Everyday Learning

I am the proud mother of a soon-to-be preschooler and 5th grader and to keep their brains active I use a variety of methods such as the computer, board games, and outdoor activities.  On the computer my preschooler can learn his alphabet, colors, shapes, numbers, beginning reading, and basic computer skills on a great website called starfall.com and for my fifth grader I use various websites to refresh his math and English skills.  Board games and puzzles are another easy and fun way to learn.  In fact, we just completed a puzzle about the United States of America which enhanced our geography and social studies skills, as well as our math skills since we started collecting quarters from each state.  Outdoor activities include several trips to the local library, zoo, and even our vacation that affords several learning opportunities.  At the library, my children are participants in the Summer Reading program that encourages reading and offers free entertainment.  My children love the zoo, so we plan a day around learning how to pronounce the animal names, what they eat, where they originally come from, then we enjoy a picnic lunch, that they help prepare, and play on the playground.  Our vacation this year was to Branson, MO and this was an excellent education experience because of the beautiful mountains and the many entertainment activities.

In my opinion, each day is a learning opportunity, however, during summer vacation it can be done at child's pace...for I learn as much from my children as they do from me which makes learning much more enjoyable!