I am not a crafty mom but these cheerio based bird feeders are super easy!!!
The one with the washer is merely a string with the washer on the bottom. You tie it where you want it! The others are just pipe cleaners that are looped together! There are few more details in the video;).
We have always been a fan of the Bob Books
.
I got the opportunity to try out the KinderBach program with my kids and I LOVE it! For $86 you get a year’s access to over 300 lesson aimed at teaching music to kids 2-7! For us this came at a perfect time because we had just gotten a piano. I was contemplating getting the 7 year old into piano lessons and then planned on trying to use that information with the rest of the kids. So when I priced out lessons I was looking at $40-$50 a month and everyone said the other kids were to young to learn yet. Well, this program is so entertaining and engaging that all the kids really plugged in. KinderBach uses games, songs and even coloring sheets to really draw kids into music and what composes it. This maybe the group birthday present for the NerdFamily kids this year, I loved it that much!
Cute story: After just the first set of lessons we took the 3 year old into the church service that Sunday. A friend of the family was playing the piano during the offeratory and Nerdling started getting so excited. I wispered in his ear asking him if he was excited to see Aaron the stage. He said, “No mom, Aaron is playing notes on that piano to make up the song”. That is when I knew he was getting it!
I recently received the opportunity to review the Rime to Read program that is made up of 20 online books. It is designed for either early readers or students who are a bit remedial. I used the books with my 5 year old non-reader and my 3 year old preschooler.
These books are purchased online and then placed in your account. You can then read them online and take advantage of the fact you can click on words to hear the sounds on the repeating words (or rimes or word families). Or you can choose to print them out. My issue in that aspect if the fact you can only print them once. With 4 kids, I can say that 1 copy isn’t quite enough if I want them to be able to drag them around and read them. But since they are ran on just a click of the mouse, the kids can go through them with out you. That is always very helpful!
Now what about the books themselves? They are pretty good. They are organized by word families and one of the great things is it forms pattern. The down part is that they aren’t really in full sentences. So my 5 year old is a bit puzzled to make sense out of the books themselves. The 3 year old doesn’t have that problem. But overall I do think they are very helpful in teaching reading.
Then comes the hammer. At $45 you really have to evaluate how much you will use them. But I also have to disclose I am a huge cheapskate. I absolutely love the Bob Books
You can sign up to get a free book as a sample so go check it out and let me know what you think!
You know that title has to be the start of something good! I just read the most delightful book to my preschooler and my kindergartner by Gena Suarez.
Little Splish is dealing with the same issue that my kindergarten NerdPie has. He can’t read, others around him can and this makes Splish very self conscious. This wonderfully illustrated book kept both of my young kids enthraled and encouraged them. It was also great to see a book that focuses on a homeschooling family and one that is sweet and caring. You know that it is really special when the mom reading it walks away encouraged and inspired.
When you order this book from The Old Schoolhouse Store you also get a free pdf activity guide. It is 36 pages of different activities that you can use for different grade levels. There is simple copy work(single sentences about the books), more complex copy work (about about frogs and their life cycle), coloring pages, alphabet maze and ant body diagrams.
If all this isn’t enough there is more. Right now when you order you can have the book autographed by the author. You just tell her who to sign it to.
This is a great gift (especially for under $10) to that child you want to encourage and with Christmas coming up……
I have a friend who is teaching preschool this year so for Jodie I have compiled a list of free preschool printables. This is everything from coloring pages, handwriting pages to great games and folder games.
Now, I have to preface all this with the fact that I am not a big believer in organized preschool. I do preschool simply to keep the kids busy while I school the older ones. I figure it is just play but it is educational too!
First up is Preschool Printables. Along the side bar is all of its wonderful printables. It has folder games, awards and calendars along with lesson plans.
TLSBooks has a lot of printable worksheets for preschool – 5th grade. They have 7 different categories of worksheets that include concept and coloring sheets.
First-School has a lot of letter, animal and holiday pages to print and color. I love it for building a Great Big Book of Everything from Stanley (a kind of animal encyclopedia).
Shirley’s Preschool Activities has some great handwriting printable pages. Also they have African Alphabet pages and some Bible story themed coloring pages.
Preschool Learners has over 400 different printable worksheets. They are organized really well, which of course a NerdMom loves;). They have 8 main categories, such as English, Math, things we use, etc. Then they organize each subcategory really well.
So hopefully this gives everyone some really good resources. Remember that homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive! If you have any resources that I didn’t mention please, let me know. Also, if there is an area or subject you would like me to apply the Frugal Homeschooler treat me to, just let me know and maybe I will fufill your request next!
The 4 year old, 2 year old and I read this book and it was very fun. It has delightful little circus related blurbs on each letter and they are accompanied by great circus pictures. Each letter is incorporated into the appropriate picture. It really has seemed to help them develop a little logic and problem solving skills. I love this book and would have been overjoyed to receive it as a gift!