5 Essential Ingredients to Homeschooling Success

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By Terri Johnson – co-author of Homeschooling ABCs  http://tinyurl.com/6wnhasq – an online class starting this month for brand new homeschoolers

We’ve all seen it… or, at least, heard about it… the homeschooled child who wins the geography bee, or the one who graduates at the age of 15, or the one who excels in musical accomplishments…

Now, obviously, a student does not have to be homeschooled in order to accomplish one of the feats above, nor does every homeschooled child excel in such notable ways. However, every homeschooling parent desires for success in teaching their children at home and launching them into the world to become all that God has intended for them to be.

The flipside to this statement is that no one wants to fail when it comes to teaching their children at home. So, what are the five necessary ingredients to homeschooling success?

The first one is the desire to foster a closer relationship with each of your children and your kids with one another. If you don’t want to spend more time together and deepen these relationships (or, at least, want to want to spend more time together), then homeschooling may not be the best choice for you. However, I am sure that you have heard it said before that at the end of the day, no one is going to say, “I wish that I had spent more time at work… or by myself… or with my canary…” No, the universal regret that aging and dying people declare is their sadness over not spending enough time with their loved ones.

Teaching your children at home is an amazing opportunity to spend more time with your dearest loved ones and have no regrets.

The second ingredient to homeschooling success is a teachable spirit on the part of the parent. This is essential because, like it or not, you will learn so much more teaching your own children than you ever did in school the first time around. So, you might as well like to learn.

On that same note, the third essential ingredient to successful homeschooling is creating a home environment that is conducive to learning. This may show itself differently in each of our homes, but the result is the same – a place where kids can learn and enjoy it.

A home that is conducive to learning may have quiet and cozy reading nooks, bookshelves crammed with great books, a listening corner complete with headphones and a beanbag chair, uncluttered smooth surfaces for writing, stacks of coloring/activity books and colored pencils, a place to gather together and talk about the day’s events. You get the idea… Create centers in your home that make learning fun and accessible.

The fourth ingredient for a successful homeschool is 2 hours of your time to devote to your children’s studies. Truly, when the one-on-one teaching method is employed in your home, you do not need all day in order to get things done. In fact, a child in K-2 grades might be finished with her schoolwork in as few as 45 minutes (of course, that probably does not include the time that you spend reading together because who can get enough of that!).

At the other end of the spectrum, you might not need that much time with your middle schooler or high schooler either, because they become such independent learners by this age. The kids that will need the majority of that time that you have designated for school – those full 2 hours – would be your students in 3-6 grades as math and grammar assignments might get a little more involved.

The final ingredient for homeschooling success is a library card. That’s right! With access to a huge roomful of books, a world of learning opportunities is at your doorstep. Let’s say that your child is interested in insects or flowers, electricity or magnetism, transportation or inventions… check out as many books as he can devour on the subject and then some more. Watch your child light up with the delight of learning.

With these 5 essential ingredients incorporated into your homeschool, you will experience successful learning in the lives of your children, because this is the measure of success – children that love to learn!

Enjoy those learning moments…

Terri Johnson

Co-author of Homeschooling ABCs – an online class starting this month for brand new homeschoolers. Don't let self-doubt, or lack of experience, rob you of the best first year possible! Sign up for class at http://tinyurl.com/6wnhasq

Best of Success to you,

Todd and Terri Johnson

Knowledge Quest, Inc.




Dania

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The Best Educational Toys For Kids

 

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By Skalegato

What are the best educational toys for kids? Well, first of all I think they should be toys that your child enjoys playing with. If they don't enjoy playing with the toy they won't play with it and therefore won't learn from it. The toys should also teach common everyday life lessons, things that are going to be useful to your child in their early years. Things like the alphabet and numbers are lesson they will need early on.

The thing about kids is that they are very inquisitive and hungry for knowledge. If they can get that knowledge in a fun way it will stick with them for a long time. That is what shows like Sesame Street does so well and way it is so successful. Toys that educate should follow that same rule and they will be more beneficial for your child. Think of it like this, toys that educate combine two things that kids love, playing with toys and satisfying their hunger to learn. So lets take a look at some of the best educational toys for kids.

