School Fitness Workouts for Kids: Stretching, breathing and Yoga for kids

Schools often put the cart before the horse trying to educate a child's mind while ignoring bodily needs. Tired, hungry, uncomfortable children don't learn well. Here are school fitness workouts for kids to improve mental functioning. Use yoga stretches and breathing exercises for classroom phys ed. Yoga makes perfect winter school fitness workouts for kids because they can do yoga in the classroom--no need to go to the gym or outdoors. Yoga stretches and breathing exercises foster learning. 

Lest any parent object to the use of yoga in schools, for religious reasons or otherwise, this isn't meditative yoga, it's just basic asanas or postures. Call it Brain Gym or just phys ed if that makes parents feel better. 

Why use yoga in the classroom? For 6-8 hours a day, students sit in uncomfortable desks, breathing stale, recycled air. When she's not sitting, she's lugging around an achingly heavy backpack. She gets very little healthy exercise but a lot a stress and strain. Many schools have phys ed, but generally only one to three times per week. High school students get none unless it's an elective. School fitness workouts for kids are essential, even if they're just short ones. 

Do short periods of yoga for kids or other stretching and breathing exercises throughout the school day serves several purposes. Yoga strengthens lungs by teaching students to breathe deeply and use oxygen more efficiently. Yoga breathing calms the mind, body and spirit. It puts students in a tranquil, receptive frame of mind for learning. Yoga stretches and breathing exercises, even without meditation, purges the body of negative energy. Yoga is particularly useful for special needs students who can't do certain exercises or who suffer anxiety. 

The benefits of stretching periodically are many. Students experience fewer cramped muscles, stomachaches, headaches and discomfort. They are more attentive when given a chance to limber up. Students are happier and more willing to cooperate when they know that teacher cares about their whole self, not just the thinking part. Yoga requires no special equipment. It's perfect for school fitness workouts for kids and in-class phys ed. 

Try doing whole group yoga for kids stretches and breathing exercises twice a day. Start first thing in the morning and immediately after lunch. Utilize "waiting in line" time and walking halls for mini phys ed breaks. School fitness workouts for kids help keep them focused. Do whole body stretches and deep breathing exercises. If kids are concentrating on yoga stretches, there will be less need for obligatory teacher shushing in the hallway. Once students get the hang of yoga stretches, fitness workouts and breathing exercises while walking, they will do it automatically whenever they are waiting somewhere. Here are yoga for kids videos. 

Free Printable Fire Prevention Week Activities and Lessons

  Fire Prevention Week runs the first full week in October. Here are fire safety printables and emergency preparedness lessons for Fire Prevention Week. Use free printable fire prevention activities, worksheets, coloring pages, stickers, games, puzzles and crafts to help kids learn vital life-saving skills. Here are free printable family activities for Fire Prevention Week. Across the country, fire fighters, public safety officers, schools, communities and families will be teaching kids about safety this October, just in time for the holiday season.

National Fire Prevention is an organization dedicated to teaching people about fire safety and fire prevention. This link takes you to the Fire Prevention Week page. Look for free printable emergency escape plans, home maps, charts, phone numbers lists, safety check-lists and other fire prevention resources. Activities are printed in English and Spanish. Check your local community fire station for details on events they may be hosting.

Print smoke alarm safety sheet, family safety checklist, smoke alarm tutorial poster, family fire escape grid route and classroom unit on fire prevention. Use for back to school science lesson plans. It's a good idea to teach a safety unit as soon as you begin classes in the fall. Educators and homeschoolers there are packets of printable information to use in lesson plans. Scroll through for grade and language appropriate lesson

Sparky the Fire Dog has his own website kids can play on. Print a Sparky origami dog. Play interactive games with Sparky, while learning important science lessons. Kids can learn fire safety in a safe, hands-on activities. They'll love the fire role play games and simulations.

Free Printable Cinco De Mayo, Mexico Coloring Pages

Cinco de Mayo, or Fifth of May, celebrates the victory of the smaller Mexican army over the mighty French juggernaut, in the Battle of Puebla, 1862. Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican Independence. Here are free printable lesson plans for Cinco de Mayo. 

Cinco de Mayo means the fifth of May. But it isn't Mexican Independence Day nor the equivalent of the U.S. Fourth of July. Cinco de Mayo is the day Mexicans remember El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla). Cinco de Mayo is mostly an Americanized Latino holiday. But also a great day to explore Mexican culture. Here are free printable Cinco de Mayo lesson plans, worksheets and games.

Mr Donn has free printable Cinco de Mayo activities, games, coloring pages, Powerpoint presentations, social studies worksheets, history lesson plans and culture study activities.

A-Z Teacher Stuff has free printable Cinco de Mayo unit and lesson planner kit with materials, worksheets, games, crafts, recipes, movies and activities.

Enchanted Learning has free printable Cinco de Mayo worksheets, mini-booklets, history and social studies lesson plans. Print a map of Mexico, Mexican flag, info on the Battle of Puebla, Mexican leaders, posters, history, images and recipes. Print a nice poster featuring Cesar Chavez and other Mexican labor activists, political figures, scientists, artists, musicians and more.

