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think aloud while reading reading tip 9 #raiseareader teachmama.com

think aloud while reading — here’s how! reading tip 9 #raiseareader

by Teach Mama April 4, 2016

written by Teach Mama

Thinking aloud sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it?

Like the only people who would even think about thinking aloud might be a little ‘off’ or something?

Well, friends, here’s the thing: thinking aloud is actually something you want to do because it can help your kids become better readers.

Check it out:

think aloud while reading reading tip 9 #raiseareader teachmama.com

Check it out:

Like this video? Check out the whole #RaiseAReader playlist and definitely subscribe to our channel!Need — or want more?

Here you go: (click on the image to find the post!)

What burning questions do you have about reading or literacy? I’d love to hear them so that I can (hopefully!) address the topic during one of the videos.

Just leave it below, and I’ll do what I can to cover it. Looking forward to this!

Follow along wherever works best for you, my friends, with the hashtag #RaiseAReader —

follow daily on YouTube;
follow daily on Snapchat;
follow daily on Facebook;
follow daily on Twitter;
follow daily on Instagram.

Cheers, and happy reading during this incredibly exciting journey!

Want a few more early literacy or alphabet activities? Check out:

backyard alphabet hunt
homemade alphabet book
leafy letter learning
ABC hunt
on the road ABC hunt
lowercase ABC hunt
build your own bingo: uppercase and lowercase match
ABC cards and clothespin match
alphabet letter splash
alphabingo (play with lowercase letters)
alphabet letter lids
leafy outdoor alphabet hunt
build your own board game
clothespin letter match
10 fun ways to learn the alphabet

Follow us on pinterest, and check out our literacy pins:

Follow Teach Mama’s board literacy on Pinterest.

April 4, 2016 0 comments

help your child through difficult texts teachmama.com

read-aloud learning

how to support your child through difficult texts

by Teach Mama March 4, 2016

written by Teach Mama

Okay, so you’re all into reading aloud with your kids, right?

You’ve got a great bunch of books to read, but your child insists on reading one that’s a notch (or two or three!) above her reading level?

It happens more often than not, so don’t be alarmed.

help your child through difficult texts teachmama.com

If your child’s friends are all reading Harry Potter and she’s still at the Cam Jansen or Amelia Bedilia stage? She’s going to want to read what her buddies are reading.

And that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with striving high and reaching far.

But it means that she’ll need a bit more support than she wants to admit.

So if your child wants to work through a difficult text, you need to establish some SOSS rules.

SOSS stands for:

State the facts
offer an Opt out
create a Signal
Shake on it

You need to be clear about the reading situation so that the child doesn’t reach a frustration level early on; or, if she does become frustrated, you need a plan.

Because friends, most likely at some point she’ll be frustrated through the text if it’s not at her working, instructional level.

Here’s the thing to always, always remember: reading aloud, at home with parents, should be easy and fun. It should be low-stress and enjoyable. Bottom line.

Reading. Should. Be. Fun.

There are some ways to work through a difficult text together if you, as the parent, aren’t going to do the reading yourself—if your child wants to do the reading.

Here’s the skinny. . .

How To Support Your Child Through Difficult Texts

1. state the facts

Say, Okay, this is a little more difficult text than we’re used to, so that means a few things: 1. It means we’re going to run into words we don’t know how to pronounce or words we don’t know. 2. It also means that we may run into ideas we don’t understand.

2. offer an opt out

Say something along these lines:

Knowing that this is a tougher text, you now have a choice: do you want to find a new book, one that’s less challenging, or do you want to work together through this one? You decide.

3. make a signal

If the decision is to drop the book and find another, find another best fit book.

If the decision is to stick with it, say something like:

Cool. We’re sticking with this book, so we need an SOS signal to use whenever we hit a word we don’t know how to pronounce or know the meaning. The SOS signal can be a snap, a clap, a raised arm, a whistle, a hoot, a holler, a whisper, a ‘Help!’, a shimmy shake—anything.

It just has to be easy to do, and you have to be comfortable doing it whenever you need a hand.

Once the signal is decided upon, make sure that the signal is used and that you follow up with: Do you want the word or want me to take over the reading? Either way works for me!

4. shake or slap on it

Like any big business transaction, to seal the deal, you need to shake on it.

But in this case, you can slap five, too. Either way works.

Just make it clear that everyone understands how to proceed. That way, there will be no hard feelings, no upset, and (hopefully) no frustration.

Friends, it’s just about letting kids know that as parents, we’re here to help them. And that it’s okay to ask for help.

And that we’re not judging them or grading them while they read—we’re supporting them.

Cheers, and happy reading during this incredibly exciting journey!

March 4, 2016 0 comments

reading

reading aloud with older kids: what parents need to know

by Teach Mama February 29, 2016

written by Teach Mama

Over the years, I’ve talked a lot about reading, but recently, as I looked back, I realized I haven’t shared too much about reading with older kids.

There are definitely some things parents need to know when it comes to reading aloud with bigger kids.

And since my kids are now 12, 10, and almost 9 years old (gasp!), I thought I’d share.

reading aloud with older kids | teachmama.com

Did you know that the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report shared that 40% of kids ages 6-11 years old said that their parents no longer read aloud to them –but that they wished their parents still did?

I found that figure interesting.

Even though our kids are getting older, it doesn’t mean they don’t want their parents to read to them. I love it.

So friends, let’s do it.

I know it’s hard, though, right? We’re so busy now that our kids are older. We’re schlepping them from activity to activity, doing homework and projects, trying to manage a household and a job ourselves. When can we possibly fit in reading aloud to our older kids?

We can do it. I know we can. We can find time.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Reading Aloud to Bigger Kids — What Parents Need to Know:

We can find time because it’s that important—and our kids—and we—will benefit from it.

But before you get all excited and find your kid and grab any ole book, I thought I’d share a few things you should know.

1. Kids like funny books.

They really do. And why wouldn’t they?

They’re kids—and they’re silly.

The Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report found that more than 91% of kids ages 6-17 say that their favorite books are the one they pick out themselves and the number one thing kids say want when reading for fun is a “book that makes me laugh.” Above all, kids want funny books; this was the top response of all kids at 70%.

So laugh together we will, right?

Here are a few of our favorite funny books that would work great for read alouds with bigger kids:

Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater
Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger
Big Nate, by Lincoln Peirce
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling

2. Kids want to know what you think.

They really do. So share what you think while you’re reading by doing just that—thinking aloud.

Thinking aloud sounds fancy, but it’s really not. You simply read a bit, pause, and then share what you’re thinking.

You could comment about characters, settings, or actions. You could make connections, ask yourself questions, or make predictions. You could be serious, snarky, or silly.

Do whatever you’d normally do. Just share what you’re thinking.

You may find that your child comments back. You may find that your child just gives you the side eye. You may find that your child ignores you.

But the important thing is that your child will hear you interacting with the text. Your child will begin to understand and recognize (if he or she doesn’t know this already) that reading is an active process where the reader, text, and context all work together to make meaning.

And eventually if your child starts commenting back—agreeing or disagreeing with you—or adding his or her own thoughts, awesome!

3. Kids like consistency.

Whether you sneak in a few minutes of reading time before school or after school, after dinner or before bed, it doesn’t matter. Just find a time that works for you.

And stick with it.

I’ll be honest: this is where I am a huge failure. I start something and then life gets in the way, and I drop the ball. We’ll read for four days and then an activity will come up, the weekend will follow, and then we totally fall off-track.

But I do know that we’re working on it.

And I also know that it’s okay.

And I also know that even if we drop the ball for a few days, getting back into the book and talking through where we left off is okay. It’s a helpful life skill, too, to think back, look at the text, and reacquaint ourselves with story. Right? Right.

Have something else to add? I’d love to hear it!

Please follow along with our daily reading tips:

Seriously, we’re that excited about having everyone #RaiseAReader, we’re shouting it from a mountaintop. If we can do it, you can do it, too!

That’s it, friends.

fyi: About The Kids & Family Reading Report — it’s a biannual report from Scholastic and managed by YouGov. Results are from a nationally representative survey with a total sample size of 2,558 parents and children including 506 parents of children age 0–5, 1,026 parents of children age 6–17, plus one child age 6–17 from the same household. The survey was conducted during August and September, 2014. For the full methodology, see www.scholastic.com/readingreport.

Cheers, and happy reading during this incredibly exciting journey!

fyi: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Forever and always I recommend only products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” For more information, please see teachmama media, llc. disclosure policy.

February 29, 2016 0 comments

valentine books for middle graders teachmama.com

holidays valentine's day

valentine’s day books for middle grade readers

by Teach Mama February 8, 2016

written by Teach Mama

Confession: Valentine’s Day is my least favorite holiday.

I think it’s nerdy. I think it’s cheesy. I think it’s unnecessarily stressful.

Don’t get me wrong–I’m all about making homemade Valentines, rocking Valentine’s Day Class Parties and eating fondue as a family; I just think the chocolate and flower gift-giving is annoying.

And I really love chocolate, and I really love flowers.

valentine books for middle graders teachmama.com

So instead of buying your kids chocolate that they don’t need and instead of buying flowers they don’t want, I have an idea.

How about buying your kids some books for Valentine’s Day?

Or how about heading to the library and picking up a bunch of books for them that they can read this week? This heart-filled, pink and red week?

Add a literacy twist, and Valentine’s Day takes on a whole different spin. In my mind, at least.

So because I have three middle graders under my roof, I thought I’d share some Valentine’s Day books for middle graders. That is, books for the 8-11 year old set.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Valentine’s Day Books for Middle Grader Readers:

The first three sets are recommended for grades 3-6; the last four are for slightly older readers.

valentines day books for middle grades teachmama.com 1

1. Valentine’s Day from the Black Lagoon, by Mike Thaler and illustrated by Jared D. Lee

2. How to Drive Your Family Crazy on Valentine’s Day, by Dean Marney

3. Star Wars: A Very Vader Valentine’s Day, by Trey King

4. The Valentine’s Day Disaster, by Brandi Dougherty

valentines day books for middle grades teachmama.com 2

5. 23 Ways to Mess Up Valentine’s Day, by Valerie Wilson Wesley

6. The Valentine Star, by Patricia Reilly Giff

7. Abby’s Un-Valentine , by Ann M. Martin

8. Valentine Frankenstein, by Maggie Twohill

valentines day books for middle grades teachmama.com 3

9. Candy Apple #22: The Sweetheart Deal Special Edition, by Holly Kowitt

10. Roses Are Dread, Violets Are Boo!: A Vampire Valentine Story, by Michelle Poploff

11. My Weird School Special: Oh, Valentine, We’ve Lost Our Minds!, by Dan Gutman

12. Love Stinks!, by Nancy E. Krulik

valentines day books for middle grades teachmama.com 4

13. Four Stupid Cupids, by Gregory Maguire

14. Heart to Heart With Mallory, by Laurie B. Friedman

15. Candy Apple #7: Totally Crushed, by Eliza Willard

16. The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7), by Jeff Kinney

valentines day books for middle grades teachmama.com 5

17. Valentine Princess, by Meg Cabot

18. Crush: Stories, by Ellen Conford

19. Mates, Dates, And Cosmic Kisses, by Cathy Hopkins (or get the whole series!)

20. It’s Happy Bunny #1: Love Bites, by Jim Benton

What am I missing? I’d love to hear what Valentines books are your faves for this age group.

Want a few more fun Valentine’s Day ideas? Check out:

middle grade vs young adult novels scholastic teachmama pinterest

February 8, 2016 0 comments

minute to win it class party collage teachmama.com

Best Of Teach Mama holidays valentine's day

minute to win it class party: organized, planned, and super-fun

by Teach Mama February 3, 2016

written by Teach Mama

A Minute to Win It class party?

You bet.

