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Little boy planting plants in an outdoor garden

Getting Kids Excited About Gardening

by Teach Mama June 30, 2024

Show your kids just how much fun growing food can be, and you’ll not only harvest luscious tomatoes, juicy watermelons, and scrumptious green beans, but you’ll also have a bumper crop of fun, laughter, togetherness, and learning!

Winter around my house always brought long hours spent pouring over seed catalogs and dreaming about the garden Dad and I would plant in the spring. Some years I was more interested in this process than others, but for my dad, gardening was a constant. When our kids were little, I wanted to pass along his love of gardening. Here are some ideas to encourage that love.

Building Gardening Excitement by Including Kids In Every Step

This can start in the winter, but if uber pre-planning isn’t for you, wait until all the wonderful seedling varieties show up at your local garden center. You could add to the anticipation by marking off on a calendar the days until the plants are due to arrive at the nursery or garden center.

Let Kids pick the Plants or Seeds

Over the years, we’ve had purple beans, okra, carrots, and striped tomatoes! We discovered that we are traditionalists and returned to more common-colored produce, but trying those unique varieties made gardening even more exciting and encouraged the kids to be adventurous eaters.

Teaching them to care for the plants and making it fun allows children to develop a deeper connection to nature and sustainable food sourcing. Kids are impressed by advanced robotic mower systems that handle the routine maintenance of the surrounding lawn while they focus on inspecting the vegetable patches. This blend of modern technology and hands-on cultivation keeps younger generations excited about maintaining the outdoor space. Over time, these shared experiences in the backyard create lasting memories while instilling valuable lessons about teamwork and patience.

**Let Them Get Dirty? Encourage it!**

Have them put on play clothes, their Crocs, gloves, and a happy gardening face, and let them get dirty. Without freaking out about it. Research shows microbes found in plain old dirt are actually beneficial and at the end of the day, kids are washable.

Show them how to prepare the garden bed, how to pull weeds, and how to break up clumps of dirt.

If you don’t have room for a garden plot, you can create a smaller version in pots that fit in on a sunny balcony or window sill.

Show them how to correctly space plants, how to gently pull plants out of their plastic containers, loosen the roots, and place them in the ground. Let them stand in the dirt, play with earthworms, and find potato bugs.

Let them water the plants, clean up their workspace and be proud. Let them have fun and laugh at all the dirt they are wearing. (Gardening tip: lavender oil is great on mosquito bites!)

The Big Payoff…Eating the Harvest.

The best part ever–eating the harvest and celebrating hard work.

Instant gratification is a great thing for little gardeners, so consider grabbing some plants like this lettuce that are basically ready to harvest immediately.

By choosing veggies to grow and making a big deal about it when it’s time to pick, clean, and eat them you encourage kids to try new things, instill pride in a job well done and give them an appreciation for how all their food is grown.

Your kids will love being able to run to their garden to pick the ripe tomatoes, grab a few sweet basil leaves and some strawberries and help make a wonderful homegrown salad and dessert.

Let Them Count, Observe, Record, and Assess Progress.

Keeping track of which plants do well in certain conditions, keeping track of harvest, and assessing the taste of the veggies in your garden is a super way of taking gardening a step further for kids. This can be done in simple charts, on notepaper, or in a spiral ‘gardening notebook’.

This year, we’re going to keep track of our garden with a Garden Plan and Harvest Record, and it serves a few purposes:

help track of the plants that we are cultivating this year
keep track of the weather this summer
count the number of plants we yield
evaluate the taste of each plant

We’re using a Garden Plan and Harvest Record this year for two reasons:

We had no record of which tomatoes we loved and which we didn’t from last year’s garden; and
I’m hoping that this will be something that Owen likes–the record-keeping, counting, and assessing.

I’m hoping this may renew his relationship with nature.

One part of this chart is a record of the plants we’re using this year, the Garden Plan, which we completed today. It simply numbers each plant and notes its type and variety.

The other part is a Harvest Record that we’ll fill out each week of the summer.

The Harvest Record will record the week’s weather very simply by circling the weather icon that we experienced: big sun (for hot and sunny); smaller sun (warm and sunny); tiny sun; cloud; rain cloud; and lightning for stormy weather. My kids are huge weather fans, so I’m hoping they dig this part.

The last thing the Harvest Record will do is keep track of taste: this week, do we like the veggie or not? We’ll note it simply by circling the smiley face or the frown face.

We’ve never done this before, so I’m hoping the kids are into it. Sticking it to a clipboard that we will keep hanging in the kitchen will, I hope, remind us to use it. I’m also hoping that at the end of the season, we can look back at our weekly Harvest Records and determine which plants we want to use again; it can be a cool synthesis activity to look back at the weather, our harvest, and the plant information to figure out what made some work and not others.

And that’s it–just a few ways that kids can help with the gardening no matter their age. Whether it’s helping pick out plants, reminding us to water them, helping pick cherry tomatoes off the vine, or counting and eating, kids–families–can benefit in so many ways by gardening together.

Download the Garden Planner and Harvest Record Here

Other Great Summer Ideas for You and Your Kids

150 Fun Boredom Busters for Kids to Do

Geocaching, a Modern Treasure Hunt

Backyard Chickens

June 30, 2024 24 comments

9 Things All Kids Must Hear Their Parents Say

by Teach Mama June 30, 2024

written by Teach Mama

The world our kids and grandkids live in has changed. These 9 statements will help them navigate through much of the rough waters of current society with increased confidence and resilience.

9 Things All Kids Need to Hear and Believe

In my counseling practice, I see kids of all ages crippled by insecurity, self-loathing, fear, doubts, and anxiety. They feel trapped and are angry about it! I used to think this was a recent phenomenon until I talked to a much older friend who shared that she felt the same way as a teenager back during the Great Depression! These 9 statements, repeated as often as needed for them to believe, will help kids better cope with what life throws at them.

1. Crying is Okay

Don’t apologize when you do, just calmly wipe away the tears and keep going with what you are doing. Here’s an interesting fact about tears, sad tears are molecularly different from happy ones and fearful ones. I think anything that specific must be part of a design feature.

Crying is for girls and babies. And boys, and moms and dads and old people and teen-agers and kings and queens and super heroes! Everyone has tear ducts. It’s standard equipment for a reason.

2. You Understand That Differently (Better?) Than I Do. I’d Be Excited To Learn It Along With You

A parent who models being a lifelong learner will encourage the same growth mindset in their children. Growth mindset is believing that with hard work, dedication and perseverance we can become smarter, stronger and capable of whatever we set our minds to.

I was always bad at______ too. This is what is often called “priming”. Kids are predisposed to imitate their parents, it’s how we learn almost everything from the time we’re born. Be careful about giving unconscious signals concerning failure and success and a fixed mindset way of looking at themselves.

A fixed mindset says we are born with a certain set of skills that can’t be changed so why even try? Failure just means you need to try a different way, get help, practice more and try again. True failure is giving up.

3. I Appreciate Your Hard Work

This is another of those statements that promote a growth mindset in kids. You are noting and rewarding the effort and the perseverance before the result. Our daughter had only been taking piano for a little while when she decided she wanted to play Flight of the Bumblebee (a very challenging piece of music). We were amazed when, a surprisingly short time later, she played it for us and we commented on how hard it was. She responded that she didn’t look at it like that, just that it might take a little longer to learn. Wow. Growth mindset.

