tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91073219926081671642024-03-12T21:26:08.290-07:00Teach Your Children WellDLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.comBlogger788125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-64080011745703623862020-07-28T11:18:00.000-07:002020-07-28T11:18:34.941-07:00Waldorf Bread RecipeThis is the recipe we used for our weekly bread day with my little ones!<br />
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This recipe makes a BIG batch. Sometimes we'd make the whole thing and share bread with people we loved...and other times I'd cut the recipe in half.<br />
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Mix together:<br />
1/2 C. warm water (bath temp)<br />
1/2 tsp honey<br />
1 packet of yeast<br />
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Stir together and let proof and get bubbly while you mix together the following items:<br />
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1/2 tsp salt<br />
3 c. flour (whatever blend you want--we did 2c. bread and 1 whole wheat)<br />
1 1/2 C. water<br />
1/4 c. honey<br />
3 T melted butter (or some type of oil)<br />
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Mix well. <br />
Add in the proofed yeast.<br />
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Turn out on floured cutting board/table and knead. Get those little hands helping you! <br /><br />Sing: (as you knead)<br />
<a href="https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2013/12/the-baker.html" target="_blank">The Baker Song</a><br />
Pat-a-Cake<br />
<br />Once kneaded well, decide how you will form your bread. Either make one large object, or give each child a small ball to make into their own object. Add items, if desired. Crasins, chopped nuts, grated (by the child!!!) nuts, etc. You can use the items to make the face on a cat or the petals on a flower, or the teeth on a dragon....get creative!<br />
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Put finished objects on baking tray lined with parchment. Place in 350 degree oven. Timing will vary, depending how thick you made the items. Keep an eye on the bread and have the children help you peek at it often. Observe with all your senses. How is it smelling? How is it looking? Has it changed at all? <br />
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Baked bread freezes well!!!! <br />
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-69955017808195248512020-07-28T11:04:00.000-07:002020-07-28T11:04:33.004-07:00An overview of our Early Childhood YearsI wrote up a long, detailed post for a friend on how we arranged the kids' previous early childhood years, and decided to post it here, mostly in case I want to refer to it again at some point. :)<br />
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We didn't follow a "curriculum" per say in my kids' early childhood years, but more of a methodology based (mostly) on the Waldorf philosophy with a little bit of Montessori thrown in, where I saw it fitting my particular kiddos well. <br />
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The biggest way we "schooled" was through the rhythm we kept. We had a rhythm to our days (not necessarily a schedule) and a rhythm to our week. </div>
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Our mornings typically started (after breakfast) with a nature walk with the main focus of observing nature (not the walk itself or the destination). We walked in every type of weather, as that was a type of observation in itself. </div>
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Each of us had a little fabric nature satchel that we brought along. We often collected neat rocks or feathers or leaves or acorns to take home to observe more or display on our nature table (more on that). Usually we went out for 20-30ish minutes to the little greenbelt by our house. Revisiting the same aren meant that we got to observe the changes the seasons brought. We stopped and watched fire ants in an ant pile. We sat and watched a squirrel take nuts up and down a tree. We picked up colored leaves from the ground in the fall. We saw goldenrods blooming, that always told us fall was near. We saw the little leaf buds begin to peek out in the spring. We saw crawdad holes when it was wet after a week of rains. Etc., etc., etc. We slowed down and observed, talked often about what we saw...Some days we went on bigger nature walks to nature parks or a field we had noticed on our way home from the grocery store, etc. </div>
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After our nature walk, we had a snack time and our "morningtime." For snack, I usually pulled out a big crystal relish-type plate that has 3 little compartments and put some nuts, fruit and veggies on it for snack (tried to do whole foods). We also brewed a pot of herbal tea (which we'd drink over ice in the summer). The kids helped prepare snack time. One would get to choose what type of tea we were making and put the tea bags into the teapot and put the teacups on the table. The other kid would arrange the fruits and nuts (I'd just set out the large containers from the pantry/fridge) and they would arrange them on the snack plate and then put everyone's little individual saucer on the table. Of course, in each of these simple tasks the kids were learning language and math and science skills--as we read the names of the teas on the boxes (and they realized that the peach tea had a peach on the front and a P like Papa's name) and that the water changed color when you put the teabags into it...and that the water in the kettle steamed when it got really hot and you could hear the bubbles from the boil...and that if you left the hot water in the teapot it would cool....and how ice cubes look when they are melting in a cup of hot tea...and one-to-one correspondence as you dole out the strawberries equally....</div>
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For morningtime we focused on our literacy time. We sang our hymn of the month (I usually just chose one but now I love the Happy Hymnody website). We'd start the month just listening to the hymn play while we snacked and then I would turn it on other times during the day, and eventually the kids would start singing along. I read aloud a book or two that went with that season or just ones that I wanted them to hear. We had some little cards with seasonal or fun poems/fingerplays/songs/chants (maybe 5-6?) that I would read to them (and they'd memorize lickity split). We had a memory verse each month from the Bible. Often we would write or draw cards for someone--if there was a birthday or a sickness, and we also have always done encouragement cards for several people in our village, so I keep a big stack of cardstock cut to card size and they would draw cards for "our people." We spent about 20-30 total minutes on morning literacy time. We did the hymn and the read-aloud and the memory verse every day, and we'd start out the month with maybe 1-2 poems (or fingerplays or songs) and then add more as they learned them. As my kids entered the kindergarten years--5ish, we added in "story," where I told a simple story using some small objects as models. Often these were fairy tales or seasonal stories. I'd tell the same story each day of the week, and as the week went on, i'd pause to allow the kids to fill in the details. Then by the end of the week I'd give them a chance to tell the story and move the objects. More details on this, if you want. </div>
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One day a week we baked bread. This is a very waldorf early childhood thing to do. The exposure to following a simple recipe (usually I did the measuring of the items while I spoke aloud what I was doing and then let the kids pour them into our baking bowl). The kids get to take part in mixing the bread by hand, which is wonderful for their motor skills and also sensory exploration. Then we varied on how we formed our bread to bake it. If we had observed lots of acorns around that day on our nature walk, I might say, "Remember all those acorns we saw today on our walk? Let's see if we can make our little balls of bread dough into acorns!" I'd hand each kiddo a manageable sized ball of dough and let them form their shape. Other weeks we would work together to make one large item--maybe a big cat, like the one we'd read about in our story that day. We most often baked the whole-wheat waldorf bread (that we ate for afternoon snacks for several days that week with honey or jam or cheese slices) but I also brought in other recipes at times, such as muffins or scones or pieces, often based on the seasons. As the kids got older, they took on more roles in the bread-baking, until they could really do it all by themselves. Sometimes we added other items into our breads--crasins, sliced almonds, cheese we grated ourselves, etc. I can give you the simple recipe if you want it.</div>
