Flashcards aren’t just for big kids learning their addition and multiplication tables. Strong number sense starts with having a firm grasp of counting and number recognition. These easy DIY flashcards take less than ten minutes to make and can have your toddler tightening up their counting skills in no time flat.
Erin Feher
What you will need:
–2 sheets of paper
–Scissors
–Either a stamp or 55 small identical stickers
–Colored pencils or crayons
Erin Feher
What to Do:
Cut the paper into 10 identical cards, about the size of playing cards.
Use the stamp or the stickers to create number patterns, from 1-10 on each of the cards. For the patterns, either follow the image above or mimic those found on playing cards.
On the back of each card write the number, large and clear enough for your child to recognize it instantly.
Erin Feher
Simply have your toddler count the dots or shapes on on side of the card. Flip over to the card to see if they counted correctly.
After a while of practicing, your child should begin to memorize the patterns, beginning with the simple 1, 2 and 3 cards. Eventually, this can become a learning game of speed.
It’s safe to say that every child’s education has changed significantly over the last year. While for some kids school might mean in-person, for lots of kids across the US, your child is either remote learning full time or in a hybrid-model. Our editors live, work and mom across the country so we have a wide-range of experience, from preschool pods to high-school hybrids. Here are some of the tips that we swear will help keep your family on track.
Jesseca, New York Calendar Editor, Mom to a 7th Grader and soon-to-be baby girl
Schedules!!! My daughter is in 7th, but keeping her to a schedule was super important. It’s so easy to get distracted at home, even at her age. Also, dedicate a space just for school work if you can so when they sit in that chair or at that table they know it’s time for school.
Partner
Jamie, Copywriter, Mom to a preschooler and two year old
Trying to keep a preschooler engaged in online learning is like waiting for a pig to fly: not going to happen. I nearly flew off the ground myself when we found a tool that he LOVES, combining learning and laughs—Osmo! This smart tool turns a tablet into an interactive learning game. The way that these lovable characters engage kids in games that sneak in smarts is unique in that it's one-on-one interactive. Osmo can "see" how he's doing with an activity and responds in real-time. This personal attention helps my kid focus, connect, learn and have a blast doing it. Math, spelling, reading, art, and even coding—these kits have it all covered, and they come in sets based on your kid's age, with options for ages 3-5 and ages 6-10. And now I can put my feet up for a sec and officially be "off-duty" as a teacher for a while.
Beth, San Diego Editor, Mom to a 4th and 8th grader
I try to schedule snack breaks/recess breaks/lunch around the same time they'll have them at school when it resumes. Also, dedicate a finite amount of time to each task to lessen burnout and frustration. If you're their first foray into "real" school, you want to make positive associations with the lessons, so if things aren't working, take a movement break.
My kids learn better when moving, so we'd walk the dog to learn multiplication tables (I'd quiz them while walking), or I'd have them bounce or kick a ball or dance around the room to learn facts. Sitting still can often be the enemy for kinetic learners. I know at school they may not have the liberty to move around, but may as well take advantage of it at home.
Don't ever underestimate reading aloud to them. I swear my kids are the people they are today because from a young age we read them all the classics aloud, including Charlotte's Web, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, all Roald Dahl's books and more. I think reading is the single most important thing a family can do together when it comes to furthering their education.
And, for those with young kids, I read a good tip. Pack their lunches in whatever containers they'll use when school starts to make sure they can easily negotiate all the lids, snaps, etc. on their own and to see what they can eat in what amount of time (i.e. a 20 minute school lunch break when they eventually return to the classroom).
Shelley, Atlanta Editor and mom to a 6th, 4th and 1st grader and preschooler
Western Chief
Our schools shut down last spring and I had four kids (my Kindergartner at the time was in a dual language program) at home distance learning from March until May. We crank up again soon. Here are some things that helped me:
1. Tequila has fewer calories than wine.
2. Most of my frustration was in troubleshooting the different platforms. Try to give yourself some time before they get started each day to boot up the computer, pull up the agenda, print out the worksheets, and pull together any supplies you need. In those early elementary ages, lots of the activities are hands-on, so you'll save yourself some headache by getting ahead of the daily rush to find Elmer's.
3. Schedule breaks, and force them away from the computer. Our teachers gave us a LOT of optional activities for them to do on the computer, and my kindergartener loved some of them. During his breaks, he'd want to play them—which led to burnout by the end of the curriculum part of the day.
4. Make them run around outside for a bit between breakfast and when they sit down at the computer, if you can.
5. Incentive charts to get you through the week worked really well for me. I think it helped mine keep track of what day it was during the week, and I just customized it for whatever I needed from each kid (not getting on recreational screens until after "school" ends, chores are finished, and some form of outdoor exercise completed for the 11 year-old, etc.).
Andie, Spoke Contributor Network Editor, Mom to a 1st and 6th grader
Did you know prosecco is also significantly lower in calories than wine?
