Choosing a Preschool

My little girl is FINALLY old enough for preschool. She is now "pre-kindergarten" age. Technically I could have put her in last year, but I didn't really see the need. She's been dying to go to school for ages though, so she is positively excited.

Choosing a school was much harder than I had anticipated. This is my first time sending a child to school, so it was new for me.

I picked up some tips through this last week of dilemma. I hope they help you and that you have some to offer if you've already sent one of your children to preschool.

1 - If you can avoid it, don't wait until the last minute. I didn't have much of a choice.... we just moved to our new house a week ago (and it's in an entirely new state), and school starts in just 2 weeks. I had to work FAST. As a result I felt pressured to choose. There aren't many spots left open in preschools at this time of year. Explore your options early so you can feel confident about your choice.

2 - Ask for suggestions. This one goes without saying... but it's important. I searched out 3 preschools and all of them came off of referrals from ladies in my ward. I had to be bold and ask FAST since I had just met them, but it was worth it.

3 - Go meet the teacher/see the preschool in person! Don't just make a judgement call based on what others have said or over a phone conversation. You might have different tastes/needs for your child than your friend. I had preconceived notations about the schools I was looking into and ended up choosing the one I didn't think I would after I had met the teacher and seen the school. I really liked one teacher over the phone AND in person. The other teacher I didn't really like when I talked to her over the phone, but upon meeting her in person I discovered that she's awesome, and just doesn't do well on the phone.

4 - Take your child with you to see the schools and meet the teachers. Let him/her be part of the process and if possible let your child give input. In the end I had narrowed it down to 2 schools that I really liked and I couldn't choose. There were pros and cons for both. It was a HARD choice. I asked my daughter SEVERAL times which one she liked better and every time she said the same one. Since she liked it so much I picked her preference.

5 - If price is a concern you can POSSIBLY get someone to lower their prices. At one point I had settled on one school and called the other teacher to let her know I had chosen somewhere else. When she asked if it was because of the price difference and I said yes, she offered to match the price of the other school! WOW! (I think it helped that school starts in 2 weeks and she wants to fill up.)

6 - Choose a school that fits the needs of your child. If I was concerned about my daughter academically I would have chosen preschool with very few children in it (there was one I looked at that would have had only had 8 kids in the class with my daughter). However, I was looking for a great social experience, so I ended up choosing the school with 16 students and 2 teachers so she would get more of a feel for what kindergarten will be like. This school is an actual building instead of a basement which really appealed to my daughter. I also picked the school that only had pre-kindergarten age children in the class, instead of one with 3 year olds in it as well.

7 - Pray about it. After we'd made the choice I told my daughter that we should pray about it to make sure our choice was good. What a wonderful opportunity to teach your little one about making big decisions WITH Heavenly Father.

8 - If it works for you and you don't have the money, do preschool at home or do a JOY school with other mothers in your area. I can promise you that your child will be academically sound for kindergarten if he/she knows the basics (shapes, numbers, colors, letters, sounds). If you are worried about it, contact a kindergarten teacher in your area and find out what your child needs to know before kindergarten.

I hope this helps!! What other tips do you have for choosing a preschool for your child?

~Tannie

Don't forget to check out Megan's post below about tips for starting school. Although I taught elementary for 3 years, I've never been on the other end of the spectrum. I too would love some advice on getting kids ready for school.

DryErase ABC Book

I am always looking for new ways to introduce my kids to the alphabet, numbers and other topics. Awhile ago I read about using a photo album to create a picture book. I thought it sounded like a nice way to create a toy/activity for my kids that could be personalized to them or to a concept I wanted to teach.

I decided to make more than just a picture book. I figured why not make a reusable coloring ABC book. So that is what I did.

Materials Needed:

photo album (I got mine at the dollar store)

scissors

Crayola DryErase crayons

ABC printables

* I made these printables myself. Feel free to use them or just use them as a sample and make your own. I promise I won't be offended.

