Remember the card game, War? It is a great way to teach your child about more and less while having fun! I'm not real comfortable with the name and words used during game play, so I came up with "More!" and when declaring "More!", you say, "I will have more!" (instead of "I declare war.").

Here are the rules of the game in case you can't remember:

• Pass out cards to your child and yourself until all cards are split evenly.
• Hold the cards in one hand, face down.
• At the same time, both of ...

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The children are so anxious on Christmas Eve! I found this really cute Christmas coloring book on Microsoft Office Online. Print the book, help your child color it, and then staple it together. Talk about each page and help you child complete it. The coloring book has a word find, dot-to-dot, coloring pages and more. This is a great way for our children to learn about Christmas, practice writing and reading, and use their creativity! You can find the Christmas Coloring Book on the Handouts page.
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I recently found an application on iTunes called Bank of Mom. It is specifically for parents to use to modify their child's behavior. Here's how it works: When your child behaves, does something extra nice, completes a chore, etc. you can add either money, time, or an activity as a reward. Don't have an iPhone? Keep reading; there's a idea for non-iPhone users.

If you choose to use money as a reward, your child will be able to earn money that can be used for buying things they want from the ...

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This holiday season, start a family tradition! There is a great gift set (book and elf) on Amazon.com titled, "The Elf On The Shelf". The story tells of an elf, which your child names, that watches over your child to see if he or she is behaving.

First, read the book, which tells all about the elf and how he's there to keep an eye on your child for Santa. Next, give your elf a creative, crazy or traditional name; it's up to your child! Then, place the elf somewhere in your house, up high is p...
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In Board Math, the children are learning to identify coins and their values. You can easily continue the learning at home with the coins you have on hand. First, find one coin of each type (i.e. penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar). Next, get some small round white stickers, and using a fine point marker, write the name and value of each on the stickers. Place the stickers on the coins. Use them to quiz your child. Once your child knows each coin, explain how they can be added together ...
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Start a wonderful family tradition this Thanksgiving that will be enjoyed and treasured for many years to come. Purchase a table cloth that fits your dining table (the bigger, the better), one or more bottles of festive acrylic paint, disposable pie pan, and a permanent black Sharpie pen.

When everyone is relaxing and digesting your delicious dinner, break out your supplies! Fill the pie pan with enough paint to cover the bottom of the pan. Have each guest place one hand, palm side down, into...
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Here's a great idea from Mrs. Smith in Room 3:

Play the classic game "Go Fish" with your child. First, use playing cards to teach the game. Then, once your child is familiar with the game, make "Go Fish" cards with our sight words (see, I, my, like, to, he, is,etc.). You will need two cards for each word. If your child needs practice with letter names or sounds you could also make cards with letters on them!

Thanks for the idea, Mrs. Smith!
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Dinner time is a great time to get together and talk about your day. If your child is like mine, you probably don't get many details or find it difficult to start a conversation to really get your child to talk. I came up with Super Suppers - table discussions/games that will get the conversation going!

1. Take turns giving compliments to each person at the table. 

    Example compliments:
        "Your hair is pretty!"
        "You give the best hugs!"
        "I enjoy reading with you!"
        ...
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Over the weekend, I went to Staples and picked up Site Word (Level A) flash cards, Addition flash cards, and subtraction flash cards. I think they were about $3 each. If you'd like to spend a little less, you can get some index cards, which cost about $1.50, and just write the words on there. I take them with us when we go to restaurants and just riding in the car. It's amazing how much our children can learn in just a few minutes! Capture every moment; it makes a difference!
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Sometimes our children come home with work they haven't completed at school. One way of continuing learning at home, is to take it with you when you dine out! I don't know about your child, but mine gets bored with the coloring booklets many restaurants provide. Keeping him still and quiet until the meal comes, can sometimes be a challenge. What a great time to learn! Get a large envelope (like the homework folder) and stuff it with incomplete work as it comes home. Then take it with you to t...
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Now that the children are beginning to learn site words, surprise your child with a special note from home! One simple sentence is best so he/she can read it. We've been writing "I see..." and "I am...", so you could get creative with those words to make your special lunch box note. An example would be "I see Mommy", and you could add a photo of yourself. Or try new words, such as "love" just by writing "I love you!". They will surely put a smile on your child's face!
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