Tamara L. Chilver's Blog, page 2

Have FUN Creating Holiday Traditions

As you can see on my blog, I absolutely love celebrating holidays. I look forward to using these special times of the year as springboards for teaching since it makes learning so much FUN. I also like continuing our family traditions that can be traced back for generations.
I've never given much thought to the origins of most holiday traditions or symbols in America. I've heard the debates on why or why not families should participate in certain celebrations, and I try to be considerate of everyone's views.
Kirk Cameron is on a mission to reveal the truth about the holidays. He feels too many have been deceived for far too long. Watch this excellent interview.


Last night, my husband and I went to see "Saving Christmas," and I learned a lot about Christmas traditions. I hope many people will be able to experience freedom after viewing the movie.
Recently, I have been taking a Community Bible Study class. We've been digging deep into the Word and learning about 1 Corinthians. It reminds me a lot of the message of "Saving Christmas." Read what Paul says about being released from false teachings.

1 Corinthians 8:4-8 (NIV)- So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

The meat was given as a sacrifice to the false gods and later sold in the marketplace. Paul recognized that he could eat the meat without sinning, even though others felt like it was tainted. Paul knew his one and only God created the meat and he was not bound by the Pagan laws because he did not believe in them. 

This study reaffirmed that I am free from the Pagan laws since I do not believe in them. It makes me sad that so many Christians feel like they are in bondage to certain false customs and traditions. More and more Christians are even going "dark" during certain times of the year and refusing to have no part in a holiday.

I choose to live each day in freedom for I know that only God created every single day of the year and I will give only Him the glory.

Psalm 118:24-"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad
My study Bible states to be respectful of others and do not cause them to stumble, but we do not have to be bound by fear of offending rigid or legalistic Christians. I have learned that we are only slaves to Him (not to false Gods or the beliefs of others) and we can live freely to enjoy each and every day of the year.

1 Peter 2:15-16-"For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves."

Here are some of the reasons I've heard from fellow parents on why they did not celebrate certain holiday traditions.
I refuse to teach my child about fantasies.
The fact is children love fantasy. Look on a young child's bookshelf and you will find almost all fiction books with most falling into the fantasy genre. Children make-up imaginary scenes throughout the day. My daughter is constantly dressing up as a Disney princess or playing mom with her baby dolls. My youngest son enjoys acting like a superhero and pretends to fight the bad guys. Two of my other sons build imaginary cities with their Legos and on Minecraft. It's part of how a child's brain is wired. Eventually children will outgrow this, but until then, my family will enjoy sharing imaginative stories and having visits from a leprechaun, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, and Santa.
I think most people would be surprised to learn how special days of the year that seem fictional can be traced back to real stories. From St. Patrick to St. Valentine, there were people who did great things for God's kingdom, including St. Nicholas. By the way, Santa was one tough dude! Not only was he a generous man who shared gifts with others, He was a defender of the faith. At the Council of Nicea, Saint Nicholas fought the heretic Arius who was spreading lies that Jesus was not in fact the son of God, but a mere man. Saint Nicholas’ actions produced the Nicene Creed – a statement of faith and belief in Jesus Christ in the Christian church.

I enjoy using Holiday Heroes to link the holidays to Biblical lessons.


In addition, I read these Christmas books and Easter books to my children every year as a tradition to connect the symbolism of the holidays. We also make crafts and enjoy treats to go along with each theme.
I like how Christianity Today states:

God made our imaginations and hardwired us to connect deeply with stories. Jesus himself appealed to people's imagination by telling parables—stories that communicated profound truths. Even if stories are fairy tales, and therefore not empirically true, they still communicate truth. Smart parents will use the Santa story to teach their children to be giving rather than demanding and to experience generosity and grace.

My children may resent me when they learn the truth.
It's ultimately a parent's decision on which traditions they would like to do with their family and exactly how they would like to implement them. They are free to decide to participate in the Elf on the Shelf craze, hang stockings for Santa to fill, or leave carrots for the reindeer. Parents can choose to be completely honest up front or work behind-the-scenes, but no matter what, it is all done in fun and out of love.