We have been all about Minute to Win it this year after we rocked out a Minute to Win It Family Game Night a few months ago, so when I asked Owen what he wanted to do for his Valentine’s Day class party, without hesitation, he said, Minute to Win It!!

minute to win it class party collage teachmama.com

So I started thinking about how we could make this work for a classroom filled with 24 fourth graders.

It definitely would be vastly different from our little, at-home 10-person family gathering.

I wanted to make sure that with our short amount of class time that the kids not only had time for Minute to Win It games, but they also had time to deliver and open Valentines and eat their snack.

I thought and thought. Researched and conferred with Maddy, Owen, and Cora, and I think we figured out how a Minute to Win It class party can really work.

Do you want to buy the whole Minute to Win It Class Party as a download? It’ll make your life tons easier!

Here’s the skinny. . .

Minute to Win It Class Party — Organized, Planned, and Super-Fun:

The most important thing is to have every little last bit of the party planned out so that there’s little to no confusion on party day.

Before anything, talk to the teacher.

You want to make sure that you and the teacher are on the same page and that you know his or her expectations, ideas, and party requirements. Talk about the Valentine’s Day Class Party Letter you need to send home with all of the kids, and share a draft before you make copies.

You can grab what I’ve used in the past here: How to throw a Rockstar Valentine’s Day Party.

Then develop a plan.

minute to win it class party | teachmama.com

If you’re Room Parenting solo, then you brainstorm the plan. But if you’ve got a co-parent, then work together to figure out what will work best.

And write it down.

There’s nothing worse than going into a classroom for a class party and having no idea what’s going on.

A plan keeps everyone informed and on top of what’s happening.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”HBVTgBch” upload-date=”2020-02-01T21:51:18.000Z” name=”Minute_to_win_it_Val” description=”A Minute to Win It class party?

You bet.

Here are our ideas for the Valentine’s Day Minute to Win it Class Party:

If you want this whole party as a quickie download, grab it now!

Supplies needed:

Now what?

Divide class of 24 students into 6 groups of 4 using heart stickers.

minute to win it class party

This is really the way to go.

If you want to keep score, have students fill out score sheets as they go. I really think this works better than having the scores posted so the whole class can see them, but some people think that’s the fun part.

Do what works best for the group!

And then make sure you have a parent at each station.

Here are the cards we’ll use at each station.

minute to win it class party cover teachmama.com

Kids will pick a tiny heart sticker from a bowl before we get started, and that’s how we’ll organize groups.

The back of each station card will have the order of group rotation.

Our Minute to Win It Games

minute to win it class party: organized, planned, and super-fun

Station 1: need tiny conversation hearts, 4 sets of chopsticks, sandwich bags, bowl in center and 4 plates

Tiny Heart Chopstick Race: Players work individually to move as many tiny hearts from a central bowl into their own plastic cups, using only a pair of chopsticks.

Winner moves the most hearts to his/ her plate.

When finished, students put all hearts into sandwich bag.

Station 2: need Nila Wafer cookies and sandwich bags.

minute to win it class party cookie face

Cookie Face: Players have a Nila wafer cookie on their foreheads and have one minute to move that cookie from their forehead and into their

The winner is the player who moves the most cookies from forehead to mouth in one minute’s time!

Students put cookies into sandwich bag when time is called.

minute to win it class party bracelets

Station 3: need Fruit Loop cereal, pipe cleaners, plastic plates, sandwich bags.

One-Handed Bracelets: One minute to thread as many fruit loops onto a pipe cleaner as

And then–here’s the clincher–the player has to make that pipe cleaner into a bracelet. Using one hand.

Winner has the most Fruit Loops on pipe cleaner.

When finished, students put Fruit Loops and pipe cleaner into sandwich bag.

minute to win it class party: organized, planned, and super-fun

Station 4: need big conversation hearts, 4 plastic plates, and sandwich bags

Big Heart Towers: Players have one minute to stack as many big hearts with one hand as they can. It’s harder than you may think!

The winner is the person who has the highest stack after one minute.

Students put their hearts into a sandwich bag when finished.

minute to win it class party: heart race

Station 5:

Heart Race: need 50 paper hearts, 4 serving spoons, 4 plastic bowls

Students stand across from a partner, about 10 feet apart. Each person has five paper hearts on a serving spoon and has to walk quickly to the other person and drop as many hearts as possible into a bowl. When the hearts are dropped, the partner can then walk quickly to the other side and drop his/ her hearts into a bowl.

This continues until time is called.

The winning person has transferred the most hearts from one side to another!

minute to win it class party: heart race

Station 6: need 36 bathroom cups for each student (about 150 total)

Stack Attack: Players have 1 minute to completely stack and unstack 36 bathroom cups into a pyramid.

Winner is first to complete the task.

Please remember: Class parties should be fun, easy, and low-stress for all kids. Maybe instead give one point for every beanbag that hits the target.

Keep it light!

Do you want to download this whole awesome Minute to Win It Party Plan? You got it!

Let us know what you think! We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!

Want a few more fun Valentine’s Day ideas? Check out:

February 3, 2016 6 comments

digital literacy

how to set up iphone for family sharing so that the whole family stays cyber safe

by Teach Mama December 21, 2015

written by Teach Mama

how to set up iphone for family sharing so that the whole family stays cyber safe | teachmama.com

It’s hard to decide whether or not to give your child a mobile device.

It’s hard to decide when your child may be ready to have his or her own iPhone.

It’s hard to decide whether or not to give your child a tablet, old phone, an iPod, iPad, or computer.

I’m not here to tell you the exact when or where–that’s up to you and depends wholly on your family’s situation.

But I’ll tell you this: you’ve got to think through the decision–the whole thing.

Because, my friends, it’s a different time, and if you don’t 110% think through the decision, you will be sorry. Though there’s so much good out there–there’s also so much bad. Gross, awful, and nasty.

And it’s our job as parents to help our kids walk gracefully through–or past–it.

I’ll be honest: I struggled to figure out how to properly set up our devices most safely. It took time, but I am hoping it’s worth it.

Hoping that my sharing here will save you some serious time.

Here’s the skinny. . .

How to Set Up iPhone for Family Sharing:

Our family has a mad mix of both Android and iOS devices.

Many of the links are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, teachmama.com gets a teeny, tiny percentage of the sale which helps us keep this website and all of its resources free for everyone.

how to set up iphone for family sharing so that the whole family stays cyber safe | teachmama.com

Here’s the breakdown:

me: iPhone and MacBook Air;
husband: Android and iPad Air;
Maddy: iPhone 5S;
Owen: Samsung Avant Android (not used as a phone but used as game-playing device); big iPad;
Cora: MyTouch Android (not used as a phone but used as game-playing device); mini iPad.

We also have:

HP Touchscreen Chromebook;
Acer Chromebook;
Kindle Fire — we all use these devices for games and schoolwork;
HP Envy e-5540 all-in-one-printer.

I’ve talked about our Screen Time Tickets — the system of managing Maddy, Owen, and Cora’s screen time so that we wouldn’t go crazy. It worked for us for a long, long time.

But they’ve definitely aged out of it.

Maddy is 12, Owen’s 10, and Cora is 8 years old, 9 in just three months.

We used Gem Jars for a while, and we tied gems into screen time. But they’ve aged out of Gem Jars a bit, too.

how to set up iphone for family sharing so that the whole family stays cyber safe | teachmama.com

So we’ve moved more toward a relaxed system where we:

have one day a week totally and completely unplugged- our ‘unplugged Wednesday’;
allow kids to come home and get on devices for 15 minutes after school, to wind down and relax a bit. Owen usually checks his Fantasy Football, Maddy and Cora check email;
give the kids time to be online. After homework, I may say, Okay–you have until 5pm to be online. After that, you’re off. And honestly, it works pretty well. At one of our last Family Meetings, the kids requested that we try this system, and it’s been working well.
charge all of our devices in one happy, little spot each night: the Satechi Charging Station Dock with a few Android micro USBs and Apple micro USBs.

I finally decided on setting up iOS Family Sharing for several reasons:

I can monitor the kids’ whereabouts with the iOS Find Your Friends feature;
We all have our own iCloud accounts but can share music, photos, movies, and books;
I like that each person can create his or her own contacts that will then follow them on whatever device they log into;
I wanted each child to be able to use and practice iMessage on the iOS platform–and because many of the kids’ aunts, uncles, and grandparents use iOS, I know we can all be in group chats together;
I wanted the kids’ friends to be able to Facetime them;
We have 5 iOS devices in the house, and Maddy just got an iPhone;
With WebSafety, I can even more closely monitor what happens on each device, with each child.

Is Family Sharing for you? Check it out. Learn more. Decide–because it’s got to feel like a good fit.

**********

Here’s how we have set up Family Sharing for our iOS devices and how you can too:

Believe me, it’s a bit time-consuming, but you can–and should–set aside an hour to do it for your kids’ safety.

1. Log into your iCloud account on your device. If you don’t have an iCloud account, create one: www.icloud.com.

2. Make sure you have a payment method set up in iTunes. You may have to put in your credit card. It’s annoying, but just do it.

3. Now, set up iCloud account for each child.

how to set up iphone for family sharing so that the whole family stays cyber safe | teachmama.com

Head over to your child’s device and log into your iCloud account.

Go to SETTINGS -> ICLOUD -> click on FAMILY
ADD FAMILY MEMBER -> Create an Apple ID for a child
Enter BIRTHDAY -> AGREE to Parent Privacy Disclosure ->
Verify Payment Method by entering the 3-digit security code on back of card ->
Enter child’s name ->
Create Apple ID (I used the same as the kids’ gmail address) ->
Create Apple ID password ->
Create Security Questions ->
Ask to Buy: YES ->
Share Child’s Location with Family: YES ->
Terms and Conditions: Agree

4. Set up your child’s email on the device. If your child has a gmail account, you want to merge the gmail account with the iCloud account. That way, all friends who have the gmail account can very easily connect with the child using that account.

Go to SETTINGS -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars ->
Go to iCloud.com on your browser.
Sign into your child’s iCloud account.
Go to Manage Account.
Go to Account -> Edit.
Add an email address.
Click Done and sign out.

how to set up iphone for family sharing so that the whole family stays cyber safe | teachmama.com

5. Set up Messaging and Facebook on your child’s device.

Go to SETTINGS -> GENERAL -> MESSAGES -> SEND & RECEIVE and make sure that iMessage is activated for your child.
Remove any accounts you do not want on this device. (My own account was on several iPads, so I removed it!)
Go to AUDIO MESSAGES and VIDEO MESSAGES and make sure they never expire.
Go to SETTINGS -> GENERAL -> FACETIME and make sure that Facetime is activated for your child.
Go to SETTINGS -> PRIVACY -> LOCATION SERVICES and make sure that you have Share My Location enabled.

6. Go to the APP STORE and search for WEB SAFETY (WebSafety for Android / WebSafety for iOS).

Download the WebSafety app onto the device.
If you haven’t created a Web Safety account for yourself, do that now. It’s free. And awesome.
Log in and register your child on your child’s device. That means, you’ll log into your WebSafety account and choose either ‘Protect this device and track activity’/ MY CHILD OR ‘Provide me notifications about my children’s protected devices’/ PARENT OR GUARDIAN.
If you choose MY CHILD, you’ll add your child to this device.
We have WebSafety added to Maddy, Owen, and Cora’s phones and iOS device that they use. It’s not because we don’t trust them; rather, it’s because we want to be aware of their online activities and because we love them and want them to be safe.

7. Almost finished! Promise. Now, go to iCloud -> SIGN OUT of your iCloud account on your child’s device.

8. Now, on that child’s device, sign into your child’s iCloud. This will mean that the child will kind of ‘own’ the device.

9. Enable Restrictions on the child’s device. (This. Is. HUGE.)

Go to SETTINGS -> GENERAL -> RESTRICTIONS.

