The post DIY Printables And Educational Games For Kids appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>DIY Printables And Educational Games For Kids
With school holidays fast approaching, it’s great to have some creative tools up your sleeve. Keeping the kids entertained, learning and laughing over the Christmas break may sound like an impossible task, but it’s not – with some printable activities and fun learning games, you can keep their boredom at bay in an educational way.
LEGO Puzzles
These nifty little puzzles are a great tool for increasing motor control and aiding in cognitive development and spatial awareness in toddlers and pre-schoolers. They can also be a great idea for presents!
Here’s how to make them:
1. Print a recognisable character, picture or word on thick, laminated paper.
2. Glue the back of your paper to a stack of connected LEGO Duplo bricks (or regular LEGO pieces for older kids).
3. Simply slice between the seams of each Lego brick.
4. Take the pieces apart and let your little ones put them back together.
Heads, Shoulders, Knees And Toes
Another activity to keep your kids’ minds at work these holidays is teaching them the parts of the body. A fun way to beat the old “heads, shoulders, knees and toes” song could be to create your own jingles. Depending on your child’s age, you can introduce new body parts to the song, such as tummy, elbows, chin and chest. If you’re after a really crafty afternoon, print out diagrams of the body and see what parts they recognise (just the basics is fine – nothing too challenging!).
Dear Diary
It’s no secret that children have huge imaginations. Make the most of this by keeping a night-time journal with your children. Even if they can’t write yet, work with them to create a personalised journal featuring their own pictures and stories. For example, you could print out a picture of their favourite character and dedicate a diary page to them. A diary is a great educational tool as it teaches your child the benefits of reflecting and remembering. Best of all, you can laminate and frame it for their 18th birthday!
Learn The Alphabet
Print out large letters of the alphabet and glue them onto sticks. You can pick them up in order, or make a game out of spelling words. The ageless ‘pick up sticks’ game has never been so educational!
Timetables
Print out a graph of the timetables on bright, colourful paper. Laminate it and stick it somewhere in the house to help your child or children get more familiar with them.
Greater Than, Less Than
Mix and match art with maths. Have your child design a ‘greater than, less than’ monster such as a crocodile and teach them maths with a deck of cards.
Printable activities can be useful for kids of all ages, but the value of printed materials extend beyond childhood as well! Education and training providers find that printed documents are effective training tools in all kinds of industries – particularly when created with expert printing companies like The Print Group (click here to learn more).
For the kids, quality learning doesn’t just have to happen in school. Learning at home can prove just as good for stimulating and pushing your children to their full potential.
What are your favourite ways to inspire learning through DIY activities?
This is an S2 POST.
The post DIY Printables And Educational Games For Kids appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Make ‘N’ Break Board Game Review appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>My boys loves board games; they always have. It doesn’t seem to make a difference whether it is Monopoly, Scrabble, Operation, Connect Four or their latest favourite Make ‘N’ Break.
Each has a component of education to them but most of all, they are fun!
Make ‘N’ Break Board Game
Make ‘N’ Break is a Ravensburger board game that requires players to pick a card and build the structure on their chosen card, paying attention to the detail of colours and order of each block. The challenge is that while you must keep your hands and fingers steady to build, you are also timed and must complete as many different structures as possible before your time runs out.
It is recommended for ages 8-99 however my 6 year old absolutely loves it so I think as long as your child is old enough to know not to put the dice in their mouth, they should be fine. I love that this game is educational. It teaches children hand eye co-ordination in addition to paying attention to detail and patterns. It combines luck with communication, creativity and action.
Make ‘N’ Break can take as long or as little time as you like. It doesn’t have to drag out and become boring, keep the game exciting by making and breaking these whacky structures as fast as you can! This exciting board game can be played with as little as 2 people and makes learning fun.
Make ‘N’ Break includes: 1 timer, 10 building blocks, 60 building cards, 1 dice.
You can purchase Make ‘N’ Break from Child.com.au for RRP $34.99.
If you are looking for a new game to keep the kids entertained; this is a great board game for Christmas, those rainy days or just because you feel like playing!
The post Make ‘N’ Break Board Game Review appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Develop Logical Thinking With Games appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Develop Logical Thinking With Games
A child’s mind develops in stages. This is a crucial part of them learning and retaining the information.
To develop logical thinking kids must be given opportunities to discover if I do this than that is going to happen. Basically, if this … than that. This is why from the age of two children will basically ask ‘Why?’ for everything. They are learning how to put 2 and 2 together in a way they understand and makes sense.