The Teachers Corner has free printable Cinco de Mayo crafts, counting lessons, words in Spanish, cultural heritage activities and more. Lesson Planet has free printable lesson plans on Cinco de Mayo to sample.

For preschool and younger kids, visit DL-TK for free Cinco de Mayo coloring pages, crafts, games, puzzles and recipes. Kids Soup offers free Cinco de Mayo printables to sample.

Apples 4 the Teacher offers free printable Cinco de Mayo lessons, maps, history projects, puzzles, games, music, crafts, recipes and more. There are ideas for several ages groups. ELCivics has printable Cinco de Mayo lessons for older students.

Free Printable World Flags Coloring Pages. Lesson Plans

  United Nations Day is October 24. There is no more enduring symbol of a nation that the national flag. It 's a thumbnail, an icon for a country. The flag symbolizes pride and rallies people. The flag is flown or lowered to reflect national joy or sorrow. Here are free printable world flags from around the globe. Use these flag coloring pages in geography lessons and social studies cultures units. Students should not be allowed to "free color" the world flags. They should be taught to color them correctly. 

Coloring Castle has free printable flag coloring pages. There are black and white flags to color and colored flag templates that shows students how to properly color the flag. Countries represented include: Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, Czeck Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands (Holland), Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States. 

Activity Village includes free printable world flags from the six of the seven continents: Asia, Africa, North and South America, Australia and Europe. The site has many free printable flag coloring pages from Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia, Cyprus, England, Ghana, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Wales. Print geography lessons and social studies printables, coloring pages of famous buildings, landmarks and children in traditional native costume. Free printable geography lessons and social studies activities include maps and charts, too. 

World Flags Coloring Pages has free printable world flag coloring pages for just about any nation or country in the world. This site includes free printable United States flags from each state and provincial flags from countries around the world. Be sure to view the original to color properly. Enchanted Learning has many free printable world flags, national flag lesson plans and flag coloring pages. To print activities with no banner, users are asked to pay a $20 annual site fee. Check outthese sites for free printable social studies lesson plans and geography lessons.

Wood Working Activities for Preschool Learning Centers

Safe, Child Size Wood Working Learning Center for Preschool, Elementary School One of my favorite memories in kindergarten was wood shop. Here are preschool lesson plans to do woodworking in learning centers. When I was a kid, we made wood working projects with scrap wood, hammer and nails. Modern preschool learning centers can't use real tools for wood working activities for safety reasons. But some programs such as High/Scope and Montessori preschool teach children adult tasks using child-sized versions of grownup tools. Here are safe, child-sized wood working and woodshop activities for Montessori preschool learning centers

Many preschool learning centers rely on play tools for woodshop or building activities. Plastic toy tools are fun for children to play with, but they really don't teach anything practical life skills about wood working or tool safety. In fact, kids learn that it's okay to be careless when they play with toy tools because they won't get hurts. Montessori preschool woodshop learning centers educate children about safety. Any child-sized wood working learning stations should include safety glasses, work aprons to cover clothing and gloves to prevent splinters. Children should be required to wear available to wear safety equipment. Any child not behaving safely in woodshop learning centers should be removed and lose privileges.

While it mightn't be practical to use power tools, children can use small hand tools. Kids can practice hammer skill using a tack hammer, heavy plastic hammer or small wooden mallet. You can use wood and nails in learning centers with older children. Montessori preschool learning centers may substitute golf tees and recycled Styrofoam. For child-sized woodshop activities, let students pound golf tees into large pieces of Styrofoam to practice hammering. They can attach small chunks with golf tees to simulate nailing wood pieces together. Use recycled Styrofoam pieces old coolers, surfboards, packing materials, clean vegetable trays even packing peanuts.

Practice carving and cutting skills in child-sized woodshop learning centers using plastic knives and bars of soap. Older children can use child-sized saws or hack saws and pieces of balsa wood or pine. This gives students the idea of sawing wood, without the danger of injury. Children should be taught to be as careful as if they were using full-sized tools. themselves. To practice child-sized drilling activities, provide children with a non-powered hand drill, also called a bit and brace and child-sized vise. Children will love putting pieces of wood or Styrofoam in the vise to hold it secure while they work. They can practice opening and closing vise carefully so as not to pinch fingers. If your preschool learning centers have a child-sized plastic work bench, it will have play vise for children to use.

Good resources for realistic child-sized tools are Handy Andy tool kits. These were completely functional child-sized hand tools, made of realistic metal and wood, that came in a metal or wooden tool kit. Handy Andy tool kits are collectibles. Check the Ebay to buy vintage Handy Andy tool sets. 

Habitat Science Tubs and Preschool Learning Center Activities

Preschool and Elementary Science Learning Center Ideas for Habitat Study Learning occurs best when it's interactive. Bring hands-on, cross-curricular activities to every preschool classroom learning center. Studying different countries, cultures or habitats in your classroom? Here are hands-on science center activities. 

Montessori type learning centers focus on hands-on child-led mastery learning, individual work stations and play as work activities. Activities in learning centers aim for mastery learning through exploration and task completion. Montessori science learning centers are also called sensory or sensorial learning areas. Here's a system for portable exploratory science tubs with task-oriented science experiments and activities for mastery learning.