When the effort is praised without the pressure for perfection in the outcome we make space for our kids to be fearless in trying new things.

4. You Are Unique And Unique Is Beautiful

I sometimes hear and read people express this as “strong is beautiful” or even “healthy is beautiful” and while both are undoubtedly true, what if your child is sick or weak? Aren’t they still beautiful? Of course they are!

Our standard of what is “beautiful” is ever-changing, certainly over the years but even between different countries. I’m afraid constant bombardment by social media and entertainment isn’t helping with this. What kids see there isn’t real or true. Our kids need to know their beauty is uniquely their own and not to be held up to some arbitrary and fleeting standard. Help them be the best them possible.

5. Wear Clothes That Work For You and Help You Feel Confident

A parent who teaches their kids to look past the latest fad and find clothing that works best for them is teaching them to be self-accepting, creative, and resilient.

Clothes shopping is often a very stressful and intimidating time for lots of people.

I look so fat in these jeans! I have such ugly feet! or My boobs are too small (or too big)! The pressure our kids feel to wear designer labels and look like the most popular influencer de jour can be crushing. No child (or real person) is going to be able to look just like the airbrushed models in the jeans ads.

All such comments plant within our children the seeds of future self-loathing. Seeing parents model the concept that the clothes don’t work instead of placing blame (and shame) on their body encourages kids to do the same.

6. Express Your Emotions Instead of Stuffing Them Down

This is admittedly a tough one. It would be impractical to emote all the time. Every person who asks how you are doesn’t need to hear everything going on with us or our children. But there do need to be people with whom we are comfortable being honest and vulnerable.

I’m fine, It’s all good, It doesn’t matter, Don’t worry about it (when it really isn’t okay and does matter) if left in place teaches our kids their emotions don’t matter and later that they can’t trust their gut instincts. Correctly labeling their emotions with parents (or another safe adult) helps our kids deal with them and not transfer those negative emotions into harmful inappropriate actions.

Did you know “anger” isn’t a real emotion? But it sure is how we react to several! The reaction to stumping a toe, being insulted or receiving a sudden fright all look like “anger”, but obviously have very different root causes. Go for the primary emotion.

7. I Love You, But I Don’t Like Your Choices

Always separate the problem and the child. The problem is the problem, not the child. Remember when we use the word “choices” we’re reminding our children they have control over their choices and actions. They can also choose to turn things around. This is a great thing for us, as parents, to model for our kids. I can’t tell you how powerful it is for a child to see their parents choose to turn things around!

8. I Will Be Here To Help You Work Through This, Whatever It Takes!

It’s important for a child to know that he or she has a strong supporter in their corner as they face tough times. As mentioned before, this doesn’t mean you will support poor choices but it does mean you offer to work with them to find solutions and are interested in knowing what they come up with. They will need you to check in during this process to make sure their ideas are acceptable. (In this day and age there are a LOT of unacceptable “solutions” floating around that might sound attractive.)

Saying things like It will be better tomorrow, It’s not that big a deal, It happens just blow it off completely invalidate what your child is going through. Hopefully most of the time it truly won’t be a big deal and it will be better tomorrow but to your child that’s not how it seems right now. By working with your child to address the issues you are communicating together you’re a team and that you have confidence in them.

As they get more proficient at problem-solving solving they still need to know they can always come to you to hash out their thinking, or if they’re stuck, to get more ideas.

9. I Love You and Am Always Here For You

We take for granted that our kids know this and I suspect they do. I know my husband loves me too, but I need to hear it all the same. Kids may not want to admit it but they realize there are some problems bigger than they are able to handle alone. Sometimes they may even fight you on it, but persevere!

Gone are the days of parents letting their kids roam freely through the neighborhood until the streetlights turned on. Things are different today. The social media piece is a many-tentacled monster unlike anything you or I ever had to fight in our childhood. It has the power to attack our kids directly and through those around them. Our kids want (and need!) to know no matter what, through this tumultuous and uncertain time, they are loved, they are heard and they are not alone. It’s our job as parents to make them understand that above all and to help them be prepared for what is out there ahead of them.

More Information You Might Find Helpful

June 30, 2024 7 comments

compilation image of painting on rocks and concrete with water

family fun family life outdoor activities tripod grip

Paint With Water

by Teach Mama June 30, 2024

written by Teach Mama

Help your young writers practice their tripod pencil grip in a fun way…with water painting!

Child's hand using a brush to paint with water on a rock

Water Painting is Great for All Ages and Couldn’t be Easier

All you need is some water, a small paintbrush, a sidewalk/porch/deck or big rock and a sunny day. Unless you tell them, your kids won’t even know they are doing schoolwork!

Three to five year-olds who may not be writing letters and words can get into the fun of drawing hearts, happy faces, trees… pretty much whatever they want because remember you’re using numbers, letters, words and pictures for them to introduce or reinforce the grip they are practicing.

If they are wanting to learn how to write their name (or even the first letter in their name) or numbers this is a great way to start.

Why is the Tripod Pencil Grip Important?

In theory, the classic pencil grip allows a person to have better manipulation of the pen or pencil (or in this case paintbrush) for longer periods of time with less muscle fatigue. But of course, not every person’s physiology is exactly the same so what is comfortable for some people may pose a problem for others. Developmental maturity is also a factor.

Because this is a “fine motor skill” little boys may not catch on to it as quickly as girls. This is because girls’ fine motor skills develop before gross motor skills. With boys, the reverse is often true. Toddlers will grasp a pencil like they are trying to choke the life out of it because that is where their muscles are developmentally.

I know quite a few people who learned D’Nealian writing and hold their pencils between the middle and index fingers. I rest the pencil on my ring finger. There are several acceptable grips according to Occupational Therapists, but currently, the classic tripod grasp with open web space is what is being taught and emphasized in schools.

Ideas for Water Painting

Elementary kiddos who are writing words can write words called out by Mom or Dad (or an older sibling) and time how long it takes for the sun to “erase” the word. They could take turns writing words and painting pictures.

Mom, Dad or older siblings can write out simple words for beginning readers to sound out before they evaporate. Maybe try throwing in some easy math word problems. There are lots of ways to combine a little extra learning into the fun combination of playing with water on a sunny day!

Bigger kids who are learning and practicing cursive can try to write a whole sentence before the sun erases it. Play a version of Mother May I by painting long and short coils, upper and lower loops for letters like G and F, small and large circles, and connecting letters called out by Mom or Dad.

Even artistic efforts, like drawing the dog or the cat or a pot of flowers are great. Or how about a rousing race against the sun game of tic-tac-toe?

Watch how your child holds the paintbrush. Do they experiment with different grips? Does something other than the classic pencil grip seem to work better for them? The real object is to have fun while practicing the pencil grip that works best for them without stressing over it. It’s a sunny day, go have some fun!

Even More Ideas for Summer Fun

Just a Little Backyard Rainbow Hunt

Backyard Painting with Nature

DIY Garden Stepping Stones and Decorations

June 30, 2024 5 comments

Popsicle sticks with an activity suggestion on each in a pile next to a piece of paper that is stamped with the words fun sticks

Best Of Teach Mama family life

150 Fun Boredom Busters for Kids to Do This Summer

by Teach Mama June 30, 2024

written by Teach Mama

“I’m bored,” are often two of the most terrifying words heard by parents. But with a little brainstorming, they don’t have to be. Instead, you can turn boring into a wonderful time of fun, learning and adventure!

