Babbling Brooke

The Eagles Are Back!

2012-02-01T12:07:00.000-08:00

What's it like to live in an environment that is constantly moving and changing? For a child, this type of setting can make it hard to pay attention, which can interfere with the learning process. Help your child slow down the pace of life by connecting them with nature...go on a walk on the school grounds and look at the surroundings or look at pictures of of nature or if you have access to the internet check out the DECORAH BALD EAGLE PROJECT website. This is an amazing website where you can view via a live webcam two bald eagles as they prepare their nest, lay eggs and take care of their little eaglets once they have hatched. Each week when you mentor your child, check in to the website to see what the eagles are doing. Right now they are making their nest, but it gets really fun when you can see them feed fish to their little babies!
And, there are many extension activities that you could do with your child after viewing this...read books about eagles, make a bird nest, decorate eggs, talk about caring for something and more! It is also a great lesson in patience as you wait for the eggs to hatch!
Check it out at
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

2012-01-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas I found a fun new game that would be excellent for the mentoring hour! It's called Jungle Speed and it's similar to the game of "Spoons" if you are familiar with that one. Basically, you and your child are laying down cards from your deck one at a time. As soon as you spot a match, you need to be the first to grab the yellow totem that is in the middle of the table. What makes this tricky is that some of the pictures look very similar, so you need to pay close attention. This will help your child develop those important visual discrimination skills which are necessary for reading.
Let me make a suggestion to keep this game fun and simple...take out all of the "special" cards, which can make the game confusing at the start. Once you have mastered the basic game, you can add those back to the deck. Also, since the object of the game is to be the first to get rid of all of your cards, you may consider dealing fewer cards to a younger child so the game is a little more fair. I'll admit...even though I did that when I played this with my seven year old son, I still won, BUT, we were having so much fun playing together that it didn't even upset him! Now, that's a good game!

Prayer

2011-12-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a question for mentors....when was the last time you connected with your prayer partner? I hope you can say that you talk to them every week before or after you mentor your child, but since I am also a mentor I know that it is sometimes easy to forget to connect. This Christmas, give your child a gift that is life changing...give them prayers offered by you and your prayer partner. I just read a quote from Jodie Berndt that says, "When you pray for God to work in your children's lives, you can trust His promise to finish the job." Your KHUSA child needs that promise. As a mentor, you need that power that prayer can provide.

I was reminded of this as I played a game with my own child that I am sure many of you have played before on your phone or Ipad...Angry Birds. For those of you who have not played, the purpose of this game is to knock over structures with your birds. For a whole year now, I have been perplexed by this game because I couldn't beat any of the levels even though my seven year old son could! I just didn't understand why I couldn't knock over the structures. Well, I just found out that the birds have special powers that you can tap into, which make it MUCH easier to play the game! Why didn't I know this??? I could have done SO much better if I have tapped in to these powers! Do you see my connection to prayer yet? YOU can go so much farther in your mentoring relationship if you tap in to the power...GOD'S POWER through prayer! Missing out on the special powers in Angry Birds is really not a big deal ( though it was humbling to lose over and over again), but missing out on the power of prayer in your mentoring relationship is a very big deal. Connect with your prayer partner today so they can pray for God's work in your child's life!

Santa Hat Game

2011-12-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a Christmas game to try that will help build vocabulary and critical thinking skills, all while having fun together! Here's what you do...

1- Purchase 2 Santa Hats at your local dollar store so both you and your child can wear one. They will love being silly with you!

2- Next, write different words about Christmas on index cards or post-it notes. Words could include joy, candle, frosty, stocking, present, santa, family, caroling, etc.. For young students who are not reading yet, include a picture next to the word.

3- Now, you are ready to play! Without letting your child see, put a word card on their Santa hat. They will need to ask questions to try and guess what word is on their hat. For young children, you may need to give hints.

4- If they guess the correct word, they can keep the card.

5- Continue taking turns guessing words until all of the cards have been used.

6- At your last mentoring session before Christmas break, give the hat and word cards to your child so they can play the game with their family over break.

This HO-HO-HO game will be sure to bring lots of Ha-Ha-Has!

Money

2011-11-28T20:38:00.000-08:00

Help your kids learn about money with this simple idea.Your child will enjoy sorting the different coins and then counting the money with your help.

Christmas Craft- Name Ornament

2011-11-18T21:06:00.001-08:00

Here's a fun craft that you can make with your child this Christmas Season. Look for the letters in their name and hot glue it on to a wooden scrabble tray. Add a ribbon and you are done! This is an easy activity and is a great reminder that their name is special, just like they are!

Turkey Talk

2011-11-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's time to talk turkey! Turn this simple art project into a creative writing lesson by asking your child to imagine what a turkey might be saying or thinking. If you aren't brave enough to paint with your child, simply trace their hand on a piece of brown construction paper. Google eyes make the project even more fun for a child. If you think your child is too old for this project, think again! By adding the creative writing component to this you will engage older students. You could also suggest that they "disguise" their turkey so it doesn't get shot by the hunters. I have seen students create super hero costumes, baseball uniforms, clown outfits and all sorts of other creative disguises as they have worked on this project. One more suggestion.. so this can be a project that you work on together, don't forget to create your own turkey! After all, everyone needs a friend to talk to....even turkeys! Gobble, gobble!

Reading Game- 4 in a Row

2011-10-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Help your child learn to read by playing 4 in a Row Reading Game Simply click on the link for a printout of the game, bring a die in your mentoring bag and you are ready to play and learn with your child. As your child practices reading these basic words, they will soon be able to read books.

Comic Creator Writing Tool

2011-10-18T11:26:00.002-07:00

Here's a fun way to practice writing stories with your student. Click on the following link http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/comic-creator-30021.html and create a comic strip story together. Your story can be one panel to six panels long. Your child can choose characters, backgrounds and props for each panel. Then, they can fill in with captions and word bubbles to tell their story. This is a user friendly website, so in no time at all you will have a comic strip story that is ready to be printed out, colored in, and shared with friends.

Try it out before your next mentoring hour...it's fun!!

Fall Symmetry Craft

2011-10-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a math lesson, craft and activity all rolled up in ONE! First, take a walk with your mentee and let them collect a handful of leaves. Then, talk about a math concept called SYMMETRY. A shape has symmetry when one half of it is the mirror image of the other half. Talk about the symmetry of the leaves you collected and look for other objects that are symmetrical. Then, cut each of the leaves in half and glue them on to a piece of construction paper. Your mentee can then finish the symmetrical design by drawing the other half of the leaves, doing their very best to make it a mirror image.

Online Game- Monkey Go Happy

2011-09-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

My first grader loves monkeys and playing games, so imagine his JOY when we stumbled on this online site that combines BOTH of these loves! The online game is called MONKEY GO HAPPY and it teaches children to use critical thinking skills to solve problems. In Monkey Go Happy it's your job to cheer up the sad monkey. Each level is a puzzle or a game that you must solve and when you do the sad monkey becomes a HAPPY monkey! While I love that this game is educational and appeals to all ages, my favorite part of the game is the GIGGLES from the children who make the monkey happy! Give it a try!
http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/action/monkeygohappy/start.htm

Jumping Jack Flash

2011-09-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun way to practice math facts AND get out the wiggles that your child may have during the hour. Both you and the child that you mentor will make a fist with one hand and pound it in the palm of the other hand 2 times as you say "Jumping Jack". On the count of 3 instead of pounding your fist you will say "Flash" and flash a number 1-10. Your mentee will then add your number and their number together. Once they have given the correct sum they will do that number of jumping jacks. It's simple, it's fun AND it's educational! Thanks to my seven year old son for teaching this new idea to me!!

