Fundanoodle: I Can Pound!

I was very excited to be chosen to review one of the products from Fundanoodle. With a name that starts with  fun, you know it's going to be enjoyable for the little ones, right? There are so many fun options that it was hard to choose one that we most wanted. Since the older kids kids often receive school products and curriculum geared specifically for them, I knew Zac (3 years) would appreciate getting his very own "school" activity. I chose the I Can Pound! activity block.

 

Contents include: 

• 1 foam block (14" x 10" x 2") 
• 1 hammer 
• 50 pounding tees 
• 30 activity pattern sheets

I knew that Zac would love having his own tools and place to create, just like his daddy. I knew that he would love pounding in those nails with his special hammer. I knew he would have lots of fun with his own school task. But this kit serves a purpose more than just fun. Not only does it increase creativity, it helps improve hand stability, paper stabilization, and hand-eye coordination.

The child places the block in front of him, choose one of the pictures, hold it on the block, and pounds in the nails on the dots on the paper, while working on his motor skills. Since the block is made of foam, the nails slide in easily and without making much sound. He can then flip the hammer over and use it to remove the nails again.

All 3 of our kids (7, 5, 3) enjoyed using this. Well, let me correct myself, all 4 of our kids enjoyed using this. There is a reason the kit if meant for kids ages 3+. One day after the older ones finished creating masterpieces, they left all the materials sitting out. Tyler, their 18-month-old little brother, decided it looked like so much fun, that he just had to try it out for himself. How do I know he "played" with it? I found chunks of foam around the house and little bite marks all across the block. Trust me, reserve this set for the I-know-better-than-to-put-this-in-my-mouth crowd.

If your child loves the set as much as mine do, he'd quickly pound his way through the 30 activity pages that are included in the box. Not to worry though, you can freely download extra pounding pages on their site. (My kids even enjoyed pounding on plain paper and directly on the foam to create their own designs.) I had a question about the extra pages and contacted the company. I received a response almost immediately. The employee was very friendly and helpful. We corresponded back and forth a few times, and each time, was very prompt. I am very please with their great customer service. The only negative that I have with this product is that once it is filled with holes, the foam can no longer be used. Now granted, that will take a while to fill. Thankfully, they sell replacement blocks for $9.99 so your child can continue to practice and strengthen skills.

The I Can Pound! activity set costs $29.99 and is part of their orange group (ages 3+/preschool.) Some of the other options in that group include I Can Doodle; I Can Bead, Lace, Rip and Trace; and I Can Do Math. There are many great products all the way through the second grade level. From what I know of this set and what I've seen of the others, I know that my kids would enjoy everything from this company. 

My crew mates had the opportunity to try many of the fun products from Fundanoodle. You can read those reviews on the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog. 

Wordless Wednesday 8/28/13

The Homegrown Preschooler

If you have young kids, you need The Homegrown Preschooler: Teaching Your Kids in the Places They Live. There are not too many products that I say, Quick, buy this now!, but quick, buy this now! I've read many books, I've searched countless blogs, I've seen projects and tips and ideas. This book, by far, has been my favorite resource.

I enjoy getting products to review with the kids, but I love when I get a book for me. So, when I received my package from Gryphon House (an award-winning publisher of of early childhood resources), I tore it open and began flipping through the pages. It's full of pictures, and since I'm a very visual gal, I liked it immediately. You can't thumb through the book without wanting to open a bottle of paint, squish some dough between your fingers, or dress up like a pirate.  

The Homegrown Preschooler was written by two homeschooling moms who have 12 kids between them. I've never met Kathy or Lesli, but I like them already. They are very open and honest throughout the book. They tell stories, relate struggles, and prove that they are just like you and me. They're philosophy, that learning should be fun, mirrors mine exactly. I always say that homeschooling is learning in everyday situations. This book shows you how to make sure that happens.

The first half of the book will help you determine your values and goals for your family. It will also show you what the days will look like during this season of life. There are recipes, tips, and ideas sprinkled throughout.

• Chapter 1: Homeschooling--Harvesting A Bountiful Life - helping you consider the learning style and unique talents and interests of your child

• Chapter 2: Learning Through Play - helping you understand the importance of making memories, discovering, experiencing, and playing

• Chapter 3: Sowing The Seeds--Preschool Learning - helping you cover all the developmental and educational bases so your child can transition into kindergarten (homeschool or secular) 

• Chapter 4: Setting The Stage - helping you use your home productively as the natural environment for learning 

• Chapter 5: Home Life = Learning--Slow Down And Teach - helping you find the lesson in everything

• Chapter 6: Who Has Time For This - helping you find a schedule that works for you

• Chapter 7: Organizing It All - helping you organize so the day runs smoothly

• Chapter 8: Days And Seasons That Don't Fit In The Box - helping you cope on the unpredictable days

• Chapter 9: Special Circumstances - helping you deal with illness, developmental issues, and adoption

The second portion of the book is full of developmentally appropriate activities that will set your child on the road of life-long learning. The activities are divided into target areas of growth. There's even a checklist to ensure to help strengthen each area. There are also plans for light and sensory tables and a Plexiglass easel included. 

