Down with UP! » learning

Day 244: Musical Activities

Diane Flynn Keith — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:00:03 +0000

Here are some musical activities you can do with the instruments you’ve made.

Visit children’s singer and songwriter Nancy Stewart’s website to find lots of musical activities and singing exercises that you can do with young children at home, and find more instructions for making really artistic and unusual handmade instruments.

Don’t miss the “Unschool Your Teen” seminar! [...]

Day 243: Laundry Safety

Diane Flynn Keith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:46:22 +0000

While doing laundry can be fun and a great learning opportunity, it’s also important to discuss the safety aspects with your child.

Be certain to explain the dangers of detergents and laundry chemicals. Explain that they are poisonous. Show them the poison signs on the packages and explain what it means without frightening them. Tell them never [...]

Day 242: Apple Facts and Activities

Diane Flynn Keith — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:34:13 +0000

Did You Know That Apples Bear A Celestial Gift Inside?

If you take an apple and cut it across the middle, you will find the shape of a star inside. Cut many thin slices this way and watch as your children eat carefully around the beautifully formed five-pointed star.

Apple Folk Lore

Twist the stem off of an [...]

Day 241: Lemony Arts & Crafts

Diane Flynn Keith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:28:52 +0000

Enjoy these fun, lemony arts and crafts:

You’ll find Lemon Coloring Pages at these links:

L is for Lemon alphabet coloring page L is for Lemon alphabet page in color or black and white Simple outline of a lemon – print and color

Make Lemon Boats! (constant adult supervision required)

Cut a lemon in half. Scoop out the pulp, juice, and seeds [...]

Day 240: Practing Money Skills

Diane Flynn Keith — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:12:34 +0000

After your kids begin to get an idea of what money is and what it’s worth, take advantage of trips to the grocery store to practice their money and counting skills. I deliberately went grocery shopping when I knew the store wouldn’t be too busy. I let my kids choose one item that they wanted.

When [...]

Day 239: Make Your Own Kazoo

Diane Flynn Keith — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:37:22 +0000

Take an empty paper towel roll and put a piece of waxed paper over one end of the roll securing it with a rubber band. Poke 2 or 3 small holes into the waxed paper. Then, hum into the open end of the “kazoo” to produce a musical sound. It may be hard for little [...]

Day 238: Laundry Measurements & Directions

Diane Flynn Keith — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:00:52 +0000

Read out loud the directions on the laundry detergent package. Explain what the directions mean. Show your children how you measure the proper amount to use. Show them how to put the detergent into the machine properly.

I had a little stepping stool that my sons could step onto so that they could see inside the [...]

Day 237: More Great Arts & Crafts Supplies

Diane Flynn Keith — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 22:20:32 +0000

Here are some terrific arts and crafts supplies to collect and have on hand.

Scissors Potter’s clay Lickable stamps Sidewalk chalk Crayons Hole punchers Rubber stamps with ink pads Markers of various colors and sizes Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves Hand & finger puppets Masks (store bought party masks to decorate with ribbons, punch-outs, etc., or plaster strips with water to mold to child’s face and [...]

Day 236: More About Johnny Appleseed

Diane Flynn Keith — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:12:13 +0000

Read more about Johnny’s life by reading Steven Kellog’s wonderful book titled, “Johnny Appleseed.” It’s a beautiful blend of fact and legend, with wonderful illustrations. It’s designed for kids 4-8, but the whole family can enjoy it. Available at your library and Amazon.com.

There are tons of books about the life and times of Johnny Appleseed. [...]

Day 235: Lemony Language Arts

Diane Flynn Keith — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:18:23 +0000

Here are a couple of books about lemons that your child may enjoy:

Doggone Lemonade Stand! by Judy Bradbury This book is about a boy who learns the sweet and sour sides to running his own lemonade stand while discovering that math is everywhere. The book includes simple math exercises connected with the story line and illustrations [...]