Believe it or not, my favorite holiday is the Fourth of July. Probably because I just love fireworks so incredibly much (minus the part where my husband tries to blow his head off with mortars). They’re just magical and thrilling and simply beautiful. Now, add in a barbeque, a pool
I had the opportunity to travel with my sister to Washington D.C. a few years ago, and it was life-changing. This incredible city summoned feelings that I didn’t know existed: immense pride, achievement, gratitude, sorrow, and awe, to state a few. It was almost as if I was transported to
The twinkling lights, the carols, the fires, the family. A warm feeling envelops us when Christmas rolls around. It’s full of memories, love, and cheer. Even as adults, the magic of Santa never goes away, which is why I get so excited to share that warm feeling with my kiddos,
As the days get shorter and sunset comes around, oh, 4:30, activities seem limited. No more riding bikes in the cul-de-sac until seven o’clock. No more throwing bags and barbequing out back. No more nightly walks into the sunset. But that’s probably why Christmas comes during this dark time of
Animals grab a toddler’s attention like a pig to slop. Farm animals, zoo animals, jungle animals, ocean animals – every animal captivates and fascinates, even me as an adult. Animals are intriguing to watch and even more fun to pretend to take care of them! This farm dramatic play center
The best way to differentiate learning for all students is to incorporate small group instruction. This enables the teacher to tailor each lesson to meet students at their developmental level. While it does require a little more work, it’s so worth it! I’ve tried to make it a little easier
When I first taught the letters to my oldest daughter, we focused on the letter names. That’s what preschoolers are supposed to learn, right? Well, I’ve come to realize that letter names really don’t matter. When it comes to reading, we only need letter sounds, which is why I think
I used to think that letter formation should come later on – after learning all of the letters. But the more I research it, the more important I find that learning how letters are formed and tracing is such an integral part of learning letters. Tying in the motion of
When I began this journey over two years ago, my only goal was to make learning fun for my eldest daughter. She was three at the time, and like most toddlers, had a thirst for knowledge. Unfortunately, also like most toddlers, she had the attention span of a gnat. I
Whenever we visited my dad’s family in Michigan, the red barn on my grandparents’ property stood out like a majestic symbol. A run-down tractor, cobwebs, and tools filled the space, but what I remember most is the feeling of adventure, the thrill, the memories of playing Hide-and-Seek and Truth or
The first teacher who captured my attention was in college when my professor had us sort alien cards according to various attributes. I realized there is a different way to teach and learn, and it is fascinating. With the proper fuel—the right learning experience—we can all have fun learning and
Every fall, when the crabapples had fallen from the tree, begun to rot and smell, and turned into a big, squishy mess, we were given the dreaded task of cleaning it up. While these crabapple trees were the best for climbing, this was the downfall (literally, of the crabapples). No
