Looking for Cute Teacher Outfits? Inside: Ideas for cute teacher outfits for homeschool moms, teachers, and virtual classrooms Did you favorite teachers wear really cute teacher outfits every day? Mine did too!! She always wore her lessons. She may have invented the phrase “all-in”. When you embrace a lesson enough to change your earring, shirt, skirt, bracelet, and shoes… the kids notice. Yes, they may look at you sideways. But they remember the lesson. Here are a few themed ideas to getting you on your merry way. Learning about FROGS? Frog Earrings Yes! A frog dress Lessons about FROGS Nat Geo FrogsLife cycle of frog printable lessonFrog Lapbook lessons Learning about the Solar System? Solar system “Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus is serious #teachergoals. She’s eccentric, dedicated, and compassionate. Best of all, she’s known for her wild and wacky teacher dresses that have a way of making every classroom lesson fun and memorable.” – We are Teachers Solar system dress Lessons about the SOLAR SYSTEM NASA solar system for kidsEPIC solar system projects for kidsSolar System Lapbook lesson Related: This teacher dresses up on Zoom every day in the best costumes Learning about Dinosaurs? Dinosaur earrings Dino dress! Lessons about Dinosaurs Dinosaurs of the BibleDinosaur Museum TourDinosaur printables for preschool Learning about Geography? Globe earrings Geography dress
Homeschool Mom- Printable Bingo Game Free There is no right or wrong way to be a great homeschool mom. You already qualify as the best teacher and mentor on the planet for your kids. No one else cares as much about their success as you! Instead of being too hard on ourselves, let’s have a little fun. Invite a friend to Play Homeschool Mom Bingo! Print your gameMark off the ones you’ve completedShare the fun with friends! Need help completing a square? 1. Turns baking into science “Believe it or not, cooking and baking can be great teaching tools. You know what I always say….“Science is everywhere!” You may be wondering how spending an afternoon baking chocolate chip cookies can relate to math and science. Then again, you may not care if the end result is cookies. Let’s go over the super important sounding words that are at the heart of learning in the kitchen.” 2. Buys copy paper by the case 3. Homeschool Master Goals Established… check! 4. Follows 2+ Homeschool bloggers Ok, this one is subjective. If you are lucky enough to have homeschooling friend’s next door, like I did when I first began homeschooling you may not need to follow a homeschool blogger. There are many, many, many moms (like me) who share their homeschool journey through their own blogs. My favorite homeschool bloggers: Amy with Planning Playtime has amazing preschool goodiesAna with They Call Me BlessedGena with Music in Our HomeschoolKelly with Happy You, Happy Family (not a homeschool blog… but she sees you through your screen)Don’t forget A Better Way to Homeschool (That’s me) 5. Asks homeschool questions in FB group Come join Our Lives as Homeschool Moms! If you ask 100 homeschoolers a question, you will get 137 different answers. I may be a bit biased, but this little corner of the internet is the most encouraging I’ve found! 6. Owns a FANTASTIC pencil sharpener Worth every penny My husband doesn’t understand. He laughed when I told him how much I spent on this bad boy. But it’s a life changer. It treats expensive, wonderful, quality pencils and cheap, peeling, “can’t hold their lead” pencils equally and without prejudice. I will almost never say what I am about to say, but I can’t help myself. Go buy yourself a Carl Angel 5 Pencil Sharpener right now. 7. Knows That LEARNING is the goal, not page numbers What does successful homeschooling look like? You’re gonna want this printable for your fridge. 8. Attends 1+ online or in-person homeschool conference After I attended my first homeschool conference, I was hooked with connecting with other homeschool moms. Especially older homeschoolers. There’s something magical about gleaning hard earned wisdom from people a little farther ahead of you than you are today. Pro-tip: Make it a goal to find one GOLDEN nugget (wisdom, advice, or resource) from any conference you attend. It only takes one to make the whole conference worth your time and money! Online conferences worth attending at least once: Charlotte Mason Inspired All Kerry’s Conferences and Workshops are amazing! 9. Knows where to ask MATH questions I highly recommend collecting mathematicians for your homeschool journey. Yes, you’ll want a math roadmap, but sometimes you just need someone to explain things to you. While I’ve collected a few math whizzes in my time homeschooling, I’ve also found some amazing YouTube teachers! Organic Chemistry Tutor! Wow this guy has made a huge difference for usMath Antics: Clear and easy to followMath and Science: My personal favorite. He helped me remember how to do all the math things I forgot! 