Sensory Strategies for Learning
How can you squeeze a little learning into playtime? As a teacher and tutor, I have had to think creatively and quickly to come up with out-of-the-box sensory strategies for learning to help students learn in a way that makes sense to them. This happens usually when their frustration becomes evident. The student begins to act out or shut down. For some reason, they are unwilling or unable to focus on the learning. That brings out my creative side! I WANT every kid to find joy in learning! And if they are not, I want to know why and what I can do to make it better. Getting creative with sensory learning is a good starting spot. It’s not the only way to teach and learn, but there can be fun activities connected to our senses and our study time. Learning styles are basically just how your child learns best – by hearing, by watching, or by doing. These are not the only way your child learns, so do not discount all the other ways we can learn, but understand that sometimes it helps your child to focus on the content when we present it in a way they enjoy. …
Put On Put Off Chart
What area of disobedience do you find yourself nagging a child about? Have you seen a put on put off obedience chart? It’s common to tell children to “stop doing that” but less common to take the time to tell them what to do instead or to probe into the heart issue behind the problem. Even with our own faults, it’s common to focus on the fault not on the flip side of what we could do to change it. When my kids were little, I happened upon an obedience chart that gave suggestions for replacing bad actions with good ones. It gave Biblical principles and verses of what to “put off” and what to “put on” in an easy to read chart. I used this idea over a few years, making similar lists according to the top few problem areas for my kids. This obedience chart is still available on the internet as Wise Words for Moms. It also gave heart probing questions to ask, which are useful in the moment of discipline or as table talk conversations in general. Many types of “if-then” consequence lists are available, but this one is great for the younger years and will…
Waiting Games
What waiting game can you easily play while waiting in line? Waiting games are invaluable resources for every parent and teacher! Waiting is part of everyday life. We wait in lines at amusement parks, at appointments, and in traffic jams. We wait for events like ball games, symphonies, and movies to start. My list was curated when I was a 4th grade teacher and we went every year to the North Carolina Symphony. Our students had to dress up, ride the bus, and sit quietly waiting on the performance to start. Kids get restless! And unless you give them resources, restlessness can easily turn into ruckus! I created a list of ideas my students could quietly use with their seatmates. Soon, other teachers wanted to know my secret! Why were my students pleasantly occupied without me having to fuss at them? High expectations and tools they could use. This also became helpful when I took high school students on service trips around the world. They could entertain themselves in airports and vans. They could also entertain younger children waiting for Vacation Bible School to begin or parents to pick them up at the end. Most of the games require little…
PreK Play Makes Learning Fun
What is your favorite activity for creative learning at home with preschoolers? Need some ideas to make prek play fun and educational? I’m often asked for tips for homeschooling preschoolers, from a teacher’s perspective. While most people are looking for workbooks and curriculum advice, I’m giving hands-on fun ways to incorporate learning into everyday life. Play and adventures are two great ways to experience learning opportunities and have fun at the same time. Look below for five fresh ideas for educational activities for preschooler play. Read Aloud. Read silently together. Read books. Read kids magazines. Go to the library. Designate a colorful blanket as a reading spot but occasionally move it around the house, yard, and city. Let your child read to a row of stuffed animals, retelling a favorite story, with or without the book. Go to the library regularly. Read new books and old favorites. (Tip: Put kids magazines on the birthday wishlist when grandparents ask for ideas.) Act out a Favorite Bible Story. You can do hand motions, use stuffed animals, or dress up. You can let your child take the lead on how you can act out the story. Have the Bible or story book open…
Tips for Homework Time
Are you looking for a few useful tips for homework time or is it time to hire a tutor? Homework Tips Set a regular schedule and routine for homework time. (Read Homework Help for more homework tips, too.) Be available but do not hover. Set a work timer if needed. Some students work best on homework right after school, some after dinner, and some at breakfast. Ask your student’s opinion of this and maybe try something new. Be consistent and kind. Encourage the student to help come up with solutions rather than just doing it yourself (most students CAN ask their teachers a question in person or via messaging and take responsibility to follow through). Listen more than you talk. Use an agenda system to record work and break projects into chunks. Use a paper or project management system even if school is online. Write reminders to talk to teachers or turn in work. Have your student write down tasks like “read slide show” or “do attendance” if your student struggles to remember daily tasks other than rushing to complete the “due” work. Mark off completed work with a highlighter or check box. Using an agenda will help both student…