This is so simple to make. If you use the printables it will only take about 20 minutes - enough time to cut out the pictures and put them in the book.

Step 1:

Cut out the pictures.

Step 2:

Insert pictures into the photo album

Optional:

Insert cover

Step 3:

Hand book and crayons (dryerase markers can also be used) to your child and let them color away.

I told you this would be an easy project. My son LOVES this book. We talk about the letters and their sounds as he colors. I am also hoping that he will learn some new vocabulary words - like octopus and quail.

 I like that it is small enough to fit into the diaper bag. I plan on using when we are out on errands that require a lot of waiting (doctor visits, anything to a government office).

I hope you like this idea. It is a really inexpensive way to introduce the ABCs and have fun with your kids.

Let us know if you have any fun teaching ideas or projects for kids.

I am always on the hunt for new ideas!

~Lisa~



It's that Time Again

Back to school! Since this is the first time I will be sending a child to school, well preschool, I'm wondering what I need to do to help my little guy be ready to go.  We've talked about how next week he will get to meet his teachers and then start school. Luckily he is pretty comfortable with one of his teachers as she is in our ward and he plays with her 3 year old. But I'm wondering if there is anything else I should talk to him about or prepare him for, any suggestions from you smart moms?

-Megan-

Book Sale Announcement in Logan, UT

A great follow-up to our fabulous discussion POST about children's books...

Not all, but a good chunk of our readers live around or near Logan, UT, so I just wanted to give a shout-out to this sale.  For years upon years, a wonderful woman, called "The Book Lady" by many, traveled across the country, collecting notable children's titles in bulk and selling them from her home to eager parents at her cost.  What a great lady.  Now, luckily for us, her daughter is continuing the legacy.

These sales come around a couple times a year.  Back when I lived in Logan, I would go to every single one and stock up on great, new and classic children's books at an insanely affordable price. She always has a fantastic selection.  There's always a table full of board books, cases of classic books for toddlers and young children, easy readers for young beginners, and entire book shelves of young adult novels (I've picked up a lot of my Harry Potters there).  All her books are new and in perfect condition and always at low, low prices.  If you live close, I'd definitely drop by.  Go!  You won't regret it.

NEXT SALE:  

August 16-20th

1612 East 1220 North

9:00 am - 12:00 noon

For more information, visit her website at www.thebookladysdaughter.com.

-Alyssa

Best Books to Read to Toddlers

Reading to your children is one of those foundation activities that every parent should do.  I'm usually a bit cautious making grand statements like this, but in this case, every expert on the planet will agree it's absolutely true.  Why?

• A parent reading to her child introduces vital language skills.  If mommy reads, then children are drawn to the idea that letters and words work together to make something important to pay attention to.  We've all been through years of school and life, and we all know, being able to read can make or break you in this world.  Our job as parents is to prepare our kids for adult life, and let's be honest; reading skills are a vital part of that.
• Reading can open new worlds.  Cheesy?  Maybe, but it's absolutely true.  Reading is a sure-fire way to introduce new ideas, encourage learning more advanced vocabulary, and foster a curiousity for learning that just doesn't come up in a normal, home atmosphere without books.
• Reading time is precious social time with mommy and daddy.  We're busy.  We all know that.  I feel like I'm going a hundred miles an hour all day, but taking time to slow down, relax, and read to your children will make special memories that'll mean the world to them.  Your small sacrifice of 15 to 30 minutes a day will be paid back a hundred-fold.  I promise.  I still remember hearing my father's voice as he read to me all those years ago.

Now, I'm not even going to pretend to start an all-exhaustive list, but there are a few books that ALWAYS come up in my boy's "must read" pile during his pre-bed and pre-nap reading times.  (Keep in mind, he's two and half.)