Enter a passcode that only you will know.
Create restrictions for all that you want to manage. This is what we ALLOWED:
- Safari
- Camera
- Siri & Dictation
- Facetime
- AirDrop (on newer devices)
- iTunes store
- Apple Music Connect
- iBooks Store
- Podcasts
- News
- Installing Apps
- Deleting Apps
- DID NOT ALLOW In-App Purchases
ALLOWED CONTENT:
- Ratings for: US
- Music, Podcasts & News: CLEAN
- MOVIES: PG
- TV Shows: TV-PG
- Books: RESTRICTED
- Apps: 9+
- Siri: RESTRICTED (did not allow Explicit Language / DID allow Web Search Content — but you may change this)
- Websites: LIMIT ADULT CONTENT
- Password Settings: REQUIRE AFTER 15 MINUTES
PRIVACY: (This is a big one!)
- Location Services: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES / Share my Location: YES from THIS DEVICE with family / Go into each App that uses Location Services and modify accordingly. If it’s a device that will mostly stay home, then turn off Location Sharing for most Apps.
- Contacts: ALLOW CHANGES (I allowed this so that the kids can add their friends.)
- Calendars: ALLOW CHANGES
- Reminders: ALLOW CHANGES
- Photos: ALLOW CHANGES (I allowed changes here but removed photo-sharing from many Apps and games.)
- Share my Location: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
- Bluetooth Sharing: ALLOW CHANGES
- Microphone: ALLOW CHANGES (I allowed changes here but removed from many Apps and games.)
- Twitter: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
- Facebook: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
- Advertising: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
Allow Changes
- Accounts: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
- Cellular Data Use: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
- Background App Refresh: DON’T ALLOW CHANGES
- Volume Limit: ALLOW CHANGES (But if kids are young maybe not)
Game Center
- Multiplayer Games: ON (My kids like Minecraft and play regularly)
- Adding Friends: OFF

10. Now, create a Family Media Agreement.

And talk to your kids regularly about online safety, being online, and being a responsible cyber-citizen.

Talk about communicating effectively online. Set up texting groups with family members.

Monitor, monitor, monitor.

Use WebSafety.

One of the best ways I’ve found to stay connected and on top of things? Being online myself.

If you want or need a start, here:

This post is part of our Digital Kids series:

best books as gifts for everyone on your list

by Teach Mama November 23, 2015

written by Teach Mama

gift guide best books as gifts | teachmama's picks | teachmama.com

Books are all over our home, all of the time.

Tons of books–books from book fairs, from yard sales, from the library, from school, from friends, from publishers–you name it.

We are a book-loving family through and through, and for that I am grateful.

So which books out of the sea of millions, should you pick up for your kids this year? We’ve got them right here. And if you need more ideas, definitely look at our Best Books as Gifts post from last year. They’re both perfectly usable. Books don’t go out of style.

And really, I’m often about a year (or five) or so behind on books, so there’s that.

Anyway, here is our biggie–the list for which I am particularly proud this year, since (eeeeeeee!) my book (yay!!), of course (yippppeeeee!), has made the cut (I still can’t believe I wrote a book!!).

Here’s the skinny. . .

Best Books as Gifts:

If you need something slightly younger, check out our Preschool Gift Guide or even our Toddler Gift Guide, and if you need something a little older, check out our Elementary School Gift Guide or our Middle School Gift Guide. Phew. We’ve been busy.

Click on the image or click on the link; they’ll both take you where you can quickly grab the product, and we even found a few great deals for you.

Best Books as Gifts for the Littler Guys

My Pen, by Christopher Myers — How I love this book! Christopher Myers’ black and white illustrations and share what his pen does, where it takes him, and what worlds it can open. The big message? ‘So if you have a pen, see what you can do–Let those worlds inside your pen out!’

Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep, by Barney Saltzberg — My kids often have a tough time falling a sleep, so this book made us all smile. Little Chengdu’s wide eyes at night, when they should be shut, remind our difficult-sleepers that sometimes sleep is hard for everyone to find.

Waiting, by Kevin Henkes — A new book by our beloved author, Waiting is different–it’s subtle, it’s simple, and it will certainly leave even our youngest readers thinking.

***

Little Tree, by Loren Long — I totally heart Loren Long, so I knew when I picked this book up, I’d love it immediately–and I did. It’s a sweet story about learning to let go. Everyone needs this book.

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Who, by Jill Esbaum — Every, single person that everyone should know is covered in this book. Well, almost. In typical National Geographic Kids’ publication style, bright colors, varied fonts, and eye-catching graphics will help kids appreciate and love this text.

I Am Yoga, by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds — As a woman who needs yoga to maintain her sanity on a day to day basis, I love this book because it’s a great way to show children the powerful benefits of yoga pracitce.

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National Geographic Kids WHY?: Over 1,111 Answers to Everything, by Crispin Boyer — My kids–and most kids I know–can get lost in a book like this for hours and hours and hours. Tons of fun facts. Tons of answers to questions they have. And fab photos for everything.

A Friend for Lakota: The Incredible True Story of a Wolf Who Braved Bullying, by Jim and Jamie Dutcher — Similar to the style of Sams and Stoick, A Friend for Lakota uses natural photos of animals to tell a real story that will definitely resonate with children.

One Busy Day: A Story for Brothers and Sisters, by Lola M. Schaefer and illustrated by Jessica Meserve — A little sister just wants to play with her big brother.

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Manners Mash-Up: A Goofy Guide to Good Behavior, by tons of famous illustrators, like Tedd Arnold, Adam Rex, Judy Schachner and Bob Shea — Kids will love this mash-up of manner posters, each created for a different location by a different talented artist.

The Iridescence of Birds: A Book about Henri Matisse, by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Hadley Hooper — I have had my eye on this book for a long time now because the illustrations are beautiful, and it gives us a tiny glimpse into the life of one of our masters. Kids will enjoy this one.

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude, by Kevin O’Malley and illustrated by Carol Heyer and Scott Goto — A girl and boy struggle to collaborate when telling a story, so readers get a little bit of princess and a little bit of motorcycle dude.

***

Best Books as Gifts for the Bigger Guys

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: Book One, The Sword of Summer, by Rick Riordan –This is the newest series by Rick Riordan, and it. Is. Awesome. Unlike the Percy Jackson series (also awesome) which deals with Greek gods and goddesses, Magnus Chase focuses on Norse mythology. Bring on the Vikings!

A Treasury of Norse Mythology, by Donna Jo Napoli and illustrated by Christina Balit — A perfect companion to the Magnus Chase series, this extraordinary book will keep kids reading–and learning–along with a series they love! Read it and also check our our Norse Mythology 101 post.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book Set, by Rick Riordan — My kids went nuts for Percy Jackson this summer. I mean nuts. Owen and Maddy zipped through the series in no time flat–the books are that good. Percy is a likable, easy to love character, and young readers especially connect with his school challenges and honest. Check out our 10 Cool Ways to Read the Percy Jackson series post.

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Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes, by Rick Riordan and illustrated by John Rocco — My kids were obsessed with this series this past summer, and Owen and Maddy literally devoured anything and everything I put in front of them that had to do with Greek Gods or Greek Heroes. The Greek Heroes is the newer book, but Greek Gods is equally as good. My hope is that when our kids hit The Iliad and The Odyssey in high school and their classics units, they’ll rock it.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 10–Old School, by Jeff Kinney — The latest and greatest from everyone’s favorite–Jeff Kinney. Our book fair delivered like four boxes of this book, and nearly every one of them was sold.

Shark Whisperer and Shark Rider, by Ellen Prager — These two are part of the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians series, and Maddy loved them. She said they were kind of like an underwater Harry Potter.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: The Illustrated Edition, by J.K. Rowling and illustrated by Jim Kay — I cannot wait to get my hands on this book. What I have seen is amazing. What I have read about it say

Wonder, by R. J. Palacio — Seriously the best book I’ve read in ages, I believe that every child should read this. Perfect for a nighttime read aloud.

365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts, by R. J. Palacio — A little bit of Wonder every single day. Yes, please.

***

Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper — A beautiful and heart-wrenching story about a young girl whose physical disabilities cause her tremendous challenges. And she can’t speak. But her mind is sharp, which makes it all harder to take. Another one that all kids should read.

A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park — Two different people telling a similar story about the difficulties of life in Sudan, this is based on a true story. Maddy loved, loved, loved this, and I cannot wait to read it.

I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education And Changed The World (Young Readers Edition), by Malala Yousafzai — We shared our love for Malala and her awesomeness earlier this fall, so I highly recommend that this book finds its way to every, single home. Kids need to read this.

Best Books as Gifts for Families

Raising a Rock-Star Reader: 75 Quick Tips for Helping Your Child Develop a Lifelong Love of Reading, by Allison McDonald and me (yay!) — This is the book for anyone who cares for kids. It’s jam-packed with 75 quick tips that parents can do today to help their children develop a love of reading. For real. I teamed up with Allison McDonald to share every awesome tip you need to raise readers. You’ll love it. The feedback has been awesome, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. We’re #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases for Reading and Teaching Materials. For real. Free resources to use alongside the book. Written in everyday language that everyone can understand. Nothing too stressful–kind of like you and your bff chatting over coffee about cool things to do with your kids.

Humans of New York: Stories, by Brandon Stanton — It’s no secret that I’m a little bit of a Brandon Stanton fan; every time we’re in New York City, I have all three of my kids scan the streets for him. I love Humans of New York (HONY) and follow the accounts on just about every social platform. What I love most about HONY is the stories. I love the look inside total strangers’ lives–the sharing of big and little moments of their life; I truly believe that it makes this big, wide world that much smaller, knowing that we all share similar struggles. Is this for every ‘big kid’? I would use your judgement for sure. Much of the content can be heavy–but I do think it sparks meaningful conversation between kids and parents.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo — I cannot wait to share the love I feel for this book (let me get through the holidays first!), but until then, just get it. It really is life-changing.

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Coloring Crush, by Klutz — Coloring in the coolest new way. Beautiful designs. Relaxing. New.

Harry Potter Creatures Coloring Book or Harry Potter Coloring Book, or even Harry Potter Magical Places and Characters, by Scholastic — Really? How could you go wrong with this?

Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Coloring Book, by Johanna Bastford — A bit of a game alongside coloring, and I think my kids will really like this. Cannot wait to see their faces when they open these beautiful books!

***

Nature Poetry: More than 200 Poems With Photographs that Float, Zoom, and BOOM!, by J Patrick Lewis — Poetry alongside photos? National Geographic style? I’m all for introducing your kids to different genres, and often poetry gets a backseat. Not with this book.

National Geographic Kids Guide to Photography: Tips and Tricks on How to Be a Great Photographer From the Pros and Your Pals at My SHOT, by Nancy Honovich and Annie Griffiths — With mobile devices at every child’s fingertips, everyone’s a photographer. This book is a quick and easy read, and kids can open the book to any page and grab a tip they can use that very day. Super-cool book for every digital kid.

The Global Education Toolkit for Elementary Learners, by Homa Sabet Tavanger and Becky Morales — Everything a parent or teacher needs to know about teaching their children about global education. What’s ‘global education’ you ask? Teaching children about inclusion, tolerance, cooperation, appreciation, and really, how to change the world. Love this. Looooove this.

***

The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You, by Jessica Turner — I’ve shared my Fringe Hours love this year, and so if you don’t yet have this book, it’s time to treat yourself. For moms, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, neighbors. We all need this.

The Curious Kid’s Science Book: 100+ Creative, Hands-On Activities for Ages 4-8, by Asia Citro — Tons of really cool, manageable, and well planned science activities, from one of the most creative women I know. This is worth picking up, friends, out of all the science-y books out there. Great ideas for preschoolers, for weekends with elementary schoolers, or for playdates.

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate — I cannot even begin to express what a beautiful book this is. It’s sad, yes. It’s very sad. But also? It’s happy. Every child should read it.

I am so very, very, very excited about these items, and I think you will be, too.

Need a few more great ideas?

