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Toddler Activities from Familyeducation.com http://ift.tt/1qOLOKw Teach your child to match words with pictures.

Classroom Hacks

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School is just around the corner. And it is time to plan your classroom!

Here are some of the best hacks, tips and ideas of ways to organize your room without breaking the bank!

Ideas to add color AND storage

Add some color and storage to an otherwise blank room with Plastic Milk Cartons.  Ziptie them together to make them into a cubbywall.

Add black contact paper to old jam jars to create fun pencil/pen jars.  Label them with chalk pens.

Need some stools and storage??  Why not create a bunch of bucket seats – literally, transform a bucket into super cute seats.

Glue a pom-pom to the lids of your dry erase markers – you won’t have to hunt for an eraser again!

Cut up a shower board from the hardware store to create mini-white boards for your kids to work with.

DIY Ideas for Organization

Make a collection of floor mats to help kids have a “place” to sit during floor storytime, using old tablecloths.

Store colorful pencils in a half gallon milk jug.  Easy to grab what you need and pick up the container and stack to put away.

Separate the various levels of reading books, or other class subjects, with a color system.  Each level gets their own color of bucket.

 

Frugal Classroom Tips

Need extra board space??  Or are you a mobile teacher sharing a classroom with no “home”?  Make a tri-fold white board to bring with you.

Don’t spend a fortune on organization.  You can re-purpose cereal boxes with a bit of wrapping paper to become classy magazine holders.

Use containers of hand-sanitizer as a Bathroom Hall Pass.

Do you have a bunch of different station “tasks” for your kids to complete??  Check out this TP Tube assignment wall.  This teacher used it for language vocab lists.

Don’t forget about the back of your door.  You can use that space for odds and ends.  Use a plastic backed shoe organizer and you can cut out the section for the class-door-window.

 

Help your kids develop self-control with the help of calm-down-jars.  You can also use these as timers for reading time, or turns between stations.

Say goodbye to glue sticks.  They get dried out, make a sticky mess.  Use small tubs add a sponge-saturated with regular school glue.

Drop old markers into a small container of water.  The water will turn the color of the markers and you have watercolor ink.  We’ve made ink this way – it really works!

Genius.  Simply Genius.

Paint the file cabinet with chalk board paint and label what’s inside.

No more scratching and screeching chairs!  Add a slice to a tennis ball and put them on the bottom of the seat polls.

Have a “book hospital” – a place to put books with tears so you can tape and “save” them.  Detention task??

Hang an organizer from your whiteboard with easy-to-access prompts and aids.

Get a quality tote – with deep pockets, perfect for carrying folders, projects and supplies back and forth.

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Mosaic Rainbow Craft from a Paper Plate

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When it comes to springtime, rainbow crafts are one of my favorite things to make. I love rainbows and with the colors being so bright and pretty, it’s hard not to smile when you see them!

Rainbow Craft: Paper Plate Mosaic

Mosaics are a fun way to teach kids about patterns and rainbows are ideal for teaching colors. You can make two rainbows from one paper plate.

You will need:

• Paper plate
• Scrapbook paper: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
• Scissors
• Glue stick or white craft glue

1. Cut the paper plate in half and cut all but 1-inch of the center out.
2. Cut scrapbook paper into small squares.
3. Glue red squares around the outer edge.
4. Glue orange squares under the red squares.
5. Following this same pattern, glue squares down the rainbow: yellow, green, blue, purple.

So easy!

Need more rainbow craft ideas? We’ve collected 20 fun ideas here!

Have fun!

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15 Ideas for Adorable First Day of School Pictures

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First day of school pictures are so special.  I’ll never forget that first day back to school, posing for my mom with my new backpack and special outfit, waiting for the bus.  And I cherish the chance to capture all of that first day excitement with my own kids.  Here at Kids Activities Blog we’ve put together an awesome round up of super cute first day of school photo ideas.  From basic tips to free printables, this year your first day pictures are going to be extra adorable!

I love this idea of the holding a photo from last year by Seven Thirty Three, kids change so much!

Little chalkboards with the grades written on them like these from Simple Little Home make for a super cute first day shot.

Have a few kids?  Lining them up by height makes for a great photo.

These free printable grade signs are a great way to capture that first day.

How about dressing your kids in the same thing for the first and last day of school?  I love this idea by Buzzmills.

Use a photo editing app to add special details about your little one like this one from Kids Stuff World.

Chalkboard bubbles are another way to get your kiddos interests in the photo.

