School is out for summer! Are you looking for frugal, simple ways to keep your kids entertained this summer and ALSO get some academics in their day in a fun way? I’m going to share my secrets with you for our Summer Daily Schedule, Printables and Activities for Kids! Summer Daily Schedule, Printables and Activities […]
Thumbprint Flower Pots
I have a confession to make…I don’t have a “green thumb” but I LOVE to be out in a garden. We planted a garden in our backyard a few years ago and had a blast doing it…and then we moved 2 months later! Since then we have adopted the gardening tactic where you make your […]
Ice Cream Addition and Subtraction Math Mats
Since we’re still enjoying ice cream treats in the fall where we live, I’m thrilled to share with you today how you can bring some yummy goodness into your homeschool classroom or traditional classroom and sweeten up your math lessons with these free Ice Cream Addition and Subtraction Math Mats printables! Ice Cream Addition and Subtraction Math […]
Sight Word Activities for Summer
Schools out for Summer! Do you worry that your kid’s brains will turn to mush and they’ll forget everything they learned this year at school? Have no fear…Miss Mae is here to share with you some of my favorite outdoor Sight Word Activities for Summer that encourage reading! The best part is, these activities can be […]
CD Sun Craft
This tissue paper CD Sun Craft is perfect for summer and great for kids because not only is it frugal and easy to make, but it’s so much fun to do! CD Sun Craft Summertime Craft Project Inspiration As a child, I had the opportunity to experience both the lush, green midwest and the dry, hot […]
Watermelon Addition and Subtraction Math Mats Free Printables
Summer is just around the corner! The warm sun welcomes us and the sweet tastes of summer reminds us what we enjoy so much about the season. These Watermelon Addition and Subtraction Math Mats Free Printables are the perfect activity for your small groups or math centers! Watermelon Addition and Subtraction Math Mats Free Printables […]
Tissue Paper Bumble Bee
What feelings, smells and sounds do you think of in summer? The first thing that comes to my mind is the warmth of the sun, swimming pools, the smell of flowers and summer blossoms and of course the sound of those buzzing bumble bees pollinating the gorgeous landscape of summer! One thing that is especially […]
Summertime Hand Painting with all® free and clear
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreeToBe #CollectiveBias #ad We are a growing family of 6 with one on the way and having fun, especially in the summertime, is high on our priority list! Not only do we look for activities that are frugal, […]
Dot Art Paper Plate Turtle FREE Printable
“That is NOT a turtle!” This is what my 5 year-old shouted upon seeing a desert tortoise at the zoo when we last visited. He was shocked to see that a “turtle” could get so big! I explained to him that there is a difference between a tortoise and a turtle. I shared with him […]
Q-Tip Painted Firework Craft
Growing up in the Midwest was the best place to be in the summer months. Some of my best memories from childhood are running through the sprinklers, chasing fireflies at night and spending the 4th of July on the lake. Now that I have my own kids and live in the southwest, my husband and […]
Rainbow Fish Craft
With summer on the horizon I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to read one of our favorite books and introduce a fun Rainbow Fish craft. It’s so simple to do and allows children the opportunity to be creative. I love seeing how all of their creations turn out! “The Rainbow Fish,” written by […]
Tissue Paper Stained Glass Art for Kids
Spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner, despite the ever changing weather across the country these days! My family back east just had snow flurries and folks in the mid-west have been hit with their share of rain storms. It seems we could all use a sunshine themed art project to brighten […]
“No Electronics this Summer,” unless you earn it
At the beginning of this summer my children thought it was okay to help themselves to the t.v., tablet, and computer games as they saw fit. It IS summer break after all. They worked hard all school year. It’s time to relax. I said, “nope!” Why would I let them collapse on the couch or […]
Tin Foil River
We did it! We “borrowed” this awesome time-waster water project idea from Pinterest…The Tin Foil River! We spent about an hour crafting it just the way we wanted. Each of us had our own piece of tin foil that we shaped into a river by folding up the sides and flattening the bottom We then […]
My Review of the Halle Heart Children’s Museum
Yesterday the kids and I scored some FREE admission vouchers for the Halle Heart Children’s Museum. How did we do this? We have been spending a lot of time at our local library this summer taking advantage of all the FREE summer activities they have and we noticed a Culture Pass for this new museum […]
Impromptu Museum Morning and Living in the Moment
So…I have to share what happened yesterday morning… We started our morning with this journal prompt- “If there was no electricity I would…” We then selected our next book to study for the next few days from our Five In A Row (thanks, Lisa!) summer curriculum which is- “When I Was Young In The Mountains,” […]
Kids’ Daily Lists
Every summer we use a different daily “to do” list for our kids to keep them focused each day and also a way to earn some extra money. We don’t do chores for money during the school year so this is a fun way for the them to earn a few cents each day so […]
Summer Journaling
Summer Journal Cover FREE Printable I printed copies of journal covers, kids colored it, then we glued it down to construction paper. We then stapled it to lined, newsprint pages to finish off our summer journal! Creative Journal Prompts FREE Printable Summer Journal Prompts FREE Printable We’ve been enjoying our summer journaling time! My kids […]
Independent Workbox Activities
Workbox Time I really enjoy Workbox/Center time as it gives me the chance to sit down with my kiddos individually to work on skills and concepts that they need extra help with. It really helps me to know that my other 2 children are actively engaged in learning and practice while I work with their […]
Thrifty, DIY Center Activities
*UPDATE: I’m honored to say that this post is part of the BEST OF 2015 in Education, Parenting and Crafting! Read to the bottom for more BEST of 2015 inspiration* I LOVE me some center time! Seriously though…it encourages writing, ABC practice, numbers and more. The kids don’t realize they are learning because it’s just […]