What is an Antonym?

Guess what.....you have been playing antonym games with your child since they were old enough to understand you!

"An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to another word but similar to it in most other respects. For example, tall and short are opposite in meaning but both are the same parts of speech (adjectives) and would take the same position in a sentence (before the noun they modify). Antonyms tend to be adjectives, adverbs and verbs, with relatively few nouns qualifying as true antonyms. For example “high” (an adjective), “slowly” (an adverb) and “to fast” (a verb) all have antonyms, while “table” (a noun) does not. Antonyms are fun to learn about using matching and pick-it games."

So, when you were reading things that were tall and short, big and small, fat and thin.......you were teaching your preschool games!!

Who knew! So, does that mean we ALL were homeschoolers from the start?! Hmmmm, gives us something to ponder about as we keep on learning and teaching!!

Happy Homeschooling!

Let's play some preschool games!

As the Mom of 2 teens who also has run a childcare of some sort for over 20 years.....I have played PLENTY of preschool games! But, that does not mean I have seen it all! I am always on the lookout for something new, something exciting, something to change up our day!
Especially with kids today! They are addicted to electronics and I swear, sometimes it seems like even the littlest kids cannot function without them!
I focus on imagination, pretend play, creative play and lots of hands-on preschool activities! If it has batteries for lights and sounds, like the Little People sets.....I do not install them! Instead, I encourage kids to make the construction sounds themselves when playing with the construction set or pirate sounds when playing with the Pirate boat!
This works for our preschool lessons and activities as well! We do use Time4Learning preschool lessons daily on the computer for any child over the age of 3(you can do it for kids younger than 3 but I chose in my childcare to start at that age!) but we also do hands-on activities, worksheets and even preschool flashcards!
Sometimes we even play games or assemble large puzzles together as a group!
With that, I am hoping to create a group of kids who can function WITHOUT electronics as well as with!
What do you do with your preschoolers?
Happy Homeschooling!

How to cope with a child with PDD!?

While neither of my boys has PDD, I have had several preschoolers in my childcare that have!
And learning to deal, teach and cope with a child who has PDD is different!

I am not putting down kids with PDD, nor parents that deal with it all the time.....I am just talking about it from my experiences!

Teaching preschool games and homeschooling a child with PDD are a challenge to any parent and daycare provider who cares for that child when the parent is at work!

You must have the child assessed! This will first help you determine their learning ability and course of action!
Then RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH until you find a curriculum that works for your child and you!

If you are just now trying to find out about PDD and your child, here is a great description I found on Wikipedia! And yes, I know that Wiki is not the end all...and not always the RIGHT info but it gives you a starting point!

Happy Homeschooling!

Do you have a visual homeschooler?

My oldest son and for sure myself are visual-spatial learners!
This changes how I teach him and how we both learn! We prefer things hands-on, so we can see and touch them! We need to see it, to get it! I love to read but reading something for me, is not as good as acting it out, doing it by hand or seeing and touching it!

I think this is why I never tested well! I understood things when shown to me, but you put it on paper and ask me the answer....it was GONE! Poof! My son is the same way!

He did well with Time 4 Learning, I think the animation really helped him keep focus BUT when it came to an online science program.....it was not as easily understandable unless we did the activities in person so we could SEE what they were talking about!

You can easily homeschool your visual learner! You just have to be creative on how you do it, so they learn the best they can!

Check the internet for lots of ways to enhance their lessons!

Happy Homeschooling!

Easter Word Search and Mom brain!

So, my teenagers are not only hard to purchase things for that do not cost me an arm and leg BUT.....apparently when MOM does buy things....I need to remember to pack them before I haul those boys to their grandparents!
Sometimes I think my homeschool Mom brain is shot!! And that I was more than ready for their Spring break to start! Not only were they ready for it and to go get spoiled by the Grandparents but I needed a break to reassess our homeschool day and change a few things.....after I take a break! : )
Anyways....the wanted to leave their Easter baskets at home to be filled here and waiting their arrival. Well, I was leaving them on Easter morning with 1 set of Grandparents and I really wanted them to have something from ME for Easter.....despite the OODLES of candy they got from Grandma!LOL I bought them each a chocolate bunny AND a book of Easter word searches so they would have something hands-on to do IF they had downtime and got bored!
About an hour into the drive....I remembered that they were still sitting in a bag in my closet!! Oooops!

Oh well! So they better not have downtime, as they are minus their word searches! Maybe next time Mom will not be in such a hurry and remember to add that to her checklist!

And when we start back to school in 10 days, maybe Mom's brain will be rested enough from the holidays that I can get them ready for the last push until Summer!

Happy Homeschooling!