How about catching some candid shots at school?  Simple as That has tons of great tips for professional quality first day photos.

I Heart Nap Time has a great set of free printable grade signs.

I also love these over-sized free printable signs by Goober Monkey.

Writing out the grade in sidewalk chalk makes for a very cute photo like this one by School Time Snippets.

Want to make sure you’ve got all the special back to school moments? Check out this photo checklist by Simple as That.

Once those photos are printed how about an adorable chalkboard frame?

Of maybe make a frame your kid can pose with like this one by Mom Always Finds Out.

How about using those pics in a super cute school bus craft like this one for No Time For Flash Cards?

With these great ideas I just know your first day of school photos are going to be extra special!

Looking for more back to school inspiration?  Check out Over 30 Great Back to School Printables!

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Sandcastles

Toddler Activities from Familyeducation.com http://ift.tt/1tvW36n Here are some tips to make your next sand structure memorable.

Superhero Cuffs {Toilet Paper Roll Crafts}

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I’m always looking for new and creative toilet paper roll crafts.  I love making things with recyclables and everyone has toilet paper tubes!  My four year old son is currently superhero crazy so I thought what better than making some superhero cuffs?  We both had a blast with this simple project and the results yielded hours of imaginative play.  We enjoyed some great creative time together and then Mommy got a nice break while her little superhero set out saving the world.  You can’t ask for much more than that!  So don’t toss those toilet paper rolls, they can be transformed into something truly super!

To Make Toilet Roll Superhero Cuffs You’ll Need

• Four toilet paper rolls for one set of cuffs
• Paint
• Glue
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Hole Punch

How to Make Toilet Roll Superhero Cuffs

1. First cut a slit all the way down one side of all four paper rolls.  Two will be your cuffs and the other two will provide the material for your shapes.
2. Flatten two of the rolls and cut superhero shapes from them.  Ideas include stars, bats, lightening bolts, letters, the sky’s the limit!
3. Paint your pieces.  Paint all around your cuffs and on both sides of your shapes.  Be sure to use two different colors so that your super hero shapes really pop!
4. Once the paint dries, glue your shapes to the top of your cuffs and allow to dry.
5. Punch a few holes down each side of your cuff openings and lace them up by threading them with yarn.
6. Now you’re ready to don your super cool cuffs and try out your new super powers.

Part craft, part toy, all fun, I hope you enjoy making and playing with these as much as we did!

Looking for more toilet paper roll crafts?  Check out these adorable Wiggly Octopus Friends or these awesome Star Wars Characters!

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Taste and Tell

Toddler Activities from Familyeducation.com http://ift.tt/1lUyGMa This activity will make your child more aware of the sense of taste.

Parenting Lesson: It’s Okay To Say Yes

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When you’re a kid, you say no to drugs.

When you’re a parent, you say no to tugs, hugs, slugs, and bugs–and any other manner of verbal or physical assault designed to persuade you to purchase an ICEE/let them stay up late/invite 14 other Kindergartners over for a sleepover/all three.

It’s okay to say no.

They tell you that when you’re a kid, and they tell you that when you’re a parent. The difference is that when you’re grown up, the peer pressure is actually in line with the saying no. In fact, amateurs and experts look down on parents who give in to their kids’ demands.

“They’ll walk all over you.”

“They won’t respect you.”

“They’ll grow up to be spoiled brats.”

We’re encouraged to be tough, to be strong. “You go, girl! Stick to your guns!” And saying no is a good thing, obviously. If I don’t want 15 overtired five-year-olds in my house from sundown to sunup, I am not just entitled to refuse, I’m smart to do so. And even if it’s a smaller thing, letting the kid think she can have anything she wants, or can easily wear you down by constant nagging, isn’t going to do anyone any favors.

But we get so caught up in the message of no that sometimes we forget the opposite.

The other day, I was reading a parenting book. Now, those who know me know my disdain for parenting books and magazines. I’ve left a trail of half-read “the real way to parent” claims discarded in the dust as the Maiden and I have progressed from stalemate to stalemate. For once this book didn’t claim to have all the answers, but it did have one suggestion: sometimes, say yes.

It makes sense. When you have a child who’s a little more difficult–let’s say “spirited” and “tenacious” rather than “wild” and “stubborn”–you find yourself saying no so many times that it becomes habit. In fact, saying yes seems somehow wrong.

No, you can’t eat treats on the way home from school. Especially not before dinner.

No, we can’t buy this.

No, I can’t stop making dinner to help you put away the dolls I told you not to make a mess of.

