Parenting Tip - Housework Scavenger Hunt

 Summer is here for lots of you moms out there.  Now is the time to get some strategies going so that you have a successful and happy summer.  My daughter just emailed what she was doing today and I thought I should share it.

Problem: The house is a mess today and I can't and shouldn't clean it all myself.

Solution: A Housework Scavenger Hunt!

(We earn stickers for chores that later transfer into quarters.)

Here are the clues:
 We’ll start in a place where we like to hang out.

Reading and piano are what this room's about.

Let’s go to a room where we all like to sit.

We brush, wash, and ‘go’ there. Can you think of it?

Now let’s collect yucky stuff all over the house.

We need to get it out before it attracts a mouse!

Let’s go to the room that is mostly clean in part.

Just clutter from projects and animals and art.

Now each of you start on the room where you dress.

Pick up 30 things each while I sweep up this mess.

We’ll go back to bedrooms after piano lessons are done.

For now get 2 stickers and then go have some fun.

 Ok, let’s get back to the place where we drop

Shoes, backpacks, mittens, lunchboxes, papers and socks.

Now that that’s finished, who’s up for a race?

Get an old rag and let’s mop this whole place.

Let’s straighten the room with the big fireplace.

It shouldn’t take long, there’s not much out of place.

Now let’s finish up where you lay down your heads.

If we get it sparkling we can rearrange some beds.

While we are here, let’s straighten another little room.

It’s hardly a mess and does not need a broom.

I think we are almost done with our chores.

Put up 2 more stickers, then put clothes in your drawers.

You were such a big help, I couldn’t have done it without you!

Please go eat a popsicle as my way of saying THANK YOU!!

Good luck with your summer ideas!  I'll be posting lots more ideas, so check back often.
Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Music Tip #74 Music and Writing Strategies

This year at school we set a goal to help boost writing scores by giving parents writing strategies they could do at home. We included them each month in our newsletter. Here's some ideas from my May newsletter:

The end of the school year and the beginning of summer are here and “what to do with the kids?” is an important question all parents ask.
Here are some writing ideas linked with music that might help keep your children in the learning zone:

1.Write new lyrics to familiar songs. Use folk songs as your starting point, then create new words to go with what you’re doing. If the chores need to get done, ask your child to write some cleaning up words to Mary Had a Little Lamb, or London Bridge. Here’s an example using the tune to Mary Had a Little Lamb:
My room looks so messy, Wow!
Messy, Wow! Messy, Wow!
My room looks so messy, Wow! I’d better clean it fast.

2.It’s really important for kindergarten-2nd grade age children to recognize rhyming words and be able to rhyme words themselves.
Start singing a song (again use folk or familiar songs) but only sing rhyming words, changing rhymes on each phrase. Encourage your child to join in. Here’s an example to the tune of 3 Blind Mice:
Sit, sit, sit,
Mit, mit, mit
Fit, fitfit, fit
Wit, witwit wit,
etc. (be prepared for silliness and laughing!) Then have your child write all the rhyming words you’ve sang.

3. Here’s a web site that teaches writing skills in the form of songs:
http://www.songsforteaching.com/writingstrategies.htm
4.I found this book on Amazon but it is not in stock. You can do the same thing at home. They have children practice their writing skills while listening to music. Easy—you can do the same thing. Everything is more fun with music in the background. http://www.amazon.com/Callirobics-Pre-Writing-Skills-Music-Callirobics/dp/B001AH3AL8
5.Here’s another site that teaches cursive writing and has songs to enhance the learning
http://www.kiboomu.com/2011/01/11/cursive-writing-practice-for-kids/