I've never worried about my children no longer trusting me when they learn the truth about who the tooth fairy really is. My oldest son was not upset with me when I broke the news to him but actually laughed. In fact, he became the tooth fairy a few times for his younger brothers.
When I was a child, my parents never had the talk with me about how they were working behind-the-scenes during Christmas. I was left to figure it all out on my own. Did I resent them and later need counseling to sort through my emotions? No. I thought it was super sweet how they spent so much time and effort in creating magical memories for their children. In fact, if I called my father right now and asked him if Santa is for real, he would still answer, "Of course he is."
My parents continue to have family traditions by hiding Easter eggs in their yard every year for the grandkids and even for the adults. Yes, all my siblings and our spouses (ages 30's-40's) run around his backyard to collect the eggs that are above eye-level (our kids get the ones that are lower). The adults are VERY competitive. Heels come off and women are dashing through the grass barefooted in sundresses. It is hysterical! Did I mention that my Dad puts money in the plastic eggs? It is quite a sight to see but certainly one of our favorite family Easter traditions.
Our homeschool group's Easter party at our church.The Easter Bunny (aka my husband) making a visit to our Sunday school party.
By the way, my boys had no idea it was their Dad ☺Do I care that Easter eggs are thought to be Pagan symbols? Not a bit. I focus on who created the eggs in the first place, not Pagans, but God. I choose to relate the eggs to wonderful memories of my family coloring eggs and going on hunts together. To my family, the eggs symbolize Christ breaking free from the tomb just as a chick breaks free from an egg. I also use eggs as teaching tools during Easter, such as using the Resurrection Eggs to retell the Easter story and plastic eggs for learning activities.

Most Kindergarten teachers have a leprechaun visit their classrooms while the children are not in the room. Children go all out in creating elaborate traps to catch the leprechaun and his pot of gold. The leprechaun will play some tricks on them and then he leaves them a treat, such as a cookie or cupcake. I never had students return years later to my classroom upset to learn that the leprechaun was not real, but they would comment on how fun it was and how they missed it.

On a side note, I believe God loves these silly traditions and also has a huge sense of humor. There is no other way to explain this true story that happened to my oldest son and I on St. Patrick's Day.

The Great Halloween Debate
This debate is very common in the Christian community. I've heard both sides and never felt convicted to stop participating. My family even volunteered in our church's fall festival that was held on Halloween. I have a hard time accepting that my daughter dressed up as Cinderella or my son as a Ninja Turtle is worshiping false Gods. Just like Paul, I do not believe in false Gods, so therefore, I am not bound by those laws, customs, or dates.
Now to make things more interesting with the Great Halloween Debate, what if it really did not begin with Pagans? Read this article to learn how Halloween might actually be traced back to the days of Noah.

Answers in Genesis also references Psalm 24:1 in the article to emphasize everything belongs to the Lord. Therefore, there is no reason to let Satan have Halloween. It was not his day in the first place!

This year my family went to Disney's Not-So-Spooky Halloween Party and we thoroughly enjoyed it. No guilt. Just pure family fun with lots of yummy candy.
I think Kirk Cameron would smile at my family creating our own traditions since he recently said Christians should be throwing the biggest Halloween party on the block.
Reinvent new meanings for old symbols and traditions.
Christians should be cautious about condemning practices as Pagan just because of their probable origins. Many American traditions and symbols that most Christians participate in and use have Pagan beginnings. They just don't realize it.
Funeral ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, and wedding rings have Pagan roots.We still read our Bibles and pray on Thursday, which was originally a day dedicated to Thor (Thor's day). Other days of the week fall into this category, too.The fish (Ichthys) people have on their bumpers of their cars has Pagan origins.It seems that most popular symbols and traditions used in America for the holidays could be traced back to the Pagans. Evergreen Christmas trees, the giving of gifts, holly, stockings, yule logs, and mistletoe were all elements adopted from the ancient Pagan traditions. The Easter bunny, hunting eggs, coloring eggs, and even the word "Easter" is from Pagan roots. The act of dressing up in costumes, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating is considered to be Pagan. Even Thanksgiving Day is debated to begin as Pagan before it was celebrated in America. The cornucopia and foods we typically eat on Thanksgiving, including turkey, were supposedly used in Pagan feasts.Do you see how you could go on and on? It is exhausting. The bottom line is legalism robs your joy and is never-ending. The more you hide and choose not to create your own traditions out of fear of offending others and God, the less you can celebrate His blessings and be a blessing to others.
Here is my favorite quote from the movie "Saving Christmas."

