Look! We're Learning!

Early Learning. Happy Teaching.

  • Shop
  • Printables
  • Homeschool
  • Crafts
  • Parenting
  • Blog

Charlotte’s Web Craft for Kids: Fun Floating Spider Craft

March 14, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Charlotte’s Web is one of the books that I automatically associate with childhood. I listened to it read aloud in elementary school (third grade, I think) and I read it myself so many times I lost count.

When our six-year-old and I started reading it as part of our BookShark Level 1 curriculum, she discovered that she loved it just as much as I did. Some things never change.

So I thought it would be fun to make a quick and easy Charlotte’s Web craft that she could enjoy and that’s how we came up with this floating spider craft!

Make this easy Charlotte's Web craft when you finish the story with your little ones!

This only took us a few minutes to make and it gave us a chance to get outside and play. It’s perfect for early grades.

See how to make your own below! And, for more fun with book-themed crafts, check out our Farm Paper Bag Puppets based on Big Red Barn!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Reading Charlotte's Web with your kids? Bring the story to life with this fun Charlotte's Web craft little ones can make!

Charlotte’s Web Craft for Kids: Fun Floating Spider Craft

We’ve been working our way through BookShark Level 1 with our first grader this year and we’ve gotten to read so many wonderful children’s books the past few months.

I have to admit, though, that when I opened the box and saw Charlotte’s Web in there, I did a little leap for joy.

BookShark Level 1 Read Aloud Books

If you’ve read the book, you probably remember that Charlotte’s egg sac finally hatches and all of her babies venture out into the world. When Wilbur (the pig) sees them shoot out silk and sail off on the wind, he starts to panic.

Three of them end up staying near him and…(I’m going to stop before I retell the entire book.)

Making a Charlotte's Web Craft with Kids

Anyway, the idea of spiders sailing off on the wind is what helped us come up with this simple craft.

To make this easy Charlotte’s Web craft, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • White basket coffee filter
  • Single hole punch
  • Polyester string
  • Plastic spider ring

Simple Charlotte's Web Craft for Kids

What we’re basically making is a spider wearing a parachute. Easy peasy!

To make this, use a hole puncher to punch a hole in each side of the coffee filter. You want the holes to be directly across from each other.

I made one hole on the left and the other directly across on the right. Then I turned the filter around and did the same thing again to have four holes in all.

Simple Charlotte's Web Craft

Then cut about a three foot length of string and cut that into four equal pieces. Thread one piece of string through each hole in the filter.

Connect opposing sides by typing the left and right side strings together with a simple knot. Leave about an inch or two loose at the end. Turn the filter around and do the same thing again. You should end up with four strings tied into two.

Charlotte's Web Craft for Kids

Then you just tie each of the tied strings around the spider and you’re done!

Make sure that the length of string is even on all sides. If the spider isn’t hanging directly beneath the filter’s middle, it won’t float.

Also – you want the weight of the spider to be evenly distributed. We tied one set of strings together around the front and the other together around the back.

Making a Charlotte's Web Craft

All that’s left to do is take it outside…

Easy Charlotte's Web Craft to Make with Kids

…and watch it float!

Easy Charlotte's Web Craft for Kids

You don’t have to throw it or anything. If you hold the filter open and up, the spider should float gently to the ground.

Making a Simple Charlotte's Web Craft

Super neat!

I think Charlotte would be proud.

If you’re looking for a literature-rich homeschool curriculum, I cannot recommend BookShark enough. We have had so much fun reading classic stories, and learning about the vocabulary, history, and science behind them this year.

Take a look at the different BookShark levels to find which one is best suited for your child! And don’t forget to request your free catalog!

Turn a classic story into a craft with this simple floating spider Charlotte's Web craft for kids! So fun for read-aloud time!

If you loved this Charlotte’s Web craft, check out these other simple crafts you can make with your family!

These adorable farm animal paper bag puppets are such a fun way to learn about barnyard animals with the kids!

Make this easy spring toilet roll butterfly craft with your kids! So fun and simple for little ones!

Make this sweet coffee filter pig craft with the kids for an easy art project!

And for more ways to add crafting to your homeschool day, follow my Simple Crafts for Kids board on Pinterest!

