Summer is the season of more free time, good weather, and no school schedules. While I love being one who flexes as things pop up, I also love having a schedule or things written down somewhere. Also, one of my fav things is to be spontaneous and that is ok. But when we are home and it's an ordinary day, I will have a schedule to rely on and fall back on. Having things written down and scheduled helps me spread out my tasks rather than work too much and forget to relax, spend time with family etc. It's also a great way to glance at the week as a whole and make sure all that needs to be there, is there. Like any schedule and routine, they take time to enforce, learn, and make habits. Kids need to be taught what each time will look like, before you can expect them to know how to implement it. For example, I will have to teach over and over what I want a quiet time to look like before they will get it. Here are some explanations and the forethought behind the schedules... Daily Schedule: *Focused learning time: space to plug in any structured activity. This could be quiet reading time, doing some worksheets or learning, crafts etc. *Quiet time: I really wanted to build in some time during the day, not the evening, when I could get my tasks done rather than working after the kids were in bed. This will hopefully allow me to have 'me' time in the evenings. *Chores/tv/dinner: My plan is for the kids to do their chores then as a reward, they get to watch TV while I make dinner. Otherwise, it seems too chaotic to cook, monitor etc. lol Weekly Schedule: *I love the idea of having Wednesday as an 'off day' task wise. This way, if I need to flex or didn't get to something, I have some leeway. *Check: I cut them apart and posted one of them on my fridge for the week. And then, I get to cross off the tasks as I do them. I also write down other events or to do's for the week in the blank lines under each day. One thing to mention, is that every family is different and you have to do what works for your family. This is just a suggestion of some ideas but you can make your own schedule too. I used Google sheets and Canva (free) to create them. Happy summer and let me know if I can help with anything :-) Here are two planners you can download: (Seize the day is the daily planner) ![]()
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Sunday Morns for Kids! Right now, during this time of Covid, Sunday mornings can be a bit tricky with littles. Some churches have been streaming kids’ programming, some have not, and some churches are meeting back in person but don’t have the kids services available yet. If you are looking for some additional things to help make Sunday morns for your kids go a bit more smoothly, you might want to check out these resources. I searched around for a little while and filtered through some sites looking for things that met these criteria: kid friendly for all ages, specifically the younger ages, could be done independently, purposeful and engaging. I ended up finding most of the resources on a fabulous site called Teachers Pay Teachers. Anyone can sign up and it’s free! This is a site where teachers create and post their own worksheets, units, activities etc. You can find several things that are free and of course, there are several things that are for a fee as well. You can set the filter to search by grade level, price, topic, etc. First, you need to create an account. It’s quick and easy! Here is the link for the site if you are interested. www.Teacherspayteachers.com I also created a board on my personal Pinterest account that is designated for all things Bible and kids. Here is the link: https://www.pinterest.com/ginakluver/spiritual-for-kids/ I will be continuing to add more pins as I find them. Most of the resources I found were free. My plan is to print these off and create a Sunday morn folder that each of my kiddos can take to church with them. I will include a variety of things to work on from the resources given below. *As a side note, while I would love to create Sunday morning packets for you, I don’t have the rights to use these resources to print and copy for others. But I can share the links with you! I also don’t believe in recreating the wheel of what has already been done. Time is precious! Click on the first link below to check out links to great resources to use with kiddos on Sunday morns. Remember to create an account first in order to view the ones on Teacher’s Pay Teachers. They are organized by type, age level, and price. www.teacherspayteachers.com Click on the second link to access a free PDF I created of a kid friendly version of the SOAP Bible journaling page. Let me know if you have any questions or would like additional help locating specific resources. Blessings!! ![]()