No, you can’t stay up late tonight.

No, you can’t play with my scrapbooking tools.

And then I suddenly realized that actually, just once in a while, yes, she can.

The world doesn’t end if we bend the rules and allow that before-dinner treat on a rare occasion. Or if I let her have the 60-cent scrapbooking paper and then–gasp!– use my good stencils on it. It doesn’t mean we’re giving in to her nagging. It doesn’t mean the Maiden will turn us into her minions, slaves to her every whim.

Actually, it’s quite the opposite. The Maiden will always ask. Often the answer’s no, and that’s okay. But now that the answer’s sometimes yes, she’s suddenly more secure. She doesn’t need to ask 24,000 times because she knows that next time, I might not refuse. My nos have a higher level of legitimacy now that they’re sprinkled with the occasional yes.

There’s nothing wrong with a kid asking for something, any more than there is with an adult doing the same thing. But so frequently we parents treat any requests as assaults on our Fortress of Good Parenting. Saying yes once in a while doesn’t just make our child momentarily happy, it also sends a clear signal that we’re considering their question, that we’re treating them like an adult instead of like an automated button we need to press. In the end, our relationship grows and develops a base of trust.

And that’s something nobody could say no to.

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Must Have Back-To-School Essentials Guide!

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It’s hard to believe we are already thinking about our kids going back to school.  Before you know it, we will start hearing the school bell ring so we want you to be prepared.  To help you navigate through the back to school process we have put together this Must Have Back-to-school Essentials guide.

Back to School Essentials

(this article contains affiliate links)

There are so many things to make sure to remember for back-to-school, sometimes’ it’s easy to forget a thing or two. If you’re a first time school parent, (YAY for your new kindie kid… or preschooler), we’ve got you covered! Here is our list of all the things to make sure to include in your back-to-school shopping.

• Backpack
• Lunch box
• Water bottle
• School Clothes
• Accessories (socks, underwear, scarves, hats)
• New Shoes
• Warm Jacket or Rain gear
• School supplies
• Electronics
• Homework Area at home

Back-to-School Accessories

Organization is the key to success especially in school. Teaching our kids why it’s important to stay organized is a great lesson even before they go to school!  So to help them get started, here’s our list of the most important organization tools like backpacks, lunch boxes, pencil bags, binders that you can equip your kids with this school year.

• Backpacks – There are so many sizes and styles of backpacks.  Make sure you check the dimensions of the backpack to makes sure its not too small or too big for your child.  If you are interested in a rolling backpack, make sure your school allows them.  We really like the options at Pottery Barn Kids!  You can find four different sizes in their backpacks.  And shipping is always free when you purchase one of their backpacks.  Character backpacks are also really popular right now.
• Lunch boxes – Lunch boxes should either fit inside your backpack or strapped to the front.  It’s no fun for kids to have to wear a backpack and carry a lunch box.  A good lunchbox should also be waterproof and not leak any spilled food or drink.  A lot of times a backpack will come with a matching lunchbox.   Take a look at our favorite Fun Lunch Box Products.
• Water bottles – It’s so important to keep your kids hydrated throughout the day.  And most teachers will allow kids to keep a water bottle in their cubby or locker.  So send your kids to school with a water bottle that also fits in their backpack or lunch box. We really like Insulated water bottles and the Pottery Barn Kids Personalized water bottles.
• Organizer Binders – Even kiddos in kindergarten need folders and binders to keep their subjects separated.  It’s a good idea to select different colors to help them keep track.
• Homework Notebooks – All kids come home with homework.  Many times, you have to provide the paper or note cards to do the work.  Make sure you keep your home stocked with paper, pens, fun stickers etc.
• Pencil holders – Great for crayons, markers and cute little erasers too.
• Headphones – Don’t forget the headphones!  All kids are being introduced to computers and all school want kids to have their own headphones to work on a tablet or computer.  The ear buds are good for the older kids, but send the smaller kids with the full padded headphones.  We love the selection at Walmart.com.  These headphones are really lightweight and perfect for kids.
• Electronics – If you don’t already own a tablet or iPad,  you may consider picking one up for your kids to do their homework at home.  There are a lot of great free apps you can download to help them practice their math or reading.  Read more about Free Educational Apps for Kids here!

Extra TIP: And once you have your lunch boxes ready, you will want to check out these Back-to-School Simple snack ideas.  Pack your kids a healthy lunch and snack with all your new accessories.