Growing up my parents didn’t allow “boredom”. Any time I even acted sort of bored they would “find something for me to do!”(some of the most terrifying words to a child!) As a result, I never developed an aptitude for boredom… at least not that I would admit! This list has grown out of many of those early boredom busters.

Saying NO to Boredom and YES to Fun

I love to brainstorm and brainstorming with kids takes it to the next level. “Play” is their language and their brains are hardwired to process through play and fun. They are the world’s most natural brainstormers which, of course, makes the prep part as much fun as the doing.

Popsicle sticks and fun things to do labels

Getting Ready

There are lots of ways to make Boredom Busters. Let’s start with the easiest. For that, you will need to print out the Boredom Busters and cut them out. You’ll notice there are several blank cards for the brilliant ideas you and your kids will come up with. Add more if there aren’t enough and remove any that aren’t appropriate for your situation.

Fold or roll them up and put them in a large plastic jar with a lid. Then whenever boredom raises its ugly head all a child has to do is reach in and draw out a fun activity. Some kids may want a little more choice so in that case let them draw two or three and choose which they like the best.

Fancier Versions

I recommend using what you have on hand if possible to make an upgraded Boredom Buster. Some things you could use…

Popsicle sticks or ping pong balls, or smallish smooth rocks or brightly colored paper

Something to put them in like a flowerpot, old coffee cup, canning jar for sticks and a big plastic jar with a lid for pebbles and ping pong balls… you get the idea. Bonus points if you have a bingo tumbler hanging around your house.

Permanent markers (thin line) if you will be writing the activities on something. If writing out everything is too much you could write numbers 1-150+ on sticks, balls or rocks and then match the number they draw to the activity list

FAQ:

Some of this is too old (or too young) for us. Now what? What a great opportunity! Most of the more challenging activities could be explored with a parent or possibly an older sibling or deleted from the list and replaced with other activities. As for the easier activities, your child can draw again or do the activity with a younger sibling or just enjoy doing an easier activity. You may be surprised by what they come up with!

Get The Printable List!

Grab our printable list of all the ideas so that you can quickly print and paste them! Easy!

Here It Is, Friends: The Massive List of 150 Fun Things for Kids to Do

Put together a puzzle
Make a puzzle
Do a word search
Make a treasure map leading to a treasure you’ve made
Cast actors for a movie of your favorite book
Make and fly a paper airplane. What’s the furthest it can go?
Make a garden in a pot for someone
Put together a purchased model
Make a model of something from things around your house
Read a book
Make a cartoon strip about your favorite joke
Cloud watch and see what crazy things you see in their shapes.
Swing
Play fetch with the dog
Teach your dog a new trick
Make a picnic lunch for your family
Invent a board game
Invent a card game
Decorate envelopes/cards/stationery for yourself or someone else
Write and send a letter/card
Paint a watercolor picture of something unexpected
Go on an imaginary adventure in your backyard.
Shoot hoops
Play catch with a parent or friend
Make an RC car track/obstacle course
Write a song
Learn a new song on an instrument
Put on a play with others or one where you play ALL the characters
Learn three basic embroidery stitches and decorate something with it (napkin, handkerchief, jeans, t-shirt
Make a banner to celebrate the next holiday
Make a bracelet or necklace
Make cookies
Make a rag doll
Make puppets
Put on a puppet play of an original or favorite story
Build a Lego town
Build a Lego robot
Watch a movie
Watch a documentary
Do a chore as a surprise that is normally done by someone else
Plant flowers
Plan and start a vegetable garden
Pretend you are going to Mars and make a supply list of all the things you will need/want to take with you.
Watch a NASA or SpaceX launch. What questions do you have about it?
Design and draw a space suit. What special features does it have?
Make a tangram puzzle and use it to make pictures for someone else to solve
Make a costume.
Write a funny story
Learn to moonwalk
Make popsicles
Learn a new dance by watching a YouTube video (with parental approval)
Learn to say hello, my name is _______, and what’s your name in as many languages as you can
Vacuum or sweep a room like Mrs. Doubtfire
Put on a fashion show
Play in the sprinklers
Water the garden, flowerbeds etc
Make a pinch pot with clay, Playdoh, or even plain ol’ mud.
Make garden markers
Start a family cookbook with everyone’s favorite recipes
Adapt a Guess Who game to your friends, classmates or family
Make mini games that fit in a mint tin
Whittle something useful (with prior parent approval/supervision)
Give a kazoo concert
Make a book
Make lemonade
Write and send a thank you card to someone who probably doesn’t get thanked.
Run around the house five times
Play hopscotch
Jump rope
Make a map of your neighborhood
Take 30 digital pictures. Experiment with lighting, distance, composition, color vs black and white. Pick out your favorite one. Get others to pick their favorites.
What can you make out of a cardboard box?
What can you make using a mint tin? A dollhouse, a sewing kit, fishing kit, repair kit, game box or something else? (Pinterest and Google are great places to get even more ideas)
Learn Morse code
Explore your yard with a pair of binoculars
Make a wind chime out of everyday objects (check before using things that it’s okay)
Draw or paint a picture of your pet (or the pet you wish you had or maybe an imaginary one… dragons, unicorns, talking frog?)
Make a list of one item from each room in your house then write a silly poem, song or story about one of them.
Pretend you are an alien from another planet visiting your Earth friends. What are some things you are curious about Earth that are different from your world?
Make garden stepping stones LINK
Make a hot weather treat for your backyard chickens LINK
Water paint LINK
Play Corn Hole alone or with a friend
Play Frisbee with a friend
Paint and decorate a flowerpot (terra cotta works great for this) and then plant something.
Learn to play the harmonica or the kazoo
Watch a how-to video and practice juggling
Make and fly a model rocket (May need supervision and permission to launch)
Read a book or story aloud to a younger child
Build a rubber band airplane, boat or car.
Use a balloon to propel a small car.
See how many different kinds of birds you can spot in your yard
How many trees are in your yard… bonus points if you can name them!
Make a Shrinky Dink charm bracelet LINK
Practice soccer moves
Practice free throws
Play badminton with a friend
Play a dice game
Make two encoder/decoder devices and send one and a secret message to a friend.
Use scraps of colored paper to make a mosaic picture
Make bookmarks
Make a video of you singing a song
FaceTime with your grandparents
Play with trains
Play house
Help someone learn a new skill that you already know
Make a garden fairy house
Use a stop action app on a phone to do a stop action video with your toys
Look at photo albums/scrapbooks
Play restaurant
Paint your fingernails
Play James Bond card game LINK
Listen to music (maybe try a new kind of music)
Set up a fun course and play miniature golf
Make a quilt for a doll or stuffed animal
Do forward or backward somersaults, cartwheels, or stand on your head
Fly a kite
Weed the garden or flowerbed
Play with bubbles
Play Chicken Foot or Mexican Train
Make a giant bubble wand
Play with PlayDoh or make homemade play dough
Make snowcones with fruit juice or drink mix
Make flower pencils or pens
Tie dye a t-shirt with koolaid or Sharpie markers (get permission first)
Read about an animal
Create a business
Use your name to create a piece of art
Build the tallest tower you can with blocks
Make an ABC book around a theme
Brush the cat or dog
Play in the bathtub
Take a nap
Finger paint a picture
Play Solitaire
Play chess
Make up a story with Story Cubes
Read about a famous person
Make a flower arrangement
Look at a map and plan a road trip to go somewhere fun
Color
Make an acrostic poem
Play with Magnetic Poetry
Make a poster
Make a pirate hat
Pretend you’re an astronaut traveling to a new planet
Draw pictures of your emotions
Set the table and make a centerpiece
Make a recording of you singing someone’s favorite song and send it to them
Make a suncatcher with colored tissue paper
Play Jacks or marblesPlay with a yo-yo
Bounce a ball