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As I continue to see what works (and what doesn't work!) for our family, in this time of at home learning, here are a few ideas that I wanted to pass along. #1: I sorted all of our workbooks and many of my teaching resources into different bins and labeled them. The bins are from Dollar Tree. I also included a file folder for each subject. This makes planning for the following day much easier. I am currently keeping the following day's work on the far right of the bins so I can have easy access to it. I also created a document to jot down some lessons for each day. Since my kiddo is in pre k, I will not do every subject each day, but having this visual helps me see what I have planned throughout the week. The PDF document is available at the bottom of this post. #2: Many kids need and love structure. And quite frankly, I was going nuts not being organized or having a rhyme or a reason as to how I was doing things. My kiddo is in pre k, so really, he's not required to do antying, but he loves to learn and I still want to help him prep for kinder. Plus, being a former teacher, being able to teach my own kiddo is so fun!!! I purchased a simple visual schedule on Teacher's Pay Teachers, I believe, a while back. It came with TONS of visuals to use on a schedule. I printed them off and purchased a pocket chart on Amazon to display the schedule. (They currently have pocket charts at Dollar Tree too. Magnetic tape may work as well on the back of each card.) For now, we are only practicing using the cards for the school routine, but there are several for holidays, at home activities, errands etc. Shown in the pic above, I have turned over the subjects we will be covering for the day. I also included two snack cards. When the work is done, my kiddo can turn over the completed cards/activities. Also, to keep us from snacking all day long, we are going to try and turn over one card after each snack time. Turning over the cards helps give a sense of ownership and completion. It also shows what we weren't able to get to and can save for the following day. As a side note, I am also using these cards for visual cues for morning and nighttime routines. I have them posted on the kids' bathroom mirror. #3 and #4: I purchased this STEAM science book off of Amazon a while back as well. The experiments usually incorporate many household items you probably already have which is convenient. The book does a pretty good job of introducing, instructing, and concluding the experiments. There is a chapter on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). Today, we tried the one shown in pic #4. My husband was on lunch break (at home), and was able to offer more insight than I could which was wonderful. Though it was nicely explained in the book, I realize that my gifting is not in science and he did a much better job of explaining it than I would have! Here is the link for the book on Amazon: Science Experiments for Kids I have seen so many amazing things happening out there from all of you teaching parents. Nice work and keep it up! Thanks for the ideas that YOU have shared! Have a great last day of the week. ![]()
Parents...teachers...Bible teachers...ok, everyone! Here are a few things to check out while you have extra time with your kiddos at home.
#1 Canva: This is a fun, easy, and free way to create things as you can do in publisher. You can make creative and beautiful templates for just about anything and then download a PDF to print or send! Newsletters, thank you's, cards, invites and so much more! This would be a great way for kids to work on their typing skills while reaching out to relatives, friends, classmates and such. You could even create a weekly family newsletters. Each child could even have their own section in the family newsletter and you can share it at the end of the week or pass it along to grandparents. Canva #2 Teachers Pay Teachers: Think of this site as the Teacher's version of Pinterest. On Teacher's Pay Teachers, people create lessons, resources, and just about everything that a teacher (or in this case, parents!) might need, and posts it on the site. You can filter by grade level, subject area, and even cost. They have a free section!! You can search for tons of stuff. For example, if your child needs some extra help with fractions, search fraction games and see what pops up. Or if your child wants to learn about dinosaurs, look up dinos for their age level. Tons of resources like downloadable books, games, units, and much more will pop up. You can download it right there and print it off. Seriously, tons of great resources. Check it out! Teachers Pay Teachers #3 Indescribable. 100 Devotions about God and Sciencein: Parents, if you have kiddos who love learning cool facts about science, check out this amazing devotional book written for kids (and honestly, I am learning too!). This was given to us as a gift and it's really great. I'd say it's for kids ages 5ish-maybe 10 or so. It includes a Bible verse, a passage from the Bible, a tie to a really cool science lesson, and then a real life application. It also ends with a prayer and another interesting fact. My kiddo is a science nut and is loving it. You can snag it on Amazon. On a side note, the same author, Louie Giglio, has a book out for adults that also goes into great depths using science to explain the magnificence of God. It is called Indescribable: Encountering the Glory of God in the Beauty of the Universe. Indescribable for Kids Indescribable for Adults #4 The Beginner's Bible: I am sure you know about The Beginner's Bible! I had one of these when I was a kid....and years later, my children each received one from our church. Since each of my kiddos have one, we started using this as a follow up to the Indescribable Devotional mentioned above. Or, we can just read along together. It's a great resource to have around and use for your kiddos. And wouldn't you know, you can get it on Amazon as well! Beginner's Bible Let me know if you want any more info on these resources. Have a great day! Here is another fun read aloud to help bring some laughs to this crazy season in life.