But in all seriousness, I found the below attention-span breakdown incredibly helpful to know which can help set my own expectations. And, if something is causing frustration, abandon ship and try again another time. Break whatever you’re doing down into smaller/more manageable bites or do your own version in some other way.
Childhood development experts generally say that a reasonable attention span to expect of a child is two to three minutes per year of their age. That's the period of time for which a typical child can maintain focus on a given task.
Average attention spans work out like this:
2 years old: four to six minutes
4 years old: eight to 12 minutes
6 years old: 12 to 18 minutes
8 years old: 16 to 24 minutes
10 years old: 20 to 30 minutes
12 years old: 24 to 36 minutes
14 years old: 28 to 42 minutes
16 years old: 32 to 48 minutes
Amber, Managing Editor, Mom to a 4th grader
The designated place to do the work is key. We didn't have that for H and it made things harder, so we're setting it up now and getting his "input" on his own desk. My idea is to make a long desk that another adult can sit at next to him (but that's a whole other project).
Also, a big white board or printout for your daily meetings helps. We never went to the stage of having actual printed calendars but every morning we check in and say "What meetings do you have?" And coordinate the times, make sure he’s set up with a book or whatever he's supposed to be doing at the same time as a meeting I need to focus on. I want the whiteboard to make it clear to everyone in the house the times I am NOT available as well.
Try not to feel guilty if you are getting stuff done and your kids are online more than usual. We were like a zero screen time during the week family before Covid. Ha! I laugh in the face of February 2020-Amber.
Another tip is not exactly school-related, but allow your kids a time to hangout online with some of the other kids and just chat/share. Some teachers facilitate this, but we just coordinated directly with a couple of the parents.(There may be restrictions on your school's accounts being able to do zooms or hangouts.) But you can even just use Facetime with another parent, and let your kids build, play, color, talk to another kid while they're doing it to help form bonds. I'm usually in the room, but I try to give him some space to goof off with his friends. We also found we could use it as a motivator: if you want to do your google hangout with Oliver, by 2 p.m. on Friday you need to be done with xyz. So we scheduled those casual things for Fridays whenever possible.
Kate, Bay Area Editor and Content + Calendar Manager, Mom to 4th, 6th and 7th grader
My older two are pretty self-sufficient (YAY) but for my youngest (4th grade this year) we had to get everything all planned out on the weekend so he'd be in the right frame of mind when school started Monday morning. I had bins for each of his subjects (from the Dollar Store) and he would keep his book, workbook, homework and lesson plan for the week in there. This helped a lot so he wasn't scrambling to find assignments and getting stressed out. He'd just grab the bin for that subject and it was all there. It made him 90% self-sufficient by the end of the school year.
I also tried to be extra chill about it all because he puts a lot of pressure on himself already. So if there was an assignment that was causing a lot of stress for him, we'd just table it. If it meant that he was going to turn it in late, so be it. He'd work on these with his tutor or I'd let the teacher know that it was just too much and she was fine with that. For me, the mental stuff was more important than the actual classwork.
I'd get the kids learning to type sooner than later. I had them focus on this over the summer. This is the program we used.
I found that using a timer with my youngest was so helpful. He used a FitBit and was able to set the timer himself so that he could give himself a five minute break between assignments. He wasn't allowed to use screens during this time, had to be active or outside at least. It helped as a brain reset but was short enough so he didn't lose momentum.
It took a few weeks but we definitely got our flow going and now they aren't even worried about the online learning at all.
Allison, Seattle Editor, Mom to a two, nine and 12 year old.
One thing we're working on this year is figuring out "gym class" so the kids get exercise, have a chance to play and get to take a brain break too. With so many things being shut down, it's tough. But we're looking into horseback riding lessons and private swim lessons, maybe tennis or golf? Some of the lower risk activities where it's one-on-one with an instructor that's actually structured. My neighbor coaches Girls on the Run and he's planning on getting a program together for the kids we can all use. My kids need that time and I'm not good at making it happen, so I feel like I have to outsource it.
We're also trying to figure out how to supplement the arts at home (band, music, art they'd normally get at school) and really make it structured. My son plays saxophone and loves it. So looking for virtual lessons or a private instructor. Art kits are another hit with my kids.
Do you have other tips that worked for your family? Share this story on your social pages and add your two cents, and tag Red Tricycle. We can’t wait to see your ideas!
—Erin Lem, with invaluable advice from Jesseca Stenson, Beth Shea, Shelley Massey, Andie Huber, Amber Guetebier, Kate Loweth, Allison Sutcliffe and Jamie Aderski
Technology limitations and hiccups. A lack of focus by students. Greater feelings of isolation. With distance learning is now the norm for most of us, these are just some of the problems we encounter daily as we navigate our new learning landscape.
