Utilizing Pinterest for Homeschooling

I mentioned this before, but I fought Pinterest for more than a year. I knew friends who got sucked in and wasted countless hours looking at ideas of recipes, crafts, decorating ideas and other things they would never do themselves.

Now that I allow myself to peek around for 15 minutes a few times a week, it's really an amazing resource. Last week, I stumbled onto a friend's "learning" board.  She's a former early-Elementary teacher who has recently decided to homeschool and I hit the mother load when I saw her idea links!

Letter matching using plastic eggs

I've collected so many ideas that I began feeling overwhelmed. The kids and I have a pretty nice little daily routine in place, and I'm not yet into the habit of pre-planning hands-on activities each week. As much as I want to incorporate science experiments and messy craft fun into our lessons, by the time I'm ready to pull something together, it seems that I'm usually missing pieces, supplies or ingredients.

Last night, I explained my dilemma to Mike and had an epiphany: we can do all of our out-of-the-ordinary Pinterest ideas on family day. Mike's response was, "Then Dad can participate, too!" It's so refreshing that he's excited to be involved.

Love it.

Today, I had an activity that I wanted to present to keep Jason occupied while I taught the big kids. Unfortunately, all Ryan and Kaylin wanted to do was hop down onto the ground and see what the fun was all about!

I filled a veggie tray with different dried beans and pastas, put out some measuring spoons and chopsticks for Jason to use and let him go to town.

Jason wasn't captivated until he saw how Ryan and Kaylin played with the beans and pasta. Kaylin filled the letter-matching Easter eggs with various objects to create shakers, then spelled out words with them.

Ryan created patterns and played with the chopsticks (I snagged the kid-holder from the chopsticks the last time we ate at an Oriental restaurant - they were going to throw them away!)

Then Ryan sorted from largest to smallest

Jason played for a while, then moved on to cleaning off the dry-erase board...

...before asking to paint, which I've (brace yourself) never let him do.

Today was a productive, very hands-on homeschooling day. The kids loved the variety and I loved that I got to actually USE some of the ideas I've been storing up in my head. As I branch out and bring more ideas to life, I'll continue to share them with you!

Valentine Idea

A few years ago, I stole saw this great idea for my kids' Valentine cards. (on Becky Higgins' blog)  I've heard from the parents of Ryan's old classmates that kids in his pre-school class still have their Valentines, even 4 years later!  So I keep duplicating the idea.

I start by adding text to one picture...

Then I create duplicates to print to give to classmates...

Last year, Hobby Lobby had a huge sale after Valentine's day and I picked up a bunch of goodie bags.  Of course, this month I've spent $10 on candy to fill the bags, but that's another story.  So much for trying to be frugal! Kaylin and I had fun putting them together for Ryan's and her class.

Last year, our computer died after I made Kaylin's Valentines, but before I had the chance to print them.  Once we finally got access to all of the information on our old computer, I didn't want the cuteness wasted, so I printed out a 5x7 copy of the picture to frame.  This will come out each Jan/February and be stored with our {limited} box of Valentine decorations.

Oh - and I had the greatest "wish I would have thought of this sooner" idea while filling the goodie bags.  All of the Christmas-colored candy was on super-sale after Christmas, right?  Next year, I'm going to load up on Hershey's Kisses and M&Ms, then separate out the red ones for Valentine's day and the green ones for St. Patrick's Day.  Because they all taste the same!  Hopefully, I'll remember next year.  And I hope you will, too!

Tuesday's Time Saving {Craft Caddy} Tip

This idea was born out of necessity and I LOVE it. After unsuccessfully mending a torn-beyond-recognition markers box, I didn't know what to do with the stray markers that lingered in our coloring bin. Then I stumbled upon this little shower caddy in the $1 section at Target.

Not only is there a section for the markers, but I also put safety scissors and glue in another section and in the biggest section, I put stickers, a container of large confetti pieces, a baggie of dry pasta and a baggie of Cheerios. What makes this a time saving tip: when Kaylin wants to do a craft (this will come in so handy when I'm nursing and need to keep her occupied) I just pull out the caddy and construction paper and she can create to her heart's content. I actually keep multiples of the scissors and glue for when Ryan and Kaylin want to do a craft together...less fighting sharing. :)