Here are our 2015 gift guides:

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teachmama gift guide best gifts for preschoolers

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best gifts for middle schoolers | teachmama.com | teachmama's picks

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Want a few more holiday-inspired gift ideas or activities?

Click on the images below:

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Follow Teach Mama’s board christmas ideas for kids and family on Pinterest.

November 23, 2015 2 comments

handmade gifts for teachers teachmama.com

Best Of Teach Mama christmas holidays

handmade gifts for the whole family

by Teach Mama November 23, 2015

written by Teach Mama

handmade gifts for teachers teachmama.com

Friends.

You know I’ve been doing some work with Klutz lately, and it’s been a blast.

A few weeks ago, we held a twitter event filled where the main focus was to share ideas for handmade gifts for the whole family. What was shared was amazing. Honestly. I’m ready to clear off the table and get my craft ON.

So I thought I’d share a bit from that event so that if you weren’t able to make it, you’d still get the info. And? You can even win all FIVE of the books I share here. For real. So that your family can make handmade gifts this year, too! Woot!

Because we all know how handmade gifts are loved by the whole family, right? Right!

Here’s the skinny. . .

Handmade Gifts for the Whole Family:

These are gifts that kids can make–because we of course want them to have a hand in gift-giving and also know how important it is to give gifts that come from the heart.

From our twitter chat, folks came up with fabulous handmade gift ideas:

photo books filled with memories;
personalized holiday cards with Stencil Art;
time–helping someone in need fold laundry, clean, or do household chores;
practical items for teachers like small shelves (have your child decorate them!);
themed gift baskets;
homemade soap;
homemade taco seasoning (or other spice or extract);
gift card with handwritten note;
Design & Dye totes for teachers;
reusable photo tote bag;
photo ornaments;
mugs with hot cocoa or tea to de-stress;
homemade cookies or candies;
whistle with a handmade laminated name tag for a coach;
handmade coupon book for babysitters;
decorated notepads with pen holders;
handpainted frame with inspirational quote;
anything food related with ingredients to make it all in one bowl;
simple, heartfelt thank you notes (especially for teachers!);
reusable fabric giftbags;
salt dough with a child’s handprint;
personalized kitchen towels;
the ideas go on and on!

We also talked about the best ways to master gift-wrapping, how to get kids involved in gift-giving. Check out some of the super cool ideas by following #KlutzHandmade on twitter!

And now check out our fave picks for handmade gifts for each member of the family:

Mom & Grandma:

Charm Bracelet Studio makes it super accessible for anyone to make gorgeous pieces of jewelry.

Each design is outlined in simple, step-by-step instructions, making the designs manageable to create.

These bracelets are seriously beautiful and so easy to make, and they’ll stand out among Mom or Grandma’s current arm candy. They’ll be the talk of every book club, PTA meeting, office event, or lunch date. Right?

No matter where they’re worn, they’ll put a smile on Mom or Grandma’s face.

Not only will kids love taking the time to create these charms, but anyone who receives a charm bracelet will wear it with pride.

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Best Handmade Gifts for Dad & Grandpa:

String Art is the perfect handmade gift for Dad and Grandpa!

Whether you create a piece of String Art for home or the office, it will definitely bring a smile to Dad or Grandpa’s face.

The coolest thing is the possibilities with String Art!

Consider creating a String Art:

Framed photo of you or the family;
Favorite team mascot;
Pet-inspired item;
Set of three similar designs for a wall;
Sports themed masterpiece;
Design made with Dad or Grandpa’s favorite colors!

Want to take a little look at our experience with String Art? Definitely check it out: Best Tween Birthday Gifts.

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Best Handmade Gifts for Sisters and Friends:

Shrink & Link Jewelry may be one of the coolest things we have seen in a while.

Shrink & Link Jewelry is just that: shrinky pieces linked together! Sounds crazy, but it’s not. The finished pieces are beautiful, bright, and stylish.

The Shrink & Link book gives jewelry creators so many options that there is definitely something for every, single sister or friend.

Consider making a:

Keychain;
Backpack bling;
Necklace;
Barrette;
Best friend or sisters forever bracelet;
Zipper charm;
Matching sets;
School mascot or team-colored pieces.

So many options! And really, they are a blast to create!

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Best Handmade Gifts for Brother:

Star Wars Folded Flyers shows you step by step how to create replicas of the Star Wars flyers. Really.

And the coolest thing is that you can do a number of things with these little planes:

Put them all together for a Star Wars mobile;
Stick them onto a black canvas for a Star Wars work of art;
Gift them solo or in bunches;
Add a folded flyer to the top of a Star Wars themed gift!

The possibilities are endless. All I know is that Star Wars fans–whether it’s a brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, parent, or friend–will love these folded flyers!

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Handmade Gifts for Teachers:

handmade gifts for teachers teachmama.com

Window Art is so much fun to make, it’s crazy.

It’s addicting. Kids love it.

And teachers, who spend hours in their classrooms every day, will absolutely love to have some handmade Window Art from their students!

handmade gifts for teachers teachmama.com

If a teacher isn’t in a classroom with windows (believe me, it sounds awful, but for so many this is the case!), then Window Art still works on the glass panes of a door or closet.

Really get creative with Window Art! Consider:

Making a holiday-themed collection;
Giving your teacher a new window art creation each month (like a subscription service!);
Creating his or her name in Window Art;
Making the school mascott;
Creating a themed series: animals, flowers, sports, etc.

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Do you want to sneak a peek at our Klutz blogger event? It was so fun, and you’ll I’m sure see some familiar faces! (And you’ll see the Klutz studio in NYC!)

Check it out:

Check out our other posts filled with Klutz books love:

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fyi: This post was written as part of a partnership with Klutz, but as always, my opinions are all my own, influenced only by my personal experience as a parent and educator–and, of course, my three little crafty-crafters.

fyi: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Forever and always I recommend only products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” For more information, please see teachmama media, llc. disclosure policy.

November 23, 2015 17 comments

5 cool handmade gifts tweens love to make | teachmama.com

christmas holidays

5 cool handmade gifts that tweens love to make

by Teach Mama November 12, 2015

written by Teach Mama

Let’s face it: we’re all busy–even our kids.

As they get older, they’re juggling homework, activities, sports, lessons, chores (ahem. . . ), and friends, so when our kids carve out the time to create a handmade gift, it really means a lot.

Believe it or not, friends, now is an ideal time to start thinking about the holidays. So we’ve got some cool handmade gifts that tweens will love to make. Really.

Huge thanks to my friends at Klutz who just keep designing these cool books that tweens truly adore. Clear directions, illustrations, and examples will make it so easy for kids to learn these crafts.

And that means our kids will keep their hands busy gift-making while they watch Descendants for the millionth time.

We also have a fun way for you to get your hands on some of these books as well, because I don’t just want you to read about them–I want you to have them!

Here’s the skinny. . .

5 Cool Handmade Gifts That Tweens Will Love to Make:

Create Pop Collage Bookmarks!

These little fun and fab bookmarks take no time at all to create, but they take time to dry because of the Pop Collage glaze you put over top.

You can pretty much Pop Collage anything, but making bookmarks as little gifts is a fun and inexpensive way to make something really useful for a friend or loved one.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

My kids have always loved small things, so these Pop Collage Bookmarks bring the fun of Pop Collage to a smaller scale.

And bookmarks encourage more reading, right? It’s a win.

If you want to download the bookmark template, you can do that right here: blank bookmarks teachmama.com

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

For gift-giving, consider:

name bookmarks for cousins;
photo bookmarks for friends;
bright bookmarks for older friends;
a set of holiday-themed bookmarks;
book-inspired bookmarks along with the book that matches!

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

Try some Finger Knitting!

Finger Knitting is so fun–and a lot easier than it seems!

5 cool handmade gifts that tweens love to make finger knitted fringe teachmama.com

Maddy. Loves. Finger. Knitting.

And the things she has created in no time flat are amazing.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

The Finger Knitting book comes with enough yarn to create over a dozen projects, but the cool thing is that kids will really take this where they want to go, on their own.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

Maddy made an amazing fringe necklace in one afternoon, just by knitting two long pieces, about 18″ each.

She wove them together, and then she added a fun fringe.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

5 cool handmade gifts that tweens love to make finger knitted flower teachmama.com

She also made a beautiful flower that adds a totally fun flare to just about anything. She can use it as an add-on to her backpack, to brighten up a black carry-on, or as a bracelet or pin.

So fun and so pretty.

But best of all? It’s a one-of-a-kind piece!

For gift-giving, consider finger knitting:

scarves;
boot toppers;
hats;
flower barrettes or pins.

The possibilities are endless!

Make Mini Pom-Pom Pets!

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

Not even kidding, Mini Pom-Pom Pets are totally addicting to make.

And they’re easy. And these are super for tweens to make for their friends or little cousins. They can create whole Pom-Pom Pet families, put them in a tiny bag, and cousins will love them.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

We made tons of these little fuzzy pets this summer during a crafty playdate with friends, and each little animal was cuter than the next.

The girls made mice, ducks, chicks, and a fox.

They made bunnies and kittens.

Frogs and fish, bears and some we weren’t really sure of.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

For gift-giving, consider:

a little animal family–cats or dogs are easy!
tiny monsters with googly eyes;
creating pets for dolls;
making a mini-farm or zoo;
making animals to accompany a book!

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

Make some Personalized Friendship Bracelets!

These Personalized Friendship Bracelets take a little more time to create, but they are beautiful.

And once kids get the hang of it, they’ll be able to pound these out in the span of one afternoon ‘hangout’ (because tweens don’t have playdates anymore–they ‘hangout’).

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

The Personalized Friendship Bracelet book shows you in clear, simple steps how to add letters, shapes, and a whole lot of awesome into those knotted bracelets we all used to make when we were younger.

I know that we topped out at the simple back-and-forth stripes; this book gives you directions on how to make letters, shapes, emojis, you name it. It’s all about bringing something simple up to a whole new level.

I’m 100% sure that once moms see this book, they’ll want to get in on the fun, too. And before you know it, they’ll be Personalized Friendship Bracelet-Makers, too.

For gift-giving, consider:

name bracelets for cousins;
initials for friends;
hashtag bracelets;
favorite team or school colors!

Coffee Coasters (made with Potholders And Other Loopy Projects book)

Cora had a blast making these–what we called Coffee Coasters–and she’s really just beginning her loopy bonanza.

I remember making potholders when I was young, and these feel the same way I remember them.

But this Klutz book is so packed with cool and creative new ways to use loopy projects, it’s awesome.

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

For gift-giving, consider these loopy project ideas:

a set of coasters for grandparents;
school colors for teachers;
sewing coasters together to make hotplates;
tic-tac-toe boards!

5 handmade gifts tweens love | teachmama.com

Seriously–How cool are these books from Klutz?

Want to check out a few other crafty crafts from our friends at Klutz?

November 12, 2015 5 comments

halloween holidays

halloween bookmarks: make your own

by Teach Mama October 19, 2015

written by Teach Mama

halloween bookmarks make your own teachmama.com

I’m always looking for quick and easy Halloween crafts, ones that are perfect for class parties and playdates.

And this year, since we’re doing a little something different with our class party (more on that later!), we only have a few short minutes for a hands-on activity.

No crazy pumpkin match games like last year. No super cool game stations. No GHOST Bingo. No spooky treats.

Not for grade four.

This year, the kids will make some Halloween Bookmarks–they’ll make their own using stickers and stamps.

And it’ll be the perfect activity to pair with Halloween Word Search after the kids finish their snacks.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Halloween Bookmarks– Make Your Own!

halloween bookmarks make your own teachmama.com

All you need for Halloween Bookmarks are a few simple things:

white cardstock
a mix of ribbons –nothing fancy!–go with Halloween colors: orange, black, white, purple
Halloween stickers
alphabet stickers
Halloween stamps
scissors
hole punch

halloween bookmark printable | teachmama.com

halloween bookmarks blank teachmama.com

Download the Halloween Bookmark printable by signing up below:

halloween bookmarks make your own teachmama.com

Cut out the bookmarks and punch a hole in the top over the circle.