10. Has books in EVERY room of the house Adoring books may be the one common trait of homeschool moms! 120 Classics to read This is the Best List of Delightful Books for Preschoolers (and their Parents) 11. Ignores the “you should” comments Everyone on the planet will give you advice about homeschooling. You’ll want to quickly learn to fine-tune who you collect advice from. Years ago, a friend taught me to inspect the life of the person who is freely giving me advice before listening. 12. New BUG? Homeschool moms can turn anything into a learning activity, but the best homeschool moms hide the truth that kids are learning. Their kids believe they play all day! Discovers new bugcollects itturns into science lesson for the week 13. Trains CHARACTER 14. Buys or creates printables 15. Confident that art, music, dance, and LEGOs are important 16. Loses sleep while thinking about teaching kids 17. Sometimes feels alone and overwhelmed 18. Sometimes feels alone and overwhelmed 19. Googles “how to make learning FUN” 20. Looking for affirmation that she’s on right track 21. Has thought it might be easier if they go to school-school 22. Has gifts and abilities she wants to use in teaching but doesn’t know how
Ways to Say Happy Father’s Day Husband Let’s join our kids and celebrate their father with these fun ways to say Happy Father’s Day Husband to their dad! Let’s get creative this year and celebrate Father’s Day, with FUN and creative ways to Say Happy Father’s Day. Sure, the mud pie and t-shirt with handprints are amazing, but so are these! 5 Amazing Gift Ideas for Father’s Day 1. Camping Gifts for Dad Camping Gifts for Dad Maybe it the fact that being dirty is just part of the fun, but most kids LOVE camping with their dads! Help their next camp out be amazing. Fun camping gifts HammockGreat multi-toolGloves with flashlights in the fingers! 2. Father’s Day from Bump From your little bump If you’re expecting, your husband may still feel like a deer in the headlights. Help him feel extra special with a fun gift from that moving bump! 3. Best Dad By Par Best dad by par If your hubby loves golf, he’s gonna love these. 4. Cycling Gifts for Dad Cycling Gifts for Dad These are my personal favorites, because all five of our sons enjoy biking with their dad. They can’t revisit the feel of hero dirt! Hero Theme to help celebrate dad! 5. Ways to Make Dad a Homeschool Lesson Interview himCreate a Power point presentation “My Dad”Oh! How about a a secret message with your own special code that he will need to break to readMake a dad collage! Have dad lay down on butcher paper and trace his body. Yes, kids LOVE this one. Then color, decorate, or label with all the things dad loves!Print, cut, color, and create your own keepsake craft while sharpening fine-motor skills There are many, many ways to let your husband know how important he is in the live of your children. Father’s Day can get overlooked because it falls right after the school year ends and all the kids scatter into doing summery things. Take some time to pause and celebrate Father’s Day for and with your husband! More about Fathers Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes
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 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! 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 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. 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
Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes Inside: Six homeschool lessons to glean from your kid’s dad. Even if he never picks up a red pen to help you grade a math test. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But when the going gets tough in homeschool, moms across the globe search for answers. We corner teachers to glean classroom management skills. We laugh and cry with our girlfriends about our kids as we sip too much coffee. We pick the brains of other homeschoolers we happen to bump into at the grocery store. We Google in desperation. “Which curriculum is best for a dyslexic science-minded girl who refuses to wear matching socks on Tuesdays?” But ask the man in our lives his opinion about how to teach his children or how to manage our lives, No way Jose…. Read More »
97+ Amazing Ways to Make Math Fun for Our Kids 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!!! …Read More »
Learning at Home: Everything you need in one place A Quick Start Guid to Teaching at Home These resources have been moved to my academy.