But what if I were to tell you of a way to lessen the stress and strain for teachers and students alike and improve learning? It’s something so simple and readily available to all of us. I’m talking about music.
We already know, according to a study by the John Hopkins School of Education, that playing reflective music can hold a student’s attention for longer periods of time than without. That music instruction appears to accelerate brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception and reading skills.
But we don’t need studies by highly respected universities to tell us what we already know: That music soothes our soul, stimulates our senses, and opens up our imaginations.
Below are 5 ways you can incorporate music into your home learning program to create a spark for greater productivity, stimulation, and joy.
1. Set the Mood with Music
What would our favorite movies be without music? Think about the theme from Jaws or any of the songs from the Sound of Music. Think about how music affects mood during a film—how the right tone can calm or excite. Why not use the same techniques of Hollywood moviemakers for your learning program? The next time you read a story, accompany it with music that fits the scene or development of a character.
Use music as a transition from one subject to another. Use it as a cue to inspire a sense of urgency, such as the Batman theme. Create energy with the theme from Rocky. Instill calmness with a lullaby.
What music you choose is up to you, but used appropriately, the right piece can set the right mood for the moment.
2. Write a Song, Melody, or Lyrics
Having your students try their hand at writing music or lyrics can deepen their understanding and appreciation for any lesson. Instead of assigning the typical book report or essay, use music to spark new inspiration.
Let the student take ownership and choose whether to create a song, write a rap, or develop a beat. Creating music is a terrific way for your students to express their creativity.
Remember how you learned your ABCs? Use a sing-along to memorize new material or even their multiplication tables.
3. Let the Music Guide You
Music can be a great teaching assistant. The next time your students are practicing math drills or learning spelling words, for example, let them keep a beat or tap to it with anything they have on hand, such as a toy drum or even an aluminum pot. Of course, be sure they get their parent’s attention before suggesting they bang away on their mom’s cookware.
Music, in general, works wonders when learning new material. I bet you can still recite the lyrics from the series, Schoolhouse Rock! (Two of my favorites are I’m Just a Bill and Conjunction Junction, which can be viewed on Disney+ by the way).
4. Let’s Dance
One of the most challenging aspects of at-home learning for children is the lack of physical activity. Allow them to get up from time to time and shake a groove to the music and release some energy.
Dancing to music also helps to build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression.
Flocking is a method of interpretative dance where students mirror or shadow each other’s movements in a group. One student will act as the leader and express their meaning to a song by creating a move. The other students will attempt to follow. The Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators has all the details. Keep in mind it was written for in-class learning, but you can use your imagination to create ways for it to work virtually.
5. Let a Musician Tell Their Story
Listening to a musician’s story can do wonders to increase one’s appreciation of their art. The good news about today’s Zoom/Google Meets culture is that we’re getting use to meeting virtually.
Invite a local musician to discuss their craft, how they get started, and even to perform a tune or two. Although many musicians are night owls, you might be surprised how willing they would be to get up early and talk about one of their greatest passions.
As an alternative, there are plenty of fantastic and inspirational documentaries for older kids on musicians – many of which you can find on Netflix, Amazon and even on YouTube.
Music is the ultimate international language, making it easy to explore other cultures, which is why I’m a huge fan of the Buena Vista Social Club (1999, Hulu), which tells the story of Cuban musicians continuing to hone their craft while isolated under Castro.
Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers (Yes, Bob’s son) headlines an enlightening history lesson of the 60’s Los Angeles music scene in Echo in the Canyon (2019, Netflix), showcasing the community and shared-influence responsible for many of the era’s greatest hits.
Hip-Hop Evolution (2016-20, Netflix) is a 16-part series covering the key moments (musically and socially) in the history of rap.
Chris Parsons grew up in Flatrock, Newfoundland. After many years of telling his stories, he published his first book "A Little Spark" in October 2020. The book is a fully illustrated chapter book - complete with a Soundtrack and Audiobook. The book recently received the Mom's Choice Gold Medal. He resides in Dallas.
Chalk paint is a type of paint that you can create at home and use on various surfaces. It’s simple to make, easy to work with, and a fun activity for both kids and adults. It’s also inexpensive—in fact, you probably have all the ingredients you need to make it at home. Keep reading to learn how to make your own chalk paint and different ways to use it with the family.
What you’ll need:
Cornstarch
Water
Food coloring
Muffin pans or small bowls
Paintbrushes
Stencils (optional)
Follow these instructions for easy DIY chalk paint
Step 1: Combine cornstarch and water in equal parts.
Step 2: Next, pour the cornstarch mixture into a muffin tin or small bowls.
Step 3: Finally, add food coloring of your choice until it gets to your desired color. Now you’re ready to paint!