"We need to make traditions of our own. We need to infuse old symbols with new meaning. We need to arrange our lives and our homes so that every single thing points to Jesus." ~Kirk Cameron

The Believer’s Freedom 

By His grace, we have been brought from the darkness and into the light. We are free in Christ. HERE are some wonderful verses that demonstrate your freedom, which you can use to make wise choices on how to celebrate your faith and create family traditions. Let's go back to the example of meat Paul used in 1 Corinthians. 

1 Corinthians 10:25-26- Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

 1 Corinthians 10:29-30- For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?  

I encourage you to stop listening to others' opinions about their personal convictions and pray to the one and only God and seek His wisdom.

Have fun creating holiday traditions with your loved ones, 

[image error]

Have FUN Creating Holiday Traditions

As you can see on my blog, I absolutely LOVE the holidays. I look forward to using these special times of the year as springboards for teaching since it makes learning so much FUN. I also like continuing our family traditions that can be traced back for generations.
I've never given much thought to the origins of most holiday traditions or symbols in America. I've heard the debates on why or why not families should participate in certain celebrations, and I try to be considerate of everyone's views.
Kirk Cameron is on a mission to reveal the truth about the holidays. He feels too many have been deceived for far too long. Watch this excellent interview.


Last night, my husband and I went to see "Saving Christmas," and I learned a lot about Christmas traditions. I hope many people will be able to experience freedom after viewing the movie.
Recently, I have been taking a Community Bible Study class. We've been digging deep into the Word and learning about 1 Corinthians.
Read what Paul says about being released from false teachings.

1 Corinthians 8:4-8 (NIV)- So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Paul recognized that he could eat the meat without sinning, even though others felt like it was tainted since it was sacrificed to the false gods. Paul knew his one and only God created the meat and he was not bound by the Pagan laws because he did not believe in them. My study Bible states,“Paul does not expect us to be bound by fear of offending rigid or legalistic Christians.” 

This study reaffirmed that I am free from the Pagan laws since I do not believe in them. It makes me sad that so many Christians feel like they are in bondage to certain false customs and celebrations. More and more Christians are even going "dark" during certain times of the year. I choose to live each day in freedom for I know that only God created every single day of the year and I will give only Him the glory.

Psalm 118:24"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be gladHere are some of the reasons I have heard from fellow parents on why they did not celebrate certain holiday traditions.
I refuse to teach my child about fantasies.
The fact is children love fantasy. Look on a young child's bookshelf and you will find almost all fiction books with most falling into the fantasy genre. Children make-up imaginary scenes throughout the day. My daughter is constantly dressing up as a Disney princess or playing mom with her baby dolls. My youngest son enjoys acting like a superhero and pretends to fight the bad guys. It is part of how a child's brain is wired. Eventually children will outgrow this, but until then, my family will enjoy sharing imaginative stories and having visits from a leprechaun, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, and Santa.
I think most people would be surprised to learn how special days of the year that seem fictional can be traced back to the Scriptures. From St. Patrick to St. Valentine, there were real saints who did miraculous things, including St. Nicholas. By the way, Santa was one tough dude! Not only was he a generous man who shared gifts with others, He was a defender of the faith. At the Council of Nicea, Saint Nicholas fought the heretic Arius who was spreading lies that Jesus was not in fact the son of God, but a mere man. Saint Nicholas’ actions produced the Nicene Creed – a statement of faith and belief in Jesus Christ in the Christian church.
I like how Christianity Today states:

God made our imaginations and hardwired us to connect deeply with stories. Jesus himself appealed to people's imagination by telling parables—stories that communicated profound truths. Even if stories are fairy tales, and therefore not empirically true, they still communicate truth. Smart parents will use the Santa story to teach their children to be giving rather than demanding and to experience generosity and grace.

I don't want to lie to my children.
I understand how relationships are built on trust. The reality is parents tend to stretch the truth or embellish the facts all the time and never think twice about it. Here are some examples of how I have done this:
When my older boys tried out a new recipe last year, I told them it was delicious even though my husband and I could barely swallow a bite with straight faces.
When my daughter asks me if she can be Cinderella when she grows up, I tell her of course she can.
When I do not want my young children using my phone to play games, I sometimes tell them my phone is dead or it needs to charge.
When I am trying to leave the house but my older kids keep running in back into the house for items, I occasionally say "I am leaving without you." (Of course I will not leave them, but for some reason this works.)