One toy that has a fun way of teaching the alphabet and numbers to your toddler is the "Learning Home" from Fisher Price. This is a playhouse your child can craw through that plays traditional sing-a-long songs your child will love to sing and learn from. Another one of those great learning toys for toddlers is the "Learning Table" from LeapFrog. This toy also teaches the alphabet and counting, but it also teaches kids about colors and shapes. These are all things kids should know about.

Melissa and Doug's Deluxe Standing Easel will give your child a taste for art while at the same time keeping your walls and floors from becoming all market up with crayons and markers. This toy will expose your little ones to different art mediums in their on little area. Just imagine your little tykes doing their finger painting on their own little pad instead of your walls.

There are a lot of educational toys out there, but these are a few of the best educational toys for kids. You should always make sure that the toys you get your child are safe for them whether it's educational or not. Don't underestimate the power of toys that educate. Learning toys can give your child a head start on their education and give them skills that they will need in life.

You can get more information on the educational toys for toddlers that was mentioned here and some others. You can also find out where you can get a good price on them. Click the link above to get the info.

About the Author

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3 Tips to Teach Your Child How to Read

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3 Tips to Teach Your Child How to Read By: ChildrenLearningReading.com  Learning to read at a young age is important for the development of the child. It helps them develop a better understand of their surroundings, allows them to gather information from printed materials, and provides them with a wonderful source of entertainment when they read stories and rhymes. Children develop at different rates, and some children will develop reading skills quicker than other children; however, what's important is that as the parent, you are keenly aware of your child's maturity and reading level to provide them with appropriate books and activities to help them improve. As parents, you are the most important teacher for your children. You will introduce your child to books and reading. Below we have some tips to help you teach your child to read. Teach Your Child How to Read Tip #1 Teach your child alphabet letters and sounds at the same time. Studies have shown that children learn best when they are taught the letter names and letter sounds at the same time. In one study, 58 preschool children were randomly assigned to receive instructions in letter names and sounds, letter sound only, or numbers (control group). The results of this study are consistent with past research results in that it found children receiving letter name and sound instruction were most likely to learn the sounds of letters whose names included cues to their sounds. [1] When teaching your child the letter sounds, have them slowly trace the letter, while saying the sound of the letter at the same time. For example, if you were teaching your child the letter "A", you would say: "The letter A makes the /A/ (ah) sound." Then have your child say the /A/ sound while tracing the letter with his or her index finger. Teaching a Child How to Read Tip #2 When teaching your child to read, always emphasize with them that the proper reading order should be from left to right, and top to bottom. To adults, this may seem so basic that anyone should know it. However, our children are not born with the knowledge that printed text should be read from left to right and top to bottom, and this is why you'll sometimes see children reading from right to left instead - because they were never explicitly taught to read from left to right. When teaching your child how to read, always emphasize this point with them. Teach Your Child How to Read Tip #3 Teach final consonant blends first. Teaching words such "at" and "and" can lead your child directly to learning words that rhyme with these. For example, for "at", you can have: Lat Pat Mat Cat Sat Bat Spat Chat For "and", you can have these rhyming words: Sand Band Land Hand Stand Bland Brand Grand and so on... You can start teaching blends once your child has learned the sounds of some consonants and short vowel sounds. You don't need to wait until your child has mastered the sounds of all the letters before teaching blends. Learning to read is a long process, but it doesn't have to be a difficult process. Broken down into intuitive and logical steps, a child as young as two years old can learn to read, and older children can accomplish even more. >> Click here to for a simple, step-by-step program that can help your child learn to read, and watch a video of a 2 year old child reading> Dania www.kidzsmartz.blogspot.com www.momsebizblog.blogspot.com www.quickbookexportguide.blogspot.com

Educational Toys: Making Kids Smart By Having Fun

Teach Your Child to Read

by Ronnie Pollock

Kids are like sponges. They absorb. But the similarity ends there. While sponges absorb, they shrink and disintegrate before long. Kids, on the other hand, soak up day to day experiences and when the right mindsets are instilled, they continually thrive. That’s why it’s important for parents like you to carefully select the toys they play with. Associating fun and play with learning is a fundamental aspect of every child’s growth. And one of the best ways to make this happen is through educational toys.

