Back to School Guide

Easy, DIY winter Olympics games for schools with free, cheap and recycled materials

2018-01-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

Parents, homeschoolers and teachers are you sick of dealing kids stuck inside at recess this winter. Here’s a winter boredom buster: throw a Winter Olympics party in the playground or backyard. Play winter sports but extend the fun and learning with creative game variations. Here are safe, easy homemade winter games, snow and ice activities requiring no fancy equipment.

Boot skating: Sweep off an icy patch of pavement, or hose it down to make a rink. Demonstrate Olympic speed or figure “skating” by sliding in boots. Bundle kids so if they fall they won’t get hurt.

Broom hockey: combine boot skating and play snow hockey with old brooms or shovels. Use any old playground (basketball, 4-square, volley) balls. Allow no fights like pro hockey! This is the ultimate DIY Winter Olympics event.

Shovel Races: Make work into winter play and exercise. See who can shovel snow the fastest or make the neatest, clearest walks. Use snow shovels like shuffle board. Push playground ball toward a goal. Kids will love these fun backyard winter sports that simulate Winter Olympics. Parents and teachers will love that equipment for snow games is recycled and free.

Save money on back to school shopping: School supplies cost-cutters for parents

2017-08-23T19:49:00.002-04:00

Back to School--how retailers love those three words. Back to school is as big a holiday for stores as Black Friday! But for kids and parents, back to school shopping is stressful, reported Business Wire. Here are money-saving mama's BTS cost-cutters for parents. Get budget back to school bargains that bust stress and make BTS shopping fun.

Do. Not. Be. Upsold. Stores love to guilt parents with long lists of school supplies your kids supposedly can't survive school without. Now, I'll admit, I love BTS shopping. What's not to love about $.25 crayons and scissors? But this money-saving mama is also a teacher. She knows kids don't need half the stuff stores pad the list with. Use this tightwad teacher's BTS shopping guide to skip the BS and save instead of spend money.

Wait for the teacher's school supplies list. Before school starts, you should get a welcome packet or email either from school, teacher or both. Shop from that. Don't buy till you see the list. You can stock up on obviously cheap supplies you know you'll need, but wait on specifics.

Find out what you really need. Our youngest daughter went to a charter school a few years ago. The school wanted us to buy a plethora of over-priced school supplies: color printer paper ($10 for 50 sheets compared to $4 for 500 white sheets), colored sticky notes, costly art supplies, Expo markers, North Face back pack, hand sanitizer, tissues. Teachers didn't even have room to store it all.

Find out what the school provides. After paying $16 for four "special" notebooks kids were "required" to have, the teacher told me he had plenty and I shouldn't have bought them. I said he should he shouldn't have included them in the list.

You choose what to supply the school. That colored paper the school wanted was just to pretty-up notes home (which ended up in the recycling anyway). We requested email updates but school preferred to waste trees (and our money). I refused to buy colored paper. Finally, they went to email.

Don't provide shared stuff. Call me cheap but I don't want to pay so other kids can waste. Subbing in the schools, I got a rude awakening about how supplies were used. Kids played with those expensive sticky notes. They broke the costly art pencils, threw erasers, wasted hand sanitizer and tissues. Send your child with personal tissues and hand sanitizer. You have more control over how much she uses than you do over how the class uses it.

Attend back to school freebie events. Communities and churches are getting on board to help parents with school supplies. Watch the newspaper or school website. Don't be ashamed to take free stuff you qualify to receive. These back to school events are real blessings for parents.

Buy school supplies you can afford. Don't let anyone railroad or shame you into paying more. Look for bargains. I got a $150 North Face backpack for $69 on sale at Amazon. I paid only $21 for it, using Swagbucks rewards coupons and Amazon VISA perks.

Black History Month and MLK Jr. Day from Detroit and the Rosa Parks bus to a New Orleans Congo Square Kwanzaa

2017-01-30T16:03:00.001-05:00

I had a profound experience, an epiphany if you will, on Christmas in 2014. I was taken outside my life and transported to a place I've never been, in a time I never lived. The memory haunts like the song your memory doesn't recognize, but your heart does. This experience is particularly relevant on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and always during Black History Month. So what's the big deal? I sat in Rosa Parks bus seat. MLK Jr. Day connects Detroit, Rosa Parks bus to New Orleans Congo Square, Kwanzaa

Free printable Thanksgiving holiday crafts, games, activities, greeting cards, coloring pages

