How to Make Learning Fun: EASY! She lays awake at night tossing and turning. She tries to rest, but when she closes her eyes she sees the slumped over image of her son burned into her memory.“I failed again.”She is confused. She read all the latest and greatest articles on how to teach her child, but when she tries to follow the advice, her son closes down and she becomes frustrated, discouraged and depressed.“I’m messing up my kid!”…Read More »
Don’t Panic if Your Kids Can’t Read Yet Last week I couldn’t find him. I was walking all over our new home looking for our youngest son. No matter how many times I called his name, he didn’t answer. Just about the time I started to be concerned, I saw him out of the corner of my eye; buried in a bean bag, snuggling with the dog and reading. READING! This may not seem like a big deal to you, but the boy was almost ten and hadn’t jumped into the world of stories on his own. I wasn’t concerned. All five of our sons were reluctant readers in the beginning. But our youngest? He was the most reluctant yet. He never really picked up a book on his own… until that day… Got kids who just can’t read, don’t want to read, or are struggling? Don’t panic…Just keep reading aloud to them. What can you do to tickle their desire to pick up books? Grab an exciting book and suddenly “Stop Reading” at an extremely exciting part. Leave them hanging in stories. Talk to them about the books you are reading. Give them access to books, lots and lots of book. Gather books that are below their reading level and have them “hanging around”. You, mom, pick up children’s literature and read silently to yourself. Let your kids see that there are no age-appropriate kid’s books. Help them see that a good book is simply that, a good book. Even though we took a very laid back approach to teaching this guy to read, I was still shocked when the lightbulb finally came on. His progress from zero to a million miles an hour? FIRST, he fell in love with the Magic Tree House Series. As a matter of fact he has read 1-2 books every day until he completed all the book in the house. Next, he just kept going. After the first 20-ish books were devoured, he began reaching for bigger and bigger books. Fast forward to today… He reads no less than 2 hours a day, has the HIGHEST reading comprehension out of all the boys in our family, and is an amazing writer. Do you have a reluctant reader? Keep reading to them. Supply them with lots of books. Visit the library. Often. Leave ’em hanging in a story. Just never give up. They will read. Never make it a negative, reading is fun. Every child learns to read at their own pace, and for some, the journey to literacy may be a bit delayed. Delayed readers, as we affectionately call them, are those who take a little longer to grasp the art of reading compared to their peers. While it can be a source of concern for parents and educators, it’s crucial to remember that this is entirely normal. In fact, patience and support are the keys to helping delayed readers flourish. The only thing that matters is THAT they learn to read. Help for Homeschoolers!
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 »
17 of the Best Advent for Kids Activities for your Family Inside: Fun Advent for Kids Printables to help countdown ChristmasShare 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 BUNDLE1. Advent Door Hanger CraftFor 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 Scattergories3. Advent Dice Game for Toddlers4. Build your own Nativity Board Game5. Mini Jesse Tree Activity/Craft6. 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 Book8. Advent Ornaments for a tree9. Christmas Chain Countdown Craft10. Advent: Make Your Own CalendarAdding 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 word12. Advent: Writing: Diamante poem about Jesus13. Advent Themed Math: Fact families14. Advent themed math:Pie Graph15. Advent Maze: Help Joseph and Mary find Bethlehem 16. Maze: Help the wise men find Jesus17. Christmas Eve ReadingNo 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 ActivitiesChristmas Color by NumberKindergarten Sight words: WinterSnowman Math: KindergartenSnowman Worksheet and ActivitiesWinter Writing Booklet and Writing PromptsScissors Skills worksheets and Fine Motor Practice: WinterBible Studies for Kids:Bible Study BUNDLE #1Daniel 1: Bible Study and Children’s Ministry ActivitiesBeatitudes Coloring PagesSunday School Activities: Fruits of the SpiritBible Object Lessons for Kids: WaterfallsBible Fun for Kids: ABCs of God’s CharacterBible Study: What Can I Learn from the CamelBible Study: Pearl of Great Price- Matthew 13:45-46Bible Study: Transfiguration of Jesus- Matthew 17Daniel 4: King Nebuchadnezzar’s Tree DreamSunday School Lessons on Prayer for PreschoolersBible Study for Kids: What Can I Learn From the Ant?
Toddler Worksheet: Christmas Cupcake Fun These adorable activities will delight your Preschoolers!These are perfect to add to your toddler and preschool activities file!Cupcake themed Activities Included:Easy Memory GameChallenging Memory GameBINGO!Roll and Color!Connect the PAIRSPunch and Lace Fine Motor SkillsFollow the path scissors skillsChristmas Cupcake Fun!You May Also Like:All About Me: My BodyTurkey Color by NumberLetter D ActivitiesKindergarten Printables: Fall and ThanksgivingScissors Skills worksheets and Fine Motor Practice: WinterSnowman Math: KindergartenWinter Writing Booklet and Writing Prompts39 Fall and Thanksgiving Fine Motor Skills Activities30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Activities21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for KindergartenersPrint 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 PrintableDownload 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.