Filed Under: Crafts, Reading Tagged With: crafts for kids, reading

Spring Sight Words! Spring Sight Words Flashcards

March 4, 2019 by Selena Robinson 8 Comments

Help your early readers bud this year with these printable spring sight word flashcards!
These spring sight words flashcards are a perfect way to teach reading during spring months!
Work on early literacy skills with this fun set of printable spring sight word flashcards! Perfect for spring reading!

The first day of spring is approaching! Woohoo!

Since Roo has been working on sight words lately, I thought I’d make some spring sight words flashcards and I’m sharing them with you all today!

Learning to read sight words is a huge leap forward for early literacy skills. It’s the first step toward reading short stories.

Printable Spring Sight Words Cards

Preschoolers and kindergartners who master sight words will be on their way to reading in no time!

These are so fun for working on early reading skills with preschoolers and kindergarteners!

Hands-on Spring Sight Words Practice

Plus, you can use them for matching games, writing practice, and more!

Read on to see how to get your set.

If you enjoy these, be sure to check out our other spring resources, including our Busy Bee Scissor Skills Worksheets and our All About Flowers printable unit!

These spring sight words learning cards are great for building reading skills!

Spring Sight Words Flashcards for Kids

To use these spring sight words flashcards, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer paper
  • Scissors
  • Laminator (for making the cards sturdy)
  • Hook and loop adhesive coins (optional)
  • Dry erase markers (optional)
Spring Noun Sight Words Practice for Kids

These flashcards feature eight spring-themed sight words, including:

  • Bird
  • Seed
  • Rabbit
  • Duck
  • Garden
  • Flower
  • Rain
  • and Day
Reading Noun Sight Words with Kids

There are three sets of cards: one with pictures and words, one with just pictures, and one with just words.

Spring Sight Words Practice for Pre-readers

Once a child learns to recognize the words and pictures together, try reviewing the word cards to help them start identifying sight words on their own!

Spring Sight Words Literacy Practice for Kids

How to Use Spring Sight Words Flashcards with Early Readers

Introduce these noun spring-themed sight words to students by reviewing all of the cards together.

Practicing Spring Sight Words with Kids

Be sure to read through each word carefully. Spell it out loud with your students.

Learning Spring Sight Words with Early Readers

Talk about the pictures on each card as well. This can be especially helpful for ELL students.

Fun Noun Sight Words Practice for Early Readers

Use the picture matching cards to build confidence and recognition skills.

Spring Sight Words Practice at Literacy Centers

Move on to the labeling cards for students who are ready to read the words on their own.

Spring Sight Words Matching Cards

You can also laminate the cards and let students use the blank labels to write the sight words themselves.

Or add hook and loop adhesive coins to turn these into reusable matching activities for centers!

Scroll down to pick up your set of spring sight words flashcards!

Don’t miss these other spring learning ideas for kids!

Grab these fun busy bee scissor skills printables to help little ones practice using scissors!
These spring science ideas are wonderful for teaching science to the kids this year!
Make this easy spring toilet roll butterfly craft with your kids! So fun and simple for little ones!
Seasonal Sight Word Cards Cover

These Spring Sight Words learning cards are included in our Seasons of Sight! Sight Words Learning Cards set!

With this resource, you can introduce your students to 32 seasonally-themed noun sight words and use a hands-on approach for mastery.

A handy sight words chart is also included.

See this product in full in the video!

To pick up this early literacy resource, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check it out below!

Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, PreK Homeschooling Tagged With: homeschool printables, prek, prek flashcards, printable flashcards, printables, reading, reading flashcards, reading printables, sight word flashcards, sight word printables, sight words

20 Adorable Counting Books for Kids

February 11, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning to count is one of the most important skills for early learners. After all, until you learn to count, you won’t be able to tell that your sibling got more cookies than you.

Which, if you ask any three-year-old, is one of the world’s greatest injustices.

We loved using manipulatives and printables to help our kids learn to count. But another wonderful resource for teaching counting is storybooks. And that’s why I wanted to share this list of adorable counting books for kids!

20 Adorable Counting Books for Kids to Read

This list is full of cute kids’ books about counting that help children learn to count by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s – all the way to 100! They’re perfect for building literacy skills and math fluency at the same time.