2016-11-07T13:15:00.001-05:00

Do you love the Thanksgiving holiday? Some say it's the best of the holidays. If you're a penny pincher who doesn't spend money on decorations and party supplies, yet likes to decorate, here are free printable Thanksgiving and seasonal decorations, crafts, coloring pages and party games. Kids will love making greeting cards from holiday printables. Get Halloween and Christmas printables too. Pumpkin carving patterns, snowflake templates and more. Free Thanksgiving holiday crafts, games, greeting cards, coloring pages, printables

Free printable reading worksheets, phonics lessons, online reading activities

2016-06-24T16:08:00.001-04:00

Parents, do you worry your kids' reading skills will slip during summer vacation. Many parents would love to boost students' reading skills but don't want to pay for tutoring. Well, you don't have to. Here are free printable reading worksheets, online reading activities, phonics lessons, English Language Arts or ELA activities and online reading games Free printable reading worksheets, phonics lessons, online reading activities | Examiner.com

Repurpose and reuse recycled trash: Decoupage kids' gift crafts for Earth Month | Examiner.com

2016-05-04T23:38:00.001-04:00

Parents, do you need rainy day kids craft for stuck inside children? How about recycled trash gift crafts for Earth Day? April is Earth Month and spring is the perfect time to repurpose and reuse! Here's are easy homemade gift crafts made from recycled trash that kids can make. Repurpose and reuse glass jars and scrap paper to make a desk set, perfect for Mothers Day, Fathers Day and teacher appreciation gifts. These Earth Month crafts use a simple retro crafting technique called decoupage or Mod Page. Repurpose and reuse recycled trash: Decoupage kids' gift crafts for Earth Month | Examiner.com

Free printable NASA Curiosity Mars Rover, astronomy, earth science activities

2016-04-20T16:40:00.001-04:00

The 2015 movie "The Martian" gave viewers startling first-hand experiences with life on Mars. Since the NASA Curiosity Mars rover landed on the red planet August 5, 2012, it's been busily gathering data and reporting back to Earth. And Earthlings are fascinated by the thought of life on Mars and the findings of the NASA Curiosity Mars Rover. Here are free printable Mars rover lesson plans. Educators and homeschool families, use these Curiosity Rover lesson plans to teach kids about astronomy, earth science, the solar system outer space travel and NASA. You could even have a Mars rover party. Use these NASA Mars Curiosity rover lesson plans to create inspiring, engaging earth science lesson plans. Free printable NASA Curiosity Mars Rover, astronomy, earth science activities | Examiner.com

Geography games with globes: Earth science, landforms, time zones map activities

2016-03-28T15:17:00.001-04:00

April is Earth Month and it's a good time to explore earth science and world geography. With the National Geography Bee right around the corner, here are hands-on social studies lessons, map activities and geography games with globes. Playing geography games with globes helps students visualize the big picture better than with maps. Use map activities to locate specific places and use globes for accurate place countries in the world at large. Use geography games with globes to demonstrate earth science lessons, just in time for Earth Month in April! Geography games with globes: Earth science, landforms, time zones map activities | Examiner.com

Animal alphabet school snacks: A-Z healthy snack recipes for kids to learn ABCs

2016-03-14T10:32:00.001-04:00

Teachers and homeschool parents, just in time for National Reading Month in March, here’s a month-long menu of alphabet letter snacks. Use these for interactive reading lesson plans. Use Alpha-Bits cereal, letter pretzels, cookies for letter shape. Make character sandwiches using any spread and leave open face. Use pretzels or matchstick carrots for whiskers. For eyes, use Cheerios, spray cheese, raisins, olives, banana or kiwi slices. Make ears, nose and mouth from apple bits, pimentos, pepper pieces, triangle chips or crackers. Use pretzel sticks for legs. For cookie creations, use candy or fruit to make faces. Animal alphabet school snacks: A-Z healthy snack recipes for kids to learn ABCs | Examiner.com

Free printable Hunger Games activities: Catching Fire, Mockingjay lesson plans

2016-02-22T22:12:00.001-05:00

It's an understatement to say that "The Hunger Games" book trilogy, by Suzanne Collins, has taken the world by storm. "The Hunger Games" movie blasted to top spot when it came out in book and then movie. The saga continued in "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay" which don't stay long on book shelves. All four movies The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 and Mockingjay Part 2, were wildly popular. If you're planning to teach a unit on The Hunger Games books or movies, here are free printable Hunger Games lesson plans and activities for several different content areas. As for age level, the movie is acceptable for kids over eight but the books are a bit graphic. Read The Hunger Games books series with kids over 12. Free printable Hunger Games activities: Catching Fire, Mockingjay lesson plans | Examiner.com

Book party for kids: Children's literature crafts, games, storybook activities | Examiner.com