Other Fun Summer Activities for You and Your Kids

Geocaching, a Modern Treasure Hunt

Backyard Chickens

Getting Kids Excited About Gardening

June 30, 2024 32 comments

White table cloth with blobs of blue, purple and red paint with a green basket filled with leaves in the foreground

outdoor learning

Backyard Painting–With Nature

by Teach Mama June 30, 2024

written by Teach Mama

Every season offers us a bounty of wonderful surprises. Taking walks with your kids allows them to slow down, enjoy being outside, notice things they might not see from the backseat of a car, talk with you about them, and develop a sense of wonder and love of nature.

Backyard Painting with Nature

Take a bag or basket, a pair of scissors and possibly a pair of garden gloves with you to make it easier to collect the treasures you find. Have plenty of paper plate palettes, a variety of acrylic paints, glue and any other art supplies you think you might want to use ready for when you return. If you take a walk in your neighborhood be sure to ask permission before collecting anything from someone else’s property.

In the cool of a spring or summer morning enjoy looking at trees, at leaves, and at everything green. Enjoy the flowers blooming, both wild and planted. In autumn when the leaves are turning your kids can observe and enjoy the variety of rich fall colors. In winter, branches, evergreens and berries inspire us.

Breathe in deeply and talk about how seasons smell different. What do they smell that tells them the season?

Collect things that grab their attention and add them to your basket.

Pinecones, leaves, tiny flowers (otherwise known as weeds), pebbles, shells, berries, branches etc.

When you have explored to your heart’s content (or when it gets too hot or cold) bring your finds home and bring out the paper, glue, paints and any other art supplies you want to use.

There is No Right or Wrong Way to Do Nature Painting

Let their imaginations run wild. They can use leaves as stamps or brushes or as part of the design itself. However, they want to express themselves with their bits of nature is sure to be brilliant!

Other Ideas for Backyard Nature Painting

You may want to switch up the focus of your nature painting occasionally to keep it exciting and fun. For example, on one walk you could focus on flowers, or big leaves versus tiny ones, weeds (any plant growing wild or not where it’s supposed to and lots of great plants fit that description), or on a single color. If you have older kids you might even focus on annuals versus perennials.

As part of English or Science, they could find out each plant’s Latin name as well as other names they go by in different parts of the country. When our kids were young we would giggle at some of the other names for eggplant, zucchini, peas and artichokes. What fun creative way can they incorporate that into their paintings?

Occasionally you may take a walk where picking is prohibited. (In Texas for example you can’t pick bluebonnets unless they are on your property because they are the state flower) In that case, you could pack watercolors and do some plein aire (french for plain air-outdoor) painting or record your finds using the camera feature on your phone. You could print out the pictures and make a piece of art with them.

If you have a budding scientist they could keep a nature journal of their finds. Things they might want to include would be where and when the walk took place, the type of plant (rock, shell, etc) they found, sketches, thoughts, feelings and other observations. Maybe they could record the same plant during all the seasons noticing the changes it goes through.

These kinds of journals are such fun to look back on as they grow. You and they may be really surprised about what they observed when they were younger.

Note to Homeschoolers

If you are compiling a portfolio of your child’s work you can’t include a huge poster with plant material glued to it so take a good photograph. You may not choose to use it later, but you’ll have a permanent record of it if it’s needed.

Looking For More Fun Backyard Learning Ideas?

DIY Garden Stepping Stones and Decorations

Water Painting

Just a Little Backyard Rainbow Hunt

June 30, 2024 13 comments

family life parenting

Helping Kids Manage Anxiety

by Teach Mama June 30, 2024

written by Teach Mama

Anxiety is a normal reaction to some situations, we all get a little anxious the first time we try something or when we are heading into an unknown or unpleasant situation, but when our child’s anxiety reaches a chronic level you can help them learn to cope and step outside the cycle of anxiety.

As a marriage and family counselor of more than a decade, who specialized in helping children, I’ve seen many kids dealing with anxiety.

You may have a child in your life who is facing this issue (it’s all too common in today’s world). So I’ve written up a few ways that you can help your child through their emotions in a way that will enable them to move forward, instead of staying stuck.

Helping Your Child Learn to Deal With Their Anxiety

The first thing to remember about anxiety is that it is a symptom or reaction. Anxiety alone isn’t the problem. It may help to think of anxiety as part of the fight/flight/freeze response. Here are some ways to work with your child to manage their anxiety.

Some anxiety is normal in a novel situation. In small amounts, anxiety is a survival mechanism that causes us to look at the survivability of an unknown action or situation. It is when that anxiety overwhelms that it becomes a problem needing to be addressed with the help of others.
Validate their concerns, but don’t enable them. We all need to be heard. Sometimes just sharing their anxiety helps immensely. As parents, we need to be careful not to enable their anxiety though. “That big test has you nervous? Why do you think that is?” instead of “Tests are scary. I always hated them too.” The first one asks the child to analyze the anxiety as a precursor to addressing it, while the second statement suggests that somehow it is outside their control.
Don’t avoid the thing that’s causing the anxiety. Allowing a child to avoid the thing that causes their anxiety might feel as though it would help and it might in the moment but, in fact, it is teaching the child to avoid difficult things even if they have to emotionally manipulate in order to do so. This is not the kind of coping mechanism we want to foster in our children. Instead helping them to understand and face the anxiety head-on increases their ability to manage anxiety for the rest of their life. This being said, sadly sometimes kids are exposed to anxiety causing things that require further action so I encourage you to find out the source of the anxiety.
Have realistic expectations. I have a terrible fear of heights. Skydiving is never going to be a realistic expectation for me, but I can climb a set of stairs which, for me, is an improvement. So it is for our kiddos, set reasonable and attainable expectations. Talk with them about how over time as they get better at facing those fears they will lessen and drop off. Let them know you will be with them as they learn how to do this. Your confidence in their eventual success gives them the expectation of victory over their anxiety.
Ask open-ended questions about their anxiety. Kids need to be able to talk about their anxiety without being led. So instead of asking, “Are you nervous about the game (the play, the test, starting at a new school)? simply ask, “How are you feeling about whatever it is?