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After morning time, we'd typically have some free play time. Waldorf believes strongly in the concept of structuring the day as a "breath in-breath out" type of flow. A breath in means that the child is taking in their environment. Morning time is a breath in experience, as the child is taking in the words and songs, etc. So after that, I'd want to follow it with a less structured, child led playtime. Of course we always had our playroom as a learning experience all on its own, as it was set up with materials that were age apprpriate and varied and encouraged pretend play. I'd try to have a pretend play/homemaking area, a block or building area, some books that rotated in and out, and then any other items that fit with my kids' current development. Sometimes this free play took place in the playroom and sometimes it took place outside in our little play area, depending on the time of year. </div>
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After free play, we had some type of art exploration every day. Quinn has always been my more artsy child and Beck was not as into it as she ways, but I still felt it was important that he participate with us, to develop attention span and perseverance and fine motor skills and the ability to sit and attend in an age-appropriate way. We rotated through different mediums on different days. </div>
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<b><u>Drawing:</u></b> Large beeswax Stockmar crayons on large pieces of paper (often I drew with them and if it fit naturally, I spoke aloud while I drew my picture so they could see my thinking/drawing process) </div>
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(sometimes it was free-drawing of whatever they wanted, sometimes we drew things together, such as pumpkins in the fall or maybe a butterfly we'd seen that day, but I didn't ever force them to draw a particular thing, and we always made drawing time a fun, encouraging, positive experience that everyone participated in)</div>
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<b><u>Beeswax modeling</u></b>: Stockmar beeswax; liek drawing, sometimes we all made our own items and other times we made something based on a theme. I can provide more details about beeswax modeling if you want them. A super activity for fine motor development and requires a lot of patience!</div>
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<b><u>Watercolor Painting: </u></b>We used the waldorf method, which uses liquid watercolors (not the pallette type) and wet-on-wet method. More details if desired.</div>
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<b><u>Handwork: </u></b>age-appropriate projects--sewing large buttons on an embroidery hoop, finger-knitting, stringing beads on a pipecleaner or string, etc. </div>
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We didn't necessarily have an art experience dedicated to each day of the week, which made it nice when we ended up going somewhere or having a playdate/dr appt/ helping a family member, etc. Basically I just had all of the materials ready in our little art cabinet and whatever art experience we did last, we rotated on to the next one. This required very little prep time on my behalf and lots of flexibility. Sometimes we also rotated in seasonal art experiences--leaf rubbings, flower pressing, etc. during this time, and just paused our regular art experience rotation temporarily. </div>
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Usually after art we had lunch. Often we'd lunch outside, if the weather worked out. Then the kids would help clean up lunch and we'd have a read aloud time on my bed before rest time. Then rest time for all. Both my kiddos boycotten napping at 18 months, but we still continue to have an hour of quiet time in rooms. They usually listen to audiobooks on cd while they play in their room.</div>
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After rest time we had a sensory time at the table. I had several choices of sensory play ready to go in my art cabinet, so we rotated through different items.</div>
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Examples:</div>
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<b><i>Bean tray</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Water tray</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Playdough</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Cracked corn</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Waterbeads</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Dried oats</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Herbs</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Flower cutting/Arranging</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Shaving Cream</i></b></div>
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Sometimes we did sensory exploration outside...we had a sand box and a cracked corn box they could play in. </div>
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Lots of examples listed under the tabs as "sensory."</div>
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I typically sat down with them and started playing/exploring along with them to give them some gentle guidance, but after a few minutes they got into it on their own! Usually while they finished up with the sensory play, I would prepare our afternoon snack. </div>
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After snack, we had more outdoor time and this was usually when we did our gross motor play--bikes, scooters, walking to the playground, driving to a park, running around with the neighbors in the front yard, playing in the sprinkler, drawing a hopscotch, etc. </div>
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And that was it! </div>
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<b><u>Nature table: </u></b>We always kept a little nature table in our kitchen. It was the top of a bookshelf. The kids were primarily in charge of it and we had some pretty fabrics we'd change out for the tablecloth during various seasons, and then they could collect things outside to display-dead dragonflies, feathers, acorns, rocks....They could bring the items in their satchels from our nature walks and put them on the nature table. Every month or so we'd clear it off (somewhat) with the kids' involvement, and then rearrange it a bit. Sometimes we added little figures or seasonal items. It was a great place for the kids to come back and re-examine things they had found. As they got older we added in a small magnifying glass and some nature identification books, as well as some guides we created ourselves--the trees in our yard, types of butterflies that came to our house, etc. </div>
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<b><u>For Montessori inclusions, </u></b>I used a lot of the practical life and self-care strategies. I had a little rug (similar to the one your kids use in my entry way) with several shoe cut outs on it where my kids were responsible for storing their shoes in their closets. We kept all our napkins and silverware and a set of dishes down at kid level. I taught them to set the table and they would have increasing (age appropriately) responsibility for setting the table at dinner. Montessori and Waldorf both place emphasis on bringing beauty into the world of children, so we had a little cupboard with a few different tealight candle holders and small vases, etc. Quinn adored setting up the table centerpiece every couple of days. Beck wasn't as into this, but sometimes he wanted to. Mostly because if you set the table you got to use the match to light the candles. :) I keep a set of cleaning washcloths down where they could reach them, as well as a bottle of cleaner, and they would help with cleaning the table and chairs. I kept a tiny broom and dustpan and they would help sweep up under the table after meals or if they spilled anything. We had a small whisk broom in the garage (a regular-sized one with a wooden handle that Matt cut down to child size) and they helped me sweep off the patio. I always included them in as many kitchen tasks as possible, as well. Food prep and clean up. They would put away the silverware from the dishwasher, etc. Also we used real, breakable dishes with the kids starting as toddlers. Both philosophies believe in the concept of teaching care in handling materials, and for children to handle things carefully, they have to handle fragile objects. Obviously I didn't use precious china, but we did use real, beautiful teacups (from the thrift store!) and real saucers for plates for our lunches and snackls, and regular ceramic dinnerwear for our meals. Honestly, so few things got broken because my kids understood that they were fragile. Equally important, it is necessary for kids to see things break occasionally, partly to learn how to clean something up carefully and safely, and also just to see what happens for the cause-effect relationship. Both of my kiddos had a special teacup that was theirs and they had a lot of ownership for them. When I taught in the toddler classroom at the little lab school where I worked, they used real dishes with the two year olds and people touring would always freak out. It was funny because us teachers always broke more dishes (by trying to stack piles too high or hurrying too much) than the kids ever did, and whenever we broke something, a litany of kiddos would rush over with their little brooms and dustpans and know how to safely clean up the shards. It was adorable. </div>
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I have lots of posts on what we did for practical life on my little education blog if you want any more ideas. </div>
