Everyday Math: Keeping Score with an Abacus

I am always secretly thrilled when I notice the sneaky ways my son is learning and practicing what he knows through play and everyday activities. Have you ever noticed how many learning opportunities can be found in one day? So often, they are the simple things that you could easily overlook. But once seen, these little things can be springboards.

I recently noticed one of these opportunities while playing a card game with R. Game time is a learning opportunity in itself, of course. No matter what game is played, a lesson in sportsmanship is always possible. And because I use game time as a chance to model good behavior for both winning and losing, we often keep score. 

This particular day, R decided to keep score using his abacus. As he moved and counted the beads, I was struck by the learning potential. He was counting and subtracting as he tallied up the score and discovered who was ahead and by how much. This small activity was adding a math element to another part of his day without him even realizing it. 

To take this a step further, I suggested we make each game won worth more points. Instead of each hand being worth one bead, now they were worth two. Who would be the first to get to 20 points? Now he was practicing skip-counting. The abacus is perfect for skip-counting because it's a very hands-on way to practice. And he loved practicing! 

Don't have an abacus? You could keep score on a piece of paper or chalkboard instead. That would be a great reason to practice tally marks!

What are some ways you encourage learning through play?

This post contains affiliate links. To read more about my disclosure policy click here. 

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Discover the Seasons: Color Hunt

A great way to learn more about the seasons is to get out and into nature. We recently investigated spring with a colors of nature color hunt and I'm thrilled to be sharing it over on the Melissa & Doug blog.

This activity is a fantastic way to encourage your kids to pay attention to the details. R was noticing far more than just colors on this nature walk, and observing nature closely was a fun way to learn. We plan to do this each season and compare his findings. 

To find out more about our colors of nature hunt and get the free printable record sheet, please visit  the Colors of Nature Color Hunt post. 

Happy hunting! 

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Ultimate Birthday Bash-Dinosaur Party

I am so thrilled to be joining a few of my favorite bloggers as a part of the Ultimate Birthday Bash from Melissa & Doug. The Ultimate Birthday Bash is delivering fun ideas for themes, party games, food, and so much more! Melissa & Doug is sponsoring my posts on how I plan my son's birthday parties, and you can read more about them below!

I'm pleased to share R's dino birthday party. I kept the party pretty simple, but everyone had so much fun. You can visit these posts to learn more about the decorations, the favor bags, and my stress-free way to handle the birthday party activities!

How to Throw a Dinosaur Birthday Party (Part 1)

DIY Dinosaur Birthday Party Favor Bags (Part 2)

Want more Birthday Bash fun? Click here to see ALL our Birthday resources and tips, AND to enter our special Birthday Bash Giveaway, where you could win $500 to throw the Ultimate Birthday Bash from Melissa & Doug! For even more fun, be sure to check out our Birthday Wishes Pinterest Board!

What are some of your best birthday party tips?

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Kid-Made Plant Markers

We look forward to having a garden each year, and now that spring is here we are beginning to prepare! To get started, we've been crafting up these super easy kid-made plant markers.

My son really enjoyed the process of creating these, and I can't get over how cute and cheery they are.  I can't wait to see lots of these colorful plant markers staking out our fruits and veggies! 

I'm excited to be sharing these over on the Melissa & Doug blog, so if you'd like to find out how your family can make their own, please visit that post for more details.

Do you garden with your kids? What will you be planting?

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President's Day Coin Bingo

Today I want to share a fun activity for Presidents' Day, but this would also be great any other day of the year! Coin bingo! Typically, R isn't a huge fan of learning about money, but he really loved this and benefited from the hands on learning. I'm sharing several ways to play and a printable over on the Melissa & Doug blog. Visit the Presidents' Day Bingo post for more details!

How are your kids learning about the presidents?

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Puzzle Hunt-Counting by 10's

Puzzles are fantastic for learning and they are a great way to spend some time indoors. But did you know that you could make puzzles more exciting? We recently kicked the learning and fun up a notch by throwing in a scavenger hunt and counting.