Allow kids to grab the color they want and let them loose on the stickers and stamps!

halloween bookmarks make your own teachmama.com

Encourage kids to design their bookmarks freely.

goodness knows they don’t get enough time to craft and create on their own terms!

But if kids need an idea–or if you want to make some samples–consider:

Boo!
Happy Halloween
Reading Rocks
Spooky
Trick-or-Treat

halloween bookmarks make your own teachmama.com

When kids are finished decorating, tie a ribbon through the center hole, and you’re finished!

Just my kind of activity–no glue, quick and easy, and super-fun for kids to personalize. Sure, there’s a bit of prep–in printing and cutting the bookmarks–but relatively speaking, this is a pretty easy craft.

And parents will love this kind of treat, especially considering the amount of candy kids will come home with after Trick-or-Treating is over.

halloween bookmarks make your own teachmama.com

Need some more? Got a whole other party planned for you here:

(No joke. . . you can thank me later! Just click the picture!)

Want a few more fun halloween party ideas?

fyi: Affiliate links are used in this post, which means that every time you purchase something using one of our links, we get at teeny, tiny percentage of the sale. so. . . thank you for using them, friends!

October 19, 2015 1 comment

reading

Raising a Rock-Star Reader: sneak peek and pre-order!

by Teach Mama October 11, 2015

written by Teach Mama

I cannot even BELIEVE that today is here, friends, but it is.

I have co-written a book–a lifelong dream of mine–and to say I am excited is an understatement.

I am completely and totally thrilled.

Over the moon energized and elated, dance-around-the-room happy.

The fabulous and totally rad Allison McDonald of No Time for Flashcards and I wrote this book. Allie and I are longtime buddies, and we co-anchor the Scholastic Parents Raise a Reader blog, so we put our heads together and put a lot of our most popular content and teacher-insider tips together in this book.

But we’re both busy, working, over-stretched, and always tired parents, so we wanted to really make this work for parents and caregivers just like us.

We all want to do the best for our kids, but we often don’t know how or where to begin. This book is a great place to start.

It’s published by Scholastic. It releases on November 10th. Eeeeeeeeeee! So, so, SO Excited.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Raising a Rock-Star Reader–Sneak Peek and Pre-Order:

I do have to clarify: this book is for every person who cares for kids. Every, single parent, aunt, grandparent. Every caregiver, babysitter, neighbor, friend of children.

And it’s not about shoving books in your kids’ faces every single second of the day. No way.

It’s about raising kids who love to read.

So we called it: Raising A Rock-Star Reader: 75 Quick Tips to Help Your Child Develop a Lifelong Love of Reading.

And that’s just what it is–a book that you can throw in your purse, diaper bag, or backpack, pick up whenever you get a chance, skim through and find a quick–but meaningful–activity that you could use right there and then with your child.

And these aren’t activities to simply pass time or aimlessly fill afternoons, my friends; these are activities that will allow you to spend meaningful time with your child, helping him or her develop important reading and literacy skills. Little things that you can do whether you are at the park or in your playroom, in the car or on the sidelines, whether you have five minutes or twenty-five.

All the same kinds of things I’ve been sharing here on the ole bloggy blog for the last eight years. Activities that empower parents to be the best teachers they can be for their children. Because really, we are our kids’ first and most important teacher!

Okay, so I cannot tell you everything now, but I’ll tell you this:

You can order the book here: Raising a Rock-Star Reader.

You can find everything you need to know about the book here: Raising A Rock-Star Reader super site.

You will get a sneak peek before the November 10th release! 75 awesome and amazing influencers will be sharing their take on our book for 30 days leading up to our book launch (75 tips, 75 influencers–get it?), and Allie and I will be sharing that info too. We are so grateful for these guys and gals, and we want you to see how awesome they are, too!

You will get a rock-star reading tip each day on Instagram #RaiseAReader — so follow along and share! Share your tips and let us know what you think. We know you all have tons of advice and tricks up your sleeve, too!

You can ask questions and get up close and personal with Allie and me on Periscope. We’ll let you know the deets, but we’re going to be doing a bunch of ‘scoping in the next few days and weeks!

You will not believe what’s coming. We will have an insane giveaway to announce on November 10th. Think big, friends. I mean really, really big.

A million, trillion thanks for walking this walk with me and for being around for this exciting time. Your support and encouragement is more appreciated than you will ever know.

Have any questions? Any comments or ideas? We’d love to hear them!

October 11, 2015 1 comment

Best Of Teach Mama family life school

show your kids how to study: 5 easy ways

by Teach Mama September 24, 2015

written by Teach Mama

show kids how to study | teachmama.com

One thing I have come to realize, after years of teaching and tutoring, is that kids really don’t know how to study.

We may tell them to study before a test or quiz, but that doesn’t mean they know what that really means.

Their teachers remind them to study, but that doesn’t mean that kids really will.

Kids may believe they know how to study, but I’m willing to bet that they honestly have no clue.

It’s time, with the start of a new school year, that parents actually sit down with their children and talk to them about what studying really means and how to do it.

show kids how to study teachmama.com

Grab a pen or paper. Grab some Post-it® Super Sticky Notes. Grab a highlighter.

Review these strategies yourself, and then grab your kid and share with him or her.

Here are five easy ways that parents, today, can show their kids how to study.

It’s not rocket science, but it’s worth repeating.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Show Your Kids How to Study–5 Easy Ways:

Did you know that in a Back-to-School STEM Research Study, recently conducted by the Post-it® Brand, it was reported that 79% of parents believe their students’ homework is harder now than it was when they were in school?

Is that true for you? Do you believe that homework is harder now? If that’s a fact, then our kids need more help than we got. Let’s give it to them.

1. Re-write notes.

When students re-write notes in neater, more easy-to-read bits, it helps them to better understand the concepts they’re learning.

Oftentimes, students’ notes are a mess and are taken in haste in class.

Start by gathering all of the papers with notes on them. Read over them to get a sense of what was discussed, and highlight or circle the main points.

Consider grabbing a Post-it® Flag–how fun are the bright colors of the World of Color Rio de Janeiro collection?!–and use them to easily mark each important point.

Then re-write the notes on a fresh sheet of paper in a more organized way. It will help!

show kids how to study teachmama.com

2. Make a concept poster.

A concept poster is just that–a poster all about a certain topic.

Start again by gathering all of the papers and handouts on the topic. Write the main concept in the middle of the poster, and then add information about it all around, much like a brainstorm web but more organized and specific.

show kids how to study teachmama.com

Once the poster is complete, use Post-it® Super Sticky Notes to cover areas with details. Then test your knowledge on a topic by trying to remember the information that is covered. It’s a great way to practice and learn!

Another finding from the Post-it® Brand Back-to-School STEM research study found that 54% of parents think that students learn most easily by touching or participating in a hands-on activity. The creation of this poster during studying will certainly help bring the concepts to life.

______________________________

3. Re-teach. It’s undeniable that students learn by doing.

Reading over notes and having the student re-teach concepts to a parent or sibling is a super way for the student to show their level of understanding.

Have students review notes first and then take the mic. Write key vocabulary words or concepts on Post-it® Super Sticky Notes, place them on the refrigerator or wall, and have the student explain them to you.

You may be surprised at what you learn!

4. Make flashcards–and use them!

It’s one thing to make flashcards, but it’s a whole other thing to use them.

Make flashcards by cutting a piece of paper into eight small sections. You can do this easily by folding an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet in half, in half again, and then in half again. show kids how to study teachmama.com

show kids how to study teachmama.com

Write key vocabulary words or concepts on one side of the paper and the definition on the other side.

Or if you just need a way to study specific words on the go, write each word on a Post-it® Super Sticky Note and stick them together. Students can flip through the pages anywhere and any time for a quick review!

If you decided on making flash cards of any sort, here are a few ways to actually use them:

Quick Quiz: Put all of the cards in a pile with the word facing up. Have the student say the definition of the word then check for accuracy. Put all of the cards the student got correct in one pile, under a Post-it® Super Sticky Note with ‘yes’ or a smiley face and the incorrect ones in another pile, under ‘no’ or a sad face. Review the incorrect ones until they are all answered correctly.

Speed Write: The parent holds the cards and shows a card to the student. The student then writes the answer or definition on a white board or chalk board. The parent checks for accuracy, and the goal is to answer as many correctly in a certain timeframe as possible.

show kids how to study teachmama.com

Reverse It: Put all of the cards in a pile with the definition facing up. Have the student determine the word then check for accuracy. Put all of the cards the student got correct in one pile and the incorrect ones in another pile. Have the student review the incorrect ones until they are all answered correctly.

Game Show: The parent reads the definition of the word, and the student writes the correct word on a Post-it® Super Sticky Notes then places the Post-it® Super Sticky Notes on the wall. Once the student has gone through all words one time correctly, there should be quite a collage of words on the wall! As extra review, the parent reads the definitions again, and the student simply points to the correct word.

5. Comic strip your notes.

Some kids learn best by drawing, so this method is for him or her.

In fact, another finding from the Post-it® Brand Back-to-School STEM research study found that 86% of parents think the best way for their students to learn STEM-subjects is through visual learning, like reading or seeing pictures.

show kids how to study teachmama.com

Have the student review class notes and handouts. Then, using either the comic strip concept review here or Post-it® Super Sticky Notes, allow the student to draw out concepts!

It may sound difficult or even impossible, but the act of reading information and transferring it to doodles or pictures will help the student ‘own’ the information and remember it in a new way.

If you want to download the comic strip concept review, you can do so here: comic strip concept review _ teachmama.com

Studying is not easy, friends. It’s really not. But hopefully these few ways will help your child learn how to master a skill necessary for success in school from here on out!

Want all of this information in a happy little printable? Sure you do.
Print it and share it with your child. Keep it on hand for the school year. You’ll be glad you did.

If you want to download the How to Help Your Kids Study sheet, you can do so here: 5 ways to study _ teachmama.com

Want to grab the fun supplies we’ve used in this post? Sure you do.

We used the Post-it® Brand World of Color, Rio de Janeiro collection. Visit Post-it.com for information on where you can grab these for yourself.

Go ahead and get connected with the great folks at Post-it® Brand: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

fyi: This post was written as part of a partnership with Post-it® Brand, but as always, opinions and ideas are all my own, influenced only by my experience as a parent and educator.

September 24, 2015 5 comments

what I wish I knew before middle school | teachmama.com

family life school

everything I wish I knew before I started middle school: a letter to my rising 6th grader

by Teach Mama August 25, 2015

written by Teach Mama

what I wish I knew before middle school | teachmama.com

Maddy,

I have a hard time believing it’s time to send you off to the wilds of middle school, but here we are, my friend.

It seems like just yesterday your aunts and I sat on the back porch with you, making felt flowers and blinging out your backpack for kindergarten.

Sending you into the building that first day, watching your little pink backpack bouncing down the hallway, was one of the hardest things I did up to that point.

But you were ready.

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

You were prepared for the adventure, eager to start that next chapter.

And like most everything you do, you rocked it.

Just like you’ll rock middle school.

But this time, instead of sending you off with homemade flowers, I’m sending you off with advice from some friends. Our friends. Tons of great people we know from near and far.

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Tons of people who have walked this walk before and who were willing to share what they wish they knew before they started middle school. So instead of hearing a boatload of advice from your boring old mom, you can take it from a bunch of other smart, cool, super-wise people.

Pretty much everything they said holds true for your dad and me, too.

