Mashable has a great post today about Brightstorm, a company that offers tutorials and learning videos aimed at teens. Well worth a look! It got me thinking about how technology is used in our classrooms. Even my preschooler has computers in her room, with educational games that simultaneously teach and entertain.

This past weekend, at a local “playnasium”, both of my girls were most interested in the computer games, tied only with the plastic roller coaster they could ride. In addition to the classic “workstation” setup, the playnasium also offered computers that were connected to an apparatus that looked like a cross between a stationary bike and the Buzz Lightyear ride at Disney World. The kids actually interact with the computer through the bike, not through a keyboard and mouse.

Technology plays such an important role in our lives, so it’s great that it breaks into our learning environments and that we can interact with it in various ways. If this topic interests you, here are a few more resources online:

• Integrating Technology Into the Classroom - Methods and Means (focuses on secondary educators)
• Using Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom, an inteview from Scholastic with Dr. Bruce D. Perry
• 4Teachers.org, a full website to help educators integrate technology into their teaching

“Ms. J!  Ms. J!  Come look what I painted!”

Ella beamed at me from around our art easel in my 4 year old classroom yesterday, barely able to contain her excitement.  It was catching.  I wondered what I would see as I rounded the side of the easel: her name written across the white paper?  A rainbow with pretty flowers underneath?  Maybe an ocean with all sorts of sea creatures that only a 4 year old imagination could conjure?

Nope, I saw BROWN.

Brown.  Brown paper, brown easel stand, brown paint brushes.  Oh, they didn’t start out brown.  They were initially red, yellow, green and blue.  But now, each of the easel’s paint pots were a murky brown and each brush was dripping with the same goopy concoction.

This story could take two turns at this point.  I, as Ella’s teacher, could have chastized her for mixing the colors, rendering the easel unusable for the rest of the day and the rest of the class.  I could have reminded her of our rule to take care of our room and the things in it so that everyone could enjoy it.  And, I could have taken her paper down and thrown it away, calling it a “mess”.

If you know me, though, this is absolutely NOT something I would do.  Instead, I told Ella that her work was “impressive”.  It was a good word choice; it is quite neutral while still sounding encouraging.  I then asked her to tell me about her painting.

Ella, in her own words, described to me her exploration of the primary colors.  She mixed yellow and blue on the paper and realized she had a green color, but it didn’t match the green in the paint pot.  So, she tried adding some red.  And then some more yellow, and some more blue.  Pretty soon, she was swirling colors together and making a “yummy chocolate pie” on her paper.  Yes, that’s exactly what it looked like to me - pie, but without the boundaries of a crust.  Free exploration with a lesson in color making.  Wow.

That is what art needs to be for children - free exploration.  Children need the freedom to create and explore in a non-threatening environment.  They need encouragement and praise, even when all we see is a mess of brown.  Becasue, in that brown is a lesson to be learned, and it is much more valuable than keeping the paint colors separate.

Bells are ringing across the country, in classes (and homes) as children make their way back to school for another year.  As a parent, I want to give my child the best possible chance at a successful school year.  Being actively involved in my child’s experiences at school by volunteering and assisting, as well as being a physical presence around the school, are great ways to take an active role in my son’s education.  I also like to find things to supplement classroom learning and bring it home as well.

WonderBrains is currently carrying two lines of materials that are perfect for homeschooled children and children who are educated outside the home.  Carson-Dellosa, a leading education publisher, has created a variety of activities and workbooks for children ages three through fifth grade.  For preschool-aged children, WonderBrains carries a variety of read-aloud, activity-centered books, such as Magnix: A Visit To the Farm.  The Magnix series of books also branches into early math and writing activities as well.  For school-aged children, WonderBrains carries Carson-Dellosa’s Summer Bridge series.  But, don’t let the titles fool you!  These are excellent tools year-round, and may even inspire your young learner to come up with even more activities.  These books are found as Summer Bridge Activities, Summer Bridge Math and Summer Bridge Reading and are available in several different age ranges. 

WonderBrains has also welcomed Remedia on board.  These reading activities workbooks are available for children from Kindergarten through high school with a wide range of reading skill areas.  For younger children, the Remedia Beginning Reading Program is a comprehensive collection of age and ability-level appropriate materials with an accompanying activity guide.  Choose from the sampler set or the small group set (three copies of each story).  As the students progress in their learning, so do the skill materials covered by Remedia’s materials: comprehension, vocabulary, context clues and life skills reading activities.  For reluctant readers, Remedia offers a line of activity books that are high-interest, low-readability to boost confidence and success in students who need it the most. 