We received this 100 Piece Solar System Jigsaw Puzzle from Melissa & Doug and I eagerly set to work to create a fun new experience for R while sneaking in some counting by 10's practice. I divided the pieces up into ten separate envelopes and created rhyming clues for all the places I'd hide them.

      

I turned our clues into a printable and simply cut the strips apart to include in the envelopes. Please feel free to use these printables for your own puzzle hunt. My clues were easy and focused on the places in our home rather than the numbers he'd be finding, so you could use the clues for any type of indoor scavenger hunt! I also created a blank clue sheet to share in case you'd like to make up your own. If you'd like either of these printables, just click on the picture, save and print!

Once I had everything set up, I invited R to put together his new solar system puzzle. And oh was he puzzled when he opened up the box and found an envelope instead of the pieces! His confusion turned into excitement as I read the introduction and the first clue.

Here's a fun little game to play! Read the clues and find the pieces along the way. Finding the first clue will be a treat! Look for it where you get something to eat!

He had a blast running through the house to discover where each clue would take him. He would laugh and call out each group of ten, anxious to find all 100 pieces. And this scavenger hunt really had him running all over the house. He found pieces in the refrigerator, on his bed, in his box of musical instruments, and more. He even found one set taped to a mirror!

{Personal embarrassing confession: When he heard the getting dressed clue, he went straight to the dryer. He didn't even think about his dresser, and I have an idea why!}

The next round of fun began as we assembled the beautiful puzzle. R loves outer space and had a great time putting this one together.

Do you have a fun clue or puzzle activity idea? Please share in the comments! 

{Disclosure- This post is sponsored by Melissa & Doug. The opinions expressed are my own and they are honest. I enjoy sharing activity ideas for products my family loves, and I hope that your family can use this idea in your own home. Have fun!}

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Construction Pretend Play Prompt

I put R to work. And he couldn't have been happier! He really enjoyed this construction worker pretend play prompt, and with several simple construction sites to choose from, he played for hours! I'm sharing this post over at the Melissa & Doug blog today, so please visit the link for more details and a printable.

Pretend play is such a vital part of childhood. What are your favorite ways to encourage it?

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{DIY} State Ornaments

Today I'm over at the Melissa & Doug blog sharing this simple and fun craft to honor faraway friends and family this holiday season. Just because we can't be with one another, doesn't mean we aren't thinking of them! These do-it-yourself state ornaments are perfect for remembering loved ones. 

They are fun to make and really promote connecting as a family. They are also easy to create while sneaking in some fun geography practice! For the details on how to create these for yourself, please visit the post at the Melissa & Doug blog.

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Holiday Math Play

The holidays are here and it's hard to focus on anything else! So I created a way to sneak in some math practice with this holiday themed play prompt. This was super simple to put together and encouraged a lot of practicing through play.

The Play Prompt:

This prompt included a few of our favorite manipulatives, so it was sure to be a hit. Magnets and stickers!! We used these magnetic wooden numbers from Melissa & Doug. I adore the wooden toys and learning materials from Melissa & Doug because of their quality, but we also love this set because it's colorful, fun, and includes both numbers and signs. 

I set this prompt up one night and left it on the table for R to find in the morning. I set out the magnets and a metal cookie sheet with a few construction paper backgrounds, as well as a construction paper Christmas tree cut out. I filled a muffin tin with the stickers and craft materials. I added the dice because everything is more fun with dice!

The Play:

R was thrilled when he seen the set up and eagerly got to work. He rolled the dice, chose the corresponding magnetic numbers, and had fun deciding which materials to use. He didn't actually stick the stickers to the page, but rather used them as manipulatives he could move and use over and over. He practiced addition, subtraction, and a few simple equations containing the two.

He added up penguins and subtracted snowflakes. He decorated the Christmas tree and counted out presents to put underneath it. He added cars to his train and put lots of elves to work making toys to fill it. This activity was also great for storytelling and pretend play. He had a blast!