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I didn't introduce many "abstract" academic concepts (math, reading) to my kids prior to first grade, which Waldorf believes is when children are truly ready for these. If the kids showed interest in a concept or asked about it, I honored that and answered/showed them, but I didn't give them any workbooks or anything like that. </div>
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We also had little songs that went along with all the different times of our day that indicated the flow of the day and helped the kids move through transitions. </div>
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DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-14307493624720272272016-12-15T21:02:00.001-08:002016-12-15T21:02:39.242-08:00Cutting cordI noticed earlier this year that our 5 year old isn't terrific at cutting. He isn't interested in art and craftiness like his older sister, so he typically doesn't choose projects that encourage him to practice his cutting. He is also a lefty, so that makes things a little tougher. When I realized he was a pretty terrible cutter, I made sure we had plenty of left-handed scissors and started looking for ways to invite him to cut...in a way he'd find interesting and useful for his world!<br />
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He currently loves any type of string or rope, so I got out some red cord, his scissors and an art tray and he spent some time hacking the cord up. Then he wanted to try the wire cutters from his tool box, so he headed out to the garage to get them. They didn't work super well, so then he wanted to use MY wire cutters, which are much sharper and worked pretty well! <br />
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All this to say, he spent about 20 minutes engaged in cutting and was highly motivated to participate in it...and he practiced his scissoring skills! I was working on my own project at the table, so I chatted with him, helped him hold his scissors correctly, and gave a few suggestions, but mostly he worked independently on this task. <br />
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I have more "cutting for boys" ideas I will hopefully post in the upcoming weeks! <br />
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-10217834008157680082016-08-28T20:52:00.000-07:002016-08-28T20:52:07.171-07:00Morningtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We start out Morningtime with a verse. I print off a label for each of our journals with the current verse. We use white blank-paged (unlined) journals so we can draw/paint/write with no lines in our way. </div>
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Just a quick snapshot when we were making prayer lists last week during Morningtime. <br />
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-48185710611370293762016-08-20T21:16:00.000-07:002016-08-20T21:16:33.211-07:00Block Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One day this week I made up a game on the fly...my two bigs were getting a bit wild and rough with one another and needed to be close to me. I needed to finish handsewing some projects I was working on for Quinn's school event. So....we made up a little game I could officiate while still having busy hands. The kids LOVED it and have asked for it several times since. This would be a great game to have in my toolkit when I need to interact with them and make dinner at the same time, or even on a roadtrip. Thought I would share....though it is really nothing fancy!<br />
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My kids haven't played with these bristle blocks in a while, and they happened to be in the dresser drawer next to where we were sitting. So I had them get out the blocks. Each kiddo decided on their own team name, which I wrote at the top of a piece of paper. Then I gave them different challenges, that I made up on the fly. <br /><br />Build a boat using 6 blocks.<br />
Build a restaurant using 15 blocks.<br />
Build a playground using 13 blocks.<br />
Choose just 1 color of blocks and build a school from them.<br />
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Etc., etc,.<br />
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Each kiddo had a little bell (this was Quinn's idea, which turned out to be a fun addition!) that they could ring once they were finished building. It wasn't at all a race, but they did have fun ringing the bells.<br />
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When they rang their bell, I would ask them to tell about what they built, and they'd spend a couple minutes explaining their design. I would ask some questions (and I did all this in an "announcer" voice and used "announcer-y" lingo). Then the other person would have to say 1 thing they liked about the other sibling's design. My kiddos weren't having a great morning getting along, so this was a way I used to help them practice kind words with eachother. <br />
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After they built each object and told about it, I gave them a point. Quinn was much faster than Beck, so she got a couple challenges ahead of him, which still worked out fine. I just wrote down at the bottom of the paper what the challenges he still needed to do were, so I didn't forget. I had them return all the blocks to the box after each challenge, so that when they started the next object they'd choose different blocks, otherwise if I let them keep them out, they'd use the same ones and there wouldn't be much variety in what they built. <br />
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When they got tired of the game (which lasted about 45 minutes!!) and I was at a stopping point, we ended the game (in the announcer voice) and then I told them their reward was to share a cupcake (that we happened to have leftover from a babyshower the weekend before). Of course the rule is that one kid cuts the cupcake and the other gets to choose their piece first. ;) <br />
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This game achieved my goal of peaceful play, but it also encouraged some problem-solving and higher-level thinking. Educational AND fun!! It could be played with any types of blocks, so it's very versatile! DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-5375699221940686172016-08-20T21:05:00.002-07:002016-08-20T21:05:18.909-07:00Morningtime...why I love it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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During the summer all kiddos, and during the school year with whatever kiddos aren't currently away at school, we do "Morningtime." This is a simple routine that lots of homeschool families (especially ones that practice the Charlotte Mason philosophy) partake in. We do it because I think it's a beautiful and powerful way to be together and learn each morning. AND...it's a great fit for us because it can be adapted to include a wide variety of ages! <br />
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<b>Here's what we do:</b><br />
Bible Study--we start by reading a focus verse together--the same verse every day for a few months until I feel like we're ready for a new one. The kids eventually memorize it because we read it every day. I print it off on a label that I put in their notebooks. Only 1 of my kiddos read, but I still think it's important for the others to connect the words to print, even if all they know is that it says what we are saying orally. Occasionally I have my oldest look up the verse in the Bible and read it from there, to remind us all that it's God's word we're reading. Currently our focus verse is <b>Jeremiah 29:13-14. </b><br />
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Then we have a short little Bible lesson, which varies, depending on what we are studying, but about 10 minutes total. We try to remember to pray, but I don't do a good job on this one. That will be one of my goals for the upcoming school year! <br />
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After that, if I have all the kiddos, I read aloud some poetry. I read the same few poems for about a month, and begin replacing them with new ones, one at a time, once my kids begin to get bored of them...or memorize them! Often during this poetry time the kids ask to recite one of their past favorite they've memorized, and I always say yes! <br />
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We sing a hymn together--one that we are currently learning the words to. Usually my kids like to move to the couch for this, so we can huddle up and all see the words in the old hymnal we use. At our church, we sing using a projector and words, and more praise songs than hymns, so it is important to me that my kids learn the joy of using a hymnal and the beautiful words and truths in great hymns. My kids love this time, and I love hearing them sing or hum little bits of the hymns during the day!<br />
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During the school year when my oldest is at school, we do fingerplays, counting songs, and rhymes during this time, as well, which I consider my preschooler's literacy time for the day (of course we still do many read-alouds of great picture books several other times during the day, as well.) <br />
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Sometimes while we are already at the table for Morningtime, we might do an art project or activity. This happens more when my oldest is home, because she loves art. My littler ones are usually ready to get down and move around!<br />