Read on to see which counting books made the list! And for more practice with counting, check out our free printable Toy Counting to 100 flashcards!

Read and count at the same time with these adorable counting books for kids! These are perfect for early learners!

20 Adorable Counting Books for Kids

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1. Anno’s Counting Book – by Mitsumasa Anno

2. Counting with Tiny Cat – by Viviane Schwarz

3. So Many Bunnies: A Bedtime ABC and Counting Book – by Rick Walton

4. Counting with a Ladybug – by DK Publishing

5. One Gorilla: A Counting Book – by Anthony Browne

6. Sheep Won’t Sleep: Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s – by Judy Cox

7. Each Orange Had 8 Slices – by Paul Giganti, Jr.

8. 100 Bugs!: A Counting Book – by Kate Narita

9. Counting Our Way to Maine – by Maggie Smith

10. What Can You Spot?: Counting – by Max and Sid

See even more counting books for kids below!

Counting Books for Kids

11. On the Launchpad: A Counting Book about Rockets – by Michael Dahl

12. Push, Dig, Scoop!: A Construction Counting Rhyme – by Rhonda Gowler Greene

13. Ten Apples Up On Top! – by Dr. Seuss

14. How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? – by Jane Yolen

15. Counting with Frida: A Bilingual Counting Book – by Patty Rodriguez

16. Curious George Learns to Count from 1 to 100 – by H.A. Rey

17. Butterfly Colors and Counting – by Jerry Pallotta

18. Counting Kisses: A Kiss and Read Book – by Karen Katz

19. 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo: A Counting Book – by Eric Carle

20. 12 Ways to Get to 11 – by Eve Merriam

Pick up these adorable counting books for kids to help early learners practice counting and literacy skills!

Did you love this list of super cute counting books for kids? Don’t miss these other early math learning activities!

These printable ladybug math activities are perfect for sharing with the kids this spring!

Sidewalk Chalk Outdoor Math Game

Early learners will love learning to count with these fun pirate printable counting puzzles for numbers 1-10!

Get even more ideas for teaching early math on my Math Mania Pinterest board!

Filed Under: Book Lists, Reading Tagged With: counting, preschool, reading

Simple Green Eggs and Ham Inspired Poetry Activity

February 4, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Since we’ve been working through BookShark Level 1 with our youngest, we’ve gotten to read plenty of wonderful stories. When I looked at the bookshelf and noticed we had yet to read Green Eggs and Ham, though, I wanted to jump for joy.

As a child, I read The Cat In the Hat first. But Green Eggs and Ham is, by far, my favorite Dr. Seuss book. I love it so much.

With the help of our BookShark program, we turned this classic story into a simple Green Eggs and Ham poetry activity. My first grader loved it!

Easy and Fun Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity for Kids

Take a look at how we extended this story into a super easy creative writing lesson! And for more practice with ELA, don’t miss our printable Construction Contractions Language Arts lesson!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Help your early learner practice rhyming and creative writing with this simple Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity!

Easy Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity for Kids

To do this simple Green Eggs and Ham poetry activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Green printer paper
  • Black marker
  • White Posterboard or Giant Wipe Off Index Card
  • Dry Erase Marker (only needed if you’re using the wipe off index card)

Green Eggs and Ham Writing Activity

We began by reading Green Eggs and Ham. Our little one read it to me while I sat and looked on. She found the story and the illustrations hilarious.

Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity

At one point, after Sam-I-am offered the green eggs and ham again, she actually said “He just told you he doesn’t like it!”

Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity for Early Grades

In our BookShark Level 1 lesson, the curriculum guide encouraged us to work on writing our own poem based on a food that we would not like to eat.

So I pulled out our giant laminated index card and started a couple of sentences. Then it was up to our first grader to fill in the blanks with her own ideas for yucky food and where she wouldn’t eat it.

Simple Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity

Then I thought it would be a little more fun to let her write her answers on some “green eggs” of our own. So I just cut out some wiggly shapes from green paper.