More Ways to Play:

*Just count- This would be fabulous for younger kids. Practice number recognition, one to one correspondence, etc.

*Skip the dice- Dice can be a lot of fun for kids, but you might prefer to call out math facts or supply a separate page with the math facts you'd like your child to practice instead. This would be especially true if you'd like them to practice adding numbers higher than twelve or subtracting from higher than six. 

*Add another die- Use three dice instead of two and work on some simple equations! 

{Disclosure- This is a sponsored post. I was compensated for sharing this idea using the Melissa & Doug magnetic wooden number set, but the views, opinions, and ideas are my own and were not swayed by compensation. I commit to only share products and companies that my family loves. I also try to give anyone reading new ideas for enjoying these great products. I hope that you've found this useful and can incorporate this idea in your home! Thanks so much!}

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Top 10 Gifts to Inspire Creativity

The holidays are here, and if you're like me, you might still be trying to figure out what to get your kids. Each year I carefully contemplate what gifts I'll put under the tree. I like to try to choose gifts that will benefit him as he plays. I want them to inspire creativity, teach him something, and I want them to be fun. So today I'm sharing my top 10 gifts that inspire creativity.

Top 10 Gifts For Inspiring Creativity

{Image Courtesy KiwiCrate.com}

1. Kiwi Crate Subscription- We recently discovered this fantastic service when I was asked to review the December Crate. We both loved it so much that I'm purchasing a subscription for R for Christmas. It's the gift that keeps giving creative arts and crafts projects!

2. An easel- Drawing, painting, writing. Everything is so much more fun if you do it on an easel. Ours renewed R's love of art after a period of it dwindling. 

{Image Courtesy of Melissa&Doug.com}

3. Band In A Box Value Set- When you think of inspiring creativity, please don't forget music! I love this Melissa & Doug musical instrument set. 

4. Dress Up Clothes- Playing dress up is a classic childhood activity with great gift potential. You can buy one costume to add to a collection, or fill a trunk or suitcase with dress up play staples.

{Images Courtesy of Melissa&Doug.com}

5. Puppets- Puppets are perfect for pretend play. Make up your own stories or act out some favorites. You could even do a hilarious stand up comedy act! We love these puppets from Melissa & Doug.

6. Play Dough- Whether it's store-bought or homemade, kids love creating with play dough. This is one of my favorite gifts to give to all the kids I know!

{Image Courtesy of SafariLtd.com}

7. Safari Ltd Toobs and Replicas- Safari Ltd has something for everyone, and there are so many ways to use these toys in play and learning. R has several of the dino toobs and replicas on his list this year.

8. Wooden Blocks- Plain wooden blocks. You can build with them. You can pair them with other toys. You can even pretend they are other toys. Wooden blocks are often play food here.

9. Legos- Ohh, legos. So many possibilities. So much fun. 

10. Fort Building Kit- I'm intrigued by this Fort Magic building kit, but I also love this DIY version! I can just imagine the creative play in both the building and the activities that take place inside. 

What would you add to this list?

{Disclosure- This post contains sponsored and affiliate links, however my opinion was not swayed by product or any potential monetary gain. Most of the products in this list were purchased by me throughout the years, and these are my honest opinions and recommendations. Thank you so much for reading!}

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Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty List and Giveaway

*****{Giveaway Now Closed!}*****

It's no secret that my family loves Melissa & Doug, so our excitement over their Terrific Twenty list isn't really a surprise. But let me tell you why you should be excited too!

Melissa & Doug has compiled the "best of the best" gifts for this season in one convenient list, and to celebrate they are hosting a "20 Days of Terrific Twenty" Giveaway on their Facebook page. You can visit their Facebook page each day for a chance to win a toy that has been featured in their 2012 holiday gift guide. Be sure to "like" them on Facebook to get the news on all of their many promotions and giveaways.