It All Starts at Home

The home front is crucial to a child’s development. This is where curiosity is first explored. This is where a child learns about colors, shapes, and sounds, what Yes and No mean, and that asking “why” can almost always generate an explanation. The first lessons brought about by childhood generally come from the people around the household. That’s why all activities of your kid should be carefully selected. The right books, appropriate TV programs, and educational toys can supplement and enhance your child’s learning process, making the early stages of learning easier and enjoyable.

Lessons of Playtime

Playing is every child’s first priority. Playtime may only seem to provide pure entertainment, but it is also an integral part of your child’s mental and emotional growth. While it’s good to provide children opportunities for skill formation, such as music or art classes, it’s also ideal to give them ample time to play. Doing so, would provide the following benefits:

- Personality development
- Awareness of their potentials
- Promote independent thinking
- An avenue for creative thinking and problem solving
- Improvement their motor skills
- Enhance their ability to think and communicate
- Value-formation

Guidance is essential to bring out the best in children. But it doesn’t mean that you should totally organize the whole experience for your child. The important thing is to provide supervision and the appropriate tools for play and let your child take it from there.

Toys that Fit

Giving your child high-quality educational toys will liven up and enhance the process of sensory and learning development. The right toys for the right age needs to be considered too. A rattle wouldn’t capture the interest a five-year-old kid. Here’s a quick guide on what educational toys children may enjoy at a certain age:

Infants – The keywords are soft, safe, and colorful. Vividly colored rattles and squeaky toys will stimulate their sense of touch, sight, and hearing.

1 to 2 years – This is a stage where children start learning how to maneuver the things in their hands. They are also beginning to discover that some things are paired together. Toddlers will enjoy building blocks and toys that will allow them to identify and match shapes.

2 to 3 years – Children are beginning to get more creative at this age. They like role playing with other kids or by themselves. Puzzles, Play Cubes, and educational toys that stir their imagination are the best options.

4 to 5 years – Kids are into creative thinking and decision-making by this age. Educational toys that can help enhance these developments include puzzle games and constructions toys.

As children grow older, they become more independent in their choices of what toys to play with. They usually forego free play for games that involve rules and friends. They learn to be competitive. This is the time where parents’ guidance is most crucial. But if you’ve established the foundation by providing your child with educational toys early on, then you may have a child who’s well-developed emotionally and smart to boot.


About The Author

Rony Pollock

Make your kid’s journey to smartness fun with educational toys (http://www.ronjuneshop.com/childrenstoys.html)! Enhance your child’s learning with play kitchens (http://www.ronjuneshop.com/kidstoys-pretendplay.html) and toy pianos (http://www.ronjuneshop.com/childrenstoypiano.html). These and more only at http://RonJuneShop.com

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Really Good News About Your Children’s Video Games

I wanted to share this awesome article by Marc Prensky because many moms, including me, get wary of kids fascination with video games.   I have two boys, one is eight and the other eleven.  I try to limit their video game time as much as can but they still manage to get in extra gaming time by waiting for me to take a nap or just nagging.
 
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier has grabbed national attention for suggesting that playing “action” video and computer games has positive effects – enhancing student’s visual selective attention. But that finding is just one small part of a more important message that all parents and educators need to hear: video games are not the enemy, but the best opportunity we have to engage our kids in real learning.
 
Any observer knows that the attitude of today’s children to video and computer games is the very opposite of the attitude that most of them have toward school. The amount of time they spend playing computer and video games – estimated at 10,000 hours by the time they are twenty-one, often in multi-hour bursts – belies the “short attention span” criticism of educators. And while years ago the group attracted to video and computer games was almost entirely adolescent boys, it is now increasingly girls and all children of all ages and social groups. One would be hard-pressed today to find a kid in America who doesn’t play computer or video games of one sort or another.
 
The evidence is quickly mounting that our “Digital Native” children’s brains are changing to accommodate these new technologies with which they spend so much time. Not only are they better at spreading their attention over a wide range of events, as Green and Bavelier report, but they are better at parallel processing, taking in information more quickly (at “twitchspeed”), understanding multimedia, and collaborating over networks.
 
What attracts and “glues” kids to today’s video and computer games is neither the violence, or even the surface subject matter, but rather the learning the games provide. Kids, like and all humans, love to learn when it isn’t forced on them. Modern computer and video games provide learning opportunities every second, or fraction thereof.
 