Hands On Green Eggs and Ham Poetry Activity

She started by choosing a strange food color – “gold”. Then the food she added was noodles. Incidentally, she’d just had noodles for lunch that day. It’s entirely possible she was trying to tell me something.

When we started thinking of words that rhymed with noodles, she got to “doodles” and decided that would work.

Writing Poetry with Green Eggs and Ham

Then it was time to think of a place she wouldn’t like to eat her strange food. She choose “at home”.

Which definitely made me think she was trying to tell me something.

Poetry Writing with Green Eggs and Ham

And, naturally, if you won’t eat them at home, then you won’t eat them with a gnome either.

Poetry Writing Activity with Green Eggs and Ham

And her rhyme was done!

I asked her what she thought the lesson of the story was. She said “Don’t say you don’t like something just because it looks weird. You should try it.”

Score! Now let’s see if she remembers that little lesson the next time I serve dinner.

This Green Eggs and Ham poetry activity was just one of the activities in BookShark Level 1 for this book. Take a look at BookShark’s curriculum to see more ways you can use it to bring stories to life with your kids!

Check out these other reading activities for children!

These When the Leaf Blew In printables are a fun way to extend this classic fall story with early learners!

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

Use these Harry the Dirty Dog printables for kids to help early learners learn more about this classic story!

And see more ways to make story time fun on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Filed Under: Language Arts, Reading Tagged With: bookshark, reading, writing

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists

January 24, 2019 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

My youngest son is obsessed with making things. He’s built a working fishing pole, a wobble racer, and even a 3-D paper basketball playset, complete with players who actually shoot the ball into the hoop.

We’ve always encouraged our kids to learn about their history, so I thought it would be cool for him to read some books about black inventors and scientists. That way, he learns about history and he finds out that other people like him have had big ideas that they turned into real things that helped society.

Talk about a self-esteem boost!

Share these fascinating books about black inventors and scientists with the kids!

I wanted to share these storybooks with all of you because we’ve enjoyed reading them. (Some are even in our home library.) But they’d also make excellent choices for a STEM unit or a Black History Month lesson. In our family, we like to read about them all year.

Read on to see these inspiring black inventor books for kids. And for more black history lessons, don’t miss our We Got Jazz unit study! It’s packed with over 120 pages of black history for elementary grades!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids to Read - Perfect for Black History Month!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1. Garrett Morgan: Historically by Maria Mas

2. What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

3. Katharine Johnson (You Should Meet) by Thea Feldman

4. Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton

5. What Are You Figuring Now? A Story about Benjamin Banneker by Jeri Ferris

6. Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed

7. National Geographic Readers: George Washington Carver by Kitson Jazynka

8. Vision of Beauty: The Story of Sarah Breedlove Walker by Kathyrn Lasky

9. What If There Were No Black Folks? A Story About African-American Inventors and Pioneers by Toni Abasi Hill

10. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids

We Got Jazz

11. The Man Who Invented the Lawn Mower: And Other Inspirational Black American Inventors and Their Inventions by Christopher Davis, Jr

12. All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine by Monica Kulling

13. The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca

14. Lewis Latimer: Black Americans of Achievement by Winifred Latimer Norman

15. Great Black Heroes: Five Brilliant Scientists by Lynda Jones

16. The Woman Who Invented Weaving by Christopher Davis, Jr

17. Gary and the Great Inventors: It’s Laundry Day! by Akura Marshall

18. Black Pioneers of Science and Invention by Louis Haber

19. Look What Brown Can Do! by T. Marie Harris

20. Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? by Patrice McLaurin

Learn about some of the incredible black makers and inventors in history with this list of fascinating books about black inventors and scientists!

Did you like this list of books about black inventors and scientists? Check out these other history learning ideas!

Teach kids about the royal history of Africa with this African Kingdoms printable African history unit study!

Does it really matter how you teach history to your children? See why learning how to teach history with a timeline can bring history to life for young learners!

This jazz history unit is a perfect black history unit study for music class!

See even more activities on my Living History for Kids Pinterest board!

African Kingdoms History Unit

Filed Under: Black History, Book Lists, History Tagged With: black history, history, reading

How to Teach Your Child to Read In 7 Easy Steps

December 10, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning to read is one of the most important and celebrated milestones in education. And with good reason! If you can read, you can do anything else you want in life.