"Cook-A-Doodle-Doo!" is a to-die-for adorable book about the Little Red Hen's great-grandson who decides he's sick of eating chicken feed and wants to try out cooking like his great granny.  The story is clever.  The writing introduces simple cooking terminology in a GENIUS and incredibly fun way.  The dialogue between the characters made my husband burst out laughing.  And the art is absolutely gorgeous.  (If you know me, I'm a sucker for great illustrations.)  I didn't have this one growing up, but I completely adore it now. 

This is one I grew up with.  "The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear," (besides having the longest title ever) is one of the funnest books to read to toddlers.  The story is about a little mouse who, after picking a strawberry, goes about different methods of hiding it from the bear.  The writing is, again, genius.  My boy can hardly stand the suspense of what's going to happen to the poor strawberry (even after the hundreth reading).  And once again, the illustrations are gorgeous.

A classic, am I right?  "Each Peach Pear Plum" makes a fantastic I-spy game out of beloved nursery characters all while subtly introducing words the rhyme.

"There's a Wocket in my Pocket" is one of Dr. Seuss's many gems.  I love this one, because it's simply written (some of Seuss's books can get a little wordy for a toddler) and is a great introduction to rhyming.  My boy likes it because all the wacky Suess-animals are in familiar settings he recognizes, like under the table, on the ceiling, on the couch, etc.  Being able to recognize stuff is exciting for a two year old who is just getting a grasp on language.

Oh, another classic.  My boy ADORES this book.  It's an absolutely fantastic way to drill colors without your kid knowing what you're up to. :)  Meanwhile, all the familiar animals make my child excited to keep turning pages.

My boy loves the entire series by Laura Numeroff.  Again, it's the recognition thing.  He loves being able to point out things he recognizes, like pancakes, taking a bath, and dancing that all happen in this book.  He gets so excited, and I can totally use that recognition to my advantage.  "Look, the pig is taking a bath!  What letter does bath start with?" I ask him.  "B!" he yells, jumping up and down.  Using familiar words to drill letters is a great way to get todders interested in reading.

Short and sweet.  This is the first book I ever bought for my child.  In just a handful of pages, "The Little Engine That Could" by Piper Watty tells a wonderful story about how anything is possible if you believe in yourself.  What a great lesson to teach your children.

And these are just the tip of the iceberg.  There are SO many good books out there.  What are your favorites?  Why are they so good (aka what lessons do they brilliantly teach)?  I'd love to hear some excellent tips for new books to try out.  I bet with all of us, we can come up with a pretty fantastic list. :)

-Alyssa

Laminating 101

I had an epiphany.  Actually, my friend is the one who had the really superb idea, and it sparked my interest too.  It stemmed from laminating.  I've been meaning to laminate a bunch of stuff for a while, like my kid's worksheets, chore charts, etc.  Laminated paper is so darn useful, because it's reusable, and therein lies its awesomeness.

I always thought I had to go somewhere and pay to get stuff laminated in a professional laminating machine.  (Silly me.)  That's just how my mom, my friends' moms, and everyone I knew did it growing up.  But, driving somewhere to get stuff laminated is a drag.  Packing up the kids to run little errands like LAMINATING is just...well, ugh. So, smart people created do-it-yourself stuff called laminating sheets.  A lot of it is self-adhesive, some is an iron-on variety.  Basically just put two sheets on either side of a piece of paper and press together.  Trim off the sides, and viola!  Instant laminating.  The best part is that you can do it at home after the kids have gone to bed, which (as we all know) is SO much more convenient than the mid-day errand method.

Then someone decided that paying $15-30 for a box of laminating sheets can get pricey, and discovered that for someone doing a lot of laminating (like home schooling moms), regular old contact paper (you know, the stuff found in the kitchen aisle and Lowe's or Home Depot (about $5 a roll) to line the insides of drawers with) does basically the same thing.  Peel off the sticker and press together.

