Do you know that there are only 86 days until Christmas?

As a language teacher, I am always searching for a good bilingual toy.  Some language toys are too advanced for preschoolers, others have muffled sound and children cannot figure out what the toy is saying.

One of my favorite Spanish toys is the Fisher Price Little People Shop and Learn Market. Children are able to place various items on the scanner and it tells them the word in Spanish and English.

I wish I could say that this toy is easy to find in stores, but it is not.  For some reasons many stores do not carry it any longer.  However I have found a few places you can look for it.

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Have you started teaching  patterns to your preschooler?

Learning about patterns is an important mathematical concept that preschoolers and kindergartners need to know.  Often times parents think that math is simply teaching children numbers and the basic addition and subtraction.

However there is more to math than knowing numbers and using them in a mathematical equation.  Children to need learn how to sort, categorize and see relationships between items.  All of these skills will help your child be more successful in math.

Idea of the Day:

Take 5 minutes a day to do a pattern activity.

- Start very simple.  Circle, square, circle, …..

- Use shapes, colors, numbers, objects, etc. to make patterns.

- Multitask and teach patterns while setting the table.  Have your child make a pattern out of the utensils before he/she puts them on the table.

- Do pattern activities outside.  Rock, acorn, leaf, rock, ….

You can find many ways to incorporate patterns into daily activities.  Simply take the time to look around.

Do you read the Junie B. Jones books with your elementary children?

I was unaware of the world of Junie B. Jones until last year when my son came home from kindergarten and said his teacher was reading it to the class.

I also had no clue that some people find Junie B. books controversial and will not allow their children to read them.  I have heard of parents that do not allow their children to read Harry Potter (which I have to admit we love Harry Potter at our house) but never knew that Junie B. Jones would be bad.

So I did what any good parent would do…. I read a couple of the books.

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Do you ever feel that your children are in a constant state of motion?

Sometimes getting children to sit down for even a short period of time can be a struggle.  Their little bodies want to move and groove.  So as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them - join them.

For those of you struggling to get your children to sit at the kitchen table and learn sight words, I found a great activity.  It combines moving and jumping with reading.  For four and five year olds, this is the best combination.

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Do you save your empty egg cartons?  If not, you should.

Egg cartons can serve many different purposes.  They work great for art projects by using each section for a different color of paint.  They work well for backyard science projects by filling the sections with bugs, acorns, leaves, etc.

Did you know they can also be used to teach the alphabet, numbers, sight words and many other subject areas?  Give this activity a try.  I bet your children will enjoy it.

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