Extending the learning to the homefront is a wonderful way to stress the importance of education with young people.  WonderBrains can help you find the resources to do so!

We’ve survived (and thrived) through 10 weeks of summer.  One of the few things that got me through this season was finding a small activity or purpose for each day.  I hope you found a few gems yourself and will continue to search for new ideas to share with the kids in your life, even when summer is over.  Here are a few ideas this week as we say goodbye to lazy days and look forward to school in a couple of weeks…

MONDAY:  Adopt a pet!  No, I’m not clinically insane, although a trip to the animal shelter would be a great activity (they can always use donations of pet supplies and appreciate a helping hand to visit with the animals!).  We’re adopting the ultimate pet today - a Pet Rock.  I’m going to let the boys paint their rock, then we are making “beds” out of shoe boxes and fabric remnants.  I’m sure we’ll have to create a birth certificate online for our newfound friend (thanks to Webkinz and Build-a-Bear).  Regardless, it will be a great time for all of us, and the best part is that it is FREE.

TUESDAY:  Fly a plane!  No, not a REAL plane…good gracious, who can afford the gas for that?  Make some paper airplanes and fly away.  Have contests for the plane that goes the farthest, the best decorated plane and the craziest flying plane.  Need ideas or tips on folding?  Check out this paper airplane website for some great ideas and patterns!

WEDNESDAY:  Make sure you finish any reading programs you started for the summer.  Now is the time to look for those missing books and movies, too.  While we’re looking, let’s clean out the summer-mobile.  Break out the suds and sponges for a good, old-fashioned car wash, then be sure to clean out the inside as well.   You’ll be glad you did when all those backpacks hit the floorboards in the next several weeks!

THURSDAY:  This can be as involved or low-key as you want it to be; today we’re creating a TIME CAPSULE!  I’m letting my boys decorate old shoe boxes for this; empty cereal boxes or even empty paper towel rolls will work as well, depending on the items your child wants to include.  This is an easy way for me to clean up all that summer “art” we have hanging on the fridge (and taped to the back of the closet door and hanging off of the bed frames…) as well as saving a few things the boys have loved this summer without having to actually make room for them.  I’m covering their boxes with old Christmas wrapping paper that I’ve turned to the wrong side.  Then, they are decorating them with markers and foam pieces.  Once the boxes are decorated, their summer “treasures” will go inside.  We are “burying” our time capsule on the top shelf of their closet (a sure place to store something in our house that you won’t need for a long time!).  Then, come next summer, we’ll open it up and remember all the fun we had!

FRIDAY:  END OF SUMMER PARTY!  This is really an anything-goes kind of celebration.  Want to have a pajama party?  Go for it!  Want to make your own pizzas to send summer on its way?  That’s a great idea!  My older son is having a sleepover tonight, so we will be making pizza, brownies and watching movies until late with the hopes of sleeping in tomorrow morning.  For my younger son, we’re spending the afternoon in the sprinkler, taking advantage of the heat and the lack of routine before school starts again.  What will you do to usher summer on its merry way?

We only have two more weeks of great activities to share…we’re saving some of our best ideas for last!  Take a look at what’s on tap for this week:

MONDAY: We’re going fishing today!  Now, before you start complaining because you don’t live near a pond/river/lake/ocean, let me explain.  We’re MAKING our “fish tank”!  Each child is getting a water bottle (or any type of clear plastic bottle with a lid) and we’re filling it with water.  We’ll add a few drops of blue food coloring to turn our “pond” a lovely shade of blue, then we’re adding a bit of glitter as well (to make the water “sparkle”).  From here, the sky’s pretty much the limit!  We can either decorate the outside of our “pond” with shapes cut from foam or construction paper (seaweed, fish, rocks), or we can add things to our “pond” to make it more realistic.  Small pebbles work well, maybe a stray weed or stick from the yard, and throw in a gummy fish!  My boys have tons of small plastic animals, so those will probably be our new pond residents by the end of the project.  This is great for kids of any age!  (Note: either tape or hot glue the lid shut when you are done to prevent food coloring leaks where you least want them.)

TUESDAY:  We’re making it RAIN today!  Now, if you are lucky enough to live somewhere that happens to get rain today, break out those umbrellas and get out in the rain and play!  For us in Texas, chances are we are NOT getting rain, but we can make our own with the help of the sprinkler.  Running barefoot and playing with umbrellas is always a lot of fun for kids, and the grass gets a good soak as well.