He/She Statements

2011-09-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

Help your child to begin this year with the END of the year in mind with this simple activity. To explain this activity to your child think about some famous people and come up with one statement that describes that person. For example, when you think about President Lincoln you might say, "He was an honest person." Or, if you think about Carrie Underwood you might say, "She was a winner on American Idol." After your child gets the hang of making he/she statements about famous people ask them to think about a statement for themself. At the END of this school year, what do they want classmates to say about him/her if they were writing a statement. Maybe it is "He tried hard in class," or "She was kind to everyone". Help your child write this statement down, and then check in throughout the year to see how they are doing on making this statement a reality!

Read and Bead

2011-08-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

Help motivate your child to read with this simple idea! Go to your local craft store or look online for beads that your child would like. There are many different types of beads available....glow in the dark, alphabet, sport-themed, metallic, etc.. Tie one bead to the end of a yarn lace or a pipe cleaner. Then, each time your child reads a chapter or a book during your mentoring hours this year, give them one bead to add to the lace. Use this as a bookmark or turn it in to a bracelet or necklace when enough beads have been added.

New Game for Your Mentoring Bag

2011-06-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

Summer is a great time to try out some new games and I have found a fun one! It's called Spot It! and I like it for several reasons. First, it doesn't take a lot of time to learn or to play. Second, it is small enough to fit in your bag. Most importantly it is fun and helps children develop visual discrimination skills, which are necessary skills for learning to read. Recommended ages for this game is 7 to adult and it costs around $14.00. Enjoy!

Summer

2011-06-13T05:11:00.000-07:00

I am sure I'm not alone when I say that I had a hard time saying goodbye to my little mentee for the summer. If you are struggling with letting go, here's some advice that may help.
1. Find a time to connect with your prayer partner. Have coffee or a meal and share yor reflections about the year. Ask your prayer partner to continue to pray over the summer months and share specific requests that you may have for them.
2. Send your child postcards, letters or cards throughout the summer months. Kids LOVE to kid mail and this will remind them that you care for them.
3. Relax and refresh this summer. There will be new challanges to face next year, so enjoy a little time this summer taking care of yourself!

As for me, summertime means training time, so I will be on the road. I will begin blogging again when school starts in August. Have a GREAT summer!

Connect your Kids to Nature

2011-05-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

You can help your child increase their attention span and grow academically by connecting them with nature. Many children in urban environments do not get the oppportunity to explore nature. Take a walk at school and pay close attention to the trees around the playground. Bring in picture books that include photos of oceans and mountains. If you have access to a computer during your mentoring hour, check out the Decorah Eagle Project at this link. This is a livestream broadcast of a family of eagles in Iowa. Watch with your child as a mother and father eagle take care of their three little eaglets. Relax and enjoy!http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Let's Play Catch!

2011-05-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a very simple idea for you to try during your mentoring session...go outside and play catch with your child. This will give you a chance to make eye contact with each other, to communicate together, to practice skills, to be outside, and to have fun. Grab a nerf football, a soft baseball, a tennis ball, or a frisbee and enjoy this simple activity TOGETHER.

2011-04-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

Do you mentor a child who loves a good challenge? If so, click on this link to get information about a PING PONG BALL contest that is currently happening through KIDS HOPE. http://www.kidshopeusa.org/ping_pong_video_contest.aspx It's more than just getting a ball to land in a cup....it's all about having FUN with your child! Enjoy!

Don't Break the Chain Game

2011-04-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

Don't Break the Chain is a great game that challenges the memory and gets you moving! Imagine my surprise when I found it in a Hallmark store! Hallmark stores across the country will be selling it this spring for $12.99. To play, the first player pics a card ("link") and follows the instruction. For example, a card may say "Wag your tail", so the player must recite that and wag their tail. The second player then picks a new card, recites and performs everyone's "links" and then adds their new one. You are out if you "break the chain" by forgetting something. I love this game because MEMORY skills are essential to learning and this is a fun way to develop these skills. It is also sure to bring about giggles as you perform tasks like wink at someone, hop on one foot four times, or say "Yippee-ki-aye-little doggies!" All that AND it fits easily in to a mentor's bag! What more could you ask for? Learning can be fun and spending time together with a special friend is priceless! ENJOY!

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

2011-03-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying I have yet to find a book by Mo Willems that does not make me or my children laugh. Even the title of this book brought giggles when we found it at the library...just imagine a naked mole rat! Beyond a funny title though, this is a great book for young readers. The story is about a naked mole rat named Wilbur. He is the only naked mole rat in his colony that likes wearing clothes, which upsets all of the other naked mole rats. Read the rest of the book to find out how Wilbur shows courage as he stands up to others who are trying to bully him. After you have finished reading, take time to talk about rules, individuality and courage with your child. Your child may even enjoy researching the naked mole rat species as they are very interesting! Warning....don't research them while you eat lunch, because some of their habits are a little(okay, a lot) disgusting!

Reading & Writing

2011-03-04T08:21:00.001-08:00

A simple star diagram can help your child practice reading comprehension and story writing. After reading a good book, create a star similar to this image. Together, talk about the story answering the 5 W's...who is the story about? where did it take place? when did it take place? what happened? For WHY you could either answer why it happened or why your child liked or disliked the book.

To help your child develop their writing skills, use this same image to plan a story. Choose the topic together and then answer the 5 W's before you begin to write.

With your help, your child can be a SUPER STAR!

Prayer Partners

2011-02-17T12:57:00.000-08:00

Behind every KIDS HOPE USA mentor and mentee there is a prayer partner who is praying exclusively for them. This is a powerful gift and I was reminded of this again last night as I had the opportunity to connect with a KIDS HOPE prayer partner. She was smiling from ear to ear as she thanked our program director for being part of God's plan for the mentor and child. You see, just that week she had been praying for the mentor who was feeling discouraged and wasn't sure that she was making a difference in her child's life. Without knowing any of these feelings, the program director had called the mentor to pass on a compliment she had just heard from the child's teacher. The teacher had shared how the mentor has been a big help to her child and how excited she was to have her visit each week. This was JUST what the mentor needed to hear! This is JUST what the prayer partner was praying for! And, this is JUST one story about how prayer makes a difference in mentoring relationships. If you are a KIDS HOPE USA mentor, be sure to check in with your prayer partner this week. Let them know how you are feeling. Let them know how they can pray for you and your child. God wants to answer these prayers!

How to Make Paper Snowflakes

2011-02-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

Science Experiement PLUS!

