Preschool/Kindergarten Resources

I found this blog post today on a site that normally shares info to save money.  Now I find out she is a mom who homeschools with a Classical Style education/Charlotte Mason approach, Moneysavingmom:(click to go to the post and visit her site).  Below are only 5 of the 15, the rest of her pics are to be published… check in with her next Monday. And really… anyone can use great resources, even if  not homeschooling!  We love Wee Sing.  Love love love them. I can hardly wait for her next 10.

15 Favorite Preschool and Kindergarten Resources – Part 1

by Crystal on July 19, 2010

I’ve briefly mentioned our homeschooling adventures over the past year and many of you have written in with questions on recommended resources for teaching young children. I’m nowhere near an expert on the subject considering I only have one year of “official” homeschooling under my belt. However, I thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite preschool and kindergarten resources from the past year for those of you who are interested.

So, I condensed my list to 15 resources and books and the next three Mondays, I’ll be sharing a post with five of our favorite resources. Here’s Part 1:

1. My Father’s World: Kindergarten

We absolutely loved this Kindergarten curriculum! It is very simple, fun, hands-on and easy-to-use. There are 26 units and each unit covers one letter of the alphabet and corresponding Bible, Character Development, Art, Math, Creative Thinking, Reading, Phonics and Science lessons.

We didn’t do every thing in every unit, but more used it as a springboard for our weekly curriculum. I thought it made an excellent framework and the girls thoroughly enjoyed it. We usually spent 20-45 minutes 3-4 days per week on the lessons and supplemented with a variety of other great resources (mainly the other 14 resources I’ll be mentioning in this series!).

After doing this curriculum for a year, I’d highly recommend it if you are looking for a Bible-based curriculum with a mix of Classical Education and Charlotte Mason approach.

2. StarFall

This is an entirely free website has lots of fun interactive educational games and teaching tools for preschoolers and kindergartners. We don’t allow a lot of computer time for the girls at our house, but Starfall is a special treat which our girls get to enjoy on occasion. There are a few minor things on the website which aren’t in line with our Christian worldview, but overall, we’ve been very impressed with Starfall.

3. Letter of the Week Curriculum

One of my very favorite homeschooling blogs, Confessions of a Homeschooler, has a fantastic Letter of the Week Curriculum which has tons of printable worksheets which we used to supplement the letter we were studying each week in My Father’s World. The curriculum is only $10 and an exceptional buy for all the amazing downloads and helpful resources which come with it.

If you can’t afford to buy the curriculum or would like to check out some of the printables before purchasing, there is a huge list of incredible free printables available here.

4. Wee Sing Bible Songs

The girls love listening to this CD before they go to bed or while playing together. And they’ve learned so many great children’s songs as a result!

5. Come Look With Me: Enjoying Art With Children

These are the best books I’ve found so far for teaching art appreciation to young children. Each book in the series introduces children to twelve works of art and engages the imaginations and interest of young children by asking thought-provoking questions about the picture.

Foundation for parenting = good marriage

Sometimes God catches you off guard.  I know a good marriage keeps me happy and that divorce can tear families apart and leave children scarred for life.  I don’t think I thought about it in the reverse for any significant amount of time.  Working on a good marriage gives kids a great model for love and a strong foundation.  So maybe instead of reading all these parenting books I should at least through in one or two on preserving my marriage.  It ends up God has brought Bryan to read the  The Love Dare and me to participate in a Bible study which the name escapes me, but helps you see how (and maybe some why) God created men (different than women) and was pretty good (by a woman and based off of surveys too). 

The speaker was Rick Marks and I think he is coming back in the Fall for a marriage conference.

He also talked about how children being “created” by 2 people in a loving way rather than out of selfish desires is like there being so much love it just couldn’t be contained.  I don’t think I can describe it how he did and do it much justice.  It was neat to think about how much love you do have and how it grows even when right now I don’t think I can love Bryan anymore than I do, but in 5 yrs I will think I love him more then than I did now.

Mother’s day

So I am still following Tim Tebow.  Go Broncos!

In doing the above I read this about Pam Tebow and now the bloggers insights to his on situation don’t really apply  I liked the quotes from her.  Which happens to be the summary of Raising a Modern Day Joseph by Larry Fowler and a book I mentioned/summarized in an earlier post.

Pam’s quote: We have to be intentional about the way we mother and parent. We have to have a plan and a target, a goal for them, an idea in mind of how you want them to end up.

There are some good quotes from Tebow and his mom too.  So here is the link to the entire post at TIMTEBLOG.com by Dan Shanoff called Mother’s Day Salute: Pam Tebow.

Awana tools

Just a FYI of some pretty cool tools I found on the Awana site.  First you have to Log in on the ART (Awana Resources and tools) that is on the right side of the awana.org home page.  Note when log in you have to have your church’s ID number, just click on the link of where to find it and it is right there or it emails it to you very quickly.  Then once you are in you will see cool thing # one on the right side called Parent Pause.  This is for the 2-4yr olds.  It is a news letter of sorts that has a monthly idea.  For April it talked about the Sedar and for March it talked about sibling relationships and both had a craft and a few other interesting things.  Tips on scripture memory (I seem to be stuck here). 

The other really interesting thing I  noticed was under the tab of Leadership Resources, then cubbies and was called “Extra Credit” that has some neat “books” you could look at/print. Alphabet scripture, etc. 

All of that is now in what is called the ART portal that you have to log into.  It is on the right side of the awana.org home page.  If you have trouble getting in, contact Deidra of our staff at 630-540-4561 or Deidrap@awana.org .