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. Kids are not born with good manners. Children are not gifted with social graces. Actually, it seems as though the opposite is true. Our kids need our help. They need loving, patient, and consistent training to help them learn how to love and be kind to others. Sure, some kids are born ready to help, serve, and love. Most need a bit of help, or in some cases a total overhaul. And that’s ok. Actually, it should be one of our central parenting to-dos. MANNERS ARE A LOST ART. This lesson needs to be reinforced all throughout life. One of our college-aged sons recently did an act of kindness that blew up in his face. Her arms were full, and he raced to open the door for her as a courtesy. He held the door open and smiled. Imagine his shock when the young woman began cursing and swearing at him because her “dared” to hold open the door for a woman.! I can’t even share the things she said. Horrible. All because he opened the door… AND YET, HE STILL OPENS THE DOOR FOR OTHERS- WITH A SMILE. “Because it matters, mom. It’s kind, and it’s the right thing to do…” Yes, it matters. According to Family Time, Good Manners Are Good for Your Kids. Good manners are attractive. Other parents and adults prefer kids who are polite and so do school teachers. So do future employers. Good manners build self-esteem. When you respect others you respect yourself and that makes a person more confident. Good manners make others feel good. We all benefit when the people around us are more caring, respectful and compassionate. Good manners impress people. Your children will get positive attention and respect. Politeness is a sign of strength, not weakness. So What’s a Mom to Do? Take action. Let’s decide that your Kids, your Family will be different. Incorporated manners training into our everyday lives; as a part of homeschooling. How to Teach Manners Effectively Start where you are. It’s no use teaching your daughter to say, “It was so nice of you to visit today” if she hasn’t mastered the art of saying thank you. Pick one or two manners to focus on with your kids. Set up a “let’s practice” area and take turns exercising the new skill. Keep the practice sessions short and fun. Review the manner each day. Be sure to put your silly hat on and let your kids catch you doing it wrong! When they master the skill during playtime, let them know, “after tomorrow this is how we will behave in this situation, but I think we are ready for a new manner!” Before a playdate, outing, or family visit- Do a Quick Review of manners you want them to practice. SO WHAT MANNERS SHOULD YOU TEACH YOUR KIDS? It’s completely up to you and your family. The most important thing is that you pick a few and get practicing. This world needs people who: Say thank you Open doors for strangers Remember people’s names Offer to help And give and receive with kindness and grace. Manners go a long way… … Read More »
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 »
Earth Schooling by Accident: Teaching and Learning as we Go “My 16 year old is really struggling with his purpose in life. He asks WHY about everything, lately. It’s just why about finishing high school, why he’s here, and what is he supposed to do in life (all in a very negative way). It’s heartbreaking as a mom, and while I’ve always taught them they are here on earth for a purpose… I can’t always answer those questions thrown at me. Have any of your boys struggled with that?” Her heart beckoned me to respond. I stopped in my tracks and wrote her back. “Yes… My youngest son was really struggling a few years ago (when he was 14 I think). I did something extreme. Every day, rain or shine, we began our day with a walk. I didn’t give him a choice. Honestly, his dyslexic brain needed the fresh air. Every day we laced our shoes and hit the road for the first 1-2 hours of school. I found myself looking at the man-child and realized I have very little time with him. It was killing me that when he struggled with school our relationship suffered. I named our new way of learning Tom Sawyer schooling. I handed him my phone and encouraged him to take pictures. We walked to a local beach and searched for treasures.We purposely splashed in puddles.He began to talk more and more each dayI began to listen with intensity. After a few weeks, (yes weeks), he said, “don’t laugh… but I think I might know what I want to do when I grow up.” “Buddy, I won’t laugh… what?” He took a deep breath. “A cardiothoracic surgeon.” My eyes went wide. ignoring the truth that he is dyslexic and can’t spell for beans, I replied. “WOW!! How can I help you get there?” Mom, this is the most important thing I learned that day. He already KNEW what his first steps were! We continued walking and talking and he became more and more excited. Not wanting to lose any of the GOLD flowing from his lips, I recorded his developing plan so he could write it down when we got home. The Un FANCY recording of our conversation He’s now almost 16. He’s been studying human anatomy and the history of medicine since. He studies on his own, unprompted. Things like: how to survive and thrive in medical schoolhow to sleep enough in medical schoolhow to learn complex ideaadvance note taking skills Everything he studies has a clear purpose in helping him reach his goal. and he’s ALL IN. New homeschool word: Earthschooling. I didn’t know this is what I was doing; but it works. No. I didn’t buy any curriculum:). Everything he does has purpose. Everything he does has purpose. Taking photographs to relax his mind and soak in the outdoors and improving his fine motor skills through sewing and crocheting earning money for medical school with: photos he’s takena DIY heart foldableHeart BOOM cardssnowman printablesteaching kids to crochet, opening his Etsy shop. He’s