Montessori learning centers are organized, precise and minimal. Instead of a jumble of toys, there are specific ordered learning materials with task-oriented goals. Children work in individual work stations instead of desks or tables. These are usually portable mats rolled out on the floor. Portable unit-based science tubs work well. Materials in science tubs may be preset on stationary learning mats and children rotate through learning centers to complete activities. Or children may select science tubs, bring them to their mat work stations where they interact with materials to accomplish educational tasks.

To create exploratory science tubs, you'll need small plastic boxes with lids, baskets and different science unit materials. Stacking boxes or drawers in a rolling cart work well too. You might also use zippered plastic bags for individual science units. You will arrange materials by content area. When you're studying a particular content area, you'll remove materials from drawer or box and place in baskets. This makes learning materials more appealing and approachable.

Themes for exploratory science tubs include: magnets, matters, animal classification, mammals, reptiles, air, water, weather, measurement, polymers, plants, rocks and minerals, chemistry, seeds and seed carriers, feathers, electricity, atoms, food, bubbles, bugs, spiders, electronics. Place materials to explore in science tubs. Add several related follow up tasks for mastery learning--flashcards, worksheets, matching games. Children can do mastery learning tasks in science journals for follow up.

Make available tools for exploratory science: microscope, slides, magnifying glass, tweezers, magnifying box, telescope, gram balance scale, ruler, protractor, measuring tape. On the top surface of the plastic science tubs shelf, draw outlines of tools so children know where to place tools when finished. You could also make a pegboard for them to hang tools. Children perform exploratory science tasks and then return materials to original places so other children can use them

American History Lesson Plans: 3 Branches of Government

Some American government lessons are easier to teach than others. The three branches of government, with its system of checks and balances can be tricky to explain. So here are free printable American government lessons with objects lessons to help kids understand. To understand checks and balances and three branches of government, imagine a table or stool resting on three equal legs. The three legs are the three branches. Each of the three legs has equal strength and equal responsibility for holding the table straight. Each of the three branches of government (three legs) has its own functions and all three have equal power--each checks and balances the other. Each checks the other two make sure neither becomes to powerful and balances the others in carrying its fair share. 

Use these free printable American government lesson plans to explain that the three branches of government are-- the Judicial, Legislative and the Executive Branches. Each of the three branches of government has its own functions and all three have equal power. The Executive Branch includes the President of the United States, Vice-President and the Presidential Cabinet, which has 15 departments. The Executive Branch carries out laws. The president can veto laws also and appoints judges. The head of each department is called a Secretary, except for the Department of Justice whose head is called the Attorney General. 

These are the Presidential Cabinet departments. Department of State- international relations with other countries, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Department of the Interior - wildlife and natural resources, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Labor, Urban Development, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans' Affairs, Homeland Security 

The Legislative Branch: This branch, also called Congress checks and balances by making laws. The Legislative Branch has two branches--the Senate has 100 senators, two from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 members. Each state gets a certain number of representatives depending upon state population. For a bill (suggested law) to become a law it must be approved by both houses. The Judicial Branch: This branch includes judges and the court system. 

The Judicial Branch checks and balances the others by interpreting or examining and explaining the laws and Constitution. The courts decide how laws should applied in different cases. The Supreme Court decides the most important cases

DIY Scrabble/ Boggle Letter Dice for Word Games

To make your own Scrabble or Boggle dice, you'll need 12 dice: Recycle die from old games with lost pieces. Look for old dice games like Kismet or Yahtzee at garage sales. Ask a handy man to cut small dice cubes from scrap wood. Dice can be purchased at almost any store for under $2).

Permanent markers

Blank stickers (round or square white stickers are best)

Note pad

small pencils

watch or timer

small box

To make Scrabble/Boggle dice

Affix a sticker to each of the six sides of the die.

Label each die side with a different letter. With 12 dice times six sides you will have room for 72 letters. Since some letters are more popular, label dice this way. It makes no difference where on the dice you put which letters, Just be sure to get this many letters in.

  -four times each, letters: A, E, I, O, U, R, S, T, L, N

  -three times each letters: B, C, D, F, G, H, M, P

  -one time each, letters: J, K, Q, V, W, X, Y, Z

  -dictionary to check spelling

Recycled trash gift crafts, picture frames for Earth Day or Mother's Day

Need inexpensive Mothers Day gift crafts for kids to make? How about recycled trash gift crafts for Earth Day? Or homemade math craft projects with lots of measurement activities? Repurpose and reuse recycled trash in homemade photo frames and spend next to nothing! 

Materials for Earth Day trash crafts or Mothers Day picture frame crafts for kids 

--cardboard boxes from cereal, pasta or any other similar sized box For lesson design, divide students into groups and give each student in each group a box of the same size. The groups can problem solve and work interactively to measure the dimensions for the frame. 

--recycled trash wrapping paper or wallpaper scraps  

--sharp scissors or paper cutter for older students 

--glue wash (school glue watered down) in containers from recycling bin (Styrofoam trays, pie tins, yogurt cups, etc.) for wrapping paper. 

--invisible tape for wallpaper. 

--small foam brushes or paint brushes (for wrapping paper)

--recycled trash refrigerator magnets or tabs from soda pop cans 

--hot glue gun 

--photograph of each child 

Directions for Mothers Day gift crafts for kids 

--Measure photograph dimensions 

--Measure and cut a window in the cardboard which is 1/2 inch smaller all the way around than the picture. 

--Cut out a frame around the window which is about 2 inches wide. 

--Choose a piece of wrapping paper or wallpaper to cover the cardboard picture frame crafts. --Cut the paper so that it is 1 inch larger all around than the frame. 

--Center the paper over homemade photo frames and make a small slit in the paper over the opening. --Cut to enlarge the hole and form a rectangular hole in wrapping paper, an inch smaller than the hole in the cardboard. 

--Cut one inch diagonally from each corner of wrapping paper. Gently fold the paper around the outer and inner edge of the frame to the back. 

--If you use wrapping paper, decoupage it: Apply a coat of glue wash to affix the wrapping paper. Cover homemade photo frames with a layer of glue wash to make them shiny and protect them. If you use wallpaper, simply tape paper in place. 

--With masking tape, attach the photos to the back of picture frame crafts, with image facing out. 

--Attach a piece of paper over the back to hold the photo in place and center it inside picture frame crafts. 

--Hot glue magnet or pop can tab to the back of the frame. You can use peel and stick magnet strips 

Celebrate Earth Day with these recycled trash crafts. Give inexpensive, handmade gift crafts for Mother's Day, win-win! 

Healthy School Snacks Ideas for Lunch

I'm on a mission to root out unhealthy school snacks that claim to be healthy and expose their true lack of nutritional value. I've had it with school snacks that proclaim to be healthy but are in fact full of junk. 

Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bars and Eggo Nutri-Grain Waffles and most cereal and granola bars. Loaded with high fructose corn syrup, artificial color and hydrogenated fat, low protein and junk carbs. These are just cookies with a fancy "nutritional" name added. Look for snack bars with no HFCS and protein.

Sun Maid yogurt covered raisins: We are supposed to assume that because these raisins are coated in yogurt and not chocolate, that they have the health goodness of yogurt and are better for us. Wrong. Yogurt covered raisins are basically candy covered raisins. But they don't taste as good as Raisinets.

General Mills and Post Cereal Bars: Initially Post and GM had the audacity to market these as milk and cereal bars. Pulleez- they are basically Coco Puffs and Fruit Loops mixed with marshmallow and pasted together with more marshmallow. In short they are candy bars. Make Rice Krispie Treats at home and you'll be farther ahead. Or give your kids Coco-Puffs with milk. Or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks: Betty Crocker isn't the only one selling us a crock with her packaged 'fruit snacks'. Fruit snacks are a misnomer for highly sugared gelatin tidbits, similar to Juji Fruits and Dots, that come luridly colored , in bizarre flavors and are shaped like cartoon characters. Just the names Fruit Gushers, Fruit by the Foot (a sort of high fructose tape) make me ill. In my day, we called these fruit snacks candy. Welches and Sunkist Fruit Snacks are one step up. They at least do not have artificial color and do contain some fruit juice and 100% RDA of Vitamin C. You could just send the child to school with an orange or a banana.

Tomie DePaola Christmas Kids Literature Activities

Christmas Kids Books--Have a Tomie DePaola Holiday Looking for the best Christmas stories and holiday books for children? Then have yourself a Tomie DePaola Christmas! Tomie DePaola is a one of the world's best-loved illustrator-authors in children's literature. Tomie DePaola admits that he loves Christmas and it shows in the holiday magic he imbues in his stories and art. Here's the definitive Tomie DePaola Christmas stories collection. Included are Advent books, too: Advent is the Catholic season of preparation leading up to Christmas and Tomie DePaola books indulge that spirit of anticipation. He's done a nice series on saints' feast day that fall in Advent.

"The Lady of Guadalupe" Hands-down best retelling of the story of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Amercias, whose feast day, is December 12).

"The Legend of the Poinsettia" With no gift to offer the Bambino at Midnight mass, a little girl brings some flowers growing by the wayside, and a miracle occurs. It's similar to story in The Gift, by Aselin Debison

"The Night of Las Posadas" Posadas are parties celebrated during Advent in Mexico beginning nine days before Christmas as an Advent novena. They are similar to passion plays.

"Tomie DePaola's Make-Your-Own Christmas Cards" Tomie teaches you how to use your own artistic skill to make lovely holiday greeting cards.

"Get Dressed, Santa" Uh-oh, is Santa too tired to deliver the gifts this Christmas. Little children will love to help wake the sleepy elf. .

"Country Angel Christmas" Tomie DePaola specializes in angels. They peek out of every corner of his stories and nothing says Christmas like angels.

"Hark! A Christmas Sampler" Here's a delightful collection of Christmas songs, stories and fun from the Christmas man himself. Oh and there are Tomie DePaola Christmas recipes---there must always be recipes!

"Baby's First Christmas" Certain little grandchildren this author knows may find this in their stockings-shhh, don't tell.