And that's not all! Melissa & Doug has graciously offered to give one Childhood Beckons reader their choice of prize from the Terrific Twenty list. Are you excited?! Yay for my first ever giveaway and yay for whoever wins it!

The Giveaway

This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only and it will run from today until 11/18/12 at 11 PM CST. I will then randomly select a winner using a number generator. I'll email the winner and they have 48 hours to respond. If the winner fails to respond within the 48 hours, I will choose a new winner at random.

Entering is easy! {Please keep in mind that by entering you are agreeing to my giveaway rules.}

Mandatory Entry- Leave a comment letting me know which toy from the Terrific Twenty list you would choose if you win. Also be sure to include your email address with this comment so I have a way to notify you if you win. 

Additional Entries- These are not mandatory, but are additional entries for more chances to win. You can do one, or all of these after you have completed the mandatory entry. Please include your email with each additional entry.

• Leave a comment stating your child's current favorite Melissa & Doug toy. 
• Leave a comment sharing a gift you are planning to give this year. 
• Pin this post to your boards on Pinterest and share the link to your pin in the comments section. (Good for one entry.)
• Tweet about this giveaway and post the link of your tweet in the comments section of this post. {You can do this once daily until the end of the giveaway.}

Good luck to everyone! Thank you so much for reading and participating. And don't forget that you have a chance to win daily over on the Melissa & Doug Facebook page!

{Disclosure- I was given a product from the Terrific Twenty list for my participation in this giveaway. The views and opinions expressed are my own and were not swayed by any compensation. I am a huge fan of Melissa & Doug and support them wholeheartedly. I will only share companies and products that I believe in.}

*****{Giveaway Now Closed!}*****

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Nurture Connections- Fun Mailbox Ideas

Connecting with your kids can be made difficult with crazy work schedules, classes, and volunteer schedules. I know this because I have witnessed it in my own home. My husband is a wonderful father, and R absolutely adores him, but the past few months have been a very busy time for him, while he attempts to juggle everything. I can see the affect it has on the days where he might only get 15 minutes with R. And I know a lot of families have hurdles to jump as well. This busy time will only last a couple more weeks (thankfully!), but we have a system in place that helps us through this time. And even when things calm down, it will be a fun thing to continue.

Melissa & Doug's My Own Mailbox Classic Toy makes those long days easier. And fun! And now you can get it personalized for only $1.99 (along with many other fantastic Melissa & Doug toys)! Personalizing makes any gift that much more special and Melissa & Doug has rolled out this new feature just in time for the holidays! This mailbox toy is a ton of fun by itself and is great for encouraging creative play. R loves playing with his very own mailbox, and he really looks forward to the days where he has an extra special surprise waiting for him. He also takes pride in creating and leaving surprises of his own. This really allows them to nurture the connection when they can't spend as much time together.

R's daddy leaves him notes in the morning, and sometimes in the afternoons when he comes home and has to leave again. He might also include an extra trinket some days. I help R read the notes and then write notes of his own.

This system is fantastic because it would work with children of all ages. If your children are too young to write their own notes, you could write them as they dictate. Or they could create pictures to include. Is your family not as busy as mine? Is it busier? This is great for any time someone spends time away from home. I encourage you to give it a try and to tailor it to your family.

Fun Ideas

• Cards- The Melissa & Doug mailbox comes with reusable little cards that R loves, but I know we'll get some cute and funny dollar store cards to use as well.
• Artwork- R loves drawing pictures for his daddy, but also loves receiving hilarious little drawings.
• Personalized Pictures- Take a picture holding a sign that says "I love you" or another sweet message. An adult could add the picture to a small frame, or print them off wallet size so the parent can take it with them everywhere. 
• Stickers- Whether it's a pack, or just a couple stickers from a quarter machine, stickers are a fantastic little surprise.
• Coupons- For family time! Do you know that you have some time to give your undivided attention? Build the anticipation by dropping a little coupon in that morning. They'll be looking forward to family time the rest of the day. 
• Trinkets- A quarter machine toy or a special rock. 
• Treasure Hunt Clue- Leave the first clue for a treasure hunt.
• Movie or Event Tickets- Another way to build anticipation is to leave tickets to a movie they've been wanting to see, or an event they've been wanting to go to. 
• Candy- Candy is always a special treat! 
• Jokes- This is fun for everyone and a great way to start (or end!) the day with a smile.