When my teenager asked for an cell phone for his birthday, I told him that he would have to wait for a couple more years (just so his dad and I could see the surprised look on his face when he opened his present).
When my kids ask me a question that I can't discuss at that time (such as when I am on the phone) or I do not want to even consider answering their question because I know it may involve a preschooler having a meltdown, I use the phrase "We'll see." (This is really mommy-code for "This is never going to happen but move along and keep quiet.")
I never worry about my children no longer trusting me when they learn the truth about who the tooth fairy really is. My oldest son was not upset with me when I broke the news to him but actually laughed.
When I was a child, my parents never had the talk with me about how they were working behind-the-scenes during Christmas. I was left to figure it all out on my own. Did I resent them and later need counseling to sort through my emotions? Of course not. I thought it was super sweet how they spent so much time and effort in creating magical memories for their children. In fact, if I called my dad right now and asked him if Santa is for real, he would still answer, "Of course he is."
My dad still continues to have family traditions by hiding Easter eggs in his yard every year for the grandkids and even for us adults. Yes, all my siblings and our spouses (ages 30's-40's) run around his backyard to collect the eggs that are above eye-level (our kids get the ones that are lower). The adults are VERY competitive. Heels come off and women are dashing through the grass barefooted in sundresses. It is hysterical. Did I mention that my Dad puts money in the plastic eggs? It is quite a sight to see but certainly one of our favorite family Easter traditions.

Do I care that Easter eggs are thought to be Pagan symbols? NO, I choose to relate the eggs to wonderful memories of my family, as well as Christ breaking free from the tomb just as a chick breaks free from an egg. I also like using eggs as a teaching tool during Easter, such as the Resurrection Eggs.
Most Kindergarten teachers have a leprechaun visit their classrooms while the children are not in the room. Children go all out in creating elaborate traps to catch the leprechaun and his pot of gold. The leprechaun will play some tricks on them and then he leaves them a treat, such as a cookie or cupcake. I never had students return years later to my classroom upset to learn that the leprechaun was not real, but they would comment on how fun it was and how they missed it.

On a side note, I believe God loves these silly traditions and also has a huge sense of humor. There is no other way to explain this true story that happened to my oldest son and I on St. Patrick's Day.

It is ultimately a parent's decision on which traditions they would like to do with their family and exactly how they would like to implement them. Parents can choose to be completely honest up front or work behind-the-scenes. No matter which way they choose, it is all done in fun and out of love.
The Great Halloween Debate
This debate is very common in the Christian community. I've heard both sides and never felt convicted to stop participating. My family even volunteered in our church's fall festival that was held on Halloween. I have a hard time believing that my daughter dressed up as Cinderella or my son as a Ninja Turtle is worshiping false Gods. Just like Paul, I do not believe in false Gods, so therefore, I am not bound by those laws, customs, or dates.
Now to make things more interesting with the Great Halloween Debate, what if it really did not begin with Pagans? Read this article to learn how Halloween might actually be traced back to the days of Noah. 
This year my family went to Disney's Not-So-Spooky Halloween Party and we thoroughly enjoyed it. No guilt. Just pure family fun with lots of yummy candy.



I think Kirk Cameron would smile at my family creating our own traditions since he recently said Christians should be throwing the biggest Halloween party on the block.
Reinvent new meanings for old symbols and traditions.
Christians should be cautious about condemning practices as Pagan just because of their probable origins. Many American traditions and symbols that most Christians participate in and use have Pagan beginnings. They just don't realize it.

How about wedding ceremonies and wedding rings? Yes, they have Pagan roots.
What about the days of the week? We still read our Bibles and pray on Thursday, which was originally a day dedicated to Thor (Thor's day). Other days of the week fall into this category, too.

Funeral ceremonies began as Pagan ceremonies.