How to Use DIY Chalk Paint
One of the best aspects of chalk paint is that it’s a great way to get creative. Even better, it easily washes away, making cleanup a breeze. Chalk paint is similar to chalk, but you use paintbrushes instead of chalk pieces to create your artwork. DIY chalk paint is a great activity for people of all ages and you can do it both indoors or outdoors! Chalk paint, like traditional chalk, works great on the sidewalk or driveway. It can also be used to decorate chalkboards to display in your home.
Ways Kids Can Use Chalk Paint
Chalk paint is a great way to keep the kids busy for hours. With many extracurricular activities being canceled this year, it’s been more important than ever to find some at-home crafts for the kids.
Practice letters and numbers: For the younger kids, you can use chalk paint as a way to help teach them their letters and numbers when they are out of school. It makes learning fun!
Practice spelling and math: For the slightly older kids, you can also use chalk paint in the summer months, but up the difficulty level with spelling tests and multiplication tables. It makes practicing their schoolwork more fun when they can do it outside!
Paint their pets: Challenge your kids to paint their dog or cat. Mix a bunch of colors and go crazy.
Create games: Classic games that you would use with chalk are perfect for chalk paint! Hopscotch and foursquare are the most popular chalk games.
Make fun stencils: There are many places that you can find printable stencils online, or you can create your own! Kids will love making different stenciled designs and painting them with the chalk paint they helped create.
Ways Adults Can Use Chalk Paint
No, chalk paint isn’t just for kids. There are many ways that adults can use it too. Here are some ideas for chalkboards.
Create a weekly dinner menu: For those who are always dealing with the “what’s for dinner?” question, use your chalk paint to make a pretty menu so that your kids or spouse can check throughout the week.
Use it for a daily quote, joke, affirmation: Using chalk paint as a way to display inspirational quotes, funny jokes, or daily affirmations can help start your day right.
Paint your favorite bible verse: Painting the bible verse that means the most to you will be a comforting display to look at throughout the day.
Christmas countdown: Make a Christmas, birthday, or special event countdown. We all need a little extra cheer this holiday season, so counting down to Christmas can help keep up the excitement this time of year brings.
Tips for Your DIY Chalk Paint
Chalk paint doesn’t dry instantly—Unlike regular chalk, the paint takes some time to dry. Be careful not to touch your art for a few hours—otherwise, you may smudge it.
Add more water or cornstarch depending on thickness—It’s hard to mess up chalk paint, so if you think it’s a little runny or too stiff, just add a little more cornstarch or water and you’ll be good to go.
Chalk paint color will dry darker—As your painting, you may be tempted to go darker or paint more layers. Remember, the paint will dry darker than when you first paint, so you’ll get a good idea of what it looks like after it dries.
DIY chalk paint is a fun activity for kids and adults. It’s easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients you need already in your pantry! Make some fun games for the kids and they’ll stay busy for hours.
Julia is a dog mom and content creator. When she's not writing or playing with her pup, you can find her playing tennis or chowing down on a vegan burger.
My husband used to accuse me of not knowing how to have fun. And he was right, sort of, in the sense that his ways of having fun and mine were (and are) very different. Now, as I stumble toward the age when the only fun consists of waving my cane at children and telling them to stay off my lawn, I have begun to rethink the whole concept of fun.
And I think fun is overrated. Or at least what is passed off as fun in popular culture.
Brushing your teeth is brushing your teeth. There’s nothing inherently fun about it. It’s just necessary, boring, and repetitive. But apparently we think that if we put Star Wars characters on the toothbrush handles, toothbrushing becomes FUN (how, I don’t know) and kids “may be brushing longer,” a claim that is never backed up by statistics.
Fun flavors like bubble gum also seem to be preferable to good old mint. I enjoy the flavor of mint, but I don’t think it’s fun. And I suspect that associating the act of brushing one’s teeth with the flavor of bubble gum is counterproductive. Just sayin’.
Likewise, there is nothing intrinsically fun about eating a salad, especially if you’re a female and alone. Yet there is a whole meme dedicated to “woman laughing alone with salad,” and now even a play based on the concept. Eating a salad by oneself can be tasty, pleasant, unpleasant, boring, or any number of other feelings. Why then are there so many photos of women laughing (or at least grinning idiotically) while eating salad?
And why are there so few photos of men doing the same thing? Do men not eat salads? Only in the company of others? Only stoically? It seems eating a salad alone is FUN only for solitary females. Poor, poor men, who must find their fun elsewhere.
Men having FUN get to drive cars, not eat salad. Cars provide particular enjoyment when the driver is breaking traffic laws or driving on a closed course where he can’t hit anything no matter how he speeds. This one I get a little bit. Fun is equated with breaking the rules, and without consequences. Fun is being sexy and dangerous. It’s hard to make toothbrushing or salads sexy and dangerous, so we’re left with men risking life and limb, while women and children guffaw and grin, browse and brush.