2011-01-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

How can we teach the children that we mentor to walk or run away from trouble? Here's a science experiment that might just stick in their mind the next time they are faced with a choice to obey or not to obey....
1. Gather supplies: small bowl of water, pepper, liquid dishwashing detergent, toothpick
2. Sprinkle some pepper over the water. For your character lesson the pepper can represent your child.
3. Dip the toothpick into the detergent and place it in the middle of the water. The toothpick represents a friend that is tempting your child to make a bad choice.
4. What does the pepper do? It runs away! Talk to your child how they can run away when tempted to make a bad choice. This can open the door for a lot of discussion....has there been a time that they "ran" away from trouble? What happens when we don't run away? When is it hard to make a good choice? Mentor, how did you learn this lesson as a child?
* If you try to do this experiement more than once, you will need to wash your bowl and start over with fresh supplies.
For those curious students who want to know the scientific answer to, "Why does the pepper run away?" Water molecules are strongly attracted to each other, which creates surface tension. This is what allowed the pepper to float on top of the water. When you put the detergent in the water, it makes the surface tension weak. The water's surface tension is stronger than the detergent's surface tension, so the water pulls away from the soap and carries the pepper with it.

TIPS for making the most of this lesson....
1. Practice at home first
2. Demonstrate it once and then let the child do the whole experiment again by themself. Learning sticks and is more fun when the child is actively involved in the process!
3. Refer back to this lesson throughout your mentoring relationship. Keep reminding them to be like the pepper! The more they hear it, the more likely it will stick!

Math Game- Don't You FOR GET IT!

2011-01-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

Students and mentors will have fun as they race to be the first player to reach 500 points. Players roll the 9 dice that come with this game and score points by adding the numbers rolled. They can continue rolling and making points as long as they don't roll the three dice that spell out "FOR", "GET" and "IT".

Players can stop any time and collect their points, or they can continue to push their luck. But, watch out.... as soon as you spell out "FORGET IT", you lose all of the points you have collected that round.

For younger students, simply adapt this game by racing to a lower number.

I bought this game at a local supermarket for $5.00, but it can also be found at Toys "R" Us or at Amazon.

Snowflake Craft

2011-01-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a simple craft that you can do with your child during the mentoring hour. Create a snowflake using white yarn, scissors, glue, a pie tin and wax paper. First, have your child dip yarn strings in glue that is in a pie tin. Use the yarn to form a snowflake on wax paper, overlapping the yarn pieces so it connects when dry. When the yarn is dry, peel away the snowflake and attach an yarn loop hanger at the top. Use this craft as a conversation starter and talk about the uniqueness of snowflakes and people. Help your child list all of the characteristics that make them unique.

Setting Goals for the New Year

2010-12-30T06:23:00.000-08:00

During the first part of January help your child set goals for the new year. Begin by explaining that a goal is something you want to achieve. Help your child think up a goal for different areas in their life...academic, social, behavior. Some examples may be...
* Turn in my homework on time
* Make a new friend
* Listen to my teacher
* Help my mom with the dishes
* Read 50 books
Write these goals down somewhere so you can revisit them throughout the remainder of the school year. During your mentoring hour teach your child HOW they can reach these goals.

The following activity is a great way to help children learn more about goals.....
You will need an empty bowl and a handful of coins.
Show your child the empty bowl and tell them it is like the new year. It is ready to be filled with new experiences and new learning. These new things are their GOALS that they shared with you earlier. Pretend that the coins are your student's goals.
Ask your child to stand several feet away from the empty bowl and toss their coins into it. Some coins will make it, some will not. Encourage them to keep trying until all of their coins are in the bowl. Relate this to goals by teaching your child that some goals will be easy to achieve and some will require more work, but it is important to never give up.
Throughout the year when you see your child achieve one of their goals be sure to celebrate!

One last thought....this is a great idea for both children AND mentors! What are YOUR goals for the new year?

The Judy Moody MOOD JOURNAL

2010-12-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

Everytime you meet with your KIDS HOPE USA student, it is important to take time at the beginning of the hour to reconnect and to find out how they are doing. We call this part of the KIDS HOPE hour the "Know What" period. This is when you will hear things like, "Know what I ate for lunch?" "Know what I did this weekend?" Some children will be reluctant to share, so it is helpful to have tools available that make it easy for them to share how they are feeling. One tool that you could purchase is The Judy Moody MOOD JOURNAL. From the Dial-a-Mood meter on the cover to the fun writing prompts inside, this creative journal will get your kids in the mood to explore their many moods and other facets of their lives.

So, tell me about the yuckiest thing that ever happened to you.....

Math- Measurements

2010-12-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

GIVE 'EM a HAND....a "handy" method for understanding the concept of measurement

1. Have your student trace around one of her hands on cardstock paper and write her name on it.
2. To ensure that the hand lasts, you may consider covering it with contact paper or laminate it.
3. Model for your student how to measure with a hand- from the tip of the middle finder to the bottom of the palm.
4. Ask you students to find objects in the room such as:
* Something that measures THREE of their hand
* Something that is SHORTER than their hand
* Five items on the wall that are LONGER than their hand.

BEAT THAT! Math Dice Game

2010-11-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

This game is a fun way to practice place value and greater than or less than

Supplies: 2 dice, paper, pencil

How to play: Roll the dice and put them in order to make the highest number possible. If you roll a 4 and a 6, for example, your best answer would be a 64. Using 3 dice, a roll of 3, 5 & 2 should give you 532. Write down your answer, pass the dice and challenge your opponent to BEAT THAT! The player who has the highest number will score one point for that round. Determine ahead of time how many rounds you will play together.

2010-10-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

To play this game you will need one die, a pencil and a piece of paper. The goal of the game is to be the first to complete a MOUSE. Each roll of the die enables a particular body part to be drawn as follows:
6 = body
5 = nose
4 = whiskers
3 = eyes
2 = ears
1 = tall

The body must be drawn before the other body parts are added to it, so players must roll a 6 to start. Once the body has been drawn, the other parts of the mouse may be added in any order. If you roll a number which related to a part you have already, you miss your turn and pass the die on.

You may find it useful to have a copy of a picture of a mouse as a reminder of the body parts.

Beach Ball Math

2010-10-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

This is a fun way to practice some basic math facts! First, decide which function to practice- addition or multiplication- and a set of numerals to work with- 1 through 9 for younger children and larger numerals for older children. Write the numbers on small adhesive labels and place them on each section of the beach ball. Now, you're ready to play and practice some important skills! Stand facing your child and throw the ball to them. They must say the number that their right thumb lands on and then throw it back to you. You will then call out the number that your right thumb lands on and then throw it back to your child. They must add or multiply the two numbers and call out the answer before throwing the ball again. Learning can be fun!

Relationship Building Questions

2010-10-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

Start your mentoring hour by asking your child questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. Try writing these questions on index cards and let your child choose just one card a day to answer. It's easy, but it will help you reconnect each week!

1. If you could arrive a school every morning riding in any unusual vehicle or piece of machinery of your choice, what would you want it to be?

2. What cartoon character do you think would be the most fun to hang out with for an afternoon?

3. If you could take a running jump into a pool filled with any object, liquid, or substance of your choice, what would you want the pool to be filled with?

4.What do you think would be the most exciting place in the United States to visit?

5.If you could create a new candy bar, what would you name it and what would be inside of it?

