FUN activities with plastic Easter eggs and jelly beans

Easter time provides several opportunities for hands-on learning activities. This week on FOX 4's Mom Squad, I share plenty of ways to use plastic Easter eggs and jelly beans to make learning FUN!

Watch the full segment to learn how to use these materials for reviewing these skills: colors

alphabet

opposites

patterns

numbers

estimation

graphing

probability

statistics

spelling words

solving math problems
measurement

CLICK HERE for a detailed post on jelly bean learning activities.

CLICK HERE for more ideas on how to teach statistics using Easter eggs and jelly beans.
Here are the links to the printables featured on the program:
Jelly Bean Patterns Probability Statistics (practice finding the mean, median, mode and range) Graphing Jelly Beans (AWESOME Jelly Bean Unit)

Happy Easter to you and your family, For more FUN Easter activities, click HERE

Spring Inspired Snacks for Kids

Hello spring! Our family has been waiting for you to arrive. We are ready to jump in our pool and hit the nearby beaches. 

This week my boys, Colton and Coen, shared some springtime snack ideas for kids on FOX 4's Mom Squad. The first treat they shared was this Classic Dirt Cake Recipe that makes kids grin from ear to ear.

Watch the segment Spring Inspired Snacks to learn how to make dirt cake that kids (and adults) go crazy over. It is always a hit no matter where we bring it!

For the entire recipe, click HERE.

We also shared a cute craft idea that you can use to add some SPRING BLING to your child's everyday snacks.

On Spring Inspired Snacks, my kids demonstrate how to decorate a clothespin with markers, paint, or glitter and then hot glue googly eyes and pipe cleaners for the antennae. Next, fill a snack baggie with your favorite snack, such as: goldfish, trail mix, cereal, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, or carrots. Pinch the baggie in half and clip it with a clothespin. So simple and cute!

Kids will love opening up the fridge or their lunchboxes and grabbing one of these adorable butterfly snacks.

Enjoy these springtime snacks!

You may also like my post- The cutest spring & Easter treats Click HERE for more FUN recipes for your family and scroll down.

Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments and scroll down.

FUN Ways to Improve Fine Motor Skills

See you later boring penmanship worksheets! Practicing handwriting skills can be a blast with these FUN and creative methods I recently shared on Fox 4's Mom Squad.

Watch the segment FUN Ways to Improve Handwriting to learn unique ways to improve fine motor skills that will have your kids begging for more "handwriting" activities. (Shhhh! Don't let them know these activities will strengthen their hand muscles and help their penmanship. Just let them be kids and have some fun.)

Did you catch the last tip at the end?

That is always my favorite one to share since parents rarely associate Playdough with handwriting. CLICK HERE for the recipes I discussed, and you have to print these cute (and free) Playdough Mats.

For more handwriting tips, check out my posts:
Cursive Handwriting- Should we still teach it?
Handwriting Practice Tips
Lauri Products are perfect for fine motor skills (I still use these puzzles with my little ones. The puzzles are over 15 years old, yet they are so durable and still look brand new.)
Sweet Success! (Trust me, your kids will LOVE this activity!)
I have many more handwriting tips in my best-selling book How to Teach Your Child

Enjoy these tips!

Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments and scroll down.

Goodbye Clutter- Hello Organization

Moms are always looking for ways to make their lives a little easier in their everyday routine. Who really wants to spend more time doing laundry than you have to? Or sorting through your junk mail- that's just plain boring. It's time to throw out the clutter of the old year and embrace organization in the new year.
On Fox 4's Mom Squad I shared some ways to get organized for the new year so you can have some extra time to spend with your family (or even to just take a mom break and rest).

Watch the segment How to Get Organized to learn how to:

• Keep everyone in your family up-to-date on upcoming events, lessons, classes, practices, vacations, etc. by using a family calendar;
• Eliminate junk mail in just a few minutes with this really cool app;
• Save tons of time meal-planning by consolidating your favorite recipes into one collection; and
• Gain over two hours of extra time each month by using only two laundry baskets.

Extra Tip: One thing I did not have time to mention in the segment is how the page protectors used in the recipe collection are perfect for keeping your recipes clean. My kids spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking alongside of me, and the recipe pages get a lot of ingredients splattered onto them. All you have to do is wipe off the page protector when you are finished cooking and your recipe will stay as good as new.
HERE are more ways to get organized.

If you are looking for more ways to make your homeschool day easier, check out my best-selling book Simplify Your Homeschool Day.