I know, I know. These are tricks of the advertising trade. FUN equals more sales, If ordinary activities are lifted above the ordinary, they will have more appeal to consumers. This is especially true of children who influence purchase decision-making – which is basically all of them. And fun is apparently the only value that kids value. What other satisfactions are there? Except companionship, warmth, friendship, accomplishment, health, adventure, and satisfaction itself, I mean. But all of those have more than three letters.
But FUN rules not just in advertising. Education is another field rife with fun. Multiplication tables aren’t much fun by themselves, so let’s add clowns and elephants. Then students can put their final reports into their Ninja Turtle backpacks and take them home.
I’m not advocating going back to the days of skill, drill, and kill, but I am of the opinion that genuinely engaging activities such as project-based learning will teach students skills in a manner that is genuinely satisfying, memorable, and indeed fun, without the need for stickers, banners, and class parties.
Preparing students, young adults, and even older adults for constant FUN is unrealistic. Taking out the trash isn’t fun. Polishing the floors isn’t fun (unless you’ve got a roomba and a cat). Creating spreadsheets isn’t fun. Taking out appendices isn’t fun (I assume).
Much of adult life and work will turn out to be not-fun. Especially for those women, eating salads alone. And for those of us who don’t care to wear bright yellow, and sing and dance while taking our vitamins. For us, it’s just a gulp, a swallow, and gone.
Do you have a story to share with our readers? We want to hear it!Sign up for our Spoke Contributor Network and startsubmitting your writing today.
Hi! I'm a freelance writer and editor who writes about education, books, cats and other pets, bipolar disorder, and anything else that interests me. I live in Ohio with my husband and a varying number of cats.
Photo: @Ariel Skelley – The Images Bank/Getty images
Occasional feelings of anger and frustration are normal, especially during stressful times. Learning to manage those big feelings is an essential part of SEL.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children are facing new challenges such as online learning. In addition to the ordinary school challenges such as making friends and learning multiplication tables, children face tech problems like weak internet and login troubles. All this can easily lead to moments of anger and frustration.
Research in SEL provides guidance in how to help children understand and manage their big emotions. Self-awareness is a foundation of SEL. According to Greater Good in Education, a project by the University of California at Berkeley, self-awareness is the ability to be aware of one’s inner life. This includes one’s emotions, thoughts, behaviors, values, preferences, goals, strengths, attitudes, and mindsets, as well as how these elements impact behavior and choices.
In short, when we can name and understand our own emotions we are better able to develop strategies for managing strong feeling in productive ways.
Let’s look at five key strategies for self-awareness that are frequently cited in SEL curricula: Name your feelings, practice calm breathing, take a break, try one thing, and reflect on what happened.
Name Your Feelings
When your child is angry or frustrated, try to help them put their feelings into words. Ask, “How are you feeling right now?” If they are not able to answer, offer some options, such as, “I wonder if you’re feeling frustrated?”
Words to offer younger children might include: madsadtiredhungrygrumpy
Older children may understand and choose more complex words such as: angryhurtenragedannoyedfuriousconfusedembarrassedirritatedoffended
Sometimes children are too upset to speak. Pointing to a picture on a feeling chart or in a children’s book such as Glad Monster, Sad Monster is also a good way to communicate feelings.
Another helpful strategy parents can try is describing what you see. “I see that you are covering your face with your hands,” or “I see that you’re kicking your chair.” Affirm that everyone has big feelings, but set clear limits if your child is acting in a way that could be dangerous. “It’s OK to be angry. It’s not OK to hit.”
When your child has been able to express how they’re feeling and those feelings have been affirmed, your child will be better able to calm down and move forward.
Practice Calm Breathing
Mindfulness practices help both adults and children feel calm. Belly breathing is a simple technique that even very young children can learn. This simple practice involves taking deep breaths that engage the large muscle in our bellies called the diaphragm.
Teach your child to practice belly breathing at a time when they are relaxed. Once they have had a positive experience with belly breathing, they will remember what that felt like. When they are upset and practice belly breathing, their body will already know what it feels to become calm and breathe deeply.
To practice belly breathing:
Have your child lie down on their back, relax their muscles, and place their hands (or balance a small toy) on their belly.
With their mouth closed, have your child breathe in for about four seconds, feeling their chest and belly rise and fill with air (or the small toy will rise).
Have your child hold in the air for about four seconds
Have your child slowly blow out all the air through their mouth. Repeat until the body feels relaxed.
You may enjoy practicing belly breathing with your child. For the greatest benefit, practice this technique every day. It only takes a few minutes.
Take a Break
If your child is feeling frustrated during remote learning, encourage them to take a short break. This can be difficult to do during a live lesson when students are expected to be logged in and visible on camera. Yet sometimes we all just need to step away from the source of our frustrations.
Check-in with your child’s teacher and find out the expectations and options for student participation during different types of lessons. Help your child plan in advance for different ways they can take care of themselves when they’re feeling frustrated during class, such as standing up, stretching, and walking around the room.
