Friday, August 26, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Funbrain Math Soccer (Grade 2)
Here's a fun math game called MATH SOCCER. It's geared to second grade math. You shoot a ball into a goal, but...in order to get past the goalie, you have to answer a question. It's a flash game, and they play it online at the Fun Brain website. This link I'm giving takes you to their main page. All of the games are listed as either word games and number games, or you can go to the right hand side and choose a grade level from kindergarten up to grade 8. People often say that todays kids spend too much time on the computer, but when it's a game they actually learn from, it then becomes a helpful tool. Check out Fun Brains website, it's really cool, and I think kids will love it!!
http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
Sunday, August 21, 2011
How To Make A Simple Kite
This website has 27 different types of kites to make, and has step-by-step full set of instructions for each. There's kites you can make from dowels, or skewers, and you can choose which size you want to make it (3 different sizes available.) They have a nice video to catch too, with the different types of kites and all. There's a section on knots for tying your kite, as well as 3 different types of box kites.
I'm thinking of trying a box kite with my grandson this fall, I've never made one of those and they do look like fun! Sounds like good family fun to me!!
http://www.my-best-kite.com/how-to-make-a-kite.html
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Remember Mr. Wizard?
I always loved watching Mr. Wizard! He always had something new to learn, and he made science likable, and understandable. For those of you who are grandparents, I'm sure you'll remember watching his shows somewhere along the line. I know my brother and I always looked forwards to catching his show. His shows are, I believe, timeless, and still as good to watch today as they were back then.
For those who are not familiar with him, his real name was Don Herbert, and he was on TV for many years. Even Nickelodeon showed his series as 'Mr. Wizard's World in the 80's and 90's!
Mr. Wizard's official website has a page called 'Science Secret.' And, every other week he puts up a new science secret that you can solve. Not hard ones, but still a lot of fun, and very educational. The site has an area for teachers, and episodes to watch there; it also has a link to Nickelodeon where there are featured episodes.
The Science Secret he has posted this week is on air pressure, and is a fun experiment with a drinking glass, and plain old water. Check it out (and...it was as much fun for me as the kids!)
The section called Mr. Wizard's file has all kinds of interesting facts. The page I opened up to has what's called 'Bear Class' and it tells how science can tell the age of a bear, and how they put identifying numbers, and radio collars, on them to track them. I could have milled around in here for a long time, so many interesting things that kids, as well as adults, would find interesting.
http://www.mrwizardstudios.com/sciencesecret.htm
For those who are not familiar with him, his real name was Don Herbert, and he was on TV for many years. Even Nickelodeon showed his series as 'Mr. Wizard's World in the 80's and 90's!
Mr. Wizard's official website has a page called 'Science Secret.' And, every other week he puts up a new science secret that you can solve. Not hard ones, but still a lot of fun, and very educational. The site has an area for teachers, and episodes to watch there; it also has a link to Nickelodeon where there are featured episodes.
The Science Secret he has posted this week is on air pressure, and is a fun experiment with a drinking glass, and plain old water. Check it out (and...it was as much fun for me as the kids!)
The section called Mr. Wizard's file has all kinds of interesting facts. The page I opened up to has what's called 'Bear Class' and it tells how science can tell the age of a bear, and how they put identifying numbers, and radio collars, on them to track them. I could have milled around in here for a long time, so many interesting things that kids, as well as adults, would find interesting.
http://www.mrwizardstudios.com/sciencesecret.htm
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Free Printable Coloring Pages
This place is absolutely awesome! There are so many categories to choose from. Love nursery rhymes? Got 'em. Love school theme. Got 'em. Everything from animals and unicorns, to alphabet characters and fun at the beach. What's really neat here too, is that they have an interactive coloring section. Yes, you can color with your mouse in their coloring games section. I just know I'll have fun with that one myself lol.
http://www.freekidscoloring.com/
If you have little ones who are just learning their alphabet, then this is for you. These free printable alphabet letters come in every shape and form you can think of. There's cartoon ones, funny ones, stained glass, beach themed, carnival themed, and all types of letters to color. I'm actually printing out an ornamental alphabet letter to use on a page in my one scrapbook. I love it, they're really ornate floral letters filled with swirls and designing. I have a hunch a lot of these letters could be used in scrapbooking because they're so unusual. (Plus who says you can only color with a crayon?!) Very cool!
http://www.alphabetcoloring.net/
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Non-Toxic, Non-Messy Home-Made Play Dough
I know there's a scad of home made play doughs out there, but this is my favorite one, and the best one I've found ever. This stuff is great, it's non-toxic, and it's also non-sticky (unlike other home made recipes for it.)
