Education

Back-to-School Traditions for You to Start

August 21, 2021 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

There are many different feelings associated with that back-to-school time of year. Whether you dread it or love it, there are ways to make it more fun and meaningful for the whole family. Back to school traditions provide positive associations that can ease the transition for your kids, year after year. Here are some back to school traditions to start!

Back To School Traditions

Help kids in need

While you’re filling backpacks for your own kids, start a tradition to fill up a backpack or two to donate to a local shelter or low-income school. There are so many kids who don’t have the supplies they need. Make it a fun tradition to let your kids plan out what needs to go in the backpack, and then let them help you shop.

Have a back-to-school feast

Many families enjoy holding a back-to-school feast for the whole family to celebrate all the good things the new school year holds. This can be done the night before, or the evening of the first day. It’s a time to make the kids feel special and let them share how the first day went. Let them help plan the menu. You can even toast to a fun year with non-alcoholic sparkling cider!

Personalized pencils

Another fun way to celebrate the start of a new school year is to give your kids personalized pencils. You can order them at Amazon for less than $1 per pencil. Your kids will enjoy having their own, clearly marked pencils to start each year.

Parents only

This is a fun one for parents–once the kids are off on the first day, celebrate with a parents-only breakfast. Whether you go out to your favorite brunch spot or just enjoy some time on the patio, it’s a great way kick off your first kid-free hours. No one will argue that you deserve it!

Before you go, check out this post on super simple tips for school picture day!

Super Simple Tips for School Picture Day

July 3, 2021 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Picture day tips should make your life as a parent a lot easier and also help your child feel their best. Think back to how many times you have looked at your school pictures and cringed. You would have loved these tips.

Picture Day Tips

I’m a full time teacher when I’m not blogging. One of the unexpected roles that comes along with teaching is that of a hair and clothing stylist when it comes to school photos. I’m constantly asked to fix fancy hairdos and pull magic tricks to clean clothes that have become dirty throughout the day. I can’t claim any special skills but, nevertheless, parents ask me questions every year like I’m some kind of Nat Geo photographer or something.

I decided to be one step ahead of the questions this year and do some research on the FAQs I hear most often. Here are super simple tips for school picture day.

Picture Day Tips-Outfits

Help your child select clothing that will compliment their appearance. You want the focus of the picture to be your child, not loud colors, symbols, or slogans. Keep jewelry to a minimum for the same reasons. Also, don’t count on head or torso shots only. Many photography companies are now including body shots with their products.

Cute young man dressed for school pictures.

Glasses

Glasses are completely fine to wear for picture day! Professional photographers have learned how to work some magic when it comes to reducing glare and flash. And besides, if your child wears glasses, they will feel more comfortable wearing them for the photo.

Hair

Hair is probably the topic of 70% of the questions I answer for parents about picture day. Students can technically style their hair any way they’d like so long as it meets school dress code standards, but it’s recommended that you help your child look their best. Keep it simple but also well thought out. Leave the crazy, silly hairdos at home, especially in today’s digital world where you can take fun photos any other time you’d like. Depending on how your child’s hair grows, you might want to consider getting a haircut a week or so ahead of time to allow hair to grow back to a more natural look.

Picture Day Tips- Kids

It happens every year… a parent is so worried about their child’s pictures that the child becomes anxious as well. And trust me when I say that those nerves show up on camera every. single. time. Of course school pictures are meant to be more on the serious side, but there’s always makeup picture day or even photos simply taken at home on the same day. Do you best to plan for picture day and remind your child just to smile and have fun. Smiles, not strained “perfection”, always win out in the end!

Picture Day Tips-Lunch

There should just be a rule that states that school pictures must be taken in the mornings before any recesses or lunch. If only that were practical in every situation. But as it’s not and some photos end up being taken after lunch, it’s best to take some meal time precautions. Pack a lunch free of any foods that commonly get stuck in teeth. Examples of no-go foods include broccoli, carrots, popcorn, beans, corn, orange, juices, and anything chocolate, (which has an uncanny way of showing up on faces on picture day). Stick with softer foods and items free of skins and seeds.