So here’s what I wish I would have known before I started middle school. (And here’s what we all want you to know):

You are smart and funny, caring, thoughtful, beautiful and brave. You have always been compassionate insightful and responsible. Just bring those things and everything else you have to share and you will be just fine. Middle school is big and fun and new, exciting and kind of confusing sometimes. Some big changes ahead. Lots of new friends, teachers, activities, choices. Guess what? Everyone around you is growing and changing at different paces and experiencing a lot of the same things as you, so don’t worry, you are not alone! Make new friends (but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold) that are as awesome as you and talk about what you are feeling and going through…I bet they can relate! Keep your chin up. Three important things I learned from my three awesome older sisters before starting middle school: 1. Be kind even when those around you are not – you won’t be sorry. 2. Go with your gut; if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not & may get you in trouble. 3. Don’t bother with boys who act like jerks even if you think they are cute. When in doubt, call an aunt. You rock, and you are so incredibly loved. -Aunt Katie

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

There will be kids that make fun of other kids and try to ‘seem’ cool and try too hard to fit in — they are usually missing something in their life. Don’t change who you are for anyone. Always be true to yourself. -Uncle Will

I wish I hadn’t ‘ditched’ my little sister in favor of school friends during middle school. God had given me a built-in BFF! – Stacey Ferguson, JusticeFergie.com

There will be moments that your world may seem like it’s ending. It’s not. These years are but a blip in the awesomeness of your life that is to come. -Erin Lane, AParentingProduction.com

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Kids can be mean. Stay strong and no matter what–Be Yourself. -Teri Edwards

I wish I had known that some of my friends would pull away from me when we got into middle school, and it was going to hurt. Alot. And sometimes middle schoolers can be just plain mean….which is especially hard when the meanness is coming from some of those former friends. I wish I had known that the meanness was more about them and not so much about me. I wish I had known that if I could just hold on, that things would be brighter and get better. And I would find new, wonderful friends…many of whom would still be my friends when I am old and gray! -Lauri Black

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Find a passion outside of school. I didn’t have a great group of friends in middle school–they were flakey and fickle, but I did have a lot of success with sports. I didn’t put all my energy into maintaining social relationships–I worked at other things and got a sense of fulfillment from my work on the soccer field and lacrosse field. I didn’t judge my worth by what my friends thought of me. I’d like to think the current WORLD CHAMP TEAM USA GIRLS felt the same. They probably had little time for time-sucking social dynamics. Find something outside of school (could be church, music, acting, collecting fossils) that makes you feel vibrant and happy. If you wait on others to validate you and make you feel successful it could be a very, very long wait. Oh, and don’t buy shoes thinking you’ll break them in–you never will. You’ll just get blisters and miss out on the fun. -Nicole Feliciano, CEO Momtrends Media.

Teenage boys will say anything VERY convincingly to get what their crazy stupid hormones want. And your crazy stupid hormones will want to believe it. Don’t. – Bon Crowder, MathFour.com

Don’t get a radical hair cut. You will never regret standing by a friend, but you will always regret NOT doing the right thing. Remove yourself from drama, and have friends outside of school. -Rebecca Levy, KidzVuz.com

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

These next few years you will be faced with a lot of change; you, your friends, expectations, school, etc. The person sitting next to you will be faced with similar challenges. You are never alone. Talk with someone who will listen and be there to support you. -Christine Quinn

The only thing I really remember about middle school is that I was tiny, a late bloomer and had no idea what the more developed girls were talking about half of the time. I longed to be cool and taller! I only wish I would have known I would grow taller than everyone else a few years later. LOL! So maybe my input would be, no matter where you are in the girly development phase… we’re all in the same boat together soon enough. Enjoy your childhood years as long as you can! There’s nothing wrong with taking your time to grow up. Just be confident and act like you know what’s going on… even if you really don’t:-) FYI – I still take this advice. Half of the time, I don’t know what I’m doing. ha! -Amy Locurto, LivingLocurto.com

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Be nice to your teachers! They are moms, dads, sisters and brothers who have feelings too. -Meredith Gordon Donate

Always remember that you’re never too old for a kiss and a hug to your mom and dad before and after school. -Audrey McClelland, MomGenerations.com

Be YOU! The next few years those around you in middle school will be discovering just exactly they think they are. Friends will get closer and friends will pull away sometimes even within the same day. Stay true to the person you know you are and how your parents have raised you to be. Find ways to express your talents an discover more about yourself through clubs, school projects, volunteering and activities outside of school. Always know that your Mom and Dad believe in you and think you a rockstar! -Kim Vij, The Educators’ Spin On It

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Drink lots of water and get into a beauty routine that involves washing your face before bed…. puberty might make your skin a hot mess for the next few years, just know you’re not alone! also…. call your AUNTS at ANY TIME of ANY DAY for ANY REASON whatsoever…. I promise we’ll be here for you. -Aunt Jenny

I loved elementary school. What I didn’t realize and I wish someone had told me is that I would love the middle school years even more!

-Grandpa

It’s a tough time in your life not sure what you are feeling and why. Talk to your parents about those feelings . They can help and do understand for they were once your age. Be yourself!! -Sara Collins Carlson

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Later, when you talk to people about middle school, you’ll be surprised at just how many of them felt awkward and uncomfortable and like they didn’t fit in. Even the “cool kids.” You are not alone in whatever you’re feeling. -Christie Matte, QuirkyFusion.com

Don’t dwell on people that don’t like you, instead, remember that there’s plenty of people out there that will like you for who you are. In addition, I wish I’d participated more in school activities. And last, have a code with your parents so that you can tell them anything and you won’t get in trouble. -Jackie Silver Confrey, Amazing Life Lessons With Jackie

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Don’t worry about what other people are thinking about you. They aren’t! They are only thinking about themselves. -Candice Kilpatrick, MomMostTraveled.com

Consider a pen pal. Perhaps a friend that moved away or a childhood friend you trust. Someone who may not go to your school but who you can be open and honest with. If not to someone, perhaps to a diary. Write about the little things that excite you or that bother you. The littlest of things may just be the biggest to you at the time. Sharing your experiences with someone you trust can help with the journey. -Liz Deery

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

I wish I had known what a great resource teachers could have been. My friends bonded with some of our teachers and got a lot of support, but I was always too shy. Also, don’t assume it’s going to be awful! There’s a danger of the self-fulfilling prophecy with so many people talking about how awful middle school is. (Coincidentally, I have a Maddie entering 6th grade in the fall, also!) -Kakki Reynolds Lewis, KatherineLewis.com

The kids who are cool in middle school are rarely the kids who are cool as grown ups. Doesn’t make it any easier I know, but your day will come!!! -Danica Kombol, Everywhere Agency

Try your best to be nice… Even when it feels hard …be a loyal friend… Don’t keep secrets from mom and dad and follow your heart. Fitting in isn’t as important as being yourself, although that’s hard to understand now. Being you is the best part about being you! -Jennifer Flamish Lang

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

1. You are loved.
2. You have boundaries because you are loved and we want the best for you. Experience is “a” teacher, not the “best” teacher.
3. Choose friends wisely. It’s takes time to make “good” friends. Don’t rush it. Watch a “friends” behavior over time.
4. Be a good friend. Stand up for what is right even when it’s not popular.
5. Stay connected to family (including siblings).
6. Mommy and Daddy are praying for you everyday. You are smart. You are kind. You are beautiful. -Kinta Jones, Mom of 3 (rising 9th grader, 7th grader, and 5th grader)

To not worry about being in with the cool crowd- look for friends who are your friend for you and stand by you! -Melissa Northway, DandelionMoms.com

Yes, you will meet new friends, but it won’t be a chore. Yes, there will be be the popular crowd, which my children never strived to be in. It all comes in time! You will meet good friends. They will be friends throughout high school. – Jodi Siarkas, JodiSiarkas.com

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Learn everything you can about hormones because they are about to RUN YOUR LIFE. Pray for yourself and your momma too! -Donne´ Allen

When you kiss someone for the first time it will be wet and awkward. Afterward, your heart will flutter a bit. It is normal. Boys and girls can be mean. Sometimes boys say mean things because they think you are cute and don’t know what to say. Girls tend to be mean because they are insecure. It is difficult to understand this when you are experiencing it, but true.-Christine Quinn

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

Friendships may wax and wane. Your best friends, or your whole circle, may change, or not. Don’t be afraid to reach out and make new friends, or try something new. A new school offers a great chance to do that. What seems normal for everyone else may not be normal for you. The other kids are rarely what they appear to be anyway. They just look like they have it more together from the outside. Most people have the same insecurities and just want to be liked. People will remember your kindness, and you will be rewarded for it. (Having had a child enter middle school, high school and college, this is pretty much the advice I have given and that has been acted upon. It holds for every transition.) -Suz Lipman, Slow Family Online

what I wish I knew before middle school teachmama.com

middle school advice _ teachmama.com

Remember that you’re a team–mom and dad are all going to Middle School for the first time. .Good friends can be males or females. Girls tend to be more wicked in MS than at any other time in their lives. Boys need a friend who’s a girl to let them know when they’re being gross. .Be nice to the caf ladies–It may mean some extra fries.. A please and thank you will go a long way! Always pack your things the night before. Even plan what you’ll be wearing the next day. Getting up in the morning is difficult enough! The last thing you will want to do is be running around looking for things in the morning! Don’t make your parents have to bring something you forgot into school! Don’t be afraid to be a leader. Sometimes, you may need to be a follower. Never, ever, ever follow, when you know you should be leading! Be nice to the custodians… They are the ones who’ll open your jammed locker. If you see a piece of paper on the floor, pick it up! Be nice to the secretaries. They will lend you lunch money if you forget your money on the kitchen table! Just be nice to everyone. Just enjoy school and your life! As it is said, ” You’ll never pass this way again.” – Carolyn Roman, Spanish teacher 38 years

Maddy, you’ve totally got this.

We’re proud of you and we love you more than you will ever know. Always remember that no matter what, as long as the stars shine and this great, big world turns, you will have an army of friends and family and behind you, ready to catch you when you fall and give you a high five when you rock it.

You are prepared for this adventure, and we are all excited for you to start this next chapter.

Let the fun begin!

xoxo

mom & dad

Huge and happy thanks to my many friends and family members who helped write this post. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Do you want to download all of this awesome advice and print it out for your little love? I don’t blame you.

You can download it here: middle school advice _ teachmama.com

And if you choose to share it–which we hope you do!–please link to this post instead of the attachment page. Thank you!

August 25, 2015 0 comments

find the best school for your kids | teachmama.com

family life school

what to consider when choosing a school for your child: parent checklist

by Teach Mama August 17, 2015

written by Teach Mama

What to Consider When Choosing a School for Your Child–Parent Checklist:

I’ll admit it. My husband slept out in his car overnight in order to get Maddy on the list for her preschool at 2 1/2 years old.

And though we loved the school, what we didn’t know was how class enrollment would chosen the next year. And what happened was that Maddy’s name was put in a lottery, and her name was picked for the afternoon class.

find the best school for your kids | teachmama.com

With a 1 year old and another baby on the way, an afternoon start would not work for our family.

So we had to pick up and move schools. Had I known this is how enrollment for the 3’s classes was handled, would I have started there? I’m not even sure.

Here are some questions I’d suggest you look into finding answers to before your littles start school:

Location:

How far is the school?
How long is the commute?
How easy is parking?
Does the school feel welcoming?
Are classrooms clean, airy, and open?

Frequency:

How often will class meet?
How long is the class day?
Are there before care or aftercare options?
Are there ‘lunch bunch’ options?

find the best school for your kids | teachmama.com

Teachers:

Are the teachers state-certified educators?
How often do the teachers have professional development opportunities?
What is the teacher-student ratio?
Are parent volunteers permitted in the classroom?
What safety precautions are taken at the school? Are all teachers and volunteers fingerprinted and given background checks?
Who is the director, and what is his/ her background?