The fish (Ichthys) people have on their bumpers of their cars has Pagan origins.
It seems that most popular symbols and traditions used in America for the hoildays could be traced back to the Pagans. Evergreen Christmas trees, the giving of gifts, holly, yule logs, and mistletoe were all elements adopted from the ancient Pagan traditions. The Easter bunny and Easter eggs. The act of dressing up in costumes and going trick-or-treating. Even Thanksgiving Day is debated to begin as Pagan before it was celebrated in America. The cornucopia and foods we typically eat on Thanksgiving, including turkey, were supposedly used in Pagan feasts.
Do you see how you could go on and on? It is exhausting. The bottom line is legalism robs your joy and is never-ending. The more you hide and choose not to create your own traditions out of fear of offending others and God, the less you can celebrate His blessings and be a blessing to others. We are free in Christ. By His grace, we have been brought from the darkness and into the light.
You have a choice.
I encourage you to stop listening to others' opinions about their personal convictions and pray to the one and only God and seek His wisdom. It really is that simple. You are only a slave to Him (not to false Gods) and you can live freely to enjoy each and every day of the year.

1 Peter 2:15-16"For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves."

Here is my favorite quote from the movie "Saving Christmas."

"We need to make traditions of our own. We need to infuse old symbols with new meaning. We need to arrange our lives and our homes so that every single thing points to Jesus." ~Kirk Cameron

Having FUN using the holidays to create traditions with your loved ones.
Many Blessings, 

Making Art History FUN

Every summer I like to spend one morning a week focused on art history. During the school year, we tend to be on a tight schedule, but the summer allows us to be more laid back and truly enjoy every minute of bringing art history to life.If you have read my previous posts on art, you already know that my kids go crazy over art projects, so we do those continuously throughout the school year. But this post is on teaching art history, so this is how we do just that. :)Beginning in second grade, we complete one module/workbook of the Beginning Drawing with Thomas Kinkade curriculum each summer. My children, including my little ones, enjoy watching the late Thomas Kinkade teach art concepts on the DVD and then they practice creating artwork in their workbooks using the concepts they learned about. Previous summers we've had an "Art Club" meet in our house with our close friends. We complete our art lesson together, eat lunch, and then jump into the pool and swim. My kids get very excited for art club!TIP: If you only get one module from this set, it has to be Unit 4 which focuses mainly on Art History. I think it does an outstanding job of teaching on an elementary level. 
Now that my middle boys are graduated from the elementary grades, I drill my boys weekly on the names of several famous paintings and their creators using Usborne's Famous paintings cards . We focus on six paintings every week and by the end of summer, they will have mastered them all. We plan to have a contest between my two boys to see who knows them the fastest, and yes, there will be a prize!  Breaking up learning into small bits and then playing a game with what they have learned are two tricks to make learning fun.
We are also reading Usborne's Book of Famous Paintings this summer. We take our time with just a small section each week. I don't want my kids to feel like they are doing schoolwork over the summer, but they love it when I read to them so that is simply what I do. When my children are in 8th grade, we begin God and the History of Art , which is an extensive art history curriculum. We continue to work on sections of that curriculum every summer throughout high school, and they earn an art history credit for high school. It is a terrific program, and I enjoy working alongside of them and learning, too. Enjoy making art history FUN!

[image error]

Making Art History FUN

Every summer I like to spend one morning a week focused on art history. During the school year, we tend to be on a tight schedule, but the summer allows us to be more laid back and truly enjoy every minute of bringing art history to life.
If you have read my previous posts on art, you already know that my kids go crazy over art projects, so we do those continuously throughout the school year. But this post is on teaching art history, so this is how we do just that. :)
Beginning in second grade, we complete one module/workbook of the Beginning Drawing with Thomas Kinkade curriculum each summer. My children, including my little ones, enjoy watching the late Thomas Kinkade teach art concepts on the DVD and then they practice creating artwork in their workbooks using the concepts they learned about. Previous summers we've had an "Art Club" meet in our house with our close friends. We complete our art lesson together, eat lunch, and then jump into the pool and swim. My kids get very excited for art club!
TIP: If you only get one module from this set, it has to be Unit 4 which focuses mainly on Art History. I think it does an outstanding job of teaching on an elementary level. 
Now that my middle boys are graduated from the elementary grades, I drill my boys weekly on the names of several famous paintings and their creators using Usborne's Famous paintings cards . We focus on six paintings every week and by the end of summer, they will have mastered them all. We plan to have a contest between my two boys to see who knows them the fastest, and yes, there will be a prize!  Breaking up learning into small bits and then playing a game with what they have learned are two tricks to make learning fun.
We are also reading Usborne's Book of Famous Paintings this summer. We take our time with just a small section each week. I don't want my kids to feel like they are doing schoolwork over the summer, but they love it when I read to them so that is simply what I do. When my children are in 8th grade, we begin God and the History of Art , which is an extensive art history curriculum. We continue to work on sections of that curriculum every summer throughout high school, and they earn an art history credit for high school. It is a terrific program, and I enjoy working alongside of them and learning, too. Enjoy making art history FUN!