My friend looked at me, alarmed that I'd never heard of DIY laminating before.  Meh.  So I'm behind the times.  I'll catch up eventually.  Anyway, armed with this awesome info, now I need stuff to laminate.  This is where you come in ladies.  What are you favorite websites to print out preschool and toddler friendly activities and worksheets? (Obviously focus on stuff than can be laminated, given the topic of this post.)  Do you have fun job charts and other ideas that you've come up with yourself?  Let's pool our knowledge!  This isn't limited to kid stuff.  I think I might even take my to-do list and meal planning charts off the refrigerator and laminate the tar out of em', because I can.  Because laminated stuff is reusable, and (as we all know) therein lies its awesomeness, right?

-Alyssa

Teaching Your Child The Alphabet

I felt pressured to be the BEST mom. There's just so much mothers need to teach their kids.  As a first time mother, I felt overwhelmed.  For starters, how on earth was I supposed to start teaching my boy his alphabet?  I didn't even know where to start.

I knew that on the developmental track, being able to recognize a handful of letters by age 2-3 and most of the alphabet by age 4-5 was within the realm of normal, so I didn't necessarily HAVE to force alphabet learning on my two year old son.  By all accounts, he seemed completely uninterested, and I knew it might be better just to back off for a while*.   But still, I felt pressure to try out different teaching methods.  I mean, maybe I just hadn't hit upon his learning style yet, right?

There are a lot fun ways to introduce the alphabet:

• Sign his name onto EVERYTHING.  His bed.  His sippy.  His artwork.  The door to his room.  Sound it out for him and point out the letters.  Eventually he'll get the idea that those letters work together to make a word.
• Help him play with alphabet puzzles or refrigerator magnets.
• Keep reading to him!  And point out specific letters for him.  Focus on a few letters per week.
• Once he starts recognizing letters, play word games like "What words begin with B?  Ball, boy, baby..." or if he's especially attached to the letters in his name (like my child), use those letters as a starting point.  "Your name has a special letter M in it?  Can you think of any other M words?"  You can also make simple letter-word matching games on flashcards (Letter M matches to a picture of Mommy, the letter P matches to a picture of pancakes, etc.)

I tried a bunch of different method, but kids have a funny way of being perfectly unique.  My son was incredibly active, uninterested in listening to me "talk" at him about letters, and had the attention span of a chipmunk...unless he was watching PBS television shows.  THEN he would sit still for a whole 15-30 min while the episode flashed across the screen.

And then we stumbled upon a learning dvd, The Letter Factory, by Leap Frog.  If your child is one that will sit still for TV, it can be a powerful learning tool.  The Letter Factory is formatted well so that even if your child won't sit still for the whole 35 minute movie, each segment on each letter is relatively stand-alone, so he doesn't have to finish the movie to get the learning going.  My son learned ALL the alphabet, upper and lowercase, and ALL of their sounds in two weeks.  I was astounded.  The Letter Factory has gotten rave reviews across the board ever since it came out a decade ago.  If you haven't tried it, I'd recommend borrowing it from a friend and giving it a go.  See how your child takes to it.

So, the DVD worked magic on my child, but he's the type of kid that would rather watch "things" (like TV or battery-powered toys) than people.  Remember, every kid has a different learning method.  I imagine if my boy was more of a social type, he would have enjoyed discussing letters with mommy a little more.  So, what kind of methods have you used?  What has been effective?  What was ineffective?  For those of you with more than one child, have you noticed a difference in how each of your kids took to learning the alphabet?  Make sure you describe your child's personality as well, so other moms have a starting point to get ideas for their own kids alphabet learning!

Thanks y'all!

-Alyssa

*Special Note:  This is an idea forum...not a guilt trip generator.  If your child is under age 4 and shows no interest in letters, don't worry.  Child development experts say that there's little correlation between early alphabet learning and super advanced reading skills later on, so if your child is still young and uninterested, it might be best to let it go for a while.  We all know kids are geniuses, and there's just a lot for a toddler to learn.  He might be trying to figure out something else right now.

Kid Time: 1+1+1=1

Hey everyone! Today for our Kid Time post I wanted to tell you all about a blog I absolutely LOVE for great ideas for kids as young as 10 months all the way up through elementary age.