Curriculum:

How are classes organized? What is the daily schedule?
What is the school’s educational philosophy?
How do I feel about school’s educational philosophy?
Are lessons age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate?
Does the school take field trips?

find the best school for your kids | teachmama.com

Other:

Are doors locked after drop-off? What is the sign-in/ sign-out procedure?
How is tuition processed each month?
Is there a discount for paying in full, upfront?
What is the sibling discount?
What are my fundraising obligations?
How are snacks handled–by the school or by parents?
What is the school’s allergy policy?
How does the school handle birthdays? Holidays?
What is the school’s potty training policy?
How does the school handle hitting/ biting/ bullies?

Would it be easier to have these questions on a quick and easy printable?

find the best school for your kids | teachmama.com

school search checklist _ teachmama.com

You can download it here: school search checklist _ teachmama.com

Back to school time is an exciting for so many families. Making sure that you choose the right school for your child is key so that your child–and you!–walk into the new year feeling ready and revived.

Need a good place to start? Look for a Childtime in your area, and schedule a visit.

Childtime. Opening Minds. Unleashing Imaginations.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Learning Care Group. The opinions and text are all mine.

August 17, 2015 0 comments

teach kids real life money management win grants and scholarships teachmama.com

math

budget challenge for students: real-life money management and big $ for classrooms and students

by Teach Mama August 10, 2015

written by Teach Mama

teach kids real life money management win grants and scholarships teachmama.com

Confession: for years and years I was the worst at balancing my checkbook.

I thought something might have been wrong with me that inevitably, month after month, I’d find myself in error.

Checks would bounce and payments would be late; it was often a mess.

A hot mess.

It was partly because I’d be lazy, or I’d forget, or I’d lose receipts.

Maybe it was because I started managing money too late–as a college freshman!–or maybe it was because math isn’t my thing. Either way, things are fine now but truly due in part to the fact that I married a man who moves much more slowly when it comes to money.

Thank goodness.

I made a promise to myself, though, that my kids would be better with money management than I. So we will start earlier. We will work together. And hopefully, they will move into their adult years as more financially savvy, more money-confident.

budget challenge for students: real-life money management and big $ for classrooms and students

(Yes–this is my for real check book from when I first graduated from college. It isn’t pretty.)

When I was contacted by my friends from We Are Teachers to work with the great people of H&R Block to share word of the H & R Block Budget Challenge, I was more than game.

The more families who support the H&R Block Budget Challenge and the more teachers who use the resources in their classrooms, the better. Truly.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Budget Challenge for Students: Real-Life Money Management and Big $ for Classrooms and Students:

It may sound a little complicated or (for some of you) scary. But hang in there. Keep on reading, my friend.

The H&R Block Budget Challenge is new to me, I’ll admit it. But it seems awesome. Awesome.

The challenge encourages kids to learn about personal finance in fun, authentic, and real ways.

And along the way there are prizes, scholarship money, and big-time classroom grants to be won.

The H&R Block Budged Challenge has three components you need to know about:

They’ve got tons of parent resources. They’ve got tons of classroom resources. And they’ve got lots and lots of money to give to students and teachers.

Make your way to the site and then click on the tab that you need:

1. tons of awesome parent resources: any parent can use them for their own kids–check them out!

videos, facts and statistics
parent education resources
personal consumer resources for parents
career and college resources for parents
parents cannot do the challenge for

2. super-cool teacher and classroom resources: lesson plans and ideas that teachers will love, love, love.

Check it out:

3. scholarship and grant money: tons of it

Look at the info below!

It’s awesome.

And as a gal who pored through college scholarship books (no joke–anyone who did the same thing knows how HUGE those books were and how laborious that process was!), this challenge–and the prizes it offers–are really remarkable.

The coolest thing? Even though it sounds corny, everyone who enters is a winner. The skills that students will walk away with after this challenge are invaluable.

For real.

Now what?

Check out the resources.
Give the classroom resources to teachers.
Forward to your child’s school.
Share with the PTA.
Hand the link to your neighbors.
Forward to your nieces and nephews.
Use it. Try it. And let us know what you think!

Follow the WeAreTeachers / H&R Block Teaching About Money pinterest board:

Follow WeAreTeachers’s board Teaching About Money: H&R Block Dollars & Sense on Pinterest.

fyi: This post was written as part of a collaboration with WeAreTeachers.com and H&R Block. As always, all opinions are my own, influenced only by my experience as a parent and educator.

August 10, 2015 0 comments

Best Of Teach Mama creative writing writing

7 ways to get kids writing (and cool writing prompts for kids!)

by Teach Mama August 6, 2015

written by Teach Mama

Friends.

It’s summer, and if your kids are anything like mine, they want to be outside and they want to be at the pool.

get kids writing teachmama.com

Or, okay. They want to be on their iPads playing Minecraft or the computer playing Animal Jam.

So writing–actually putting the ole pencil to the paper–is far down on their list of fun things to do while school’s out.

But I’ve got a few ideas for you to get our kids writing again. A few fun, totally cool, ways.

Honestly, the kids and their neighbor buddies helped me put this list together. So it has to work, right?

The cool thing is that beyond this list of seven ways to get kids writing you can always pull out the cool writing topic cards. Print them out. Let your kids pick one, two, or a few, and give ’em a few new pens.

You may be surprised at what happens.

Here’s the skinny. . .

7 Ways to Get Kids Writing (and Cool Writing Prompts for Kids):

In no particular order. . .

It amazes me what happens when you ask kids to write their names.

They love it.

They really, truly do.

And sure, it’s not high-level thinking or super creative writing; rather, it’s just writing. Just plain writing.

Leave a bunch of writing tools on the table with a pile of blank paper, and ask kids to:

write their first name
write their full name–first, middle, last
write their nickname
write their dream name (this will surely result in giggles. . . tell them that as an example yours is ‘Queen Mom’)

*******************************

get kids writing | list | teachmama.com

Kids love to make lists.

If you’re working on something in the kitchen, ask your child to write a quick grocery list for you as you dictate items. Tell them that spelling does not matter and to give each word their best guess.

Or get children into the habit of writing a ‘to-do’ list at the beginning of each day or every Sunday.

It’s good to have a plan.

And kids writing their plans, checking items off as completed, and keeping everything together in one notebook is a great way of chronicling progress!

get kids to write | teachmama.com

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get kids writing | journal | teachmama.com

Often journaling is best done when modeled.

The children I know who regularly journal have parents who also do a lot of journal writing.

That’s not to say that everyone has to go out and start spending hours a day writing in a journal, but perhaps your family could either begin each day with a journal entry or wind down each day by writing for a few minutes.

get kids to write | teachmama.com

Consider getting your kids into journal writing by:

starting a Family Journal, where everyone adds one sentence about his or her day
leaving a journal on the counter and using it as a way to communicate
giving everyone a topic at the beginning of the week, and each person takes one day to reflect upon it
using a journal to stay in touch with long-distance family or friends.

The possibilities are endless. Just know that there’s something really cool about keeping a ‘family record’ of sorts this way.

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get kids writing | letter | teachmama.com

There is honestly nothing like getting an old-fashioned letter in the mail.

And no child can deny this!

Give everyone the challenge of writing one letter each week for 52 weeks. Can you imagine how much fun that could be?

Or if that’s too much, sit down together and write one letter–one teeny, tiny letter–to a family member.

The connections are invaluable.

get kids to write | teachmama.com

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get kids writing | free | teachmama.com

I have always found that if kids have the correct writing utensils, they’re more inclined to write.

Really. When I was in the classroom, I kept jars of fun pens and pencils on my shelves, window sills, and desk–and they were all free for kids to use each day.

Kids had favorites, and they’d come right in, grab one, and get down to business. Then they’d return them at the end of class.

Students wrote. They completed their work. They were ready to learn.

And the more kids write, the better their ideas flow.

Seriously. Leave out a bunch of cool pens and pencils, some tablets, and notebooks. And see what happens.

You may be surprised.

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get kids writing | recipa | teachmama.com

Sure, kids can follow a recipe by following directly from a cookbook, but how about adding in one small step?

Have them write their shopping list–the ingredients needed to create their dish–and then write down the directions?

Children are less likely to miss a step in the cooking process when they recopy the recipe, and they’re also getting some much-needed writing practice.

Try it!

get kids to write | teachmama.com

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get kids writing | creative | teachmama.com

Sometimes all kids need is a little bit of a push to get their creative ideas flowing.

You can give them that push with these Cool Daily Writing Prompts for Smart & Creative Kids.

We’ve come up with 14 pages of four cards each–so a total of 56 cool writing prompts that are bound to get your kids writing.

Topics that give them a chance to stretch their brains, think about steps, consequences, and favorites, and get their pens or pencils on the paper.

Use these cards by:

printing out all of the cards and leting ’em at the topics
picking one card each day
having kids choose a card for another person, then sharing stories
encouraging kids to keep a continued notebook of their journal responses and ideas
giving kids a chance to write, edit, revise, and then share their writing with friends or family.

get kids to write | teachmama.com

You can download the Cool Daily Writing Prompts for Smart & Creative Kids here:

Please, if you share this post–and we hope you do!–link to this post instead of the card attachment page! Thank you!

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Did you know that the more kids write, the better readers they become? That writing boosts confidence and sparks creativity?

It does.

Handwriting also:

improves cognitive development
builds self-confidence
betters school performance
helps reading skills
sparks creativity
sharpens critical thinking skills

Check out these other fab posts about getting kids writing:

at-home writing center
authentic writing: power notes to nana
1-hand summary
teach left-handed kids to write
stop, observe, and write!
everyday journal writing — and tons of topics!
hello, teacher! notes
FUN ways to learn spelling words

Cheers, and happy reading during this incredibly exciting journey!

August 6, 2015 2 comments

science science experiments for kids

soap experiments: easy backyard summer fun

by Teach Mama August 4, 2015

written by Teach Mama

Friends–now that swim and dive season is over, we’re doing a whole lot more free bird play, lazy mornings, and long afternoons at the pool.

It’s been great, and I am so thankful.

But each and every day we try to do something where there’s some sneaky learning involved. Something a little more focused or directed.

Something that allows my crew to use their brains and let their imaginations run wild.

One day last week, we had the pleasure of having some pals over, so we rocked out some early morning soap experiments.

So fun.

And we used materials we had around the house: soap. And some food coloring.

And–I’m willing to declare that even though there was some fun science learning involved–and even a worksheet–that the kids had a blast.

Here’s the skinny . . .

Soap Experiments–Easy Backyard Summer Fun:

For our tabletop surprises, all I did this day was place a few things on the table.

And all you’ll need for these soapy experiments are:

soap! (grab a few kinds: Ivory, Dial, Irish Spring, and Dove soap)
a plate
a bowl of water
food coloring
access to a microwave
a copy of the Soap Experiment sheet (download below)

Then let your kids at it!

This does take a bit of parental support, since heat and a microwave is involved, so be aware.

What I did was begin by talking about a few things:

Have kids open each bar of soap, feel it, and smell it.
Talk about the weight of each: Which is heaviest? Which is lightest? Which feels hollow? Solid?
Talk about how each bar of soap feels: Which is smooth? Which is more coarse? Which is more creamy? Which is sandy?
Compare each bar of soap in the big bowl of water: Which floats? Which sinks? Does their behavior change over time?

Then because we had a big group–six kids!–we unwrapped one more bar of each soap and closely watched what happened when we placed each bar in the microwave.

And this is where it got really cool.

My kids remembered doing our soap experiment a few summers ago, when we made Soap Dough, so they had an idea about what would happen when we placed the Ivory soap in the microwave.

They were not sure, however, what would happen to the other brands of soap.

So one by one, we put a bar or soap on a plate and watched it in the microwave.

One.

By.

One.

And when we ended with the Ivory soap, and the kids watched it blow up into a beautiful and amazing sculpture, the kids were in awe.

Each of the girls had so much fun microwaving their Ivory soap to the max and then letting it cool.

By now the boys had lost interest, strangely enough. I guess we couldn’t compete with a dual Minecraft building session. . .

We talked about what happened.

