There are so many fun ways to use Christmas decorations in learning activities. We have a whole bunch of jingle bells and we have used them in counting and sorting games, for craft projects and more through the years.
Little … Read More ...
Candy Cane Coding for Kids
Who says you need a computer to learn code? I love this simple idea from Left Brain Craft Brain to use binary code and red and white pony beads to make coded candy canes.
This easy project uses materials … Read More ...
Going on a Noun Hunt: Great Activity for Little Kids
My daughter’s school does a project like this from time to time but they literally put words on the walls for the kids to find. Going on a noun hunt can be even simpler than that, just head out and … Read More ...
Resources for Teaching Kids about Thanksgiving
I think we all have an image in our mind of what the first Thanksgiving might have looked like from books and movies that show somber Pilgrims dressed all in black and native people in blankets and feathers. We might … Read More ...
More Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
I’ve got Thanksgiving on the brain, though I’m still in a bit of denial about how soon it is coming!
Having some easy kids activities on hand is always a good idea, and you might be surprised how adults get … Read More ...
Thanksgiving Pattern Block Mats
Thanksgiving is a holiday that requires a lot of waiting of kids, so its great to have some activities on hand to entertain them.
These printable Thanksgiving-themed pattern block sheets from This Reading Mama are really cute and a great … Read More ...
A Musical Lesson for Thanksgiving
Does the song “Over the River and through the Woods” remind you of Thanksgiving? I always think of it more as a Christmas song (I guess because I’ve never lived anywhere it snows for Thanksgiving), but I learned from this … Read More ...
Download this Great Editing Checklist for Kids
One of my jobs throughout my career has been as a professional editor, so I think it’s really important to teach kids to critically read their own writing and know how to edit themselves.
This Reading Mama has a couple … Read More ...
Greater Than/Less Than Alligator Math
The concept of greater than and less than is not a hard one, but sometimes kids have trouble with which way the symbol should point.
It’s made a lot easier when you turn the symbol into a mouth that always … Read More ...
Tips for Helping Kids with Homework without Doing it for Them
I feel really lucky that my daughter goes to a school where homework is not a priority. The kids have to study for tests from time to time outside of school, but on a daily basis there isn’t homework.
I … Read More ...
Life-Size Printable Skeleton for Kids: Hands-On Anatomy Activity
A life-size printable skeleton gives children a wonderfully hands-on way to explore the human body. Instead of looking at a small diagram, they can spread the pieces out, investigate where each one belongs and build a paper model that feels … Read More ...
Intro to Coding by Drawing a Magical Creature
Teaching kids to code is a big focus these days, but the logic behind making computer programs work can be taught before you ever set a kid in front of a computer.
This algorithm-based activity from J Daniel 4’s Mom … Read More ...
Use Real Buildings as Inspiration in the Block Area
Kids don’t need a lot of direction for what to build in with blocks, but adding pictures of real buildings can make block area a little more interesting because it gives kids a bit of an engineering challenge and allows … Read More ...
Make Nature Collages by Decorating Faces
I love this idea from Krokotak to use a simple printable face design as the base for a collage of found nature items.
While the projects mostly show using leaves to make hair, there are also some cute earrings … Read More ...
Bubbling Halloween Pumpkin Science Activity
Playing with baking soda and vinegar is fun all year, but it adds a spin to it when you make your “volcano” inside a pumpkin.
Living Life and Learning shows how to make a pumpkin into a bubbling science activity… Read More ...