The blog is: 1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com

This blog is written by Carisa, a public school teacher turned homeschooling mom. Through her experiences homeschooling she has come up with some really creative and age appropriate ways to encourage young kids to learn through exploration and mommy-led activities.

Tot School is her name for intentionally playing with her toddler. In other words, Tot School is the when you just focus on your toddler and play with them. You choose toys that you use to teach various concepts such as colors, letters, sorting, etc.

I have loved planning tot school with my son. Some days it is just playing with blocks and sorting them by colors or lining them up and counting them.

My little girl even got in on the action when she was about five months old.

(Really, it was just tummy time, but on a new play mat.)

Other days, our tot school is a little more formal. We might practice cutting, gluing, or pouring. These are activities that I wouldn't normally let my son do, but because it is a structured setting I make an exception. I will admit that these are some of my favorite days.

Lately, we have been using Carisa's Tot School Printables.

Carisa's printables focus on:

letters

beginning sounds

sequencing

concept of left to right

shapes

numbers

Carisa has so much information and so many ideas that it is hard to do her blog and accompanying website justice.

She has created Preschool Pack and Tot School Packs which are kind of like file folder games, but more inclusive.

Here are some examples:

the Toy Story Preschool Pack

Big Machines Tot Pack

Her Preschool Packs cover so many themes, including:

Cars

Princesses

Gardening

Books (like Brown Bear, Brown Bear)

and SO,SO, SO much more.

I promise that if you visit her website you WILL find something that you like. Don't be surprised if you find a ton of things you like.

Most of her printables are totally FREE because she wants to give other moms a chance to use them.

(She does have a Members Only section with even more incredible resources that you can join for a very small price.)

Carisa has done a lot of work in putting together her ideas and organizing them for other moms to use. I love that her ideas all came out of her desire to teach her children. I felt that a great way to say THANK YOU was to pass on her information to all of you.

Check out her blog. You will not be disappointed!

Lisa

Toddler Learning Activity: Wind and Pinwheels

Spring is upon us, and with it, awesome changes in the weather to talk about with your kids!  Wind is a fun one.  A little more complicated than snow or rain, because your toddler can't see or touch it, but still a great weather phenomenon to explore.

A pinwheel is a sure-fire hit with kids of all ages.  I remember making pinwheels just for fun when I was in my tweens.  During your wind exploration, try introducing new vocabulary like air, breeze, float, fly, gentle, strong, gust, soft, and (if you use my wind-making cheat below) the difference between hot and cold air.  Experiment with different sizes of pinwheels.  Big ones.  Small ones.  How do they react to the wind?  With older kids, explore how different speeds of air move the pinwheel.    So many questions, so much to explore!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Paper

Exacto-knife or scissors

Stick pin

Pencil w/eraser

Pattern (optional)

First, cut a square.  Draw diagonal, criss-cross lines from one corner to the other.

Mine's a 4x4 inch square.

Exacto-knife it part-way through.  Poke holes in the center and in each corner to make the pinwheel turn easier once it's assembled.

Ready the rest of the supplies, aka a pencil w/eraser and a stick pin (I used a picture-hanging nail, because I was fresh out of pins).

Gently bend half of the corners in and secure it with the pin.  Push the back of the pin into the pencil eraser.

Viola.  Instant toy.

The beauty of a wind toy is that it shows that the air is actually moving.  A difficult concept to grasp without a visual aid.  It's a little advanced for most toddlers, so don't worry if they're more interested in the toy than the air that's making it move.  Even if your toddler ends up squishing the pinwheel in his fist, (*cough cough* RIP, my poor pinwheel) that's okay!  There's all different kinds of learning happening here.

I mean, look at that thing MOVE.

So cool.

Sometimes with kids, simplicity is the best way to go.  That way, older kids can make their own.

Oh, and that little wind-making tip?  Here it is:

Hair-dryer.

