys who all made it through Algebra without dying.

image of mom teaching child math with test teaching through algebra and surviving
  • Get a clear understanding of what your kids really need to learn: It will have nothing to do with a chapter or page number!
  • Always look for hands on lessons to practice skills!
  • If your kids don’t know how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, solve fractions and decimals, and do percentages… They are NOT ready for algebra.
  • Do a little math every day.
  • Solve math problems on windows with dry erasers or on the sidewalk with chalk.
  • Hang a white board and do math together.
  • If a math curriculum isn’t working DITCH IT! (Try my favorite on for size)
  • Use graph paper for help kids learn to solve math neatly.
  • Make math funny. Solve math with jokes, or get your kids funny shirts. My math kid LOVES his latest shirt. WARNING- You may not think it’s funny because its a higher math shirt. Trust me. It’s funny.
  • Look for math picture books and read aloud daily! Yes, slip in a math book or two each week.
  • Eat the problems. Whenever possible, teach math with food.

Best Homeschool Math Curriculum for Struggling Students and Their Parents

image of math tiles and text best homeschool math curriculum for struggling students

This is a tricky one.

What works for my kids may not work for yours, but here is a list of amazing math curriculum and youtube channels to give you and your kids assistance as they follow their math roadmap to success.

Pro Tips:

  • Know what your kids need to learn before starting to teach.
  • Look at the table of contents in your child’s math book. I bet you know how to solve most of the math. Use the Table of contents as a guide. Teach what you KNOW. If you get stuck- turn to the lesson page!
  1.  Teaching Textbooks is by far the most recommended math curriculum by homeschool moms. They have video lessons so your kids can simply follow along and do the work.
  2. Math You See is another homeschool mom favorite. It is very hands-on and makes very small steps forward so your child can achieve mastery. My boys didn’t love it; but I know MANY homeschool families who do!
  3. Evan Moor is HANDS DOWN my favorite publisher for teaching materials for kids PreK-6th grade! I discovered them before entering into homeschooling. Easy to follow and fun, I recommend them for all subjects- but especially math, history and science!
  4. All Things Algebra. I WISH I had found Gina when my older sons were beginning pre-algebra! Her curriculum is hands-on, challenging, but fun. She’s not cheap- but her materials are WORTH the money!
  5. Abeka Math is wonderful! They appeal to me, someone who loves color. “If mama doesn’t love the math curriculum, no one will.”

Kids with Special needs?

Teaching Math to Students with Autism

Homeschooling Kids with Dyslexia

YouTube Channels for Math help

youtube channels for math help

The trick is finding the correct teaching from someone you can relate to and learn from, right?

The Organic Chemistry Tutor saved us when my sons hit Algebra and beyond.

Math MashUp Is great!

Goofy Math to make your kids laugh

image of laughing kids with text goofy math to make your kids laugh

These are video my kids loved, or that I loved to torture them with when they needed to learn or practice a concept.

Sergeant Seven will have your kids master their 7 multiplication facts in 7 minutes.

School house rock! Why? Because it works. The number three is our favorite!

printable math activities

Goodies I’ve created for over the years.

Printable Math Basics through grade 6

Your Turn!

Did I miss anything that worked well in your home? PLEASE share below!!

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

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
toys from nature
Nature Sun Catchers! Learn more from Hands on As We Grow
toys from nature
Learn more from Adventure in a box
toys from nature
Make a fairy Garden! Learn more from Family Handy Man
toys from nature
Make a tie tac toe board! Learn more from Chicken Scratch NY
toys from nature
Paint Name, or word, rocks! Learn more from Mama Papa Bubba
toys from nature
Make story stones! Learn more from Happy Hooligans

Related: Turn classic puppet show stories into story stones

toys from nature
Sea Glass Chime! Learn more from All Snug as a Bug
toys from nature
Nature Sensory Bottles! Learn More from Rhythms of Play

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

Filed Under: 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, blog, k-2nd, sticky, Teach at home Goodies

Emergent Readers: FUN Printables for your Kids as they Learn to Read!

