When I first started my career as a public school teacher, I had two requirements: children had to come to me knowing how to add and how to read (thus began my career in junior high!).  I felt that once they had a foundation, I could work with them to do just about anything.  But, I didn’t want to be the responsible party for learning “the basics”.

Fast forward to Today.  I’m teaching four year olds.  And, what am I teaching them?  Numbers and letters.  And, you know what?  It isn’t as daunting as I thought it would be!  So, I thought I would share a few “tricks of the trade” with you.  If you have preschool to early elementary children, these are great activities to do with them at home.

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Playdough is definitely a finite material.  Even store-bought dough doesn’t last forever.  And, while I love to make playdough for my class and my boys at home (here is a link to my favorite playdough recipe), it very quickly becomes dried out and over-used.  So, here are a few ways to send that old playdough out with a bang:

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Spring is right around the corner - trees are budding, snow is melting, flowers are starting to peek through the ground in anticipation of warmer weather and longer days.  So, now is the perfect time to sit down with your favorite kiddo and make something to celebrate nature.  Make a bird feeder and welcome our feathered friends back home!  And, gone are the days of the pine cone feeder - here are some great new ways to treat the birds. Read more…

One year, my son and I wanted to make a special Valentine for my husband.  It was a “lean” year - we didn’t have much money, we had recently moved, and I wasn’t feeling that well that year either (we found out two days later I was pregnant).  What we did have, though, was construction paper, markers and Conversation Heart candies.  Read more…

Gone are the warm summery days of July, the green grass and lush gardens.  In most areas of North America, we’re enduring chilly temperatures, dormant plants, snow and ice.  The outdoors can still be a great opportunity to explore, play and create with kids, though, even in the middle of winter. Read more…

A few years ago, we got our son involved in the gift process of our family.  Each year he (and now his younger brother) creates gifts for family and close friends.  They involve little, if any, money.  However, they are some of the most treasured gifts that have been given and received in our circle.  Here are a few of our favorite (homemade) things that will hopefully spur a few activities of your own to try. Read more…

If you spend any significant amount of time around children, you are most likely going to be the proud recipient of a handmade gift: a picture of a house, some stick people or another treasure.  And, if you keep these creations, you are probably going to end up with enough artwork to wallpaper the living room within a matter of weeks.  Children love to create, and they love to create when you love to display it.  So, make their artwork into something fabulous with these simple steps. Read more…

As my younger child grows, I am introducing more and more activities that focus on his fine-motor development without being tedious or frustrating for him.  One of his favorite activities is to play with lace-up toys.  It is a perfect activity for increasing eye-hand coordination as well as being a lot of fun! Read more…