20 Best Tips

Using Times Tales for Tricky Multiplication Facts

Jan202016
Learning multiplication can be FUN with Times Tales. Using visual mnemonic stories, your child will learn the tricky facts - and remember them!

Educents is a blog sponsor and provided a digital copy of Times Tales for our review. Multiplication facts have been a bit tricky for two of our kids, especially many of the ones in the 6, 7, 8, and 9 tables. Drilling wasn’t effective and was making life unpleasant.  Flash cards were not our friend. Our fifth grader is constantly trying to sneak answers out of me, and although he eventually … [Continue reading...]

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Math, Opinions and Reviews 6 Comments

Hello, Read Aloud. It’s Been Too Long!

Jan192016

Lately it seems as all we do is go, go, go. Between carting the kids to swim practice and now adding in Scouts for Zachary, there is little time in the evening to sit, put our feet up, and read together. Winter especially seems like the perfect opportunity. Somehow (in my head - where many misconceptions reside) evenings seem like the perfect time, even though there are twenty-four hours in a … [Continue reading...]

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Reading 3 Comments

What is the Ideal Homeschool Day?

Jan182016

We were supposed to have school today, and even though we did some school, there is always a part of my brain that thinks if THIS much isn’t done, or if we end before THIS time, we didn’t really do school. Not all my boxes were checked off and pages completed in the correct sequence. (gasp!) Am I the only one that wrestles with this? Ironically, as I was listening to a podcast this morning, … [Continue reading...]

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Encouragement for Moms, My Ramblings 4 Comments

How to Make Fake Snow and Ice Painting – Preschool and Kindergarten Community

Jan152016

Ready for another week of linking up and sharing ideas? I am so glad that you are stopping by today (really, I am!) and can’t wait to see what you all have to share this week. Be sure to stop by our PreK & K Pinterest board to see a collection of the different posts we are pinning – including yours! Don’t forget to link up a post or two of yours and share what you’ve been working on with your … [Continue reading...]

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Kindergarten, PreK and K Community, Preschool Corner 2 Comments

Cup Holder STEM Challenge

Jan142016

If you were given a piece of paper, tinfoil, six straws, two paperclips, two pieces of string, two pipe cleaners, three mailing labels, and an envelope - and then had five minutes - would you be able to build a structure that could support two cups while getting both cups off the ground and as far apart from each other as possible? Years ago our girls did this same Cup Holder STEM  challenge … [Continue reading...]

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Instant Challenges, STEM 5 Comments

Two Books I’m Loving Right Now

Jan122016

With the start of the new year, my book list of things I’d love to read is growing. As I sort and choose the different books to see what will make the list, there are two that I’m reading at the moment and really enjoying. The Well-Versed Family Scripture memory is something that I believe is not just important for me personally, but I especially desire to instill a love for God’s word in our … [Continue reading...]

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Reading for Mom 2 Comments