On the surface, kids learn to do things – to fly airplanes, to drive fast cars, to be theme park operators, war fighters, civilization builders and veterinarians. But on deeper levels they learn infinitely more: to take in information from many sources and make decisions quickly; to deduce a game’s rules from playing rather than by being told; to create strategies for overcoming obstacles; to understand complex systems through experimentation. And, increasingly, they learn to collaborate with others. Many adults are not aware that games have long ago passed out of the single-player isolation shell imposed by lack of networking, and have gone back to being the social medium they have always been – on a worldwide scale. Massively Multiplayer games such as EverQuest now have hundreds of thousands of people playing simultaneously, collaborating nightly in clans and guilds.
 
Today’s game-playing kid enters the first grade able to do and understand so many complex things – from building, to flying, to reasoning – that the curriculum they are given feel like they are being handed depressants. And it gets worse as the students progress. Their “Digital Immigrant” teachers know so little about the digital world of their charges – from online gaming to exchanging, sharing, meeting, evaluating, coordinating, programming, searching, customizing and socializing, that it is often impossible for them to design learning in the language and speed their students need and relish, despite their best efforts.
 
An emerging coalition of academics, writers, foundations, game designers, companies like Microsoft and, increasingly, the U.S. Military is working to make parents and educators aware of the enormous potential for learning contained in the gaming medium. While “edutainment,” may work for pre-schoolers, it is primitive when it comes to the enormous sophistication of today’s games. We need new and better learning games, and these are finally beginning to appear. Microsoft has sponsored a “Games-to-Teach” project at MIT which is building games for learning difficult concepts in physics and environmental science on the X-Box and Pocket PC. Lucas Games has lesson plans to help teachers integrate its games into curricula to teach critical thinking. A UK study by TEEM (Teachers Evaluating
 
Educational Multimedia) has shown that certain games can help youngsters to learn logical thinking and computer literacy. Given the almost perfect overlap between the profiles of gamers and military recruits, the US Military uses over 50 different video and computer games to teach everything from doctrine, to strategy and tactics. “America’s Army, Operations,” a recruiting game released for free in 2002, now has almost 2 million registered users, with almost a million having completed virtual basic training.
 
Academic research into the positive effects of games on learning, which not so long ago sat unread on the shelf, is being noticed by national media. Theoretical and practical guides such as “What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning And Literacy” by Professor of Education James Paul Gee, and my own “Digital Game-Based Learning,” are now on bookshelves. Experts, such as former Stanford CFO William Massey, who created the learning game “Virtual U.” are working with game designers to build games that communicate their knowledge and experience. Foundations like Sloan, Markle and others are funding these efforts. The Woodrow Wilson school has begun a project called “Serious Games” to increase the use of gaming in public policy debates, picking up an effort that begin 10 years ago with “Sim Health” from Maxis.
 
Yet despite all the findings, research, and cries for help from the kids in school, many parents and educators still tend to think of video and computer games as frivolous at best and harmful at worst. The press often encourages this with headlines about “killing games” when in fact two thirds of the games are rated “E (everybody),” and sixteen of the top 20 sellers are rated either “E” or “T (teen)”. To counteract this “name prejudice,” users and funders of today’s “new” educational games often refer to them by “code” names, such as “Desktop Simulators,” “Synthetic Environments,” or “Immersive Interactive Experiences.”
 
Yet what these new, highly effective learning tools really are a combination of the most compelling and interactive design elements of the best video and computer games with specific curricular content. The tricky part is doing this in ways that capture, rather than lose, the learner’s interest and attention. We are now becoming much better at this. The money and will is there to do it, and our students are crying for it.


About The Author


Marc Prensky is an internationally acclaimed speaker, writer, consultant, and designer in the critical areas of education and learning. He is the author of Digital Game-Based Learning (McGraw-Hill, 2001). Marc is founder and CEO of Games2train, a game-based learning company, and founder of The Digital Multiplier, an organization dedicated to eliminating the digital divide in learning worldwide. He is also the creator of the sites and . Marc holds an MBA from Harvard and a Masters in Teaching from Yale. More of his writings can be found at . More of Marc’s writings on the positive effects of video games can be found at www.marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp.
marc@games2train.com


Dania
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Online Fun Games For Kids - For Better Knowledge in Mathematics

Online Games for Kids That Help Them Learn Math - Siblings Playing Online Games

by: Diane Notes

Fun math games for kids are available to assist children obtain the exercise they have from interactive games with other kids. By playing games and having fun, kids often find out develop in the scary world of mathematics.

