Glue Sticks and Games

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Flashcards don’t have to be a bore! Try these six fun apple themed board games and make any kind of review more fun.

Click on the blog link in my bio and there’s a free game just for you!

This resonated tonight. Being back in the classroom full time has put any type of product creation on a big, giant hold.

But, one day, my “big project” will be finished and I know it will be helpful to do many people.

So, little by little, it will get there!

What is something that you could easily say “I quit” on…but refuse to? I’d love to hear!

7 months.

That’s how long from the time this idea was presented to me to Launch Day.

I am so excited to announce that My First Scissor Skills Workbook is for sale on Amazon.

In just a few clicks, you and your Little One can spend the summer learning to cut well and practicing some essential preschool skills!

Click the link in my bio to get a copy for you or someone you know today!

Yes! Sure! Of course! Let’s do it! 😃

If I’m honest these are not usually my responses when my boys ask me for something. I try and be more of a ‘yes mom’ but it’s hard! But, this coming Saturday, these phrases will be my automatic response. If you haven’t seen the movie then be assured that there ARE boundaries involving having a Yes Day but the main premise is to have a fun day bonding with your child. In my case, our youngest will stay with my in-laws while my husband and I having a bonding day with our oldest.

Are you more of a Yes parent or a No parent? I’ll write more about our Yes Day and what all it entails later next week. We’ve never done it before so it could be an epic fail. I guess we’ll see.

Liam and I worked on this countdown chain together. Yes Day has been a bit like Christmas so he’s beyond ecstatic to be in the single digits! A countdown chain is one of the best ways I’ve found to build the excitement up to an event. Why?

🌟It is a great bonding experience or independent activity just making it. The big sign at the top can be as creative as they want to make it.
🌟The making of the chain is a great tactile skill. You could even work in practicing patterns when building the chain.
🌟The largeness of the chain and the ability to watch it get shorter makes it much more exciting than a simple calendar where a number is marked off.

Have you used a chain countdown before? Tell me about it in the comments below! ⬇️

ROAD TRIP!!! 🚙🛣

My childhood was filled with many road trips to see different parts of our great nation. One of the most memorable was our road trip from St. Louis to Colorado Springs. We had one of those classic 1990s minivans that looked like a bullet and our end destination was Pikes Peak. To hear my father tell our experience going up Pikes Peak is hilarious but the highlights are that there was lots of praying, crying, an asthma attack and less than five minutes at the top 🤣

What’s a memorable trip you’ve had or a place you’ve been?

Our great nation has so many unique landforms and places to see. The book Wonders of the USA is a must read for any child. I encourage you to get a copy! And, to get the full effect of the pages, you’ll need a flashlight!

I created this game to go along with the book. It’s similar to Headbandz and super fun to play! Click the link in my bio to check it out for yourself!

I have waaaaaaay to many books. Currently, most are in storage while we are living with my in-laws but the volume of books that traveled from MT to here definitely had my husband a bit on the perturbed side 🤣

I decided a few weeks ago that Liam and I would work our way through some books-turned-movies and Jumanji was first on our list.

As soon as we finished it we had a movie night and I learned that not only was there the Robin Williams version from the 90s and the new Vin Diesel session but there was actually TWO Vin Diesel versions!

Any guesses which version we watched? Robin Williams all the way!

I have a big list of books for us to ready but I’d love to hear your suggestions too! Let me know in the comments.

This is my childhood. Well, actually I had a Pop Tart for breakfast this morning so I haven’t changed much.

But this is a HOMEMADE pop tart...and sooooooo good.

But what’s better is that it is only four ingredients and super easy steps for even the littlest ones to help make!

My latest blog post is not only about this scrumptious treat but also includes a FREE download (no email required!) to a kid-friendly recipe card. It includes lots of pictures and step by step directions so they can help (or do it on their own!)

Do your kiddos love to cook (or pretend to) as much as mine?! Find the blog post linked in bio.