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Sometimes Morningtime lasts 15 minutes and sometimes it lasts an hour, depending on the interest and attention of the kiddos and what we are doing. It is structured in the sense that we follow the same flow, but we don't have a set number of poems to read or fingerplays to say....it flows naturally based on what the kids need that particular day. <br />
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Morningtime is powerful because it exposes my kids to scripture and beautiful language in a way that is natural and doesn't require a whole lot of preparation from me. This makes it more likely that it will happen every day. We also light candles and drink tea and sometimes even eat something yummy during this time, which makes it feel more special. :) Morningtime is great because there aren't any rules--you can do what feels right for your season and your kiddos....And it starts the day out on a positive time together rooted in God's Word. <br />
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Because we're a foster family, we often have a baby or toddler in our mix. We include them in Morningtime if they are awake--I put them in their little highchair seat or pull the bouncer in the kitchen next to the table. Sometimes toddlers get to hold the fingerpuppets or scribble with a marker during Morningtime. Sometimes they last the whole time, and sometimes they need to get down and go play because they aren't up for sitting still. We go with the flow here, too, including the little ones however is working out for that day and working our hardest to be patient and inclusive to find ways to involve them, as well. Often it's singing a song we know they like or doing more fingerplays with manipulatives to they can follow along. I know when I model how to include these little ones, my older kiddos are learning these skills that will hopefully translate to the times they need to include littler ones in play, etc. <br />
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<b><a href="https://edsnapshots.com/morning-time-and-how-it-can-change-your-homeschool/">HERE</a> </b>is a link to a more in-depth discussion of Morningtime. <b> </b>DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-42887413109750413072016-08-20T20:46:00.001-07:002016-08-20T20:46:30.634-07:00Making board books "irresistible" to toddlers....an invitation to read.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This little one LOVES books, but I have a little trick up my sleeve to get her interested in books throughout the day. Occasionally when I walk past her little basket of books, I'll grab a few out and take them to some spot in the house and set them open, on end. This always grabs her attention and she sits down with them and "reads" through them for a few minutes. It's a fun and simple book invitation and a little surprise that gives her joy!!</div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-51299070325020420842015-11-17T18:33:00.001-08:002016-11-10T20:13:55.380-08:00Traveling with Kids tipThanksgiving break is coming up and we have two trips ahead of us....naturally my TeacherMama mind is already ticking along with ideas to help our roadtrip run smoothly. We usually limit screen time on road trips and encourage our littles to spend some of the time engaged in various activities.<br />
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One thing that has worked well for us, particularly with my daughter, who is 7 (she's liked this since she was 4, though), are coloring sheets with information on the areas or states we are traveling through. I usually bring a clipboard for each kiddo with sheets I have printed off and a pencil bag with colored pencils (marker lids get dropped and crayons melt in a hot car). <br />
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I often use the Crayola website, as they have all the state printables. Also I just google "Oklahoma Coloring Sheet" and look at the google images that pop up. <br />
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My kids are also interested in seeing a labeled map of the US so they can find our state and the states we travel through, so I often print some of those, as well!<br />
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This is a great time-passer, but also adds some geography and map reading skills to your trip!!<br />
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For older kids you could let them read through the state info and then play a trivia game with little treats (Skittles, goldfish, mini cookies, etc) for correct answers! My kids love trivia games!</div>
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For more of my travel posts and ideas, click the "travel" tag on the sidebar! </div>
<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-23526811037693274792015-11-16T12:22:00.000-08:002015-11-16T12:22:08.253-08:00Thanksgiving Devotionals with KidsI subscribe to the SHE READS TRUTH daily Bible Study emails and always find them such a powerful tool. Today a new series started, a 10 day focus on Psalms of Gratitude, with a simple response each day. Day 1 started with Psalm 100 and a simple reflection....perfect for Mamas, but ALSO perfect for Littles! This can be adapted to any age....if you are looking for something to focus your family's hearts during this Thanksgiving season, I'd encourage you to check out this free resource. <br />
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It begins on today's date on their <a href="http://shereadstruth.com/">website (click). </a><br />
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I am going to read this psalm with my kiddos tonight and then let each of them fill in their own blanks (see the assignment.) I love exposing my children to scripture in this way and am very fond of the simpleness yet powerfulness of what this study will bring to our family. <br />
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Give it a go!! DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-71293600510650571662015-11-05T20:08:00.001-08:002015-11-05T20:08:33.438-08:00@Mamaschool....sink or float experiment.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I told you he was into science experiments! His other interest this week has been sink/float experimentation. This probably came about because of a couple new boats he bought with his chore money at the dollar store. Anyhow, we've done sink/float several times over the past couple years and he remembered it and asked to do it again. Yesterday I set him up with a nice table of objects and a big glass bowl of water and he had a good time experimenting. Today he asked to do it again while I was doing some dishes. I didn't have a good window of time to set up the "big" activity, so I told him to get out a tupperware bowl (no matter what, it's best if the dish is clear so you can observe the object from all sides) and sent him out into the backyard with a small bowl and instructions to bring in 5 objects to see if they'd sink or float. After sending him BACK out to dump out the bowl of sand he though he'd try (maybe next time, buddy....creative but it wasn't a good time for kitchen floor mud!) he came back with a pecan, a shell, a pine needle, a little teacup from Quinn's fairy garden (DON'T TELL HER--YIKES!) and a rock. He got straight to work trying them out. So today's experiment was a float/sink snack, eh?! Just a little tidbit of time he spent exploring and a smaller set up than we often use, but he was still exploring and doing science!! Besides just the floating and sinking, he was also exploring the properties of water/a liquid! Wow, such scientific power in a few minutes of curious play!DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-59685468999883544442015-11-05T20:03:00.000-08:002015-11-05T20:03:06.443-08:00@MamaSchool.....baby edition. A great book for babies!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This week we had a little 4 month-old fosterlove with us. Of course she was included in Mamaschool, too! Beck and I set up our little play gym and Beck happily and lovingly hung EVERYTHING he could find for her to look at. :) We also found the perfect book to prop open for her to look at. </div>
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Ten Little Beasties is a short book that can be sung to the tune of "Ten Little Indians." I love books that are also songs, and so do babies! The high-contrast illustrations are perfect for tiny readers--even newborns would be captivated by this book! My big boy loves it, too, which is a win-win! </div>
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We often prop up books around our babies, especially when they learn to roll on their tummies! This allows them to see something beautiful, stimulating and interesting at their level! <br />
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We just love Ed Emberley's books!!!!</div>
<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-38912933887578195822015-11-05T19:58:00.001-08:002015-11-05T19:58:34.626-08:00@MamaSchool....the daily things.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At MamaSchool we look for the learning in the little things...the daily things that happen over and over again, but leave openings for little hands and hearts and minds to grow.</div>
