Our last day of school is quickly approaching here, and my 2nd grader is definitely in tune to that. Each day, he tells us how many more school days he has left, and then he proceeds to name all the fun things he’s going to do over the summer, from sleepovers to trips to the grandparents’ house to swimming and playing with the neighbors. He also knows that many of the things he does in school now will be carried over to the summer.
Summertime is just around the corner, and my second grader will be a newly-appointed third grader. Summer, for us, means swimming, sleepovers, and a bit of educational “stuff” to keep us on our toes.
One of my favorite activities to do with my boys is so simple, it is amazing that I don’t try it year-round. For the summer, I set up several “themed” boxes. These boxes are self-contained learning centers that can travel with us, be stored on a shelf or in a closet, and cost virtually nothing for me to set up. We love to pull out a box on a rainy day or when we’re not feeling our best. And, when my little guy is napping, we usually find time for the boxes then as well! I typically use plastic lidded bins, but shoe boxes would work as well. The idea is to find things to use in a different way that will be fun and enjoyable while still promoting my child’s educational needs during the long break.
Something amazing happened here Wednesday night. My older son was finishing his homework, and my three year old was sitting at the table as well, coloring in a blank sketch pad. He’s been fixated on letters for a while (I teach 4 year old pre-k classes during the week, so we have quite a few “letter” toys), so I wasn’t too shocked when he drew almost a complete circle and said, “C! The C says /k/!” What impressed me was when he turned the page and wrote his name. Read more…
One of the best ways for children to learn their letters is through multi-sensory experiences. By creating letters for themselves in a variety of media, they are expanding their exposure to the shapes and strokes necessary to learn their alphabet. So, why not make it a truly delicious experience with edible letters? Read more…
A few weeks ago, my son’s school had a “Parent Training Night”. The entire idea of it got me chuckling, but it ended up being a great resource for helping me and my fellow kindergarten parents how to supplement our child’s education at home. They covered a broad range of topics, but the one that I found most interesting was an overview of the Spalding method. Now I understand why my son looked at me awhile back, obviously very proud of himself, and said “Ahh, Ay, Aah” while moving his hand around! Read more…
