Posted by Cindy on February 28, 2007
Have you ever heard of Preschool In A Bag activities? Basically, they are learning activities stored in a ziplock that can be given to preschoolers to keep them busily learning while Mom works with other children. I loved the idea, but don’t have a preschooler right now. But, there are times when I need to keep Caleb (1st grade) busy when he finishes school before Mahayla, so I put together some “Busy Boxes” for him. It’s been a hit, so I thought I’d share the idea.
I bought several (12, I think) plastic shoeboxes at WalMart. Then, I went through my school room, kitchen, office, art supply box, and card & game shelf. I gathered things that were:
1. small enough to fit in the boxes.
2. easy enough for him to do without explanation or help.
3. fun, yet educational.
Then I put several different activities in each of the boxes.
All the boxes contain activities in several subject areas – math, language, science/history/geography, art…. For example, one box might contain addition flashcards, rubber stamps & ink, magnetic letters and a bird memory game. Another box might contain plastic coins, word tiles, a fabric map and stickers.
When he’s finished with his work, but I’m not quite ready to “set him free”, I’ll ask him to choose a busy box. He pulls one off the shelf and decides what activities he’d like to do from the box. My only rule is: ONLY ONE BOX. When one comes off the shelf, that’s the one he works with. Otherwise, he’d pull every one of them down looking for “just the right activity. He’d spend so long looking, that no activities would actually be done!
What can you put in a busy box?
*manipulatives – coins, pattern blocks, attribute blocks, buttons to sort, clock, magnetic numbers, tangrams, base ten blocks, linking cubes, calculator, dominoes, anything!
*building blocks
*easy puzzles
*handheld electronic games
*language manipulatives – magnetic letters, word tiles, I’m drawing a blank here!
*art supplies – stickers, glitter glue, special markers/crayons, fun scissors, pom poms, google eyes, popsicle sticks, paper punches, rubber stamps & ink, stencils, anything!
*flashcards – math, presidents, geography, any type!
*cool pens and small pads of paper
*maps to explore
*matching games
*science manipulatives – magnets, measuring cups & rice, magnifying glasses, plastic bugs/dinosaurs, small food scale, small microscope & slides, shells, life cycle cards
*history manipulatives – plastic cowboys & indians, timelines to put in order
*games that can be done by self – like Jenga, Blockhead, Rush Hour Jr., SET, Brick By Brick
*little craft packages like you might get from Oriental Trading or the Dollar Store
*playdough
Please leave a comment if you have other ideas to add to the Busy Box list!!!
Posted by Cindy on February 26, 2007
Hi gals! Here are the lapbooking and notebooking links you asked for!
LAPBOOKING – places to buy lapbooking units and learn more about lapbooking:
www.handsofachild.com and www.knowledgeboxcentral.com
NOTEBOOKING – places to learn more about notebooking and find free notebook pages:
www.notebooking.org and www.cindyrushton.com
Don’t forget to sign up at Homeschool E-Store for a FREE weekly download!! That’s where I’ve gotten tons of wonderful resources for lapbooking units, notebook pages, unit studies and more. I think you even get a $5.00 gift certificate just for signing up. I have a quick link to their site on the right. ——–>
Posted by Cindy on February 24, 2007
I found this on BlessedBeingMom’s blog and wanted to remember it.
Ways to pray for your children
(author is unknown to me)
Monday~
Pray they will know Christ as Savior early in life. (Ps. 63:1, 2Tim 3:15)
PRay they will have a hatred for sin and evil. (Ps. 97:10)
Tuesday~
Pray they will have a responsible attitude in all their relationships. (Dan 6:3)
Pray they will respect those in authority over them. (Rom 13:1)
Wendesday~
Pray they will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. (Prov 1:10-11)
Pray they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. (1Cor 6:14-17)
Thursday~
Pray they and their future spouse will be kept pure until marriage. (1 Cor 6:18-20)
Pray they will learn to completely submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. (James 4:7)
Friday~
Pray they will be wholeheartedly sold out to serving Jesus Christ. (Rom 12:1-2)
Pray they will be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places, and the wrong people cannot find their way to them. (Hos 2:6)
Saturday~
Pray their children and grandchildren will know Christ as Savior and Lord and serve Him with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Matt 22:37-38)
Pray when they leave home it would be with an eternal perspective and Christ-like values and characteristics. (Is 40:8)
Sunday~
Pray they would be caught when guilty. (Ps. 119:71)
Pray they would be protected from the evil one. (Luke 2:52)
Pray they will be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives; spiritual, emotional, and physical. (John 17:15)
Posted by Cindy on February 20, 2007
For the last couple of weeks (since the 6-week-old growth spurt), Eli hasn’t been sleeping well at all. In fact, he hasn’t taken one nap outside of my arms for more than 5-10 minutes. Talk about tiring!
At co-op yesterday, I questioned (okay, whined and complained to) anyone who would listen. 
I heard advice from one end of the spectrum to another. “Just keep holding him.” “He’s spoiled, let him cry it out.” “Lay with him.” “Carry him in a sling.”……I took ALL the ideas and decided to go through them one at a time until I could find SOMETHING to work. Well – I really hope I’m not jinxing myself here – the first one I tried may actually have worked!!
After he goes to sleep in my arms, 
I’ve been placing him on a mat on the floor (go figure?) in my bedroom and turning the bathroom fan on. It’s only 3:00pm and he’s taken 3 half-hour naps already today. I realize that’s still not great for naps, but I’ll take what I can get at this point!! I’ve actually done housework AND school today!! Thank you, Lord (and whoever mentioned the idea at co-op.) 
Posted by Cindy on February 18, 2007
Have you ever had one of those children who thinks he’s a comedian? A child who will be obedient to what you actually say, but you have to cover EVERYTHING in your directions or else he’ll find a loophole?
Well, I’ve been blessed with such a child. He has got to be one of the most quick-minded people I’ve met -and he’s only six! What are we in for as he grows? Oh boy!
Here’s the latest example…..”Mom, can I take a bath in your big tub?”
“No, my tub uses too much water.”
I hear the water running…..thinking he’s bathing in his tub. As I walk up the stairs, I realize the water is running in MY tub. I quickly walk into my bathroom, ready for discipline, when I find this…..
No, I hadn’t specifically said, “You also may not place any other objects into my tub that use less water.” He thinks he’s so funny!! (I have to admit, that sometimes I think he is, too.)