Awesome.  I'm telling ya'.  Hairdryers make my playtime A-list.

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS:  

You can have the kids color on the pinwheel with crayons or markers before cutting it out.  Also, decorate with lightweight items like sequins or glitter.  Stay away from heavy stuff like craft jewels and such.

If the pinwheel doesn't turn properly, try using a longer stick pin to give it more room to groove.

-Alyssa

-Pattern print-out from craft.kaboose.com

Toddler Learning Activity: Alphabet Bugs

I was a little skeptical of this idea at first.  I wasn't sure if my toddler would be at all interested, but it looked so easy to prep...I thought, "Meh.  What the heck, why not try it?"  Man, was I glad I did.  My boy LOVED it.

This fun learning activity lets your toddler snatch alphabet bugs off you, while getting a lesson in letters to boot! First, print out the sheet of alphabet letter bugs (provided).

Then cut them all out.

To make them a little more sturdy, I glued them to cardstock.  This is completely optional.  We all know they're going to be destroyed at some point anyway. :)

The cutting took me all of 8 minutes during my toddler's nap time.

Next use some tape and stick the letter bugs all over your body and clothes. Then ask your toddler for some help in getting all of the bugs off of you! Let him peel each letter off and while he is doing it, be sure to review each letter and body part. Say " Hey thanks for getting that letter A bug off of my arm!" As he takes them off of you, he can stick them to a wall or poster board. Hype up the fun by making buzzing bug sounds.  Then you can put them all in order at the end and sign the alphabet song together. 

Your toddler will have fun taking the bugs off and helping you out!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Printer to print out Alphabet Bugs

Cardstock to glue the "bugs" onto (optional)

Glue (optional)

Tape

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS:

If you have older children, you involve them in this activity as well by mixing in your own, homemade "bugs" that'll still challenge them, like sight words, rhyming words, etc.

You can also tape the letters on objects in the room and review those items with your toddler when she takes the bug off. (Ex. couch, chair, rug)  For bilingual kiddos, this is a great opportunity to sub in words in a foreign language.


~Alyssa

-Idea and print-out from www.toddlertoddler.com

College Education: Parents Paying vs. Student

Currently there are many options out there for parents hoping to save for their child's college education. There are 529 plans, Coverdell education savings accounts, prepaid tuition plans, and sometimes US Savings Bonds are some of the ones I found doing some quick research on the internet. Each plan has advantages and some disadvantages.

Then there is the option of your child paying for their own education costs. This is how I made it through college and how both of my older siblings made it through school as well. If my parents had been able to help me, they would have but it was not a financial possibility when I went to college.

I, personally, think if I can help my children pay for college I will. My husband agrees with me, but many people out there think their children should do it on their own. So, chime in and let us hear what you think!

Learning Time

When my daughter was just under two years old I quit my job. I was expecting my second child at the time and decided I wanted to stay home full time. It was a big step for me, and since I loved my job very much I was worried about how I would feel about staying home all day.

Luckily it has been a good experience for me. There are definitely DOWN DAYS where I wonder what I was thinking and I miss teaching a lot. But for the most part we have fun.

I've found a lot of things to fill my day up with (but that's another post entirely). One thing that has helped me tremendously over the last 2 1/2 years is to spend time teaching my children every day. When my daughter was about 20 months old we started what I call "learning time." It has changed and developed over time as my daughter has gotten older and now that I have two it is completely different. But here is a rundown of what Learning Time might look like in my house.

First of all, I divide up each day into a different topic. When my daughter was very little this is what her schedule looked like...

Monday – Animals
Tuesday – Shapes
Wednesday – Numbers
Thursday – Colors
Friday – Letters/Alphabet

I would always start with a book on the topic, then give a short lesson with some practice, and finally we would do some type of activity. Learning time for my little toddler girl didn't last for more than 30 minutes, but sometimes it was as short as 5-10 minutes depending on her attention span that day. I've always tried to be flexible and when I see that it isn't fun anymore, we usually quit early if need be.

