This week I have something real simple for you and your young child – a free maze worksheet download (and the answer key)! Practice holding a pencil, spend some quality time with your little, and persevere with this adorable bug maze from Education.com. Continue reading
Tag: lesson (Page 2 of 3)
My husband and I are both certified teachers, but it comes as a surprise to some people to learn that I’m homeschooling our four year old this year. What factors made this decision for us? This is why I’m homeschooling my child for pre-kindergarten … And it may not be what you think. Continue reading
I often get asked “How do your kids get along so well?” My two children are a little over two years apart, and they’re together with me all day every day. Yet they adore each other, watching over each other and exemplifying kindness and compassion. While I don’t pretend to know exactly how this worked out so well, I racked my brain for some ideas that parents can use to help their children get along better with their siblings. Continue reading
Your child is going to screw up. It’s inevitable, and that’s ok. But talking to a child when they’re in the wrong can either be productive and encouraging, or difficult and counterproductive. This is an attachment parenting-style strategy of how to talk to your child when they make a bad choice. Continue reading
It’s time to start reading more “big kid books” to my four year old. These stories have more depth, more advanced vocabulary, and require a longer attention span. I think he’s ready, and I’m excited to share so many great titles with him! But I want to check for his comprehension as we go. Here I’ll share the meaning and benefit of listening comprehension, some of the titles we’re reading together, as well as an outline for a listening comprehension lesson that you can do with your child (including a free printout!). Continue reading
I’m a music teacher who is now a stay-at-home mom. While my current role is different – I’m at home with my own children instead of a music classroom – I still love teaching age-appropriate music lessons to my kids! I frequently come up with new ideas, and I have a great session you can do with kids as young as two years old. This music lesson is simple and customizable for children preschool age and up, no teaching experience needed! Read on to learn how to do a simple music listening activity with your kids!
My son is almost four years old, which means I need to get used to calling him a pre-k aged child! My very own preschooler is absorbing all he can about our world, and is reading little by little. My husband and I, as certified teachers, are already looking to develop rigorous and fun lessons to do with our kids as they grow.
With perfect timing, Greg at Education.com contacted me about showcasing a quick-and-easy lesson plan to help pre-k kids get excited about reading. I’m proud to show you this simple activity which you can do at home with your preschooler!
I think that all parents have a vision of the best version of themselves. We want to do it all, and no matter what our lives look like, we find faults. I know that I did; that is, until I clearly defined what the best kind of mom really is… at least to me.
As a mother, I would often riddle my tired brain with “If I were a better mom, I would…” I had a perfect mother on a pedestal in my mind, and I constantly compared myself to her.
But not anymore. Continue reading
Well, Real Simple Mama has officially been in existence for over a year! And looking back, I’ve learned quite a lot. I’m the one-and-only person running this website, and I have lots of suggestions for someone just starting out. Here’s what I’ve learned in a year of blogging: tricks and ideas on what to do, what not to do, and a whole lot of other stuff! Continue reading
My mother is the most selfless person I have ever met. I don’t understand how she is so effortlessly generous and kind, but I have noticed that the world recognizes it like I do. People flock to her: her smile, her laugh, her sarcastic sense of humor, and her leadership. It’s hard to tell you exactly what my mom has taught me in 30 something years, especially since she was my first teacher.
Now that I’m a mother too, all of these lessons she’s been ingraining in me have even more meaning. For her birthday, I’d like to honor her by passing on some of her most precious messages about motherhood, and life in general. Continue reading