Logical thinking
To encourage your child to embark on developing this skill, there are many things you can do to help. With the simple use of strategy games, construction, toy parts or simple ask questions and answers. When they ask a question, ask them what they think the answer is before you answer it. This gives them the chance to consider the ‘ifs, that’s and why’s’ of their question.
By allowing children to develop their logical thinking in a variation of stimulated environments, you are giving them opportunities to discover who they are. Watch your child and see what really interests them and make connections from that. If they love being outdoors, embrace the butterflies and where they are going, if swings get them excited – ask them what happens if you go too high or you don’t hold on, why does your hair blow in the breeze when you swing?
As these skills are enhanced they will be able to incorporate past and present connections, patterns in everyday routines and even discuss their feelings.
How to encourage with everyday experiences
Every day mundane tasks are more important to the learning process of children than many parents realise. Kids learn from unpacking groceries; where do things go? Why do they go there? When stopping at traffic lights in the car; what do each of the colours mean? When picking herbs and vegetables from the garden; they learn not only how to sustain them but also what each food good looks/smells/feels like.
• By giving children chores, even if it’s just a few; they are learning that they have to work for what they want. In addition to this important skill; they are also learning about the value of money which is a great way to introduce learning to count money.
• By mentioning time periods in conversation – “In 5 minutes we will go and play ……” you can start to familiarise your child with clocks and telling the time. Can you show me what time it will be in 5 minutes?
• Incorporating spelling into fun activities such as craft, you are encouraging learning a new skill in an exciting activity. Alphabet stamps are a great way to mix learning to spell with arts and crafts.
Tips to maintain interest
It is no secret that children have a limited attention span. But don’t let that discourage you. Here are some things to keep in mind to maximise the concentration period and get the most out of each experience.
• Allow them to steer the learning in a way that is fun for them.
• Know when to step back and leave them to discover alone. Equally as important, know when to join in.
• Encourage and support their questions every day!
Play time is crucial for kids to learn skills and extend their ability to understand situations further. Playing allows children to develop these skills at home by encouraging them to try new things and experiences along with growing their confidence as they discover understandings first-hand.
How do you encourage new skills at home with kids?
This is an S1 POST.
The post Develop Logical Thinking With Games appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Adventure Sketchers brings art to life appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Trying to find interactive games that are educational and fun is often a hard task to accomplish; add in the fact that you want it for a 5 year old and you want them to love it adds another dimension of difficulty. I’m pretty impressed with myself because I have done it! I found a LeapFrog game called Adventure Sketchers for my sons LeapPad, it is innovative and brings their art to life. The kids love that it is interactive and they can record phrases that play in the game and then there is the pictures they create that appear while they are playing.
This is great for on-the-go or if you need 5 minutes quiet and the kids won’t even realise you are benefiting from it (they’ll think you are great for letting them play). If you are looking for a game that entertains, encourages imagination, story telling and promotes learning then I recommend the LeapFrog Adventure Sketchers!
***********************
Enter below to win: 1 of 3 LeapFrog Adventure Sketchers! games. RRP $44.99 ea. (Total Prize Pool $134.97)
LeapPad tablet is required to play these games. LeapPad not included in prize.
**As the winners are chosen based on skill and not chance; you will be sharing for 0 extra entries. It’s good karma though and I’d love you to share the giveaway with friends and family**
The post Adventure Sketchers brings art to life appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Limited edition LeapPad 2 Bundles {Review} appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>We live in a very technology rich world and our kids are learning to use devices like the LeapPad 2 that we couldn’t have dreamed of using at such a young age. While I let my children indulge in the ‘toys’ of today they are time limited on the games they play, education games on the other hand are given some leeway. When looking for tablets (or similar) for kids you want something strong, something that in the unfortunate event it is dropped it will survive. Something that is going to be able to handle those little fingers poking at the screen.
I was offered the opportunity to try out the LeapFrogs LeapPad 2 Limited Edition Disney Monsters University Bundle and I must say I am not disappointed, neither are the kids! There is probably a reason LeapPad from LeapFrog is the number 1 kids’ learning tablet. This Monsters bundle and the Disneys Princess are exclusive to Target and LeapFrog‘s online store for RRP $169. The bundles include the limited edition LeapPad 2 tablet, ‘Sulley’ cleaning cloth, $30 App centre downloadable card, exclusive stickers and wallpaper and the amazing ‘Mike’ moulded gel skin. While this does seem like a lot of money you definitely pay for quality. I can vouch that these are tough! My 1 year old has grabbed it off the couch or taken it from the boys bedrooms and dropped it the tiles on more than one occasion and you would never know, there is not a scratch, mark or dent on it which makes this a great first tablet option.