2016-02-08T11:04:00.001-05:00

Winter can be tons of fun or acres of boring, if the weather is super cold with little snow. When it's too cold to play outside and too boring to play inside, most kids' attention turns to mischief. Why not head your little troublemakers off at the pass with a cheap (mostly free) afternoon of fun, compliments of your storybook shelf? Here's a snowbound book party for kids, with children's literature crafts, snacks and storybook games. Book party for kids: Children's literature crafts, games, storybook activities | Examiner.com

Winter Olympics for kids: Backyard winter sports, snow games, ice activities | Examiner.com

2016-01-28T17:59:00.001-05:00

Raise your hand if you’ve had it with winter. Parents and teachers get especially tired of dealing with bored kids stuck inside. Here’s a winter blues buster: throw a snowtastic party. Celebrate the Winter Olympics in your own layground and backyard winter sports. Extend the fun with your own winter games variations. Here are safe, easy homemade winter games, snow games, ice activities requiring no fancy equipment. Winter Olympics for kids: Backyard winter sports, snow games, ice activities | Examiner.com

Free printable clocks, clock faces, telling time worksheets, time math lessons

2016-01-19T21:29:00.001-05:00

Telling time using an analog clock is one of the most difficult concepts to teach. It's hard to explain to children how clock hands moving around a dial mark hours and minutes. It helps to use interactive telling time worksheets and hands-on clocks to make time math lessons easier. Here are free printable clocks, clock faces and telling time worksheets. Free printable clocks, clock faces, telling time worksheets, time math lessons | Examiner.com

U.S. childhood asthma rising in south, poor kids, ages 10-17 : Prevention tips | Examiner.com

2016-01-07T22:30:00.001-05:00

A study in Pediatrics showed that childhood asthma prevalence has leveled in the U.S., but not in all demographics. U.S. childhood asthma rates are rising in preteens and teens ages 10-17 and among southern and low income children, reported the Associated Press on Jan. 3. Finally, asthma rates in children in living above the poverty line have plateaued, but that's only in children under 10. Why is that? Children in more affluent homes obviously have better access to healthcare and healthier environments. But why is childhood asthma rising among preteens and teens and kids in the south? Is it that parents of young children are better educated on childhood asthma prevention? Part of the problem could be that older children are starting to be more independent and may not always make the healthiest choices away from parents. Here are asthma prevention tips for parents, children and teens. U.S. childhood asthma rising in south, poor kids, ages 10-17 : Prevention tips | Examiner.com

Free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans, Swahili worksheets, African crafts, games

2015-12-21T21:44:00.001-05:00

Habari Gani? This is the Swahili greeting given at Kwanzaa, the least known but fastest-growing of the winter holidays. When you greet someone with Habari Gani? you are asking "what's the news?" Kwanzaa--meaning "first fruits of the harvest"--celebrates family, community and culture. Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days, from December 26 to January 1. In the seven days there are seven principles that people aim for. Here's the list in Swahili and English, plus free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans, Swahili worksheets, African crafts and games. Free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans, Swahili worksheets, African crafts, games | Examiner.com

Homemade Oobleck, Silly Putty, Moon Sand, play dough, paper mache recipes | Examiner.com

2015-12-14T17:37:00.001-05:00

March is National Reading Month. For hands-on reading lessons how about homemade science recipes and kitchen chemistry experiments? Here are recipes for silly putty, noise or farting putty, Flubber, play dough, melting goop, Oobleck, Moon Sand, lint dough, modeling clay, paper mache, and soap dough. Homemade Oobleck, Silly Putty, Moon Sand, play dough, paper mache recipes | Examiner.com

Convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky gets Penn State pension back, court says | Examiner.com

2015-11-16T15:33:00.001-05:00

Convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky gets his Penn State pension back, a court says. The Associated Press reported on Nov. 13, that the state must restore pension funds to former PSU assistant football coach. Sandusky's pension was removed three years ago when he was sentenced as a child molester. A Commonwealth Court panel ruled unanimously in favor of Sandusky. The court said the State Employees' Retirement Board erred by stating that Jerry Sandusky was a Penn State employee at the time he sexually abused 10 children. Sandusky ceased to be a PSU employee in 1999. The sex abuse convictions stem from when he operated a non-profit The Second Mile at PSUConvicted child molester Jerry Sandusky gets Penn State pension back, court says | Examiner.com

