Archive for the ‘Learning Activites’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Kitchen Teaching: Learning Fractions with Measuring Cups

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

I’m constantly looking for sneaky ways to teach my kids skills while we’re doing fun activities. One of the best places I’ve found to do this is the kitchen. My boys are always game to join me when I’m cooking and they enthusiastically measure ingredients, stir batters and even peel and cut fruits and veggies (under close supervision, of course).

A few weeks ago I was baking cookies with my first grader when he asked me what the numbers on the measuring cups meant. So I took a few minutes to explain what 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 mean in relation to the 1 cup measure. He eyes quickly began to glaze over, so I decided he needed a little hands on experience with the concept.

We started with 1 and 1/4 cup measuring cups and the container of brown sugar. I like using brown sugar because (more…)

Tags: , ,
Posted in Learning Activites, Wendy Copley | 5 Comments »

Diversionary Tactics

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

My children, six and four year old boys, get way too much screen time. They watch TV, they play video games, they do puzzles on my computer. I use the video games as rewards and take them away as punishments. I plop the kids in front of our new big-screen TV to hypnotize them while I get work done or make dinner (when I make dinner).

Most days, I don’t feel guilty about my use of screen time. But over the years, through a brand partnership, I’ve collected two expensive hand-held video game players. They are still in their original packaging, never been opened, like precious collectors’ items. I hesitate to give them to my children, these electronic fascinations that so many children their ages have, because deep down, I guess I do feel guilty about all of their video game playing and TV watching.

Bridging the gap, then, are the iPhone apps.

I broke down soon after I got my latest iPhone last fall. I can’t remember the exact instance, but you can imagine – doctor’s office waiting room, restaurant, long car ride…something, anything to quiet the 6-year-old and make him sit still. Because he loves space, I found a video game called Space Miner Blast, which is a simple time-waster. I suppose I can argue that it improves hand-eye coordination or something, but really, it was just a time-killer.

That was the gateway to my new delight in using apps to occupy the kids AND improve their learning at the same time. Once my older son started practicing sight words at school, I found the Sight Words app. It’s a cute, animated (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Guest, Learning Activites, Parent Perspectives, Technology | 5 Comments »

Understanding Math

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

I taught math at a community college for several years right out of university and watched an unfortunate scenario play out many times. Students who had just successfully completed their high school math requirements were being placed back at the beginning of the curriculum. Even starting over, many struggled through the pre-algebra, algebra, geometry sequence with great effort and did so deep into their college years. At a time in their lives when they should have been free to focus on their future vocation, they were still wrestling with the math monster. I wondered if this frustration was somehow avoidable with a different approach from the beginning.

The opportunity to experiment presented itself several years later as my wife and I opted to home-school our two boys for a time. Being free to do entirely what we wanted and free also from the constraints of a classroom, we forged our own way. Lacking a crystal clear vision in the early years, we were convinced of a few things. We would not reduce the experience to feeding our children a long list of rules needing to be memorized. We would show them how to learn on their own. We would focus not just on content, but on how to think and solve-problems. Though not necessarily trying to keep them always entertained, we wanted them to enjoy the experience because they were engaged, challenged, and growing in an often difficult process.

For books, we bought (more…)

Tags:
Posted in Adult/Child Communication, Guest, Learning Activites | 5 Comments »

Celebrating Dr. Seuss’ 107th Birthday

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

As avid readers sometimes do, each year on the second day of March our family finds themselves speaking in rhymes and riddles, eating green eggs and ham, and spending hours laughing at that silly old Cat in the Hat. That’s right…it’s time for Dr. Seuss’ birthday. This year marks the illustrious and verbose Dr. Seuss’ 107th birthday. There are so many ways to celebrate and commemorate Dr. Seuss’ life and contributions of the world of literature, so I’ll just share a few of our favorites.

Start the morning off right with the Dr. Seuss staple, Green Eggs and Ham. It’s really simple to make, just add green food coloring to scrambled eggs when mixing them and add ham. For a little more fun why not color your child’s milk a funny color and serve it with a rhyme?

Since Dr. Seuss was such a master of tongue twisters and riddles, why not create your own tongue twisters with your child and try to stump each other with them.

Do something great for someone else. Coordinate a book drive, or collect books from your own home, and donate them to a local library, women’s shelter, or children’s hospital. Share your love of reading with others!

Print out one of these fantastic Suessian birthday certificates, or make your own, and fill it out for Dr. Seuss.

Take some time and get to know Dr. Seuss. Head over to CatintheHat.org and learn all about the history of Dr. Suess and his (more…)

Tags: ,
Posted in Amanda Henson, Learning Activites, Media | 5 Comments »

President’s Day Activities for Your Family

Friday, February 18th, 2011

So it’s President’s Day again and you’re kids are home with you. How do you keep them learning while they’re home from school?  I have the same problem each year and have spent a considerable amount of time researching ways to help them learn about WHY we celebrate President’s Day.  I’ve compiled many of my favorite President’s Day activities to share with your family.

President’s Day Family Activities

Make this powdered wig or President Lincoln’s famous hat, then put on a Presidential play with your kids.

Take your child on a virtual tour of the government, follow the President around for a day, and more on PBS’ interactive: The Democracy Project.

Make, and then read, one of these handy President George Washington books or President Abraham Lincoln books with your child.  This is a great way to practice reading, vocabulary, spatial, and handwriting skills with your child.

Visit an educational virtual museum for primary students and learn tons of facts about our 1st and 16th Presidents, written in an easy to read manner that most moderate readers can handle.

Peruse the Cybraryman’s President’s page and learn a little about all of the Presidents.

If you’re lucky enough to live near Westmoreland County or Fairfax County, Virgina or Springfield, Illinois or Hodgenville, Kentucky you could visit the George Washington Birthplace National Monument, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Abraham Licoln’s birthplace, or the Lincoln Home Historic Site.  Our family visted Lincoln’s birthplace last summer and had so much fun learning about this President.

You could also honor these Presidents by spending the day giving back and volunteering in your community.  These Presidents both believed that our country could be a haven and a leader–what better way to show that than to help make your community a little better?

How will you celebrate President’s Day? Do you have any resources to share? Leave them in the comments!

Image credits: Abraham Lincoln Statue – Tony the Misfit

—————

Amanda Henson is Parentella’s Community Manager and owner of High Impact Mom, a socially aware mom-blog.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Amanda Henson, Holidays, Learning Activites, Media, arts and crafts | 6 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »