Blog - The Happy Housewife™

Winter Themed Worksheets: Free Printables

By contributing writer Lauren

This month’s free printables are winter themed! Each activity in this 4-page worksheet packet is geared towards first and second graders.

In this Winter Worksheet Set:

Winter Word Search – Find the winter themed words in the search; words are horizontal and vertical
Verbs: Adding -ing – Write the correct verb ending in this winter themed fill-in-the-blank worksheet
Counting By 5’s – Practice counting by 5’s using the cups of hot chocolate
Subtraction Ladders – Complete each subtraction ladder; uses only simple subtraction

January Winter Themed Printables
January Winter Themed Printables 2014.pdf

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How to Teach Music in Your Homeschool (When You Aren’t Musical)

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Colleen

I’m not musical…at all.

When I first decided to homeschool my kids, this fact caused me a few moments of panic. After all, how would my kids learn music if I was responsible for teaching them everything? And, how would they survive without the mandatory winter concerts that are so elementary-school-ish? Would they be alright?

Yes, they will be alright. And, if you lack musical talent, yours will too.

It just takes a bit of planning.

For your littlest kids, having a supply of great CDs, MP3s, and musical instruments to play with is enough. Well, having them and playing with them is enough. I’ll admit that sometimes my tolerance for noise is low, and I hide the instruments. But overall we play music constantly and my 4 year old and 6 year old play with the instruments often.

As your kids get bigger, you’ll need to be proactive about seeking out ways to help them learn about composers, notes, instruments, and singing. There are a variety of ways you can do this. Here are a few suggestions for how to teach music in your homeschool.

Find a Curriculum

There are many wonderful curriculum programs out there. I’m not using a formal program right now, so I don’t have a specific one to share, but when I Googled “Homeschool Music Curriculum” lots of fabulous looking programs popped up. Many of them are free or inexpensive.

Another option, especially for composer study, is to choose a classical CD from the library and do an internet search for free lapbooks or unit studies about that composer. You can play the CD and your kids can complete the study as they listen.

Use Local Resources

Our science center often offers low-cost classes for homeschooled children. One of our favorites was about the science of music. It focused on sound, pitch, and volume. The kids used tuning forks and instruments to investigate and experiment with sound and music.

There are also many free concerts around featuring artists in all types of genres. Chances are, your town (or one nearby) hosts a music in the park series in the summer time. Search your local city websites to find free music you can expose your kids to, and take advantage of all of the opportunities out there.

Invest in Lessons

If you truly have no musical talent, this is the time to allocate some of your homeschool budget to outside lessons. It’s so important for kids to be exposed to great music and learn how to sing or play something at some point. Even if your son or daughter is like you, not musically talented, he or she should have the opportunity to try something out at some point.

You just never know when you’ll discover a hidden talent.

As an example, my 11 year old son struggles with impulsivity and hyperactivity. He has always had a hard time participating in anything organized because he just can’t sit still. Ever.

This year, we found a homeschool band program that was expanding to our side of town. He thought it sounded interesting and has blown us all away with how far he has come in a few short weeks. He has a natural aptitude for the flute and is incredibly proud of his accomplishments, bringing his instrument to family gatherings to play for anyone who will listen. He sits still several times a day to practice and sometimes pulls the flute out when he feels edgy and wants to relax.

It’s completely changed him.

No matter what your experience with or aptitude for music is, I encourage you to find ways to incorporate it into your homeschool. You just never know what impact it will have.

photo credit: Frédéric de Villamil via photopin cc

Music Education on a Budget

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Tabitha

I remember learning a lot about music as a child. Some of my siblings tried different instruments through the school music program. It was great for a large family. We had opportunities through the school to try new things and learn music appreciation.

My husband and I homeschool our children, so music through the schools isn’t a viable option for us although I know it is in some communities. We also have a large family and a not-as-large income, so private lessons are not something we can do easily.

That being said, I am happy to say my children have had many wonderful opportunities to learn music appreciation and how to play music themselves, even though we’ve stayed on the frugal side of things. Here are some tips from our experiences for music education on a budget.

Barter services. There’s a song on “Schoolhouse Rock” that talks about trading/bartering as a way to get what we need or want. So, it’s a history lesson also! We traded my teaching beginner violin to a friend’s children while she taught my children beginner piano. Will either of us have any famous musicians? Probably not. However, both families learned new things about music and instruments and it was fun. One of her children is still playing violin daily and one of my children is still playing piano daily. I’d say that was a successful venture!
Performing for friends and family
Start small. Many schools use the recorder in early grades as an introduction to music reading and learning to play an instrument. Recorders aren’t expensive and there are many online resources to help teach the notes and fingering. It also can help you learn whether a child is serious about learning music.
Borrow or rent instead of buy. Many kids’ interests are fleeting and they just aren’t going to stick with the same instrument for a long time. Experiment. Let them try out something for a bit by either borrowing or renting. That way if they turn out to not love an instrument, the cost hasn’t broken the bank.
Go to free concerts. Sometimes the love of music is born but not the desire to play an instrument. Free concerts are more often than you think, especially if you live in a college town or a big city. There are so many student recitals and community bands that play for the love of music.
Sing! Your voice is free! Even if you and your children don’t have perfect voices, there is a joy to be found in being a part of a group and singing your heart out. Many churches have choirs for adults and children and there are also community choruses. They will help you learn what you need to know and there is a wonderful sense of belonging to a group.
Use the library as a resource. The library can provide community information for musical groups, less expensive lessons given by students, CDs and music to check out and learn what you like and don’t like, and many resources to teach/learn music history and appreciation.
Take online courses. Online is where one of my high school students is taking a course on music history. It is great because the different periods of music are represented through online links to examples of each kind of music and each composer’s pieces.
Check out Craigslist, eBay, and freecycle. These and other community swap/sell sites are sometimes a great deal. One of my sons is looking for a guitar, and this is one of the areas we are searching. We found an old piano for free, though not through these resources, in a similar manner. While it is not the best, it is a piano.
Well used piano – rescued by us and played often
Request musical gifts. Sometimes friends and family don’t know what to give your children for the holidays or birthdays. What a great idea it is to ask for a music lesson or two or even an electronic keyboard. These are also things that work to give to others.
Share your own musical experience. This has had a great impact on my children. As our kids grew, we noticed that they started out mostly listening to artists and music genres that we listened to ourselves. What happened next was amazing. They branched out to similar or dissimilar music that spoke to them, and then shared it with us.When they saw us practicing instruments or getting ready to participate in a musical event for church or the community, they realized they’d like to learn an instrument, and they worked for that goal. My husband’s and my musical learning, while different and widespread, was passed on to our children. They listened and watched. And while it certainly didn’t cost us anything, I think it was a lesson that was most valuable to us all.

Overall, I think that a love of music has been passed down in our family. Our listening choices are eclectic and varied, and we see that reflected in our children’s taste in music as well. Our experiences in orchestras, marching bands, and choirs have also been shared and we see them try new things and figure out their own way in the musical world around them.

While our budget is small, our experiences are many and our aspirations are immeasurable. Even if we don’t produce the world’s next virtuoso, our family all loves music and that was worth any amount of our time and effort. I hope your experiences

Stranger in the Woods Lesson Plan

by Toni Herrbach

In the white and wintery woods, a stranger is roaming about. But what is it exactly? In the book, Stranger in the Woods by Carl Sams and Jean Stoic, children will discover that answer. This book is an excellent piece of literature for children ages pre k-3, and can be an asset when teaching a variety of topics and skills.

Below, you will find three lesson plans perfect for using in your early childhood home school lessons.

Stranger in the Woods Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Book, Stranger in the Woods
Construction paper
Scissors
Pencil
Crayons
Disposable/digital cameras
Glue stick
Poster board
Markers

You will use the above mentioned supplies in all of the activities below, so keep them grouped together for easy access as you explore these lessons. You can space these lessons out however you wish, or do them in whichever order you wish. The choice and flexibility is all yours!

Activity #1 Exploring a Photographic Fantasy

Objective: Students will be able to have a deeper understanding of the photographic text genre.

Supplies Needed: Disposable or digital camera (inexpensive is best), construction paper, glue

Directions: For this activity, students will explore the idea of a photographic text, or a photographic fantasy as this text is referred to. The pictures in this text tell a great deal of the story, allowing the children to use inference to decipher what it happening.

1. Begin this activity by reading the story out loud with the children, taking frequent breaks to discuss the text, the pictures, and to answer any questions that may pop up. Take a moment to reflect at the conclusion of the text.

2. Now, focus on how the author used photographs to help tell the story. Ask the children if they have ever told a story through photographs before. Chances are, they haven’t. Now, they get the chance to!

Allow each child to use an inexpensive digital camera or disposable camera. Stress that their snapshots they are about to take should be purposeful and tell a story. It may be helpful to brainstorm some story topics prior to exploring your surroundings with the camera.

3. Once some brainstorming is done, move to the outdoors and allow the students to begin taking photographs that they feel will tell their stories. Allow a good hour for this creative process.

4. When you resume, print your photos out on a printer or send them to a one hour photo. In the meantime, you can reflect on the creative process of taking the photos. Did they think this was easier or harder than drawing illustrations?

5. When the photos are done, take 8-10 sheets of construction paper and encourage the children to assemble their photos in a timeline that tells the story they wish to convey. Allow them to add minimal sentences as the author of this story does to help the story.

6. Now it is time to share. Host an author’s club where the children are allowed to take a special seat and share what they created!

You can conclude this activity by reviewing what they learned about this unique way of storytelling. Keep their photographic texts out where they can be easily seen and enjoyed.

Activity #2 Understanding Sequencing in a Story

Objective: Students will better understand how sequence in a story works and why it is important. Students will be able to put a story in sequential order.

Supplies needed: Construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors

Directions: Sequencing is a huge part of storytelling. Begin this lesson by introducing the word “sequence” and defining it together. Write the word on a piece of paper so students know what it looks like. Ask them where they may have heard this word and why they think it is important.

1. Next, write the animals featured in this story on small slips of paper and put them in a hat. Write one animal per slip. Allow each child to pull a piece of paper from the hat. Keep the book near so they can reference the animal they have been assigned.

2. It will now be their job to draw a picture that depicts this animal. Allow for 30 minutes (more if needed) for the child to draw a picture that depicts the chosen critter.

3. At the end of the creative time, you are now going to gather again and talk about putting these pictures in sequence. It will be like putting a human puzzle together. Allow students to problem solve and work together to line up the animals as they appear in the order of the story.

4. Choose one child to be the snowman. You can even cut a snowman out of paper if you wish for the child to hold. Allow some time for role play where the children approach the snowman on the order that happens in the story. Children will have fun acting out the various reactions of the animals as they see the snowman.

5. At the conclusion of this artistic time and role play, talk again about sequencing. If the animals were mixed up, would the story still work? How would the story be different? Allow time for questions and reflection.

Activity #3 Exploring Winter Animals

Objectives: Students will better understand winter animals and how they adapt to the elements. Students will be able to use adjectives to describe winter animals.

Supplies needed: Poster board, markers, construction paper

Directions: Explore the photos of this book again and point out how active the children and animals in the story are. Even when winter sets in, there is still a lot of activity happening! Now it is time to explore that activity. Have a conversation with students about what they see happening in nature during the winter. What animals do they see? How does the climate change? How do the plants and trees change? Discuss.

1. Now, give each child a piece of paper and ask them to pick an animal from the book. Allow them to study the animal carefully. How is the animal built to survive the winter? What physical characteristics do they notice? Have them draw a picture of the animal and make arrows to the attributes that help the animal survive.

2. Next, gather this information each child has collected on a poster board. You can name the board “Winter Animals” and attach each picture or simply write the name. Next to it, write the attributes that each animal has to help it survive (i.e. thicker fur, sharp teeth or claws, heavy foot padding.) Do they see some similarities amongst animals? Discuss.

3. Once the poster board is assembled, talk about how they can help animals survive the winter. Make a list. This can include putting out fresh water and birdseed, or putting fabric scraps in the yard for nests. You can even try some of these activities to further the lesson if you wish.

4. At the conclusion, allow time for questions and reflection.

As you can see, Stranger in the Woods is a wonderful book full of opportunities to teach a larger lesson. Give these simple lessons a try and see how simple it is to enjoy this book even further!

Easy Christmas Craft from Can Lids

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Marci

My daughter is always creating something out of nothing. She enjoys the challenge of taking unrelated items and turning them into something new. I keep a drawer of recycled items for just that purpose.

She looked bored the other day, so I threw her some can lids. Within no time, she was gathering supplies and making this easy Christmas craft.

Easy Christmas Can Lid Craft

Supplies Needed

Clean can lids without sharp edges (like frozen juice can lids)
Pretty Christmas-themed paper
Scissors or circle cutter
Mod Podge
Decorations (sequins, etc.)
Hot glue and ribbon, or magnet

Instructions

1. Cut circles out of the paper just smaller than the diameter of the lid.

2. On the backside of the paper, spread a thin layer of modge-podge.

3. Stick the paper to the lid. Let this dry for 20 minutes, or until the paper feels dry.

Here comes the part where you can be really creative.

4. Glue sequins, jewels or other findings you want to use onto the lid with the paper using the Mod Podge. Try grouping and layering. Be creative! Let this dry overnight.

5. Spread a layer of Mod Podge over the entire lid. Let this dry for an hour or two, or more if you get carried away with the Mod Podge like my daughter did!

6. Now, you can hot glue a loop of ribbon to the back to create an ornament or put a magnet on the back.

Try this with various papers and findings. See what your kids come up with. They might have some great ideas for making this project their own. Have fun!

More Homeschool Science from Marci

Candy Cane Christmas Mice

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Colleen

‘Twas the night before Christmas

and all through the house

not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse…

I love building Christmas traditions with my kids and knowing that they look forward to them each year. One of our favorite holiday traditions is to turn off all the lights in the family room and lie on the floor cuddled up with a Christmas book.

And we’ve read The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore every year (at least once) since my now eleven-year-old was born.

This year we made super cute candy cane Christmas mice to go along with our Christmas celebrations, and we plan to pass them out to people during Advent as we go about doing random acts of kindness each day. My kids are calling them “Twitcher McGee” after the main character of another Christmas book we love, Twitcher McGee and the Wonderful Tree by Mary C Ryan.

These mice would also be a sweet Christmas tree decoration or a cute gift tag to accompany a kid gift.

Christmas mice are really easy to make. You simply need felt, pom poms, candy canes, scissors, googly eyes, and glue. We used a template and tutorial found on Southern Plate.

One afternoon of crafting yielded several dozen Christmas mice and three delighted children. I often find them creating more mice from felt scraps — these are that easy.

Do you have simple go-to Christmas crafts that you like to make with your kids during the holidays? I’d love to hear about them. Share some of your ideas in the comments.

Homeschool Science Ideas for Christmas

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Marci

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we usually take a break from our usual homeschool curriculum and study something fun with a Christmas theme. We read Christmas books, listen to Christmas music, create Christmas art, and learn Christmas science.

Christmas science?

Yep. Like this…

Snow

Whether you have a white Christmas or not, snowflakes are on people’s mind this time of year. Study how snow is formed, cut paper snowflakes, read about Snowflake Bentley, or create your own snow painting!

Evergreen Trees

Learn more about your Christmas tree. Identify the trees at your local tree farm or tree stand. Learn about why evergreen trees stay ever green and how trees change during the seasons. Go on a Tree Scavenger Hunt with this free printable.

Reindeer

What are reindeer anyway? Can they really fly? Are they only found at the north pole? Find out!

Stars

The clear winter skies make stargazing amazing. Learn about the winter constellations. Study the possible explanations for the Star of Bethlehem. Make your own Star Trails.

Christmas Lights

Learn about who created the first string of electric Christmas lights. How do Christmas lights work? Why does one bad bulb stop the whole string from working?

Have any other Christmas science ideas to add?

Christmas Themed Worksheets: Free Printables

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Lauren

This month’s free printable worksheets are Christmas themed! Your preschooler or early kindergartner will enjoy the activities in this worksheet packet.

In this Christmas Worksheet Set:

Christmas Count – Count the number of each Christmas themed item and circle the correct number.
Matching Ornaments – Match each ornament with its other half.
Christmas Scissor Skills – Use scissors to place each present under the Christmas Tree.
Beginning Sounds – Determine the beginning sound of each Christmas themed item and write the letter.

Christmas-Themed Printables
Christmas Themed Printables HH November 2013.pdf

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Top Educational Toys for Christmas Gifts

by Toni Herrbach

Personally I struggle with gift giving at Christmas. I love giving gifts, but I also don’t want a house full of clutter and toys that they will stop playing with in a few weeks or months.

Over the years we’ve collected some pretty fun toys that are also educational. Here are my top picks.

Spot It is a fun card game for kids. The best part about this game is that they don’t need to know how to read to play it! It is a fun game for the entire family and small enough to take with you on a road trip. They also make Spot It Junior if you only have young children.

ThinkFun Rush Hour is a great game that allows kids to use their analytical skills. This another one that is good for all ages and is portable. Yay!

According to Amazon.com I bought these Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards for Christmas for my kids in 2004! They are still going strong. Not only that but I continue to buy pattern blocks to add to the set. They also encourage creativity. Your kids can follow the pattern boards or make up their own. My kids also love to trace their own patterns and color them for beautiful artwork. This is a must buy for any young child!

There are many versions of these reusable sticker pads but I have this one so I’m recommending it. If you need a quiet activity for your kids, this reusable sticker pad is the gift! These are great for younger kids who want to sit at the school table and “do school” with the big kids. While writing this post I found the Melissa & Doug Habitats Reusable Sticker Pad which just got added to my shopping basket.