If we want our kids to become readers for life, though, we have to start teaching them to love reading while they’re young.

There are a lot of excellent books on how to teach your child to read, but after raising four readers in our family, I’ve learned that teaching a child to read doesn’t have to be a complicated event.

How to Teach Your Child to Read In 7 Steps

When you’re first starting out, though, it can definitely seem overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure where to start. Here are seven simple steps for teaching your child to read you can use, no matter where you’re at in your parenting journey.

And if you want even more ways to make reading enjoyable for children, check out these tips for encouraging your active kids to read for fun!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Do you want to raise readers? Learn how to teach your child to read in just seven steps!

Teach Your Child to Read in 7 Steps

Images c/o: monkeybusiness & wavebreakmedia / depositphotos

Practice Patience

Patience is a must when you’re teaching a child to read. Every child masters concepts at their own pace, so your little one might not be on the same level as the kid down the street who is a year younger.

Start introducing a new skill and, if your child is resistant or doesn’t seem to be getting the lesson, table it and try again another day. Keep things light and fun to help them grow their love for reading.

Master the Alphabet

Kids can’t learn to read without understanding the components of a word, so it is important to help them get a solid grasp the alphabet. Begin with the letters that are most familiar to them, particularly those within their name, and teach them one at a time.

Show them how to identify the letters and talk about the sounds that they make. They’ll quickly begin to understand how they come together to form words.

Keep Phonics Simple

When your child has a grasp on the alphabet, start introducing basic phonics. Don’t worry about all of the exceptions to the phonics rules at first. Stick with beginning letter sounds, short vowels, and long vowels.

Once your child can remember these phonic sounds, you can explain that there are words that follow their own rules and save those lessons for when they have a better grasp on the basics. Basic word sounds and common blends are all they need at this early stage.

Begin Introducing Sight Words

Common words that appear frequently in writing are called sight words. These are often hard to sound out or don’t follow typical phonics rules.

By helping your child to identify these words, even before they are technically “reading” them, they will be able to string together sentences a little more easily. Be sure to emphasize spelling as you’re teaching these words to maximize the impact of the lessons.

Make Reading Together a Conversation

An easy way to build reading comprehension is to discuss what you read along with your child.

As you read together, talk about the plot of the book and why the events took place. Help them to understand the possible emotions of a character and guess what might happen next.

Over time, kids will start to attach meaning to the words they read, especially when they understand the context, and their comprehension skills will blossom.

Find Everyday Opportunities to Make Reading a Game

As you go through your day, play simple games that will help build your child’s reading skills. For example, go on a letter scavenger hunt during your trip to the grocery store by finding the alphabet in order on package labels.

Or as you’re driving around town, have them find words that begin with a certain letter on the signs that they pass. Then challenge them to spot words they’ve recently learned while you’re out running errands.

As you actively seek these teachable moments, you’ll find that they are everywhere!

Use a Book-Based Curriculum

One of the best ways to teach your child to read is to use a homeschooling curriculum that is literature-based. We’re using BookShark with our youngest child this year and it is wonderful for building reading fluency, comprehension, and interest.

A Selection of BookShark Readers for Kids

Books are involved in the reading, history, geography, and science lessons, so our first grader spends most of her learning time reading different kinds of literature, including fiction, first readers, instruction manuals, reference books, and more.

Instead of thinking of reading as a separate school subject, BookShark weaves it into everything a child is learning, which is wonderful practice for reading for life.

With these suggestions, you too will be able to teach your child to read in 7 steps! Remember, each child is different. Some learn to read at three, others at six, still others later on.

The speed at which your child learns to read is not important, though. What matters is that they learn to love reading, whenever they begin.

If you make reading part of their everyday experience and use a program like BookShark to include reading in every school subject, you’re sure to raise bookworms of your own!

Don’t miss these other tips for reading with kids!

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

This printable fall reading journal for kids is a simple way to help children analyze the stories they read!

Ready to get your little one reading? This simple kindergarten homeschool reading list features early readers kids will love!