Fun math games for kids will join the love of fun with interactive math games. Just by acquiring fun, best of all they are surely learning inside a natural way. The interactive fun math games for kids planned to hide the curriculum from kindergarten to grade 12. From all over the world, kids compete with one another with Mathletics.

Math is part of daily life, even if it may be complex. There are several fun math games for kids to play.

KidThing for Online Math Games

You can download a browser who allows for you and your children to access educational materials online at no cost. As long as safe and secure access relates to the goal of KidThing and also protected access educational capital by going online lacking by means of traditional search engines.

You kids never have to enter web addresses and aren't uncovered to advertising because content that has become a part of KidThing is screened and cataloged. To help kids find video, games, and resources. The content is taken from educational publishing companies; absolutely more sort of a media player. You kids needn't come upon objectionable material.

Jump Start Math Games

Each family can now access a whole library of online math games for under $10 a month. Fun math games for kids allow everyone in the household the opportunity to enjoy games from several subject areas and grade levels with one low free. The Jump Start Math Games is often an effective strategy to older kids to attempt remedial skills without condemnation.

Fun math games for kids won't make math seem like an unpleasant chore that has got to be endured. The children at all times imagine that math is like doing the amazing tricks; they are going to benefit from o study and acquire excited. Online fun math games for kids could be an effective way of reinforcing math skills.

Fun math games for kids will help them to practice even during vacation time. Keeping the kids interested, active and engaged in making the biggest variance of their in general education understanding.

You can make math more fun by visiting online fun math games for kids, rather then giving your kids a sheet full of addition math evils to completed. They can advance skills in dangerous opinion and spelling as well.


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Educational Baby Games and Toys, Choose The Games That Make A Difference

Educational Baby games and toys are so important, they stimulate your babies brain, creating interest and arousing curiosity for further development of their mind. Bright colours, moving objects, classical music and textured toys will all help to stimulate your baby, as he begins to discover his whole new world.

Baby educational games and toys will help your baby to learn about the world in a fun and safe way, they will have more fun with a toy if it’s stimulating to the sense of sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell than they would if it was just cute or pretty.

Educational Baby Games and Toys, Make Learning Fun!

Educational Baby games and toys are so important, they stimulate your babies brain, creating interest and arousing curiosity for further development of their mind.

When your baby is born their eyesight is blurry. In the first two months of their life they can only focus on objects eight to ten inches in front of him, so the first colours your baby sees are black, white and red. Lets make their environment exciting.

Education Baby games and toys should be bright. The brighter the better!

Bright colours, moving objects, classical music and textured toys will all help to stimulate your baby, as he begins to discover his whole new world.

Baby educational games and toys will help your baby to learn about the world in a fun and safe way, they will have more fun with a toy if it's stimulating to the sense of sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell than they would if it was just cute or pretty.

As your baby grows, you will want educational toys that help your child learn eye-hand coordination and develop their large and small motor-control skills, you will also need educational baby games and toys that stimulate social and language development, imagination, and creativity.

The first senses babies use to learn, are sight and sound.

When your baby is born their favourite sight is you, and they love to hear your voice. Now you can sing to your hearts content, they will love it.

So what else do baby need?

Not a lot, so don’t go over the top with toys, they don’t need it and neither does your bank account. It wont be long before they will want every toy and game there is, so be sensible while you can.

Interaction is your great fun learning game, seeing you, listening to you, giggling and laughing at you.

But you cannot be your child’s only entertainment system, you will need some time out!

So lets look at some other toys and games that your baby will love.

Up to eight weeks old your babies favourite sight and sounds are human faces and voices, they will also enjoy watching brightly coloured mobiles, wind-chimes and cot-toys, if clearly in view, they will focus best on hand held toys that are 8 inches from their face and will respond to soft music and being rocked gently.

