a game for practicing spelling, sight words, or letters: WORDO! With the end of the school year quickly approaching, we’re all getting antsy for summer. So I’ve had to be super crafty during our work …Read morea game for practicing spelling, sight words, or letters: WORDO!
number boxes 2.0 It’s so important for kids to practice one-to-one correspondence with counting, and there are about 60 million ways of doing it. Whether …Read morenumber boxes 2.0
how to teach kids to tie their shoes This Quick Trick is admittedly a work in progress. While Owen hasn’t quite mastered tying his shoes yet, he’s getting there. Slowly. He …Read morehow to teach kids to tie their shoes
sight word games to prepare for kindergarten: go fish! Owen has been really interested in reading lately, so I’m trying to roll with it without pushing him or having him lose interest–so games …Read moresight word games to prepare for kindergarten: go fish!
bumblebee birthday ideas: bumblebee wands, pens, games We’ve been very busy over here lately, as this week I helped organize and run our elementary school’s Kindergarten …Read morebumblebee birthday ideas: bumblebee wands, pens, games
how to make bumblebee cupcakes It’s a sweet, buzzy-bee cupcake New For Us Friday this week, thanks to Cora! Our Cora turned the big-numero quatro this week, and for weeks …Read morehow to make bumblebee cupcakes
letter and word learning: cora’s word search puzzles One more way we’re making Maddy’s homework time work for everyone is with Word Searches. You know those sheets of paper with …Read moreletter and word learning: cora’s word search puzzles
nfuf: managing kids’ screen time with ‘game time’ cards This New For Us Friday I’m sharing our family’s feeble attempt to regain some control over the wild world of electronics in our household …Read morenfuf: managing kids’ screen time with ‘game time’ cards
getting kids to write: write around the room Finding interesting and meaningful activities for Owen and Cora during Maddy’s homework time has kept me busy lately, but I’ve found tons …Read moregetting kids to write: write around the room
how to have some fun with leftover candy canes Each year, we end up with tons of leftover candy canes after the holidays. This year, I vowed I wouldn’t allow one candy cane in our house past …Read morehow to have some fun with leftover candy canes
remembering the importance of pretend play The Red Checks Restaurant was up and running over here for the last few days, serving up its famous chicken noodle soup, corn, pizza, sandwiches, …Read moreremembering the importance of pretend play
word searches for early literacy learning I’ve struggled this year with how to occupy Owen and Cora while Maddy does her homework, and what I’ve come to realize is …Read moreword searches for early literacy learning
quick trick: magnetic letters (how to use them with your kids!) Holiday time is here, and things are sure to be nutty around our house–and everyone else’s–for the …Read morequick trick: magnetic letters (how to use them with your kids!)
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
our thankful tree: beautiful, simple for thanksgiving Maddy, Owen, and Cora have already started with a case of the ‘galloping greedy gimmies’ a la Berenstain Bears thanks to the 800 million …Read moreour thankful tree: beautiful, simple for thanksgiving
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
painting with candy: candy experiments (part two) Maddy, Owen, and Cora had an absolute blast performing candy experiments using their Halloween loot this week, but I think the most fun they had …Read morepainting with candy: candy experiments (part two)
playing with candy: candy experiments (part one) With three overly-tired kids and three pumpkins full of Halloween candy, I knew that I had to be extra creative if I wanted Maddy, Owen, …Read moreplaying with candy: candy experiments (part one)
clothespin number and letter match-up game Always on the hunt for cool ways of sneaking in a little bit of learning for my kiddos, early this summer I found these cool Clothespin …Read moreclothespin number and letter match-up game