Don’t reinforce the anxiety. This can be a difficult one for parents, but don’t reinforce the anxiety by making it seem that they should be anxious about whatever it is. It is so easy to do this with body language, tone of voice and, of course, the words we choose when talking about their anxiety. If your child believes you are anxious then their own anxiety is sure to escalate.
Encourage and praise your child’s efforts to tolerate (habituate) their anxiety. Habituation means in small steps becoming used to a thought or action that is causing the anxiety. A key piece of habituation is reward. Each little step your child makes in facing their anxiety should be amply appreciated and praised so it becomes more important to them than the anxiety. Success itself is a great reward! Our youngest wanted desperately to go down a two-story indoor enclosed slide but was terrified to take the final step (after climbing all the stairs to get to the top) to slide down. We bribed, cajoled, threatened and reasoned with him for hours … until 10 minutes before closing when he finally did it! There was much celebrating of that victory. In that case, the victory was sadly unrepeatable because the park closed. If appropriate try breaking up the trigger into smaller pieces to build up your child’s tolerance.
Shorten the time they have to be anxious. The shorter the period of time a child has to be anxious prior to the event the less time they will have to reach peak anxiety. A child who knows on Monday that they are going to have to face anxiety on Friday has all week to think about the trigger. Giving less lead time and pairing that with a reward may help minimize the anxiety. For example, “We’re going to stop by here (at the doctor’s office) and take care of some things the camp needs us to do and then go get all the rest of the stuff on your list for camp.”
Have a plan of action. Uncertainty seems to play a big part in anxiety so you can help your child by creating a “plan of action” to combat it. This will look very different depending on your child’s age and what they are feeling anxious about. A younger child might draw a picture of their anxiety or trigger and then a picture of them combating that fear (as a superhero perhaps?). If they are anxious about their first sleepover away from home you could talk about what they are likely to experience in reality, what they are afraid they are going to experience and a realistic plan of action. “If you are having a really bad time you can call me and then we’ll decide if you’d rather stay for the fun or come home. If you need to come home either I’ll come get you or Kim’s mom will bring you home.” In this way your child’s concerns are heard, a plan is made, and they have the decision-making power.
Let them see you dealing well with anxiety. Kids aren’t the only ones who experience anxiety. If they see you handling your anxiety in the same positive way it will be easier for them to handle theirs. You taught your child to walk, talk, and all sorts of other things through repetition and modeling. Teach them to manage anxiety the same way.
Know that eliminating anxiety is NOT the goal. Managing it is. Some children with anxiety begin to be anxious about their anxiety. Letting them know that a little occasional anxiety is normal and can even be helpful so that the goal isn’t to do away with it altogether but to manage it so that it can be a useful thing. I once had a counselor ask if I wanted help with my snake anxiety…Umm, no thanks! That anxiety keeps my brain alert, my eyes open and my head on a swivel when I’m outside.
Know when and where to ask for more help. As much as I would like it to be different, in today’s world there are times when a child’s anxiety may be signaling a much deeper problem. This is why it is very important to talk to your child to discover the cause or trigger of their anxiety and to seek appropriate professional help. If you suspect something of that nature, please get additional help in helping them!

Getting More Help

Sometimes, despite everyone’s best efforts, a child’s anxiety gets worse instead of better. If they become overly anxious and aren’t able to tell you why or become anxious around a certain person, people or place you should seek the help of a professional who specializes in helping children.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one type of therapy used by counselors to treat anxiety by identifying unhelpful behaviors and thoughts and correcting them
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment method that helps lessen or alleviate stress that comes from traumatic memories.
Play Therapy uses play (the language of children) to identify and resolve difficulties the child might, due to lack of vocabulary and experience, have difficulty expressing. Art therapy uses art in a similar fashion

More Information You Might Find Useful

June 30, 2024 0 comments

family fun family life

FREE super bowl bingo & party games for all fans

by Teach Mama February 11, 2022

written by Teach Mama

Football fans everywhere are prepping for the big game this weekend by gathering food and friends to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday.

While it’s true that many will have their eyes solely on the football game, others may . . . well, need a little something more than the halftime show to keep them interested.

I’ve created the only Super Bowl Party Games that you’ll ever need:

Super Bowl Bingo
Super Bowl Commercial Bingo
Football Word Search
Football ‘How Many Words’ Activities

All you need to do is download these printables, grab a few bingo markers, get your guests together, find some snacks, and you’ll have the party of the century.

Super Bowl Bingo (for the football fan!)

Made especially for this year’s Super Bowl, these Super Bowl Bingo Cards come as 24 unique bingo cards so that everyone at your party can play.

The game is designed to be played while watching the game. As you see the different plays unfold, you cross them off on your board.

Football fans will know the words in this game, and anything they don’t know, they can ask or google it.

Football terms like these are used:

2-point conversion
Fair catch
Field goal
Injury
Touchdown
Touchdown dance
Vince Lombardi trophy
blocked pass
coach’s challenge flag
coin toss
delay of game
extra point
facemask penalty
false start
first down measurement
flea flicker
fumble
holding penalty
illegal block in the back
interception
kick
no huddle / hurry up offense
offside
onside
pass interference
personal foul
punt
sack
safety
screen pass
timeout
too many men on the field

Each of the football bingo cards has 25 squares with a free space in the middle, and they are all unique. Play with 4-5 if it’s just your family. Use all 24 cards for party guests.

Kids and adults alike will have a blast!

Super Bowl Commercial Bingo

For those of us who would rather watch Super Bowl commercials and the celebrities starring in them, we have Super Bowl Commercial Bingo!

Or for the media-marketing savvy, Super Bowl Sponsor Bingo.

These sponsors are specifically chosen for this year’s big game, so in order to play, you just print out a few Super Bowl Commercial Bingo Cards, watch the ads between plays, and mark them off as you see them!

Some of the advertisers aren’t mentioned–just the logo is on the board–so you have to watch closely!

Make it a BINGO BUNDLE!

Want to be the host of the year?

Have a fun super bowl bingo game for E V E R Y O N E and grab both bingo games: Super Bowl Football Fan Bingo AND Super Bowl Commercial Bingo!

Your guests will have tons of fun, and hands down this will be the party of the year!

How to Play Bingo

How do you play Super Bowl Bingo?

Easy! Here are the instructions:

Print out Bingo Cards for each person. Everyone has his or her own card. You can purchase the printable pdf and print one board to a page OR print two boards per page on regular copy paper. If you want to save ink, print in black and white, 2- or 4- boards per page.
Gather Bingo Markers (see below).
Decide the Winning Combination (see below): 5 in a row, 4 corners, T, L, X, or full board!
Play BINGO! Watch the game (or commercials!), and as you see the different plays unfold, you mark them off on your board! For Commercial Bingo, mark the advertisers off.
The first person to have the winning combination wins!

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to play more than once, great! Someone may win, then everyone clears their boards and starts again. OR, just continue the play when someone wins and players keep their boards marked.

Either is fine–just make sure you keep it light and fun!

Bingo Markers

You can use anything for Bingo Markers, as I’ve talked about in the past. We LOVE Bingo over here–it’s a fun game for holidays and even makes learning fun!

Here are a handful of ideas you can use for Bingo Markers:

pencils, markers, coins, stickers, and glass beads on a white plate

You can use:

markers to cross off items (if you’re only playing one time!)
coins
stickers
beads or glass stones
pencils

tootsie rolls, marshmallows, fruit snacks, and cheerios on a white plate

You can also use:

mini marshmallows
fruit snacks
candy: M & M’s, Hershey Kisses, Tootsie Rolls, skittles
Cheerios
nuts

two white plates with bingo marker ideas on them

Bingo Winning Combinations

Choosing the Winning Bingo Combination should be done before the game begins.