Skip the Makeup

It seems like every year there are girls in younger and younger grades who are wearing makeup as a serious part of their look. You’d think these kids were going to prom or something! While it’s cute for little girls to play dress up or take glamour shots, it’s really not necessary for anyone below 6th grade to wear cover up. What is there even to cover up?! Imperfections and flaws are PART of a child’s look. They’re part of the charm and cuteness of being a KID!

Young girl wearing make up. School picture day tips.

Now you know these picture day tips, read here for more back to school tips, and here for customizing your child’s school notebooks.

12 Science Experiments You Can Eat

September 16, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Get ready to have fun and eat it too with edible science experiments for kids! Knock out learning time, fun time and snack time in one fell blow. Your kids will be amazed!

Challenging your children's mind doesn't have to be boring. Kids love to learn and it is even better when they can eat what they have created. Read on for more info about these edible science projects for kids. They are easy and can be done at home. #scienceexperiements #ediblescienceprojects #educationforkids #educationathome #halfpintpeepsblog

12 Edible Science Experiments for Kids

At Home

Peanut Butter Playdough

This edible playdough means you can play with your peanut butter and eat it too. Any time you mix ingredients to form a new texture, it’s an easy way to talk about chemistry. For this recipe you need:

Rock & Crystals

Learn about crystals and how they form before making your own rock candy.

Popcorn Experiments You Can Eat

How does popcorn come from corn on the cob? Discuss this and so much more about the wonders of popcorn all while you enjoy it straight from the bag.

Easy Edible Science Experiments for Kids

Metamorphic Starbursts

Teach your kids about metamorphic rocks and the rock cycle–with Starburst candies! Press warm Starbursts together to teach about rock layers. Use a different color Starburst for each layer to help the kids visualize it.

Moon Cycle Cookies

Learning the different phases of the moon cycle doesn’t get much tastier than this! Carve (orrr…lick) the frosting on black and white sandwich cookies to illustrate the 8 phases of the moon.

Gummy Bear Genetics

Understanding genetics just got unbearable fun! Use different colored gummy bears to show how genes are passed from one generation to the next.

Solar Oven S’mores

Pizza boxes, aluminum foil and cling wrap make this melty experiment about heat and energy. Solar oven s’mores are always a hot project in my classroom and I keep going back for s’more year after year!

Floating S-Kittles

Teach children about the Scientific Method. Make predictions by watching the S magically float off candy Skittles. I LOVE the reaction this experiment gets from kids (and me too)!

Gum Drop Engineering

Kids love to put their engineering hats on with this gum drop experiment. Build structures with toothpicks and gum drops. Spaghetti or cooking skewers work in place of toothpicks if you want to build taller structures.

Cookie Erosion

Using cookies and few “excavating” tools will have the process of weathering play out right before your eyes. No eroding brains around here!

DIY Edible Science Projects For Kids

Homemade Butter

One of my students’ favorite science lessons each year is making cream turn into butter. They love watching the transformation as they take turns shaking a jar full of cream. They especially love sampling the butter on fresh bread at the end! Michaels sells mason jars in any size and shape you need.

Jelly Bean Solubility

Dissolving jelly beans in various liquids is a fun way to put some extra spring into your scientific endeavors. Which liquids dissolve the jelly beans the fastest? Why?

Did you enjoy these edible science experiments for kids? Since you’re already here…check out these other fun science projects for kids:

20 Teacher-Tested Science Projects for Kids

Valentines Day Science Experiments for All Kids

How to Make A Kid-Approved Lava Lamp In 3 Groovy Steps

August 31, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Science is one of my favorite activities to teach. This surprises me because as a child, science and I did not play nicely. I always felt one step behind or, sadly, just bored. For as much as there are some who don’t like the Common Core as it is applied in public education, I personally find much value in these curriculum standards as a teacher. I feel that they set a precedence in classrooms that helps bring learning away from worksheets and into hands-on learning. One of my favorite science experiments to conduct with my students (and theirs as well!!) is to make lava lamps. They are really simple to make and are a great way to get kids excited about science! Here’s how to make a lava lamp in 3 groovy steps.