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Lunch is one of these times. Learning to set the table properly. Taking time to add beauty through the dishes and linens we use. Handling breakable dishes carefully and learning what to do when one of them accidentally breaks. Learning to pour tea independently. Using a knife to spread peanut butter and jam (fine motor!). These are all niches for learning to occur. Sure, it might take a little longer to teach a small person to carry our good pottery plates instead of tossing out some plastic ones. Of course I could have made that sandwich WAY quicker and FAR less messy. But these are the moments in our day that MamaSchool is most beautiful....when Mama takes a breath and steps back and lets him do things himself...or takes a breath and steps up to show him one more time how to do it carefully and correctly and with his very best effort. </div>
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And no, lunch doesn't always happen this way. Sometimes I do make his food and it is on plastic...and that is life and that is okay....But we try hard to slow our days enough that being 4, and all the lovliness that involves, can unfold....as he learns to gracefully and kindly and lovingly navigate this world around him. And me? I am still learning those lessons too. So it's MamaSchool for us both! </div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-18109108285507532172015-11-05T19:47:00.000-08:002015-11-05T20:31:51.847-08:00@mamaschool....science with magnets!During the week my big girl is in first grade all day. That leaves me and the little man (he's 4) home together. He always gets asked if he goes to school too, and saying, "No," didn't seem quite right, because we do a whole lot of learning during our days, so we started calling it "MamaSchool." Typically our mornings are devoted to his "schooling," with lunch and a brief rest (and a bit of work for Mama) afterwards, then we go get Q from school.<br />
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My background (and my passion!) is teaching early childhood, so of course I can't NOT school my kiddos. :) </div>
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I strongly believe that young children learn primarily through play and self-initiated exploration and their own curiosity with the world around them. You won't find us doing letters of the week or math lessons....or really any type of conventional "lesson" at all. However, we do spend our days learning a whole lot.</div>
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We base our days and our studies on my Little Man's interests. Right now he is ALL ABOUT doing science experiments. Not sure where he heard about science experiments--probably one of his audiobooks. Anyhow, that is what he asks to do any chance we can!</div>
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He has also been interested in magnets. I don't remember exactly how that came about, but he was asking questions and expressing interest in magnets, so I followed his lead. I got out a few magnets I had from my classroom days, and we went to Mardel with some of his birthday money and bought a little set of various magnets (the strong science type that have the poles marked on them.) Then we got out a tray of stuff and set to work figuring out what things the magnets would pick up and which things they wouldn't. As we worked, I began to use the correct vocabulary--repel, poles, attract, etc. as I talked with him about what we were doing/seeing. I showed him how two magnets with the same poles would push away from each other. We just played and played with magnets. Through this, he was absorbing and exploring fundamental principles of physical science and of magnetic force. We were also having so much fun! Of course the first day he used the magnets for about 5 minutes. But we've gotten them out every day since and he's stretching the time he wants to spend exploring. He'll repeat some of the same activities again that we've done previously (repelling magnets, etc.), but often I will show him (or he will figure out) something new. Today we put paperclips on a tray and moved them from below with a magnet. </div>
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As I teach my son science simply by DOING SCIENCE with him, I hear the wise voice of one of my wonderful college professors in my head. He drummed into us the importance of teaching science by just letting kids do science. Not by vocab sheets or matching terms or definitions....not by writing out a lab report...but early on, just by doing the work of a scientist. By using the tools scientists use--and learning to use them correctly. By trying things. By exploring. And that makes me smile, because Dr. Vincent is right. </div>
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Tonight the kids decided Matt would read bedtime stories to Quinn and I would read to Beck. Beck commented that boys go with girls and girls go with boys (Matt/Quinn & Beck/Me) and further observed that it was kind of like magnets, how North goes with South and South goes with North. AND HE'S FOUR!!! </div>
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Best of all, this type of learning was so easy for me to facilitate. Magnets and objects....and that's it! Other than that all I have to put into this is the gift of my time--sitting down and playing and learning and talking with my little scientist. <br />
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DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-66659822560693963652015-10-19T19:21:00.002-07:002015-10-19T19:21:54.280-07:00Painting with Feathers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A simple but fun art+nature activity.....large feathers we found on a nature walk and tempera cakes. Really any type of paint would work! The kids had a great time using something different as a paint brush! After painting their papers with the quill end, they ended up dipping the barbs in the paint, which yielded really pretty feathers I snatched up to use on my nature shelf! </div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-59119262642893492062015-10-12T20:27:00.001-07:002015-10-12T20:27:42.170-07:00Michaelmas centerpiece<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
These days Q does most of her Michaelmas celebrating at school. I did create a little tablescape. The felt dragon I made a few years ago, some rocks and crystals, and a little St. Michael made out of a peg man, so fabric, and toothpicks. Simple, but did the trick! </div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-65081706190133418862015-10-07T19:37:00.002-07:002015-10-07T19:37:55.683-07:00Gospel Writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) Playdough MatThis year Matt and I are teaching the 4th grade Bible Class on Sundays at our church. Our area of focus this year is the Gospels. I have made some playdough mats geared to older kids to help reinforce some of the concepts we are teaching.<br />
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For this particular class session, we introduced the 4 gospel writers, talked about their backgrounds and discussed the major emphasis of each book. Then students had some time to process this learning through the playdough mats. We encouraged them to think through what they had learned about each writer--what could they add with playdough details to illustrate these things? <br />
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Our big kids had a lot of fun working with playdough--for many of them it had been years since they had used it, so it was fun for them to spend some time doing a kinestetic activity! It also encouraged some higher-level thinking and processing skills to mull through the lesson we'd just had. <br /><br />Some of the kids were hesitant and needed some teacher prompting to get started and think through what they could add. Others zoomed right off and were adding little playdough details left and right!!<br />
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For logistics--I like to print out the sheets and put them in page protectors, then I can change them out as we used different mats. Once I have introduced this particular mat doing a group time, I can reuse it at a class starter--an activity that is set out for children to begin working on as they stagger in at arrival time. <br />
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Click <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4lbgt_30FttWnVwSWswYUlRTGc/view?usp=sharing">HERE</a> to download a fullsize, printable version. </div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-34363263233407900872015-09-29T20:46:00.002-07:002015-09-29T20:46:46.838-07:00Ocean chalk easel invitation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Something I love about easel invitations is that they span the age-levels of kiddos. Any age kiddo (or adult!) can stop by and add in some details to the current scene. Even my little guy, who has limited interest in art and drawing can't resist chalking a little bit! Here he is adding some elements to the ocean. :)</div>
<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-43849686050704569412015-09-22T20:31:00.002-07:002015-09-22T20:31:28.375-07:00Another easel invitation......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I left this:</div>
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Which she turned into this: (complete with an oral story that goes along with the drawing!)<br />
