Do you remember playing the card game, War as a child?

Let me refresh your memory… It is the game that seems to go on and on forever.  Sometimes lasting longer than a good game of Monopoly.

If you have not played this card game in a while, you may want to consider teaching it to your children.  This game not only helps develop patience, it is a great game for learning numbers.  Each time a card is flipped, your child must identify the two numbers and then figure out which number is larger.

This card game not only can help strengthen math skills but it is great for hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.  The constant flipping of cards and holding the deck helps strengthen the hand and wrist muscles.

Idea of the Day:

Teach and play the card game, War with your children.

If you need a refresher course on the rules of the game, here are a couple sights that discuss the rules:

How to Play War

War - The Card Game

Do you only use cookie cutters for making cookies?

Once you have children, there are a number of kitchen gadgets that have new alternative uses.  For example, my pizza cutter now cuts more sandwiches than it does pizza and my turkey baster can often be found in the bathtub.

Cookie cutters are another commonly used tool in our kitchen.  However I cannot even tell you the last time we used them for making cookies.  My children use them to cut their sandwiches and pancakes into shapes.  My daughter will eat 5-6 pancakes if they are cut into the shape of a turtle.  If it is simply a circle pancake, she may eat one or two.

Besides using cookie cutters in the kitchen, there are a few educational activities that involve cookie cutters.

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What is the most common phrase parents will hear over winter break?

I’m bored.  There’s nothing to do.

Followed by the second most popular phrase,

I’m hungry.

Most children truly enjoy being home for break.  Time to sleep in, play with their toys and maybe schedule a sleepover at a  friend’s house.  However parents will find that as the anticipation for Christmas draws near some children just don’t know what to do with themselves.  This is the time when parents will hear, “I’m bored.”

Parents, as soon as this phrase leaves your child’s mouth you need to be prepared and hand him/her a fun (yet educational and time consuming) winter holiday worksheet.

A number of children will enjoy connecting the dots on Santa’s beard and others will learn to find something to do before discussing their state of boredom.

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Are you incorporating the holidays into daily activities?

The holidays are a great time to learn about history and religion but it also provides parents and educators with endless possibilities from all the academic areas.

From writing letters to Santa to scooping cotton balls into buckets, most preschool and elementary children find great joy in doing holiday and winter activities.

Even a simple holiday treat like the Candy Cane can be used for a number of educational activities.

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Do your children play with dominoes?

Lately my son has been bringing home math worksheets with dominoes on them.  For some activities he has to add up the dots, other times he is given a number and has to make his own dots.

At first I thought this was a rather simple and pointless activity (yes, always a skeptic).  However it truly is good practice of building simple math skills.  The ability to look at something and quickly know how many objects there are, is something that take time and practice.  Using dominoes is a great hands on way to accomplish this.

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