FUN Ways to Teach Prepositions

During the elementary years, I teach my kids a few parts of speech each school year and then we take time practicing what we've learned in our writing assignments. My kids are currently learning about prepositions, and of course, I am looking for ways to make it fun.☺
We read  Under, Over, by the Clover: What Is a Preposition?  by Brian Cleary
and Around the House the Fox Chased the Mouse: Adventures in Prepositions by Rick Walton.
We watched  Schoolhouse Rock's Busy Prepositions . As you may already know, I LOVE these classic songs.
I printed off this sheet of prepositions to use as a guide for a couple of weeks. I kept it in their school folders and we reviewed it every day. It is 70 of the most used prepositions.
Tip: One thing I have learned about teaching prepositions is that memorizing lists of them does not really help in the long run. When my oldest son was in the fourth grade, he memorized at least one hundred prepositions. We spent a lot of time working on this. However, he could not recall that list a few years later. (One benefit to homeschooling, I get to see what really lasts long-term.) So this time around with my other four children, I am focusing more on being able to identify them and using them to make their writing more descriptive. I will save the rote memorization exercises for other lessons, such as learning the presidents in order and the state capitals.
We discussed a simple trick- many (but not all) prepositions describe positions, such as "anywhere a mouse can go."   HERE is a super simple way to illustrate that point.
This activity was the perfect springboard to lead into a descriptive writing lesson. I had my boys write a  paragraph about an animal using 15 prepositions.
If you have very young children, you can begin to introduce prepositions through this basic activity that teaches the prepositions of place.
I printed off a few FREE worksheets from education.com to review prepositions.
Last, we visited this site , which has several preposition lessons kids can complete on-line.
My favorite lesson was Identify Prepositions . I thought it was also great typing practice.
My boys' top pick was the game  Pirate Octopus on a Hunt
Enjoy making learning prepositions FUN, You may also like these posts:5 Simple Ways to Make Conjunctions FUN! 10 simple ways to make adjectives and adverbs FUN!
 Check out my book 101 Ways to Make Writing  FUN !

FUN activities with plastic Easter eggs and jelly beans

Note: This segment will air on Thursday, April 17 on FOX 4 at 8:00 am EST.You can also watch the segment after the air time by following the links below.
Easter time provides several opportunities for hand-on learning activities. This week on  FOX 4's Mom Squad , I share plenty of ways to use plastic Easter eggs and jelly beans to make learning FUN! Watch the full segment  to learn how to use these materials for reviewing these skills:colorsalphabetoppositespatternsnumbersestimationgraphingprobabilitystatisticsspelling wordssolving math problems
measurement



CLICK HERE for a detailed post on jelly bean learning activities. CLICK HERE for more ideas on how to teach statistics using Easter eggs and jelly beans.
Here are the links to the printables featured on the program:
Jelly Bean Patterns Probability Statistics (practice finding the mean, median, mode and range)Graphing Jelly Beans (AWESOME Jelly Bean Unit)
Happy Easter to you and your family,
For more FUN Easter activities, click  HERE

20 FUN Easter Activities for Kids

Easter is almost here so let's celebrate this special holiday with FUN activities that your kids are sure to love. Click on each link below to learn more about these activities that my family has enjoyed. They include: arts and crafts, yummy recipes, free printables, learning games, great books, and more.
Easter Silhouette Art (These are breathtaking.)
Easter Cross Art Project (These look like stained glass.)The Jelly Bean Prayer (and a special one for teachers)
Create marbled eggs with shaving cream (My kids' favorite art project)
Use Easter eggs to teach statistics
Jelly Bean BarkWonderful Easter books for childrenEaster egg ideas GALORE (a great collection)
Unique Cross Crafts
Jelly Bean Board game (What an innovative way to teach and review the Easter story!)
Make Resurrection Cookies
Create your own Easter BINGO cards to print.
Go on an Easter treasure hunt.
Use Resurrection Eggs to teach the Easter story. (You can even make your own.)
Make adorable Easter treats.
Use jelly beans for learning activities. (I LOVE using these activities with my kids.)
Use Easter Mad Libs to review the parts of speech.
Make an Easter dirt dessert. (Add some Peeps and jelly beans.)
Tons of free Easter printables (I like to make packets for my kids the week before Easter with mazes, wordsearches, fun worksheets to practice skills, coloring sheets, games, etc. This provides a break from our regular school day but they are still learning- disguising learning at its best!) sourceMake Resurrection Rolls with your kids.(These taste really good and are fun to make, too!)
Happy Easter!