What would you add to this list?

{Disclosure- I received Melissa & Doug product for this post. The opinions and ideas are my own. I will only recommend products that my family uses and loves.}

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10 Kids Club Birthday Freebies

Many companies have special offers just for kids on their birthdays! These companies offer to send your child a special treat to help them celebrate their big day. It could be a coupon, a product, or a service, and all you need to do is complete a short sign up form.  Sign up for one, or for many! 

Birthday Freebies

1.Melissa & Doug- This favorite goes above and beyond by not only sending you a free 15% off coupon for your child's birthday, but your birthday as well! Also, receive 10% off of your next purchase just for signing up. Signing up will also make sure you get the current news, offers, and promotions first.

2. Toys R Us- This company really goes all out for your child's birthday. They will receive a card and gift from Geoffery the giraffe every year until they are ten. You can also opt for your child to receive a special call from Geoffery, or have an in store celebration complete with crown, balloon, and announcement. Wow!

3. Barnes And Noble- Sign up for the B&N Kids Club and your child will receive a free cupcake from the Barnes And Noble cafe. Signing up also gets you 30% off of list price on one kids' book or toy, a $5 reward for ever $100 dollars you spend on kids' stuff, and a monthly newsletter with even more savings. 

4. Kmart- Free $5 birthday bucks and a birthday fun pack with surprise gifts.

5. Chuck E. Cheese's- Sign up to receive free tokens for your child's birthday and get access to rewards calendars that are worth more tokens.

6. Sonic- Free wacky pack kids meal for children 12 years and younger

7. Baskin Robbins- Get a free ice cream voucher in your email plus a special discount on a birthday cake.

8. Burger King- Receive a coupon for a free hamburger kids meal in your email inbox. This is for registered children younger than thirteen. 

9. Captain D's- Children 12 and younger can sign up to receive a greeting and a coupon for a free kids meal.

10. Red Robin- Get a free burger on your birthday.

Does your family have a favorite birthday kids club? Please share it in the comments section of this post.

{Did you enjoy this post? Don't miss out on any of the fun! Please consider subscribing or following me on Facebook for future updates. Thank you so much for reading.}

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African Safari with Whittle World

We value creative play and I'm always on the look out for toys that promote creative play. I've had my eye on the Whittle World line for some time now, so I was ecstatic when Melissa & Doug sent me the Whittle World Airplane and Luggage Carrier Set to review. (By the way, I honestly cannot say "Whittle World" without giggling. Genius name! Get it?)

These toys are absolutely fantastic. R was excited to play with them and immediately made up several of his own pretend play scenarios. I love that this set can encourage play to go in many different directions. And the quality is impressive. I can see R happily playing with them for years to come. 

These toys do not require any fancy set up. Your child's imagination will be enough! But I thought it would be nice to help set up a special activity based on R's love for animals. 

I was thinking a safari trip to Africa was in order! R loved the idea and was eager to help as we turned a box into the African plains. We kept it simple, and covered the box in green tissue paper. We made a tissue paper watering hole and added a few other details with construction paper. We also made a couple trees from paper lunch bags and bits of tissue paper. For the animals, we colored coloring pages from here, here, and here. We cut the animals out and I made a stand from poster board for each one. This allows the animals to stand upright and be easily moved. We had so much fun working on this project together, and the fun was just beginning!

All of the little people boarded the plane. Their luggage was loaded on, and the pilot announced their take off. Zoom! They're off! R made the sound effects as he flew the plane around and around. This was an activity in itself!