And see more ideas for teaching literacy on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Filed Under: Reading Tagged With: literacy, reading

Printable Fall Reading Journal for Second Grade

August 6, 2018 by Selena Robinson 9 Comments

Free Fall Reading Journal for Second Grade

Reading is a huge part of our homeschooling experience. I’m a bookworm and nothing would make me happier than to raise four little bookworms of my own.

In second grade, one of the objectives is for children to learn to retell the main idea and details of a story. So I put together a printable reading journal for second grade with a cute fall theme! Read on to see how we used them and to get your own!

Get kids into reading and analyzing what they read with this printable fall reading journal!

These would be wonderful for introducing kids to book reports, since you can use them to help students identify author, story, setting, and character. But they’re also a nice introduction to creative writing!

By the way, be sure to check out our second grade reading list for some awesome children’s book recommendations!

This printable fall reading journal for kids is a simple way to help children analyze the stories they read!

Fall Themed Printable Reading Journal for Second Grade

In first grade, Pooh really grew in his independent reading. I want to make sure that he keeps reading for fun this year, but we also want to make sure that he understands what he reads and can explain it to others. Enter a reading journal!

To use these printables, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links provided for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer paper
  • Pencil

Reading Journal Printable for Kids

On the cover page is a spot for kids to write their names on their journals.

Printable Fall Reading Journal for Kids

The journal includes one cover page and eight journal prompts: two to be used each week.

Fall Reading Journal Pages for Kids

The first prompt asks students to identify the title of the book, the author, the main character, the setting, the problem, and the resolution. Identifying problem and resolution are the stepping stones to analyzing plot.

Fall Printable Reading Journal

On the second prompt page, kids can express their opinions about what they’ve read by explaining what they liked and didn’t like about the story.

They can also flex their creative writing muscles by rewriting the story’s ending their own way.

Printable Reading Journal for Kids

Since there are four journal sets in the product, you can use this reading journal for an entire month.

Printable Kids Reading Journal

Simply print it three times to cover the entire fall season! If you use the journal each month for three months, kids will have read and analyzed 12 stories!

How to Use a Reading Journal for Second Grade

Here’s a look at the reading journal for second grade in action.

Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade

For this activity, my second-grader decided to read The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food. One of my favorites from childhood, too. 🙂

Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade

After reading the book, Pooh started working on his journal. Since we’re just beginning second grade, I don’t mind letting him look back at the story to recall details for his journal pages.

As the year progresses, though, my goal is for him to remember the details on his own. I think as we use the journals more often, he’ll get an idea of what to look for as he reads.

Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade

Scroll down to get your copy of our Fall-Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade!
Check out our book recommendations for elementary-aged kids!

First Grade Reading List Homeschool Picks

Our Homeschool Second Grade Reading List

Help your third grader love reading with this third grade homeschool reading list!

Plus, get more tips for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our Fall Themed Reading Journal for Second Grade, pick up our 2nd Grade Learning Bundle! This product, along with three other second-grade learning resources, are inside!

Click the image or the link below to check out the 2nd Grade Learning Bundle in our Store!

>>> 2nd Grade Learning Bundle <<<

Visit these sites for more journal activities for 2nd graders:
Apple Writing Prompts and Papers from Sallie Borrink Learning
Roll It and Write! Journal Activity for Kids from School Time Snippets
from Sugar Aunts
Heart to Heart Journals from Still Playing School
Digital Journaling with Kids from Rainy Day Mum
30 Free Journal Prompts for September from Life Over C’s
Connecting Science and Writing from Planet Smarty Pants

Back to Homeschool Helpers

This post is part of the Back to Homeschool Helpers roundup! Stop by to see all the wonderful homeschool resources you can grab for free below!

Tal (Blessed Grove)
Heather (Fearless Faithful Mom)
Christel (Perfectly Blended & Blessed)
Michelle (With the Huddlestons)
Sharla (Minnesota Country Girl)
Misty (Many Seasons of Motherhood)
Joy (Beanpost Farmstead)
Terri (Our Happy Medium)

Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, Reading Tagged With: fall, fall themed reading journal, homeschool printables, homeschool reading, printable reading journal, printables, reading, reading comprehension, reading journal, reading printables

4 Easy Ways to Encourage Free Reading with Active Kids

July 9, 2018 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

We all know that reading is (probably) the most important skill a child should learn. Without reading, you can’t really do, well, anything.