How To Make A Lava Lamp

Gather Materials

Before you get started, you’ll need to gather some (simple) materials:

Cooking Oil (Canola or Vegetable work just the same)
Food Coloring (liquid, not gel)
An Empty Water Bottle or Glass Jar (the more unusual the shape, the better!)
Water (of the liquid sort)
Fizzing Antacid Tablets such as Alka-Seltzer (as many as you’d like to keep you entertained)

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Learning Topics

I don’t like teaching something in my classroom just to pass time or because it “looks fun”. We always have a learning objective. Here are some ideas of topics you can teach your children with your lava lamp experiment:

Use senses to make and record observations and interpretations of data.
Identify properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
Investigate and record changes to the properties of matter.
Investigate and record the interactions between liquids, solids, and gases.
Practice measuring and calculating math with metric units (HUGE concept for 3rd graders!).
Conduct “next steps” experiments. In other words, what else could you do to this experiment to possibly change the outcome? Have children record their hypotheses and outcomes/data. (Suggested Next Step: Use a glow stick instead of food coloring. Crack the glow stick, cut off the top, and empty the gel into the water bottle).

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Image

Step 1

Fill your empty bottle or jar about 1/2-2/3 of the way with the cooking oil and the rest of the way with water. BE SURE to leave about an inch of air at the top. Image.

Step 2

Add 10 drops of food coloring. Warning: May require some patience as the food coloring makes its way through the oil and water. Image.

Step 3

Break the Alka-Seltzer tablet(s) into quarters or halves. We like to “go big” in my classroom so we go with half a tablet at once. Then just watch and be dazzled! The food coloring will start “erupting” all sorts of grooviness in your bottle! Kids have so much fun watching the the food coloring as it bubbles and moves. As soon as the Alka-Seltzer has dissolved, you can add more or more for as long as you’d like. Image.

Now that you know how to make a lava lamp, it’s time to get started! For more fun ideas to do with your kiddos, check out my post on seriously cool 5 minute science projects for kids!

Kids’ Board Games For Bored Kids

July 24, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Kids’ board games always take care of bored kids. If you have some restless children, read on to learn about games that work for all ages.

Board games were a vital part of social life back in the day. Now, they have largely been replaced by electronic games and TV. What electronic games and TV lack is the social interaction of board games. So, get your kids back on that track with board games they will not only love, but will learn the forgotten skill of social interaction! #halfpintpeepsblog #kidsboardgames #funboardgamesforkids

Are you one of the many parents these days who are rethinking all the time your kids spend in front of a screen? This post is especially for you! Summer time is prime time for bored kids, but you don’t have to give in to too much screen time to keep them entertained.

A much better option is board games. And if it’s educational as well, then bonus! Check out these kids’ board games. All are fun, educational, and highly rated. No more bored kids!

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Raz-Kids Will Keep Your Kids Reading This Summer

July 16, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Today I want to introduce you to an awesome educational website for kids. Raz-Kids is an award-winning resource that helps kids from kindergarten through 5th grade improve their reading skills.

All parents know the importance of reading and often have to work hard to motivate their kids to pick up a book. Well, thanks to raz-kids, you might not have to spend so much energy arguing about it. Read on to learn more about the site and how they can motivate your child to read. #razkids #educationalwebsitesforkids #summerreadingprogram #halfpintpeepsblog

It can be hard to keep your kids reading over the summer, but with Raz-Kids it’s easy to provide them with interactive eBooks at just the right reading level for them! After you see what this program is about, just click one of the included links that make it easy to check it out for yourself.

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