Scripture Memory

So I love love love Awana.  But it is not enough.  Or I should say I am not as committed to it.  So I have been looking for more and need to be committed to it.  We have posted the verses Adeline is working on memorizing on the wall outside her bedroom.  Anytime when going to be she wants to slow things down we recite them.  Fine with me… she stays up 5 min more, but I hope to get a life of God’s word etched on her heart.  Better than buying her with candy right?!  Please don’t think that is beneath me though.  I was listening to a John Piper sermon the other day that talked about not making scripture memory a “trick” to perform.  It has to be authentic or else it won’t be a habit that sticks. 

So I found a blog that mentions the Simply Charlotte Mason Method.  It is a bit expensive in that it uses a box and index cards. ha! Sonya also supplies important verse lists.   I haven’t looked at this much, but want to do something soon.

I found also this blog, Graham Family Ministry(school4Jesus), that mentions the above and also created her own verses to print out on cards.  The cards are available to print right on your printer with a few clicks.

Out of control

That is what I have felt about parenting probably ever since the time I put Adeline in time out for the first time.  Who knew you had to discipline so young.  Taking away the peas after she spit them out was easy, but a defiant little angel is so perplexing.  So what does a girl do.  Pray, Pray, Pray. Talk with your hubby.  Read God’s Holy word.  Read other books.  So I guess I am apart of this cultures self help society and it hurts to semi admit that.  I don’t think I thought that before typing this.  I have bought or borrowed, emphasis on bought the following:

Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel; My thoughts: We are children of a loving God that operated by grace so why shouldn’t we as parents.

Boundaries with Kids by Dr. Henry Could and Dr. John Townsend ;  My thoughts:  Kids love to have limits no matter the age, so why not allow them to have these in their life.  This was the first book I read that talked about consequences.

Making your child mind without loosing yours by Dr. Kevin Leman;  My thoughts:  A great book that probably combines the above two but by this point I needed very detailed examples.

Don’t make me count to three: A moms look at heart oriented discipline by Ginger Plowman (uses a lot of scripture);  My thoughts:  Love using the Bible in parenting.  I have to admitt I don’t know my scripture well enough to use it regularly in my discipline.  Maybe in a couple years. 

Raising a Modern Day Joseph by Larry Fowler;  My Thoughts:  I took interest in this as it is endorsed by Awana when Adeline started Awana.  It is AWESOME in keeping the end goal in mind.  Does your family have a mission statement?  What do you want your child to look like at age 30 and I don’t mean what profession (consider character and faith)?  It really makes sense to keep things in perspective and also makes it clear you have to have this long away goal in mind TODAY!  So start parenting with goals.  I want to read it’s companion:  How to Raise a Modern-Day Joseph: A Practical Guide for Growing Great Kids by Linda Massey Weddle

Love and Logic by Jim and Charles Fay (birth to 6yrs, though they have a sequel for older ages too);  My Thoughts: I do have to say that this has been the best help for me.  It could all be timing, but that is how God works too.  It gives real examples and uses consequences that make sense.  I am still learning the basics they teach and probably most importantly learning to use them consistently.

Children’s Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman; My thoughts:  I have only read a few pages, but as it states you really can’t apply it until they are a little older.  I believe the book said 5yrs old.  The adult version has been critical to my marriage and I will not miss reading this a little later.

Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Ted Tripp;   My thoughts:  Priceless, yet I can’t remember much from it.  I know I keep going back and rereading a couple chapters.  The heart is where we have to start to get the attitudes and all to line up with God.  If we only focus on behavior we very well could be missing the root of the problem and have children that behave out of fear and later rebel. 

Dare to Discipline by James Dobson My thoughts:  I hate to say I have only read a few chapters.  These chapters I have read several times.  I would like to reread this book.  Though using above Love and Logic right now seems to be working we have been shaped by this book and the Bible to know that disciplining is hard work that must be done.  This book is a tool in my tool belt for when it is needed in special circumstances.

Feathers from My Nest by Beth Moore  My thoughts:   Though not really a how to book it gives great insights into parenting in a very fun real life way.  Be ready to laugh and maybe cry a little too.  This is sort of Beth Moore’s reflections on raising her girls.

All this to say we have the sweetest girls: gifts from God that are full of love.  We love them dearly and only want to follow God’s direction in raising them.  Each child is different.  Every environment is different.  Praise God we rely on Him to raise these girls.  We only need to put forth our best effort to do so and leave the rest up to Him.

Children’s book – Passover

Passover: Celebrating Now, Remembering Then by Harriet Ziefert, painting by Karla Gudeon. Bryan and I really enjoyed this children’s book. It is really beautifully illustrated.  We like celebrating the Sedar each year.  This one does not celebrate Christ, but neither does the Old Testament. You just have to keep in mind that our hope is not in leaving the door open for Elijah, but in Christ who has come.

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Jesus is risen indeed!!!

Purpose of this Blog

So why another blog you ask.... To focus on impressing the love of God on my children's hearts. To keep the journey through parenting and allow my children freedom from this type of entry as they read the other hopefully someday as more of their "baby book". I also would love to gain wisdom of those going through this with me that are like minded.

Deuteronomy 6: 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. 10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you - a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant - then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. 16 Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah.

Children Desiring God

Okay, so I just bought some cute scritpture memory cards for Adeline from Children Desiring God. Pictures on one side and the verse on the other. We shall see how these turn out.