What's In the Box Wednesday - Pre K Style!

My 3 year old son loves his workboxes, although not always in numerical order.  I generally like to do boxes 1 & 2 with him, that way he feels he has had some school time with mom too.  I try make one a story and one an activity or little craft.

Here are his boxes:

1. This is a craft of a Chinese Junk Ship that we did.  It is from a craft kit that we are currently reviewing (& loving BTW) from Shirley's Pre Packaged Crafts.

2. The A Book and Ten Apples on Top books (these were his chioce).

 

3. The Beginner's Bible - he uses this sometimes during Bible.  I will usually allow them something quiet to do when we are doing Bible, like draw or color.  Sometimes we all jsut snuggle on a coach and read.

4. This is a Bean & Button Sorting Activity Bag.  I participated in a Preschool Activity Bags Swag and was very glad I did, got lots of fun stuff to do!

5. A Very Big Dinosaur Coloring Book

6. Chocolate Fix by Thinkfun.  It is one of those critical thinking kind of games, he really enjoys these!

7. Vtech Preschool Learning Tote 7 Go Laptop.  He has his own "big boy puter."

8. The Great Animal Search (this was included in the MFW ECC).

9. Royal Rescue, another critical thinking game.  This one is really cool, you have to make a "bridge" for the Prince to save the Princess, really cool little game.

10. Peg Board and Pegs.  Got this on clearance from an educational wesite. 

The Flip Along Fun Winner Is....

Champion Builders (who has a real cute blog BTW)!  Congrats!

I just want to tell you that we are real scientific in the way we pick our winners.  Usually, I use Random.org but not tonight.  Instead this is how I did it...

Me:  (yelling at up the steps)  Hun! (wait 30 seconds)  H-U-N!-!-!

The Husband: W-H-A-A-A-T! 

Me: Come here, please!  (I think I said please)

The Husband:  What??!

Me:  Pick a number between 1 and 16. 

The Husband: 11

Me: Great, Thanks!


For those of you that would like a copy of Flip Along Fun, Mike Dowling (the author & publisher) has extended his $3.00 discount and has an another exiting giveaway! Don't forget to ENTER COUPON CODE X-02 to get the discount.

Here are the details from the email he sent me:

• The person ordering Flip Along Fun will receive a discount of $3 per book! (That reduces the price from $17.95 to only $14.95.)
• One lucky person (it could be one of your readers - or even you!) will win a $100 shopping spree at http://www.underthelamb.com/, the site for high-quality, traditional toys, books, and stacking blocks!
• Every person who buys a copyof Flip Along Fun using your coupon code will receive 5 (five)chances to win $100 of toys and books from http://www.underthelamb.com./

Flip Along Fun Book Giveaway

We have been enjoying a new book called Flip Along Fun.  It is an interactive mix and match book that is geared towards 2-6 years olds.  We have found many uses for our new book, it is great for workboxes, mommy & child snuggle time and quiet time.  Not only does this book cause lots of giggles it encourages counting, adding, matching and sequencing skills. 

Flip Along Fun is colorful, cute and very engaging. The first time Little Boy Blue and I played with it, I remember thinking how surprised I was that we had been playing with it for so long. 

You can check out the Flip Along Fun book in action! 

The author Michael J Dowling has graciously offered to give a signed copy of the Flip Along Fun book to one of you! 

To Enter the Giveaway, there are several ways to enter.  Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.  The drawing will end on 4/14/10.

• If you are a follower of my blog please leave a comment.
• You can check out the Flip Along Fun book and tell me what you think.
• Blog about the giveaway and leave me a comment to let me know.
• Become a new follower of Living Sola Gratia.

Now, if you just can't wait for the drawing and you must have your very own copy ASAP, no fear!  Mike has another blessing for you all, the book is normally $17.95 but if you order before April 30th he will discount it to $14.95 (plus $3.50 for shipping - per order, not per book).  He will even autograph the book for ya!  To take advantage of this kind offer please use coupon code X-02.

We Got Mail!

Just like most people we love getting mail! Especially, when it's goodies that I've ordered and have been impatiently patiently waiting their arrival. 

I found out about this educational supplies/games website on one of the mommy blogs I read.  The company is called Educator's Outlet.  They might just be my new favorite place to order from.  I restricted myself to the Blowout Closeout Section only.  I still can't believe all the goodies that I got!  Did I tell you that I only spent $42 and that INCLUDED my shipping!  Yes, $42! 

It was lunch time and I was checking my email and saw an email that FedEx had delivered my package (I have begged the FedEx and UPS men to NOT knock on my door because I have 3 dogs that go nuts and sometimes wake up my sleeping children).  So I, ran to get it casually went and got it.  HOLY SMOKES! I could not believe how big the box was! 

This is what we got (minus the dog)!  When I ordered these things, I guess because they were sooo- cheap, I didn't think they would be full size games. 

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  The Space Explorer Floor puzzle is great.  The older 3 kids have already done it twice. It comes with an info sheet about the different planets.  The planets are all labeled on the puzzle, so after they put it together I'd ask them to find Earth, the Moon, the Sun, Mars, etc...  ($2.25)
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  Dr. Green is a small green house with seeds and dirt pods included.  My kids CAN'T WAIT to do this one!  ($2.25)
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  Ant Town is an ant farm.  It has 3 small containers that connect.  It also has an ant sucker upper, I am sure there is a proper name for it, just don't know what it is. The kids can't wait for this one either.  If anyone has any extra ants hanging around please send them to us, we will pay the shipping.  ($1.75)
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  Memo Spell is a memory spelling game - looks pretty cool but we haven't gotten in to it yet. ($1.50)
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  Math Lotto is a math game that I think all my kiddos can use.  The math problems go up to multiplication, which is great because I have a hard time find stuff for Little Miss Muffet to do. ($4.50)
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  Round Up is a game where you have to keep the wolf from getting your sheep.  Thisis one of those use your brain kinda games.  It will probably go in the workboxes next week for an end of the day treat! ($1.25)
• 
  
  Ring-O-Links are super cool!  The links come with cards that direct the child to do activites like sorting, counting and adding.  The kids love this one.  As an added bonus, when they are done counting and sorting they can connect the links together and play jump rope! ($1.75)
• 
  
  Alphabet Animals are individual animal puzzles that spell the name of the animal - great for workboxes. ($1.75)
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  The last one is Animal Kingdom, haven't really looked at this one yet but it looks cool.  I think it is like checkers, with a food chain twist. ($1.38)

We also got 2 Spell Bounds ($4.00 each) - they are long spiral books that have 8 spaces for letters that the kids can use to spell out words.  My plan is to let them each do their spelling words on this one day a week instead of writing them. I am very excited about these.

We got lace & trace pictures ($.88), these huge buttons with laces ($2.00), and this Mosasic Peg a Picture Board and Pegs ($2.00), Humpty Dumpty loves these.  

At first Humpty Dumpty was not happy with me for taking a picture of his unfinished project.  But, once he was finished he was more than happy to share his art work.

For the girls I got these bee's wax candle kits, where you make your own candles.  At first, I did wish the wax squares were a  little bigger but once they started playing with them and the fact that I only paid $1.25 for each kit I changed my mind.

Tips for teaching a Houseful

This evening as I folded laundry and tidied up for the new week I listened to a wonderful web seminar called Tips for Teaching a Houseful. The seminar is by Marcia Somerville, she is the author of Tapestry of Grace.  She gives alot of practical tips for schooling with toddlers.  She also gives wisdom for schooling all the way up to highschool.  Thought you might like to listen to it.

Ever heard of Tangoes?

In addition to games, my kids love puzzles.  I started putting these Tangoes in Humpty Dumpty's (HD) workboxes and they are a big hit.  We have several different pictures and you place the shapes on the picture, kinda like a puzzle. 

HD became quite engrossed in his rocket ship as you can see.  These are great fun and really help build

critical thinking skills. 

All done!  5,4,3,2,1, Blast off! 

Little Boy Blue decided to join in the fun!  What you don't see are the 55 other tangoes on the floor!

The tangoes would also be great for sorting - coloring, size, shape.