But after a long flight, it was finally time to land. The little people began their African safari and had a blast taking pictures of the animals. One man swam with a hippo, while another narrowly escaped being charged by a rhino! He played and played until it was time to go inside and put his toys away. 

This was really three activities rolled into one! He's already brainstorming more small world scenes for his imaginative play, and I'm brainstorming more ways to use these toys as learning tools. Everyone is happy. 

{Disclosure- I received this Whittle World Airplane and Luggage Carrier Set from Melissa & Doug for review. I was not compensated in any other way and the views and opinions expressed here are both honest and my own. We plan on *purchasing* the other sets. I'm thinking Christmas? Shh!}

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Camp Sunny Patch: Puppet Show Comedy Hour

Have you been following along with Camp Sunny Patch? R and I had so much fun putting a spin on the talent show activity in session 6. Since R has been practicing telling jokes and honing his talent for comedy, we decided to do a puppet show comedy hour! 

To get the details and a few ideas (and jokes) for your own puppet show comedy hour, you can visit my post on the Melissa and Doug blog. 

While you're there, I hope you'll take a look around and get caught up on any activities you might have missed. Camp Sunny Patch is full of backyard fun ideas. And awesome giveaways!

Stopping by from Melissa & Doug? Please take a look around! You can subscribe to my feed or follow me on Facebook for future updates. 

{Disclosure- I was compensated to be a part of Camp Sunny Patch. The views and opinions expressed are my own.}

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Summer Fun with Camp Sunny Patch

I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that I was recently asked by Melissa & Doug to be an honorary camp counselor at Camp Sunny Patch. I said yes, of course! My family adores Melissa & Doug's quality toys because they really encourage creative play. So it is an honor to be working with such a fantastic company that I truly support and believe in. 

What is Camp Sunny Patch?

Camp Sunny Patch is Melissa & Doug's first ever virtual summer camp. And it's a blast! Each week, one of the incredible Melissa & Doug blog ambassadors share a creative themed activity that is sure to inspire. And it's free! To participate, just be sure to visit the Melissa & Doug blog or sign up for the email updates.

Each month you can print out an activity calendar to keep track of the fun you've had and to anticipate the fun to come! Then visit the Melissa & Doug blog on each Monday to find out more about that week's activity. They even have printable versions!

Check back on Thursdays for the printable badge to show completion on your calendars. Not only will your kids love filling up their posters, but every printable badge comes with a fun coloring or activity page to go along with that week's theme. 

Have you missed the beginning of camp? No problem! Jump in now and start playing! If you'd like to take advantage of the activities you've missed, there's no rules about having twice the fun each week until you catch up! Visit the Camp Sunny Patch guide to see what you've missed. 

You Can Win!

Not only are they sending out free summer fun ideas, but Melissa & Doug are also sending out prizes! These are awesome prizes and they are giving you a couple of ways to win! 

Follow Melissa & Doug on Facebook and get alerted to special giveaways and contests. There's been a Camp Sunny Patch winner every week! Just like them on Facebook and click on the Camp Sunny Patch tab at the top of the page. Fill out the form and you're entered to win!

Are you on Twitter? Tweet about Camp Sunny Patch and you could win $50 worth of Camp Sunny Patch toys! They draw a new winner each Friday! Go here for the details on what to tweet and how to win.

Camp Sunny Patch Community

Have I mentioned that I'm thrilled to be a part of the Camp Sunny Patch Community? Because I am! As an honorary camp counselor, I get to write about my family's little twist on one of July's activities. I'll be sharing it over at the Melissa & Doug blog, but don't worry! I'll be sure to share the post here when it's time!

So please join me in a summer full of fun with Melissa & Doug!


{Disclosure: I am being compensated by Melissa & Doug for my participation in Camp Sunny Patch. However, the views and opinions expressed in this post are my own and were not influenced by the compensation I will receive. I really do love them that much!}

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