Setting time aside for STEM, and offering varied STEM materials to create with, is one of the best things I’ve done for our homeschool. This time for investigation gets their imaginations working. It ignites problem-solving skills. It is a time to play, to create, to invent. To see themselves as makers. The biggest hurdle for […]
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6 Ways to Teach with a Number Line
Using a number line to teach math concepts is a simple and interactive way to help children gain concrete practice and increase number sense. They give kids a “cheat sheet” as they are learning how numbers relate to each other and forming a mental picture of those relationships in their minds. They are able to […]
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Watermelon Sensory Bin Ideas
Sensory play is a big part of our homeschool. And, this week we put together a watermelon sensory bin that was so much fun! Sensory bins are usually associated with preschool, and they are a great tool for play and learning during the preschool years. But at our house, we disregard any preconceived age ideas […]
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Tin Can Wind Chime – Frugal Projects
This frugal tin can wind chime project is a great way to decorate your front porch this summer. Making a wind chime is super frugal, especially when using a tin can. It’s also easy to customize so kids can make it their own. It does require a parent’s help because the tin can be sharp for […]
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Bottle Cap Art
Bottle cap art is a perfect activity to get kids doing some hands-on creative work. And, we love crafts at our house! Especially, because I can almost always use recycled or repurposed materials to do them. Homeschooling costs can add up and spending extra money on craft supplies can feel so frustrating. You can read more about […]
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Flag Craft
June 14 is National Flag Day and with the 4th of July around the corner, a frugal flag craft is perfect. We had already started thinking about 4th of July crafts and what we could make in the coming weeks, so when I realized it was Flag Day we decided to craft a flag. […]
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Connecting Letter Recognition with Phonics
Years ago when I taught in a preschool classroom I felt overwhelmed at helping my class begin to grasp phonics. My preschoolers varied in age from 3-5 and were all over the place as far as development. They came from different socioeconomic backgrounds and had wildly different amounts of background knowledge about every subject, not just phonics. Needing […]
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DIY Abacus
My daughter and I decided to make a DIY abacus this week. I love the hands-on aspect of using an abacus for math. It’s a great concrete tool for counting activities. We used to have a store-bought one, actually we used to have two, but they have been lost to our purging and roadschooling. So, […]
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Counting and Cardinality
Counting and Cardinality are two fundamental math skills in early childhood. And, they are something you and I use every day. From balancing the checkbook (well let’s face it I don’t do that very often;) to grabbing the right amount of silverware for the dinner table every night. Sometime during preschool or kindergarten children stop just repeating […]
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Elementary Writing Activity Fold A Story
Are you looking for a fun new idea to get your kids excited about writing? Try co-authoring a story with your child. This Fold-A-Story elementary writing activity is so much fun and guaranteed to cause more than a few giggles when the story is revealed. My son and I tried this last week and it was […]
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