WEDNESDAY:  Its BACKWARDS DAY today!  Make sure you dress backwards, walk backwards, and if you can swing it, talk backwards!  The kids will have fun with this, no matter what age, even if it is just laughing at you and your backwardsness.  See how many things you can do backwards today.  And, don’t forget to head to the library today (but PLEASE don’t drive backwards!).

THURSDAY:  One issue I have that seems magnified in the summer is keeping my kids occupied while I’m preparing dinner (or lunch or breakfast…).  So, my boys are making PLACEMATS today!  I am giving them each a piece of manilla paper, but you could also use colored construction paper, posterboard, or even cardboard…whatever you have on hand.  I am pulling out all my “crafty scraps”: fabric swatches, old sticker sheets, markers, glue, old buttons, yarn; I am basically emptying my craft drawer for them!  Since I’m making a pasta dish tonight, they’ll get a bit of that and some dried beans to use as well if they choose.  While I prepare dinner, they are going to make one-of-a-kind placemats for the family.  We may only use them for one meal, but it will keep them busy while I’m in the kitchen without using the television as a babysitter (there’s only so much I can take of Nick Jr!).  If you choose to use flat items, you can always “seal” the placemat with contact paper (applied to both sides) or take it to your local office supply store and have it laminated!  If you’re in the mood for the “full effect” of homemade table accessories, take a paper towel roll (empty of course!) and cut it into small segments for your child or children to decorate.  In a short time, you’ll have some unique napkin rings to compliment your placemats!

FRIDAY:  One of my most favorite things to do when I was a little girl was to create what is now called “scratch art”.  Older kids will be able to do this on their own; younger ones will need adult assistance but can still have loads of fun!  Take a plain piece of paper (I actually use manilla or white construction paper cut in half or fourths) and cover it with heavy crayon.  Press firmly and color the entire page using any color other than black.  The more you vary the color, the better; just make sure you have full coverage.  Once the page is full, cover the crayon with heavy BLACK crayon so none of the color can be seen.  Using scissors or another edged object, scratch designs in the black crayon, letting the color underneath show through.  My older son is actually quite good at this; he plans his artwork ahead of time, making sure to get the colors in the appropriate places for a tree, a car, a house or even a rainbow.  Then, when he scratches his picture into the black, he (usually) has green leaves and (usually) a brown trunk!

That’s it for this week!

My boys are at the age where we have to designate a “postal” helper for the day and take turns.  They both LOVE to get the mail and bring it in the house, mainly because they love to see if anything has their name on it!  So this summer, I’ve found a way to get mail to my kids!

First of all, find a state or country with your child that you might be interested in.  Perhaps the grandparents live there, or maybe you are planning a vacation in the future to a certain area.  Or, if you have school-aged children, maybe it is a region or a country that will be discussed in school this upcoming year.  Then, write a letter (my son writes ours) to the state’s chamber of commerce or the country’s embassy.  If it is a popular tourist destination, write them directly.  Many of these addresses can be found online or at your local library.  When children write to places such as these, expressing an interest in the area, the offices are usually more than happy to oblige and send packets of information. 

This is a great way to get your child interested in other countries or involved in the planning process of a trip.  The information that is received is usually great for school projects and reports, too!

Are we having fun yet?  Get ready for some easy and entertaining ideas for this week!

MONDAY:  Cool off today with a milkshake, courtesy of your own kitchen!  Here are our favorite recipes for milkshakes around here…choose your favorite, or revise it to make your own fave!  CHOCOLATE SHAKE:  Place 1 cup of chocolate ice cream, 1/2 cup milk, and a squirt of chocolate syrup in a blender.  Blend for about a minute or until smooth.  Drink!  (This is enough for one shake.)  STRAWBERRY SHAKE:  Place 2 cups of strawberry ice cream, 1 cup of milk and a 10 oz package of frozen strawberries in the blender and blend for about 2 minutes.  Enjoy!  (This is enough for two good-sized shakes.)  Try making your own combinations: vanilla ice cream and bananas, chocolate ice cream and caramel topping…what is your favorite flavor?

TUESDAY:  Let’s make our own postcards today!  You can use unlined (or lined, depending on your child’s preference) index cards - 4 x 6 variety - to create your own.  Let your child draw a picture on one side, then address the other side and slip on a postcard stamp.  Or, run by your local post office and purchase postage-paid cards to write and/or decorate!  Send them off to family and friends.  What relative doesn’t enjoy a handmade letter from a child? 