• Home Life - setting the table, mixing ingredients, washing the car, planting a garden

• Science - evaporting art, fizz fun, nature table, bird calls

• Gross Motor - animal charades, obstacle course, outdoor bowling, pop popcorn

• Fine Motor - toe pick-up, kneading dough, lacing beads, placemat puzzle

• Math - sorting beach shells, rhythym sticks, TP measuring, Mom's store

• Language and Emergent Literacy - reading spot, sandy alphabet, playdough letters, nursery rhymes, songs

• Art and Sensory - puffy paint, tongue painting, fruit stamping, stained glass art, fly guts

• Social-Emotional - dress up, hair salon, post office, thankful jar

Not only does it list hundreds of ideas of how to teach your preschooler (or any child really), it describes each idea thoroughly. I've seen many of the concepts before and have executed quite a few of them in my home with my children, but there are some suggestions that seemed so obvious that I wondered Why did I never think of that? and others sounded so fun that I knew we'd have to try them. So many people scour Pinterest to find activities to do with the kids. The Homegrown Preschooler is Pinterest in tangible form. 

Between the slower schedule of summer and trying to play catch-up from various circumstances, I had started to slack in the play department. Sure, my kiddos always help in the kitchen and I strive to apply a learning attitude in our everyday life, but I wasn't being intentional in my playing with them. This book has helped me renew my love of intentionally playing with my little ones. I love when they're learning and they don't even realize it, when they're "doing school" but simply having fun.

The Homegrown Preschooler costs $29.95 and is worth every penny. Coming from a coupon-using, deal-finding, savings-loving girl, that's saying a lot. So, let me say it again, quick, buy this now. Even if you're not planning to homeschool, even if your children will one day head off to a brick building for education, give them a solid foundation for learning. I guarantee I will reference this book many times as we continue this journey.


Some of my Crew mates reviewed Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World, also from Gryphon House. Head over to the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog to read those reviews and more of The Homegrown Preschooler.

Pantry Surprise 3/3/13

The baby has been practicing his fine motor skills. 

No, he hasn't been creating masterpieces with paints.
Or smooshing play dough into fantastic sculptures.
Or  sketching magnificent illustrations with pastels.
He hasn't even been drawing intricate designs with crayons.

(And it's a good thing, too, because he would eat the art supplies before he could finish his handiwork.)

So how has he been building up his muscles and strengthening his fine motor skills???


By filling holes, of course.  

Specifically, shoes.

He leaves little surprises for us all quite often.

Leighton tries to put his boots on for work? Surprise! A ball.
Alyssa tries to put her shoes on for church? Surprise! A block.
Jake tries to put his shoes on to play outside? Surprise! A plastic toy strawberry.

This time was a double surprise - a ball in a cup in a boot in the middle of the house. (Kinda makes you think of this song, huh?)


He's been practicing so much that he's just about mastered hole-filling. I think it's time to start working on another fine motor skill.


Maybe next week, he'll learn to write his name.




Want to see more Pantry Surprises? You can find the entire list here.
 

Activity Bags

One of the biggest questions I had when I started homeschooling my oldest child 2 years ago was "How am I going to keep the other kids busy?" My kids are by my side almost constantly all day long. To think that my littles were going to play quietly by themselves the entire time would be silly. Alyssa (4 yrs) has always enjoyed doing school. She will sit and fill out worksheets and coloring pages for an hour. Zac (2 yrs) though? He might color 1 page and be done in 2.79 seconds. I started to search the internet for activities that would be fun, education, and keep him busy. I even started compiling a bunch of busy bag activities before we went on vacation this past summer. 

When I was given the opportunity to review Activity Bags, I was thrilled! This was exactly what I needed. Each e-book comes filled with self-guided activities that can be kept in a gallon-size zipper bag.  All the books were created by 2 homeschooling moms. The books include all the instructions, supply lists, and printable pages you need for each activity. They are designed to be used in a swap and contain all the necessary info to help you in that process. I personally have been wanting to participate in an activity bag swap for a long time. The concept is very simple - get X number of people with kids, each person makes X number of bags of the same activity, and everyone swaps bags. So, if you have a group of twenty people, in the end, you'll have 20 different activities. It's an easy and inexpensive way to quickly increase your number of independent activities for your little one.