We walked through the why’s of this experiment, pulling the floating experiment back into the loop. I asked them:

Why did the Ivory soap act the way it did?
How did Ivory compare in weight to the other soaps?
How did Ivory soap compare to the others in water?
What might have made Ivory behave the way it did?
Let’s look at the cost of each soap. Why was Ivory so much less expensive than the others?
How might that effect your skin?

It was a lot of fun.

The girls, I think, had the most fun outside, on the porch, making their Ivory into soap dough.

Just a few drops of food coloring, I said.

But they didn’t listen.

And their hands paid for it later: Red hands. Blue hands. Purple hands.

Quite a mess they made.

But they had fun, and you know what? Maybe they learned a little something along the way.

I know I sure did: that even big kids must be watched with food coloring.

Want to give the soap experiment a go?

Try it. Let your kids in on it, and who cares if you get a little messy? It’s all good, clean fun right?

Take a minute and download the experiment sheet below:

soap dough teachmama.com

Soap Dough Experiment pdf: soap dough teachmama.com

If you choose to share this (and we hope you do!) please link to this post instead of the attachment page. Thank you!

Take a look at the original Soap Dough post:

soap dough soap molds crazy cool fun with soap

Want a few more fun summertime ideas?

What did you do that really rocked this week? We’d love to hear it!

ice experiments: quick, easy (and on our driveway)

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Find something fun to do this summer by following our summertime fun board:

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August 4, 2015 0 comments

math

birdwatching math puzzles: super challenging and tricky

by Teach Mama July 29, 2015

written by Teach Mama

$birdwatching math puzzles: super challenging and tricky$

This summer as we usually do, I’m trying each week to include some new and exciting math fun.

In the form of puzzles or chocolate challenges or number games or just a new spin on old school problem-solving, any way we can pull in

Especially this year we’ve loved the challenging puzzles created by Erich Friedman.

These puzzles, you guys, are tough.

This week we tried the Birdwatching Puzzles.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Birdwatching Math Puzzles–Super Challenging and Tricky:

The goal with these mazey puzzles is to move from the left side of the puzzle to the right, ‘visiting’ each color bird the same amount of times.

The ‘birds’ are actually colored dots, though, and it’s not as easy as it sounds.

birdwatching math puzzles: super challenging and tricky

Though Maddy and Cora didn’t even give these puzzles a go, Owen did.

He sat down at some point in the day–I never actually saw him do it–but the evidence was there.

birdwatching math puzzles: super challenging and tricky

He tried.

He stopped.

He doodled.

He tried again.

He did it.

birdwatching math puzzles: super challenging and tricky

He graded himself.

He moved on.

That’s summer, y’all.

birdwatching math puzzles: super challenging and tricky

birdwatching puzzles teachmama.com

Do you want to download the Birdwatching Puzzle sheet? birdwatching puzzles teachmama.com

Remember, I did not make these up or design them; I am the furthest thing from a tricky puzzle creator. These are from Erich Friedman’s site, which you can visit here: Erich’s Puzzle Palace.

All I did was find the site, love it, and create easy-to-print puzzle pages for our tabletop surprises.

Thank you, Erich, for sharing your puzzle awesome with us!

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Join us!

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Want a little more math fun?

Check out:

Or follow our rockin math pinterest board:

Follow Teach Mama’s board math on Pinterest.

July 29, 2015 0 comments

family fun family life

fun summertime learning for kids: tabletop surprises

by Teach Mama June 27, 2015

written by Teach Mama

summer fun learning for kids teachmama.com Week two of tabletop surprises is in the books, and it was a blast!

Because my crew was busy fighting off some pretty awful summertime colds, we did a bit of re-arranging with our tabletop surprises calendar this week.

But you know what? That’s the awesome thing about it: you can do what you want. When you want.

And the freebie 10 week resource guide includes a whole bunch of awesome extra ideas to use if one day doesn’t work for you.

This week, we drew, built, wrote, and more.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Fun Summertime Learning for Kids–Tabletop Surprises:

Monday:

Exciting day today for #tabletopsurprises my friends! Who knows what all of these books have in common? Ready? Go! #books #kidlit #childrensbooks #literacy #readingrocks ##teachmamaquickquiz

A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Jun 22, 2015 at 6:10am PDT

Tuesday:

I think the kids will like these today– kind of a cool, new-for-us mathy puzzle. Have you tried these before? #tabletopsurprises #summer #summerfun #math #ontheblog

A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Jun 23, 2015 at 6:28am PDT

Wednesday:

I know my Cora is going to love this one–ACROSTIC POEM day! Writing 2 ways: online and on paper. #tabletopsurprises #summerfun #poetry #youngwriters

A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Jun 24, 2015 at 6:52am PDT

Thursday:

Building day! Our blocks, tinker toys, and Lincoln logs are happy to be out and about today–they used to get so much play time, but as kids got older? Not so much. Today we’re holding some biggest, craziest, strongest, tallest contests, and it’s a good thing because I have three sick kids home again today. Summer colds are the worst. #tabletopsurprises #summerfun #freeplay #builders #blocks #familyfun

A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Jun 25, 2015 at 6:05am PDT

Friday:

a wee bit o’ drawing today instead of picking a park because my crew needs a restful afternoon #tabletopsurprises #summerfun #artsycraftsy #drawing #finemotor #ontheblog

A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Jun 26, 2015 at 6:04am PDT

What did you do that really rocked this week? We’d love to hear it!

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June 27, 2015 0 comments

math

matchstick math: patterns, puzzles and critical thinking

by Teach Mama June 25, 2015

written by Teach Mama

The matchstick math activity we did last week for tabletop surprises was a real hit.

I had an inkling that the activity would be a favorite of Owen’s but really all of the kids were into it.

And when we didn’t bump the table, making the matchsticks fall all out of place and go everywhere, it was all good.

It was super-simple, and I thank the good folks who write Matchstick Puzzles blog for their ideas.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Matchstick Math:

Really, I had heard about matchstick math years and years ago but never really tried it with my kids.

And the idea is simple: you have a simple challenge to complete with matchsticks. Move two to create a totally different object. Add three to completely remake a design.

matchstick math: patterns, puzzles and critical thinking

Fun. And easy. But it’s not really that easy at all.

And when I stumbled upon this awesome matchstick math blog while planning our tabletop surprises calendar this summer, I like totally hit the jackpot.

All I did was make an easy printable for me which included three things:

the before design
the challenge
the answer to the puzzle

Then, like all of the tabletop surprises every day, I set the matchstick patterns out on the table and let. It. Go.

So yes, you need matchsticks to do this.

And then throughout the day, the kids hit the table when they felt inclined. When they were interested. It was great.

The printable includes six of the millions and millions of matchstick puzzles I found on the site, so if you really love them and want more, head on over. Really, what I have here is a fraction–and I mean fraction–of what they have going on over there.

They’re matchstick cray-cray.

But here’s the thing: if matchsticks make you nervous, DON’T. USE. MATCHSTICKS.

For real. You can totally get the same thing going on with these matchstick puzzles if you use something other than matchsticks.

Consider using:

toothpicks
craft sticks
pipe cleaners (cut them in quarters!)
Q-tips (cut them in half and you basically have white soft matchsticks!)
real sticks from outside (have your kids hunt for them!)
strips of construction paper
WikiStix

The possibilities are endless.

Please don’t allow your fear–or aversion–to matches turn you away from this activity.

It really is cool, and it really does get your kids’ brains and bodies moving.

It’s quiet. It’s critical thinking. It can be a group or partner activity, and it’s a great way to pass time in restaurants if you need a little something unplugged to do.

matchstick math teachmama.com

If you’d like to download the document: matchstick math teachmama.com

xxWhat do you think? Cool?

I’d love to hear what you think!

And definitely do check out the awesome matchstick bloggy blog where all the puzzles can be found. Without that site, there’d be no matchstick math for us!

And so was I.

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Join us!

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Follow us on Instagram: @teachmama1 / #tabletopsurprises

Check it out:

Follow along wherever works best for you, my friends, with the hashtag #RaiseAReader —

A few more literacy-related posts worth reading. . . (click on image to read!)

How To Support Your Child Through Difficult Texts

1. state the facts

2. offer an opt out

3. make a signal

4. shake or slap on it

Friends, it’s just about letting kids know that as parents, we’re here to help them. And that it’s okay to ask for help.

A few more literacy-related posts worth reading. . . (click on image to read!)

Reading Aloud to Bigger Kids — What Parents Need to Know:

1. Kids like funny books.

2. Kids want to know what you think.

3. Kids like consistency.

Please follow along with our daily reading tips:

Valentine’s Day Books for Middle Grader Readers:

Want a few more fun Valentine’s Day ideas? Check out:

Minute to Win It Class Party — Organized, Planned, and Super-Fun:

Before anything, talk to the teacher.

Then develop a plan.

Here are our ideas for the Valentine’s Day Minute to Win it Class Party:

Now what?

And then make sure you have a parent at each station.

Our Minute to Win It Games

How to Set Up iPhone for Family Sharing:

I finally decided on setting up iOS Family Sharing for several reasons:

Here’s how we have set up Family Sharing for our iOS devices and how you can too:

One of the best ways I’ve found to stay connected and on top of things? Being online myself.

Read more about raising digital kids:

Best Books as Gifts:

Best Books as Gifts for the Littler Guys

Best Books as Gifts for the Bigger Guys

Best Books as Gifts for Families

I am so very, very, very excited about these items, and I think you will be, too.

Here are our 2015 gift guides:

Want a few more holiday-inspired gift ideas or activities?

Click on the images below:

Handmade Gifts for the Whole Family:

And now check out our fave picks for handmade gifts for each member of the family:

Mom & Grandma:

Best Handmade Gifts for Dad & Grandpa:

Best Handmade Gifts for Sisters and Friends:

Best Handmade Gifts for Brother:

Handmade Gifts for Teachers:

5 Cool Handmade Gifts That Tweens Will Love to Make:

Create Pop Collage Bookmarks!

Try some Finger Knitting!

Make Mini Pom-Pom Pets!

Make some Personalized Friendship Bracelets!

Coffee Coasters (made with Potholders And Other Loopy Projects book)

Seriously–How cool are these books from Klutz?

Halloween Bookmarks– Make Your Own!

All you need for Halloween Bookmarks are a few simple things:

Download the Halloween Bookmark printable by signing up below:

Cut out the bookmarks and punch a hole in the top over the circle.

Encourage kids to design their bookmarks freely.

When kids are finished decorating, tie a ribbon through the center hole, and you’re finished!

Raising a Rock-Star Reader–Sneak Peek and Pre-Order:

So we called it: Raising A Rock-Star Reader: 75 Quick Tips to Help Your Child Develop a Lifelong Love of Reading.

Okay, so I cannot tell you everything now, but I’ll tell you this:

Show Your Kids How to Study–5 Easy Ways:

1. Re-write notes.

2. Make a concept poster.

3. Re-teach. It’s undeniable that students learn by doing.

4. Make flashcards–and use them!

5. Comic strip your notes.

What to Consider When Choosing a School for Your Child–Parent Checklist:

Would it be easier to have these questions on a quick and easy printable?

Budget Challenge for Students: Real-Life Money Management and Big $ for Classrooms and Students:

The H&R Block Budged Challenge has three components you need to know about:

Now what?

7 Ways to Get Kids Writing (and Cool Writing Prompts for Kids):

It amazes me what happens when you ask kids to write their names.

Kids love to make lists.

Often journaling is best done when modeled.

There is honestly nothing like getting an old-fashioned letter in the mail.

I have always found that if kids have the correct writing utensils, they’re more inclined to write.

Sure, kids can follow a recipe by following directly from a cookbook, but how about adding in one small step?

Sometimes all kids need is a little bit of a push to get their creative ideas flowing.

Did you know that the more kids write, the better readers they become? That writing boosts confidence and sparks creativity?