Pre-school Activities

In establishing a new routine for just me and Kaylin, I was mentally grouping activities into crafts, learning, alone-time play, games, etc. Ideas were popping into my head like crazy (which is rare) so I wrote them all down. When I meal plan, I pull from my list of recipes and online links...why not do the same when helping Kaylin find something to do?
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This is the loose schedule I think I've worked out:
7:00 - breakfast, Bible lesson
7:30 - walk Ryan to the bus stop
7:45 - play at the park after he's picked up
8:00 - clean up breakfast mess, unload dishwasher, do daily housekeeping chores (with Miss "Mommy, what can I do?" Kaylin)
8:30 - run errands, if needed
10:00 - craft or activity for Kaylin to do independently (soon enough, I'll be feeding the baby during this time, so this will work out well)
11:00 - play or bake with Kaylin
11:30 - lunch
12:00 - craft, activity or game with Kaylin
1:00 - nap
3:00 - Ryan home, snack and downtime
3:30 - help Ryan with homework, learning activity for Kaylin
4:30 - kids play together, I make dinner
5:30 - eat dinner
6:30 - baths, stories, bedtime routine
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It also occurred to me that in 10 short weeks, I'll be in an overtired, postpartum slump, feeding a newborn several times a day with a bored 3 year old wondering what to do. It will be nice to have a list of ideas to draw from to keep her entertained. (and if this next kid is anything like Ryan - feedings will last a whopping 45 minutes each - I'm praying for a quick eater) There are some activities I can still help her do while nursing, but I'll also need some quick distractions for crises like blow out diapers, crying fits and things like that.
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So here's my list. Partially for me to refer back to (you'd be surprised how much stuff I blog about with the sole purpose of knowing where to find it later!) and partially to share my ideas with you. I'm committed to keeping the t.v. off except for an occasional movie on weekends, so all of the following ideas are t.v. free. I've also started practicing setting the oven timer and having Kaylin play alone in the playroom each morning for 20-30 minutes. She's doing really well so far and I know that will help once the baby's born.

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CRAFTS/ACTIVITIES (to do with me nearby)
- Stamping
- Cutting and pasting (toy ads, shapes, etc.)
- Glue pasta, cereal, buttons, confetti shapes, etc onto paper
- Painting, finger painting, pudding/Kool-Aid finger painting
- Play Doh
- Popsicle Stick and Pipe Cleaner crafts
- Paper Plate crafts
(the Family Fun website also has a bunch of great age-specific craft ideas)
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CRAFTS/ACTIVITIES (to do independently without me nearby)
- Coloring
- Stickers and foam pieces on paper
- Blowing up a balloon and letting it go, watching it fly all over the house (repeat entertainment for my kids)
- Aqua Doodle
- Puzzles
- Mr. Potato Head
- Magnetic dress up dolls, Princess color forms
- Blocks, Legos, Tinker Toys
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GAMES (to play together)
- Memory
- Connect 4
- High Ho Cherry O
- Tea Party
- Dress Up
- Ring Toss, Bowling
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LEARNING ACTIVITIES
- Letter tracing books, maze books
- Color and shape flashcards
- Sorting colors, doing patterns (using Legos or other colorful toys)
- Opposites
- Sequencing cards
- Lacing (helps fine motor skills to prepare for writing)
- Letters and sounds of the day
(When I was considering homeschooling, I stocked up on flash cards for letters, sounds, numbers, and time, plus tracing books, matching games, sequencing cards, things like that. So I have a huge pool of resources to keep Kaylin busy - and help her learn - while I assist Ryan with homework every afternoon.)
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OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES
- Swimming, Slip 'n' Slide, swing set, park, go on a walk
- Bikes, scooters
- Sidewalk chalk
- Bubbles
- Balls, frisbees, kite, water guns
- Watering can and buckets
- Bucket of water with paintbrushes to "paint" the sidewalk
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I'm pretty excited about this list. It contains most of the stuff my kids enjoy and when I'm having trouble coming up with something, I know I'll refer back to it. Do you have anything else to add or activities we should try?

Link Love {Parent Edition}

What to do with toddlers all day long
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Christian Instruction in the Home
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How to Make Sure Your Kids Resent You...
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20 Indoor Activities for Kids
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And look what I found after my school lunch post recently: Healthy Lunch Box Ideas and Tips

Paper Clutter Solution: Pre-school Art

This is a picture I took of our fridge back in May during the Spring Cleaning Challenge. This is very typical of what our fridge looks like and it drives me crazy. But I'll be the first to admit that it's my fault that it looks this way! School papers are immediately stuck up there, you'll also see the grocery list, a birth announcement, ultrasound pictures, Sunday school paperwork and scripture memory verses. Periodically, I go through and toss most of the contents on our fridge into the recycle bin. And all too often, I don't bury it far enough and my kids come to me asking why I threw something away. (*gulp*)
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But I hate clutter, so I can't keep every little thing, you know?
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Enter Mike's idea. This man is a genius!
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He suggested that I let the kids go through their artwork and decide whether to give it to Mike's mom or my mom. Then THEY can choose what to keep and what to hide in their recycle bins!
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Now, don't think that I'm completely unsentimental. I take pictures of choice projects and actually scrapbook about them...I just don't keep stacks upon stacks of the originals. Do you have any idea how much my kids color??? I have enough paper clutter to deal with. So be advised, Grandmas...art is coming your way soon!

Cheap Unexpected Entertainment

This morning, I pulled out my box of birthday decorations, which now houses the leftover prizes from Ryan's Carnival party that I plan to use for future goodie bags. The intention began to give each child a tattoo on their hand, but they continued to pull additional items out of the box.