There are currently 8 books with more in the works. We received the Preschool Bundle which consists of 2 books. Each book has 33-34 activities that prepare children ages 3-6 for kindergarten. They work on skills for counting, letters, colors, fine-motor, and more. The cost is very economical at only about $1 a bag and many of the supplies can be found around the house. Each e-book costs $15 individually or the set can be purchased for $27.

I first tried doing these activities with Alyssa and Zac while Jake (6 yrs) was doing other work. The only problem was that they were having so much fun that he wanted to play, too! From then on, we all did the activities together. Most of them worked just fine for all three ages. Some were a little too simple for Jake, and others were a bit too difficult for Zac. Every one was perfect for Alyssa though. During one activity from Book 1, I was explaining that a collage could be pictures placed all in one big pile instead of straight and organized. I told them that it's a different way to organize. Jake replied, "It doesn't sound organized to me. It sounds like messy." That's my boy!

 

We were also blessed to receive the Science Bundle containing 3 books. Again, each book cost $15 individually, $27 for two, or $39 for all three. Each one comes with 25 different simple science experiments that your child can see, touch, manipulate, modify, investigate, and solve. Each book focuses on different branches of science. Book 1 includes experiments in biology, general science, and nature. Book 2 has experiments dealing with chemistry, the human body, and general science. Book 3 is filled with all chemistry experiments.They are all geared towards kids in K-8th grades. Again, they can be used in a swap or simply at home by yourself.

As you may know, my kids love science and conducting experiments. I plan experiments for every Thursday, but the kids are always performing their own throughout the week. These books have made it so easy for me to have an experiment ready to go on Thursdays or just any time they're in a scientific mood. The lists are simple to gather, the instructions are easy to understand, and the activities are fun and engaging. Some of them include Secret Messages, Green Copper, and Floating Egg. The books also include log sheets, notes, and observation questions. With a total of 75 experiments, I won't have to do any research to find experiments for a while.

We have loved using these books! There are also books for Reading Games in a Bag, Math Games in a Bag, and Travel Activities in a Binder. They are even currently creating 3 Craft Kits in a Bag. I personally am very excited to buy more books. They are very thorough and offer many activities that are great for the kids. I definitely plan to host a swap in the future. If you're local and would like to participate, let me know.

If you'd like to get a feel for the activities and all they offer, you can fill out a brief survey and get some samples for FREE!  Trust me, your kids will thank you.

If you're interested in some of the other books offered or if you'd like to see more reviews of the preschool and science books, head over to the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog. 

* Disclaimer - I was given these e-books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Make It Monday: Squishy Bag

Here's an activity that's not only fun and easy to make, but also good for learning too. 

About a year ago, I got a few bottles of hair gel for free after a sale and coupons. I don't use it in my hair, but I knew it would come in handy for something. I saw this post shortly after and knew what that something was.

You'll need a plastic storage bag, glitter (optional), food coloring, and hair gel.

If you don't have any free hair gel lying around, you can pick up a big bottle from the dollar store. Also, you can remove any writing on the bag with a little rubbing alcohol or nail polish remove on a cotton ball. Simply wipe the writing off.

 If you're using a gallon-size bag, squeeze the entire bottle of hair gel into it.

Enlist the help of an older sibling if it gets too difficult.

Don't forget to laugh at the funny sounds it makes!

 Pour in some glitter.

 Add food coloring.

Now comes the fun part - seal the bag and squish it around to mix it all up!

I just love those little hands.

Kids will love using the the squishy bag for all sorts of things.

 Like a smiley face.

Or practicing letters.

And simply just smooshing it all around. 

I found it quite addicting, er . . . I mean the kids, yeah the kids found the bag quite addicting to play with. Smooshing, squishing, squeezing, swiping. Our gel is scented and permeates through the bag, which can either be a pro or a con, depending on the child. The gel is slightly cool to the touch naturally, but you can also place the bag in the fridge for an even cooler sensory experience.  Or, you can place small objects inside to swirl around in the goop. You can add foam letters and have your child find specific ones or use many miscellaneous things and play I Spy. To make the bag more durable, simply wrap the edges in duct tape.

The squishy bag is so fun and economical and has many options for use. You'll definitely want to make one.

Oh, go ahead and make two . . . so your child will have a chance to play as well!

Make It Monday: Love You To Pieces Card

We are so prepared. We've already made Leighton's Fathers Day gift for next year! 

What? You think 11 months in advance is too early?

 

Surely this can't be the card we made him 4 weeks ago. Right? Right???

Let's say we did give this to him a month ago and I'm just now sharing it. {ahem} Hypothetically, of course.   