At twelve weeks your baby can focus for longer on mobiles and cot-toys, they will also be able to see them at a greater distance. He will show a preference for bright colours and look at them for longer, but he will still have more interest in human faces and large pictures of faces, he will also enjoy wrist rattles, musical toys and squeaky toys.

From three to six months he will start to grasp a toy that is placed in his hand, and will begin to reach for toys. Your babies favourite early toys will be lightweight rattles and colourful teething rings, he will have learned to use both hands and will start to play with foam bricks, soft balls, cuddly soft toys or grip-toys with an internal squeak.

He will love floor activities up to the age of nine months, large bright activity quilts are a good idea, as is a activity centres. He will also love colourful toys with interesting designs and textures to study during quiet play, and of course, noisy toys for rattling and banging will have them enjoying and laughing.

Their first books should be brightly illustrated and made from "Chew Proof" card or Textured Fabrics, push and pull along toys will encourage walking and be a great aid for balancing.

Learning to walk is a fabulous time for your baby, but can be testing on you, as they will be everywhere, and while trying out their newfound skill, there will be bumps, cries and tears, and some of those will be yours.

The average ages for walking is between nine and thirteen months, but remember, this is only guideline so don’t be concerned if they are not quite on the move yet.

The timing is determined by your baby’s muscle strength, his ability to balance and most importantly, his personality, his motivation and confidence.

The weight of your baby may also play a part; a heavier baby will take longer to get up on their feet.

Give plenty of praise when he starts walking, they need encouragement just like we do, but don’t try to rush him along if he’s not quite ready, if he is pushed to quickly he may go back to crawling until he feels ready to give it another go.

Walking Aids come in many shapes and sizes, from simple baby learning toys such as Building Block Trolleys to Walkers that develop from simple aids to ride on toys, as you toddlers skills develop.

Baby ride on toys, are great for developing and strengthening the muscles in his legs and arms, the best one of all, has to be The Rocking Horse. This is excellent for learning to keep their balance and start their pretend play, there are others such as sea-saw and trikes, but you cant beat the classics.

This form of play benefits all toddlers. It improves mood, appetite and quality of sleep and brings better general health, it also develops their muscles, increases their strength and agility, and improves their co-ordination,

Just a quick note about the First Pair of Shoes

While your baby is still crawling, shoes are largely there for decoration, although its important that they are not too small.

When children start to walk, they often curl their toes, so it's better for children to go barefoot or wear socks for as long as possible. The bones in a child’s feet are very soft and can easily be damage, which can lead to posture problems.

Wait until your child is walking unaided, and ready to walk outside, before buying his first pair of shoes and please get his feet measured by someone who is properly qualified.

But it is not just baby games that your baby will need, he will also enjoy physical contact and will enjoy being massaged, and this will help relax your baby, keep his joints flexible and encourage muscle coordination.

Massage will also give you confidence in handling your baby and help you get to know him.

Ask your doctor about massaging your baby, it is important to get the right information before you start.

Food is a brilliant way for children to learn it stimulates your baby’s sense of taste and smell by allowing him a wide variety of tastes and textures, it is important to allow your baby to experiment and see how your baby reacts to different foods and varying taste.

Eating food with his hands is natural and beneficial, and should be encourage.

So many children come to fear food by having to eat everything on the plate, others become fussy eaters through not being taught to experiment with food.

Most importantly remember that you are your baby’s super hero; he looks up to you for the best start in life and what you do and how you react in his environment, will be reflected in him, he will follow in your footsteps. You can make a difference

Your baby will grow more now, in the first year of his or her little life than at any other time, both physically and mentally.


About The Author

Victoria Welch

I have spent many years working with children of all ages, from nursery through to high school, and have also spent a lot of time with children with special needs.

During all my time working with children, one strong pattern began to emerge. Children who had experienced structured play with their parents and guardians seemed to have a strong bond, felt loved and appreciated.

Their carers also seemed to be benefiting and had an understanding of the child’s uniqueness, enjoyments and development needs.

Educational-Games-For-Kids.com was set up to drive this message home and help parents choose the right educational games and toys for their little ones. http://www.education-games-for-kids.com/



Dania
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7 Tips to Get Your Child Counting To 20

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Posted By Nicole Dean

As children, we all learned to count in different ways. How did you learn to count? Didn’t you feel proud when you were able to count all the way to twenty! Counting is one of the most important learning components children need to become proficient.