Thrifty Mama
Would you rather buy one brand name clothing item or several “gently used” clothes at a thrift shop? I’m a thrifty mama! I don’t see myself as a fashion influencer nor do I feel very influenced by having to keep up with all the trends. Instead, I like to save money to spend on travel or to give away to help others. Money was pretty tight growing up so we were not accustomed to splurges on the latest trends. Our needs were met and some of our wants, too. I started thrift shopping when I was outfitting my first place as a newlywed. I STILL have my $2 ironing board, which I spray-painted silver. I discovered thrift shopping at the Kids Exchange Sale twice a year for kids clothes and toys when my girls were little. I saved SO much money by consigning items and buying “gently used” items in their current sizes. (Ok, I’ll admit. I did buy kids winter jackets a size or two larger to get extra wear out of it!) I also discovered local consignment shops and the Goodwill. I am not surprised when I get compliments on articles of clothing, including the $18 Banana Republic…
Weekly Meal Planning
Is weekly meal planning too complicated or the lazy way out? Recently, a friend told me that she was too lazy to do weekly meal planning. I told her that I did weekly meal planning WHEN I was too busy or too lazy to think up new foods. For me, it’s a quick way to get 5-6 meals planned out with recipes and a grocery list. I have a few favorite go-to sites that I use and even one that’s vegetarian. On the weekend, I print out a weekly meal plan that includes recipe links and a grocery list (such as this one here). I open my calendar and match up meals to our schedule for the week, crossing out or replacing any that don’t fit our week or our taste buds. I then modify the grocery list to eliminate any items for recipes I’m not using. Lastly, I cross-check the grocery list with my fridge and pantry marking off any items I already have on hand. All that should take less than 15 minutes depending on how many rabbit trails I took when skimming the recipe links or reorganizing my pantry. My kitchen wall holds a menu board that…
Learn to say YES
Do people automatically expect you to say NO faster than you say YES? “Learn to say yes easily” was a piece of wisdom and parenting tip I came across as a young wife and parent. The wisdom behind this was that when you did need to say “NO”, it would be taken well knowing that it was not your usual answer just to avoid extra work or expenses. If possible, say YES to your kids asking to have a friend over, your students occasionally asking for more time on an assignment, your coworker asking you to lunch, or your spouse asking to play soccer one night a week. Then, when there’s a good reason to say NO it will be less of a shock or disappointment because you are known for saying YES to reasonable requests. Because our usual reason for saying NO to things with our children was typically due to scheduling conflicts, our children learned to check the family calendar before asking. This led to fewer conflicts and whining in the middle school years because it was not us saying NO because we were annoyed but because it was a schedule conflict. It also helped our children learn…
Save your NOs
Have you ever wished for a good parenting tip so your child would obey right away when you say “no” or “come”? Most parents and teachers of young children struggle with this daily until you learn to save your nos. One wise parenting tip I learned early on when my children were young was to save your NOs. It is as simple as using “please don’t” and “no” for different things. Use “please don’t” when you want your child to stop poking her sister or yelling at the cat. Save your nos for when you want your child to stop running in the street or touching a hot stove. NO can be reserved for imminent danger or direct defiance. Sure, you will probably use them interchangeably some of the time, but if you will restrict your NOs for when your child must obey immediately, you can teach your child to obey right away when you say “NO!” Delayed obedience is disobedience no matter how you phrase your request, but that’s for another blog post. When you do have to say NO, make it a teachable moment. Take time shortly afterward to talk to your child about what the danger or…
15 Parenting Books
Ever wish you had a quick list of helpful books for raising a child? Here are 15 parenting books! This list is not comprehensive nor will you agree 100% with every chapter in each book, however, it’s like a recipe. You take the basic ideas and tailor them to your family’s needs or what’s in the pantry that day. I find it much easier to modify a recipe than to make one up, wouldn’t you agree? No book list should ever replace solid Biblical truth. The best parents are those who understand that solid parenting skills come from the unchanging truth of God. They also reach out to like-minded others who are just a few steps ahead of them. A friend recently asked me for some parenting resources, and I literally went to my bookshelf and pulled off a few favorites. These are parenting books I have read or used over the years. I ask that you use discernment in whether or not they are the best resource for you. Whether you are a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or a favorite friend, I hope this list will be helpful. It’s divided into 3 sections, and I’ve included Amazon…