Story Sock Puppets Basic supplies: (Supplies may vary depending on the characters in the book you are reading) 3-4 old socks Glue Markers Construction paper Yarn (for hair) Google Eyes Your child’s favorite book Hot Glue Gun (possibly for especially fussy materials that do not want to stick with glue) What You Do: Decide on the characters you will create. Use yarn for hair and construction paper to make details, clothes, and accessories. You can use old fabric or felt to make puppet clothes and details if you have it. Secure all items with glue to your sock. Make sure … Continue reading →

Unifix Cubes are one of my favorite learning tools. They are versatile, can be used for years to come, and fun. I have listed some of my favorite ways to use them. Spelling: Using a permanent marker, write letters on the cubes. I suggest using red for vowels, another color for blends and digraphs, and a color or two for consonants. Have your child build a word by putting the cubes together. The child can sound out the letters as she builds them. Sorting: The most basic concept of sorting colors is a snap with Unifix Cubes. You can also … Continue reading →

In a move designed to spread the message of the importance of preschool education beyond its own Early Childhood Centers the KinderCare Early Childhood Education and Care Provider has initiated a new book sharing program. The KinderCare administration and educational staff has always emphasized the importance of reading to young children as a vital tool in building reading readiness skills among young learners. Now, in an effort to spread that message beyond the confines of KinderCare Centers, KinderCare is spearheading a book sharing program that will carry the message from KinderCare families into their communities. The importance of moving into … Continue reading →

Tangrams is and ancient Chinese puzzle using seven geometric shapes. An image is given along with the seven shapes. To solve the puzzle, one is to arrange the geometric shapes to fit inside of the image provided. Tangrams is basically a logic puzzle. You can present it in the traditional form of solving a puzzle or allowing the child to create her own shapes and images. I have a bucket filled with a colored wooden tangrams that my preschooler enjoys making her own scenes and shapes with. Tangrams are useful in teaching preschoolers in many different areas. Here are some … Continue reading →

Background: Spirit, soul, and body; the three aspects of a person, according to Rudolf Steiner. Steiner was the founder of the first Waldorf school in 1919 at the Waldorf Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. The original school was to serve the children of the employees of the cigarette factory. Today, there are thousands of Waldorf schools around the world. The method has grown in popularity and schools and homeschools incorporate basics of the method. The Waldorf Philosophy: The method focuses on the use of imagination in learning. The goal is to develop creative and analytical thinking in children. In … Continue reading →

I use my iPad for home education almost every day. Each of my kids has their own set of apps in a category with their name on it. I think the little student who was most thrilled about this was my preschooler. She loves exploring the apps on the iPad. She is getting quite good at navigating her way around. I enjoy looking through apps for her almost as much as she loves using them. With four kids, I try to be as frugal as possible when selecting apps. My favorite kind of app is free. Free is always in … Continue reading →

Jesus Feeds the Hungry is tells the story of Jesus feeding five thousand people with only a small amount of food. Children will love the familiar illustrations from bestselling The Beginner’s Bible. Your child will also love hearing about one of the most well-known of Jesus’ miracles about a boy who travels to see Jesus preach. When Jesus is done teaching after a long day, the crowd is hungry and Jesus and his disciples want to feed the people. This young boy is willing to share the small amount of food he brought for himself. The disciples wonder how they … Continue reading →

Movie: The Penniless Princess Made by: Veggie Tales Run time: 50 minutes Age recommendation: 3 and up Movie Summary: Sweet Sara Crewe has everything a little girl could want – a loving family, lots of friends and a closet full of frilly dresses! But when life takes a turn and Sara goes from riches to rags, will she realize that her true worth lies not in what she has, but what’s in her heart? Find out in this inspiring new story from VeggieTales, based on the beloved classic story of “A Little Princess” that reminds kids who they are in … Continue reading →

Book: The Berenstain Bears: God Bless the Animals By: Mike and Jan Berenstain Published by: ZonderKidz Recommended Age: 2 and up Released: September 2012 About the Author: In 1962, the first Berenstain Bears books were published by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Mike Berenstain grew up watching his parents work together to write stories and draw the famous bears. Mike began to write and draw his own stories of the bear family. Sadly, Stan passed away in 2005 followed by his wife, Jan, in 2012. Continuing the tradition, Mike creates Berenstain Bear adventures from his home in Pennsylvania. Book Synopsis: In … Continue reading →