Is your emergent reader on the path to discovering their LOVE for reading?

collage, emergent readers printable set, three kids laying on their stomachs reading, a child sitting on the sofa with a book

No prep emergent readers at your fingertips.

…

Read More »

Filed Under: k-2nd, Preschool Printables

22 Simple Manners Every Kid Should Know By High School

 

Has this ever happened to you?

You beam with pride with joy at how wonderful, caring, and thoughtful your kids are; and without warning, they prove your heart wrong.

  • Before you beat yourself up for being a terrible mom,
  • Before I drag my ungrateful son away from his new pile of gifts,
  • I need to tell us something.

They’re kids.

…

Read More »

Filed Under: Blog, blog, k-2nd, Life Skills and Chores, Ready to go Resources, sticky

Crazy Fun Summer Emergent Readers Resources

Aspiring readers are just beginning to grasp the basic concepts of book and print. They are acquiring a command of the alphabet with the ability to recognize and name upper- and lowercase letters. They are also developing many phonological awareness skills, such as recognizing phonemes, syllables, and rhyme.

Early Emergent readers are beginning to learn sound/symbol relationships–starting with consonants and short vowels–and are able to read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, as well as a number of high-frequency words.

Early Emergent Readers

Levels aa-C-Books at this level have:

  • Strong picture support
  • Carefully controlled text
  • Repetitive patterns
  • Controlled, repeated vocabulary
  • Natural language
  • Large print
  • Wide letter spacing
  • Familiar concepts
  • Limited text on a page

Lesson plans for emergent readers

You’re gonna want a simple plan to follow when working with emergent readers. The great news? They don’t need to be complicated!

Collage of printable lesson plans

Sight Words

Once your kids master their letters, they will use their emergent reader lessons to master those sight words in a natural and fun way. Each reader will have a few focus words for mastery, but you will want to make sight word practice a repetitive and fun activity during each school day.

A little practice goes a long way!

Use sight words as handwriting and Fine Motor Skills practice

Collage of phonics and sight word worksheets

This Sight Words Set comprise from up to 85% of the text in children’s early reading materials. Therefore, a child who knows the Dolch Words has much of the base needed to recognize the majority of the words in a typical selection.

Two kids slapping sight word flies with plastic fly swatters

EASY & FUN WAY TO LEARN SIGHT WORDS:: After one of the 220 Dolch sight words is called out, use your swatter to swat the word on the matching fly.

Fun and engaging Summer Emergent Reader

Low Prep Printable!
Bonus activities included

The beauty of emergent readers is that they are short and predictable texts that help build confidence and mastery!

Get your copy here

Looking for more emergent readers for summer?


If you like this post, check out:

Manners for kids

Preschool Books for kids

Filed Under: k-2nd, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: Emergent reader

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: Page 1 Page 2

Filed Under: blog, k-2nd, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: how to homeschool

Yes, Your Child’s Mind is POWERFUL and Creative !

Do you try to make handwriting sound a whole lot more fun than we both know it is to your kids? Yeah, my kids saw through that plan too.

Kind of like the time I tried to hide carrots into a cake, but neglected to make the bits small enough to get by my little veggie detector.

I know, you worry that your child’s only prospect for future employment is in the medical field. Surely, you are staring at at a doctor’s handwriting page. Right?

…

Read More »

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

DIY Doll Game and Activity

DIY Doll Game
your kids will Love this game/activity!!

This beautiful activity comes from author Gail Masinda, with Maestro Heights.

The idea is simple. 

Learn to care for baby while living your normal life.

Perfect for training siblings for life with baby!

There are two sets of activities: 

  • small manageable tasks
  • what baby needs.

How to play

  • Place each in their own jar/basket.
  • Begin the day with a smt. Complete the task
  • Then reach in and see what baby needs. 
  • Set the timer and kids practice setting baby’s needs above their own. PLUS, you get a little bit of time too!

Back slips are included so you can customize chore/tasks and activities for baby.

Kids can use dolls or stuffed animals for “Baby”. I purposely used the word BABY and did not include his/her pronouns. HAVE Fun!

Download your free copy here


Visit Gail’s beautiful Music Room

Filed Under: blog, k-2nd, Ready to go Resources, sticky

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