"Tomie DePaola's Book of Christmas Carols" Here are all your favorite holiday tunes illustrated by Tomie DePaola

"The Night Before Christmas" Here is Clement C. Moore's timeless classic, DePaola style.

"The Friendly Beasts" This is a very satisfying retelling of the Welsh song and legend of the night the angels talked. Tomie DePaola's famous sheep figure heavily, but so do his other endearing animals.

"Merry Christmas, Strega Nona" Big Anthony goofs again-or does he? Can he really put one the Buon Natalia feast with no magic at Christmas?

"My First Christmas" This one is perfect for the wee ones' first holiday storybook.

"The Family Christmas Tree Book" Christmas deserve a family photo album, don't they? Here are holiday memories of Christmas trees past.

"The Legend of Old Befana" La Befana is the Italian equivalent to Russia's Baboushka, a woman too busy to stop for the baby Jesus and His guests.

"The Clown of God" Here's a haunting gestalt Medieval French tale of sacrifice and devotion.

"The Christmas Pageant" Tomie DePaola tells the nativity story.

"Sing Pierrot, Sing!" Okay, so perhaps not a Christmas story, but surely the old Italienne Comedie belongs with Christmas? Who can resist Harlequin and Columbine?

"An Early American Christmas" What was Christmas like for Jamestown pilgrims in a strange new world?

"Santa's Crash-Bang Christmas" Here's a very silly, noisy story that the littlest ones will love! "The Popcorn Book" This is not a Christmas book as such, but references are made to the holiday favorite popcorn balls and popcorn strung on Christmas trees. And popcorn and Christmas go together like Rudolph and red noses.

"Christmas Remembered" This is a tender, touching collection of holiday memories.

"Angels, Angels Everywhere" Tomie's angel shtick shows up again. His friendly cherubs crop up in the funniest places and remind us that angels are watching. That's much more comforting that Elf on a Shelf, don't you think.

"Guess Who's Coming for Santa's Dinner?" Poor Santa, he just wants to relax. But what do you do when Mama Santa invites all the relatives over for Christmas dinner? Children love imagining what Santa's relatives might be like.

Tomie has also written several lovely children's literature books for Jewish Chanukah. He's been illustrating books since 1965. Tomie originally published with Harcourt, Brace, Jovanvich, and now writes for G.P.Putnam's Sons, with many of his series books being published by Simon and Schuster. Some holiday children's literature books are published by Holiday House. This author and her children were privileged to meet Tomie DePaola in Muskegon, Michigan in 1993. Their autographed copy of "Strega Nona's Christmas" is a read each year. The oldest two children, now 27 and 25, remember it fondly and now there are grandchildren to pass it on to. Why not read a Tomie DePaola each night of Advent until Christmas and make your own memories. 

Free Printable Preschool Cut and Paste Craft Activities

Looking for fun summer reading activities for emergent readers? Here's a site with Fisher-Price coloring pages for preschool. This site  has hundreds of free printable coloring pages based on Fisher-Price and Mattel toys: Imaginext, Little People, Rescue Heroes, Power Wheels, Thomas and Friends. Scroll down for free printable Disney coloring pages too. 

Free Printable Kevin Henkes Lesson Plans

Kevin Henkes has given the world of children's literature some wonderfully endearing stories. Most Kevin Henkes kids' books feature anthropomorphic mice facing typical issues that children face. Beloved Kevin Henkes characters include Sheila Rae the Brave, Chrysanthemum, Julius, Owen, Lilly, Chester, Wemberly and Wendell. His kids' book "Kitten's First Full Moon," won the coveted and prestigious Caldecott book medal for best illustrations in children's literature.

If you like this lovable children's literature author, you will want to visit his website and explore thefree printable Kevin Henkes book activities he's made based on some of his beloved characters. The website has free printable word games, puzzles and coloring pages. These are useful for summer enrichment activities, day care fun, children's literature lesson plans and homeschooling activities. Or parents might want to print them just for fun at home.

Kevin Henkes' publisher, Harper Collins has put some of the free printable activities on their website. You might like the free printable activity book for "Lilly's Big Day" Lilly eagerly awaits the best day of her life, being a flower girl in a wedding. She encounters the usual fears and drama. This activity book would be great follow-up or preparation for any event that your child is anticipating. Bibliotherapy, or problem-solving using literature is especially therapeutic for young or special needs children who struggle to find their own voice. Seeing a funny little mouse experience similar events and feelings is tremendously reassuring.

Lilly is the same mouse who so charmed with her purple plastic purse in the book of the same name. Scroll down the page here for all the Lilly and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse printables Teaching Heart has free printable "Wemberly Worried" and "Chrysanthemum" activities. There are lesson plans from the Kevin Henkes book "Owen" too. Read these books your kids, parents, and you'll see why everyone loves them so.

Free Printable Curious George Lesson Plans

Free Printable Curious George Lesson Plans and Party Activities Here are free printable spelling, reading, math and writing lessons, plus coloring pages all about our favorite little monkey, Curious George! These free printable activities are based on the original vintage Curious George books from my childhood, by H.A.Rey Margaret Rey! You can even print an entire Curious George party planner with decorations, invitations, coloring, crafts, games and activities,too! Click here

Free Printable Disney Lesson Plans

Free Printable Disney Lesson Plans: Spelling, Math, Reading
Want to spark some fun in learning? Why not print some of these free printable Disney lessons? Learn math, story problems, money, time, spelling and reading with Disney cartoon friends! Free printable Disney lesson plans. 