Here are some ways to ‘win’:

Winning Bingo Combinations: diagonal and 5 in a row

Winning Bingo Combinations: the “X” and 4 Corners

Winning Bingo Combinations: the “L” and the “T”

Bingo Prizes

The way to REALLY kick up your Super Bowl party? GREAT BINGO PRIZES!

This is a fun way to add a little friendly competition to the games.

What can you use as Bingo prizes? ANYTHING.

Here are a few small prize ideas:

find little things around your house and wrap them up–the funnier, the better!
stickers
books
hair ties
candy
playing cards
mini football
pens
gift card
candy

Super Bowl Party Game: Football Word Search

For those party-goers who may not want to play Bingo, then the Football Word Search is always a great idea.

Football: How Many Words Game

Another great option for Super Bowl parties is the Football How Many Words Game!

Super Bowl Party GAME BUNDLE

Football party-goers everywhere will just be sitting on the couch, watching the game and twiddling their thumbs, but YOUR SUPER BOWL party will be rockin’ and rollin’ if you grab this Party Game BUNDLE which includes:

24-Board Super Bowl Football Fan Bingo
Super Bowl Commercial Bingo
Football Word Search
Football How Many Words

Want to check out the Super Bowl Bingo for FREE?

Grab one Super Bowl Football Fan Bingo card by putting your first name and email in the box below:

Have fun, and let me know how it goes!

super bowl football fan bingo boards on table

February 11, 2022 0 comments

family life smart deals for family

Storyworth review: best gift for parents, grandparents, loved ones

by Teach Mama December 19, 2021

written by Teach Mama

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Last year, we gifted my parents and my in-laws Storyworth, and it has been something they’ve talked about all year long.

It’s something we’ve all talked about all year long.

Storyworth is the BEST gift for parents, grandparents, and loved ones.

Storyworth is the easiest way to record family stories and print them in beautiful hardcover books.

Every week, Storyworth asks your loved one a question about their life. They simply reply with a story via email or the website, and at the end of a year, all of their stories are printed into a book.

How cool is that?

We are all about this kind of thoughtful, personal gift: photo books, handmade gifts, anything fun and memory-making.

Storyworth: best gift for parents, grandparents, loved ones

Why we gifted Storyworth

We knew our parents had stories to tell. And we knew that we had not heard all of them.

We also knew that our parents had time (now that they’re all retired!)) to tell them.

Our Storyworth gifts were given during the 2020 holiday season, a time of chaos and uncertainty. It was a time when most house projects were completed, most every jigsaw puzzle had been done and re-done, and pretty much everyone needed something to do.

However, even if we had not be in this midst of an unprecedented and isolating time, we would have gifted Storyworth to our parents.

It’s just that awesome of a gift.

Because we gave Storyworth to our loved ones last year, their books are not yet completed. However, we are counting down the days until their stories hit the presses!

Already, we’ve learned things about our parents that we never knew. And at a time when we’ve felt so disconnected from the people we love the most, reading these stories has been such a gift.

Right now, you can get Storyworth for $10 off through December 31. It’s honestly the best gift you can give.

buy Now

Learn more about Storyworth & get $10 off!

What is Storyworth?

Storyworth helps people record family stories all year long and then preserve them in a beautiful book.

That’s it.

The standard Storyworth package includes a year’s worth of story prompts for one storyteller, unlimited recipients (people with whom the storyteller’s stories are shared), and one hardcover book with a black & white interior (and a full color cover).

Super simple concept, right? But it’s a really powerful gift.

How does Storyworth work?

Essentially, once you get started with Storyworth, it’s really easy to keep going.

Here’s what happens:

You purchase a Storyworth gift for someone (or for yourself).
The buyer is invited to customize a card that will be sent via email to the recipient.
The buyer is invited to add others to the account who can help choose the questions that are emailed to the recipient each week. (Though you do not need to do this–it can happen automatically with no customization).
The recipient is emailed a question each week, and that person may choose to write to that topic (or any other that he or she chooses!) that day or another time that they log into the Storyworth platform.
Once all of the questions are answered, the recipient has the opportunity to “submit” and have the work published. There is time to edit, revise, and refresh before publishing if that’s desired.
Ten days after the book is published, it’s shipped and on its way to whomever wants one!

They make it super easy for even the most non-tech-savvy person to handle the platform for Storyworth. All folks have to do is reply to an email.

Why Storyworth is the best gift for parents, grandparents, and loved ones

I wish, more than anything, that Storyworth was around while my grandparents and my husband’s grandparents were alive.

They would have LOVED this, and our kids would have had family memories tucked safely between the covers of a hardcover book forever and ever.

However, it’s never too late to start a Storyworth subscription.

Consider these out-of-the-box ideas:

use Storyworth to recount all sorts of family stories and traditions, told to and shared by one person;
include famous family recipes with photos and reviews;
chronicle family vacations or moves from home to home with Storyworth;
share a close-up biography of each family member using Storyworth;
have one person be the family ‘historian’ and ask each family member the same question. Then include all answers in one book;
use Storyworth for church history, club member get-to-know-you, or scouts;
have an entire family–aunts, uncles, cousins, all ages, everyone!–take one week out of the year to answer one of the system’s questions. One person gathers the answers and shares them with Storyworth, and then the next year every family member gets a book –and they learn about their whole family along the way!

If a family member or loved one is not able to type, don’t stress.

That person can orally share their answers and then a young and fast-typing family member can transcribe them. Really–there are ways to do this!

What we love

There’s a ton that we love.

Essentially, we love:

the ease of purchase — simply click, customize a greeting card, and your gift will be sent!
that there’s no shipping fees or hidden costs — it’s $99 for a year of writing prompts and one hardcover book.
the simple platform makes storytelling easy and stress-free;
that you can add different users to the accounts so siblings or friends can help choose questions each week;
that storytellers can include photos–or not!–and can write as little–or as much!–as they want!
that families will grow closer thanks to shared stories;
the fact that this book will be a family heirloom for years to come;
that this is a super meaningful gift for the storyteller and the rest of the family;
the closeness that this brings us during a time when we are far apart;
the conversations that the stories evoke at family events;
that this gift gives so much longer than just one day — the writer gets a prompt each week, and the book is published after a year!
the variety of questions really helps cover a ton of topics;
the way that you can customize questions for each storyteller;
that family memories, traditions, and stories will live on forever!

What we wish was different

We honestly had planned to gift Storyworth to our parents for quite a while, so at this point it’s all that we thought it would be.

I will update this section once our books arrive. Ideally, if our parents finish writing by the end of January, their books will be finalized and printed by the end of February 2022.

Some final thoughts

A few things that I researched before buying Storyworth:

Are there hidden costs? Like if I want to purchase an extra book, will it break the bank?

You can order additional books at the end of the subscription year. The pricing for additional copies of your book is as follows:

Black and white interior, up to 480 pages: $39
Color books, up to 300 pages: $79:
Color books above 300 pages, up to 480 pages: $99

Can grandparents really handle the tech with Storyworth?

