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Teaching Children About Puberty

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We received samples.

Teaching children about puberty can be quite awkward. My son even goes “la la la” when I try to talk to him about things. He tries to tell me that he’s too young but I know what he’s talking about with his friends. I’m a firm believe in you can’t leave sex education up to the schools, plus my kids are home schooled anyway. The Girls body Book and the Boys Body Book are a perfect way to start the conversation of kids sex ed. We are Teaching Children About Puberty with The Girls Body Book and The Boys Body Book.

In this video Zoe shared highlights that she learned about puberty, her body, friendships and all kinds of changes from The Girls Body Book.

 

I’m still trying to get my son to start reading his book. My husband said he thinks he might be sneaking peeks at it because he has been asking him questions. I hope eventually he will read his book just as his sister read hers.
Childrens Sex Ed

The Boy’s Body Book by Kelli Dunham, R.N., is the #1 best-selling guide for pre-teen boys. These new editions include many new sections covering topics about boosting self esteem, staying safe and protecting your reputation online and off, and navigating a variety of social situations, and many more–without ever mentioning sexual content.

Zoe said that she loved how it shared things about body image and how others perceive you. I’ve tried to teach my kids about how they might “look grumpy” even though they aren’t. Even though I of course know they are. I think it’s going to help her understand other kids feelings and allow her to do better in her relationships. These books are very thorough.

Childrens Sex Ed Topics covered include:

* From hair care to high heels, a head-to-toe guide to what’s happening with your changing body
* Dealing with your friends, even when they don’t want to deal with you – and how to handle “Mean Girls,” bullies, and cyberbullies
* The care and keeping of parents, teachers, brothers, and sisters
* Finding out what you like (from sports to art to music), and learning to like who you are
* And so much more!

Exercise Your Child’s Brain This Summer: Summer Bridge book

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We received a sample.

My kids haven’t been in school for a few years, we home school now. And this summer we’ve decided to do a little home school every day. I want to keep their skills up and move them into the next grade early in the fall.

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I do remember though, when they were in school that when they go back they spend forever re-learning basics that they learned the last year. Math I think is the most time wasted. So I’m a firm believer in keeping their brains just as active as you keep their bodies…. So… Why not try some summer workbooks like, the widely popular Summer Bridge Activities® workbooks.

Keep kids engaged and learning when they aren’t in school.  

Summer Bridge Activities® workbooks help keep kids’ skills sharp. And this year they have the new book Summers Matter: 10 Things Every Parent, Teacher & Principal Should Know About June, July & August, by Matthew Boulay, Ph.D., founder of the National Summer Learning Association.

 

Written in an engaging and fast-paced style, “Summers Matter” is a fun and easy read that will empower parents and educators alike. Readers will be entertained by the quotes and anecdotes, surprised by the facts, and, ultimately, encouraged by the knowledge that they can – and should – foster learning even when schools are closed.
Mixing evidence, stories and expert accounts in a highly readable format, Summers Matter introduces readers to the problem of summer learning loss and provides tips and guidance for parents, teachers, and principals. Amid the bruising battles over how to transform our system of education, summer learning promises a clean slate. By turning our attention to this forgotten season, this groundbreaking book will reinvigorate the American way of learning and schooling.
In short, Summers Matter makes a convincing argument that the months of June, July, and August are as important as the months from September through May.

Keep those kids learning all year round and remember learning can be fun. It doesn’t have to be all about books. Enrichment comes from being outside and having fun too.

Open Sesame: A Fun Experiment For Kids #DawnHelpsSaveWildlife

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Open Sesame Experiment
I am a Dawn Wildlife Ambassador; this is a partnered post.

I’ve written several articles about the role that Dawn dish soap has come to play in supporting wildlife conservation. When researchers were determining the best way to respond to disasters such as oil spills, their studies found that Dawn was more effective than other substances in removing oil from feathers. This finding eventually led to the Dawn Saves Wildlife initiative, which supports organizations such as International Bird Rescue and The Marine Mammal Center in their mission to rescue wildlife impacted by oil pollution.