Free Printable Stations of the Cross Lesson Plans, Lent Activities

In the Catholic liturgical calendar, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday continues for 40 days up through Holy Week, the Easter Triduum and Easter. Catholic Christians try to imitate Jesus with prayer, fasting or sacrifice and almsgiving (charity). A Catholic prays the rosary and Stations of the Cross on Friday (and as often as possible).  Here are free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages to guide Lenten devotions.

 Each year during the Lenten when our family was homeschooling, the children drew images, one for each of the Station of the Cross. We used these images to guide Lenten devotions and prayer. We created Stations of the Cross in our home and yard, placing the images in order along a path. One year we hung them in the hallway. This way we had our own Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross, or Way of Sorrows). The children would begin each Friday in Lent praying the Stations of the Cross. Older children can draw Stations of the Cross coloring books for younger children to color. Or you can use free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages. A favorite source was the Fr. Lovasik coloring books series. Here are free printable Stations of the Cross coloring books. Print a booklet for CCD, VBS, religious education classes, Catholic school, homeschooling and family devotions.

Catholic Kid offers free printable Stations of the Cross coloring books and prayer devotional guide. This is a fifteen page booklet covering each of the 14 Stations of the Cross. The liturgical prayer used at station is printed on the front cover and is repeated at each station. Children may color all the pages in their coloring books at once, or you may use Stations of the Cross coloring books as daily Lenten calendar countdown to Easter activities. Children might color one page each day for Lenten devotions. Here are other free printable Stations of the Cross activities from Catholic Playground. 

Web Archive has free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages drawn like Victorian church stained glass.  These images are quite small, but could be printed for a flip book or enlarged and printed as quarter or half page coloring pages. Traditionalists will love the neo-classical black and white artwork. St. John the Baptist Religious Ed has loads more free printable Catholic coloring pages for the mysteries of the rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries), Easter, Lenten, Bible and other Catholic themed coloring pages). 

Extend Stations of the Cross Lenten devotions and activities by assigning children to compose a prayer or response for each station. Preschool through first grade children might write one word or phrase to represent each station. Grades 1-2 might compose a one sentence prayer. For grades 3-5 assign one or two paragraph Lenten devotions and prayers. This makes good type 1 writing activities. Adjust the length of the prayer to suit the needs and abilities of the child. Some may wish to write their prayer as a poem, song or haiku. Don't make prayer or writing seem like chores or children will dread doing them. 

Special needs children might draw or act out each of the stations of the cross. Children could compose sign language or dance in response to the each Station of the Cross. The objective of this activity is to encourage children to respond to Our Lord's passion, death and resurrection. Encourage children to respond in whatever form they feel most comfortable with. 

Easy Classroom Fitness Workouts

The Ultimate Guide to Quick Fitness Workouts About half or more of all students live sedentary lives. And the classroom environment makes the problem worse. Learning is doing. We know that children who sit all day do not learn as well. They get distracted, bored and sleepy. Here are over 70 activities to get in a quick mini workout throughout your school day. Easy, interactive and fun! No materials required! 

Do you make exercise a part of your day? Is family fitness a priority? For many parents, it's not the lack of ambition, it's their crazy-busy lifestyles. How do you fit quick workouts into an already hectic day? Here are multitasking mom's mini workouts to wedge in your cram-packed schedule. These aren't hardcore extreme fitness regimes but they do satisfy the family fitness vs. time crunch dilemma. 

Get double duty out of the things you already do now by adding in quick workouts. The trick is to extract exercise from every activity you do. Long ago, people weren't obese and didn't work out. They did work constantly. Turn chores into mini workouts--do chores outside for a fitness trifecta: fresh air, exercise and productivity! As with any fitness, be sure to warm up, cool down, don't overdo it and obey your doctor when you exercise with children. 

Quick workouts out in public. Take every opportunity you can find to walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk through your plant, office, school or facility at break time. Don't ride anything or take the elevator. Walk the entire store when you grocery shop, stopping in every section. Run up the stairs to exercise with children. 

Family fitness routines: Walk your child to the bus stop (Why drive 2 blocks on a nice day?) Take a family bike ride to do errands close by (drop off library books, mail letters, grab a few groceries, pay bills). Park farther from buildings and stores so you will have to walk further. Teach children to use the stairs as an exercise machine (carefully so they don't get hurt, though.) Walk the dog, cat, hamster, etc. Take a family walk to do nearby errands--get the newspaper, buy milk, drop things off at church. Pull kids and stuff in the wagon (take turns pulling). Bag your own groceries and carry them out. When you go downtown or to a shopping mall, park and walk to each store (don't drive the car to hit stores a few doors down). 

Family fitness through community activities. Volunteer for Walk for Warmth, March of Dimes Walk-athon, jogging benefits and marathons. Enter your family in a parade. Walk the local outdoor farmer's market, craft show or flea market. Garage sale at a block sale. 

