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.

How do you school with a Toddler? What does he do all day??

I will let the pictures speak for themselves....

I love this little guy to pieces but he is a mess!

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.

A Valentine for my SweeTart

Let me first say that I usually DO NOT condone the humongous sweet tooth that my husband has.  For Valentines Day I did however decide to endulge him just a little.  I decided that instead of a card, I was going to go all out.  I had remembered seeing a Candy Bar Card years ago and decided that was the ticket.

Instead of a poem, I decided to do a Top 10 List, which turned into a Top 12 List.  I got some ideas for the sayings online and some I came up with on my own.  It was actually pretty fun coming up with the little sayings.  I thought you all might get a kick out of seeing it so here is what the card looks like....

In case you can't really read it this is what it says...

The Top 12 Things I Think of When I Think of My SweeTart (sweetheart)

1. I love that you love me to Reese's Pieces (pieces).

2. You bring me Almond Joy (joy).

3. You are better than a 100 Grand.

4. Even if you get a little Chunky, I'd still love ya!

5. You make me Laffy Taffy (laugh).

6. I am thankful for the 4 little Sugar Babies (kids) that you have given me.

7. Even if I searched the whole MilkyWay, I'd never find a Mr. GoodBar like you.

8. I love that after your Payday you let me go on Shopping Spree's.

9. Even though you've told some Whopper's, I still love you.

10. Your my BabyRuth (baby) and I am thankful that our life has been filled with Good & Plenty.

11. Your my knight in shining armor, your better than the 3Musketeers.

12. I will never understand what a whatchamacallit is?? (My husband says whatchamacallit ALL the time, so this was a perfect fit for him)
Lots of Love from your Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (buttercup),
Brandi

Wanna Chocolate Fix??

If your family is like ours, you probably have a love for chocolate too.  So when you combine our love of games with our love of chocolate, what do you get??  Chocolate Fix of course.  For the holiday the kids each got a ThinkFun  game.  ThinkFun are the makers of RushHour, which I think is more well known than Chocolate Fix.  These are fun little one player games, although sometimes we do play together, they teach logic and critical thinking.   The Chocolate Fix game comes with 9 "chocolate candies," the board, cards and a travel bag.  The cards give you clues about how to set up your "box of candies," by shape and by color.  The cards are on a little spiral stand and when you think you've got it, you flip the over and check to see if your correct. 

I really appreciate games that make my kids exercise their little brains. My kids really seem to enjoy this one, and I must say that I do too!