Little Fun; Little Learning has been around for a few years. While it has been helpful in providing resources for parents and teachers, Revka and I feel that this site could be better with a more user-friendly set-up. LFLL was set up during our early blogging years and it is time for a makeover! I have purchased the new domain for the site. Hopefully after the first of the year, Revka and I can brainstorm on a new design to unveil a more resourceful website. Stay tuned!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thanksgiving People Craft
While walking down the halls at school I spotted these Thanksgiving people that the kindergarten children had made. Aren't they cute?
The body of the people is a Zoopal plate. They painted the plates with skin and hair and attached an acorn for the nose. Next came the smiles, hats or head dressing, fingers, and wiggle eyes.
Other ideas you might like:
Thanksgiving place mat
Thanksgiving turkey craft
Thankful tree
Do you have any cute Thanksgiving crafts to share?
Friday, November 12, 2010
Studying Word Families
Learning word families is a great way for kids to learn how to read. Each week at school, we study a new word family. Here are some of the activities we use to help learn the words.
1. Magnet Board - Each week we practice making words using the magnet board. First we put our current family ending at the top and then we put different consonants and consonant blends in front of the word family. Sometimes we make nonsense words too. As you can see, this week our word family is -it.
2. Printable Booklets - Hubbards Cupboard has free printable booklets that you can print out to read with each word family. This week we are reading Fishing because it focuses on the -it word family.
3. Online Activities-
Word Family Games allows you to click and drag the words to the correct word family. This activity is a bit more difficult than the other activities because the student is sorting word families into different categories. This game would work well for small group or whole class lessons. Small groups could sit around the computer and work together while taking turns. For large groups, you could post this on the Active Board.
Starfall has making word activities. For example: The student is given a picture, such as a can, and he has to click and drag the beginning consonant "c" to the word family -an. After entering the Starfall website, click on Learn to Read. Starfall also has lots of other reading activities.
4. Word Wheels - Scholastic has a book of printable word wheels. I copy and color them and then laminate them for durability. (Upon searching tonight, I found a free printable for a word wheel, but it appears that it is just a sample.)
Free printable word wheels: Wordway also has many word wheels/strips but these do not have pictures with the words. There are over 100 pages so you will need to scroll through and print out only the ones you need. Other sources include Super Teacher Worksheets and Enchanted Learning.
5. Other books - The top two books shown in the picture are part of a literacy kit that we have at the school, but there are other places to find books. The pink books shown in the picture came from a yard sale. I got a small stack of them for 25 cents. Check your local library or do some web surfing for books. You can also work with your child to make your own books. Start with a list of words from your word family to help you brainstorm.
6. Worksheets - Inbetween all of the other activities we reinforce the skills with these worksheets from Wordway. We do not do all of the worksheets on the website. I pick 4-5 of them for each week. Some of these include putting the correct word into the sentence, choosing the correct word for the picture, etc.
(I have found Wordway difficult to navigate so here is how I find the sheets: Go to the Wordway website, scroll past the other website links and offer to purchase, click on the letter for the word family you're looking for. For the word family -it, you would click on "I". Then scroll through the list of word families and click on the one you like.)
7. Spelling words - Each week we have a list of spelling words to go along with our word family and there is homework to reinforce these words. Since our word family this week is -it some of our words are bit, fit, sit, mit, hit, kit, etc. In our spelling list, I also include two sight words that we are studying.
8. File folder games - Recently I was excited to find the website File Folder Fun. On the website, there phonics word family games called Shamrock Phonics and Space Rhymes. You can print the games in color or black and white. If you need different word families than the ones shown, you can simply white out the words and make your own.
I know this is only a few of the ways to teach word families. What are some effective ways that you have found?
Other sources:
Scholastic rhyming words worksheet 1
Rhyming words sheet 2
Rhyming words sheet 3
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Apple Activities
I was doing some cleaning today and found these cute apple activities from kindergarten class. Enjoy!
Apple basket - This is a cute introduction to number sentences and color words.
Apple people - This is simply an apple with black crinkled arms and legs.
Apple trees - Every kid loves to paint. :)
Torn Paper Apples - Tearing paper is good exercise for little fingers. Have students cover an apple you've drawn or copied. Encourage them to make a layered look.
What kinds of fall activities have you enjoyed?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Baby Moses Color by Number
Printables for Kids has a new printable available. It is a color by number picture of Moses floating down the river. This would be great to use for Sunday School, VBS, or a filler item for when you have nursery and church lets out a bit later than normal (it happens!).
Enjoy!
Friday, July 9, 2010
10 Commandments Activities
My friend was needing some craft ideas to use when teaching The 10 Commandments. Since I am doing an online search, I thought I'd share my findings with you.
Parchment Commandments Craft
Moses and the 10 Commandments Paper Craft - template provided
Printable Packet from Calvary's Chapel - This packet has a coloring page, crossword, word find, lesson, and other activities.
Fill-in-the-blank worksheet
Commandments Are A Loving Gift Song
10 Commandments Song
Memory Pegs - Print a color or black and white picture for each commandment.
Bible Story
Verse/Copy Work - I think this was meant to be used for a handwriting homeschooling lesson, but I think you could print out these pages, reduce them on the copier, and make miniature books for a children's Sunday School class or Christian school.
