Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids

For Christmas this year, I made my niece a bunch of play food.  In the crazy days just before Christmas, I had a "wonderful, awful idea." (to quote Dr. Seuss).  What if I could continue making play food even after Christmas?  So, I opened an Etsy shop!  Without any research, planning, or weighing of my options, I dove in.

I did try to do a bit of research as I went along, but I was disappointed about what I found.  I didn't want to read articles (and join the membership program/ take the class) of people who claimed to make thousands their first month.  I didn't want to read stories from people who had been doing it for years.  I just wanted to know what I needed to do first, to get my immediate questions answered, and to have someone say, "Ya got this."

My shop has only been open about three weeks (two at the time of this writing), so this will not be a definitive article on how to do everything absolutely right.  This is just the ten things I've lear…

Oh, the weather outside is frightful... time for a hot cocoa break!  Is there anything better than a creamy, chocolaty, warm drink on a cold day?  Top it with whipped cream, marshmallows, candy canes or whatever you please for yummy treat.  What's your favorite way to sip this awesome confection?

Oh, and if you have little kids, I recommend picking up a sleeve of these tiny latte cups with lids (grab by custom "Cup of Cheer" labels too) for sharing cocoa with friends or these reusable spill-proof mugs for the whole family!  It's always nice when family movie night, campfire time, or special drinks with grandpa can be a bit less stressful.  An open cup sets me on edge waiting for that cup to spill (Anyone else?  I can't be the only mom like this).

It's not good for anyone, and especially kids, to have this much sugar all the time, but that shouldn't mean that the fun of hot cocoa season needs to end.  Instead, I've rounded up all the best hot chocolat…

We got our first real snowfall of the winter today (Jan 7), so naturally, I've started to dream of spring.  I also updated my chicken life cycle post today, and decided to make some more chicken-themed printables for learning.  I may end up turning this into a series of printable, so check back on this blog to see what happens.

As I was writing about the chicken 3-part cards today, I said that the life cycle labels could be spelled out with a Montessori-style movable alphabet.  Since making creative, printable, themed alphabets is one of my favorite things to create, I decided to make some chicken egg letters.




These simple white eggs with capital letters can be printed on plain white paper (or cardstock) and cut them out to work on letter identification or spell out words.  The eggs could work for a chicken or bird theme unit or even a cooking study.  Need some letters for an Etsy shop or Instagram flatlay?  These letter cards would work for that, too!  The PDF contains 2 differe…

Anyone dragging themselves out of bed this morning to start back at school after the long holiday?  Anyone buried in snow and looking for something educational to do?  Want a way to encourage kids to learn math with their favorite video game characters?  My kids haven't even played Pacman, and they already love the silly, simple munching guy.

The mouth of Pacman is perfect for teaching greater than and less than math concepts, since you can point his mouth the direction of the larger number.   Later, when kids move onto the traditional < and > symbols, they should be able to imagine the Pacman face and remember which direction they want to use.

This Pacman printable can be used alongside your normal math curriculum or as a separate activity.  It would even be a great way to introduce the concept of greater and lesser values for kids who have never encountered it before.  Grab your free printable by clicking the link below!



> > > Click Here to Download the PDF < &…

Every Friday, my husband and I have a date night to watch "The Mandalorian" from Disney Plus.  My husband really enjoys the show; although, I don't appreciate it was much.  We both agree that Baby Yoda (known as "the child" in the show) is the cutest creature in the Star Wars universe.  If you like babies, or Baby Yoda, or have some Science Fiction nerds on your gift-giving list, you'll enjoy this gift guide of Star Wars products.  Click the colored text to learn more about the merchandise.



Plush Baby Yoda Doll
Funko Pop Baby Yoda
Star Wars Baby Onesies
The Child Tshirt
Star Wars ABC-3PO Book
Star Wars Block Book
Baby Yoda Backpack
Yoda Foot PJs for Baby
PopSockets Phone Stand

If you don't want to wait until May 2020 for the official Baby Yoda product, you can make your own with this fun pattern from My Froggy Stuff.  I've featured this creative and inspirational blogger/crafter/youtuber on my blog several times before, and I'm always excited to share h…

A week ago, I posted about a felt hot cocoa pattern with snowman marshmallows.  I had wanted to add a whipped cream option with the cocoa, but hadn't figured out how to do it yet.  I also planned to make an "adult" size latte cup to go along with the set, so I figured I'd just make is a separate blog post.


Supplies

This homemade felt food whips up quick for a fun gift or stocking stuffer.  I use "eco" felt for my projects, since it's readily available at Hobby Lobby, Michaels Crafts, and Joann Fabric, but I also love to buy wool blend felt from online retailers.  Some of my favorites are American Felt and Craft (they also have patterns for felt food), Prairie Woolens (who match their felt to DMC floss), and Over the River Felt (so many colors).  Click on the links below for more information about the products I use.

- 2mm thick felt in white and red

- 1mm thick felt in white, light brown, and dark brown

- scraps of 1mm thick felt in black

- sewing threa…

My kids love PJ Masks!  They have for several years, but with the arrival of Disney Plus in our home, the love has only grew.  When I asked them what gift guides I should put together this year for my "All Wrapped Up" series, they unanimously decided on PJ Masks.  They enjoyed helping me put this list together and added many more things to their own holiday wish list.



PJ Masks Stuffed Figurines  <>  Catboy Speed Boosters Vehicle
PJ Masks Capes and Masks  <>  Catboy Hoodie  <>  Snack Crackers
Gekko Mystery Mountain Quad  <>  PJ Masks Socks Collection
PJ Masks Child's Bike  <>  Catboy Pillow Buddy  <>  PJ Masks Rainboots
Owlette and Owl-Glider  <>  Light Up Bowling Game



5 Minute Storybook  <>  Wipe Off Activity Book
Super Moon Mission Movie Projector Book
Wall Calendar 2020  <>  Look and Find Book
Ready-to-Read Books  <>  Coloring Kit
Glow-in-the-Dark Sticker Book
Ready-to-Write Activity Book




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