School Supplies

Every year we load up our kids with piles of new school supplies. Sometimes the lists feel like they are a mile long, right? Most schools will provide a list for you to shop from and some schools offer pre-order school supplies kits so you don’t have to shop the stores for the items your kids need. We’ve come up with the basics list and a few things we love for extra school success. Here is our list of favorite MUST HAVE School supplies.

• Pencil bag or Plastic school box – Keep those pencils from floating around their desk or in their backpack.
• Pencil sharpener – it’s difficult to write without a sharpened pencil… unless you go with mechanical. We like having a sharpener handy, especially for colored pencils.
• Pocket & Brad folders set of 12 – We’ve tried the paper and the plastic, the plastic is definitely worth the extra quarters for a year’s worth of use.
• Scissors – We love Fiskars!
• Ruled Index Cards – Great for note taking and presentations.
• Crayons, Markers and Colored Pencils – Every kid needs to color something throughout the year, right?
• Post-it notes – Love these little stickie papers for notes, temporary bookmarks and idea doodling.
• Highlighters and Red Pens – Great for idea brainstorming, paper correcting and presentations.
• Ruled notebook paper, spiral note books and composition books – Even with today’s computer filled classrooms, nothing beats a good learning practice on a piece of paper.
• Tablet and protective case – Many schools are now offering electronics in the classroom. Having these tools available at home is becoming very helpful for kid learning.
• Extras – Don’t forget the extras that might not be on your school list. These things come in handy and are especially helpful to include in your child’s backpack.
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Tissues
  • Chapstick
  • Extra pencils and a little notepad
  • A snack – we know this isn’t a “school supply” but a little bag of snack mix can really be helpful for the little ones.

Discounted School Supply– Save on all of your school supplies at Discounted School Supply.  And when you spend $79 or more on all stocked items, you get your shipping for FREE!

School Clothes (Apparel) 

Getting ready for the school year also includes shopping for new clothes and shoes.  There is nothing like picking our your first day of school outfit!  While you are shopping for all the new styles and sizes, don’t forget the accessories.  Even if you wear a school uniform, you can have fun picking out colorful hair accessories or new socks to go with your skirt.  This is a good time to also change out the old socks and underwear!  Print out this list of MUST HAVES and keep it handy when you start your shopping.

• Shirts – It’s a good idea to think variety when picking out shirts.  For boys,  pick out a few polos, button up shirts, athletic tees, graphic tees (age and school appropriate).  Girls need both short and long sleeve dressier tops, shirts with a collar for layering and graphic tees.  Be careful with sleeveless shirts, these are not approved at all schools but are great for layering.
• Sweaters and hoodies – For girls, it’s a good idea to have at least 2 cardigans for layering over tops or dresses.  Depending on where you live, you will want to pick up a few warmer sweaters for the winter.  Boys tend to choose a hooded sweatshirt over a cardigan when they want to warm up.  It’s a good idea to pick up a zip-up sweater for dressier occasions.
• Pants,  jeans, leggings and shorts – It’s a good rule of thumb to have enough pairs of pants, jeans, leggings or shorts for at least 5 days (this way you aren’t doing laundry during the week).  Pick up a variety of solid colors for your pants and shorts — it’s much easier to match colorful tops with solid pants.   Kids spend a lot of time sitting on the floor in elementary school, so pick out pants that aren’t paper thin but have some weight to them.  It will keep you from patching up their knees!
• Skirts – If you have young kids, consider picking up skorts instead of skirts.  This will avoid any unwanted exposure.  Make sure you have something to go with the skirt for both warm and cold weather.  Leggings also go great with skirts.
• Dresses – All girls love pretty dresses just make sure it’s not too short.  A lot of dresses come with leggings so the length isn’t an issue.
• Socks, tights and undies – Again make sure you have enough pairs to get you through the week + a few for emergencies!
• Shoes – 2 pairs of shoes for the school year is a good place to start. Nice shoes and gym shoes.
• Jacket – It’s a good idea to have a light jacket and a heavy winter coat.  The light jacket can also be a rain jacket or a hooded sweatshirt.  Kids spend a lot of time outside either at recess or waiting for the bus — they will need a light jacket sooner than you think.
• Cute scarves – Scarves have become really popular to add a pop of color to an outfit or to keep warm.  These are fun accessories for kids to have.
• Hair Accessories – headbands pony tail holders and barrettes.

Favorite places to shop for Back-to-school clothes and shoes.

We all have our favorite places to shop for school clothes and shoes.   We also have our favorites!  This list was created with 3 things in mind … price, quality and convenience.  So here’s a list of some retailers we like for back to school clothing and shoes.