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-66851475760827976432015-09-21T21:01:00.000-07:002015-09-21T21:01:07.835-07:00Art Invitations--encouraging kids to use the easel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I first put out the easel (it frequently takes "breaks" in the upstairs closet when we're not using it as much), it gets lots of use from little artists. As the weeks pass, though, the kids don't notice it as much and don't gravitate toward it. One method I often use to encourage easel drawing (remember--it is SO GOOD for fine and gross motor development as well as art skills) is by offering an "invitation." </div>
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This means that I set up something that invites the artist in....makes it irresistible for them not to draw! Here is my first invitation. My 7 year old is beginning to read, so she could read the simple directions I wrote. She erased my words and wrote "My name is Quinn," and decorated that person all up!! </div>
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I often prepare invitations to be ready for my kids to create art while I am preparing dinner. Typically my invitations are simple and take 2 minutes or less of my time to prepare, and my kids spend a loooong time drawing. Remember that any new experiences takes 5-7 times to become familiar, so the first several times you put out an invitation, your kids may not respond to it. If they don't, gently call their attention to it, sit down and draw yourself, modeling what to do and speaking aloud what you are doing. "I think I'll start with her hair. I want her to have long, curly red hair, so I will use the chalk to draw spirals that look like curls. Maybe a purple hairbow would be nice. Now she needs clothes....I think I will do a purple skirt to match her bow. And boots! I can draw clouds and raindrops in the sky since she is wearing rainboots." As your children observe you, they will begin to learn the process for drawing on the chalkboard, and over time they will internalize this and be ready to create their own art! </div>
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My 4 year old son doesn't love drawing....but lately he has discovered that he can draw rainbows all by himself. For an invitation for him I drew the first red arch of a rainbow and left the other colors out on the tray of the easel. He made his rainbow, then erased it before I could snap a photo, then he spent a good 20 minutes drawing happily away in chalk!</div>
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I'll try to remember to catch snapshots of other easel invitations I offer for my kiddos to share in this space. </div>
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Do you have an easel? If not, this also works with a large piece of paper taped to the wall....or even flat paper on a table, though writing on a vertical surface strengthens arms in a way horizontal writing does not, so try to provide easel-like experiences for your little artists!</div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-57747118984866491732015-09-15T19:38:00.001-07:002015-09-15T19:38:48.418-07:00Make Your Own Library!This summer my kids had so much fun playing library!<br />
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One day I decided to get them interested in some of the books we own in our home library that they haven't read in a while. I gathered up a handful of different genres and set them up on our stairs. I put animal non fiction together, biography together, fiction together, etc. <br />
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I let them each choose a couple books, and we got out their little toy cash register and they pretended to check out the other one's books!<br />
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Not only did they have fun PLAYING library, but they were also motivated to read some books they hadn't touched in a while and revisit some books from our home library! I got to direct which books they were exposed to (because I chose them and set them out!) and I pretended to be the librarian who asked them about their interests and helped them choose some books.<br />
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Over the course of several days we made paper library cards for each of us and also signs for the shelves! Great literacy skills! <br />
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My kids were both really excited about this pretend play and both of them subsequently set up libraries in their own rooms! <br />
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I remember playing library as a kid, too! A great pretend-play activity that can be adapted to any age--from board books to chapter books! Don't have a cash register to use for checkout? Make one out of a box! Get creative! Remember it's about the process! </div>
DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-84919434956948364842015-08-25T14:45:00.000-07:002015-08-25T14:45:22.962-07:00In Art News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We have an art easel that we use off and on in our kitchen area. Our art studio area is upstairs, so I also like to offer some art opportunities downstairs. The easel was put away for about 6 months, but I recently brought it out again and of course it was a big hit! Absence makes the heart grow fonder, especially with easels! Ha! </div>
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Remember that <a href="http://daicia.blogspot.com/2011/09/easels-and-arm-strength.html">EASELS HELP DEVELOP MOTOR SKILLS (click).</a>....they are essential for early childhood homes! And fun!</div>
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<b>Here's what it looks like for Q(6) and B(newly 4):</b></div>
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Paper in a basket underneath, a role of washi tape to attach the paper to the easel. I gave the kids a mini-lesson on the correct way to do this. Q can tape up paper independently, B needs help. Often times I tape up a blank piece of white paper, and it proves irresistible--someone comes to paint as soon as they spot it! I also try to occasionally stop and paint a bit to model it for my kids. They get so interested in watching Mama paint, too! </div>
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A jar of assorted paintbrushes</div>
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A sponge (cut in half to make a small square) for wiping brushes or spills</div>
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A small container of small chalk bits (small pieces encourage correct finger grasp for young writers) and a little eraser</div>
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2 mugs that are used for rinse water for painting--one for warm colors and one for cool colors. Q and I learned to do this in our recent watercolor class. I love that it teaches her to think back about her color theory and where particular colors belong. B just uses them both for either color, and that's fine (with me, not his sister...she hates that). </div>
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I have a little stool next to the easel that holds a pallet of watercolor cakes (the largest size crayola makes). I put out washable cakes for independent painting, but we use liquid watercolors when we sit down for a guided painting time. </div>
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I also recently bought Q some tempera cakes for some variety. I am not super impressed with the ones we got, but she likes them. I hoped they would be darker and more vibrant. I ordered them, but I need to see what some of the craft stores or even Lakeshore carry. Theirs might be higher quality. Anyhow, paint cakes are great because they are less messy than liquid paint and I don't have to worry about wasting paint that dries out. I provide liquid tempera upstairs in the studio, so they still get different opportunities with a variety of paint mediums. </div>
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We have a cupboard nearby with a basket of old washcloths that the kids have access to for any clean up that is necessary! They know to put completed pictures on the table if they want to paint another one! We have a little "training session" when I first get out the easel to show them how to use everything. Q is very helpful in getting water for her brother and taping up his paper, which is great!! DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-86000078927646004592015-08-25T14:20:00.000-07:002016-07-18T20:05:25.764-07:00Books to read to First Graders/ Audiobooks for First Graders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This list is a continuation from my <a href="http://daicia.blogspot.com/2015/02/best-audiobooks-for-kindergartenersor.html">BOOKS TO READ TO KINDERGARTENERS</a>, so I am not going to go into a lot of discussion--click back there if you are interested in more details! I'll go straight into the booklist of recommended titles for first graders. Yikes!! How do I have a first grader! I will need to note that first grade was my favorite grade to teach in my public school days, so everything first-grade-related is so very sweet in my heart! </div>
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I will update and add to this list as Q's first grade year goes on, so this is just the start of our list! Stay tuned!</div>
