This is the Best List of Delightful Books for Preschoolers (and their Parents) Before you start looking around, go ahead and grab a copy of my book, Homeschooling from the Inside Out It’s completely FREE. Just click over and fill in your first name and primary email below and we will send you a digital copy immediately!! What’s that I see? My little guy toddling around the corner in just his underwear and cowboy boots tightly gripping his treasures: his snuggly blue satin blanket, a loaded nerf gun and 3 tattered books. My face relaxes. It must be almost bedtime. I panic a little. …Read More »
Preschool At Home MAGIC My oldest son turned 28 yesterday. Sigh. Do your kids still leave their actual handprints on your walls, clothing, and windows? Mama, that’s a wonderful thing. Eventually, they will take their handprints with them and you will not have to look far for your scissors. Everything will be right where you left them. For now, embrace the awe and wonder of childhood. Delight in marinating them in fun and engaging activities about things like dinosaurs, space, and farms. The JOY they see on your face as they learn, cut, trace, paint, lace, follow, lead, draw, build, sculpt, dance, sing, and live their lives in FULL COLOR will carry them into their futures with grace and confidence. If your kids are in preschool, don’t rush to shove pencils in their hands. Create themed based learning tubs and play bins instead! Some kids, like me when I was 4-years old, were born ready for school work. I ADORED worksheet and works books when I was little. My boys? Not so much! I had to get super creative to captivate their attention and feed them activities with the stealth of a ninja, so they didn’t realize they were learning. ((Insert evil laugh here)) Yes, they will need to read, write, and do ‘rithmetic… but for now they need to PLAY. And they need to see you delighting in their playtime. This is the work of childhood. Building towers that don’t topple right awayLearning all the name to all the dinosaursDancing to the beat of their own drum If you want them to care about algebra or history later, you’ll need to care about those LEGOS, dolls, and handprints today. Amy, your new best friend, has done all the work to make this as EASY as possible! Dinosaurs and So Much More!!! Mommy and Me Preschool You don’t even have to decide if you’re in for good! Take the full 15 days to explore the materials and experience the vibe of and THEN… make a decision using the information YOU HAVE, rather than the information you don’t. All the goodness is here. Once you see how much your kids LOVE these activities you’re going to want to come back for more and more and more. You’ll want to hop on the Planning PLAYtime email list to get freebies and first dibs on what’s new. (The place to drop your email is right at the top of her page! Go ahead and grab a copy of my book, Homeschooling from the Inside Out! It’s completely FREE. Just click over and fill in your first name and primary email below and we will send you a digital copy immediately!!
100 Easy Earth Day Activities for Families just like Yours Inside: 100 Earth day activities for families Earth Day was established to help moms like me not implode when the clean laundry turns into a sand box. 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. 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. 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 oflife 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. 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 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 for Families: 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 Earth Day activities for families with preschoolers 67. Grow your own terrarium Kit 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! Related: Nasa has some really amazing images to dazzle their imagination. 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! 86. Talk about ways to save water Go on a quest with NASA for Earth Day 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! Earth Day Freebie! Download Your Free cheat sheet of the Earth Crafts and Activities for kids! Use this cheat sheet of to help you whip up creative and inspiring activities and memories – even when life is busy. Download the free cheat sheet. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to download and subscribe. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. ENJOY making memories: even if they involve getting sand in the dryer! Here’s a SNEAK PEEK at your printable Cheatsheet Your Turn What are your favorite EARTH activities and Crafts? Share in a comment below!
Easy Preschool Crafts and Activities Our littles can get pretty creative while we’re heating our tea for the third time, switching the laundry, or answering a math question. Moms know there’ quiet. And then there’s “TOO QUIET”. …Read More »
Thanksgiving Scattergories What better way to let that turkey dinner digest than with a game of Thanksgiving Scattergories? Great for kids of all ages (who know their alphabet or on a team with someone who does!) Each game of Scattergories consists of three rounds. Before the start of the game, choose three lists which will be used during the rounds. Pass each player/team a folder, and clip the three lists inside in the order in which they will be played. Make sure that all players have A) the same lists, and that B) the lists are in the same order. Includes: Alphabet tiles8 Thanksgiving Themed Lists Get Yours here More Thanksgiving FUN! Build a Turkey Game and Activities! How about some Christmas FUN?!