Yes, they really can. They just hit “Reply” to the question email, and compose their story in the new email. When they’re done, they just send the email, and the story is posted to their account.

Right now, you can get Storyworth for $10 off through December 31. It’s honestly the best gift you can give.

shop Now

Learn more about Storyworth & get $10 off!

man typing on computer woman typing on computer

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.

December 19, 2021 3 comments

holidays teacher appreciation

wine bottle gift tags for teachers

by Teach Mama November 22, 2021

written by Teach Mama

Whether you drink wine or not, a nice bottle of wine makes an amazing gift at holiday time or any time of the year.

Wine makes a quick gift or a more complicated one, depending on how much time you have to ‘dress’ it up.

And wine can be a really affordable gift too if you hit the right deal at the right time.

I KNOW that you are most likely super busy and watching how you spend money this holiday season, so I am here to lend a hand.

I’ve created free wine bottle gift tags for teachers (or caregivers, or anyone, really!), and I have an awesome deal on wine for you, too.

wine bottle gift tags for teachers

There are a million different ways to give wine bottles as gifts, but let’s be honest: the wine bottle gift tag is the easiest and quickest.

First, the best deal on wine you’ll ever see

This Black Friday deal was so popular last year that they ended it early, so my suggestion is to move on this if you want to save big!

Firstleaf wine is $4.99 a bottle — and you know it’s normally $20-30 a bottle!

Order 6 bottles of wine for $39.95 + FREE SHIPPING!

woman smiling with bottles of wine on the table in front of her

The Black Friday Special that everyone jumped on last year is here again: Get six bottles of award-winning wine for $39.95 + FREE SHIPPING.

That works out to $4.99 a bottle.

Whether you are a wine drinker or not, wine is a SUPER gift for the holidays, so place your order today.

Order 6 bottles of wine for $39.95 + FREE SHIPPING!

Now, the wine bottle gift tags

I wanted these to be able to be used for holiday time or Teacher Appreciation time, so I created 9 different designs with different sayings.

I also left a bit of room on the bottom in case you wanted to sign the note.

All you need to do is print on cardstock, cut, fold, and hang on the bottle! Super easy.

Get the wine bottle gift tags here:

I mean, could these BE any cuter? I am in love.

wine bottles on a porch with gift tags on them

two wine bottles with tags that read positive sayings for teachers

two bottles of wine with teacher gift tags on them

Who loves a bottle of wine as a gift?

Basically, anyone loves a bottle of wine.

Think:

Bring a bottle to a holiday open house
Take a bottle to a family gathering
Gift a bottle to the babysitter (if he or she is over 21!)
Give a bottle to teachers
Give a bottle to school administrators
Take a bottle to bus drivers
Remember hair dressers, neighbors, dog walkers, and postal workers!

November 22, 2021 0 comments

science

Super-Cool STEM Toys For Preschool & Elementary Schoolers (With free shipping!)

by Teach Mama November 21, 2021

written by Teach Mama

Seriously cool Educational Insights toys are up to 40% off (+my added 10% off = up to 50% off!) with FREE SHIPPING right now. Like today and tomorrow.

There are a lot of choices over there, but I’ll hit you with some of my faves:

You can score this cool kid-happy microscope, or Kidscope, for $23.14 (Suggested retail is $39.99!). That’s INCLUDING shipping! Click here to get the Kidscope now before they sell out!

Kids 8 and up will LOVE this MoonScope and Activity Journal Set, and right now it can be at your door for $35.61 with my links! Click here to grab the MoonScope right now.

Littles will love this Design and Drill Activity Center which is normally $45.99 but which you can score for $21.86! Click here to grab it before it’s gone!

Remember, if you are an educator, please register as a teacher, so you get the extra10% off on top of ALL THESE discounts!

November 21, 2021 0 comments

family life school

how every family can start the school year off right

by Teach Mama July 20, 2021

written by Teach Mama

Several years ago, I wrote about how to make the school year a smashing success, or. . . actually how to make the school year as successful as humanly possible.

It included 10 easy steps that any family could follow in order to start the school year off on the right foot.

I just looked back at it, and I decided it’s totally worth sharing again, because, well, with a little prep and a little thought, every family can start the school year off on a positive note.

how to start the school year off right

Every one of us wants the school year to be successful for our children–and us–so here’s a few simple ‘tricks of the trade’ coming from not only a parent of three elementary schoolers but also an educator who has been ‘on the other side’.

And sure, my husband–also an educator and school administrator–added his two cents’ so we’ve really got it covered here. Now we just have to make sure we’re doing these 10 simple things–

Here’s the skinny. . .

How Every Family Can Start the School Year Off Right

Here they are–successful new-school-year survival tips, in no particular order, so that we all start the school year off in the best way (humanly) possible.

1. Make early and frequent contact with your child’s teacher.

Don’t be afraid to send an email if you have a question or concern, or just send a note to say ‘hi’ and introduce yourself. Ask how you can support classroom learning at home, and ask how you can help the teacher–by classroom volunteering or doing what you can at home.

Have your child write a Hello Teacher Note before school starts or even during the first week or month of school so that she feels a special connection with her teacher. It helps!

successful school year know friends

2. Know your child’s friends.

Plan a weekend play date, even if it’s only for an hour or two, and don’t let the kids hide away downstairs or up in your kiddo’s room. Make a snack together, play a game together, or pull out a craft to do together.

Get to know these little friends now, and listen to how everyone interacts. If necessary, jump in if you don’t like what you’re hearing and talk about how kind friends speak to each other, how to share. or how to take turns. Ignoring behavior we’re not comfortable with is just like saying it’s okay.

successful school year know friends

3. Eat at least two dinners together each week.

It’s hard. Verrrry hard, I know, with soccer practices, lessons, and late work days. But sitting down to dinner as a family has been proven to lead to healthier kids, happier families, and stronger family relationships.

It’s a great time to talk about the day, make sure your kids are chewing with their mouths closed (really!), and to actually sit down and look at your cute kids before they run off and turn into 20-year-olds tomorrow night. And the meal? Doesn’t have to be fancy. Just has to be something on the table that you eat together.

successful school year home for everything

4. Make a home for everything.

When your kiddo walks in the door, shoes make a beeline for the shoe shelf, lunchbox gets emptied then heads to his landing pad on the counter, backpack drops in the box. No questions asked.

Let’s face it, it’s hard to stay organized once the chaos of school begins.

Then when you get a second, unload the take-home folder and recycle (yes–recycle immediately!) the papers you know you won’t need, hang up one ‘super-star’ assignment on the fridge, file the important papers in your file folder, and put the night’s homework on the table where your child does homework. Done. Check. Move onto the next thing.

successful school year homework

5. Create a structured time and place for homework.

For some, it works to get homework completed immediately after walking in the door and finishing snack; for others, homework’s best saved for after dinner. It doesn’t matter when you choose–just make a choice and stick with it.

Everyone fares better with routine, so start one for homework asap.

successful school year school

6. Become a familiar face at school.

If you walk to school, introduce yourself to the administrators (and don’t be afraid!) while they’re out on bus duty and say hello each time you see him or her. Say hello to the secretaries and be extra nice to them because their job is not easy, either. Don’t expect these busy people to remember your name right away, but use their names when addressing them if you can.