Quick workout at work. Whatever your occupation, try to get up and move around every 15 minutes or so. Go to the copy room or mail room. Hand deliver a few messages instead of emailing or texting everything. Touch base with fellow employees. Teachers and homeschool parents, "cruise" the classroom. You will help students and monitor problems. No one teaches as well from behind a desk. Check in with supervisor, spot-check problems, communicate on the move. 

Multitasking mini workouts at your desk. At the computer, in the car, on the bus or while reading, do these strengthening exercise with children. Tighten, hold and relax muscles in this sequence-- abdomen, buttocks, chin, Kegel (pelvis). Point and flex each foot and knee occasionally. 

Multitasking family fitness at home: Walk briskly as you gather laundry, dishes or tidy the house. When you go up or down stairs, carry something (dirty laundry, stuff to put away, etc.) Log how many times you go up or down stairs ant try to increase that number by one each day. Pick up a cheap exercise bike and ride it while you read or watch TV. Watch for exercise equipment on garage sales. Get in some upper body stretches as you put clothes or groceries on upper shelves. Hang clothes on the line and do some toe touches and side stretches. Practice lower body stretches as you gather toys from the floor.

Exercise with children doing chores. When you mop or vacuum, try staying in one place and reaching to move the vacuum to further points. Fully extend as you sort laundry on the floor and fill washer and dryer. Cleaning windows, mirrors, or the shower is a good time to work out your upper arms. Move them up

and down and back and forth about 10 times each. As the counter, do some yoga tree poses. Place one foot on the other leg and stand on one foot without holding on. Do this when you put on shoes and socks. Tighten and relax muscles to exercise with children while reading or watching TV. 

Outdoor tasks as mini workouts. Shovel snow. Shovel your neighbor's now and then. Do as much reasonable lifting and carrying as you can when you: move, buy new furniture, rearrange furniture, etc. Clean your carpets with a steam cleaner--great back and shoulder toner. Vacuum and wash your own car. Bend, stretch and extend in home remodeling. Remove wallpaper, paint and hang new wallpaper for super whole body workouts. Remember in "The Karate Kid" movie when Mr. Myagi got Daniel in shape by waxing the car and painting the fence?

Use hand tools instead of power tools-- hammer, saw, drill or screwdriver--for a good arm and hand workout. Even using power tools is good for quick workouts. Each time you scrub anything--floor, shower, carpets,--you give your arms and back some good rhythmic stretching. Get off the riding lawn mover and workout with a non-electric or walking lawn mower. Always stretch your neck and shoulder muscles to keep them limber and relaxed 

Family fitness multitasking mini workouts at play. Roller blade or bike on a date or with friends. Don't just sit and watch at the playground--play with your kids. Use any school playground when school is out. Play tag or catch. Push children on the swing or merry-go-round. Go on a nature hunt. Push little ones in the stroller. Carry the toddler or baby in a sling. Do climb and slide exercise with children. Take the kids for a walk down the street. Take a few neighbor kids or visit with the elderly. Bike to the  playground or park (bring water and a snack). Play in the sprinkler or practice throwing, kicking, batting and catching balls. Play badminton in the backyard ( a set is under $10). Set up a basketball hoop or tether-ball pole. Make a walk date after dinner with your spouse. You can use this time to catch up or just have a laugh. Coach or assist with a kids' sports team. Join a walking group

Resurrection Eggs: Lenten Devotional Easter Egg Activity

You've seen those plastic refillable Easter eggs? Well, how about reusing them for a green devotional craft for lent? Using Bible verses and items to represent the gospel story of the stations of the cross, you can help your family or classroom prepare for Easter. Holy Week is the high point of the Catholic and Orthodox liturgical calendar. Make Holy Week come alive for children with this educational and spiritual family craft. Easy, DIY, recyclable, inexpensive and lent/ Easter activity.

Lenten devotions: Catholic Holy Week countdown using Easter eggs. For these Easter egg crafts. you'll need 8 plastic eggs, a basket and Easter grass or green construction paper. For Bible object lessons, place one item in each egg that relates to the Easter story and a slip of paper with the Bible verse that mentions the item. You'll find the Easter story in the Gospel of Luke chapter 22, 23 and 24 (verse 1-12), or Mark chapter 11 (verse 1-11)chapter 14, 15 and 16 (verses 1-8). It's contained in the other two gospels as well, but Luke and Mark are the best retellings.

Label each egg as follows and place these items inside:

Palm Sunday--a piece of palm, dry grass or a plastic donkey (to remember Palm Sunday, when Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem)

Monday of Catholic Holy Week--a piece of cracker or crouton (to remember Christ's institution of Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper)

Tuesday of Catholic Holy Week--a dime (the 30 pieces of silver Judas was paid to betray his friend Jesus)

Wednesday of Holy Week--a tiny piece of branch with thorns (Crown of thorns)

Holy Thursday--a nail (to symbolize that His hands and feet were nailed to a cross)

Good Friday--a cocktail sword or toothpick (to remember that Jesus was pierced with a sword in his side, from which poured water and blood)

Holy Saturday--a stone (the stone that was placed in front of the tomb of Christ and later miraculously removed)

Easter Sunday--Nothing! This reminds us of the empty tomb on Easter morning.