Now that she is 4 our lessons are usually 30-60 minutes. Her schedule looks more like this; I usually do a main topic for the day but also I do a quick review of another topic:

Monday - Letters/Words (Review: Math Facts)
Tuesday - Math (Review: Words)
Wednesday -Science/Social Studies (Review: Numbers/Shapes)
Thursday - Handwriting (Review: Letters/Sounds)
Friday - Music/Arts (Review: All topics)

We always start by doing a quick review of something (only about 5 minutes) then we read a book (sometimes on the topic, but more often now that she is older it is just a fun book). Then we do a lesson with an activity of some type.

My 2 year old son participates as well. Usually his "lesson" is the review part - or whatever he can understand of it. By the time we are done with the review and story he is usually bored and goes off to play. Sometimes he sticks around or comes back for the "activity" depending on what it is. His learning time is less structured than my daughter's, but when she starts going to preschool I will spend more dedicated time with him. It's amazing what he's picked up even by just watching his sister.

Sometimes I do these out of order depending on my mood, or if skip one thing I usually try to make it up the next week (since I rarely did learning time all 5 days of the week, something always comes up).

A few ideas of what I do. For reviews I do things like flashcards, or write them on the chalkboard/whiteboard, or we get on the computer and practice recognizing shapes (or whatever else) on the computer word processor. We've also done puzzles as a review, and sticky notes, or I just simply verbally quiz. I try to mix it up to make it interesting.

As for individual lessons.... that's a bit trickier. With math or letters I usually just try to come up with a learning objective for the lesson. For example, if we are working on numbers, my objective might be that she will be able to recognize numbers up to 20 (or for my son, up to 10). After we've kind of mastered that we do an activity with it. Maybe we draw the numbers/letters (whatever) with glue and pour glitter on them. Or maybe we go out in the backyard and draw shapes on the sidewalk with water and paint brushes.

When we do science or social studies I just think of something she should know. We might have a lesson on dialing her phone number, or a lesson on what types of organs are in her body (really simple, like heart and brain and lungs). This week we talked about directions and drew a map on a huge poster board with a compass. We've also practiced left/right, buoyancy in water, animals, and a myriad of other things.

With handwriting I usually just find some type of cute letter page online that she can trace and color. We also write in her personal journal. She dictates to me and I write down what she says, then she signs her name at the bottom.

When I do music/art we usually do either a BIG craft or we have little lessons on clapping rhythms or repeating melodies.

That is just a VERY rough outline of what I might do for learning time. Seriously - this is one of my children's favorite times of the day. It is so worth it! In order to be prepared I spend about 10 minutes on Sunday nights coming up with ideas for what I want to teach that week. This makes it easier for me each day.

So there you have it - my learning time ideas. I know that's a long post, but hopefully it sparks some ideas. If you have any ideas to add, please put them in the comments!!

Transitioning to Kindergarten

One of my nephews is starting kindergarten in the next few weeks. I can't believe how fast children grow! :) At our last family dinner my sister-in-law was asking me about tips to help make the transition to kindergarten a fun, non-stressful one. We had a nice conversation and I have even thought of a couple more things (like some fun books) since then. I have not sent a child of my own off to kindergarten yet, but I did teach school for a couple years and I would like to share some tips I learned from my experience, from other wise experienced teachers, and from parents. While this post will focus mainly on transitioning to kindergarten, these ideas could easily be adapted for any grade or even for starting at a new school.

Perhaps my biggest piece of advice would be to practice your morning routine BEFORE school starts. Get in the habit of going to bed on time and practice what a morning getting ready for school will be like. Practice skills your child will be using while away at school like using the bathroom, putting on a jacket alone, washing hands etc. It is also helpful to role play different situations like how to ask the teacher if you need something, talking to a new friend, choosing a center to play at etc. I would also recommend getting in the habit of setting out school clothes and packing lunches the night before. Especially during those first couple days, you do not want to feel rushed or stressed as you are trying to get out the door.

