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Sign Language Flash Cards and Memory Game
Use these Sign Language Flash Cards and Memory Game to nurture a love of languages this year. These are perfect for any age. I have been a language lover from the time I was young. At about 7 years old I wrote a booklet with a male classmate. It was grade two, I think, and we made a big splash with our words and storytelling and I knew pretty much from that age that I’d be a writer in some capacity. In those early days language and learning and words were everything to me. Family too, of course. Things haven’t really changed that much in that regard. My kids are…
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The Best STEM Toys for the Holiday Season
STEM toys are some of my favorite gifts to give children. If you’ve read my blog, you know I love giving STEM gifts as a way to make learning fun. I’ve found great Stem books in the past that got my kids excited about learning and over the years I’ve found all sorts of toys to keep their minds sharp. Right now it’s prime time to get shopping for STEM gifts for the holiday season. Around here it’s never too early. I plan my shopping out all year round actually so that I get the best deals, and on line shopping helps. This year, I am hunting for STEM toys…
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STEM Camp – Summer Day Camps Building Curiosity
Imagine a camp where you build your own space suit, or monitor weather in space. A camp where your children explore the world around them, ask questions and create experiments. Building curiosity and engaging young people all summer long is the name of the game at STEM Camp. I couldn’t be happier to share Stem Camp with you. STEM Camp is one of my favourite children’s STEM summer day camps. You already know STEM is the future and maybe you wonder how to nurture that interest. Maybe you worry your kids don’t get enough STEM in school. Well, STEM Camp is a great way to address that. These innovative hands-on summer day…
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What are the Best Ways to Celebrate the Last Day of School?
What are the best ways to celebrate that last day of school? There are many ways to mark the accomplishment of finishing another year of school. This school year has flown by. June is almost here! There is nothing quite like the excitement of a child who is climbing off the bus after the last day of school. It truly is a landmark day for both kids and parents! They have completed another grade and you have survived an entire school year – hopefully unscathed. It’s the great time for both of you to celebrate. So what are some ideas for an end of year party? 5 Best Ways…
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How To Move Teens on to High School when Change is a Huge Issue
Do you have teens with special needs or simply inflexible teens? Do they have trouble adjusting to change? Me too. This September my youngest starts high school. Why is that a big deal? Well, my younger daughter has a host of diagnoses. She has an IEP (individual education plan), technology for accessing the curriculum, FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder), sensory and learning challenges, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) all related to that. Combine all of that with a difficulty adjusting to change. Ainsley has difficulty adjusting to life changes. That is extremely typical for kids and adults with FASD – a prenatal brain injury sustained prior to her birth…
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STEM Camp Brings STEM Education to a Wider Audience
STEM education has become a huge part of public, private, and homeschool curriculum. It is the focus of many toys and games. The world is changing. With more and more career opportunities surrounding STEM and the advancement of technology in general, it’s important for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to play a larger role in children’s education. In a recent post, I talked about how STEM Camp makes STEM fun for children. A friendly atmosphere combines with experiments that promote critical thinking and hands-on learning making STEM Camp a joy. I couldn’t be happier to share two big ways that STEM Camp is making a difference in the world. By…
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STEM Camp – The Perfect Way for Kids to Spend the Summer
STEM Camp is an amazing way to keep the learning spark lit all summer. Over the years both of my kids have benefited from summer camp. Summer camp is a wonderful way to stay engaged and excited about learning even when school is out. And the social benefits of camp are strong too. Summer camps are a wonderful way for kids to mingle with their peers in a fun, safe environment, and STEM camp adds an extra layer to that experience. So what’s unique about this camp. Well, this is no indoor routine classroom setting. This camp offers a setting that allows kids to have a ton of fun while…
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Registered for High School and New Adventures #ad #CatholicTeachers
This post is part of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers #catholicteachers sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors. It’s high school registration time. That’s right, this month, I registered my youngest daughter for high school. That’s huge. Any parent of a school aged child knows, we agonize over where to send our children and often we also wonder if they are ready. When your child has special needs you worry even more. As hard as these huge decisions are, I feel pretty good about this one because I know what to expect.…
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Stupid Tears and Being a Special Needs Parent
I’ve become a spectacle. The crazy Mom sitting in the grocery store parking lot crying stupid tears in a minivan. You don’t want to know her. She’s pathetic and cliche. But too many times lately she’s me crying in the parking lot at Sobey’s, No Frills or Food Basics. Look away. Perhaps you are new here and you don’t know me, but I am not a cryer. In fact crying is something I typically do once or twice a year maybe. Like a thing I allow myself very rarely in controlled situations at home. Nobody needs to see me crying in the parking lot at the grocery store. Or anywhere…
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How Have Catholic Teachers Made an Impact on Our Family?
This post is part of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers #catholicteachers sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors. A few weeks before my daughter was scheduled to start grade nine I started to worry. It’s pretty common to have concerns about a child’s education. But when your child has anxiety disorder and an IEP (individual education plan) with a learning disability, or any other type of unique needs, you worry even more. My Concerns as a Parent What if they weren’t able to meet her needs? What if she fell through the…