Brainstorming solutions to a crisis takes time, dedication, and a lot of research. As an example of how this kind of problem-solving plays out, here is a fun and simple experiment you can do with your kids, which was demonstrated earlier this month during an event celebrating Dawn’s new initiative with Shedd Aquarium, launching a national in-classroom and web accessible STEM curriculum called NextGen Animal Responders.

Open Sesame Experiment

Supplies:

2 Melamine plates
2 small bowls or petri dishes
Dual-prong pins
Syringe
Sesame oil
Whole milk
Dawn dish soap
Ajax dish soap

Directions:

Starting the experiment

Pour 18ml each of Dawn and Ajax into separate bowls. Then, pour 6oz of milk onto each plate.

Sesame oil

Using your syringe, dispense 25ml in the center of each plate.

Dispensing oil on plates

Let the oil spread out across the top of the milk; you can use the tip of the syringe to spread it out if necessary. Milk’s combination of fat and water allows the oil to spread quickly over the surface.

Oil on plate

If you don’t have dual-prong pins available, you can break 2 tines off a plastic fork and use that instead!

Using a fork as a dual-prong pin

Dip each set of pins into the dishes of soap at the same time. Remove the pins, and allow the excess product (1 or 2 drops) to run off.

Dipping forks in the soap

Simultaneously dip the pins into the center of both plates and watch the oil repel!

Repelling oil

You’ll notice that the Dawn side works more quickly and makes a larger circle in the oil, while the Ajax still leaves small particles of oil inside its circle.

Side by side comparison

Side by side comparison

Discussion points:

  • How do experiments help scientists solve problems?
  • Why would it be necessary to remove oil from bird feathers?
  • Do you think it’s important to be able to test something yourself to verify that it works?

Dawn Wildlife Ambassador

Be sure to visit NextGen Animal Responders to download the NextGen Curriculum Guides!

Educating Kids: Coding in Scratch: Games Workbook

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We received a sample.

Something that isn’t taught in schools anymore is logic. I remember having critical thinking and logic in third grade and I think it’s important for kids to learn logic. Logic is the basics of coding. So I’ve been looking for a way to teach this to my children. I found Coding in Scratch: Games Workbook.

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Get kids building their own computer games in no time with DK Workbooks: Coding in Scratch: Games Workbook. Computer coding is quickly becoming a necessary and sought-after skill and many schools have incorporated it into their curriculum, beginning as early as kindergarten to ensure students understand the languages and uses of computer coding. This workbook is full of fun exercises and step-by-step guidance, making it the perfect introductory practice book to build vital skills in one of the fastest growing industries.

Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, the DK Workbook series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages 3 through 9, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Children will learn about the history of programming, what coding is, arcade game design, and game development. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand.

I looked through this book and although I haven’t gotten my kids to look into it yet I’m pretty impressed. I think that my kids age 8 and 9 would both be able to follow it. My son has recently said he wants to work at Microsoft like his dad and be a gaming programmer. I think it’s time he started learning how to code so we’re going to dig this book back out and have him work on it this summer when school is out.

Gifts Teachers Want: 15 Ideas

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Gifts Teachers Want

Sample provided.

Whether you’re looking for a gift for your child’s teacher, or have friends that work in the education field as I do, you’re probably wondering what kind of gifts teachers want for the holidays. That’s why I’m pleased to introduce you to Teacher Peach!, a fantastic line of products made just for teachers. They have a wide assortment of gift sets that are special for being both thoughtful and practical. They’ve paid great attention to detail, putting together great kits of products that teachers will use in their classroom, with designs that emphasize bright colors and words. They’ve thought of everything, including Sharpies that read “Teachers Only!” – I’ve helped my teacher friends label things for their classroom before, so I know how important that is! These lovely gifts are available in options for every price range and feature everything from the class supplies teachers always need (And usually spend their own money on), to fun and unique: They have a “The Real Teacher’s Pet™” line of pet accessories, which I think is perfect since all the educators I know also love animals! Check out my top 15 teacher gift picks below, and put a smile on your teacher’s face this holiday:

Find Your Edge with Sylvan Learning #FindYourEdge

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Laptop

I was lucky enough to stand in the same room with every science teacher’s idol, Bill Nye the Science Guy at Sylvan Learning Center’s Find Your Edge Event here in New York City.  In the education field, STEM is a word that we’re all familiar with.  There are many jobs in the American job market that cannot be fulfilled because we have lacked focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education in recent years.