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<b>And now the books!!</b></div>
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The Oz Series by L. Frank Baum</div>
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(note--Q has listened to the Wizard of Oz and this book in the series, but I am going to wait a bit more before really getting into the series. With some classic, beautiful series', I want to wait a little longer until she is old enough to fully appreciate and remember them. Just a "thing" I have.)</div>
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Dragons of Crumbling Castle by Terry Pratchett</div>
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Anything written by Beverly Cleary</div>
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The "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder</div>
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Piper Reed Series by Kimberly Willis Holt</div>
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Freddy series by Walter R. Brooks</div>
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Encyclopedia Brown Books by Donald Sobol</div>
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Cam Jansen series by David A. Adler</div>
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The Chinese Siamese Cat by Amy Tan</div>
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Horrible Harry series by Suzy Kline</div>
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The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes</div>
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The Blossoms Series by Betsy Byars</div>
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Classics of Childhood Collection by Blackstone Audio</div>
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Humphrey Series by Betty G. Birney</div>
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The Treehouse Series (The 13-Storey Treehouse, etc) by Andy Griffiths</div>
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Homer Price by Robert McCloskey</div>
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Kid Who....series by Dan Gutman</div>
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The Railway Children by E. Nesbit</div>
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My Weird School Collection by Dan Gutman</div>
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Dragon Series by Jackie French Koller</div>
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Dragon Academy series by Kate McMullan</div>
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Lad, A Dog by A.P. Terhune</div>
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The Callahan Cousins series by Elizabeth Doyle Carey</div>
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The Paintbrush Kid/The Poppy Seeds by Clyde Robert Bulla</div>
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-16866550807183280262015-08-20T20:32:00.001-07:002015-08-20T20:32:46.808-07:00On Our Nature Shelf....exploring rocks and gems<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Remember that sometimes just "putting it out there" is a great way to invite little learners to explore science (or any!) objects. When we were in South Dakota this summer, there was a big rock display at a gift shop. They were reasonably priced, so I picked up a nice selection for our geology studies. I haven't yet had time to pull together a geology study, but I did decide to put the rocks out for open exploration.<br />
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Note that my kids have been taught how to explore scientific objects properly--They take the whole tray/basket to the table and handle the items gently. Then they return the items to the shelf when finished. They also know these specimens aren't for playing with in other areas of the house, they are specifically for scientific exploration, so they won't be included in building a castle or hauled in mini dump trucks (we have other rocks for that!!) <br />
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I love these little Golden Guides and pick them up whenever I see them at used book stores or thrifting. <br />
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Putting this little display out for my kiddos really peaked their interest and both of them have enjoyed looking at, touching, and exploring the rocks and gems. Q will even use the book to try to identify them! <br />
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Obviously these rocks are more interesting than things we could find in our backyard, but we make some great nature displays even from our own area. Often we save rocks that have neat textures or shapes or sizes to put on our nature table, so don't be discouraged if you don't have something amazing.<br />
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Including kiddos in finding items for your nature table/shelf is always a hit. They feel ownership and pride and are so much more likely to use good stewardship for "their" items! <br />
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What's on your nature table/shelf/windowsill??!!!DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-8011079317656638762015-08-20T20:25:00.001-07:002015-08-20T20:25:39.892-07:00Magnets for babies! Otherwise known as: How to keep babies busy while you cook. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We got to have our little niece quite a bit over the summer, so I loved reaching back into my "Baby's Bag of Tricks" and remembering some of my favorite tips that worked with my babies. <br />
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One of the hardest times with babies (and sadly, still my two bigger ones) is the hour or so before dinner, when trying to cook, set the table, pull together the house a bit and little ones are wrecking havoc! <br />
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One thing that worked well with my two were magnets. I kept them up higher on the fridge, out of their reach until I needed them to keep a little person busy. Then I put them down at Baby Level and let her explore. I modeled for her how to slide them and how to take them off and put them on, and she quickly got the hang of it (she is 10 months). The funnest game is to take them all off, of course! And, like any activity, the first time yields an interest of approximately 2 seconds....but if you keep up the exposure and model repeatedly, they will build up their ability and interest in sitting and playing longer.<br />
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I have these old fruit magnets I got at a thrift store. I also have used large letter magnets, some laminated photos I glued magnets onto, dominoes I modge-podged photos onto, etc. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9107321992608167164#allposts">HERE</a> is the link page to all my magnet posts...the ones particularly about babies are the older ones, so scroll down!! (there is also a link in my sidebar under "magnet work")<br />
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Besides keeping baby busy, working in this position builds cross-lateral connections in the brain (as their arms cross the midline as they grab at the magnets) and strengthens arm strength that will later be needed for fine motor skills such as using utensils, writing and cutting. Whoo-hoo!! <br />
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Standing babies enjoy magnets just out of their reach that they have to s-t-r-e-t-c-h up to grab and pull down. This makes them feel so accomplished!! DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9107321992608167164.post-42730992521186474902015-08-20T12:58:00.000-07:002015-08-20T12:59:34.721-07:00In our churchbag......I was cleaning some junk (old bulletins, etc.) out of our church bag today and decided it was a good time to post what we currently keep in that thing!<br />
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Right now we have Q (6) and B (newly 4) using the bag, along with a random couple of other kiddos that sit with us, so our bag is made for older preschool/younger elementary-aged kids.<br />
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First off, we expect our children to participate fully in worship during the first part (singing, prayer, scripture reading, etc.). We don't open the bag and our kiddos stand/sit and particpate just like everyone else. Usually Daddy holds one kiddo and I hold the other, or at least they stand next to us, with our friends (our church has a large urban bus ministry....) sitting between us. That helps us keep kids focused and attentive. If we have extra foster kiddos with us, we disperse them between us. :) <br />
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When communion starts, we let our kids begin to use items from our churchbag. These items are purposefully included to help our children meditate upon, participate in and understand the meaning of communion and Jesus' sacrifice. Q goes to children's worship after communion, but B stays in "Big Church" still and continues to use the items throughout the sermon time. <br />