6. If you could change one rule about your favorite sport, which rule would you change?

7. If you were creating a movie about toys coming to life, what type of toy would be the main character?

8. If you could mail yourself to any place in the world tonight, where would you want to be delivered?

9. If you had to choose between exploring outer space or the bottom of the deepest ocean, which one would you choose?

10. What is your favorite thing that begins with the letter "W"?

Looking for more questions? Check out the CHAT PACK for kids at www.TheQuestionGuys.com

READING STRATEGY

2010-09-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

Helping your child learn how to read is not easy, but it can be fun! Start by letting your child choose a book that they would like to read. Then, follow the INSPECT Strategy to get the most out of your reading time together...
I- Introduce the cover (i.e. "This book has a picture of an ocean on it")
N- Name the title
S- Share your prior knowledge (i.e. Ask if the child has ever seen an ocean. Talk about any experiences they have had or shows they have seen about the ocean to help them connect to the material in the book.)
P- Page through the book ( you will not start reading yet- this is just a "walk-through")
E- Examine picture details ( as you look at the pictures, ask your child questions like "What do you think is happening here?)
C- Create a purpose for reading (i.e. "Let's read this together to find out where sharks live!")
T- Talk about challenging vocabulary words ( as you walk through, point out any new words and talk about these before you begin reading)

NOW, you are ready to read! This strategy will help your child to understand the book that they are reading.

A BUG and a WISH

2010-09-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever worked with a child who had a hard time telling you how he/she was feeling? This is a hard lesson for kids AND adults to learn! Sometimes it is just easier to kick someone instead of saying, "You hurt my feelings." Or, it's easier just to cry instead of saying, "I miss my mommy." As mentors, we can help our kids work through these feelings by teaching them to name their feelings and to come up with solutions for different problems. A very simple way to do this with all ages of children is the BUG and the WISH method. Teach your child how to say what is BUGGING them and then ask them to say what they WISH would happen. Some examples include...
"It BUGS me when you pull my hair. I WISH you would stop."
"It BUGS me when I can't read like other students. I WISH I could read faster."
"It BUGS me when you make me do worksheets. I WISH we could play games."

Now, keep in mind that your mission is NOT to make every WISH come true, but allowing your child to talk about the things that BUG them will make it easier for you to understand how they are feeling, which will make it easier for you to talk about possible solutions with them. And, sometimes, you will just be that caring person who simply listens to someone share their thoughts.
Guess what? It BUGS me when no one leaves a comment after I post. I WISH more people would write comments! :)

Fun Math Game!

2010-08-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

My kids have been busy this summer trying out new games that I have found in stores and online, and we have found some good ones that you will want to be sure to drop in your mentoring bag or in your KIDS HOPE USA closet this school year. What makes a game good for the mentoring hour?
1. It can be adapted. The kids we work with are all ages and skill levels. I want a game that will grow with children...one that you can bend the rules to make fit!
2. It is a 2-4 person game.
3. It is easy to learn. You don't want to spend the whole hour learning the rules. As an extra tip...be sure that YOU know how to play the game BEFORE you go to your mentoring hour!
4. It takes 5-10 minutes to play. Kids have short attention spans! You have a lot to cover in the mentoring hour.
5. It is educational and fun! Learning can be fun!

With that in mind, let me tell you about a new card game called 7 ate 9. This fun little game will easily fit in your bag and will help give your child time to practice simple addition and subtraction facts. The object of the game is to be the first person to play all of his or her cards. You play cards as you find the answer to the addition and subtraction problem that is shown. If your child is just learning how to add and subtract, put the rules aside and just slowly practice the facts. Once they have practiced, follow the rules for a fast and fun time! I tested this game on my 6 year old and my 12 year old...while we played differently for each child, both loved it! For more information, check out http://www.otb-games.com/7ate9/index.html

Summer Vacation

2010-07-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

Summer break...even at the age of 40 it is still as much fun as it was for me when I was a child growing up! There have been many visits to the lake, the pool, and to friends, which has given my family lots of quality time to just connect with each other. But, I can't help thinking about the little boy that I mentor. What does he do all day in the summer? Does he have enough food to eat? Is anyone watching him? For those of you mentoring a child, I imagine you share these same concerns. Two things that you can do to help your child this summer....first, call your prayer partner and ask them to pray for your child. It's simple, yet so powerful. Second, if you have your child's address take a minute to mail them a little note. Just remind them that you care for them and can't wait to see them again next school year. Again, this is so simple, but also so meaningful to a child.
Babbling Brooke will return to weekly blogs when school starts in September! Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Baseball Cards

2010-06-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

I am stealing this idea from a sweet young boy named Carson, so a special thanks goes out to my friend in Missouri! You can connect learning math skills with something that most boys are interested in...baseball cards! Simply buy a few packs of inexpensive cards and divide them between you and the child you mentor. Then, play a game that is similar to the classic card game, "WAR". Each player turns over a card and looks to determine how many homeruns the listed player has hit during their career. Whoever has the highest number gets to keep both cards. Adapt this game using any of the statistics on the back of a card. You could also practice sequencing by arranging the cards in order, classifying cards according to teams or color of uniforms, or write a letter to one of the players. I hope you hit a HOMERUN with your child with this activity!

Summer Journal

2010-05-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

Next week, I have to say goodbye for the summer to the little boy that I mentor. I don't know about you, but I hate saying goodbye, especially since I do not know what his summer plans will include. Who will watch him during the day? What will he eat? Will he be back next year? I imagine his little mind is full of the same types of questions. There are many things that I can do as a mentor to help with this transition period. One idea is to send your child home with a small stuffed animal and a journal. Ask them to write about the activities that they do with their new stuffed animal. This activity will not only be helpful academically, but it will also remind the child that they have a mentor who loves them and believes in them. As you choose your stuffed animal, keep in mind the age and gender of your child. You may want to send home a rubber snake with an older boy...anything that will encourage them to write, to use their imagination and to stay connected to their mentor!

End of the Year Fun

2010-05-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

As you wrap up your mentoring for this school year, here's an idea that you can use and then send home with your child. Try making playdough with your child...you'll have fun making it AND playing with it! There are MANY different recipes that you can try....edible and nonedible. You can find one that you like at http://www.create-kids-crafts.com/playdough-recipes.html

Mother's Day Ideas for Older Children

2010-05-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

It can sometimes be hard to come up with craft ideas for older students, so here are a few suggestions that you may be able to use for Mother's Day or throughout the year. For this age group it is typcially better to give them a little bit of structure in their project, but then let them personalize it in their own creative way! You may also consider making these gifts with your child for an end of the year present to their teacher.
1. CREATE A CD- burn a CD of songs that your child's mom/teacher may enjoy. Then let your child decorate the cover for the CD as an extra special touch! If you don't know how to burn a CD, I bet you can find a youth in your church that can easily do this for you.
2. PAINT A POT- it's simple, yet fun! Find a clay pot and bring in some tempura paints and let your child create a masterpiece. Bring in some soil and a flower and you will be all set!
3. PERSONALIZED CLOCK- purchase an inexpensive wall clock and pop the plastic cover off. Remove the clock face. Cut prepared artwork to the same size as the clock face and add numbers to the edge. Slide the artwork in and replace the cover.