If you are able, join the PTA or PTO, but don’t sweat it if you can’t–you can still help in other ways. Consider asking the PTO President or School Director how you can help–from home. I’m sure she’ll come up with something.

If you feel a little motivated, give the Class Parent Role a try!

successful school year ask and listen

7. Ask your child questions and listen to the answers.

Yes:Hi, Honey, so happy to see you! What did you do in P.E. today? OR What book did you read in Reading Group? OR What was your favorite part of your lunch? OR Did you like about the assembly today?

No:Hi, Honey! Did you have a good day?

Shoot for specific, open-ended questions and go with whatever he wants to talk about. Close-ended questions (that result in a yes or no answer) stop conversation before it begins. And rapid-fire questions about what you want to know but what he’s not ready to share are enough to make a kid want to turn around and run back to the bus for safety.

So make sure you breathe–and let your child breathe, too. And what isn’t covered on the walk home can be covered during dinner or at bedtime.

successful school year extra curricular

8. Get your kids involved in at least one extra-curricular activity.

Even if it’s one little thing that gives them a chance to interact with other kids and burn some steam, it counts.

Whether it’s a community sport, a craft club, a scouting group, or a youth group, it doesn’t matter. Kiddos need some little something to call their own when they’re young. And even if an extra-curricular is not in the budget, make it a goal to attend a free event at the library, church, or in the community several times a month.

successful school year meet parents

9. Meet parents.

Respond to the Room Parent’s plea for help, and remember her name when you see her at Back-to-School night or at the class party.

Get to know the moms, dads, grandparents, and sitters who walk their kids to school or the bus stop. Ask parents–especially the seasoned ones–questions, and learn a little from them if you can. Learn which kids belong to which parents. Exchange contact information so that you can text someone to give you a hand if you’re running late one afternoon, or meet up at the playground after school.dd

successful school year thankful

10. Be thankful. Be supportive. Be grateful.

Teachers’ jobs are seriously more difficult than most people can imagine. The amount of work that they do–during the week and on the weekends–to prepare lessons, ready their classroom, research best practices, work with specialists, grade schoolwork, respond to parents, attend meetings, and (for many) continue their own education–is insane.

So we need to be thankful for their hard work–today and every day–not just Teacher Appreciation Week or at the end of the year. Sign your emails with a sincere, ‘thank you for all you do‘ and mean it. Ask what you can do to support them, and follow through.

Say ‘thanks’ to the administration, the para-educators, the specialists, the custodians, and the lunchroom workers because they’re all working towards creating a safe environment for your child to meet with success and have the best year possible. So why wouldn’t you want to be thankful for, supportive of, and grateful for this school community?

And there you have it-just 10 quickie ways that you can start the school year off on the right foot.

What are we missing? Let me know!

Want all of these reminders in a happy little printable?

how to start the school year right | teachmama.com

We can do this–I know it!

Want a little more back-to-school fun? A few more rockstar resources?

July 20, 2021 18 comments

early literacy

3 Reasons Kids Need Early Reader Books With Characters They Love

by Teach Mama July 6, 2021

written by Teach Mama

3 Reasons Kids Need Early Reader Books With Characters They Love

True or false? It’s okay to give kids early reader books featuring characters they love.

Kids may like books with their favorite characters, but do they need them?

Will early reading series — Step into Reading or I Can Read books — that feature popular characters from tv or popular media actually help young readers?

I’m talking the whole crew: Disney princesses, Pixar characters, PAW Patrol pups, Blues Clues guys, Barbies, Mickey Mouse, Lightning McQueen, Pikachu, Superman, or Peppa Pig. Everyone. All those famous characters.

The answer is true, true, TRUE. Yes, yes, YES.

It’s absolutely okay–actually, it’s SUPER!–to give kids early reader books featuring their favorite characters.

Here’s the skinny. . .

3 Reasons Kids Need Early Reader Books With Characters They Love

It’s funny that some folks feel so strongly opposed to handing kids books that feature the characters they so love, but I do understand it.

Often characters from popular media don’t always demonstrate the behaviors we want our children to mirror. Sometimes the language or words they use are tricky. Other times the characters may not treat others very kindly.

That makes sense to me.

But I think you can use those elements as learning opportunities, talking to your children about the words or behavior we don’t approve of and what behavior we expect instead. Talk to them about kindness and generosity.

Because honestly? The benefits of using these books truly outweigh the downsides.

The more often these favorite books are read, the more likely our emerging readers are going to take risks and try to read words on their own. So why do we give kids books that feature characters they love? I have three reasons for you. That’s what we want–that’s what we are aiming for, friends. We’re not focused on perfection here; rather, we’re focused on creating a safe environment where our kids are comfortable enough to take risks and try their hand at reading!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

Books With Familiar Characters are Filled With Learning Opportunities

I could go on and on about how to capitalize on learning opportunities when kids are engaged and interested, but here are a few ways:

Focus on text features — point to the title, author, illustrator, table of contents, where text begins and ends, etc.
Play with names — just like children love to learn their own names, they will also love to learn their favorite characters’ names.
Encourage kids to help you figure out the story — kids love to be ‘experts’ so let them help you figure out what might happen next, which character might be hiding behind that door, or how a person may react in a certain situation.

Early ReaderTexts Featuring Fave Characters Build Kids’ Reading Confidence

The more often these favorite books are read, the more likely our emerging readers are going to take risks and try to read words on their own.

That’s what we want–that’s what we are aiming for, friends. We’re not focused on perfection here; rather, we’re focused on creating a safe environment where our kids are comfortable enough to take risks and try their hand at reading!

So whether your child “reads” the book title to you or whether she can points to the name “Elsa” each time she sees it, we’re building confidence.

Where to Find Early Readers With Characters Kids Love

You can find these books just about anywhere, especially once you start keeping your eyes open for them.

Check yard sales, book fairs, ask your Facebook friends, or your neighborhood listserve.

Find them on Zulily during the BOGO sale, and know that you are making a difference with each and every book you purchase. For example:

What do you think?

Do you have strong feelings about giving your children–or students–books that feature characters they love? I’d love to hear it!

Check out Morning and Evening Reminders for Kids: Easy Reader Style

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.

July 6, 2021 0 comments

books reading

BOGO books kids love: less than $10 each!

by Teach Mama July 2, 2021

written by Teach Mama

It is absolutely time to start stocking up on books that kids love because right now you can score a ton of kid-faves over on Zulily for less than $10 each.

And to sweeten the deal, Penguin Random House has partnered with Save the Children to donate one book to Save the Children for EVERY, SINGLE book sold between June 24 and August 5, 2021.

You buy one, they give one. HOW awesome is that?? Nothing makes me happier than bogo books!

Save the Children will get up to 50,000 books thanks to YOU!

Here’s the skinny. . .

BOGO books kids love: less than $10 each!

Any time I can score a deal like this (some books are up to $5 off!), I will. And especially when books are going to a great cause like Save the Children, you better believe I’ll move on this deal!

Click here to look at all of the deals –> (Buy One, Give One) BOGO Books under $9.99

The more books we can get in children’s hands–anywhere in the world!–the better.

Not sure where to start? I get it. Sales like this can be overwhelming.

Here are a few of my recommendations to start: