Let the games begin! My 5 year-old twins are just beginning to learn how to read! They’re on step one: Learning the letters and corresponding sounds. We’re using my phonics curriculum: Ready for Reading (I created it especially for them and other homeschool families after years of teaching my other 4 children to read and…
Preschool
6 Reading Strategies for New or Struggling Readers
Training wheels…Sometimes I feel like teaching children to read is much like teaching them to ride a bike. Some kids are super confident–“Take these training wheels off; let me go!” (These are the amazing early readers that apparently all the other moms have…If only kids reading too much was your biggest problem!) And then there…
Free Preschool Math Worksheets (Numbers 1-5)
As much as I truly believe that young children learn best through play…my littles love sitting down and doing “work”! I think it makes them feel grown-up…So in a sense, it’s truly an extension of their imagination and play! When they are doing their “work,” I want them to experience success and joy–this should be fun…
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
“Once upon a time…” There’s just nothing like those four words signaling the start of an enchanting story…a fairy tale. Personally, I adore fairy tales—give me all the princesses, castles, bad wolves, and magic beans! And I love sharing them with my kiddos! One of my favorites is Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It’s lite…
Why Sensory Play is Important!
Welcome to my house–don’t mind the tub of pinecones, collection of rocks, and the bowl brimming with water and toy frogs! It’s all part of play–which as you know, is where kiddos learn best! There’s a fancy term for letting our kids collect, pour, mix, sniff, and generally make a mess…It’s called Sensory Play! And…
Teach Reading At Home With Ready for Reading!
Teaching my kids to read has been one of the most rewarding experiences of homeschooling (and my life)! There’s just nothing like hearing your sweet babies read their first words and watching them grow as readers! When I decided to homeschool 15 years ago, the very first thing I purchased was a phonics curriculum! My…
How to Homeschool With Toddlers
A common question I hear from moms is, “How do you homeschool with toddlers?” Sometimes it’s moms questioning whether or not they should even consider homeschooling, because the idea of adding something extra to the job of raising little people who are still in diapers, can’t dress themselves, and are constantly requesting snacks (on very…
Free Handwriting Worksheets for Kids!
Get Your Free Handwriting Worksheets! Now, I’m not the biggest fan of handwriting worksheets –but sometimes you just can’t avoid them! (Because—kids gotta learn to write!) And interestingly, my son actually takes great joy in doing independent work and views handwriting worksheets as fun–so go figure! I’ve created an entire workbook to practice letter writing,…
Best Way to Teach Reading–My Top 5 Strategies
I’m about 14 years removed from those first major homeschooling fears…(I forget how much they once consumed me!) Will everyone think we’re weird? Will my kids be “socialized”? Is this a viable, sound educational option for our family? Am I about to ruin my kids? Am I crazy? So after jumping through those first mental…
Ultimate Guide to Preschool Toys and Gifts
I’ve been told we have a lot of toys… But, you have to remember—I have 6 kids! So yes, I do have a lot of toys. And some of them are pure junk and destined for the trash can. However, most are part of a collection, slowly acquired over 20+ years—toys that have been…