laser focused on his goal, and we give him time, resources and assistance by wrapping all his school in a way to align with his goals. Oh the JOY As his teacher, I lay the practical skills he needs right on top of his goals. And then I stand back and rub my eyes in astonishment with what he accomplishes. Your teen can do the same kinds of amazing. If I could whisper in your ear it would be to say… stop normal school for the next few weeks, at least for an hour or two a day and hang out with him without technology. For me, walking was the ticket. It may be going on a drive with him… you know him best. That season is a serious gauntlet where the enemy not only discourages their hearts, but floods their minds with hormones so they can be testy. Prayer is key. So is leaning into their lives and listening. Even if it’s late at night. Once you’ve spent time enjoying each other, he may be open enough to share some of his hopes/wishes with you… respond with “how can I help you get there?” And then listen and take notes.” 3 Tips to Unlocking this Magical Learning Spend enough time shoulder to shoulder with your kids that they relax and learn to TRUST YOU with their heart.LISTEN a lot more than you speak. Take notes even.Choose materials and hobbies that feed their passion. Yes, even buying gifts like this for your wanna be surgeon like we did. (He LOVES it). I learned this “How can I help you reach your goals” and then listen from Kerry Beck. Wow! One workshop from her transformed my homeschooling. 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. WANT MORE POSTS ON HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE HEART? Don’t homeschool your kids Godly women and homeschool You don’t need to apologize
Pi Day Fun One of the perks of being both a homeschool mom AND a mom is going over board for things like Pi Day. March 14 is when all the crazy, fun and quirky math lovers around the planet have a blast celebrating this amazing number. Yes, there’s even a PiDay Organization to fill your imagination with amazing ideas! We are Teachers has 31 Amazing Fun Pi Activities for you! “Thank you, We Are Teachers What is Pi? Pi is the sixteen letter of the Greek alphabet, and it’s also a symbol used to describe the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, meaning that pi equals the circumference divided by the diameter (π = c/d). The interesting this about pi is that mathematicians who have been working on this number believe that it is infinite, meaning that it’s not the quotient of two integers. In other words, the number pi goes on and on and on, and we don’t know where it ends! So, the number “pi” begins with the numbers 3.14159265, and goes on and on infinitely (so we think). Computers have been cranking away at the number for a while now, trying to figure out just how big it is (and if it will ever stop), and according to Number World, the number has been computed up to 10 trillion digits. Wow! How do you get in the spirit of fun days like Pi Day? Get it? Chicken Pot Pi!! But pi’s ubiquity goes beyond math.
10 of the BEST Homeschool Subscription Boxes for your Kids Inside: Top picks for homeschool subscription boxes by moms like you. These subscriptions will spice up your homeschool 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 Green Kid Crafts KiwiCo Mel Science Bitsbox Ivy Kids Young Woodworkers Let’s Make Art Rock By Rock Raddish Letter from Afar Highlights Little Passports Think Outside Craftsman Crate Sensory Therapy Play Box BarkBox DIY Preschool Earth Box Plan DIY ABCs of God Plan 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! 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. …Read More »
24 Ways to Make Learning about Verbs Creative, EASY, and Fun INSIDE: Fun and Easy Action Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative action verb activities. 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. “There has to be a verb game I can use to bring this area of learning to life!” I dreamed. 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. …Read More »
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 skillsWorking QUIETlYPracticing the art of visual thinkingBuilding their visual vocabularyHaving 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!! Diane Bleck is my Doodle Teacher 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 kidsPublic School KidsYour kidsMy kids There’s something MAGIC that happens when a person suddenly is able to MASTER a little drawing. CONFIDENCE blossomsCreativity is UNLOCKEDJOY 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. So POWERFUL! 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 multiples3rd Grade Math- Sudoku puzzles3rd 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 So FUN!! 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. …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!!
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 Christmas Color by NumberKindergarten Sight words: WinterSnowman Math: KindergartenSnowman Worksheet and ActivitiesWinter Writing Booklet and Writing PromptsScissors Skills worksheets and Fine Motor Practice: Winter Bible 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?
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. … Read More »
Life Skills for Kids of All Ages This is where the rubber hits the road in homeschooling and raising up the future generation! “We NEED these!!” Be nice to peopleHow to make a bedThe proper handshake5 ways to cook an eggHow to sew a buttonHow to iron a shirtDigital mannersHow to tie a tieHow to secure passwordsWhat to do if locked out of your houseGross habits to STOP and avoidSmall talkHow to pass on a complimentSmall talkand 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! The Proper Handshake Buy Now! 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