The features don’t just end at surviving the drop test; it has front and back cameras plus a video camera. With a 4GB memory it is capable of holding up to 20,000 photos and 70 apps! Oh and it comes with 9 apps already loaded to it but when you are ready to add more you can choose from a library of 400+ educator approved apps and games so you are bound to find something that appeals to your little ones. My 5 year loves his LeapPad 2 and is expanding his knowledge whilst having fun. If you are looking at introducing your child to tablets then I’d seriously consider the LeapPad 2.
Disclosure: As mentioned above I received a LeapPad 2 to review for the purpose of this post. All opinions are my own.
The post Limited edition LeapPad 2 Bundles {Review} appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Learning Can Be Fun! + GIVEAWAY appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Do you remember back in the day when toys were made to last? When so many of the awesome playthings were made from wood? I LOVE WOODEN TOYS and always wanted to get some for my boys when they little but just couldn’t find any and if I did they were ridiculously expensive or poor quality. So unfortunately they missed out. That is of course until a wonderful blog buddy of mine opened her very own store that is full of – you guessed it – WOODEN TOYS!! That’s not the best bit though – they are extremely affordable. Woohoo!! There is a stigma for kids that learning is boring, dull and takes them away from actually playing which we all know isn’t always the case. The range at School of Mum is absolutely brilliant and combines fun with learning. The toys are educational yet exciting!! Catered to suit children of all ages these magnificent products are great quality and will provide hours, weeks and more than likely years of fun, learning and entertainment.
The variety of products don’t stop at classic wooden toys though; there really is something for every child. You will find items suited to babies, toddlers, school age with a wide range of clothing, personalised items, puzzles, teddies, clocks, memory and my all time favourite – wooden blocks – IT’S ALL THERE!! We have recently had an order arrive from the wonderful School of Mum and my kids couldn’t get into the bag fast enough. As you will see below some of the products can be fun so much fun for children that they don’t even realise they are learning. The memory game is made from wooden tiles with a letter of the alphabet and an Australian animal that begins with the same letter. Not only are they strengthening the memory part of the brain but they are also learning letters and animals.
Australian Alphabet Memory Game
$19.99
The clock puzzle is great for both my boys as we use it to help learn the time for my 6 year old and my 4 year old uses it to identify the numbers along with the concentration of working out the correct order of the numbers. There is a boy and girl version of this particular product.
Clock Puzzle
$3.50
For the babies in way of toys there are the Rattle and Roll Doves which are gorgeous, simple and easy to use. As bub moves or pulls it along the dove effortlessly rolls and rattles causing a great deal of excitement. This also comes in pink or blue.
Rattle n Roll Dove
$9.99
With the Bird Smackeroo there are hours of fun to had and most importantly it is great for building on hand /eye co-ordination. As you can see from the short video below it is very easy to use and great enjoyment for the kids.
My all time favourite product is the Educational Wooden Blocks, this might be because they take me back to my own childhood but at the bargain price of $15 how can I say no? There is no much that can be done with these little babies; building, stacking, learning, the possibilities are endless.
Educational Wooden Blocks
$15
Now I’m sure by now you have worked out that I am very fond of this little shop and as a way of sharing some wonderful educational (and fun) products the extremely generous School of Mum has decided to offer a $50 voucher to one very lucky lucky Mad Mummas reader!! Just in time to get some great items for Christmas.
To enter all you have to do is follow the instructions on the rafflecopter below. Winner is decided based on skill and chance plays no part. Australian residents only! Sorry everyone else. **The mandatory instructions MUST be completed or your entry will be void!**
GOOD LUCK!!
The post Learning Can Be Fun! + GIVEAWAY appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Educational Fun – Pink Poppy Review appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>
They can be found in all the cool places to hang out!!
::See below::
The post Educational Fun – Pink Poppy Review appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post We created – Pom Poms! appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>
The post We created – Pom Poms! appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post We should have known! appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>
 |
| Image Credit |
 |
| Image Credit |
Have you ever had to endure a holiday from hell? Maybe it was the place or maybe it was the people.
The post We should have known! appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>The post Guest Post – Action Aid appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>
The post Guest Post – Action Aid appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>