Check out this easy Homemade Poptarts and kid-friendly recipe card download!

http://www.gluesticksandgames.com/homemade-poptarts/

Homemade Poptarts - Glue Sticks and Games The homemade poptarts only have four ingredients. The recipe card use pictures to help even the littlest chefs be able to cook on their own.

Count your blessings.

So simple yet something that I don’t do enough.

If you’re familiar with the song with the same words it goes,

“Count your blessings,
name them one by one.
Count your blessings,
see what God has done.”

When I’m having a ‘down day’, just doing this makes all the difference to me. Blessings just shine when I specifically think about them!

Today I am specifically grateful for this weird season of my life where I have no job and plenty of time to spend with my boys...because in less than two months this it’s back to full time teaching for me!


What are some of your blessings today?

The perfect way to give encouragement is for there to be an end goal.

Four of the activities in My First Scissor Skills Workbook are masks.

Check out my latest blog post (link in bio) for a FREE DOWNLOAD. It includes four activities from the book. One of them is a mask...but not this one!

Click the blog link in my bio to grab your free download.

Counting. ABCs. Coloring. Sharing. These are all objectives we know preschoolers need to learn. And I dare say that most parents have a vague idea about how to help their child learn each of these too. Maybe it's a song or a show or just some time spent together. But what about using scissors? Many parents seem filled with more questions about how to help their child....

https://www.gluesticksandgames.com/scissor-cutting-activities-for-preschoolers/

Scissor Cutting Activities for Preschoolers - Glue Sticks and Games Cutting with scissors can be hard for preschoolers...and for parents. This article gives helpful hints and scissor cutting activities for preschoolers.

One continuous cut and....bam! You have a snake!

Nothing crazy. Just a lot of hand-eye coordination ending in a fun paper snake.

For more simple scissor cutting activities, click the link in my bio!

I must admit I have not been as crafty with my kids since moving back to NC.

I think a lot of it is the lack of craft supplies and organization that we have going on now. If you have an offer craft set up for small spaces, send ideas my way!!

We did this simple craft from and it was perfect for my two year old and six year old.

My littlest had fun just using a paint brush and sprinkling the sprinkles (and eating them 🤦‍♀️ - I even caught him eating the ones that had already been glued!)

Then Teacher Mom made it into a writing activity for my eldest (but he wasn’t too happy about that).

Do you have any favorite activities that are perfect for a big age gap? Share in the comments so I can try them!!

Today, I stood took my kids to explore a little town nearby.

Today, we will decorate for Cinco de Mayo. Nothing crazy. But something that makes it different than other nights.

Why will my future self thank me for these things? It’s making memories with my boys. Before king I will go back to work full time. Before long they will be harder to impress. Before long they will grow up.

What can you do today that your future will appreciate?

Do you have a preschooler? Know a preschooler?

Encourage them to practice a variety of their preschool skills including, of course, scissor cutting with a copy of this book!

Order your copy here: https://amzn.to/3dIAWKW.



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Check out my stories on IG!!!

I needed a dessert for dinner with friends tonight...and something fun for Earth Day: this is what we got :)

Now if dinner could hurry up so I can eat this (not just eat the Oreos and lick the bowl of the chocolate ganache 🤪)

No Bake Oreo Pie from The First Year Blog for the win!

🌍 Tomorrow is Earth Day 🌳

That actually has nothing to do with this post but it just seemed to go together (and I needed the reminder too).

L found these caterpillars yesterday and is dead set on watching them turn into butterflies.

Our butterfly house is in storage somewhere so we are making do with what we can find.

We normally order the caterpillars online to watch every year but this seems to be more exciting for him since he found them.

The internet has assured me (ha!) that we simply need to give them fresh leaves everyday. They will get water from the leaves.

We shall see!

Have you ever raised caterpillars straight from nature?

Do you know the true definition of ‘craftivity’?

This is actually a trick question because according to Webster there is not one. But according to another “dictionary” there is. Check out my latest blog post to find out what it is. It actually bad me laugh out loud when I read it!

I stumbled upon these cute crafts from and put my own writing spin to it as well.

As we made these crafts in MT, we were able to go catch our own snowflakes. But, sadly, here in NC we aren’t as lucky.

