Search Results for: blog puzzles and your preschooler

Free Christmas Apps for Android

An easy way to get into the holiday spirit is by playing around with a Christmas themed app. Every year, there are some interesting, and free, Christmas apps for Android. They are great for keeping small children happily occupied while you are waiting in line by the registers. Christmas Games is a free app for Android. It has five Christmas themed games for children (and adults) to play. There is a jigsaw puzzle and a shape puzzle. It has connect the dot, a memory game, and a scratch game. The connect the dot game fills in a detailed cartoon image … Continue reading →

Best Apps for Preschoolers

Over half of preschoolers have played with a tablet, iPad or smartphone. This technology is not only taking adults and teens by storm but little ones as well. Applications for these devices are being designed for children as young as babies. Many are educational, engaging, and fun. In moderation, these apps can hold value. Instead of a child watching TV, a child can now interact with the screen and be a part of the game. As with anything balance is key. Make sure your child is playing outdoors and with others and not sitting in front of an iPad or … Continue reading →

Melissa and Doug Toys

I was first introduced to the Melissa and Doug toys by a friend who managed a bookstore where they were carried. As a homeschooler, I’m always on the lookout for educational games, and she knew just what I was looking for. As I walked onto the aisle where they were kept, angels began to sing. Well, of course not literally, but there certainly was much internal rejoicing. My only regret was that I didn’t have a few thousand dollars with nothing to do – I would have purchased one of everything in the store. Why do I like this product … Continue reading →

Puzzles and Your Preschooler

I was often a little bit puzzled by my preschooler, but that’s not what this is about. No, I’m talking puzzles. Little wooden or cardboard doodads that your preschooler plays with, that’s what I’m talking about. Puzzles and building toys like Legos are important for your child’s spatial development, and recognizing the shapes of objects in space is an important pre-reading skill. My preschooler was never all that keen on puzzles. She is not a particularly spatially-oriented child. Yet we did play with puzzles a little, and at five years old she has now discovered that she enjoys playing them … Continue reading →

Developing Hand-Eye Coordination

Hand-eye coordination: I seem to lack it, but apparently it is a basic pre-writing skill. That might explain why my handwriting is lousy. However, I digress. If you want to have fun with your preschooler while covertly sneaking some hand-eye coordination skills into the mix, here are a few activities to try. I’m sure that you have more to add! Beading: We love beading around here, with giant colorful wooden beads from Melissa and Doug. You can put them together, take them apart, and just keep on making new necklaces. Pop beads are another standby from the eighties, not recommended … Continue reading →

Spring Projects for Preschoolers

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Even here in Colorado, we are finally seeing some spring colors! Here’s a few classic preschool and kindergarten art projects to welcome those spring blooms. For a blooming 3-d tree branch either paint or draw a large tree branch on some paper. Glue on a few green paper leaves. And then glue on popped popcorn to make blossoms. The popcorn really does look a little like blossoms, especially from a distance. Handprint projects are so cute. On a large piece of blue or white paper have the children paint green flower stems. Help them press their hands into bright colors … Continue reading →

Things Your Preschooler Learns While Playing Part 2

Are you concerned that your preschooler is too busy playing to learn anything? It seems to be a constant theme for homeschooling moms who want to see some measurable progress in their child. Well, do not worry, your child really is learning. In part 1 of things your preschooler learns while playing. I wrote about the importance of playing with Lego’s and driving toy cars, among other things. Here is Part 2 of things your preschooler learns while playing. Playing with dolls: Roll playing with dolls can teach preschoolers many important life skills. The natural lesson for many children is … Continue reading →

Jello Box Puzzles

Don’t throw away those jello boxes! They make great puzzles and toys. Take the empty box and stuff it with a little newspaper. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it does help the puzzles last longer. Tape the box closed. For a puzzle, pick out your paper. You can make puzzles from scrapbook paper like I did here, or from an old calendar picture, an enlarged copy of a photograph, printed clip art, or even a child’s drawing. Cut the paper into rectangles. I find it helpful to arrange my jello boxes and lay the paper on the top of them. … Continue reading →

What Your Preschooler Should Know: Part 3

We have been working on a list of what your preschoolers should know by the time they’re finished with preschool. We’ve covered the “academic basics”, and we’ve covered simple listening and every day tasks. This blog will be devoted to both motor and emotional-social skills. It is important to remember that not only is this a guide but all children develop differently. If your child is missing a few of these motor skills you don’t need to worry. These are developmental and in all likelihood your child will get them when he gets them. You don’t need to “push”. With … Continue reading →

What Your Preschooler Should Know: Part I

Do you know what your kids should be learning? Does your state have regulations that say you should be teaching a curriculum “comparable to that of the public schools?“ Below is a list compiled along with links to various resources. You might use a curriculum and you can use this list as a means of comparison or you can use this list on its own. The list is compiled from Worldbook, however, I have added links to online resources and teaching ideas. Keep looking for checklists all the way up to 12th grade! Size *Understands big and little. Worksheets to … Continue reading →