Who would have thought that two balloons would keep these kids entertained for over an hour? They both had a blast blowing them up, letting the air out and watching them fly around the room. Or laughing hysterically as they pulled the balloon end so that the escaping air sounded like...flatulence. (Let's just use that word there, 'kay?)

After the balloons, they pulled out the baby containers of bubbles. Clearly, we haven't played with bubbles in a while because, again, they were captivated on the back porch for another hour.

I love that my kids are finding joy and entertainment in the simple things. One other cheap, easy idea that I want to share: the other day, my neighbor pulled out a bucket filled with water and a couple of 2-3 inch paint brushes. Her daughter and my kids painted the sidewalks with water for hours, until I had to tear them away for bathtime. They had a BLAST, specifically Kaylin. She was mesmerized with the fact that the water evaporated (quite quickly here in DRY Phoenix) and she'd race to repaint her masterpiece.

I'm sure this is all a part of the "kids love playing with the box more than the gift" concept. How great would it be to still have that kind of imagination?

Painting with Pudding

When Ryan was little, I used to make pudding and let him finger paint his high chair tray to his heart's delight. It kept him occupied and contained while I made dinner or cleaned up the kitchen. A fun little project that I forgot about until a recent episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8...but they turned the pudding painting project into a body art idea.

I've been wanting to do this for a few weeks and finally got around to it today. The chocolate pudding body painting would have been a great idea for brown day, come to think of it. Anyway, I made up the instant pudding, put the kid's suits on and headed for the backyard. Allow me to narrate with pictures.

Initially, there was more eating than painting...


Then they painted...


And ate some more...


But when I encouraged them to paint on themselves, they wanted nothing to do with it. In fact, when I smeared some pudding on Ryan's back, he stormed off, begging to go inside...


So I tried a different angle. "Wanna paint Mommy?"


It took Kaylin a minute to catch on, but soon she joined in the fun...


Then - LIGHTBULB! Kaylin finally started painting herself...


Soon she went after Ryan, but that didn't go over very well...


So she chased him around the patio...


Ryan didn't think that was quite as funny as I did, so I distracted Kaylin by asking her to paint my legs again...


More eating...


Finally, it was time to hose everyone down. I think the water was a little cold because Kaylin burst into tears and went running for the kitchen door...


Is it wrong that I think those big crocodile tears are adorably hilarious??

More Colors of the Day

We've been continuing on with our Color of the Day theme and I wanted to post some more pictures of my cute, colorful family.

Tuesday was Yellow Day. We ate Joe's O's (Trader Joe's Cheerios) with bananas for breakfast and used yellow cups and bowls. We incorporated cheese and scrambled eggs into the day, too.

Wednesday was Purple Day. (Thank you Katie Porter for telling me that KSU was playing! I forgot that you read my blog...HI!!! Miss you!) As pathetic as it sounds, Ryan doesn't have anything purple. For shame! So he wore the most purple shirt he has, which was really more blue. And Kaylin's shirt was light lavender, but still purple. I had an off brand of Chex cereal in the pantry to make Monkey Munch, so we ate that for breakfast with a side of grape juice in purple cups. I planned to make eggplant with dinner, but we had tons of leftovers to get rid of, so I copped out and we ate leftovers.

Thursday and yesterday were both White Day. Thursday is the day I run the mom's group at church and I wasn't paying attention during breakfast or lunch, so I thought the kids got jipped and I decided to repeat white again yesterday. We did have popcorn on Thursday and pasta for dinner.

But yesterday, we ate hard boiled eggs and toast for breakfast, quesadillas with flour tortillas and plain (white) yogurt for lunch, Mike and the kids made homemade vanilla ice cream for his dad's birthday dinner last night plus we had a side of potatoes with dinner and ranch dressing on our side salad. So lots of white ideas.

Today is the last of the colors: Brown Day. We had french toast with whole wheat bread for breakfast, tan dinosaur nuggets for lunch and we're having a golden brown chicken pot pie for dinner. There isn't much brown in my kids' summer wardrobes, but I pulled out a little pink and brown pants outfit for Kaylin and found a plaid shirt for Ryan. I'll probably make something chocolate for dessert...you know...in honor of brown day. Not because I'm PMSing. At all.

Friday, I tried doing Black Day, but Kaylin doesn't own a stitch of black. And other than licorice, there aren't many black foods - well, unless you're a bad cook and burn stuff! I did buy Oreos to bring to a Girl's Night last night and the kids enjoyed a couple of those, so they are black, I guess. But for Kaylin, Friday was pink day. Ryan and I wore black, she wore pink. Again, Ryan doesn't have pink, blah blah blah. We had pink-ish pancakes for breakfast and strawberries with lunch. (yeah, I know, they're red - but we don't do strawberry yogurt around here)

This has been a fun exercise, but Kaylin isn't much closer to knowing her colors. So I guess we'll have to do all of this stuff again and again until she gets it. I don't mind - it brought variety to each day!