• Zulily – Zulily has great, unique looks for back-to-school.  We love the Zulily Best Sellers list!
• Gymboree – We love the way Gymboree puts together a full outfit for your kids + free shipping when you spend $75 or more!
• Tea Collection – Tea Collection offers very colorful shirts and dresses for kids!
• Zappos – Zappos has a huge selection of back-to-school shoes for boys and girls.   You’ll find tons of SKECHERS Light Up options too!
• Find a great selection of school uniforms at Walmart.com.
• Target – Target is a great one-stop shopping experience.  There are also special deals when you shop online.
• Kohls – A wide variety of new looks for boys and girls at great prices.
• Old Navy – Great for basics with a little extra style plus you’ll find a good selection of uniform pieces.

Homework Areas and Organization for School

Aside from the backpack, binders and other organizational tools for your kids, you will need a designated space for them to do homework at home.  Helping your kids organize their school life at home will teach them how to be organized at school.

• Kids Desk – Having a desk for kids to work on their homework is a great way to keep them organized. This kids desk from Target is a great option. And there is a pin-up board for their art work.
• 2-Shelf Bookcase – This bookcase from Pottery Barn Kids is perfect for keeping track of school work and other supplies.
• 6 Shelf Bookshelf -Here’s another bookcase option. This 6-shelf bookshelf from Target can hold books, school supplies and toys.
• Canvas Storage Bins – These storage bins are the perfect compliment to the bookcases. Add your child’s name to separate each child’s school supplies.
• Family Noteboard and School Organizer – I love this school organizer from Opensky.com. There is a note board and peg board to hang coats or backpacks. Put this at the backdoor to keep track of upcoming events.
• Daily Organizing System – Here is the ultimate in family organization. The Pottery Barn daily system set has a dry erase board, chalkboard, letter bins and more.

Back-to-School extras for Homeschoolers

If you homeschool your kiddos, there are also a lot of great products to help you along the way.  You can find school supplies and subscription boxes for this upcoming year’s curriculum.

• Little Passports Back to School Supplies – You can find great bundles of school supplies, lunch boxes, and personalized products.
• Little Passports Home Schooling exclusive – Get the World Explorers curriculum subscription for all ages.  Sign up for Little Passports 3 or 6 month subscription (USA, World, or Early Explorers edition)
• Green Kid Crafts subscriptions boxes –  Green Kid Crafts has everything from eco-friendly Discovery Boxes, Creativity Kits, and STEM Science Kits (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). You can find kids subscription boxes for preschoolers and kids ages 3-10.  All subscriptions always include free shipping!
• Even more great monthly products – Check out our Activity Subscription Boxes Reviewed.

Where to Shop for Back-to-School

Back-to-School shopping doesn’t have to be overwhelming — it can be fun too!  There are so many choices so to make it a little bit easier for you and less scary, we narrowed it down to a few of our favorite places to shop.  We love shopping here because these retailers have a great selection and variety, quality, price-point and convenience.

• Head to Discount School Supply for amazing deals on all kinds of kids supplies for school.
• Disney Store – Make sure your shopping list includes favorite Disney characters! From Frozen to the Avengers, whether you pick a backpack or a cute outfit, Disney has you covered with favorite character products perfect for back-to-school.
• Pottery barn – Get that homework desk in order and find adorable school accessories.
• Target – has an amazing selection of school supplies for all grades . Target also has a Top School Picks page full of products we love. Check out the R2D2 lunch box!
• Zulily – Zulily offers a unique shopping experience with fun and unique items for your kiddos.
• Amazon – With Amazon you get variety and in most cases free shipping.  Amazon is really the best online retailer for everything!
• Toys R Us – Toys R Us always offers the best character backpacks and lunch boxes.  They also have a great selection of school supplies.

Last but not least, don’t forget – take the kids in for a haircut!

Free Printables for Back-to-School

• And if you are looking for those really cute Back to School signs for the First Day of School — we have you covered! Here’s our list of Over 30 Great Back To School Free Printables And Counting for you to enjoy!
• Get the Printable checklist! Jen goode has created a printable Back-to-School checklist you can download and print.
• Back-to-School Coloring pages – cute owl coloring pages, perfect for school!
• Printable lunch love notes – Print out these super cute lunch notes and send a little love to school with your kids every day.

 

To find special savings for Back-to-school, visit our Deals Page where you’ll find an updated list of our favorite money savings finds, just for you!

