The Day the Babies Crawled Away describes how, during the middle of a community fair, the babies crawled away to caves, cliffs, and more. Using rhyme and repetition, the author shows the perilous journey the babies took during their humorous adventure. Kiddos will enjoy this imaginative story that celebrates freedom and curious exploration.
A Picture Book Resource
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
You can read a review of Louie by the famous Ezra Jack Keats on my IG page. It’s amazing how a book written years ago still speaks to the challenges of our times.
I believe it’s important to continue reviewing historical works (picture books included) to help us analyze our current situations because they inform how we will move into the future. To that end, click to see an interesting article about a resource that lists 7,000 free to read historical children’s books. Check out a few and compare them to the books we buy today. Let us know what you discover about how things have changed and remained the same in the comments.
Boosting Children's Reading Habits*
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
This is a modified section from my August Newsletter.* Feel free to sign up for the next issue here.
While we already love reading to our children,” Alissa Wilkinson’s article offers several great points for keeping reading fun. She encourages us to read more, particularly when busy schedules take over. All of us can benefit from being more intentional about finding the time to settle down with a kiddo and a book.
Here are highlights from the article, along with my read-with-a-child tips.
Reasons to read books:
· aids in the brain’s development of understanding others,
· can heighten feelings of empathy,
· establishes a great foundation for socio-emotional learning, cognitive development, reading appreciation, and so much more.
Several strategies for reading more often:
· keep library and personal books close by to grab during downtimes
· make it a communal activity by having story time during playdates/play groups, especially as a calming effect during rambunctious activity or to soothe hurt feelings,
· read what you and your kiddos enjoy instead of choosing books to meet other people’s expectations, include STEAM/STEM selections, imaginative, and simply silly stories.
These features a few suggestions. Check out the whole article for more information, great tips, and tools for getting back into the habit of reading.
5 Ways for Raising Confident Readers
Building strong reading skills in children creates better writers, stronger communicators, and more confident people. Although we often teach reading through the various technological methods such as websites, programs, packages, and even low-tech flashcards, we can’t underestimate the organic route. By seamlessly weaving reading games into daily activities and routines, we add fun to the learning process and help demonstrate real-world application.
Regular chores present the opportunity for an enjoyable reading lesson. Below are five ways to help grow confident readers during a simple grocery store visit. You and a child can point out and read letters and/or words on:
1. license plates
2. street signs and stores
3. a neatly written or typed grocery list
4. cereal boxes and other in-store treats for your shopping cart
5. recipes that you and your child shop for and tackle at home.
Reading doesn’t have to be a chore. A confident reader is a life-long learner who is ready to navigate future challenges. What other regular tasks can help boost your child’s reading skills and confidence? Share in the comments!
Distance learning tips (Part 1)
If you’re like many people in half the country, the virus shut-down has transformed you into a homeschooling parent. Welcome to the homeschooling life! You may feel apprehensive now, but by the end of this post you’ll be encouraged and ready to dive in. If you’re fortunate, you may learn a few new things, too.
No matter the age of your child, you’ll want to maintain their academic skill levels during this time. If you’re in wait mode until schools organize lessons online, be proactive and seek out ways to keep your child connected to their lessons. This post should help you do that.
Here are a few online resources my daughters suggested for various student ages:
Kahoot - create quizzes
Moby Max – range of grades K-8
Khan Academy – K – calculus and more
Crash Course – high school topics via You Tube
Amoeba Sisters – resources for science biology
Quizizz – millions of teacher-created quizzes or make your own
ABC offered additional resources:
Check out Symbaloo to help keep all of your resources organized on one page.
Use these resources to assemble 15 – 30-minute work sessions, longer for older students. Don’t overdo it. Allow ample time for breaks. Let your child participate in at least one of the following each day: gym, art, music, and of course, library, just like they would do during a normal school day.
Teachers of all grade levels recognize the importance of reading aloud to students. It’s not just for bedtime anymore. Grab a book or interesting article, read it aloud and discuss it as part of a social studies or science session. Incorporating these resources into your child’s day will take bit of planning, but you can do it!
You might even switch careers and get a teacher certification!
Feel free to ask questions or share comments about other resources in the comments section.