Mother's Day Gift Idea

2010-04-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't met a child who does not love to RECEIVE gifts, but it can take a little more work to convince a child that it is also fun to GIVE gifts! Help them practice this skill by making a gift with them for their mom this month. There are hundreds of ideas out there, but here's just one you could do during the mentoring hour with younger children. Next week I will share an idea for older children.

HELPING HANDS BOUQUET

1. Trace your child's hand print on five or six different colors of thick paper.

2. Talk to your child about ways they could help their mom and write these ideas on the hands. Ideas could include... clean my room, give you a bug hug, clear the dishes from the table, pick up toys , etc.

3. Tape these hands on to flower picks or straws

4. Cut out some green leaves and tape these on to the picks

5. Put a little bit of Styrofoam in the bottom of a clay pot and stick your flowers into it.

6. Fill the rest of the face with small pieces of wrapped candy that mom likes.

Do your kids understand what they are reading?

2010-04-20T12:37:00.001-07:00

Why do we read? We read for information and enjoyment, but this can't happen if we don't understand or comprehend what we are reading. Your students need to learn how to comprehend what they are reading and you can help them do this by asking questions BEFORE they read, AS they read and AFTER they read. Try asking...
* I wonder....
* How could that be?
* Why do you think?
* Who? What? Where? When?
* If the main character in your story won a million dollars, how do you think she/he would spend it? Why?
* Think of a character in your book. If this character had three wishes, what do you think they would be? Why?
* Describe a problem (conflict) that one of the characters in your story has. If you had the same problem, how would YOU solve it?
This is something you could do with all ages....the more practice students get with this when they are young, the easier it will be for them to comprehend harder text in the upper grades.
So, what do you think about this blog??

Spring Activity

2010-04-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally here, so be sure to take some time to enjoy it with the child you mentor. If possible at your school, take a walk around the playground and just notice some of the changes that have taken place....trees, flowers, bugs, birds. Talk about these changes with your child. Collect items as you walk around that represent spring...feathers, green leaves, flowers.
When you are done, create a Spring Book together.

WORD PLAY

2010-04-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

Start this activity by listing 10-20 short words, such as "house", "chair", "shape", etc..

Next, let your child choose one word and write in on a piece of paper or white board. Then, see if you can take away or change one letter and make a new word. Some examples...

HOUSE- can become MOUSE or HOSE

TASK- can become MASK or ASK

For older students, see how many new words you can make from the original word.

If you do not have access to white board, remember that a simple Cool Whip container lid will work well with dry erase markers. This will make it more fun for your student!

Fly Swatter Math

2010-03-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a fun way to practice math facts with your student? Bring in a clean fly swatter and some index cards and you will be good to go! Write a different number on each index card. ( If you are feeling REALLY crafty, shape the cards like a black fly!) Throw down the cards on a table and say a math problem. Let your child use the fly swatter and SMACK the number that is the correct answer. Adapt this to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You could even use these to help your child recognize letters or words. It may not be a worksheet, but it will help your child learn and have fun at the same time! SWAT!!!

I Gotta Feeling.....

2010-03-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be GREAT if every child loved to read? Life is so much better for a person who knows how to read. As mentors we should be encouraging our children to read and we can help keep them motivated by making it fun! Here's a video of students enjoying a good book. If you can, take a trip down to your school's computer lab and let them watch this short video. It may just inspire them to grab a book and read!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6D9jiEYxzs

Easter Egg Activity

2010-03-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you with younger children, here is an activity you can use during your mentoring hour to keep things fresh and exciting. You will need to purchase one bag of plastic Easter Eggs and an Easter basket. Next, you will need to write down on slips of paper different activities that you can do with your child. These may include things like color a picture, take a walk outside, play a favorite game, read a book, and practice math facts. Put these slips of paper in your eggs and put the eggs in your basket. If you are able to bring in snacks to your school, you may consider putting a small piece of candy in each egg . You could also include stickers, erasers or other small trinkets. Next, let your child choose eggs to determine what you will do throughout the mentoring hour. At the end of the hour for some extra fun, hide all of the eggs and let your child find them OR let your child hide the eggs for you to find. Hope you have an EGGstra special time with your child!

A Hundred Years From Now.....

2010-03-08T13:46:00.000-08:00

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."
Author unknown

Check out our website at www.kidshopeusa.org to learn how you can make a difference in the life of a child.

Fun Game

2010-03-02T09:28:00.001-08:00

I have a confession...I have avoided the game RUSH HOUR by ThinkFun even though I have heard and read many good things about it. I walked on past it in the store because I thought it looked too complicated. Well, I was wrong. What a GREAT game for kids and adults! It challenges minds to push farther, probe deeper and think more creatively. The goal of the game is to "drive" your red card out of the grid to freedom. It is a modern version of the Rubik's Cube puzzle that I grew up with, but the best news is you can play this game at different levels...beginner to expert. There are also two ways to play- you can purchase the game at a store(or on Amazon.com) for around $15.00 OR you can play the computer version for free at
http://www.puzzles.com/products/RushHour/RHfromMarkRiedel/Jam.html . My suggestion to mentors...practice it on your computer before teaching your child the game. Work together to come up with a strategy to solve the problem. Start at the beginner level and work your way up to the expert level. When you get grid locked ( and you will!) talk about how it feels to be in this type of situation in real life and what are some ways to solve our problems.

How can I learn when my mouth hurts so bad?

2010-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

I learned something about myself this week.....I can not function when I have a toothache!
It turns out my little cavity was too close to a nerve and now I need a root canal. The good news is that my insurance will pay for it and my sweet dentist hooked me up with some prescription medicine. But, as I sat around this week moaning and groaning I begin to think...what would I do if I could not afford to fix this tooth??? That got me thinking about many of the children we mentor....how can they learn if their mouths are hurting? An article in a dental journal says this, "Income inequalities remain an ongoing concern for children's oral health. Children living in poverty suffer twice as much tooth decay as their more affluent peers, and their decay is more likely to go untreated." Mentors, we may not be able to fix all of the inequalities or change the federal government so children receive more help in the area of oral heath, but we can help! Why not put an extra toothbrush with toothpaste in your mentoring bag. Teach your child how to brush and give them some time to practice each week. Send them home with a chart and another brush so they can keep track at home. Check out http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/oralhygienecharts.htm for a chart that you can use. Teach them to keep those teeth healthy, because when your mouth hurts it is hard to sleep- it is hard to eat- it is hard to learn. A healthy mouth is a happy mouth!

Math War

2010-02-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

Throw in a deck of cards to your mentoring bag and you have an easy way to review math facts. You may remember playing WAR with cards when you were a child. You can make this game more educational by following these suggestions after children are able to identify their numbers. Split the deck of cards in half. You and your child turn over a card and either ADD, SUBTRACT or MULTIPLY the two numbers that are showing....this will depend on the skill level of your child and should be determined prior to starting your game. The first person who answers the math problem gets to keep both cards. If there is a tie, you should have a "war" and the winner gets to keep the cards.

Reading Scavenger Hunt

2010-02-10T12:13:00.001-08:00

Help young readers learn by playing this simple game. Write different nouns on index cards and put these cards in a large envelope. Let your child choose a card, read the word that is on it and look for that item in the room or in the school. If your child has more advanced skills, ask them to write words on index cards for YOU to read and find.

