playing with numbers: counting, matching, spelling, and more! My Owen has been enamored with numbers from the time he was teeny. He’s got a brain for numbers, he’s got a thing number puzzles, and …Read moreplaying with numbers: counting, matching, spelling, and more!
learning during read-alouds: word consciousness We shouldn’t try to fill every second of our children’s lives with learning and lessons. Our kiddos really do need time for free play …Read morelearning during read-alouds: word consciousness
playing turkey feathers: matching beginning sounds Today I brought out one of my old Words Their Way favorites–Turkey Feathers. It’s a really simple game that I used with students to …Read moreplaying turkey feathers: matching beginning sounds
family paper roll dolls: a silly way to help teach emotions I’ve had a really difficult time with my sweet Cora lately, and I’m not sure how much longer we can chalk her hot-headedness up to a bad …Read morefamily paper roll dolls: a silly way to help teach emotions
teaching kids to stand up for themselves It’s been a gorgeous fall week here, so one morning, Owen, Cora, and I spent a good while at the park with our buddies. Turns out …Read moreteaching kids to stand up for themselves
fun ways to learn spelling words Not only did we lose Maddy’s very first homework packet over here in the chaos of the first few weeks of school; we also only spent only a …Read morefun ways to learn spelling words
help with letters b and d As I’ve said very recently, letter reversals are quite normal for emerging readers and writers. But there’s …Read morehelp with letters b and d
swinging and clapping Lately, since Owen’s mastered pumping on the swings, we’ve spent a whole lot of time in our back yard–just swinging.Most of the …Read moreswinging and clapping
age-appropriate speech sounds As a Reading Specialist and English teacher, I am always looking for ways to make learning to read fun for the students I tutor and my own little …Read moreage-appropriate speech sounds
rockin’ rhyme bingo Owen and I revisited Rhyme Bingo today, this time with Maddy, and it was a blast. We only played for a short while–about 15 or 20 minutes …Read morerockin’ rhyme bingo
every picture tells a story The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart and illustrations by David Small, is honestly one of the most beautiful children’s books …Read moreevery picture tells a story
teach kids patience on their own: arm circles Arm circles. What are they? They’re both a distractor and a way for two little ones to try to work out sharing issues. And they make me …Read moreteach kids patience on their own: arm circles
a good-night book walk Tonight when I returned from tutoring, I went up to say goodnight to Maddy, and she was drowsily looking at a few of the million …Read morea good-night book walk