But we don’t just want our kids to read because they have to. We want them to read because they want to. And that means making free reading an important part of every day.

The issue, though, is that kids who are on the active side might not be that interested in reading, especially for pleasure. And that’s why I’m sharing four easy ways to encourage free reading with active kids!

How to Get Your Active Kids to Read for Fun!

Try these simple tips to get your active learners reading! They’ve genuinely worked for our active kids, even our children who have ADHD!

Need more great kid lit suggestions? Check out our list of 100 memorable picture books for preschoolers too!

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

Do your active learners resist reading? Here are four ways to get them to start reading for fun!

4 Ways to Encourage Free Reading for Active Kids

Images c/o: get4net & FarmVeldman / depositphotos

1. Make reading time extra special.

If your active kids are resistant to reading on their own, turn reading time into an extra special occasion. Get out sleeping bags, build an indoor fort (using a table and a bedsheet), and let the kids read by flashlight while they’re “camping out”.

Or make reading into a high tea occasion. Have the kids dress up in their fanciest clothes, make tea and scones, and let them take turns reading a few lines in their most elegant speaking voices.

The key is to turn reading into entertainment, instead of just sitting down and looking at words. After a couple of occasions, they’ll want to know what happens next in one of the stories and ask to read more before your next special reading time.

2. Start a family reading challenge.

Get the whole family involved in reading by creating a short family reading challenge. Draw a bar graph on a piece of posterboard and hang it in the family room. Tell the kids that once the family finishes reading a certain number of books that month you’ll throw an ice cream party.

Be sure to fill the graph up as each book is completed. Before you know it, the kids will be begging to go to the library to get books of their own.

3. Choose stories with lots of pictures.

A book with lots of text can be intimidating to anyone, even grown-ups. So active kids who have little interest in reading need plenty of visual input to keep their interest. Picture books are a great way to get kids interested in stories and how they develop.

Once your active children are interested in following stories in general, they’ll be more open to chapter books and larger works. You might even try an illustrated version of a complex book, such as a graphic novel adaptation of a classic, and then let them read the original work to compare the two.

4. Use a book-based homeschool curriculum.

A simple way to encourage free reading with active kids is to use a homeschool curriculum that is centered on books. We’re using BookShark with our youngest child this year and the entire program is based around classic children’s books.

Our first book for our history lesson this year is Charlotte’s Web, which my first-grader is thoroughly enjoying. She never wants to stop reading when we reach the end of our assigned portion for the day. That’s always a good sign. 🙂

We’re also reading The Usborne Book of Peoples of the World, as well as Mother Goose Rhymes and Favorite Poems of Childhood. And that’s just for history!

How do you encourage free reading with your active kids? Have you been able to turn your wiggly little ones into readers? Share your tips!

See more resources for reading with homeschoolers below!

Ready to get your little one reading? This simple kindergarten homeschool reading list features early readers kids will love!

These picture books for preschoolers include classic stories and modern titles for parents to share!

Fun Math Books for Middle School

Follow my Reading for Kids Pinterest board for even more literacy tips and resources!

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Reading Tagged With: reading, reading for kids

Harry the Dirty Dog Printables for Kids

April 3, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

My kids absolutely love the classic storybook “Harry the Dirty Dog”. We’ve read it so many times that I’m pretty sure they can recite it by heart. Backwards.

Reading the story is a wonderful way to practice early literacy and to spend some storytime with the kids, but I wanted to add a few story extension activities that included early math and reading also.

And that’s why I’m sharing these fun Harry the Dirty Dog printables for kids today!

Printable Harry the Dirty Dog Activities for Kids

These are so much fun for helping early learners practice writing, reading, and math concepts that relate to the storybook!

Read on to see how to get your copy!

And, for more fun with Harry the Dirty Dog, check out our simple “Clean the Dirty Dog” extension activity for toddlers!

Use these Harry the Dirty Dog printables for kids to help early learners learn more about this classic story!