Valentine's Day Fun

2010-02-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Help your children celebrate Valentine's Day with any of these activities...
* Make cards together for classmates
* Candy Heart Towers--see who can build the tallest tower in 20 seconds using conversation hearts
* Estimations- bring in a jar of Hershey's kisses and let your child guess how much is in it. Count it out together
* Heart hunt- prior to your mentoring hour, hide little hearts around the room. Once your child finds all of them, let them hide them for you to find.
* Decorate Valentine cookies together

Keep it simple. Keep it fun!

Helpful Websites

2010-01-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

I don't know about YOU, but I find it hard to be creative during the long, cold winter months. That's when I turn to the experts for some tips and advice on what to do with the child I mentor. Here are some websites that I frequently use that are full of great ideas that you can easily plug in to your mentoring hour. If you know of another good website, please share it with me!

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/index.shtml
http://crafts.kaboose.com/
http://www.spellingcity.com/
http://www.readingrockets.org/
http://www2.scholastic.com/

Preschool sites:
http://www.first-school.ws/INDEX.HTM
http://www.preschoolexpress.com/
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/

Happy Web Surfing!

Character Building Books

2010-01-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

Life skills and good character traits are important lessons to teach to the children we mentor. An easy and effective way to do this is by using the Berenstain Bear books. These books reinforce positive values in younger children ages 4-8. Topics include tolerance, responsibility, honesty, conservation, healthy habits and more. For a specific list of books check out http://www.berenstainbearstreehouse.com/store/indexbookcollection.html
Lessons taught by cute and cuddly bears are sometimes easier to accept and learn!

Prayer

2009-12-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just around the corner, it is time to take a short break from our kiddos that we mentor. For some of you, this may cause some worries, since you are aware of family and home situations that are not ideal. I encourage you...I challenge you...to call your prayer partner today. Invite them to pray for your child this Christmas vacation and then trust that God is in control. Then, evaluate this past semester... have you kept in touch with your prayer partner? Do they know how to pray for your child? Do they know what your child looks like? Do they know your child's special needs? Your prayer partner is a very special gift to the child that you mentor and to you. Imagine a beautifully wrapped gift underneath your Christmas tree this season.....would you ever think about ignoring it? Of course not! This is a gift meant to be open and enjoyed. In the same way, you prayer partner is a gift that needs to be open and enjoyed! Don't ignore them...include them in your mentoring journey!

Survey Says....

2009-12-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

At a workshop that I recently attended I was stunned to hear the following statistics from a survey that was given to school aged children...

80% of 1st graders feel good about themselves

20% of sixth graders feel good about themselves

only 5% of young people feel good about themselves by the end of their high school years

As KIDS HOPE USA mentors, our focus is on elementary children, but as we continue to build these children up with love, encouragement and support we can hopefully change these feelings and help a child believe in themself.

EASY Christmas Ornament- Snowflake

2009-11-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

Supplies- 2 pipe cleaners per snowflake ( silver and/or blue tinsel), blue, white or silver pony beads and a pair of scissors.

1. Cut the pipe cleaners in half so that you have four pieces

2. Make a cross with two pieces, twist and secure

3. Add the other two pieces to finish the snowflake shape, twist and secure

4. Add a few beads to each piece of pipe cleaner and twist the end just enough to keep the beads from falling off

5. Add an ornament hanger

Bad Attitude?

2009-11-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Some days it is tough to have a good attitude. This simple exercise may help the children in your life let go of these bad attitudes so they can enjoy your time together...
1. Ask your child to write three things that give them a bad attitude on a paper lunch sack
2. Let your child blow up the bag
3. POP the lunch bag!
Talk to your child about this activity. Relate how popping the bag is like letting go of their bad attitudes. Move on with your time together with a smile and a great attitude!

Picture Scavenger Hunt

2009-11-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

Make a walk together a little bit more exciting by turning it into a scavenger hunt. Write up a list of 10-20 items that you want your child to find in the area that you will be walking...this can take place outdoors on the playground or indoors throughout the school. An outdoor list could include items such as....a swing, ball, trash, leaf that is NOT green, bug, flower, twig that is smaller than 5 cm, stick that is longer than 10 cm, something red, or something blue. And indoor list could include items such as a red pencil, an eraser, a specific book from the library, a locker number that is great than 50, a jump rope, a person with glasses, or an emty milk carton. Be careful not to interrupt other students if you do your hunt inside.
To make this more fun, let your student take a picture of everything they find on their list. They will love using your camera and you can include these pictures in an end of the year memory album to remind them of the fun times you have spent together. If your child enjoys this, ask them to make a list of things for YOU to find during your next mentoring hour.

Thanksgiving Snack Craft

2009-11-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

Supplies: Bugle corn snacks, vanilla frosting, fruit-flavored rice cereal, and craft sticks

Directions: Let the children use craft sticks to spread the frosting inside the bugles. Next, sprinkle the cereal inside.

Discussion: Teach the children about cornucopias, or horns of plenty. Ask the children to share reasons that they are thankful. As you share why you are thankful, be sure to say your child's name!

COUNTING UP DICE GAME

2009-10-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

Elementary children need to know their basic math facts, but not too many children like to sit and practice flashcards. Make learnig fun by playing the COUNTING UP game. All you need is 2 dice, a piece of paper and a pencil. Ask your child to choose a number between 50-300. Take turns rolling the two dice and adding them together. Each time you roll the dice add the number to your total. The first person to the chosen number is the winner! It's simple, it's quick and it's fun!

Fall Craft Ideas- Acorn Pumpkins

2009-10-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

It may be a little hard to carve a real pumpkin during the mentoring hour, but that does not mean you have to skip decorating pumpkins with your child! Try making a patch of mini pumpkins small enough to fit in your child's hand. Begin by collecting acorns together, if this is possible. Next, remove the caps from a handful of acorns. Coat each one with orange acrylic paint, adding a bit of brown to the acorn's point for a stem. Let the paints dry, then add a
jack-o-lantern face with a black permanent marker. Connect this activity with a discussion about emotions and then draw different emotions on each small pumpkin...happy pumpkin, mad pumpkin, scared pumpkin, etc. Talk about things that make you and your child happy, mad or scared.
If you are looking for some great fall craft ideas, try out this website...
http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org

Choosing a book with GOLDILOCK's Method

2009-10-06T06:40:00.001-07:00

To help keep your child interested in reading it is important that you choose just the right book to read together. Just as Goldilocks found that some chairs were too soft and some were too hard and others were just right, beginning readers often have a hard time finding books that are just right...not too hard and not too easy! If a book is TOO EASY your child may still have fun reading it, but try to choose a book that is a little more challenging. If a book is TOO HARD, don't forget about it....try it again later. If the book is JUST RIGHT it will help your child make the most progress in their reading and it will be enjoyable for your child .When you are reading a book with your child try asking these questions to help find a book that is just right for them.....

1.Is this book TOO EASY? Does your child know and understand almost every word? Can they read it smoothly and fluently without much practice at all? Do they understand the story very well without much effort?

