Bean Bag, times table practice fun

Posted on February 3, 2017 by ofamily

We have often played maths games which involve throwing a bean bag or soft dice and the kids always enjoy them.  So yesterday when we were revising a few times tables I suddenly though why not combine our times table revision with our bean bags.

We used our times table folding cards from Twinkl (we have been using them for practicing times tables for ages so I already had them all printed out ready – I will include links for all the cards at the bottom of the post) and our bean bags are from ELC in the UK.  I set out the cards in a very random fashion on our floor and the kids started throwing their bean bags.

Throwing their bean bags onto a sum and then answering the sum it lands on

Every time a bean bag landed on a card (or came very near to one) they  would give the answer to the sum and then remove the card.

practicing times table by throwing a bean bag and then answering the sum

And yes my youngest who has not done any times table joined in.  He would throw a bean bag and then read the sum out to his sister and she would tell him the answer (and he would check the answer on the reverse side to make sure she got it correct).

Times table practice with Twinkl's folding cards and some bean bags

Really simple but both kids enjoyed the game and they have informed me that they want to show it to their dad this weekend.  And bonus for me because they were up on their feet moving while they practiced the sums my daughter ended up practicing far more times table sums in one go than she ever would have if I had given her a worksheet to complete.

My youngest definitely enjoyed joining in with the game (he loves a good excuse to throw the bean bags) and has requested some of his own addition cards for a game next week

Throw a bean bag and then answer a sum

All of the cards that we used are from Twinkl (part of their paid for platinum package) here are the links

2 times table folding cards

3 times table folding cards

4 times table folding cards

5 times table folding cards

6 times table folding cards

7 times table folding cards

8 times table folding cards

9 times table folding cards

10 times table folding cards

11 times table folding cards

12 times table folding cards

Practice your times table with some bean bags and the folding cards from Twinkl

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Posted in maths ideas | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Learning Resources Lab Set

Posted on January 31, 2017 by ofamily

The kids seem to be going through a science phase at the moment so I was thrilled when Learning Resources asked if we would like to test out their primary science lab set.

Learning Resources science lab set

It is a basic set aimed at younger kids and as we do not have anything like this in our house I thought it would be a fun addition to our home-ed resources, and I was right, both kids have loved it.

The set comes with 10 experiment cards (and you can also download a further 10 cards from their bonus section – just look under Science / primary science and you will see a link there).  The experiment cards allowed my 8-year-old to take control.  She would read the cards and explain to her brother what they needed to do and the two of them managed to complete the experiments by themselves.

Learning Resources science lab set enables young kids to do some basic science experiments by themselves

I must mention that each experiment does call for a couple of extra items, like vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, oil, an egg or a lemon. Most of the extra stuff needed we already had in our kitchen and the one of two things we did not have we could buy at our local grocery store.

Performing science experiments at home using the learning resources lab set

All of the items included in the set appear to be fairly sturdy.  Both my kids have been using the set every day for the past week, they have knocked the test tubes over a few times and apart from spilling the contents nothing broke or got damaged.  The flask is sturdy and great for pouring liquids into the beaker and or test tubes.  The eyedropper works well with little hands and the googles and magnifying glass are perfect for younger kids who want to walk around the house pretending to be scientists.

The experiments are fairly simple but they do introduce the kids to concepts like acids, density, carbon dioxide and more.  And after working through the experiment cards both my kids have started asking a lot more “sciency” questions.  They have asked we to explain some of the new concepts in more detail and have even asked to redo a few of the experiments but they want to redo the experiments and change one of the inputs so they can see how it affects the outcome (love that they are starting to think like this).

learning-resources-science-kit-busy-following-one-of-the-experiments

By working through the experiments on the cards both kids have gained some new confidence with science terminology and they have found a new interest – science experiments in the kitchen.

creating a volcano with the learning resources lab set

 

This science lab set has been a great addition to our home.

Learning Resources send us the set in exchange for me completing a tried and tested  form for their website.

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Posted in Home education resources | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Basic subtraction pages

Posted on January 28, 2017 by ofamily

I had planned my entire week so that today I would be free (both kids were going to go out with their dad) with the intention that I could create a large subtraction pack (I was wanting to do about 40 pages) and complete my daughters division set.  But life happened. My youngest was up most of the night sick so today my little man is understandably wanting lots of cuddles and mommy attention.  All plans out the window.

But I do know that a few people were wanting to use some of the subtraction practice pages that I was working on so I am going to upload 2 small documents that I had made during the week and fingers crossed next weekend I will get the big set finished.

practicing-subtraction-with-some-home-made-pages-and-our-learning-resources-fish-counters

The first is very basic subtraction pages which my youngest has been using this week (the picture above is my youngest using the pages with his fish counters).  The sums are all mixed up and in a landscape format.  He prefers the pages in the landscape format.

10 pages of subtraction practice free to download and use at home

If you want to use some of these pages here is the document.

basic-subtraction

I am also attaching a small set of subtraction practice pages that I made a little while ago for my daughter to use.  Again the same simple format (this time portrait pages) with mixed up subtraction sums.

small set of subtraction practice pages by ofamily learning together

Here is the document

subtraction-practice

I hope they are helpful and fingers and toes crossed I will get some time to do my big subtraction pack and finish the division set this week.

The fish counters that my son likes using are these ones.