Serious question, if snowflakes could be any food what would you want them to be? I’m going with.....Hershey Kisses and chocolate chips!

A winter writing activity. Or should I say craftivity? I couldn't find this word in Webster's dictionary. However, I did find it in the Urban Dictionary. craftivity: a word used to describe a 'craft activity' only used by fools since a craft is an activity Urban Dicitonary Oh man I laughed when I read that! Yet 'craftivity' is a word that is used in so much of the teacher culture....

http://www.gluesticksandgames.com/winter-writing-activity/

Winter Craft and Leveled Writing Activity - Glue Sticks and Games Use this winter writing activity to teach young children cutting and pasting skills as well as writing skills for multiple writing levels.

It’s true. I’m a planner. And then my plans get squashed.

Four years ago when we decided to move to Montana I stressed about every little detail. What job would I have? How would we live somewhere so expensive? What kind of childcare would we have? Would we make friends? Where would we go to church? Would we find a rental that would let us have our dog?

And with each worry O set out to make a plan.

Four years later, we are moving back to NC. I have a lot of these same questions but I’m a bit more relaxed.

Yes, I still have my plan (I mean, I can’t NOT plan right?!), but if God laughs and my plan is terrible then I have no doubt he’ll have something better in store...and I’m along for the ride!

2021 is sure to be an adventure folks!

Are you a planner? Let me know in the comments. :)

Are you a good gift giver? Full confession: I’m not!!

I did these cute bags last year for Liam’s friends and teachers and they were a hit.

This year, well, it’s just not happened yet. But I didn’t want my procrastination to stop you from making these cute treats.

So I’ve linked them in my bio. Free for you. I hope this will put a smile on the face of one of your friends!

How many people do you have left to shop for? I think I have two. Let me know in the comments!

I have read The Sorcerers Apprentice many times but never realized it was a musical piece!

The things we learn when we teach our children, right?

Liam enjoyed listening to the musical piece for about ten minutes as he worked on this listening worksheet...and I enjoyed a semi-relaxing 10 minutes of orchestra music (and no children talking!)

The lesson plan will be coming out soon (sign up for my email list to get it for free 🤪)

I also learned it’s part of Disney’s Fantasia but I’ve never seen it. Have you seen it?

Teaching your children when they have no idea they are learning is the best!

will do just that. We’ve done it many times but this one was right in our neighborhood!

This time the had small treasures and Liam thinks his stamp is simply gold! It doesn’t take much to make something a treasure for a five year old.

Top four reasons you should take your child geocaching:
1. They’ll learn map skills.
2. It will teach them patience and persistence.
3. It’s exercise!
4. It’s quality time TOGETHER.
5. It’s a fun adventure!

Have you tried geocaching before?

I was so proud when I looked down at his project. He followed the directions and used his imagination.

Two minutes later I look again and his project is covered up by his giant airplane 🤦‍♀️

And then I just had to laugh at his creativity when he said “Mom, the plane is IN FRONT of the bird!”

It is his project after all!

We studied all about shapes in art yesterday with a focus on the painting Stone City, Iowa by Grant Wood.

You can have this lesson FREE next week by signing up to my email list...or keep checking my TPT store for it to go on sale.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

I made our thanksgiving turkeys again this year. Not the most perfect but they were delicious!

Not a big breakfast so we can enjoy the big meal later today! What did you have for breakfast today?

Grab this and other Thanksgiving ideas on my blog or at: http://www.gluesticksandgames.com/thanksgiving-family-traditions/



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As we near a thanksgiving, I can’t help to think about what I am thankful for.

This year my health is not something to just nonchalantly throw out there. This year I am truly grateful for my health. Yes, free from COVID but also free from the flu, the average cold, cancer, heart issues.
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God has blessed my family with health and I can’t help but think of this as a miracle in the world we live in right now.

Happy Tuesday! I wish you health as we near the holiday season...both physically and mentally.

Let’s all remember to be grateful what we have...and you never know what small miracles may happen!

Like this post if you have something to be grateful for!