To be honest I hate Play-Doh but it is really a great toy for your kids. It keeps them occupied for hours, is inexpensive, there are about a billion Play-Doh activity sets. If you only want to buy the Play-Doh you can let them play with your cookie cutters and some plastic knives. For easier clean up, lay down a cheap plastic table cloth and just throw it away when you are finished. I purchased this mega pack last Christmas and it’s about time to reorder! If you don’t want to buy it, you can make your own Play-Doh with this recipe.

We gave this Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen II, Brown/Tan/Green to our son nine years ago when he was two. Yes, we gave a kitchen to our boy, because I thought it would be smart if he liked to cook. It was expensive, but nine years and three little sisters later this toy kitchen looks pretty good. I’ve seen some pretty nice toy kitchen’s at yard sales, so if this isn’t the year to buy one, watch for a new to you one over the next year. It makes a GREAT gift!

We’ve had the Fridge Words Magnetic Word Builder for several years and it is a consistent favorite with my children and any other kids who come visiting. Really, any Leap Frog toy is a great educational toy for your kids. This year Cora is getting the LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer Kids’ Learning Tablet, Green but don’t tell her!

The Rainbow Loom is sitting under our Christmas tree this year. I try to stay away from the latest fad, but this is a great way for kids to use their hands (fine motor skills) and be really creative. There are so many bands available this makes a great gift, stocking stuffer, or item to bring to a birthday party!

Do you want your kids to build, create and learn without even knowing it? Give them a Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Kit. This is one of the best gifts my children have ever received and they don’t seem to outgrow it. At $20 it is also pretty reasonable for Christmas.

Do kids ever outgrow LEGO’s? I don’t think I need to sell anyone on Legos- but with all the LEGO kits out there I think sometimes people forget that the basic kits are still available. You can buy these digital Lego Activity books to go with any LEGO kit for even more educational ideas!

This Portable Art Studio is an awesome gift! It is under $20 on Amazon right now, so now’s the time to buy it. I’m sure any budding artist would love their own art set!

These are just a few of my favorite educational Christmas gifts that have delighted and inspired my kids over the past ten years! What are some of your favorite educational Christmas gifts.

Paint Your Own Christmas Wrapping Paper

by Toni Herrbach

By contributing writer Colleen

During the holidays, I try get to my kids involved in as much of the preparation as possible. After all, the holidays are for all of us. One way I include them is by encouraging them to make gifts, cards, and wrapping paper for our friends and family.

Over the weeks of Advent, we focus on preparing for the birth of Jesus by turning our attention to others. We do random acts of kindness each day and work toward developing servant hearts. And, we read lots of Christmas books — both those full of whimsy and those that tell the story of the Nativity.

And we craft.

If you’re looking for a super easy thing to keep your kiddos busy during snowy, cold afternoons, try encouraging them to paint their own wrapping paper for all of the gifts they’ll be giving this season. It’s simple, inexpensive, and a lot of fun.

Paint Your Own Christmas Wrapping Paper

Supplies

Large roll of drawing, craft, or butcher paper
Paints
Stamps, sponges, and/or brushes
Drop cloths or plastic

And you might want to dress your kids for a mess, as I discovered that four year olds leaning over painted butcher paper can be a recipe for disaster — or pink shirts turned green. And that green splotchy rug…. well, we won’t talk about that.

Instructions

Once your painting area is draped with drop cloths and plastic, or whatever protective measures you want to take (unlike my unprotected kitchen), spread paper on the table, give your kids washable paints in a variety of Christmas colors (we used red, green, white, and blue) and a variety of tools, and let them create.

My girls enjoyed this for an entire afternoon and created two cute rolls of paper covered in snowflakes, polka dots, and Santa hats. They even painted with all green for their brother’s gifts as green is his favorite color.

See more frugal gift wrap ideas here.

What about you? What simple crafts or traditions do you have to get your kids involved in holiday prep?

Platforms:	Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Date:	December 20, 2013

Platforms:	Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Date:	November 20, 2013

In this Winter Worksheet Set:

Find a Curriculum

Use Local Resources

Invest in Lessons

Stranger in the Woods Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Activity #1 Exploring a Photographic Fantasy

Activity #2 Understanding Sequencing in a Story

Activity #3 Exploring Winter Animals

Recommended Products:

Easy Christmas Can Lid Craft

Supplies Needed

Instructions

‘Twas the night before Christmas

and all through the house

not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse…

Snow

Evergreen Trees

Reindeer

Stars

Christmas Lights

More from The Happy Housewife

In this Christmas Worksheet Set:

You might also like…

Paint Your Own Christmas Wrapping Paper

Supplies

Instructions

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