2. Is this book TOO HARD? Are there more than a few words on a page that your child can not recognize or know the meaning? Is your child confused about what is happening in most of the book? When they read is your child struggling and does it sound choppy?

3. Is this book JUST RIGHT? Is this book new to your child? Does your child understand most of it? Are there just a few words that your child doesn't recognize?

Good luck hunting for a book that is JUST RIGHT for your child!

Three Reasons Why

2009-09-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy activity that will help the child you mentor develop higher level thinking skills and could also give you a better understanding of your child's life outside of school. Ask your child to think about the reasons why certain things happen the way they do, but the reasons should be believable...this is an activity that you could do each week when you meet, but you made need to model how this is done until your child gets the hang of it. Here are some questions to get you started.....
LIST THREE REASONS WHY.....
1. a car might not start
2. a batter might not get to first base
3. you might go to the grocery store
4. a house may not have people in it
5. your feelings might hurt
6. your feet might hurt
7. a dog might bark
8. you might be late for school
9. you get a bad grade on an assignment
10. your friends won't play with you

Learning Styles

2009-09-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Understanding your child's learning style will help you during your mentoring hour. Research has shown that the majority of kids fall into one of three groups

1. Auditory Learners- those who learn best through sound

2. Visual Learners- those who learn best through seeing

3. Kinesthetic Learners- those who learn best through doing

Which group does your child fit into? The following test is designed for parents, but if you have mentored the same child for awhile, you may likely know enough about them to answer these 10 questions. Once you have finished the test and learn which group your child fits into, design your mentoring hour around these strengths. You can find the test at

http://parenting.quizkaboose.com/25-what-s-your-child-s-learning-style

What's My Mentor Thinking?

2009-09-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

Looking for a game that you can use anytime and anywhere? Look no more....give this a try!
Together, think of a category, such as food or great explorers. The mentor then writes down 10 words that goes along with this category, but they do not let the student see this list.
When finished, it is now the student's turn to write down ten words that match this category. Compare the two lists. For every word that matches the mentor's list the students earn one point....how many matches can you make? Adapt this game for younger students by letting them SAY their words rather than write them. For older kids only give them a point if they SPELL the word correctly.
This is an easy game that helps develop vocabulary skills and can be a great way to practice spelling. Learning can be fun!

Ten Items to Pack in Your Mentoring Bag

2009-09-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

After a long summer of waiting, many of you will be returning to continue your mentoring relationship with a very special child and many of you will be starting a new friendship! Anyway you look at it, this is exciting news! My goal is to pass on new ideas to you through this blog on a weekly basis. So, let's get your mentoring bag packed for a great year! Here are some suggested items for you to include....
1. Pictures of your family and summer activities
2. Construction paper and crayons- when you are finished reading a book, let your child respond to what they have read or heard with a picture. This will help you check for comprehension. Paper and crayons can be used for simple games like tic-tac-toe or hangman. Use these supplies to make cards for family, friends and teachers througout the year.
3. Stickers- these can be used for crafts or as a simple reward when your child has worked hard.
4. Index cards- use these to make flashcards when you are learning new concepts. Be sure to make these with bright colors so it is more interesting to look at!
5. Dice- So many uses for dice! Roll them and add the numbers to practice math. Roll them to find out how many minutes you will read or do another activity. Take turns rolling them to see who can get the highest number. Roll them until you reach a certain number. Roll them to find out how many stickers your child gets.
6. Cool Whip lid and dry erase markers- this makes a great white board for you to use and it is easy to tote around! Practice spelling words, math facts, or draw on it just for fun.
7. A few favorite books- include one that your child can easily read and one that you have to read to your child
8. A spiral notebook or a journal- at the end of each day journal about your time together. Make lists together in the notebook.... My friends, Places I want to visit, My favorite things to do at school, Favorite foods. Practice reading your journal entries and lists together. Remember that you can help your child write.
9. A deck of cards....play War, Old Maid, Go Fish, Slap Jack together or use to add/subract numbers
10. A disposable camera- let your child take pictures throughout the year of the activities that you do together. You can include these in an album towards the end of the year.

Summer Blog

2009-06-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

It is time for KIDS HOPE USA to start training new Directors this summer, which means my blog will not see a lot of action from me. BUT, I would LOVE to hear from you mentors! Please share an idea that has worked for you as a mentor.....what activity, game, book did you use during the past year? Please do share! Let's learn from each other!
Enjoy your summer!

Power of One

2009-05-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this song with everyone....it is a great reminder that ONE person can make a BIG difference!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlmOzJ4rGck&feature=PlayList&p=C085B263FC9BCD51&index=0

Planning for Summer

2009-05-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

Before long, summer will be here and it will be time to say goodbye to your mentee until next school year. For some children, summer can be a boring time. Help your child make it through the summer months by creating list of things they can do. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Plant something and watch it grow ( provide the seeds for your child)
2. Go to the library and check out some books ( show your child on a map where the closest public library is)
3. Make a wish list for what you want to do when school reopens
4. Play hopscotch or foursquare on the sidewalk with your friends ( provide sidewalk chalk for your child or an inexpensive playground ball)
5. Blow bubbles with your friends ( provide bubbles)
6. Fly a kite ( if you have time, make one together or send an inexpensive one home)
7. Learn how to make a fly paper airplanes
8. Send a postcard to your mentor ( provide self addressed, stamped postcards)

READING TIPS

2009-04-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

QUICK TIPS FOR MENTORS WHO ARE HELPING ELEMENTARY CHILDREN LEARN TO READ:
1. Ask the teacher or school librarian to suggest age appropriate reading materials.
2. Know your student and select content that connects to his or her interests and experiences.
3. Preview the reading material and anticipate open-ended questions you can ask to spark discussion.
4. Depending on the age of the student, alternate reading the story aloud to each other.
5. When it’s your turn, read with expression and don’t rush. Pause for expression and allow time for questions.
6. If a section seems hard for a student, help them with difficult words and give them positive feedback.
7. Encourage your student. Praise success!

Bird Feeder Craft

2009-04-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Spring AND give your kids a chance to help the birds with this project....

Empty quart sized cardboard milk carton
Scissors
String or cord
Hole punch or pencil
Bird seed

How to make it:

Help you child cut a hole in the bird feeder – it should be big enough so a bird could come and sit and eat the feed, but not too big or the carton will become unstable.
Cut a hole using a hole punch in the top of the milk carton and put a string through the hole.
Tie a knot in the string.
Fill the carton with bird seed until it reaches the top of the hole.
Hang the cart on a tree branch and watch the birds enjoy their snack! Check with your child's principal...maybe they can and their bird feeder up on the school playground!

If you need a visual to help you understand this craft check out http://crafts.kaboose.com/milk-jug-bird-feeders.html

Teaching your child how to be responsible is an important lesson. Use this bird feeder as a method to teach this life skill....remind them to check the feeder daily and fill it up whenever it is empty.

You can also extend learning by identifying the different birds that come to eat from the child's bird feeder...bring in binoculars and a book about birds and let the fun begin!

