{Checking Out} and Tracking Books to Read...

I always love to have a reading list of books I want to read and usually have quite the stack.  I find that in the summer I read more often, probably because I have more time.  Although I think I'm more of a book collector than reader...LOL!  

The notes pages in the back of my Erin Condren planner are perfect for tracking what books I WANT to read and what books I actually end up reading!  I used this hexagon section to track books I want to read.  

I used one of the lined notes pages to adhere this cute printable.  Here I keep track of the books I actually read.  I should be through more of them by now with all my extra time but somehow I'm not!  Oh well, I have ALL summer!

Here are some free printables if you are interested in creating a similar page...option 1, option 2 & option 3!

With our current pandemic circumstances how do you get the books you want to read or any books at all?  I don't like to buy every book I read.  I usually utilize the local library.  I know most libraries are currently closed but our local library is going to offer curbside pickup very soon!  They also have digital downloads available from their online catalog. 

You can also check your town for little libraries.  These are stand alone structures that usually look like giant bird houses...lol!  The idea is to take a book when you need one, but also to leave a book when you can.  We have one in our subdivision.  Plus there are several more in the neighboring town.  Not all little libraries are registered but you can try searching for some in your area here.

Some other ideas to get books are borrow from friends via porch drop offs and/or check Google and Amazon for free downloads. I also love checking the Dollar Tree. If you are venturing out, they sometimes have great titles for only a buck!

What's currently on your to read list?

Summer Schedule

This is the last week of school for my daughter.  She is in 6th grade and can pretty much take care of her school work all on her own.  She has been really good at getting online and making herself a checklist of what she needs to accomplish each day.  I just check in to make sure she gets to her zooms on time and has everything completed.

It has been so good to have a "schedule" of sorts to get school done at home.  I was so glad when she came up with the idea of a summer schedule!  She created this all on her own and I was so proud!  I just helped her laminate the sheet after she created it.  This way she can use a dry erase marker and check off the items once she's completed them each day.  

She is taking a couple honors classes next year that will have summer work, so that is the math and ELA on the chart.  Then she also needs to practice piano and read every day.  The "jar" idea was also hers.  Basically like an "I'm bored" jar.  

She cut a bunch of strips of paper and wrote ideas of things to do each day.  Some examples of items on her papers were...

Bake

Scrapbook

Write a chapter

Diamond art

Recorder

Make bracelets

Spiral graph

Make slime

Draw & Color

Sew

Make a painting

She has multiples of each one, with enough strips for one each day of summer.  

I'm really proud of her for coming up with this.  I think having a plan each day will help the summer go more smoothly.  I love having a schedule and not having to come up with something everyday or worry about wasting time on electronics all day!  This is especially helpful this year with not being able to get out like usual.  Do you have a summer plan yet?  Get your child involved and see what ideas they might have!

{Superhero} Preschool Unit...

Last week was our last week of preschool.  Our topic was SUPERHEROES!  Here are a few ideas from our unit that your kiddo might enjoy.  These are great if you need some activities to keep them busy and learning!  I hope you have a SUPER start to your summer!

Remember that God’s Love is Super!   1 John 4:12: No one has ever seen GOD;  but if we LOVE one another, GOD lives in us and his LOVE is made complete in us.

Shield painting – Print this super hero shield.  Use a white crayon and write “God’s Love is Super” inside the shield.  Then let your child use watercolor paints to fill in the shield.  The secret message in white crayon will resist the paint and reveal the wonderful message!

Super Hero - Print this coloring page.  There is a girl and boy, print the one that is appropriate for your child.  Then have them color it how they would look as a super hero.  When they are done, ask them “what their super power would be” and fill it in on the line provided. 

Build a city – Use any kind of blocks you have to build a city.  Then grab some super hero figures or any kind of figures and have them guard and protect the city. 

Super Hero Counting - Print this page of numbers and the super hero count pages.  Have your child cut out the numbers.  Then count the super heroes and find the number that matches.  Glue the matching number in the box beside the super hero.   Have them do the first super hero page, then the second if they need more of a challenge.

Make a mask – Print out the page and have your child decorate the mask they like best.  They could use crayons, markers, stickers, etc.  Then help them cut it out.  They should be able to cut around the outside, you cut out the holes for their eyes.  Then punch holes to add string for tying it on. 

image from The Show Me Librarian

Super Hero cuffs – Give your child a toilet paper tube.  Let them decorate it with markers or paint but you’ll have to wait for it to dry.  Then cut the tube in half, creating two pieces of tube.  Then cut a slit up one side of the tube, creating a cuff the child can open and get around their wrists. 

Pretend to be a super hero – Use your mask and cuffs to pretend to be a super hero.  If you have a cape, put that on too.  Or make one with a blanket or towel. 

Super Hero training - Set up a wall of boxes to run and knock down. Blow bubbles with your super breath.  Toss some paper wads or small items into the yard or on the floor and have your little hero pick them up with tongs and put them in a bucket or box-- that's getting rid of the meteorite chunks that could weaken our hero.  Don't forget to practice flying and super spins while you're at it!

Books…

How to Be a SuperHero by Sue Fliess

Super Duck by Jez Alborough

SUPERTRUCK by Stephen Savage

Songs…

God’s Love is So Wonderful

Let’s Be Superheroes

My planner style...