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Make DIY Straw Beads

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Sometimes a kid’s craft is so simple, that you stop and say, “Now, why didn’t I think of that?” That’s what everyone says when I show them how easy it is to make your own straw beads!

You don’t need much to make your own straw beads. Just some yarn and straws. I like using paper straws (affiliate link) but the plastic ones you can buy at the grocery store work just as well.

To make your straw beads, all you have to do is cut your straw into little half inch sections. The best part about this project is, the size of your straw beads can vary because you decide how long to make the beads!

You can make your beads all one color with just a straw or two, or you can go all out and make them lots of colors. I really like the way they make her straw beads shiny here.

In order to string your beads, just add a bit of tape to the end of the yarn so it doesn’t get too frayed as you play with it.

 

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5 Homemade Slurpees Recipes – Summer Classics

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Refreshing Summer Fun!

Whether you call them slushies or slurpees these cool icy drinks are the perfect fun summer recipe for your kids. Just change the fruit to change the flavor of your homemade slurpees, add a straw and you are all set!

slurp!!

Homemade Healthy Slurpee™ Recipes

Make a more healthy natural option for the slurpee at home! Choose from Banana, Pineapple, Watermelon Mint, Orange Lime Zest and Almond Vanilla!
Recipes via Pure Mama

Kool-Aid Slurpee Recipe

Did you know you can make Slurpees with Kool-Aid™ too? you can make it into any flavor you like {as long as Kool-Aid makes that flavor}
Recipe via Mandys Recipe Box

Slurpee IceCream Floats

Pull out the blender and whip up some slushies, then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Bonus! These will fast become your new favorite treat for cooling off.
Recipe via amandascookin

Healthy Strawberry Lemonade Slurpee Recipe

This strawberry lemonade slurpee is super-easy to make and beats simply serving your kids straight-up lemonade as a sunny-day sip.
Recipe via Babble

Strawberry Lemonade Slurpee

These are PERFECT for those super hot, steamy days when you just need to cool off. What a fun after school treat, too!
Recipe via mostlyhomemademom

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Water Balloon Catch

Toddler Activities from Familyeducation.com http://ift.tt/1rz5o9w Here are some water balloon activities and ideas for your toddler.

Number Sort with 10 Frames

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Number sort is a fun, hands on activity to play and learn with numbers. It sets a challenge of searching for specific numbers amongst a jumble of numbers and matching them to the Printable Number Mats.

 

I originally made these Printable Number Mats with tens frame to use with play dough for a multi-sensory, tactile learning experience but they have been so useful and easy to incorporate into other play opportunities.

 

Using magnetic numbers we created a number sort that involves counting, recognising numbers, sorting and matching numbers onto the Printable Number Mats. The tens frame plays an important role of exposing children to how many and the value of that number. It also provides an opportunity to count out loud.

 

What you will need?

You will need magnetic numbers and our printable Number Mats.

We have laminated our Number Mats for more durability and re-use them again in other activities.

 

The Number Mats are available in Cursive Print (as shown in the picture) or in Standard Print.

 

Let’s Play

Some Ideas:

• Search, sort and classify the numbers onto the matching number mats.
• Trace your finger over the number, drawing the shape of the number.
• Point and count how many dots are in the tens frame. Place magnetic numbers that match onto the tens frame dots. Count them out loud. We placed any extra numbers at the top of the number mat as shown on mat number 2 in the photo above.
• With younger children who are not ready for numbers 0-9, start with numbers 0-3 or 0-5. Increase the number mats as the children’s number understanding develops.
• Talk about each number, what they look like and their shape.

 

Let’s Learn

Learning Opportunities

• Hand-Eye Coordination and Control
• Concentration
• Mathematics – number recognition and sorting by number.
• Fine Motor Development – manipulating objects.
• Language development – Counting our loud number sequence and pronunciation of numbers.
• Mathematics – Recognising numbers and value of numbers.
• Visualisation and memory
• Problem solving – searching for the correct (number) shape.

 

 

Available in our online shop:

You can download our Printable Number Mats through our Learning 4 Kids online shop for $1.49

 

The Number Mats are available in two different fonts, Cursive Print and in Standard Print is available here.

 

Alphabet Play Dough Mats

Cursive Print Alphabet Play Dough Mats

Standard Print Alphabet Play Doug Mats

 

Purchase both together

Purchase the Alphabet and Number Play Dough Mats as a set together for $2.49

Number & Alphabet Play Dough Mats – Cursive Print

Number & Alphabet Play Dough Mats – Standard Print

 

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