Simple Activities for Toddlers: A Practical Play-At-Home Handbook for Parents by Lisa Forsythe

Back in March, I wrote a blog post about Crackle and Pop! Bible Science Experiments by Hanna Holwerda. Crackle and Pop! is a fun collection of STEM and science activities that parents and teachers could use with their students. In today's guest post, author Lisa Forsythe tells us about her new book Simple Activities for Toddlers. Simple Activities for Toddlers is another fun collection of activities parents and teachers need to know about. It is packed full of crafts, games, STEM activities, and other fun ideas. Keep reading to learn about Simple Activities for Toddlers and how it can be a tremendous resource for parents... and teachers... of our littlest learners!

This is a guest post written by Lisa Forsythe, author of Simple Activities for Toddlers. To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page. Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Working with Worry by Melissa L. Kilbride and Samantha C. Sweeney

I usually write about children's books and activities on this blog, but every once in a while I find a resource that parents should know about.  I recently learned about Working with Worry: A Workbook for Parents on How to Support Anxious Children by Melissa L. Kilbride and Samantha C. Sweeney and wanted to share it with you.  Working with Worry is a tremendous workbook written for parents whose school-age children... preschool to high school... are grappling with anxiety and worry.  It's packed full of resources, activities, and strategies that can be implemented easily.  Keep reading to learn more about Working with Worry to see it's something you'd like to read!

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What is a Word Spree?

One of the first writing assignments I have my students do at the beginning of the school year is something called a word spree.  A word spree is a short, 10-minute assessment that checks students' abilities to recall words they already know by heart. . . or in more professional terms. . . how many words they can control with automaticity.  (Automaticity comes from the word automatic and refers to the ability to do things without occupying the mind, without thinking about them.)  To do a word spree, all you need is a blank piece of paper and something to write with.

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Recognizing Anxiety in Children

It is normal for children to feel anxious at times.  Examples of 'normal stress' include the beginning of the school year, having to stand up to present a report, or getting called on to answer questions in class.

However, 'bad stress' occurs when children feel anxious for prolonged periods of time and aren't able to effectively manage what they are feeling.  When this happens, the anxiety they feel can interfere with their school work, social interactions, class behavior, and self-esteem.  As teachers, we need to know what the symptoms of anxiety in children are, recognize when the children become anxious, and help them manage how they feel.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Helping Your Left-Handed Students

Today is August 13th... did you know it is also International Lefthanders Day?  An estimated seven to ten percent of the world's population is left-handed and International Lefthanders Day brings attention to the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed in a predominately right-handed world.  Chances are you have a student or two in your class who is left-handed.  Here are three simple strategies you can use in the classroom to support his/her writing efforts

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What is STEM Education?

STEM education is becoming increasingly popular in our school systems.  Students often take STEM classes and participate in STEM activities at school.  What is STEM and why is it so important?  Read on to find out!

Creative Ways to Practice Spelling

Are you tired of the same old, same old when it comes to spelling practice? Are you tired of having your students write their spelling words five times each or having them write their spelling words in sentences? If so, keep reading. In this post, I present to you four strategies that have helped my students with spelling over the years. I didn't invent these strategies... these strategies have been around for years. But these are the strategies my students have enjoyed the most and have gotten the most benefit from. I hope they'll help your students too. Enjoy!

This is an updated version of a blog post I wrote in 2015.  Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.