Enjoy these tips!
Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments and scroll down.

The Mom Squad addresses the common question- How do you do it all?

"How do you do it all?"
 I get asked this question at least once a week, along with the comment, "I don't know how you do it."
Every mom is busy, whether you have one child or more than one. You just learn how to manage your time differently as your family grows. This week I had the pleasure to be on FOX's Mom Squad panel with some A.MA.ZING mothers. The host of the program, Carley Wegner, has been feeling a bit overwhelmed with her new baby on his way while already having a one year old so she called in the Mom Squad to help ease her worries.

I've had two children in 13 months and another two within 18 months apart, so I could completely relate to her anxieties. The other moms on the show have twins and gave some excellent advice. All of us have four or five children, two of us work part-time, and we all homeschool, so the question "How do you do it?" is quite common for us.   My only wish was that this segment was longer. I am always up for learning new tricks and tips, and there was much wisdom to be shared. Five minutes went by way too fast, but FOX wants to here from YOU for future segments. If you have any mom questions that you'd like answered, email them to Melissa- feedback@fox4morningblend.com
For those of you who think that I have my life altogether, I definitely do not. Every season brings new challenges. For example, since I had my fifth child, I am notoriously 5-10 minutes late everywhere no matter how hard I try to be on time. I would like to say that I am "fashionably" late, but that isn't the truth either. Running in a mad dash in a parking lot (all holding hands of course) to make it somewhere 5 minutes late (instead of 6 minutes cause that makes a big difference) while one child is missing shoes and my hair is going in every direction. Yep, that is my family.
This video accurately represents my family. I have watched it several times and laugh hysterically each time because it is SO TRUE!


I address several more of my shortcomings and how I deal with them in Grace for the Homeschool Mom. Here is an excerpt from my book:

My laundry is piled up. There are some nights we eat cereal or grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. I am years behind in scrap-booking. I wish I had more time to exercise than I do. And I always feel like I could be doing more than I am. But I remind myself that scripture says, “In all you do, do it unto the Lord.” Never does it say to do it all. 

The Truth: Doing it all is a misconception the enemy wants mothers to believe. Learn how to fully embrace the beauty of each season of your life. It is a gift from God.

God’s Word: Colossians 3:23-24-“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Take a deep breath busy mom. You are doing a great job!

Brain Breaks that Kids Love

Research shows that most of the brain is activated during physical activity. Did you know that your child's ability to focus decreases after sitting for ten minutes? By providing "brain breaks," your child will be able to complete his schoolwork and homework faster. On Fox 4's Mom Squad I shared some ways to give your child short breaks that increase concentration.

Watch the segment Brain Breaks to learn how to:

Use jumping jacks to help release extra energy in a positive way;

Clap, snap, and bounce a ball while reviewing facts;

Rock or ride while reading; 
Stand while completing work; and

Take mini-breaks to get recharged.

Enjoy these tips!
Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments (or you can click HERE and keep scrolling down.)

Simple Solutions to Avoid the Homework Wars

On Fox 4's Mom Squad I shared some simple solutions to help avoid the homework/homeschool wars. Some of these brain-boosting tips may surprise you!

Watch the segment Homework Wars Solutions to learn how to:

Create a homework/homeschool area without distractions,
including avoiding certain colors;

Section off assignments to make completing assignments more manageable;

Reward your child when homework/schoolwork is completed; and

Have your child repeat directions back to you to clarify understanding.

Enjoy these tips!
Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments (or you can click HERE and keep scrolling down.)

6 Ways to Get Organized this School Year

Recently on Fox 4's Mom Squad I shared six simple solutions that can help you get organized for the new school year.

Watch the segment Back-to-School Organization for Parents to learn how to:

Create a command center to get out of the house quickly;

Have a supply station readily available to avoid looking for supplies;

Utilize all kinds of labels so items will not get lost;

Keep school paperwork organized;

Make checklists to encourage accountability; and 

Get school clothes ready for the next day easily.

Moms already know less mess equals less stress, so these simple tips will help you start the new school year a step ahead.

Enjoy!

Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments (or you can click HERE and keep scrolling down.)

I invite you to enter your email to subscribe to weekly updates filled with FUN and creative teaching tips. I will even email you a special gift that your whole family will enjoy! Look for it in your confirmation email.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake- so refreshing and tasty!

Summer is officially here! The only way I like being outside in the afternoon in SWFL is if I am in the pool or cooling off with a refreshing treat. 

Today Coen and I made a tasty treat that you are sure to love on Fox 4's Mom Squad- Ice Cream Sandwich Cake! My mouth is watering as I type this because it is SO incredibly delicious. My kids prefer making our own ice cream cake over the store bought kind, and they even request it for their birthday cakes. In fact, I have one sitting in the freezer for Colby's fourth birthday party this weekend.

Make sure to check out in this video all the different ways you can make this summer treat- cookies and cream, mocha, mint chocolate chip, and Reese's peanut butter are a few to get started with.
HERE are the step-by-step directions to make this yummy treat.
Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments (or you can click HERE and keep scrolling down.)
Enjoy keeping cool!

I invite you to enter your email to subscribe to weekly updates filled with FUN and creative teaching tips. I will even email you a special gift that your whole family will enjoy! Look for it in your confirmation email.

Earth Day Shaving Cream Art

A year ago my son Colton decided to use the same technique that we used for creating marbled eggs with shaving cream HERE to create an earth for Earth Day. The art project came out so stunning, and it became very popular after I wrote about it HERE.

When Fox contacted me to film an Earth Day segment on the Mom Squad, I knew exactly what to share.

For more shaving cream art ideas, check these out:

Hearts for Valentine's Day Fall Leaves Easter Eggs Stars for 4th of July
Can you tell my kids are hooked on shaving cream art?  Your kids will be too, trust me.
Click HERE for more Mom Squad segments (and keep scrolling down.) Enjoy!

 For more Earth Day activities, click HERE and then SCROLL DOWN to see all the posts.

Don't miss out on these recipes!

A few years ago I wanted to make potato soup with my kids for St. Patrick's Day. I found a few great crockpot recipes and then tweaked them into one delicious recipe that I knew my family would enjoy. I thought we'd make it together to celebrate the holiday and then I'd file away the recipe to possibly use again on a future St. Patrick's Day. But this is what happened.....
The potato soup was SOOOO incredibly tasty that my kids said they couldn't wait a year to eat it again. So I added it to our family recipe book, and it became one of our favorite meals that we make often. A few years ago, I wrote about the potato soup on this site in case others wanted to make it for an Irish treat with their kids, too. Then along came Pinterest.....
Someone randomly pinned that recipe about a year ago and suddenly I had more people visiting my blog for this one recipe than any other of my posts. Sometimes thousands a day- for over a year! I find it quite comical that a recipe post attracts more readers than my 400+ teaching tips posts (esp. since this is not a cooking blog but a teaching tips blog). But hey, kids are reading recipes, following step-by-step directions, and practicing math skills (measurements and fractions) as well as learning the very important life skill of cooking so it's all good. :) When Fox contacted me to film a St. Patrick's Day segment on the Mom Squad, I knew exactly what to share. So here it is..... The Best Crockpot Potato Soup Ever! and Lucky Lime (a St. Patrick's drink for kids) {CLICK HERE} if you'd like to see this recipe. I will forewarn you that you'll be making this a lot once your family tries it so remember I told you so. Enjoy!

For more recipes-

{CLICK HERE} and then scroll down to see all posts.

For more St. Patrick's Day activities-

{CLICK HERE} and then scroll down to see all posts.

Brain Boosters for Kids Taking Tests

This week's segment on Fox 4's Mom Squad was on Testing Tips. In this program, I share some simple ways parents can help their children perform at the best of their ability on tests. Some of these brain-boosting tips may surprise you!

For more information of test-taking tips, read these posts:
Tips and Tricks for Taking Tests
End the Homework Wars!
Eating and Sleeping Well for School Smarts

Here are some awesome labels that my friend Shannon made. These are perfect for attaching a special treat to after testing. Click here to visit her site and print these sweet notes of encouragement for your kids.

Enjoy these brain-boosting tips!

Want more Mom Squad tips?
Click Here for Money-Saving Tips.

Money Saving Tips for Moms

Who doesn't like to save money? As a mom of five children, things can add up very fast so I've learned multiple ways to take advantage of local discounts and freebies.

I'm thrilled to share with you my first segment as a Mom Squad guest sharing ways moms can save money. Even if you do not live in SWFL, there are several money saving tips in this segment that you can adapt for your area.

For more information of money-saving tips, read Why Simplify? Guest article on why simplifying your child's schedule impacts health, finances and life!

Enjoy!