Visit the school before the first day. Most schools have a back-to-school or meet the teacher night. GO TO IT! Introduce your child to his or her teacher, show them where they will sit, where they will put their backpack, etc. Take a tour around the room and learn where pencils and crayons are kept, where books are, where the nearest bathroom and drinking fountain are etc. Children would likely also enjoy playing on the school playground.

The night or weekend before school starts, have a special First Day of Kindergarten Party. Some ideas I have heard others do are to have a special dinner or a scavenger hunt for a new book. Some parents have also established a special goodbye to help make any hard goodbyes that first day a little more fun and light-hearted. Some ideas I've heard are a funny saying or a hip bump. I have also heard parents say that sending their child to school that very first day with something special in their pocket is helpful. Sometimes even very independent kids would like to have a little piece of home with them as they start this new journey. This could be something you give them at your back to school party. You know your child best and can determine if this would be helpful or distracting for your little one.

Since that first week can be hard have a special after-school activity planned for Friday. I think it might even be fun to continue this throughout the year. One of the teachers I worked with made journals for her students and encouraged them to talk about their week at school with their parents and write or draw pictures in their journals on the ride home each Friday. It is also a good idea to have a snack ready for your child to eat once school gets out and the perfect opportunity to ask them about their day.

Be involved in your child's classroom. Trust me, teachers LOVE this! And it is good for your child to see that their education matters to you and for you to be a part of their school day. Volunteer to read to students, to help in centers, to prep materials for the teacher--just ask and I can almost guarantee the teacher will have some ideas of ways you can help out. Also keep updated on what your child is learning and doing and reinforce concepts at home in their play and everyday life. Know what a typical day at their school looks like so you can ask specific questions such as "What did you choose to do during centers today?" or "What are your new vocabulary words for this week?" If you have older children it is also fun to visit them at school to eat lunch together once in a while.

Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience some extra fussiness from your child at first. This is to be expected when adjusting to a new routine. Stay positive and encouraging. Avoid sharing any negative thoughts you have about school. If you tell your child that you hated math when you were their age, they may have a preconceived idea that they will never like math either. Never say, "I hate math!" or "I don't know why they even make you do this. You will never use it." Instead maybe explain that you also had a hard time learning certain math concepts and share ideas that helped you or come up with solutions together.

Lastly, here are a couple book titles about starting school that would be fun to read with your child:
*The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
*How Do Dinosurs Go To School? by Jane Yolen
*Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate

Please share any other ideas you may have about transitioning from the laid-back days of summer to starting school!
What routines have you set to help your mornings run smoothly?
What have you done to ease any anxiety your child may be feeling?
What books about starting school have you enjoyed?
What do you do to help your child talk about their school day?
What other thoughts and ideas can you share?

Parenting Books (part 2)

So far, as a parent, I really haven't read very many parenting books. I've heard both good and bad about parenting books, and that you have to just take what you want out of them. And, I always felt like I could just do what came naturally. But, as my son is getting older, I'm finding a need for SOME advice on certain areas such as discipline, potty training, basic learning, activities to do with my him, and overall just what to expect as he grows up.

Some of the books I have read in the past are:

"Babywise" by Gary Ezzo

"What to Expect: When You're Expecting" by Heidi Murkof

And I just started reading "1,2,3 Magic!" Dr. Thomas W. Phelan



I'm sure most of you readers have read or at least heard of "Babywise" and "What to Expect When You're Expecting". "1,2,3 Magic" is about discipline and the whole "counting before going to time-out" method. My sister-in-law has been using the method in "1,2,3 Magic!" for about a year now and it has proven to work well for her and her son who is almost 3. I haven't read the whole book, but plan on it and hope to use that method.


So, my questions to you are:

What are your feelings about parenting books? Good or bad?
What are your favorite and not-so-favorite parenting books?
Why do you like/dislike the book(s)?
Would you rather use the books or just advice from others?