Choosing Best Kids' Toys and Christmas Presents

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is buying gifts for kids. I love choosing toys, but I'm very picky. I demand that toy gifts I buy have some intrinsic educational value. And there are a lot of junk toys on the market. How do you wade through the chaff to find the best gifts for kids? Focus on interactive, active and hands-on. Avoid anything with a screen and battery! Here's the complete guide from a 25-year veteran teacher and 24-year mom of four.  Read more

Free Printable One Direction Coloring Pages, Games, Online Activities

"One Direction" is an uber-hot new boy band from the United Kingdom. The group consists of five young men: Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Harry Styles. One Direction is best known for their songs: "One Thing","Live While We're Young" and "What Makes You Beautiful." Their dance-pop music and trendy, gangnam dress style makes them very popular with tweens and teens. Looking for free printable activities based on One Direction? Here are coloring pages, games, crafts and puzzles featuring the lads.  Read more

Free Printable Toddler Activities, Websites

Need to keep an energetic toddler occupied so you can get your holiday preparation underway? Here are 15 safe, school approved websites for young children. These sites are child-friendly, family-oriented and have lots of educational games and free printable activities for young learners. read more

Free Health Games, Printable Food Journals, Exercise Trackers

I don't know about you, but I find tracking my weight, counting calories and monitoring exercise boring. And I'm an adult. I feel sorry for kids trying to lose weight or improve fitness levels. But we're seeing the terrible toll that juvenile obesity is wreaking on our youth. Improved health, nutrition and exercise are crucial. What if we could address these health concerns in a fun, non-threatening way? How about about making them into games? Games make everything more fun (and less onerous!) Here are links for free online health activities written at kid level. They offer free printable food journals, online fitness trackers and nutrition planning tools. Websites are kid-friendly with games, quizzes, interactive activities and graphic cartoon novels. Geared for elementary to high school age kids, these programs teach self-sufficiency and basic life skills related to health.  read on

Free Thanksgiving Crafts for After Dinner Game Time

I've got admit--Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year. Oh I love Christmas and maybe it's the anticipation of those winter holidays that's part of what I love. But Thanksgiving has a je ne ce quoi all it's own.

Why not celebrate this joyous time by making cut and paste Thanksgiving crafts? Use with seniors in nursing homes, in day care, in school, church groups and with kids at home. How about free printable holiday crafts? Print turkeys, pilgrims, harvest, pumpkins for Thanksgiving cut and paste crafts. Keep busy hands and minds active making decorations, coloring pages, place cards, Thanksgiving greeting cards and thank-you notes. Need a child-minder for game time? Bust out these crafts, plus some scissors glue and crayons. Then sit back and enjoy the Rose Bowl (or whatever that game is? I'm not a sports fan :) Here are Printable Thanksgiving Crafts

Free Printable Diwali Games, Hindu Games

Diwali is the Hindu new year "festival of lights." Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains. Diwali honors the deities of Lakshmi (goddess of prosperity) and Ganesha, the elephant-headed goddess (shown left). For five days, prayers and meditation, called puja (or pooja) are said. Diwali 2012 will be observed on November 13-17 in the western calendar. In the Indian calendar, Diwali is celebrated in late Ashwin (September-October) and ends in early Kartika, around October-November. Diwali is a time of feasting and fun. Here printable games to enjoy during this most festive season. Free Printable Diwali Games, Hindu Activities 

Free Printable Thanksgiving Word Games

Thanksgiving reminds me of family and how richly blessed I am. I also remember past Thanksgiving celebrations homeschooling my kids and with students I've taught. From special needs, to Montessori, from preschool to adult education classrooms. I always connect curriculum to the current season or holiday. Around Thanksgiving, we study American history, exploration, settlement, world religions, native American cultures and early technology. At our holiday parties, we play seasonal themed games. In 26 years teaching, I've made loads of games, puzzles, word searches, crossword puzzles, matching games etc. I use these games to connect lessons and content. Word games and puzzles also make excellent non-traditional tests. Happily, the internet provides us with all the free printables we could want. Here are links for  Free Printable Thanksgiving Party Puzzles and Word Games