image via hereHere's a fun way to have healthier snacks available for my family. I know some munchkins who would be happy to both prepare and munch on their culinary creation.
Ruby collecting rocks in Hawaii
image by redrokoA couple days ago I filled a bucket with water, collected a few objects--funnel, scoop, toy boat, paintbrush, cup--and took the kids outside. I watched as they played in the water, "washed" bikes and patio furniture, and filled and emptied a dozen containers. It was a great way to cool off on a hot July afternoon.
**Be sure to practice water safety by keeping young children in your view at all times.
Guest blogger, Jill T., is the mother of four boys.
image via here
This summer, I am helping my kids memorize poems. To improve penmanship, I also have them copy out the poems. It's so fun to hear my children reciting the poems they're learning. I'm hoping to instill a love for literary beauty and a greater ability to memorize and retain information.
I have found some wonderful poety books at our local library (usually found in the non-fiction section). A few of our favorites are:
Writing the poems down helps the kids with both their memorization and their handwriting. This site has a good assortment of printable writing paper.
Listening to stories or books on CD is a great way to make the miles fly by during a long trip. Here are a few we picked up at the library and enjoyed on our most recent drive. (We like shorter CDs that are a mix of both new and familiar stories.)
Donald Davis uses his cozy Southern voice to re-tell old favorites like The Little Red Hen and Three Little Pigs. The man paints pictures with his storytelling.
Who doesn't love fairy tales? Hans Christian Anderson's are charming and familiar.
Fast-paced, fun, and full of rhythm in the way that no master like Dr. Seuss. Kids know these stories that are best when read aloud.
The Mercy Watson series is a light, silly mixture of reality and fantasy, starring a pig. Kate DiCamillo has a good way with words: simple, appealing, clever.
image via lakeshorelearning.com
image via familyfun.com
image by redroko
image via bn.com
image via Family Fun
image by redroko
image via bn.com
Tasha Tudor is one of my favorite author-illustrators. 1 is One is a very beautiful beginning counting book.
How Much is a Million, by David Schwartz, helps children and parents alike to visualize that huge number.
My fourth-grader loves G is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book. Every letter describes a math concept--some of them fairly advanced--and my son soaked it all in, and then taught bits of it to his little siblings. They love to astound strangers with this one: "How much is 10 to the power of 10 to the power of 100?" (Stunned look from innocent adult.) "Googol!"
One Grain of Rice, by the always excellent Demi, relates a clever story that uses math to teach doubles. Even if the concept is over their heads, the art is too gorgeous to miss.
My oldest has loved sidewalk chalk hopscotch since before he was two. He used to beg and beg his auntie and I to draw him new boards everyday. FamilyFun has some great variations on lots of sidewalk games here. I really like their Tic, Tac. . .Oh No version.
Tic-tac-toe is a simple classic, but in this driveway version, a single toss can bring about a reversal of fortune.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Chalk
10 stones
HOW TO PLAY:
1. Setup: Mark out a 9-square tic-tac-toe grid and a toss line. Our grid was about 3 feet by 3 feet. Have each player use chalk to decorate 4 stones with his "team" color, and a 5th stone -- the "change" stone -- in a different color.
2. Players take turns tossing their stones, trying to get 3 in a row. If a player misses the board or lands in an occupied spot, he picks up his rock and his turn is over.
3. Once a game, each player can toss the change stone to try to take over an opponent's box. To be successful, he must land the stone on the targeted square. If he misses, he must pick up his stone, and his turn is over. The winner is the first player to get tic-tac-toe.
Learn more about Walter Wick's art and publications here.