Enjoy and don't forget to check out this great book for yourself!! Vilot the Pilot is a fun story about a little girl Violet who loves to create stuff out of junk. Read along to find out what she is up to this time! Link to Story Read Aloud: youtu.be/xwM7ps5XrUg Activities: *See what you can create using items from around your house. Draw a picture of your creation and write about it. *Using blank or recycled paper, have a paper airplane contest with the people in your house. See who's plane goes the farthest. Find on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Violet-Pilot-Steve-Breen/dp/0425288196 Hey Friends! I recently linked a Faithntraining YouTube channel to my website. I will start by posting fun, wholesome read alouds for kiddos to enjoy. I will also be linking several activities via Pinterest or my own ideas, to go along with the stories. The account is set to private, so you will need to use the links that I include in my posts to access the videos. Feel free to share with whoever might enjoy listening to some fun, engaging stories. Let me know if you have any questions.
Our first story is the Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson and Pictures by Alex Scheffler Link to Story Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/3D0r9AmIl_Q Activities: *Make a Gruffalo mask *Gruffalo Finger Pupets *Gruffalo Coloring Page *Gruffalo Dot to Dot *Write and draw about what YOU would do if you saw a Gruffalo Find on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Gruffalo-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0142403873/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+gruffalo&qid=1585178613&sr=8-2 A friend of mine shared some awesome journal prompts to recap on the days while we are at home during our isolation time. I tweaked the idea a bit and created a few ways to have some fun conversation around the dinner table. Below, are two links. The first is a PDF of a page you can print to use and keep at the dinner table. The second is a PDF of the same thing, but the conversation starters are meant to be cut apart, put in a bowl, and selected at random. Both are easy, fun, and are great ways to get the whole family talking and laughing. Click Here to open the links! Table Talk Whole Page Table Talk Cut Apart Here are some fun, simple, and easy things for kids and families to do at home!
Feel free to post and share more! Randy and I were recently asked to give a quick blurb, at church, on the one thing that we've found to be key in our marriage. We were honored to be given the opportunity to do so. As we began tossing around potential candidates for the key ingredients to our marriage, we found that it really boiled down to CSI. And no, we don't mean the show!
Communication: We communicate a lot! And if you asked my husband, he'd say, "We communicate a lot, a lot!" We talk about everything. Sometimes, we talk just to talk, and end up discussing topics that really have no value at all. Other times, we discuss our day, the challenges that arose, the victories we had, or what our kids did that made us laugh. And of course, we take time to share the inner workings of our hearts, things that are bothering us, or things that need attention. But the point is, we talk. We communicate in a very loving and respectful way. We have created a very safe environment which helps us both feel able to be open and honest. Both of us listen with attentiveness and seek to understand the other person. One very practical phrase that we often use when either of us needs to share something is this: "Do you need me to listen to you or are you looking for some advice?" It's so simple yet so helpful. It really takes the pressure off of the listener because they know what their role is. And, the one doing the talking will get the results they are looking for rather than feel frustrated because their spouse isn't giving them what they need. Support: As a married couple, we strive to put the other person's needs ahead of our own. My husband does this way better than I do! He is so selfless and is always putting me first. I aspire to be like him. In this, we look for ways to support each other. If I had a long day with the kids and really need to get out of the house, Randy is quick to send me out for some me time. Or if I am training for a race, he will watch the kids so I can get my runs in. On the flip side, if he needs some time with the guys, I will watch the kids so he can have a night out. Since I know how much he loves time in the great outdoors with his family and guy friends, I offer to hold down the fort while he goes hunting. It's a give and take sort of relationship and it works. Invest: Before Randy and I got married, we took a lot of time to invest in getting to know each other and ourselves as individuals. We had the privilege of going through a phenomenal marriage counseling program with Randy's pastor. He wrote the program himself and it provided tons of stuff we still use today. In that study, we learned about our unique personalities and that of our soon to be spouse. But the secret ingredient was seeing and understanding how our personalities worked in a marriage. We learned very early on that we show emotion very different. It is part of what makes us unique and honestly one of the reasons why our marriage works so well. For example, if I were to ask Randy if he's excited about an upcoming vacation, he may say something like, "Yeah honey." But if he asked me if I was excited about an upcoming vacation, I would likely respond with a happy dance and shout "Yes!!!!!!!" Now, I could think that Randy isn't excited or doesn't care about our vacation and could even get a bit frustrated. But because I know how my husband operates, I know he actually is excited, he just shows it much differently than I do and that is OK. So often, in marriages, arguments or hurt feelings stem from misunderstandings. Taking time to invest in getting to know how your spouse operates, how you operate, and what you both need to be loved and respected can be a game changer. In additional to our premarital counseling, we worked through the DVD study Love and Respect, a DVD study on the Song of Solomon (the Study of Love, Marriage, Life and Sex), and the book Men are Like Waffles and Women are Like Spaghetti. I also went through several books on marriage and one called the Lost Art of Listening (from a college counseling class). When we got married, we knew we were committing for life and really believed that taking the time and effort to invest in our marriage, especially upfront, was huge. I really think that we've been able to navigate through a lot of things pretty easily because of the time we took to get to know how we work as a couple and as individuals. It's never too late to invest in your marriage. Marriage is not a 'one and done thing.' It's always changing and will always need work, so really, keep investing in it! The pay back is huge! Lastly, we really LOVE LIVING LIFE TOGETHER. Through thick and thin, we truly love being by each other's sides. We love to be goofy, cheesy, laugh, etc. It doesn't matter what kind of a season we are in, the important thing is that we are together. As my husband would say, "We are in it to win it!" So, there is our top 3. CSI. Communicate. Support. Invest. And don't forget to love living life with the one you signed up with to live out this crazy ride called life. Resources mentioned: Song of Solomon Study: https://www.amazon.com/Song-Solomon-Classic-DVD-Marriage/dp/1928828272 Love and Respect DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Respect-Live-Marriage-Conference/dp/B01N6QVTN4 Love and Respect book: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Respect-Workbook-Desires-Desperately/dp/1591453488/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=love+and+respect+book&qid=1581924119&sr=8-2 Men are Life Waffles book: https://www.amazon.com/Men-Like-Waffles-Women-Spaghetti-Understanding/dp/0736968881 Looking for an easy way to display your child's art, greeting cards, or school work?
I made these a few years ago out of some extra supplies we had on hand. They were really easy to make and you can tailor them to whatever size, color, and lettering you want! It's been a fun and easy way to display things that I want to keep around for a while and to display for my little ones. Looking back, if I were to redo them, I would use a different form of lettering, but I used what I had, and it's worked well. Need: Scrap wood Stickers or stencils Mod Podge Glue Gun Command strips (for heavier items) Small clothes pins To make: -Take any scrap wood you might have. Thinner wood will be easier to mount or hang. (To mount these, I just used command strips. For the most part, they have held pretty well.) -Paint using any leftover paint you have or use crafter's paint or purchase a sample jar of paint from the paint store. -Add whatever lettering you want. I used scrapbook stickers. -Cover with Mod Podge using a foam paint brush or any paint brush should do. I used Mod Podge that I purchased from the Dollar Tree. -Allow to dry. -Paint the small clothes pins the color of your choice. -Allow to dry. -Hot glue the clothes pins to the boards, allowing at least 4 inches or so between. -Allow to dry. -Mount with command strips. |
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