Here are 7 tips to get your child counting to 20.

•Utilize a deck of cards.
•Purchase the Leap Frog product which offers singing as a way for your child to count from 1 to 20.
•Use construction paper with crayon, and write the numbers on separate sheets.
•Use a variety of books which teach children to count
•Utilize a box of elbow macaroni in teaching your child how to count.
•Use pennies to help your child to count.
•If you have stairs in your home, count them with your child as you go up and down.

Statistics today show more and more public school children are lacking in mathematical skills. This is why it is so important to teach children to count from the time they are infants. They do retain information, and with so many teaching tools available today, it is becoming clear that the earlier a child is taught to count, the better prepared he or she will be when it comes time to enroll them in school.

While learning is important, making the process an enjoyable one creates the atmosphere conducive to learning. It is a fact that babies learn more at an early age because they have the ability to soak up so much information. Therefore, beginning the counting process as early as possible, using creative means, can not only help your child but is an inducement for them to want to learn more as they grow.

Engage your entire family in teaching your child to count. Make it a fun and enjoyable experience. These 7 tips to get your child counting to 20 can be used or added to your existing methods. Utilize all of the tips outlined and add your own creative ideas as well.

Times have certainly changed since we were kids. Many of the methods and tools available today were not even part of our daily curriculum. Now, more than ever, we have more opportunities to teach our children the vital lessons they need to learn in order to achieve. It all begins with the number 1, and akin to when we were kids, you can still utilize the old with the new in ensuring your child can count, either by reading the numbers or by using his or her fingers and toes.

Article by: Nicole Dean co-created www.kidsactivitycalendar.com [1] to help her child and others prepare for Kindergarten in a fun way. To get your free sample lesson, stop by www.kidsactivitycalendar.com/letter-a-sample.htm [2] today.

Dania
www.kidzsmartz.blogspot.com
www.momebizblog.blogspot.com

More Math Games For The Active Child

Posted By Peggy Baron

Math games are the perfect way for the squirmy child to learn math. Some kids don’t learn as well when trying to concentrate all their efforts on sitting still. These kids do better when allowed to actively partake in math games – and what could be more fun?

Here are four more ideas for math games that you may like to try with your active child:

Hide and Seek

This is a twist on traditional hide and seek because no person is going to hide. You’re going to be hiding math problems or flash cards for your child to find. Make one room or the whole house or backyard the “seek” territory and hide flashcards all around. Just remember how many you hid in case you can’t remember where they all are later [wink].

Nature Patterns

Ask your child to gather up rocks, sticks, handfuls of grass, dandelions, or anything that doesn’t move (no bugs!) First have her group the like-things together in piles. Next start a pattern on the sidewalk from these piles and ask her to add on to it following the pattern you started. It will depend on her ability, but for example you could place rock, rock, grass, dandelion, rock rock, grass, dandelion, and tell her to keep it going.

Math Double/Triple Obstacle Course

Send your child on his merry way scrambling over and under chairs, up and down stairs, on top of beds, etc., with some well-placed math question cards. These cards ask them to double or triple a number. “Double the number 3″ or “Triple the number 2″. The questions will be relative to what your child is capable of, but try to make them multiplication-related.

Rock Pile

Here’s another multiplication game. Gather a bunch of rocks into a pile at the top of your driveway. Ask your child to put 3 rocks out at the bottom of your driveway. Next have her run over and add rocks to double the original 3 rocks and tell you the total. Then ask her to put 3 x the original rocks, 4 x, etc. If your child isn’t ready for multiplication yet, have her put out the three rocks, take one away, and tell you what’s left.

These math games are just a starting point to get you going with some math games for your active child. There are many ways you can do math that are fun, including some cooking in the kitchen.

Check out Cookin’ Kids – a cooking website just for kids.  Cooking terms, safety tips, kid jokes, and easy free recipes ^[1]. Parents can visit too and pick up some free parent tips, http://cookinkids.com/

Dania

http://www.kizsmartz.blogspot.com/

http://www.miamimommyblogger.wordpress.com/

http://www.momsebizblog.blogspot.com/