School in Progress Part 10

The School year is well into swing, and here's a look at what we're up to.

Penmanship with fun wipe-able books!

 Science made easy with these DVDs, and a Math DVD to reinforce what we're learning.

I like these for one big reason, less book work. Plus this really grabs the kids attention.

 Aside from Sing,Spell,Read and Write, here are a few of the other phonics books we've been using and are working well for us. Evan Moor has some great books.

One of their best features is the fact you are allowed to photocopy pages for multiple students, so that has worked well for us.

 The favorite book in his bunch is the Draw and Write.

 They really like they're Geography and these writing books are really good to help them get the basics of story telling/writing sentences. I like Word A Day, because it helps them learn new words.

 These are also some of their favorites. By the end of each lesson they are able to read a whole list of words.

 I wish I had started with this math last year. Very nice workbooks and they like them to boot, so that's a plus.

 This science book focus' on the human body and nature, and the kids are liking it.

And of course the Cleaning Zone, (should I say mom's favorite?) has given them a new look at cleaning and helps it not be overwhelming.

And that's it so far. What are you doing in school?

I have stuck to only 2 hours of school a day, and that has helped in a lot of ways. 

1. Not overwhelming for them.

2. Time to do fun things, like art.

3. Easy for mom, and I have time to rest.

4. They retain what they're taught better when they don't get overload.

We also have a fun school day, once a week, where we do all the fun stuff, experiments, art, learning DVDs or other educational videos. 

Happy Schooling!

S.L. Kliever

Thoughtful Quotes

Manners, thoughtfulness, kindness, practicing servant-hood. 

These are all things we want to in-steal into our children, as well as practices ourselves.

Craft for February

Calico Critter/Little Woodzeez's Furniture 

I recently made some furniture as a gift, and thought I should show how they came out.

These would fit Little Woodzeez's a little better than Calico Critters, as I made the furniture a little bigger than I would for Calico Critters. Little Woodzeez's are bigger, defiantly rounder, than Calico Critter's and need more room so they don't fall off. 

My first project was dining room chairs, which I had posted here.

This is the makings of a kitchen cupboard.

I started with two vitamin boxes, cut in half and hot glued together.

 Then I began to cover them with fabric.

 Hot gluing it in place.

 Next I made the doors, gluing on fabric as hinges.

 Then created a latch so they'd stay shut.

 Here is Mrs. Owl getting dishes out of her cupboard. 

These dishes I found at the dollar store. 

The boxed food I found through Pinterest, and printed them off to make.

 Next I made a piano, starting with a wide flat stick and a sharpie.

 I covered another vitamin box with fabric...

 ... and hot glued on my keyboard and other wood to make the piano.

I made a different piano for my daughter, here.

 Next up was some kitchen furnishings. I started with two soap boxes, a plastic 'sink' from some time we ate out, and paper stove top and oven.

 With my craft knife, I cut out a hole for the sink.

 Then covered in fabric, and added touches, including some clear sticky plastic shelf liner. I sealed it down around the edges with the tip of my hot glue gun so it should never come off. This gave a nice smooth counter top.

 The stove was started the same, cover in fabric...

 ...a little glue to hold the paper in place...

... Then cover in sticky plastic, and seal around the edges.

 They're maybe not the best looking kitchen set, but hey... I made them!

 I missed taking pictures of how I made the table, so I will have to post that another time.

 I printed off miniature music sheet for the piano.

 For how I make furniture, go here.

 Craft blocks and chest from the dollar store become a toy chest.

 And I made matching pillows and blankets for all the beds...

 For how I made the closet, go here.

 And you can turn paper clips into hangers.

Knitted a small blanket for the baby owls.

And the crib I made like I would any child critter bed, but with craft sticks on the sides.

 Tiny bird house from the dollar store becomes a play house for the babies.

I hope a special little girls has many years of fun with this.

And that's it for now!

Happy Crafting!

S.L. Kliever