Spring Inspired Snacks for Kids

Hello spring! Our family has been waiting for you to arrive. We are ready to jump in our pool and hit the nearby beaches. 
This week my boys, Colton and Coen, shared some springtime snack ideas for kids on FOX 4's Mom Squad . The first treat they shared was this Classic Dirt Cake Recipe that makes kids grin from ear to ear.
Watch the segment  Spring Inspired Snacks  to learn how to make dirt cake that kids (and adults) go crazy over. It is always a hit no matter where we bring it!
For the entire recipe, click HERE .
We also shared a cute craft idea that you can use to add some SPRING BLING to your child's everyday snacks.
On  Spring Inspired Snacks , my kids demonstrate how to decorate a clothespin with markers, paint, or glitter and then hot glue googly eyes and pipe cleaners for the antennae. Next, fill a snack baggie with your favorite snack, such as: goldfish, trail mix, cereal, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, or carrots. Pinch the baggie in half and clip it with a clothespin. So simple and cute!
Kids will love opening up the fridge or their lunchboxes and grabbing one of these adorable butterfly snacks.
Enjoy these springtime snacks! You may also like my post-  The cutest spring & Easter treats Click HERE  for more FUN recipes for your family and scroll down.Click  HERE  for more Mom Squad segments and scroll down.

FUN Ways to Improve Fine Motor Skills

See you later boring penmanship worksheets! Practicing handwriting skills can be a blast with these FUN and creative methods I recently shared on  Fox 4's Mom Squad .
Watch the segment  FUN Ways to Improve Fine Motor Skills  to learn unique ways to improve fine motor skills that will have your kids begging for more "handwriting" activities. (Shhhh! Don't let them know these activities will strengthen their hand muscles and help their penmanship. Just let them be kids and have some fun.)

Did you catch the last tip at the end?

That is always my favorite one to share since parents rarely associate Playdough with handwriting. CLICK HERE for the recipes I discussed, and you have to print these cute (and free) Playdough Mats .

For more handwriting tips, check out my posts:
Cursive Handwriting- Should we still teach it?
Handwriting Practice Tips
Lauri Products are perfect for fine motor skills  (I still use these puzzles with my little ones. The puzzles are over 15 years old, yet they are so durable and still look brand new.)
Sweet Success! (Trust me, your kids will LOVE this activity!)
I have many more handwriting tips in my best-selling book How to Teach Your Child

Enjoy these tips!
Click  HERE  for more Mom Squad segments and scroll down.

Goodbye Clutter- Hello Organization

Moms are always looking for ways to make their lives a little easier in their everyday routine. Who really wants to spend more time doing laundry than you have to? Or sorting through your junk mail- that's just plain boring. It's time to throw out the clutter of 2013 and embrace organization in 2014.
On Fox 4's Mom Squad I shared some ways to get organized for the new year so you can have some extra time to spend with your family (or even to just take a mom break and rest).

Watch the segment  How to Get Organized  to learn how to:Keep everyone in your family up-to-date on upcoming events, lessons, classes, practices, vacations, etc. by using a family calendar;Eliminate junk mail in just a few minutes with this really cool app;Save tons of time meal-planning by consolidating your favorite recipes into one collection; andGain over two hours of extra time each month by using only two laundry baskets.


Extra Tip: One thing I did not have time to mention in the segment is how the page protectors used in the recipe collection are perfect for keeping your recipes clean. My kids spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking alongside of me, and the recipe pages get a lot of ingredients splattered onto them. All you have to do is wipe off the page protector when you are finished cooking and your recipe will stay as good as new. 
Enjoy these tips!
Click  HERE  for more Mom Squad segments and scroll down.