Bill Nye

As schools and teachers learn to incorporate STEM into their curriculums, Sylvan is taking charge with engaging activities to interest young learners in technology and engineering, utilizing classic toys such as LEGOs and fun games like Qwirkle.  It’s pretty cool to see how Legos can be used on so many levels, as their robotics sets can now be controlled through programming software on the computer!  I want to grab a set to play myself!  Not to mention how cool would these be for an after-school technology club!?

Sylvan uses Tynker software to teach the fundamental ideas behind programming, starting at the elementary level through Jr. High.  It uses a gradual learning process showing students how to build upon different commands to create games and more.  Pretty cool stuff!

Learn to code

Sylvan also has touch-pad games available for their students to practice different areas of math.  As a teacher, I know that math can be a tough subject to get kids interested in, but interactive games are a great way to get kids engaged and Sylvan has a wealth of them for their students!

Although many of these products are available to purchase independently, Sylvan’s engaging curriculum is available only at Sylvan Learning Centers.  And from what I have glimpsed, they have put together quite an engaging program!  If only we could have these kind of programs available in our public schools!

Qwirkle
(Qwirkle, a STEM game utilized by Sylvan Learning Centers)

If you’re a parent, you should definitely take a look at what Sylvan Learning Center has to offer in the STEM department.  They have weekly classes as well as summer camps!  There is something for everyone!  Check out this info-graphic provided by  Sylvan Learning Find Your EDGE.

Sylvan Edge

For more information visit SylvanLearning.com

Prevent Summer Brain Drain With Brain Chase! #AdventureLearning #BrainChase

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Brain Chase

This is a partnered post.

It’s a familiar sound during the summer: “Mooooom! I’m bored!!” And it’s not just about entertainment: Having a lengthy break from school can also cause kids to fall behind academically. A 2011 RAND study explored the phenomenon of summer learning loss and how it can put students behind, which is no surprise – anybody would feel rusty revisiting topics they hadn’t thought about for months. What if there was a way to keep kids on track while school’s out – and keep them thoroughly occupied with a fun, engaging activity all summer to stifle those summer boredom complaints? Brain Chase offers just that, with an amazing summer learning challenge that immerses families in an interactive treasure hunt.

Brain Chase works by offering an interactive webisode series that follows a group of cartoon adventurers searching for the “Sunstone of Cortés”. Children follow the series for clues and hidden puzzles to try and help our intrepid heroes find the treasure – and it’s not just fiction. There is a real Sunstone of Cortés buried somewhere on Earth right now, along with a $10,000 scholarship for the child who finds it! The winner will travel with their family the spot where the treasure is buried in real life to dig it up, just like the winners of the 2014 Brain Chase summer learning challenge did!

Brain Chase characters

New webisodes are available each week for 5 weeks, and can be unlocked by completing weekly assignments, such as earning 10,000 points on Khan Academy, reading for 15 minutes every day, and writing one journal entry, which will be reviewed by a credentialed teacher who will provide feedback. Families also receive a package of 3 “Adventure tools” to help you complete weekly bonus challenges – last year’s tools included a decoder ring and magical seeds that gave a secret message after planting – just in case you were worried about your kids doing nothing but sitting in front of the computer!

This program gets me excited because it makes me so happy to see learning presented for what it really is: Enjoyable! Sometimes, the drier parts of academia can obscure the fact that learning is incredible and fun, so anytime it can be put into practice with real-world applications and benefits is so incredibly important, because it sets children up for a love of learning that will shape the rest of their lives.