Last week brought the release of the new Erin Condren planners and the dilemma of what style to go with.  I am currently a vertical, colorful fan!  I have also been using the daily petite and loving it.  When I saw the new Daily Duo option, which is a spiral daily planner, I was intrigued.  I debated over whether to make the switch or not.  Ultimately I decided to stay with the vertical because I love having the weekly view.

So I decided to see if there was a way I could rework the use of my vertical planner to bring in some aspects I liked from the daily.  Previously I have been using my vertical boxes as (top) morning, (middle) afternoon, (bottom) evening.  

In my petite daily I had been using the three sections as appointments, to-do's and hobby.  I have really been liking the listing area.  I loved all the space to jot down things to do and ideas I have.  I just wanted to try and keep it all in one planner instead of two.

So I decided to try it out now instead of waiting for my new planner!  I put appointments at the top, to-do's in the middle and hobby at the bottom.  On the side, I'm writing things I need to do this week that don't have a specific day.  Then I can plug them in where I decide to do them.  I'm still keeping my dinner ideas at the bottom of each day, in the shaded area.  

So far I'm really loving this!  I basically fill in all my appointments at the beginning of the week, then can fill in my to do's and hobby items as I go.  I get to keep my weekly layout that I love, plus incorporate a daily style as well.  

I LOVE that these planners are so versatile.  What works for me, someone else might use in a totally different way.   For more planner inspiration join us over on our Simple Organized Erin Condren Planner Facebook Page!

Also, if you are in the market for a planner, you can SAVE $10 of your first Erin Condren purchase with our referral link.    

Helping you make planning simple!

{Summer Fun} Preschool Unit...

Can you believe that summer is almost here?!  We are going to do some fun activities to get us ready for summer!   I'd love to hear what you love to do in the summer.  I love to travel and spend lots of time with family!

Bible Story – This week we are talking about Joshua and the wall of Jericho.  In the Google doc you will find a coloring page, bible story, discussion questions, building activity and a game!  Here is a video of the bible story you can watch with your kiddos.  Also, there is a Veggie Tale episode of Joshua that is longer if you are interested!

Picnic plate – Give your child a white paper plate or cut a large circle out of white paper if you don’t have any paper plates.  Then guide them to draw a picnic lunch on the plate.  Draw an apple (red circle, with a line stem), sandwich (brown square) and baby carrots (orange ovals or triangles). 

Block letter initial – Draw or print a large block letter of your child’s first name.  Then have your child fill it in.  They can color it in with markers, crayons, dot markers, watercolor OR use stickers, rip and glue paper, etc.

Color sort – If you have play food, let your child sort it by color.  If you don’t have play food, you can use blocks, cars, buttons, lids, etc.  Draw 6 circles on the rainbow colors of paper (or however many different colored items you have for sorting) and have your child cut them out.  Then have them sort the colorful items you gathered onto the matching color circle.

 

Have a picnic – Make a special lunch or dinner and have a picnic with your family.  Take a blanket outside if it’s nice or have it inside!  My daughter always thought it was fun when I made a food board and had a picnic in the house!

Donut – Let’s make a donut!  Print this donut template.  Then fold in half, directly in the middle of the donut.  This will make it easy for your child to cut it, inside and out.  Then open the donut and have your child color it.  You can also have them paint on some icing, even glue on sprinkles (real or paper).  You can adapt it to the supplies you have and what you want your child to use.   

image from Pinterest

Which Has More? – Print this activity and cut apart.  Then have your child count the sprinkles on each set of 2 donuts.  Have them tell you which one has more sprinkles.  They can even clip a clothespin on the one that has more or just point to it. 

Donut matching – This is a game on abcya.com where the child is asked to pick which donuts are the same or which ones are different. 

Fine motor – Thread fruit loops or other holed cereal onto spaghetti stuck into play dough.

Shape search – Print the worksheet and have your kids find all the triangles in the beach picture, coloring each one.

What to wear? – Print the worksheet and have your child circle the items they would wear on a trip to the beach.  (If you slide the paper in a gallon Ziploc bag or page protector they can use a dry erase marker.  Then they can do this activity multiple times, even changing to what you would pack for a winter trip.)

Coloring pages – Chose as many of these coloring pages as you’d like.  You can use different mediums if you choose to do them all.  Use crayons on one, watercolor one, use markers on one, etc.  Page 1…Swimming fun, page 2…BBQ grilling, page 3…Dog in the pool, page 4…beach volleyball

Sidewalk chalk – This website has so many fun ideas from chalk ice cubes to foam paint to spray paint!

Ice cube transfer – You just need two containers, ice, water and a large spoon!  Kids have so much fun, scooping the ice cubes and transferring them to the water and back. 

Fizzy Rainbow Science – If you have baking soda and vinegar you can do this activity.    Give your kids a tray of baking soda and let them explore it first, smell it, touch it, draw shapes in it.  Then let them drop the vinegar/color mixture in and see what happens!  Using a medicine dropper is great fine motor activity.

image from Play to Learn Preschool

Flip flop balloon pop - We have done something similar before where you blow up a balloon and have your child try to keep it in the air.  This time I want them to hold a flip flop and keep the balloon bouncing up in the air.  

Books…

We’re Going on a Picnic! By Pat Hutchins

If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

Please Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner

Songs…

Five Hungry Ants

Boom Chicka Boom Summer Dance Song

Jesus Loves the Little Ones