Help Moses Maze
Printable Coloring Page
10 Commandments Games
Crossword Puzzle
Word Search
Word Scramble
Rhyme
Calendar
Do you have any 10 Commandments activities to add to this list?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Patriotic Crafts from FamilyFun
If there's one thing that parents really enjoy, it is handprint crafts from kids. I know many of you will enjoy this eagle handprint design. FamilyFun has it the design on a t-shirt but I'm sure you could use this idea in many ways.
More patriotic ideas from FamilyFun:
Confetti Launcher: Fireworks happen only after dark, but this craft creates a pop of color any time of day. Kids pull back on the string to release a shower of tissue paper confetti, then gather it up and refill the launcher again.and again.and again.
Wig and Tutu in One: Powdered wigs are so 1776. Celebrate the Fourth in 2010 sporting a crazy red, white, and blue pompadour. Or, if you prefer, wear the tulle creation as a tutu. *You can have this craft done in 30 minutes or less.*
Spirited Bike Spinner: Old Glory won't be the only thing blowing in the breeze this Fourth. Made from a strategically snipped and bent plastic bottle wrapped in tape, this colorful bike accessory twirls in the air as your kids pedal.
A Patri-botic Centerpiece: Do U need a GR8 helper 4 yours picnic on the 4th? Well, this is one can-do robot. His recycled-can head holds a hair-raising array of utensils, and a clear container belly keeps cookies safe from eager little hands until it's time for dessert.
A Star-spangled Welcome: This bunting-inspired paper wreath will look as snappy as a salute on your front door.
Do you have any favorite patriotic crafts?
image: Disney FamilyFun
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Crazy Cucumber Snake Recipe
Today is National Eat Your Vegetables Day!
I know that I have been trying to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into our meals. One way that I have done this is by having fresh cut up fruits and veggies on hand. I keep them stored in the refrigerator inside storage containers. When it is meal or snack time, I just pull out the sliced cucumbers, oranges, carrots, etc and the kids munch on them. This method has been very effective.
Disney FamilyFun Magazine has a cute idea to help your kids get excited about eating their vegetables. Check out their Crazy Cucumber Snake.
How do you promote healthy eating in your home?
Permission to print from FamilyFun.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Parenting Dilemma: What Would You Do If Your Child's Grade Were Slipping?
From time to time, I receive questions from others about parenting dilemmas. Most of the time I answer these in an email, but then it dawned on me today that I should be sharing these with you. You might also be going through the same problem and may need some guidance. Or you may have already gone through this and can offer some parenting wisdom.
Today is report card day and my son (5th grade) will have 3 C's. I was thinkingFirst of all, I'd like to say that parenting is not a cookie cutter format. Whatever works for your child, may not work for others. Here are some things to consider:
of limiting his tv time to 30 mins per day during the week from now till I see
online his grades have come up. He likes to play games on the computer which is
in the kitchen. How should I do that? Should it be 30 mins. tv/ computer
together pretty much either or? I want him to know I mean business but not over
do it too. He already has soccer now two days a week for 1 1/2 hrs. He doesn't
get much homework at all from school. Let me know what you would do if you were
in my shoes.
Talk to your spouse before dishing out consequences. You both need to agree on how to handle the situation. Do not respond in anger. Long lectures don't seem to work either.
Find out the problem. Does your child need additional help, is the content difficult, or are they just being lazy? You may want to talk with the teacher. Many times teachers observe things in the classroom that you don't see at home. They may help to identify problems, the need for help, and they can probably make suggestions.
Consider having a study time in your schedule each day. Designate a time that works well for your family. At our house, my children know that when they come home from school they wash their hands, have a snack, work on homework, and then they have playtime. At first, your child may be resistant to a schedule, but keep at it.
Set logical consequences. Grounding a child until the end of the year is not a logical consequence. I would suggest cutting back on tv and computer time, time with friends, and if the situation gets very serious, then I would cut out sports completely.
Based upon this particular situation given above, I would recommend to limit the child's tv and computer time. Possibly cut it back to 30 minutes each day on soccer days and 45 minutes on other days. Continue you monitor your child's progress with online grades or through email correspondence with the teacher.
Offer an incentive. Tell him/her that you'll reevaluate the situation at midterm reports. Offer an incentive if grades are acceptable at that time. Perhaps the child can earn back some of the privileges that were taken.
Teach the value of doing your best in all things. Some scriptures that might help:
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23
Offer logical reasons for getting good grades. Sometimes children have a hard time seeing the need for doing their best for getting good grades. Ask your child about some positive experiences others in their school have had from their grades (school incentives, rewards, extra field trips, etc). Give a real life example that your child will understand.
Example: If you don't do your best when playing soccer then your coach may not take you seriously. If he doesn't take you seriously, you may have to sit on the bench a bit longer while the others are playing. It's important to always do your best. Does that make sense?
Encourage your child. Notice their attempts to do better, their commitment to studying, and improvement with grades. There is no need to over endulge them. It only takes simple words such as, "I have noticed how hard you're trying this week." or "You're doing a great job. I'm glad you're working so hard." Children respond well to a little positive reinforcement. Also, you might like these 50 encouraging things to say to your kids.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Colossians 3:20
Do you have a parenting dilemma? Email it to knowhimwell@hotmail.com.
image sxc.hu
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