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Typically I choose which child gets which item. This might be because they haven't done a particular item in a while and I'd like them to, because they are too antsy to use playdough well that day, or because I want two kids to share the markers between them. No matter what, they use what Mama hands them or nothing (and all of this has been discussed, taught and practiced beforehand...there is NO WAY you can introduce new items cold-turkey in the middle of church successfully, in my opinion....) We've already had a mini lesson with the item during the week. Or maybe just a short discussion on how to use it. Friends do a really good job of just following what my kids are doing with a few whispered directions from me/my kids. I love watching my kids include another friend into what they are doing and very quietly explain what to do! <br />
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We use a small canvas bag. I keep it packed and ready to go on our shelves by the back door and I am in the habit of grabbing it each Sunday on the way to church. <br />
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These cards are laminated printouts of famous pieces of art that depict different scenes of Jesus' life. I just printed them off, laminated them, and keep them in a baggie. During communion, I look through them with the child next to me and we talk about each picture and what it is of in a whisper voice. <br />
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This is a sign language book I made--I looked up pictures for signs that go along with church words (worship, communion, pray, bread, sing, etc.) and put the picture and written directions onto cards. The child sitting next to me and I whisper the directions and do the signs in our laps. I love that many of the signs are designed based on the meaning of the word--for example, the sign for Jesus involves using your fingers like nails in your palms. Through using the signs for the words, children can participate in the meanings of the words and concepts in a kinesthetic manner. <br />
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I love art books. My kids have responded really well to this book, which I picked up at a thrift store. I often see similar items at the thrift store or Half Price Books, so picking up a used copy of Jesus art by the masters is a great idea. I like my kids to see the different concepts depicted in different ways. Of course we have had a discussion (sometimes in the car on the way to church is a good time for this) that these are from the artists' imagination, and that is why different artists depict the same scene different ways. <br />
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During communion I invite my kids to page through the books while sitting in my lap/next to me and in a whisper I provide some context about the pictures. Older kids can look at a picture and then use their Bible to find the text (which is usually listed next to the picture). <br />
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Inside the book I have this picture clipped, which my daughter loves. It's The Last Supper and has the apostles labeled, and also has a page of information about different symbolism in the painting. She loves to have this quietly read to her. <br />
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All kids seem to love these simple, vintage books. They are the stories of Jesus (this one is the crucifixion) depicted through simple stick figures. Matt or I read the book quietly to the child on our lap during communion or let them look at the illustrations independently. <br />
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We also have 2 small 3-ring binders. One has writing and drawing prompts. I keep them in clear page protectors and provide some vis-a-vis overhead markers for the children to write on the dry erase pages. I also keep spare paper at the end in case they want to draw something from the binder on their own. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7LVjiq7vl9-RaCPIgf135oOQuZxlL8z_FX0NUQlqkD-w8sBP_8BGbE_p87IJxzg0wLPRSnYYHnvhD5E9mEqLeLSkVOuxO_C_J6tzrj0EJfNbHB37pMU5uJMCd0PGCUGirIJ1S1xugURw/s1600/churchbag7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7LVjiq7vl9-RaCPIgf135oOQuZxlL8z_FX0NUQlqkD-w8sBP_8BGbE_p87IJxzg0wLPRSnYYHnvhD5E9mEqLeLSkVOuxO_C_J6tzrj0EJfNbHB37pMU5uJMCd0PGCUGirIJ1S1xugURw/s400/churchbag7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4lbgt_30FttOERZVW9ockRtOFk/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to download the printable "Blood" page.</div>
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<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagFayJzCYvqLYsSo-hGY4vvwFuVMUn2C5KvPw9oxezpMwN5QhrRGn0nnO80PdOdpHZ6XnEnlHBpQ2SbdQc5_EOXfUhkEA0qciKSEvmhfG8KFNp1U6-Bt5NQL5GQ3F3AtiIhe-YiqQOh-W/s400/churchbag13.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4lbgt_30FttcTdEdlFsMUNBVlk/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to download the printable "Bread" page.</div>
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I have sentence starters and also this page on how to dry a cross (link is on the photo).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNAL21C4hnGZkCqxnKkvkcUQq0TU4GfeX8mNP-73D9YXzYKIV2CNsH4mzLzSxdqmIGtpKHrjNtXes0_O4Rh7uXdhPly9XJRzUmGKoUhd9YfQR_LZr__wzSBLpP-u90jb_NQWnsEYhOUVd/s1600/churchbag8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNAL21C4hnGZkCqxnKkvkcUQq0TU4GfeX8mNP-73D9YXzYKIV2CNsH4mzLzSxdqmIGtpKHrjNtXes0_O4Rh7uXdhPly9XJRzUmGKoUhd9YfQR_LZr__wzSBLpP-u90jb_NQWnsEYhOUVd/s400/churchbag8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I also love using the coloring sheets on the <a href="http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/">FLAME</a> website--I usually chose those that pertain to communion or Jesus. <br />
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I also made a printable where the child copies Isaiah 55:3 and then traces their hand.<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4lbgt_30FttMkx0QnlQSVcyV1E/view?usp=sharing">PAGE 1 DOWNLOAD</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4lbgt_30FttRXk3NDNBU2cwcWc/view?usp=sharing">PAGE 2 DOWNLOAD</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOYJqy9YpT2AKTsAQ_s-x-4VvbO3xdXLejRMVr6MvTcjOez_GPmNeiVOZPEulNK8lrTmnOyiwFHs1JkAqbn5_07QWrc73vcYWdMAf3RPrIFHmequ17T3IRqvztvkSqRlDIh5T39jP_lUl/s1600/churchbag9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOYJqy9YpT2AKTsAQ_s-x-4VvbO3xdXLejRMVr6MvTcjOez_GPmNeiVOZPEulNK8lrTmnOyiwFHs1JkAqbn5_07QWrc73vcYWdMAf3RPrIFHmequ17T3IRqvztvkSqRlDIh5T39jP_lUl/s400/churchbag9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The other binder has our Playdough Mats--which are ways for younger kiddos (and older, too!) to respond to elements of Communion in a tactile, and age-appropriate way. I use either the mats from <a href="http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/">FLAME</a> or some I have made myself, located on the sidebar of this blog. The playdough is only for completing the activities on the mat, not free play during this time. We have had great luck with this not being too messy of an activity. We of course keep the child working right next to us, and sometimes I don't hand them the whole cannister, just small balls at a time to work with. Also, I try to introduce new mats (and FOR SURE the concept of using a playdough mat) first in our home, not in the communion setting, so I can teach it and demonstrate it. Often I bring these out at the table while the kids are waiting on me to make lunch or dinner. <br />
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We keep a bag of markers. Sometimes our bag gets left in the car, so I don't keep crayons it it, as they melt. </div>
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One the bigger kids go to children's worship, I let Beck use the legos during the sermon. Research on listening comprehension shows that many kids can actually listen more intently and comprehend at a higher level when their hands are busy. Jim Trelease recommends this in his excellent, most-highly recommended <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/014312160X/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=36627290186&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17463542131386397878&hvpone=13.84&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_4ors9hai05_b">READ ALOUD HANDBOOK</a>. So Beck is allowed to stay sitting on the pew and work with legos while he also listens to the sermon. It works great! He knows if he works quietly he gets to keep the legos, and if he gets wild or loud we put them away and he has to sit in Daddy's lap with nothing in his hands. <br />
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I keep the churchbag the same for several months at a time, but after my kiddos begin to lose interest in an item, I change it out. <br />
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<a href="http://daicia.blogspot.com/search/label/communion">HERE</a> is a link to some other items that have been in our churchbag. <br />
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As you can see, we work to engage/talk (whisper!) with the kiddos all during the communion time to bring their attention to what is happening and why, and to build their understanding. We consider ourselves their mentors, as we guide them through some child-appropriate elements to help them draw meaning from communion time together. <br />
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<br />DLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900816889175422247noreply@blogger.com0