Learning resources fish counters

I bought them over four-years ago for my daughter to use and they have been used more times than I can possibly remember by both my kids.  Great for sorting into groups, basic counting, addition, subtraction and even explaining multiplication.  My kids have also used them in sensory tubs and in numerous games that they have made up.
Learning Resources Fun Fish Counters

I have included an Affiliate link. If you follow an affiliate link and go on to purchase that product, I will be paid a very small commission, however your cost will remain the same.  I only include affiliate links for products that we own, use and love.

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Twinkl Mindfulness colouring pages

Posted on January 24, 2017 by ofamily

When I first showed the mindfulness colouring pages from Twinkl to my daughter (over a year ago) she immediately loved the patterns and thought the nature pages were very pretty.  My son was not interested at first – combination of the colouring being a bit too detailed for him (he is 2.5 year younger) and pictures were not topics that he enjoyed – he tends to stick to certain topics – Dinosaurs, animals, transport and not much else gets his attention.

So when I recently logged on to download some new pages for my daughter I noticed some animal pages and called my son over to show him.  He immediately spotted the tiger and wanted to do it straight away.  While I was printing the Jungle themed pack for him he spotted the dinosaur set and begged me to print all the pages out and then he scrolled down some more and noticed the transport set and yip you guessed it – he wanted those printed out as well.  So over the past few weeks whenever I have suggested the kids do an art activity he has immediately gone to his pile of pages and picked one (and in case you are wondering my daughter has happily joined in with all sets.  She seems to love these pages regardless of the subject).  And confession I have also joined the kids and coloured in a few with them.

Mindfulness snake colouring page part of the currently FREE to download Jungle Mindfulness pack from Twinkl

The pages are detailed and do take some time to colour but as long as someone else is busy with a page next to him, he sits and chats to us about the animal that he is colouring in / painting and most times keeps going until he has finished his picture.  (My son is fascinated with anything animal related especially wild cats.)

Tiger Mindfulness colouring page part of the Jungle Mindfulness colouring set currently free to download

So for those of you do not have Twinkl membership but also have kids who would love these stunning pages I have some exciting news.  As part of Twinkl’s 2017 vision of encouraging kindness and as part of their KINDNESS WEEK activities (from 6 -10 February), Twinkl have agreed to make these Jungle themed Mindfulness pages FREE. Normally all of the mindfulness pages are part of their platinum range.  To download any of the FREE Twinkl pages you just need to set up a free account first. Here is the link for these stunning Jungle mindfulness colouring pages – Free Jungle Mindfulness pages.

For those of you that do have Twinkl membership the other three packs that have been huge hits with my youngest are these ones.

The Safari set (Platinum).  He started using his water-colour pencils with these pages and loves turning his colouring into paintings with some “magic water” – his words.  He says the water-colour pencils are especially good for the backgrounds.

Water-colour pencils on the Free to download Jungle mindfulness pages

Leopard Mindulness colouring page completed using water-colour pencils

The Transport set (Platinum).

Twinkl mindfulness sailing boat picture part of their transport mindfulness colouring pack

And the Dinosaur mindfulness set (also Platinum).

Using the Dinosaur Mindfulness colouring pages for some painting fun

I love that these mindfulness pages are encouraging my youngest to sit for longer at an activity.

I am part of Twinkl blogger network and have been given a Platinum Plus membership so that I can continue sharing ideas on how we like to use their pages.

Twinkl Mindfulness colouring pages

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Posted in Art and Craft Ideas | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Home-made times table pages

Posted on January 16, 2017 by ofamily

My daughter she has always loved it when I give her pages that I have made (even if I just write out a few sums, or if I write out a puzzle for her).  She loves the fact that I made something for her and it always spurs her on and she ends up completing the pages very quickly.  So when I was creating some addition pages for her brother she quickly asked for some of her own pages.  She wanted mixed up times table practice pages. Easy enough.

I started making a few pages for her and then I realized that I would be teaching my youngest his times table at some stage so I might as well make a full set and then they are ready and waiting.  I went all the way back and started off with 0x and 1x and built it up to 12x.  Because my aim is to use them with my youngest I included a page of each times table written out in order and then mixed up.  I always included pages of different times tables together.  I did the order in the way that my daughter has learnt hers.  So after 1x we did 2x then 5x and 10x.  Then 3x, 4x and 8 x.  It might look a bit mixed up but they are all there.

time tabale practice pages free to download ofamily learning together

And yes my daughter pointed out that this page above included some 10x when it was only supposed to be 3x, 8x and 11 x – naturally I was just checking to see she was paying attention (when I told her that she just laughed – and told me it was okay everyone makes mistakes – best kid ever –  I have changed the page so it no longer has the 10x on it).

Here is the times table set I made for the kids (39 pages)

times-table-by-ofamily-learning-together

We often do our maths pages in our Learning Resources Wipe Clean Pockets.  It is just a personal thing, the kids like using them as they can easily wipe out their answers and they can redo a page if they want to (also really great to use when the kids are practicing letter formation – we have been using ours a lot lately with my daughter’s cursive as she can practice writing the words over and over again.)

She has now informed me that she prefers these pages to the workbooks so she has placed a few orders with me for some extra maths pages.  Which I am more than happy to make for her as watching her practice maths with a grin on her face, exclaiming I can do these is just the best thing.  Totally worth spending the times setting up some extra pages for her.

times table practice pages created by ofamily learning together

 

I have included an Affiliate link for the write and wipe pockets. If you follow an affiliate link and go on to purchase that product, I will be paid a very small commission, however your cost will remain the same.  I only include affiliate links for products that we own, use and love.

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Posted in Homeschooling | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments