Ideas for Homeschooling a Preschooler or Kindergartener

Photo Credit: https://onlinestudyaustralia.com

Three to six is so young! The name of the game is to keep it fun and simple.  Here is what I suggest for preschool and Kindergarten activities.

Below are some links for pre-writing activity worksheets, information on pencil grips, scissor skills, crossing mid-line activities, and hand strengthening exercises. Maybe do one per day. It depends on your child but the hand strength and hand-eye (visual motor) coordination needs to be there or a lot of one-on-one help will be required. If you are concerned about handwriting talk to your Occupational Therapist. They should be able to help with hand strength, grip, and/or special tools to help handwriting.


http://www.kidzone.ws/prek_wrksht/dynamic.htm

https://www.pinterest.com/elmorekt/ot-kids-pre-writing/

http://teachingmama.org/prewriting-activities-for-preschoolers/

https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/writing/writing-readiness-pre-writing-skills/

https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog/should-i-get-a-pencil-grip

http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/miscellaneous/scissor_skills.htm

https://www.myteachingstation.com/worksheets/kindergarten/scissor-skills

http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/activities-for-crossing-the-midline.html

https://www.growinghandsonkids.com/crossing-midline-exercises-for-kids.html

https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/hand-strength-35-fun-activities-for-kids/

Work on colors and numbers. This can be done by watching TV shows like Team Umizoomi, Blues Clues, Peg + Cat, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Super Why, Word World, Veggie Tales and other educational shows. I HIGHLY recommend letting them watch TV IF it's educational. We use PBS and stream TV. To stream TV you can use a laptop connected to your TV via HDMI cable, have a smart TV, or use a device like a ROKU. We use ROKU and have for about 10 years. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have a TON of appropriate kid programming with little to no commercials. YouTube can be good source also but you have to monitor it. There is a KidsTube app that's more appropriate for private viewing.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/youtube-kids/id936971630?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.youtube.kids&hl=en

There are songs for learning....
This is a good site for ANY teaching song.
http://www.songsforteaching.com/preschoolkindergarten.htm

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/preschool-songs/

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/preschool_kindergarten_videos.html

Apps

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/best-preschool-apps

http://coolmomtech.com/2014/08/best-educational-apps-for-preschoolers-back-to-school-tech-guide-2014/

http://www.icanteachmychild.com/the-10-best-iphoneipad-apps-for-preschoolers/

Therapy apps

http://nspt4kids.com/parenting/our-10-favorite-speech-and-language-apps-for-kids/

http://www.smartappsforkids.com/2013/08/top-free-apps-for-language-therapy.html

https://www.webpt.com/blog/post/ipad-and-tablet-apps-pediatric-occupational-therapist

https://www.pinterest.com/rarollston/ot-therapy-apps/

http://www.aota.org/practice/manage/apps.aspx

http://dexteria.net/

https://www.webpt.com/physical-therapy-apps

https://www.pinterest.com/lasenders/gross-motorptpe-apps/

For PE/physical therapy we use this YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

I hope this gives you some ideas. More likely than not special needs kids will needs LOTS of repetition to be able to acquire new information and to shift it to long term memory for storage. The name of the game is to switch stuff up, keep it fun, and to teach them without them knowing. I hope this has been a help. Please leave comments below. Thanks!

Homemade Cornstarch Play-Dough

In an effort to be a "good" mother I thought I would make homemade play-dough.  What was I thinking?  LOL   Really, it was fun.  As is typical for me... I had NO idea what I was doing.  All I know is that play-dough costs a lot of money and with three kids you can go through a LOT of play-dough.  I spent a ton of time combing through Pinterest to find play-dough recipes.

After going through several recipes I decided that I would try a simple recipe first.  It is a quick two ingredient play-dough recipe.  Are you ready?  It's so short you will miss it if you are not paying attention!  Ready???

1 Part Cheap Hair Conditioner
2 Parts Cornstarch

I pulled this recipe from a site from Pinterest.

Since I had NO idea what I was doing I thought I would pull the ingredients together.  I had some cheap coconut conditioner.  I had a HUGE tub of cornstarch from Smart&Final.  I also had several types of food colors.  I thought I could color the dough.  The variety of food color allowed me to try and see if there is any difference.  I also had some Pumpkin Spice essential oil.  I thought it might be a nice sensory addition to the dough.

R: Cornstarch and Conditioner in the bowl
L: This is the dough after mixing

 I put all the ingredients in the bowl.  I stirred and the mixture seemed to come out dry.  I still had no idea what I was doing.  I got a small stainless steel bowl out and started to play with a quarter of the dough.  I started to work and knead with dough.  I added in the pumpkin spice essential oil and some food coloring.  I kneaded the dough. As I kneaded the dough it started to come together.  In the end it looked nice.  If the mix was too dry and did not coming together I added one drop of conditioner at a time.  If you make it too wet and it's sticky then I took a pinch of cornstarch to add to the mix to stiffen it.

Dough after kneading and adding green food color.

There are a couple of warnings I want to throw out at this time...

1.  Make sure you learn from my mistake! If you are going to knead in food color make sure you wear gloves!  My hand is now a technicolor rainbow!

Oops!  Should have worn gloves!

2.  Be careful with cornstarch!  It is light weight and easily flies around EVERYWHERE!  John said it looked like a cornstarch bomb went off in the kitchen!  I swear, I was trying to be careful!  Just be forewarned!

Kitchen after making the play-dough.  Notice the cornstarch everywhere!

Have fun with the recipe!  It is easy.  I plan on trying another play-dough recipe later.  I will post pictures when I do!

Fun Projects with Chalk and Chalkboard Paint

Who doesn't love chalk?  There is something fun about taking that colored stick of chalk in your hand and creating something out of nothing.  My children LOVE chalk and we have used sidewalk chalk quite a bit but I have been looking for new and fun ideas with chalk.  Here are a few things I have found.

Where are we going to draw?  Here are a few ideas that you can do with chalkboard paint.

Photo Credit: shine.yahoo.com

Chalkboard Dresser

What a beautiful and great idea!   This is a piece of furniture that can grow with a child. You start off labeling the drawers for their clothes and as they get older you can put little "booster" sayings like, "You are great!"

Photo Credit: shine.yahoo.com

Magnetic Chalkboard 

Here is another great idea. What about re-purposing the frame of a broken mirror by making it into a magnetic chalkboard.  Tape off the edges of the frame.  Spray the inside with a couple of coats of magnetic spray paint.  Finally add a coat of chalkboard paint.  Now you have a functional item that would be great in an office or a child's room!

Photo Credit: Designsponge.com

Chalkboard Globe

What a beautiful and fun way to learn geography!  I really like this idea and what a great way to re-purpose an old globe!  I also love that the supply list is short.  You need two colors of chalkboard paint, a one inch brush, a thin liner paint brush, a paint color to outline the continents, chalk and a globe. Click on the link to take you to the project instructions. 

Photo Credit: bgh.com

Make Your Own Custom Chalkboard Paint Color

If the traditional black and green chalkboard colors do not work for you or your decor it is possible to make your own custom color.  Just use the ratio of one cup of latex paint to 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) of unsanded tile grout. Use a paint stirrer to mix. During application, gently sand the dry layers of paint between coats with 150-grit sandpaper. Apply several coats for best color.

Now it is time for some chalk!  First lets look at how to make your own chalk.

Photo Credit: ohmyhandmade.com

Homemade Chalk

This recipe makes beautiful sidewalk chalk using Plaster of Paris and tempera paint.  This is a fun craft idea and a great way to get the kids involved!

Photo Credit: kinderart.com

Wet Chalk Drawings

This is a great idea of smaller children.  You take chalk and dip it either into white tempera paint or glue and color with the chalk.  It creates a different effect that you traditionally see with chalk and the paint/glue help to affix the chalk to the paper. 

Salt Art

I LOVE this idea and it is SO easy to do!  You take salt and place it into a zip lock bag along with the color of chalk you want to shade the salt.  Have the children rub the salt and chalk bag until the salt is colored.  Pour the salt into bowls.  Have the children design a picture and let them fill in small portions of the picture with a thin layer of glue.  Sprinkle the colored salt on the picture.  Continue working section by section until the picture is complete. 

Playing with dough...Fun with Homemade Playdough

I was looking around for ideas to do with the children this summer. Since Margaret has a LOT of problems with some textile issues, in particular playdough, I thought it might be fun to make some at home. I found the following blog with, what I have been told, is a good recipe.

_________________________________________________________ http://musingsfromasahm.com/2012/02/easy-homemade-playdough-recipe/




Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
food coloring


Instructions

Mix together all the ingredients, except the food coloring, in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low/medium heat, stirring. Once it begins to thicken, add the food coloring. Continue stirring until the mixture is much thicker and begins to gather around the spoon.

Remove the dough onto wax paper or a plate to cool. ___________________________________________________________

http://www.dltk-kids.com/recipesdb/view.asp?rid=198


This second recipe involves no cooking or cream of tarter. I am not sure I would use Kool-Aid for coloring but it is a neat idea.


Kool-Aid Playdough
Ingredients:
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 pkg unsweetened Kool-aid (just the dry koolaid, don't mix it into juice)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix flour, salt and kool-aid.
2. Stir in water and oil
3. Knead with hands for about 5 minutes.
4. Store in ziploc bag for up to 2 4. months.
5. Use like playdough.
6. Smells wonderful and takes on the color of the koolaid.

Bloodwork...the bane of my existance! GAH!!!

Thwarted yet again by Quest. The DNA test for Joseph has a 15 day turn around time. This means 15 days is the LONGEST it should take for me to get the test back. That day was today. When I went to Quest though the test results had not been reported. I will have to try again tomorrow and hope they will be there.

In the meantime I have been trying to get everything ready for the IEP meeting tomorrow. I spent the afternoon running around and looking and trying to get Homebound paperwork completed. I have also been working on finding a wheelchair for Joseph. I can't continue to carry him around everywhere. This is especially true when we get around to starting growth hormone treatment for him. I am also looking at getting him some sort of helmet. In the past three weeks he has fallen several times. In three weeks he has busted his lip 6 times, pushed his front right tooth forward to the point he looks bucktoothed and he chipped the bottom of both teeth. Joseph has been trying to get braver and let go (something PT has been teaching him) but he is having really BAD falls. The PT said if we get him a helmet it will throw off his sense of balance and make make some regression in learning to walk. I told her when it comes to possibly loosing his teeth because of the damage he is doing to them when he falls then he NEEDS the helmet.

I won that argument...lol. Now we just need to see what we can find him what will protect his mouth and be lightweight.

On a sadder note I have been working on raising money to send Joseph to the Hypotonia Center at Johns Hopkins and it seems like my fundraiser has stalled out. I am not sure what to do besides pray that things will work out. I have to find some time to brainstorm some ideas. Any input would be welcome. :D

On, what I think is an even sadder note, I sent my parents Joseph's fundraiser website information two weeks ago. They still have not even LOOKED at the site much less make any effort to help. This is after my mother pays $1200 to get her drug addict sister out of jail and into a rehab program because her sister was looking at the "third-strike" offense and would be jailed for at least 15 years. Keep in mind she is 50 and has a VERY extensive rap sheet. Makes me sad that my mother thought it was more important to help her sister who has thrown her life away on drugs and alcohol than to help Joseph. The poor boy has done nothing wrong and he deserves help.