Open one egg each day from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Light a candle for this special time. Ask a young child to explain to the family or group what this item could mean. The family can share their ideas, experiences or scripture references to the item. You might all sing a hymn or chant to remember this part of the story. Sing Crown Him with Many Crowns, All Hail the Power of Jesus's Name or Te Deum. Extend Easter egg crafts, by having children to illustrate Bible object lessons they've learned. Combine illustrations in a family memory book and use for Lenten devotions in years to come.

Book to Movie Films for Psychology Lesson Plans

Movies, whether independent films, documentaries or Hollywood blockbusters, have a powerful impact on how we understand concepts. Whether information is accurate, exaggerated or false, if it's portrayed in movie form we tend to accept and believe it more readily. Some of the most pervasive ways movies influence information is in the area of mental illness, mental institutions and institutional behavior.

Looking for films to use in psychology lesson plans about mental institutions and emotional illness? Here are some One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (and now the Netflix spinoff "Ratched")Girl Interrupted, Shutter Island, Patch Adams, K-Pax, Sybil, The Snake Pit, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and Girl Interrupted.  

It's important to discuss, in psychology lesson plans, the sometimes inaccurate portrayals about mental illness and institutions. People are often shown as being treated cruelly in institutions. "The Snake Pit" (1948) with Olivia de Haviland, is not far off with it's depiction of institutions of that time. "Girl Interrupted" (1998) with Angelina Jolie gives a fairly accurate picture of how institutional behavior develops. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" has strong merit as a mental institution expose.

Sensationalized stories can also block our vision. They take the focus off the real issues with over-dramatized, lurid depictions. "Shutter Island" (2009) is a perfect example. Viewers were prepared to be terrified by gruesome mental institution scenes. What they got was a complex, multi-layered story that poked holes in many accepted fallacies about mental illness. Some accusation of sensationalism has been levied at "Sybil" (1976). I have used and would continue to use the film in psychology classes, for Sally Field's exceptional performance and because it gives an inside-out look at the effect of child abuse. The important issue is to recognize media hype and deflect it with accurate information.

Ash Wednesday Lenten calendars, Lent Lesson Plans

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent, CRS Rice Bowl collects millions of dollars for global poverty from nickels and dimes of Catholic parishioners. CRS Rice Bowl focuses attention on the Lenten virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The CRS Rice Bowl is a cardboard box which, when assembled, looks like a Chinese restaurant take-out box. During Lent, families place a CRS Rice Bowl in their homes to collect loose change for the poor and hungry of the world. The CRS Rice Bowl packet includes Lenten calendars with devotional activities, prayers, feast days and stations of the cross. Each calendar day has a global prayer focus with specific information about the country in need. Here are CRS Rice Bowl activities, printables, prayers, games, crafts and recipes. Use these Lenten lesson plans to teach social studies, history, economics, geography, language arts, culture, science and religious education 

Social studies lesson plans. Explore countries served by Lenten rice bowl. Lenten calendars list information about the seven countries (one for each week of Lent) supported by the CRS Rice Bowl. Each year CRS Rice Bowl highlights different countries to help. Lenten calendars introduce a person from each country and explain some of the conditions. Lenten calendars share recipes from that country. Printables, lesson plans and learning activities are provided to supplement the CRS rice bowl. 

Science and geography lesson plans. Research the seven countries served by Operation Rice Bowl. Hang a wall-sized world map. Create maps for CRS Rice Bowl countries and regions. Attach maps to wall with yarn indicating where they are on world map. Make a chart or graphic organizer showing cause and effect of poverty in each country (drought, poor sanitation, terrain, natural disasters, political regimes, military coups, loss of industry, urban crowding, etc.). Create and display a time line, running along the wall. Draw a separate line for each country to show events in each. Draw a world timeline and list important global events. Illustrate maps and time lines with native animals, artifacts and natural resources. Use printables for maps, charts and coloring pages. 

Language arts lesson plans. Write letters through Catholic Relief Services to children in each country. Write country name, language, region, capitol and keywords from each country. Use as vocabulary and spelling words. Have children create country booklets, using free social studies printables from Enchanted Learning. Older kids could create reading response journals and include maps and writing projects. Or have kids make scrapbooks. 

Make and try CRS Rice Bowl recipes included. Cooking is great hands-on application for math, chemistry and science lesson plans. Explore ethnic markets in your area and online to find the ingredients you need. Look for others foods that are similar. Be sure to emphasize meatless recipes. Research and discuss the biomes and habitats of the countries. What plants grow native in these regions? What animals are native? What is the terrain and climate? Explore other recipes from these areas or similar regions. See website for links on world research. Design a world cookbook and sell copies to raise money for the CRS Rice Bowl. 

Check out Catholic Relief Services Family site for more ideas. Use the Educators page for loads more social studies printables, lesson plans, activities, word games, puzzles, kids newsroom, interactive online activities and games. Use the Catholic prayer calendar in following Lenten calendars. Most schools incorporate calendar activities in their day. Include the prayers and information in your calendar routine.