When my kids were little, they went through the play dough stage. Grandparents and relatives would give it to them in a gift, and a week later it would be dried out, or permanently hardened into the rug or something. I had a passionate dislike for the stuff. Then my friend Betsy gave me the recipe she used to make it at home.
I can truely attest that it is non-stick, and non-hardening. And, even if it's been there for years in a hidden spot, and does get hard, soap and warm water still gets it out. My one daughter got some of it under her bunk bed legs, and stuck in the rug under the bed. While I did vaccuum under there, I never found this play dough until we moved! (I mean, really, who moves their kids bunk beds for regular cleaning...they weigh a ton and are awkward to move!) It had gotten to the hard stage, and my heart sank when I saw it in the rug. But, it came out with soap and water, and I was sold on this particular recipe for it.
Betsy's Play Dough
3 Cups white flour
1 1/2 Cup salt
6 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar (I've had it work ok with 5 when I was short)
3 Tablespoons Salad Oil
3 Cups Water
In a large pan, combine all the above ingredients. Cook on medium heat setting and stir constantly. When the dough pulls away from the side of the pan and balls up, it's ready. Let cool and then knead it. I divide the batch into 3 or 4 sections, one for each color I want to make it with my food coloring. Use a few drops of food coloring, until it's the color you want, and then knead it into the dough. Done!
This recipe makes about 2 pounds worth of play dough. Store in a covered/sealed container (or zip-lock bags) in the fridge. This stuff keeps about 6 months, and it never gets hard! It also works better than real play dough going through those play dough machines, and it's a lot smoother and easier to work with lol. (I get those at the dollar store sometimes) Kids LOVE this stuff!
When my kids were little, they went through the play dough stage. Grandparents and relatives would give it to them in a gift, and a week later it would be dried out, or permanently hardened into the rug or something. I had a passionate dislike for the stuff. Then my friend Betsy gave me the recipe she used to make it at home.
I can truely attest that it is non-stick, and non-hardening. And, even if it's been there for years in a hidden spot, and does get hard, soap and warm water still gets it out. My one daughter got some of it under her bunk bed legs, and stuck in the rug under the bed. While I did vaccuum under there, I never found this play dough until we moved! (I mean, really, who moves their kids bunk beds for regular cleaning...they weigh a ton and are awkward to move!) It had gotten to the hard stage, and my heart sank when I saw it in the rug. But, it came out with soap and water, and I was sold on this particular recipe for it.
Betsy's Play Dough
3 Cups white flour
1 1/2 Cup salt
6 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar (I've had it work ok with 5 when I was short)
3 Tablespoons Salad Oil
3 Cups Water
In a large pan, combine all the above ingredients. Cook on medium heat setting and stir constantly. When the dough pulls away from the side of the pan and balls up, it's ready. Let cool and then knead it. I divide the batch into 3 or 4 sections, one for each color I want to make it with my food coloring. Use a few drops of food coloring, until it's the color you want, and then knead it into the dough. Done!
This recipe makes about 2 pounds worth of play dough. Store in a covered/sealed container (or zip-lock bags) in the fridge. This stuff keeps about 6 months, and it never gets hard! It also works better than real play dough going through those play dough machines, and it's a lot smoother and easier to work with lol. (I get those at the dollar store sometimes) Kids LOVE this stuff!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Kid-Friendly Jokes & Free Printable Mad Libs
Yay!! It's Whacky Wednesday!!
What child doesn't love to tell a good joke?! I found a few they might enjoy for their first day back at school...
What song do bees like? The A Bee C song
What do you call a cold meal? Brrrrrrrrrrreakfast
What did the Atlantic Ocean say to the Pacific Ocean? Nothing, it just waved...
............(0 0)
.---oOO-- (_)-----.