Movement relieves stress. Encourage your child to take a walk, throw a ball, or knead a lump of clay when they are feeling strong emotions.
Try One Thing
Once your child has identified their feelings and taken a positive step toward calming down, they may be ready to try to solve the problem that caused the stress in the first place.
Perhaps your child is frustrated because they can’t find the link to a website they need for an assignment. Ask your child, “What’s one thing you could try?” If your child is too young or too frustrated to come up with their own idea, offer a few suggestions and ask them to choose one to try. For example, you might say, “Here are two ideas: You could look through your notes and see if you can find the link. Or you could email your teacher and ask for help. Which idea do you want to try?”
The important thing is to help your child make a choice and move forward.
Reflect on What Happened
When the problem has been resolved and your child is feeling calm again, help your child think about what happened. Ask open-ended questions such as, “If you could start the day over again, would you do anything different?” or “Now that you know how to fix that problem, how will that change the way you do things in the future?” These reflective conversations can help your child become a better problem-solver.
These are just five tips for helping your child when they feel big feelings like anger and frustration. The most important thing you can do as a parent is listen to them and affirm their feelings. Over time, as your child grows and matures, they will develop their own strategies for managing strong emotions.
We’re living in a time when it’s nearly impossible to distinguish fact from fiction. Parents need information they trust to help them make good decisions about raising their curious learners. Britannica for Parents provides safe and credible resources to empower all kids and parents and inspire curiosity for generations to come.
School is back in session! Whether your kids are in the classroom virtually, in-person, or a little bit of both, these products will get them pumped and prepped to grow into the geniuses they are. Set you and your gang up for success with products to encourage healthy eating, sleeping well, organization, innovative learning and more. Read on for our favorite finds for the Pre-K to Elementary set!
Osmo's hands-on learning kits are award-winning for a reason: they encourage creativity and critical thinking with activities hosted by loveable characters—meaning a tablet game that both you and your kids can agree on!
The Osmo Coding Starter Kit transforms your kid's tablet into a hands-on coding adventure. Designed for ages 5–10, this kit builds coding skills in progression with three hands-on learning games, and BOOM: now they have the superpower of the 21st century.
With the Osmo Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night, kids can learn with Osmo on their own, or focus on collaborative play with friends and family. This kit includes seven games focusing on core skills and creative expression, problem-solving and visual-thinking through interactive STEM learning. The best part: Osmo sees and reacts to every live movement!
Losing your voice screaming "wake up!" all morning long? You’ve got a sleepyhead on your hands and we've got your backup. Once the alarm sounds, this nutty clock jumps from their nightstand, rattles and rolls, beeping and buzzing until your kid gets up and turns him off. Now you can lose the snooze and start your mornings off right, with a few giggles along the way.
For some mystical reason, food just tastes better when it’s organized in five little compartments. Kids love choices and you can fill this bento-inspired lunch box with a variety of foods–there’s even a spot for a dip! Each section individually seals once you lock it, so your yogurt won’t end up on your chicky nuggies–genius. This box is portable, sturdy, leak-proof, easy to clean and just plain fun!
What is sweeter than finding a handwritten note in your lunch bag? These notes have taken this simple joy to the next level: write your handwritten message on the card, cover it with the scratch-off sticker and toss it in their bag. Whether it's pumping them up for a test, the soccer field, or just to let them know how loved they are, it's sure to put a smile on their face.
Whether your kids are learning in the classroom or living room, getting them up and moving is key to keeping them engaged. We love this set to work on their balance, coordination and concentration. Kids can create their own obstacle course with these sturdy shells. Activity cards, a spinner and additional game suggestions are included so there is tons of fun to be had, indoors or out.
Where have you been all our lives? Highlighters are not only useful, but just fun to use, and these have a see-through tip so you can light up your page with precision. They also have smear guard, so no more messy letters–one less thing to clean!
ABC’s, 123’s, science facts and multiplication tables–these cards are goof-proof with a built-in loss prevention system: a binder ring. You won’t run out anytime soon, either, since this pack comes with 1,100 cards. A simple yet brilliant idea, not to mention an essential study tool for any kid on the block!
Because there are so many more skin tones that just beige and brown, now your kids can color their world to include everyone. Big enough for smaller hands, these crayons are perfect for your little portrait artist.
Get them in the habit of making a plan and sticking to it. This handy planner includes a bookmark, tons of stickers to help nail down plans, resource pages for their studies including times tables, fractions, measurements, tips of the week, vocab words and more.
Do your kids have more screens than you do? Probably. But either way, you need this non-toxic and highly effective screen cleaner. Not only is it a hygiene necessity these days, but it also makes your screens shine like new and helps keep sticky fingerprints from collecting.