Thanksgiving for Preschool! Adorable Preschool classroom activities for your kids! Kids will get to match upper and lower case letter turkeys, match numbers to their dice, complete the turkey/pumpkin pattern, build a turkey as a free activity or card game, Pin clothes pins on the turkey game, smoosh the turkey shape, and roll and play a simple dice game. Buy Now So much fun for your preschoolers! Included: Alphabet Matching TurkeysLacing CardsPattern CardsBuild a TurkeyRoll and Pin a TurkeyNumber MatchingTurkey ShapesTurkey Game Here’s a quick peek at some of the worksheets in this set: ABC and 123What’s next?Fine Motor FUN PS: Avoid Thanksgiving Day Plumbing Disasters. Don’t put potato skins down the drain and other tips here. Additional Thanksgiving and Christmas FUN
Days of Creation Activities for Kids In the beginning… Most of us begin teaching our kids Bible stories by starting at the very beginning. Dark becomes light. It’s exciting and wonderful all at the same time. You can never go wrong with simply reading and memorizing Genesis, but if you’re looking for some fun and easy ways to dive a little deeper, here are resources I’ve either used, made, or discovered in my own journey teaching my sons God’s Word. Music I personally begin with the Hippopotamus song. Well, that’s what we always called it. Days of Creation Song FOOD: If they can eat it, they’ll remember! Day 1: Oreo Cookies! Darkness and Light never tasted better!!Day 2: Blue jello with some whipped cream Day 3: Broccoli, grapes, and dandelions (Or a cookie with a picture of plants on them. Or bite shapes of flowers into a large tortilla)Day 4: Lucky charms! Pick out the moons, suns and starsDay 5: Goldfish crackers. Or Smoked King Salmon that your sons caught while on a fishing trip with their dad. (Wait, that’s my house)Day 6: Animal crackers or cookiesDay 7: Eat a snack JUST before resting. Related: Free Days of Creation Food Ideas Printable Games! These game sheets give your kids a chance to roll and earn points as they focus on what God created on each day of the week during Creation. So Much FUN!! Learn about the 6 Days of Creation with this hands on Board game! As you roll, move, and play with your kids you’ll captivate their hearts and attention as they focus on what God created on each day of the week during Creation. More Bible Studies for Kids: Bible Study Printables: Romans 15:13Days of Creation Board GameDays of Creation PrintablesDays of Creation Food Ideas (free)Sunday School Activities: Fruits of the SpiritBible Study BUNDLE #1Daniel 1: Bible Study and Children’s Ministry ActivitiesBible Object Lessons for Kids: WaterfallsBible Fun for Kids: ABCs of God’s CharacterAdvent Activities for Kids: FreebieAdvent Activities for Kids- CompleteBible 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?Memory verse for kids: Exodus 14:14 My personal statement of faith: I believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. I believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. I believe “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and that we are saved by faith in Jesus. My favorite Bible teachers are my husband (Craig Sayler), Pastor Jon Courson, Pastor Chuck Smith, CH Spurgeon. 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.
Easy Ways to Homeschool Through the Holidays The easiest way to coast through homeschooling is to roll with the tide, seasons and calendar. It’s the same idea as vacationing in the town you live: finding the hidden gems, enjoying the family owned hole in the wall restaurant, resting at a secret garden, parking your car in that one spot that always gets you to the beach faster. …Read More »
Christmas Activities: Build Your Own Christmas Tree Game Christmas is that wonderful time of year that delights our souls, causes us to wonder and distracts the daylights out of our kids. The best way to grab their attention during Christmas and the whole advent season is to improvise. This Christmas Activity is guaranteed to make them smile!! Buy Now Easy to Play Get a piece of wrapped candy for each player (or pom-poms, coins, legos, or anything small). Set the pieces face up next to the board.Each player gets a Blank TreeRoll one die.Move pieceCollect the piece and place on your treeTake turnsMost decorated tree wins! Additional Thanksgiving and Christmas FUN
Advent Traditions for All Ages Your kids see the calendar flip to November and suddenly they are ready for the holidays, right? It’s the same in my house. I am honored to be a part of the Homeschooling Through the Holidays Series at Life of a Homeschool Mom! Come see what we cooked up to help you celebrate the Advent Season with your family! Additional Thanksgiving and Christmas FUN Build your own Christmas Tree Game
Easy Fall Art Crafts for Preschool and Up I held onto summer for as long as I could, but the rain, cold, and gorgeous colors peeking through the trees have convinced me it’s ok to declare that fall is in the air! I’ve scoured the internet looking for the tastiest fall, pumpkin, leaf and fall themed goodies for you and your kids. Whether you are enjoying the sunshine for a few more weeks, or are already curled up by a fore with a hot delicious drink, these easy fall crafts and activity ideas are sure to delight! …Read More »
Letter D Activities for Kids Letter “d” Activity Unit is sure to delight your kids! Includes interactive activities to help your kids master letter a: It’s all about lower case “d” …Read More »
Childhood Should be Filled with Joy, Imagination, and WONDER Inside: 6 Questions every parent, teacher, and homeschooler should ask themselves about their kids. It’s 1976. I am super excited to go to my Kindergarten class today! Mrs. House is the best teacher ever. My friend Shelley and I sit next to each other in circle time as the class sings songs and talk about what is a good nutritious breakfast. Mrs. House isn’t too happy that I had a cup of coffee again today! I’m sure she will talk to mom again later! When mom picks me up from the bus stop, I start talking. “We did the phonics circle. Mrs. House played Ferdinand the Bull for us. I laughed and laughed when he “sat on a bumblebee”. I played house with Mary during play station time. There is an iron and ironing board! I love and “ironing”. At snack time, my friend Shelley and I turned our milk cartons into little boxes so we could collect things during recess. Shelley and I played tag during recess until we couldn’t run anymore, then we plopped down in the clover patch to search for four-leaf clovers. After recess, Mrs. House quizzed us on “F, F, for Freddy Fox” and sang “This Land is my Land” with the first-grade class next door.” {I gasp for breath and start talking again} “We covered a paper with all different colors of crayons and then scribbled all over that paper with black crayon as hard as we could. Once is was black, we used a paper clip to scratch designs into our picture. I was so excited, I made two! This one’s for you mommy. We worked on counting and did some fun worksheets. I can’t wait to go to school again!” Didn’t you love kindergarten? The play, the music, the glitter, the stories, the friends, the dancing, the pretending. I turned out great. Right? I loved school, so much in fact that I grew up to ‘play school’ at home full time (by homeschooling our five boys). I fell in love with learning and exploring and music and art and people in kindergarten. I am so concerned for today’s kindergartners. … Read More »
How to Homeschool Your Preschooler- Kindergartener “How can I get my 4-year old to sit long enough to do school?” “What is a great curriculum for a really busy 5-year old?” “My son’s handwriting is terrible. What program can I use to help him? He’s 6-years old.” Mama, Slow down. … Read More »