Another amazing thing about Brain Chase is that, although it is aimed at 2nd through 8th graders, it is appropriate for all learning levels, including those with learning disabilities. Khan Academy does a pre-test to help customize the program appropriately, and students are free to do everything from basic phonics to Calculus – students are measured strictly based on effort. Last week, I spoke with the founders of Brain Chase, Heather and Allan Staker, and we heard some inspiring stories about students who used Brain Chase last summer, including one who had gotten far behind in studies due to serious illness and used Brain Chase to get caught up. The program is also flexible: Although it takes about 4 to 5 hours per week to participate, families are free to complete any weeks that they miss later on due to family vacations or other commitments.

Save 15% on Brain Chase!

We are excited to offer our readers 15% off Brain Chase registration by using coupon code: MOMSTART15
With this discount, the cost is as follows:

Prices After 15% MomStart Discount:

1 Child: $127
2 Children: $212
3 Children: $296

And if you have more than 3 children, just let us know and we’ll get you a coupon code to use!

Do your children forget a lot of what they’ve learned over the summer? Do you think something like Brain Chase would be fun for your family?

Hola! Teach your child Spanish with these cool Bilingual Toys

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Hola Mamacitas! We all know the best gift we can give our children is quality education, and more often than not, we start educating them at home way before they set their cute little feet into pre-school. But there is a second best gift we can give our kids, and that is learning another language.

textualis

If you know another language other than English, the best thing you can do as a parent is share your linguistic skills with your child. Teach them at a young age so that they can use it as often as they do English and be really good at both. They’re bound to learn how to speak, read and write English anyway, what with everyone around them talking in English. We use what were familiar with, and children are no exceptions.

Their advantage is they can pick up things really fast (the advantages of being young) and most of them can emulate speech really well because studies have shown that young children have better verbal and cognition skills if they learn a second language. You should use this opportunity to introduce another language to them as part of their play and learn phase and you will be surprised with the results. You won’t need Spanish translation services anytime soon when you’re child is done!

No Habla? No problem!

But what if you don’t know another language? Don’t worry! You can still introduce your children to other languages by getting them cool Bilingual Toys. There are a multitude of brands and toys to choose from. Pick a toy that has a language or languages that you want your child to learn. It’s best to choose a language that you feel your child can use in the future because if they like what they learned at an early age, chances are they’re going to seek further education on it when they grow older. That is a huge advantage going in to college and getting a job.

Top Bilingual Toys

1. Ingenio Slide and Discover from Smart Play

Smart play’s Ingenio line of bilingual toys is a must have for any parent that wants to teach their kids another language. The Slide & Discover teaches kids 160 words in English and Spanish by using learning cards (17 in all) that have unique learning themes for each one. The flash cards also have colorful illustrations and real-life photos, with 10 word pairs in English/Spanish.

When you slide one of the cards into the front of the Slide & Discover, and then slide the five tabs up and down, this will reveal an English word, a picture, and the corresponding Spanish word. The Slide & Discover is lightweight and ultra portable, you can take it anywhere! The learning cards store easily in the back of the toy and the handles make it easy to use.

2. Dora Explore and Play Pad

Another awesome bilingual toy from Smart Play is The Nickelodeon Dora the Explorer Explore and Play Pad. This educational learning toy has the look of an everyday grown-up tablet, but is loaded with content that lets your child play and learn in English and Spanish.

This toy actually looks like an iPad! Turn it on using the home button (placed at the bottom, just like an iPad), and from there, four modes will appear: ABC & 123, Words, Spelling, or Quiz mode.

· In ABC & 123 mode, every time the button is pressed, kids will hear Dora pronounce the letters and numbers in English or Spanish.

· In Words mode, Dora will pronounce the name of the image on the screen to each corresponding letter in either English or Spanish.

· In the Spelling mode, Dora will spell out selected words in either English or Spanish.