For more than a century, the game of bingo has been used as a teaching device. In Germany, during the 19th Century, bingo was used as a means to teach children the alphabet, how to recognize animals and multiplication tables. Today’s educators are still using bingo as a way to teach students mathematics at every level from basic vocabulary concepts to full problems.
Kids are much more apt to retain math concepts if they are made fun of them. Games are a great motivator to get kids to participate in class. Students will often wholeheartedly dive into a math problem if it is put in the form of a game that they can play along with their classmates.
Such games have become so popular as a teaching aid that some teachers try to incorporate bingo math games as a part of their regular lesson plans.
Create a bingo card for each student player. Having approximately 20 cards is a good place to start. You can create these ahead of time with answers to equations you come up with on your own, or you can find them online on various educational websites like the ones at the end of this article. If you are creating your own cards, try to keep the cards sufficiently random in order to ensure fairness among the students.
Give each student a bingo card and approximately twenty bingo tokens to cover up the correct answers that appear on their cards.
Write out the math problems for the bingo caller to give to students. The correct answer to the equations will be on the cards. If a player does not have the correct answer on their card for that problem, they don’t place a token on their card.
The game continues until someone gets five answers on their cards in a line that either goes vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The first person who gets a bingo is the winner. Answers should be checked to make sure that the marked answers correspond with what was called out previously.
You can have multiple winners for games if you keep going even after the first bingo is called. In the case of blackout bingo, the first person with all of the squares on their card covered by tokens is the winner.
The difficulties of the problems can be adjusted for various grade levels and math aptitudes. Whether students are studying addition and subtraction, multiplication tables, division, or even algebra, bingo is a great teaching tool. One variation is to pair students who are struggling in math with classmates who are better at the subject. Provide calculators, scratch paper and pencils for each team and allow sufficient amounts of time for kids to work out the answers.
Both parents and teachers have seen how well students respond to learning when it’s made fun for them.
Ana-Maria Sanders is a content writer at LoanStart.com. In her current role, she is responsible for managing the finance and operations of securities. Expect from all these, she loves writing blogs on various topics to give insights for managing finances.
Our kids are home, some of us are working remotely, and our lives have been changed pretty dramatically in the past few days. I have had questions and stories from parents, co-workers and other adults about what we should do in this time. One of the big questions being, How do I educate my child from home?
I have over two years of experience as a homeschooling parent, ten years as an educator in both public and private school settings, and have worked as an academic coach for over fifteen years for all subjects Kindergarten through High School. There are lots of ways to answer this question, with links to TONS of resources out there for every subject, interest, or grade level. However, I don’t think this is the response parents and caregivers need right now.
Right now what we all need is a reminder that this time away from school is unprecedented. It is not normal. The focus does not need to be on learning multiplication tables or learning vowel blends. There is no formula, no recipe, or one fits all way to work with your children in the next few weeks. The beauty of what you do with them during this time, is that it is up to you. It is up to your kids, your family, your values and what you want to focus on. So don’t stress, pull up a chair and make a list of things you all find important in life. It may include learning about the Presidents, or why the moon shines so bright at night, but it sure doesn’t have to be.
Learning is everywhere and in everything we do, especially for children. The way we talk to people, and how we treat each other during a time of uncertainty is an invaluable life lesson. They are watching you and listening to you for guidance on how to respond to the events going on around you.
Go for a walk, take a look at everything around you. Listen to your children, what are they interested in? What do they talk about? Reach out to your neighbors with a letter, drawing, or piece of pie. Play a game, dance to some music, or learn to cook. Read together, independently, or to a grandparent over Skype. Keep a journal about what’s going on and look at their writing. Talk about it together. Maybe they misspelled tree or forgot punctuation. Teach them whatever they may need to learn. Play a card game or a board game and they just may do some Math naturally. Or, do a fitness challenge. How about a science experiment? Reach out to teachers if you need help, guidance, or reassurance. This is what we love to do!
Whatever you or your child are interested in learning, google it. There are so many great resources out there, with many ways to teach things. Pick one you like. But, take time to yourselves too. Get to know each other in new ways. So how do you educate your children at home? For week one, just be in the world.
Heather has a Master's Degree in Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, with over 15 years of experience as a tutor for children from Pre-k through college. She is currently homeschooling her son as they travel the country with her husband, a Travel Nurse.
For your kids, summer is all about sunshine and summer camps, adventure-filled days and weeklong family vacations they’ll remember forever. But that doesn’t mean the hard work they put into learning important stuff during the school year should atrophy in the sunshine. It should bloom!
When you buy a new Fire Kids Edition tablet, there are a slew of educational apps to give them that much-needed summer brain boost. Each new Kids Edition Tablet comes with a subscription to FreeTime Unlimited (one year only), which gives your kids access to over 15,000 books, videos, games and apps, all for free for the first year.
Pro Tip: You can set daily goals for reading, watching and playing through FreeTime and you also have the option to block entertainment content until those daily goals are met.