Harry the Dirty Dog Printables

To use these Harry the Dirty Dog printables for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Pencils
  • Child-safe scissors
  • Laminator (optional)
  • A copy of Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

Harry the Dirty Dog Printables

In this set of ten early learning printables, you’ll find:

  • Two tracing practice worksheets
  • One match the numeral to the set worksheet
  • Ten number flashcards
  • One match the word to the picture worksheet
  • And one word tracing worksheet

Printable Harry the Dirty Dog Printables for Preschool

All of the printables relate to the story in some way.

Preschool Harry the Dirty Dog Printables

There are even tracing printables that let you help get muddy Harry to the bathtub! (Which finally happens at the end of the story.)

Harry the Dirty Dog Printable Worksheets for Kids

These would be great for preschoolers and kindergartners who are ready to tackle early literacy skills!

Harry the Dirty Dog Early Learning Printables

And, if you’re ready to work on number recognition with your toddler, the number flashcards would be perfect!

Harry the Dirty Dog Printables for Preschoolers

Personally, I prefer to laminate flashcards when I use them with my kids. Makes them last longer.

Harry the Dirty Dog Printables for Early Learners

And for the tracing skills, you can let kids use crayons, jumbo pencils, or even highlighters to improve fine motor skills!

Scroll down to get your set of our Harry the Dirty Dog Printables for kids!

Don’t miss these other early learning ideas!

Learn how to spell in American Sign Language with these printable sign language alphabet flashcards!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

These printable ladybug math activities are perfect for sharing with the kids this spring!

 

 

 

Harry the Dirty Dog Printables for Preschoolers

To get your copy of The Dirty Dog! early math and reading printables, check them out below!

Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, PreK Homeschooling Tagged With: homeschool printables, reading

Rhyme Time! Printable Rhyming Literacy Puzzles for Kids

February 19, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

My little one has taken to reading much quicker than I imagined.

I hoarded so many books for learning to read with the specific intention of using them with her. And then she never needed a single one. Go figure.

One thing that has been a little difficult for her to grasp, though, is rhyming.

My oldest child, also an early reader, grasped the concept right away. This child, though, needs a little more help.

So I thought I’d make a few sets of rhyming literacy puzzles to help her practice reading rhyming pairs and matching them up!

Rhyming Word Pair Puzzles

And because I love my readers, I’m sharing them with you too! Read on to see how to get your set to use with early readers too!

By the way, if you want to share great children’s literature with your young ones, don’t miss this list of 100 picture books for preschoolers! All of our favorites are on that list!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

Printable Rhyming Literacy Puzzles

To use these rhyming literacy puzzles, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Laminator
  • Scissors

Printable Rhyming Word Puzzles

This printable pack includes eight different rhyming pairs.

I wanted to keep the concept as simple as possible, so all of the words rhyme and they all end with the exact same spelling.

No tricky stuff!

Printable Rhyming Puzzles

Kids can find the matching words by sounding out the ending sound or spotting the similar letter endings.

Learning to Recognize Rhyming Word Pairs

Then just fit them together!

Printable Rhyming Word Puzzles for Kids

These are set up so that they can be used with kids who are reading or pre-readers!

So there are sets of rhyming words with the printed words and the pictures and then sets with the pictures only.

Matching Rhyme Pairs with Kids

My little one had a ball with them! One step toward rhyming literacy!

Scroll down to get your set of our printable Rhyming Literacy Puzzles!

Try these other early literacy activities!

Practice letter and number literacy with these winter alphabet and number playdough mats!

Help your preschooler love reading with this preschool homeschool reading list!

These cupcake letter puzzles are such a cute way to practice recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters!

See more fun ways to get little ones reading on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our printable Rhyme Time! Literacy Puzzles, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

Rhyming Word Puzzles

>>>Rhyme Time! Rhyming Word Puzzles – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

Farm Fun Bundle TPT Quote Box Ad

Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, Reading Tagged With: literacy, printables, reading

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 6
  • Next Page »
Hi! I'm Selena, a teacher and a veteran homeschool mom to four. I'm so glad you're here!
About Me Contact Terms of Use Privacy Policy Places I Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram
Homeschool Printables Unit Studies Shop the Store
Copyright ©2022, Look! We're Learning!. All Rights Reserved. Design by Pixel Me Designs