· Pressing the question mark will immediately bring up Quiz mode, which will ask kids to find the corresponding letter or number that Dora states.

Au revoir

Learning another language is a great way to help our young kids with their early development. Not only will your child excel at school, but they will also have an advantage when faced with the challenge of talking to another child from another country. Your child may be the one who welcomes a foreigner or new immigrant, making them feel welcome and accepted in this great country of ours. Future Ambassador? Maybe! J

The St. Jude School Program: A Hospital Classroom

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St. Jude School Program

Travel consideration provided by St. Jude, so that I might tour their facility and see their work first-hand.

This weekend, kids in the US are enjoying a break from school thanks to Memorial Day weekend, and looking forward to their quickly approaching summer break. But children facing catastrophic illness find themselves forced into a school absence that is anything but a vacation, and long to return to their studies like other kids. That’s why one of the many amazing services that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides is an in-hospital classroom, so that patients can continue going to school while receiving treatment.

This school is literally sandwiched right in the middle of the hospital, so that patients can easily come here from their rooms and treatment areas. There are six teachers on staff at St. Jude for grades K-12, who work with the children’s regular school and teachers to create a curriculum and report progress.

Access to education is crucial for all children, and having a school program on-site ensures that patients do not fall behind because of their illness. From an emotional standpoint, being able to continue studies in a classroom environment helps children focus on the future and feel more hopeful. Catastrophic illness takes so much away from families, so anything that can retain a semblance of normalcy and keep children from despairing that they are being left behind provides a huge benefit. St. Jude also holds their own graduation ceremonies and prom, complete with dresses and jewelry donated by corporate partners. This is yet another way to retain normalcy and help patients participate in all of life’s important moments while undergoing treatment.

Teachers at St. Jude work closely to help patients re-integrate into school once they are well enough to leave the hospital, providing advocacy services for any health accommodations the child may need as well as meeting with the patient’s classmates and teachers to explain what the child is facing as a way to hopefully reduce any fear, confusion or bullying that a sick child encounters upon returning.

For more information on the St. Jude School Program, click here. And if you’re looking for a thoughtful teacher appreciation gift as your own children prepare for summer break, may I suggest the St. Jude Gift Shop? They have some great office supply gift items with proceeds benefiting St. Jude!

Learning & Laughing in Leaps And Farts

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I think Laughter makes learning so much more fun and helps the kids retain the knowledge. Miles knows all of his letters already but he doesn’t know a lot of words that start with each letter. These cards are teaching him bigger words that make him laugh. These cares are from the He-is-all-boy.com company.

Boys will be boys. Alpha Cards, flash cards created by Susan Levy, President of He’s All Boy Inc., use the humor and subject matter most appealing to young boys to capture their attention, channel it into early core skills and willingly establish a pattern of what will hopefully become a thriving, lifelong joy for learning.

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I took a video of Zoe reading the cards to Miles, they were cracking up. They were cracking up even more last night when they were reading them for the first time. They would look at them over and over and over again and it’s good for both of them at their own levels. Zoe is learning how to read and Miles is learning word sounds. I just love hearing them laugh, and my husband looked at me and said, I think these cards are going to be the death of me. LOL, potty talk isn’t exactly our favorite type of conversation in our house and these Alphabet Cards are full of potty words like poo, and vomit, and urinal. Check out their video:

 

Susan’s professional background and familiarity with student centered coaching certainly made the challenge of engaging her son a natural one to address, but she credits the perfect storm of those around her for the momentum that turned this experience into products that could be shared with others. Her husband’s graphic design and entrepreneurial background, her older daughter’s enthusiasm for brainstorming words that made her younger brother laugh, her son’s sealing stamp of approval on the hilarity factor of each card and their sense of fun as a family as they problem-solved were the driving forces that resulted in the creation of these learning tools. 

Bright, engaging, and funny, these flash cards are ideal for 3-5 year olds; entertaining to age 99.

MADE IN THE USA.  $11.95

Makes a great stocking stuffer for the holidays.