Halloween candy: Healthy ways to use up leftover trick-or-treat candy

2015-11-02T20:27:00.001-05:00

So trick-or-treat is over and now your kids have a haul of Halloween candy. And of course you want them to eat all that sugar as soon as possible (not!). Or maybe you're stuck with candy you couldn't give away because it rained on Halloween or you didn't get as many children for trick-or-treat. You could eat it all and then regret it. Or you could try one of these healthy ways to use up leftover trick-or-treat candy. Halloween candy: Healthy ways to use up leftover trick-or-treat candy

Free printable Halloween lesson plans, Thanksgiving worksheets and fall holiday lesson plans | Examiner.com

2015-10-17T22:07:00.001-04:00

Teachers and homeschool parents, looking for free printable Thanksgiving themed worksheets and lesson plans for preschool kids? How about early reading and math lessons for kindergarten through second grade in fall themes? Worksheets are perfect for special needs children. Here's what you need. Free printable Thanksgiving worksheets and fall holiday lesson plans | Examiner.com

National Candy Corn Day Halloween recipes, Day of the Dead skull cookies with candy corn

2015-10-07T19:50:00.001-04:00

Wanna hear a corny joke? It's National Candy Corn Day, says Time-Warner Cable News. October 30, one day before the Big H (Halloween) celebrates the trick-or-treat candy staple. Introduced by Goelitz Candy Company (now Jelly Belly) in the early 1900s, candy corn was an instant hit, says Better Homes and Gardens. Candy corn is to Halloween what Peeps are to Easter. Candy corn has an amazing versatility and can be used in a gajillion (a real word) Halloween recipes and trick-or-treats. Here areNational Candy Corn Day Halloween recipes, trick-or-treats and corny sweets | Examiner.com

Gay teen Brianna Popour suspended for 'lewd' lesbian shirt dress code violation - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

2015-09-16T21:39:00.001-04:00

In South Carolina, a gay teen Brianna Popour was suspended for a "lewd' lesbian shirt dress code violation. Yahoo Parenting said September 14 that Popour, 18, wore a T-shirt that said “Nobody Knows I’m a Lesbian" to class at Chesnee High School in Chesnee, South Carolina. The girl says the high school administrator told her to change clothes or go home. So Popour went home. This story parallels other high profile news stories, like the Confederate flag fracas and Kentucky clerk Kim Davis who was jailed for refusing to sign gay couples' marriage licenses.Gay teen Brianna Popour suspended for 'lewd' lesbian shirt dress code violation - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

Drunk dad made 10-year-old son DD: John Barling charged with child endangerment

2015-08-18T21:52:00.001-04:00

They say friends don't let friends drive drunk. But a guy in New York thought that meant his kid shouldn't let him drive drunk. A drunk dad made his 10 year-old son DD him Saturday, reported the Associated Press on August 17. The father John H. Barling, 46, sobered up quick when police arrested him. Barling was charged with child endangerment. And it wasn't just a car the intoxicated pop made his kid drive. Police say the upstate New York man had his tween boy drive a pickup truck as he sat inebriated in the passenger seat. Drunk dad made 10-year-old son DD: John Barling charged with child endangerment - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

Free printable military soldiers cutouts, weapons, vehicles coloring pages - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

2015-08-07T19:09:00.001-04:00

August 14, 2015 represents the 70th anniversary of V-J Day, that ended WWII. Teachers and homeschool parents, educate students on war history using realistic military coloring pages and cutout paper soldiers. Here are free printable military soldiers, weapons, vehicles to color and cut out. Coloring pages are historically accurate, detailed, challenging and educational. Most are labeled with details on war, country of origin and time period the soldier represents. Free printable military soldiers cutouts, weapons, vehicles coloring pages - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Memorial Day games: American patriotic outdoor games, RWB backyard waterpark - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

2015-05-23T15:31:00.001-04:00

Here's homemade fun for Memorial Day or 4th of July. Host a red white and blue backyard waterpark. Set up 10 activity stations and play American patriotic outdoor games. Party guests, young and old can play, but make a safe zone for those who want to stay dry. Guests should wear bathing suits.Memorial Day games: American patriotic outdoor games, RWB backyard waterpark - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Detroit Institute of Arts' Kahlo-Rivera exhibit gives Cinco de Mayo attitude

2015-05-05T18:03:00.001-04:00

Looking for a Cinco de Mayo experience with attitude? Tired same-old margaritas and tacos? Or maybe you just need a break from the standard pablum. Then friend, you need the Detroit Institute of Arts. There's plenty to challenge, but particularly Frida Kahlo-Diego Rivera exhibit. These two Mexican artists were anything but stereotypical. Their passion for communism, reflected in their individual art, provides interesting contrast to commercial Cinco de Mayo schmaltz. Detroit Institute of Arts' Kahlo-Rivera exhibit gives Cinco de Mayo attitude