╔═════════════════╗
║ Todays Mad Lib ║
╚═════════════════╝
'----------------------oOO
........|__|__|
.......... || ||
....... ooO Ooo
My kids used to love Mad Libs. Not only do they foster learning their adjectives, nouns and verbs, they also teach creativity with their imagination. What I do is ask the kids for a noun, pronoun, etc, BEFORE reading the story, that way it comes out more humorous and unexpected. Hey, with Mad Libs, silly IS fun, and the goofier the answers the more giggles they get! Here's one from teachnology for them to enjoy:
The First Day of School
One very nice morning near the end of summer, my mother woke me up at 4:00 A.M. and said, "Wake up and smell the grass, sleepy head - today is your first day of school and you can't be late." I groaned in my bed for twenty seconds, but eventually, I got dressed. I wore a blue and white striped long sleeve _______________(noun) with a collar on it, a red tie, dark gray pants, white socks, black shoes, and a(n) _______________(adjective) hat. In ten minutes I made lunch and ate my breakfast. _______________(number) hours later, the bus came, and in a few minutes I was already at school. In school, I met two really _______________(adjective) kids. All of us became friends very fast. That day we had science, and luckily my friends and I were at the same _______________(noun) . My friends' names are _______________(proper noun) and _______________(proper noun). At math, we weren't together, and that really bugged me. We learned what _______________(plural noun) were, and when to use them. At snack and recess, we played 'Three - Square' together. It was extremely fun. At P.E., we were ____________("ing" verb) off of the ropes onto _______________(plural noun). I thought it was a very _______________(adjective) idea. In swimming class, we needed to swim extremely _______________(adverb), or else...we would get tortured. Thirty minutes later, school was over. I grabbed all my belongings, and put them into my back-pack. In two minutes, the bus came. Before I went into the bus, I shouted, "Goodbye, adios amigos, sayinara, and shalom," to my friends. Then I went into the bus. In a flash, I was back home. This day was an extremely exciting day!
Find a free printable version of this colored worksheet of this mad lib (cute!) at:
http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/language_arts/madlibs/
What song do bees like? The A Bee C song
What do you call a cold meal? Brrrrrrrrrrreakfast
What did the Atlantic Ocean say to the Pacific Ocean? Nothing, it just waved...
............(0 0)
.---oOO-- (_)-----.
╔═════════════════╗
║ Todays Mad Lib ║
╚═════════════════╝
'----------------------oOO
........|__|__|
.......... || ||
....... ooO Ooo
My kids used to love Mad Libs. Not only do they foster learning their adjectives, nouns and verbs, they also teach creativity with their imagination. What I do is ask the kids for a noun, pronoun, etc, BEFORE reading the story, that way it comes out more humorous and unexpected. Hey, with Mad Libs, silly IS fun, and the goofier the answers the more giggles they get! Here's one from teachnology for them to enjoy:
The First Day of School
One very nice morning near the end of summer, my mother woke me up at 4:00 A.M. and said, "Wake up and smell the grass, sleepy head - today is your first day of school and you can't be late." I groaned in my bed for twenty seconds, but eventually, I got dressed. I wore a blue and white striped long sleeve _______________(noun) with a collar on it, a red tie, dark gray pants, white socks, black shoes, and a(n) _______________(adjective) hat. In ten minutes I made lunch and ate my breakfast. _______________(number) hours later, the bus came, and in a few minutes I was already at school. In school, I met two really _______________(adjective) kids. All of us became friends very fast. That day we had science, and luckily my friends and I were at the same _______________(noun) . My friends' names are _______________(proper noun) and _______________(proper noun). At math, we weren't together, and that really bugged me. We learned what _______________(plural noun) were, and when to use them. At snack and recess, we played 'Three - Square' together. It was extremely fun. At P.E., we were ____________("ing" verb) off of the ropes onto _______________(plural noun). I thought it was a very _______________(adjective) idea. In swimming class, we needed to swim extremely _______________(adverb), or else...we would get tortured. Thirty minutes later, school was over. I grabbed all my belongings, and put them into my back-pack. In two minutes, the bus came. Before I went into the bus, I shouted, "Goodbye, adios amigos, sayinara, and shalom," to my friends. Then I went into the bus. In a flash, I was back home. This day was an extremely exciting day!
Find a free printable version of this colored worksheet of this mad lib (cute!) at:
http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/language_arts/madlibs/
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