Want to get started but don’t know where to begin? Read on for some of our favorite brain boosting apps from well-loved brands like PBS, Viacom, Nick Jr. and Sesame Workshop, all rated 4 or 5 stars and all available for free for one year on the All-New Fire Kids Edition Tablet (click for your 20% off code).
For Kids Age 3-5 Years Old
ABC’s and 123’s are all the rage with the tot lot. Add in a few animal sounds and you’ve hit the kid edutainment trifecta. Parents can help young learners build basic math and grammar skills with these kid-approved free apps on the Fire Kids Edition tablets.
Elmo Loves 123’s: Little ones can slide, swipe, touch, and trace their way through a variety of early math games about numbers 1 to 20. Elmo apps are a big hit for this age group .
Squeebles Tell the Time: Well-loved across the pond, this UK based series of apps have reached number 1 in the Apple education charts. In this app, the adorable Squeebles characters have to defeat the nasty Time Troll, offering a fun way for kids to learn to tell time.
SUPER WHY ABC Adventures: Alphabet: The Parent’s Choice Gold Award winning app (based on the PBS Kids Show) offers five interactive literacy games, teaching kids uppercase and lowercase letters, the order of the alphabet, as well as common letter sounds.
Teach Your Monster to Read: Developed in collaboration with leading academics at the University of Roehampton, kids can create a monster and take it on a magical journey over three extensive games that introduce new characters and improve their reading skills as they progress.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Friends: Little ones will love Eric Carle’s best-selling book of all time as it comes to life with sound and movement, offering curious unpredictable interactivity as world’s best-known caterpillar finds healthy fruits as he wriggles across the garden.
Team Umizoomi; Math Racer: Based on the popular Nick Jr. Kids show, Team Umizoomi, kids can customize and race their own car while enjoying fun pit stop challenges including shapes and numbers so they can learn as they play.
For Kids Age 6-8 Years Old
Engage early elementary-aged kiddos with familiar faves to pique their interest in learning using their tablet. Then keep the ball rolling with some more challenging apps that teach problem solving, geography, biology and physics.
Thinkrolls: A Common Sense Media Top Pick, this app teaches logic, observation, spatial cognition, problem solving, and memory skills through hundreds of puzzles. Easy mode for younger kids and advanced mode for older kids.
Lightbot Jr: The perfect starter app for kids who have an interest in coding and/or developing programming logic, Lighbot Jr. is an easier version than the popular Lightbot app, which many teachers use in the classroom. Available in over a dozen languages.
Geography Drive Arcade: Perfect for 3rd-5th graders, this app tests your knowledge about all 50 states, including spelling, shapes, capitals, state flags as well as history and trivia. Kids are rewarded with trophies at 4 different levels.
DNA Play: Recommended by BBC, Cool Mom Tech, this app offers an intro to to DNA, biology and genetics, as kids complete the DNA puzzles, swap their pieces to mutate and tap on body parts to trigger random mutations. Parents’ section includes basic info on DNA, illustrated tutorial, interaction hints & play ideas.
Times Tables: This simple app will take over when you get bored of reciting Multiplication Tables with your kids. Kids love the autonomy of learning at their own pace.
Pettisons Inventions: Nominated for the Best Nordic Children’s Award, this app helps kids learn about realtime physics and the science behind different features like air, fire, magnetism and jumping bunnies. Many of inventions are included in the game, but kids also have an opportunity to create their own!
For Kids Age 9-12 Years Old
Give older kids the challenge they need with content specific powerhouses like anatomy, chess, math and history/elections from trusted sources like National Geographic and Smithsonian.
Human Skeleton: Bones for Beginners: This simple app has one purpose: to teach kids the key bones in the human skeleton, including names and locations. There are three fun modes to let them learn at their own pace.
Campaign Manager: Not only will your kids learn election terminology and trivia, but with this app they can host their own simulated election using real-world polling data, population demographics, and historical voting trends. Simulated skills include hiring volunteers, prepare for a national debate and fundraise.
Chess and Mate: This app offers a self-motived kid an opportunity to chess rules, professional tricks and game tactics with an unlimited amount of practice games. Good for beginners and more advanced players. Multiplayer option available for the whole family.
Concentration: The Attention Trainer: Designed with help from the Society for Brain Training in Hamburg, this game helps kids train their concentration capabilities in a targeted manner using 20 different task types. Similar to the award-winning game series “Successfully Learning” from Tivola.
Sherlock Holmes Mystery Collection: A hidden-picture app with award-winning illustrations that help kids develop visual and spatial puzzle solving skills. Also helps nurture an appreciation for classical literature.
Operation Math Code Squad: Consider one of the Best Math Apps from Teachers With Apps, this fast-paced app lets multiple players race against the clock as they work together to solve problems to disarm Dr. Odd’s devious devices in a race against the clock. Guaranteed to keep kids on the edge of their tablet.