You'll need pieces from a puzzle that you don't mind sacrificing. If you don't have any lying around with missing pieces, first of all, I commend you! Secondly, you can pick up a cheap one from the dollar store. You'll also need paint, brushes, letters (stickers, foam, chipboard, or hand-written.) Depending on your choice of letters, you might need glue, as well. You can make this on card stock, construction paper, or foam (like we did.) It would even be cute on canvas hung up on the wall.

  

Paint, paint, paint those pieces! We had so much fun decorating the silly shapes that we painted far more pieces than we needed for this project. It was neat to see how creative the kids were. I showed them how to paint one to look like a turtle, and their imaginations took off. It is also a good activity to practice their fine motor skills. 

Jake and Alyssa helped me find the letters to spell out "WE LOVE YOU TO PIECES." I hot-glued the letters and the puzzle pieces on the front.

For the inside of the card, I glued these questionnaires that they kids answers about their daddy. I asked them the questions one-on-one so they wouldn't hear each others answers and copy. Even so, it was interesting to see the things they answered the same. Some of their answers are totally wrong, some are completely right, and some are very funny.  

By Jacob, 6:

My dad is 29 years old.
My dad weighs 70 pounds.
My dad is 6-point-something tall.
My dad's favorite color is green.
My dad's favorite food is chicken.
My dad is really strong. He could lift a house.
My dad always says hi.
My dad is the best at working.
My dad's job is to drive a Bobcat.
My dad laughs when I'm being silly.
My dad and I like to go to work. (like this day)
My dad really loves when I obey.
I love my dad because he loves me.
It makes my dad happy when I obey.

By Alyssa, 4:

My dad is 29 years old.
My dad weighs 100 pounds.
My dad is {raises hand in air} this tall. Bigger than Mommy.
My dad's favorite color is green.
My dad's favorite food is anything Mommy makes.
My dad is really strong. He could lift a person.
My dad always says don't play with your gum.
My dad is the best at blinking.
My dad's job is to go to work.
My dad laughs when I be silly.
My dad and I like to play stuff.
My dad really loves Mommy.
I love my dad because he's the best.
It makes my dad happy when I obey him.

By Zac, 2:

My dad is 3 years old.
My dad weighs 2 pounds.
My dad is bigger!
My dad's favorite color is green.
My dad's favorite food is green.
My dad is really strong. He could lift wood to make our bunk beds.
My dad always says to work.
My dad is the best at work.
My dad's job is to make our bunk beds.
My dad laughs when the bunk beds.
My dad and I like to play Buckyballs.
My dad really loves to work.
I love my dad because.
It makes my dad happy when I color.

Happy Fathers Day 4 weeks ago . . . er, in 11 months . . . to the daddy of my babies. We loved you then and we'll love you still. Even though your job requires a lot of you (as shown in their answers) we know that you love us and work hard to provide our every need. I'm so pleased with the daddy you've become and proud to call you the father of my children.

Pantry Surprise 2/25/12

I had a basket or two of laundry dumped out on the living room floor, and all three kids were "helping" me fold it. Zac mostly just likes to jump and roll in the clothes, which is a pet peeve of mine. He'll stop and then play with random articles of clothing. The older two were working on socks. Jake's folded socks were more like balls instead of tubes. Alyssa does pretty well at folding most things. She loves helping me, and I love when she does. There was a day when I'd go behind and "fix" the things they had folded - wash cloths with edges that weren't lined up, shirts with sleeves that were uneven, socks that were mushed into a half-folded/half-rolled ball. I've realized though, that they are learning valuable skills. They're strengthening fine motor abilities, gaining independence, learning life skills, and building a sense of accomplishment. Those qualities are more important than having pants that are folded perfectly. 

Whether or not they help me fold the laundry, it is their responsibility to put their piles of clothes away (except for 2-year-old Zac.) If they change outfits during the day (which they love to do, especially girly-girl Alyssa), it is also up to them to fold those clothes and put them away. 

We finished folding and putting everything away and went on with our day. It wasn't until a couple hours later that I opened the pantry door. I found something I've never seen in there before. Apparently not all the clothes had been put in their proper places. Sitting in the middle of the pantry was a pair of underwear. Where's the picture, you ask? Oh, let's just say it didn't belong to any of the kids, and I didn't think it would be appropriate to plaster my unmentionables all over the internet (though it might increase my stats!) Remember I said Zac likes to play with the clothes while I'm folding them? That certain item was one that he had chosen and had apparently wandered off with them. Little Stinker. Zac that is. Ahem. 

Let's just hope that he doesn't do something like that again when we have company over, because in Jake's words, "that would just be awkward." 

You can catch up on all Pantry Surprises here.