WEDNESDAY:  What child doesn’t love to make a bit of cash?  So, let’s set up a lemonade stand!  Have the kids make signs, set up a table outside and call the neighbors.  We actually enjoy serving a variety of drinks, from grape Kool-Aid to some iced tea for adults.  Don’t worry about profit; the biggest gain is the amount of fun the kids will have setting it up!  Or, take the proceeds and donate them to a worthy cause, such as the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels or Alex’s Lemonade Stand.  And, don’t forget to stop by your local library today!

THURSDAY:  This recipe may seem a bit involved but it is TOTALLY worth it.  After all, think of all the cool stuff you can do with SLIME!  Take 1 tablespoon of BORAX (found in your laundry detergent aisle) and dissolve it in a cup of water.  Then, in another container, combine 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of white glue.  Now, add 1/2 cup of of the borax mixture to the glue mixture in a Ziploc baggie.  Add food coloring if you want a specific color, and knead the bag until it is completely mixed.  Tada!  You have slime!  Take care to keep it off of furniture and carpet, and, like many products, slime doesn’t last forever.  It will eventually morph into MOLD, so be sure and throw it out after a few days.

FRIDAY:  Time for a playdate!  Whether you host one or go to one, connect with a friend today, even if only for a short while.  The kids will enjoy the interaction with their pals, and make sure get some “adult talk” for yourself.  Everyone will be happier in the end!

That’s it for this week!

The dog days of summer are definitely here!  While the term, “dog days of summer”, actually stems from the position of the Dog Star, Sirius, during this time of year.  Sirius rises and falls with the sun right now, and the Ancient Egyptians thought that this action is what made this time of year so much hotter.  Whatever the reason, cooling off is on tap for this week!

MONDAY:  Nutritious and delicious, I’ve got a great smoothie recipe to share today!  My boys LOVE these smoothies.  If I could make them every day for them, it wouldn’t be enough!  They’re not overly sweet, and they’re full of calcium and vitamins (and, most importantly, they’re COLD!).  These are great for any age and so easy to make!  In a blender, combine a cup of milk (I use skim but any type milk will do), 1/2 cup of yogurt (we use either blueberry or strawberry lowfat yogurt…again, it is your choice as to flavor!), 1 ripe banana (cut into chunks) and four ice cubes.  Blend for about a minute or until smooth.  Pour into your favorite cup and enjoy!

TUESDAY:  It is really too hot to do much of anything outside in Texas these days, so we’re going to create Big Art today - inside!  I am using some old wrapping paper I have (it is actually my leftover Christmas paper from about three years ago) and cutting off long pieces of it.  Then, I’m letting my boys have at it!  Anything goes - markers, crayons, watercolor, construction paper collage - whatever you feel comfortable letting your kids use.  Spread out on the kitchen floor or another solid surface and create Big Art!  The large motions you make with your arms and hands when drawing are great for motor skill development at any level.  Or, to challenge older kids, have them create Big Art using only their FEET!  Have them grasp a marker/paintbrush/crayon in between their toes and create.  You’re sure to get some interesting results!

WEDNESDAY:  Think your kid’s got talent?  Let it shine!  Today is Talent Show Day at our house.  And, ANY talent goes!  I have one that is a total singer, so we’re breaking out his favorite songs on the CD player and sporting our favorite microphone - Mom’s whisk!  My other son is more of the comedian and instrumentalist…I see several entries from both of them.  Invite the neighborhood or just a friend or two - the more the merrier!  I’m going to be the video queen because, what good is showing off your talent if you can’t go back and watch yourself later?  And, don’t forget to check in at your local library today! 

THURSDAY:  Since we are, indeed, in the Dog Days of Summer, let’s gaze at some constellations this evening!  My boys were thrilled to get to stay up a bit later, and to sit and watch the stars come out, one by one.  Here is a great site for printing out a Star Chart (a map to the sky)…there are loads of other websites out there as well that offer great information for kids about constellations and the night sky.  If your kids are too young to stay up and stargaze, you can create your own constellations.  Using black construction paper, cut circles just a bit larger than the diameter of a flashlight.  Poke holes in the construction paper with a straight pin, then hold the circle up to the lighted end of a flashlight.  Turn out the lights (preferably in a dark room) and do your own stargazing - anytime of day!

FRIDAY:  Let’s cool off those piggies today!  If you have a small kiddie pool, this is great, or you can even use a large pan or bucket, as long as it is bigger than your child’s feet!  Put some water in the pool or other container, then drop in several ice cubes.  Now, it is time to go fish - feet first!  Have your kids use their feet to “catch” the ice cubes and pull them out!  Everyone stays cool, and the challenge is on to see who can catch the most cubes - you or the kids!

That’s it for this week!  If you have fun activities you’ve done with the kids this summer, leave us a comment and let us know!