31 Ways to WASTE TIME with your Child

Time you enjoy wasted, is not wasted. (Wise words of John Lennon) It is well spent. Print out our calendar, and waste time meaningfully with your child all month long, every single day. We love time.

50 Shades of MOM

Okay fellow moms, check this out for #funFriday.  Which of these 50 Shades of Mom are you feeling today???

Share Using Hashtags #Moms #50shadesofmom #funfriday #eteachingme

Food and Learning?

by Kristin Miller on 04/18/16

Yes - we love learning with food.  I mean, come on, how many times growing up were you allowed to paint with your yogurt???  Super fun!

From painting with our applesauce and ketchup, to smearing our yogurt, coloring on tortillas, learning the colors with our fruit loops cereal, scooping up rice, and making letters with our cheese and crackers.  There are endless opportunities to learn using food.  It is so practical and easy; and the best thing, the kids LOVE it (because they get to eat their "homework" - literally!)

5 Foods to Easily Learn with at Any Home:

1. Tortilla or Bread - Have your child build their fine-motor skills to tear the pieces apart.  Then, color on them!

2.  Thick Liquids or Foods as Sauce (Ketchup, Yogurt, Applesauce, Mustard, Jelly, ect) - Just for some messy fun, let your child finger-paint (or use a paintbrush) to smear these fun sauces around on thick white paper!

3. Foods you can Cook (spaghetti noodles, rice, ect.) - After they have cooled off, throw some noodles in a bucket (or rice).  Give your child a cup, fork, and a spoon to stir.  Creative imagination and pretend play will be sure to keep your child busy as they make some spaghetti or rice for you!

4. Snack Time Foods - Like crackers and cubed cheese - Use these to teach tons of learning skills, like letters, numbers, counting, and making shapes.  Check out our other blog post specifically for ideas HERE.  

5. Breakfast Time Foods - Using a variety of cereals to teach learning concepts, such as colors, counting, making letters, and using to build fine-motor skills and literacy awareness!

- See more at: http://www.eteachingme.com/Mom-Blog.html?entry=food-and-learning#sthash.yvSzqBTg.dpuf

Disney in the Mail

What a great opportunity for your kids to interact with Disney, without having to actually be there (and save thousands of dollars)!!!  I can't take the credit for this one, however; I found the idea while scrolling through my Facebook feed one day (not sure who the actual source was).  But thanks to one of my good friends, she shared this idea on her FB feed, which led to me wanting to do it with my kids, and paying it forward to share with you, too!

This is an easy thing to do, and can be done with no planning, right in your own home.  Just have your kids draw a picture or write a letter to their favorite Disney character, put it in the mail to the address listed below, and wait a few weeks to get a little something in your home mailbox in return.  

We did this over the summer in my home.  My kids LOVED picking out their favorite character to mail a picture too, and when their Disney postcards came in the mail in return, they were so excited!!  Try it!

Mail to:

Attention:  (Your child's characters name)

Walt Disneyworld Communications

P.O. Box 10040

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

See more at: http://www.eteachingme.com/Mom-Blog.html?entry=disney-in-the-mail#sthash.7Hu5arZj.dpuf

Elf on the Shelf - Fun ideas & Teaching Tools

In my family we love "Frank the Elf!"  He is always getting into something!  My kids love finding him every morning throughout December.  As I "try to keep up" and "be a good mom" preparing him for each morning - I have also have taken the time to think about what really matters?  During this time of year, we are busy.  We are awaiting the arrival of Jesus' birthday.  We are shopping for presents.  We are taking the kids to go see Santa.  And we are trying to Pinterest ways we can "set up" our Elf so it is fun for our kids.  

However, I am all about meaning, too.  As it just is important to make sure we continue this fun Elf tradition for/with our children - we must also stop and remind ourselves to take each moment, as a learning opportunity.  In our household, we must not forget what the true meaning of Christmas is really all about too!  Therefore, I created this Calendar!  It gives you daily ideas of how to "set up" your Elf on the Shelf, and then approach your kids finding Elf as a learning opportunity.  Every day gives you a "set up" and teaching tool.  Integrated within the monthly calendar, are Christian opportunities for you to also teach your child what the real meaning of Christmas is all about!

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!