After a foundation is laid, you will need to add a strong structure to fortify their growth.
Articles are updated frequently.
These sections are organized by age level, but the information is not restricted to that age group. Consider looking at other age ranges as well. Also, make sure to check out the Archives.
Articles are updated frequently.
These sections are organized by age level, but the information is not restricted to that age group. Consider looking at other age ranges as well. Also, make sure to check out the Archives.
Plan to Find Joy in Doing Chores
Giving children chores can make them feel wanted, teach vital life skills--ethics, responsibility, self-reliance, and self-esteem--and help ease the workload for parents. Children are capable of doing much more than parents think. If parents do not expect perfection and help children to know they are part of a team, working together to keep the house clean and neat should not be too much of a challenge. Doing things with their hands releases “feel-good” brain chemicals that protect against depression. Kids who help at home are more confident, resilient, and compassionate, do better in school, and grow up into more successful young adults. Helping cooperatively to keep house reasonably clean and orderly gives pride to all in the family.
Find a chore your kid loves to do, and start a habit of wanting to help out that’ll last a lifetime. Catherine Newman
Children of all ages can help around the house. All children can make their beds each morning. Your family can read books about doing chores (goodreads.com/books about doing chores) or sing songs (moms.com) to make doing chores more joyful but getting the jobs done takes action.
See The Ultimate List of Age-Appropriate Chores by Robert Myers, Ph.D.
Elementary-age children can help without constant reminders. For this age, a chore chart or task list will help children check off work as they complete it without someone looking over their shoulder. This requires trust on the part of parents as well as honesty on the part of your children. Honesty is one of the traits you can instill in your children in this way. You might give rewards such as stars or special time playing computer games for tasks done well and without complaining.
Doing chores together is an investment with the wonderful dividend of spending time together doing a meaningful activity and enjoying and valuing that time.
Plan to Go with Geography
Geography is a living, breathing subject, constantly adapting itself to change...For me, geography is a great adventure with a purpose. Michael Palin
Give your children a great adventure. Plan to give them a well-rounded education with fun. Give them an awareness of physical features of Earth and knowledge of political boundaries and people. Give them a fascination with different countries and different people. Help them to know the difference between a continent and a country, even the names and features of states. If you are planning a family vacation, explore the area on the computer before you go so they know the natural formations that make that state or locale unique.
www.wehavekids.com/education/6-Fun-ways-to-Teach-Geography-to-Kids-at-Home offers the following ideas for parents. Use songs to acquaint children with geography. Some suggestions are on the Kids Learning Tube Channel on YouTube: The Solar System, the 7 Continents Song, the Fifty States and Capitals Song, and the Fifty Nifty United States.
Using puzzles of the United States showing states in different colors and shapes helps children to recognize their own state as part of our country. With a world map puzzle, your children can find continents and far away countries.
You can hang a large map of the world in your children’s rooms. Then post pictures on the sides of the map of the landmarks, physical features, people, and food that your children find in magazines and newspapers. Reading children’s books set in different countries may interest your children in finding those countries on a map or globe.
A worthwhile purchase might be a desk-top globe so children can find their place on Earth. A game they might play is closing their eyes and placing their finger lightly on the globe while a sibling spins the globe. When the globe stops spinning and where their finger is might be where there is an earthquake or a flood or someplace they will “find their love.” Your children might use a tape measure to figure out distance, deciding ahead of time how to use the lines on the tape to show measurement when they place the tape against the globe, such as one inch to be one hundred or one thousand miles.
How about a game of indoor soccer and volleyball using a blow-up or beach ball globe? If the kids miss hitting the ball, they might be asked to name the spot on the globe where the ball lands.
Children can create their own maps of their surroundings, including how many blocks to school or to the park. They can create a map of your house showing different rooms in distinct colors. They might even make up imaginary towns or areas in which they or their play figures would like to live.
Children are often curious about where places are. It costs so little to help your children learn geography in these ways.
John F. Kennedy has said history makes us friends, and geography makes us neighbors. Help your children be good neighbors.
Giving children chores can make them feel wanted, teach vital life skills--ethics, responsibility, self-reliance, and self-esteem--and help ease the workload for parents. Children are capable of doing much more than parents think. If parents do not expect perfection and help children to know they are part of a team, working together to keep the house clean and neat should not be too much of a challenge. Doing things with their hands releases “feel-good” brain chemicals that protect against depression. Kids who help at home are more confident, resilient, and compassionate, do better in school, and grow up into more successful young adults. Helping cooperatively to keep house reasonably clean and orderly gives pride to all in the family.
Find a chore your kid loves to do, and start a habit of wanting to help out that’ll last a lifetime. Catherine Newman
Children of all ages can help around the house. All children can make their beds each morning. Your family can read books about doing chores (goodreads.com/books about doing chores) or sing songs (moms.com) to make doing chores more joyful but getting the jobs done takes action.
See The Ultimate List of Age-Appropriate Chores by Robert Myers, Ph.D.
Elementary-age children can help without constant reminders. For this age, a chore chart or task list will help children check off work as they complete it without someone looking over their shoulder. This requires trust on the part of parents as well as honesty on the part of your children. Honesty is one of the traits you can instill in your children in this way. You might give rewards such as stars or special time playing computer games for tasks done well and without complaining.
Doing chores together is an investment with the wonderful dividend of spending time together doing a meaningful activity and enjoying and valuing that time.
Plan to Go with Geography
Geography is a living, breathing subject, constantly adapting itself to change...For me, geography is a great adventure with a purpose. Michael Palin
Give your children a great adventure. Plan to give them a well-rounded education with fun. Give them an awareness of physical features of Earth and knowledge of political boundaries and people. Give them a fascination with different countries and different people. Help them to know the difference between a continent and a country, even the names and features of states. If you are planning a family vacation, explore the area on the computer before you go so they know the natural formations that make that state or locale unique.
www.wehavekids.com/education/6-Fun-ways-to-Teach-Geography-to-Kids-at-Home offers the following ideas for parents. Use songs to acquaint children with geography. Some suggestions are on the Kids Learning Tube Channel on YouTube: The Solar System, the 7 Continents Song, the Fifty States and Capitals Song, and the Fifty Nifty United States.
Using puzzles of the United States showing states in different colors and shapes helps children to recognize their own state as part of our country. With a world map puzzle, your children can find continents and far away countries.
You can hang a large map of the world in your children’s rooms. Then post pictures on the sides of the map of the landmarks, physical features, people, and food that your children find in magazines and newspapers. Reading children’s books set in different countries may interest your children in finding those countries on a map or globe.
A worthwhile purchase might be a desk-top globe so children can find their place on Earth. A game they might play is closing their eyes and placing their finger lightly on the globe while a sibling spins the globe. When the globe stops spinning and where their finger is might be where there is an earthquake or a flood or someplace they will “find their love.” Your children might use a tape measure to figure out distance, deciding ahead of time how to use the lines on the tape to show measurement when they place the tape against the globe, such as one inch to be one hundred or one thousand miles.
How about a game of indoor soccer and volleyball using a blow-up or beach ball globe? If the kids miss hitting the ball, they might be asked to name the spot on the globe where the ball lands.
Children can create their own maps of their surroundings, including how many blocks to school or to the park. They can create a map of your house showing different rooms in distinct colors. They might even make up imaginary towns or areas in which they or their play figures would like to live.
Children are often curious about where places are. It costs so little to help your children learn geography in these ways.
John F. Kennedy has said history makes us friends, and geography makes us neighbors. Help your children be good neighbors.