Snowman Fun Pack: Perfect Snow Day Activity after Building a Snowman When our youngest son was 9-years old, he was “chomping a the bit” to create something for my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. He loves the idea of pulling an idea from his brain and creating something cute, useful, educational and FUN for kids while putting a few pennies in his pocket. Although you must be 18 to open a sellers account, he decided to begin studying the process so he’s ready to go on his 18th birthday. … Read More »
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”.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. 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 ParentsThis 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! 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. 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!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!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!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 AutismHomeschooling Kids with DyslexiaYouTube Channels for Math helpThe 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 laughThese 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!Goodies I’ve created for over the years. Printable Math Basics through grade 6Your Turn!Did I miss anything that worked well in your home? PLEASE share below!!
Bible Object Lessons from Nature for Kids God’s creation is so incredible, and He uses it to restore our souls and reach our hearts.Our kids need this. I need this. Honestly, we all need this, right?After an incredible vacation where my family stayed in a river house in Oregon, I’ve been inspired to create the most amazing, delicious, and inspiring creations studies possible.…Read More »
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 supportCarefully controlled textRepetitive patternsControlled, repeated vocabularyNatural languageLarge printWide letter spacingFamiliar conceptsLimited text on a pageLesson plans for emergent readersYou’re gonna want a simple plan to follow when working with emergent readers. The great news? They don’t need to be complicated!Sight WordsOnce 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 practiceThis 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.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 ReaderLow Prep Printable!Bonus activities includedThe beauty of emergent readers is that they are short and predictable texts that help build confidence and mastery!Get your copy hereLooking for more emergent readers for summer?If you like this post, check out:Manners for kidsPreschool Books for kids
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. Related: Don’t panic if your kids aren’t reading yet. 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 PrintableDownload 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.
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
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 »
71 Easy Adorable And Inexpensive Mothers Day Crafts Inside: A treasure for you to tuck away for your kids’ teenage years. She gave you heartburn while you were pregnant. photo by Inna Lesyk He ran you ragged for hours on end when he was three. … Read More »
Renewable Energy Freebie This is a free SAMPLE of my Renewable Energy Unit.Included:Solar powerWhat can be powered by the sun?Looking for more?…Read More »
Ant Farm Kits: An Easy Science Lesson for Multiple Ages Our boys exchange names every year for Christmas and then are blessed to buy gifts for their selected brother. This year, our youngest picked out an Ant Farm for his brother. Not only is this an excellent gift for the animal lover of our family, but it has turned into an amazing “cross-grade” science lesson. … Read More »
No Prep Thanksgiving Activities for Elementary! If you need awesome fun Thanksgiving themed activities for your kids, you’ve come to the right place. Just print and go!These activities have very little prep time and are sure to delight your elementary age kids!Thanksgiving Math Activities Included in this pack:Addition: “Owl” Show you my facts!Multiplication: “Owl” Show you my facts!Round to the nearest 10Round to the nearest 100Round to the nearest 1,000Addition: Color by SUMWho, who, who is first? (ordinal number practice- 2 3rd Grade Math: A-Mazing TurkeyGame: What’s the Number?EASY-Color by Number- Number RecognitionMedium-Color by Number Multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6, 10Thanksgiving Reading and Writing Activities:Thanksgiving BINGO (4 game boards, 7 pages game pieces)Thanksgiving Scattergories!Reading for Facts! It’s all about the turkey!Reading: Color by Sight wordsThanksgiving AcrosticThanksgiving NounsThanksgiving VerbsThanksgiving AdjectivesThanksgiving Science Activities:Thanksgiving/PumpkinsLife Cycle of a Pumpkin (2 pages: booklet and labels)Life Cycle of a Thanksgiving TurkeyAdditional Thanksgiving and Christmas FUN
Fall Jokes Solved with Single Digit Multiplication If you need awesome multiplication practice for your kids, you’ve come to the right place. Just print and go!With all of my youngest kids in high school math now, I can assure you that one of the foundational skills your kids need to master is their math facts. I like to make learning these fun with hands-on games, jokes, and fun activities.Math mastery for the win!Additional Math FUN
All About Bees Freebie This is a Free Sample!Insects cannot be explored without studying the queens of insects: honeybees!…Read More »
ABW 9: Hands-on Learning Made EASY with Amy What if there was a way to simplify learning, magnify time away from worksheets, and increase connections with your kids?Would you sleep better at night?I have GREAT news for you sweet friend… There’s an EASY button! …Read More »
Hebrew for Homeschoolers: Perfect Timing! My kids informed me there are three weeks left of school this year. Silly boys. Don’t they know the sun is shining? We’ll be lucky to get that far! In the summer, we always have everyone do some sort of self-study. Physical fitness, daily reading, yard work and friend time are all on the kids’ wishlist for their free time. But so is independent learning. Hebrew! The kids want to learn Hebrew! … Read More »