Time Capsule

2009-03-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

Recycle an old oatmeal tub and fill a time capsule together that will give you a chance to reflect on your relationship years later. You can even decorate the capsule together and plan on when you will remove it from its location. One year...two years....graduation? Decide together!
Here are some items that can be included, but you and your mentee can add to this list:
* Photo of each of you
* A sheet of information about each of you
* Draw a picture of your favorite animal
* An example of your favorite magazine, game or book
* An object that symbolizes you
* Stuffed animal
* An asssignment from school that the child is proud of

Thank you, Mentors!

2009-03-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

Here are two quotes to remind you about the difference you can make in the life of a child when you become their mentor...

" I have a chance to change the world every time I touch the life of a child- in whatver way, no matter how small."

"Long after they forget what you taught them they will remember how you treated them."

Tag....you're it!

2009-03-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

I imagine that everyone knows the simple game of TAG. You probably even played it during recess when you were a kid! I remember playing tag.....I would get so scared when I was being chased that many times I would just sit down and say, "Time out!"
Well, it's a twist on tag that may help some of the scared kids that you mentor....
Play READING TAG. Choose a book together and let your child start reading it outloud. When they want to stop they can TAG you and it is now your turn to read. This gives the child a chance to stop reading when they get to a word that they may be "scared" to try or will help a child with a shorter attention span. To make it even more interesting sit on opposite sides of the room so you have to run back and forth....it's fun, gets rid of some energy AND gives your child a chance to both HEAR and READ outloud. What more can you ask for??
You can adapt this game to WRITING and build a story together OR ART and draw a picture together.
So.....TAG, you're IT! Now go and have some fun together!

Story plus Snack equals YUMMY!!

2009-02-24T19:40:00.000-08:00

Read and share a snack together for a tasty treat!
Choose a book from the libray that is about food. Your librarian should be able to help you find some or try the ones I mention in this post. Then, read the book together with your child and talk about the snack ideas that are mentioned in the book. Prepare and eat the snacks together when you have finished the book.
Book and Snack Examples:
Everybody Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley- make coconut bread OR bring in a bread machine and show your student how to use it. Be sure to have a "finished product" for them to sample!
The First Strawberries retold by Joseph Bruchac- make strawberry applesauce
Cheese Louise! by David Michael Slater- cut up cheese cubes on put them on toothpicks
The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola-enjoy a bag of popcorn together!

Stressed Out Kids

2009-02-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a great article I found about kids today. I think after reading this you may understand why your child sometimes struggles in school. I would love to hear your feedback after reading it!
http://www.childrensministry.com/article.asp?ID=2116

HEART LESSONS

2009-02-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

During the month of February all you need is a bag of candy conversation hearts and you can fill up the hour doing many different activities with them....

MATH- add, subtract, greater than or less than, sorting by colors, graphing the different colors, estimate- fill a small glass jar with hearts and let them guess how many are in it- then fill a big one and let them try again

READING- read the messages on the hearts

WRITING- have your child grab five hearts from the bag. Use the sayings on these hearts and write a short story together OR cut out your own hearts and let them come up with new sayings to write on them

CRAFTS- Use craft glue and glue candy hearts around a glass votive

HANDS ON- Use the hearts to build a tower...see who can make their tower the tallest OR hide the hearts all around the room and have a Heart Hunt together!

Valentine's Day Cards to make with Boys

2009-01-29T19:42:00.000-08:00

Boys may not like lace and pretty pink paper, but they can still make their own Valentine's Day cards. Stop by your local craft store or scrapbooking store and pick up some camouflage paper and try this....
1. Cut a large heart from the camouflage paper and a smaller one from a lighter color paper
2. Glue the hearts together and add a message.
Suggested messages:
You're out of sight, valentine!
I can't hide it: I think you're cool
I can't hide my feelings for you

* Here's a helpful tip....start making your cards early so you only have to make a few at a time.

Read Aloud Favorites

2009-01-13T11:01:00.000-08:00

Looking for some new books to read out loud to your kids?? Here are two good ones for you to try....

1. PETER'S CHAIR, by Ezra Jack Keats- Peter is sad because his baby things are being given to his new sister. He hides his old chair before his parents can paint it pink. But when he realizes he has outgrown it, he's faced with an important decision. This is a touching sibling story... when you are done you can talk with your child about their siblings and the feelings that they have about them.

2. HAIRS/PELITOS, by Sandra Cisneros- The characters in this story belong to the same close-knit family, yet each is unique. In both English and Spanish the author describes the family members' hair. The narrator, a little girl, has unruly hair, and her mother's smells warm and comforting. When you have finished reading this you can talk about each member in your family and then let the child describe their family members. Make family portraits together.

Mosaic

2009-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Here's an easy craft project that can be adapted to any age and can be done together... make a mosaic. Mosaics are usually created using small square tiles, but you can use different shapes, too. To create your project use small, brightly colored squares of paper. Squares cut from magazines can also be used to make mosaics. To make it easier on younger kids pre-cut the squares. Younger kids can work on a simple design where older students may want to make a picture with their tiles. Here are a few web pages that explain the project more....
http://www.ehow.com/how_4674060_paper-mosaics-kids.html ( good for older)
http://www.curbly.com/DIY-Maven/posts/5142-How-to-Make-Scrap-Paper-Mosaics ( good for older)
http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/kidsartsandcrafts/kids-arts-crafts-materials/Magic-Mosaics-Arts-Crafts-Activity-Idea-Tutorial-For-Kids-l2582.html ( good for younger)

Benefits of Reading Aloud

2008-12-30T09:34:00.001-08:00

Do you still read aloud with your child? Do you think they are too old for this? I encourage you to CONTINUE this practice of reading aloud to your child all throughout your relationship....here are just a few ways it helps! Reading aloud....
1. Inspires writing
2. Expands vocabulary
3. Boosts comprehension
4. Improves listening skills
5. Encourages visual imagery
6. Fosters curiosity and imagination
7. Reveals different writing styles

AND, it gives you a chance to just sit together and enjoy the closeness!

CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR SOLDIERS & SHUT-INS

2008-12-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

Help your child create cards for soldiers and shut-ins. Talk to the kids about how happy the people will be to receive their special card. Bring in old Christmas cards and let the children cut them up to create new cards on bright colored cardstock or construction paper. Make sure to tell your child's teacher about the kind act that your child did!

Christmas Math Lesson

2008-12-09T09:03:00.001-08:00

Use Math Word Problems to help teach the real meaning of Christmas....here's an example.

My mentor and I made 24 cookies for the teachers at my school. I decided to make 12 more to give to my neighbors to show them kindness. How many cookies did I make in all?

Vary these questions according to grade and skill level. To make it a bit more fun try this...create a simple green Christmas tree from construction paper. Everytime your child answers a math problem correctly let them add a Christmas sticker on the tree. When the tree is all decorated let the child choose the next activity you will do together.

CHRISTMAS ENGLISH LESSON

2008-12-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

Practice grammar as you teach about the real meaning of Christmas with this simple idea. Make a BINGO board and work together to fill in boxes with different parts of speech....as a mentor be sure to include words that give a greater meaning to Christmas. For example.... Verbs- giving, caring, loving Adjectives-special Nouns- family
As you make the BINGO board together talk about these words. Choose who will be the caller and then enjoy playing the game together.

Teaching kids to care at CHRISTMAS

2008-12-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

It's the MOST WONDERFUL time of the year, and even though you are mentoring at a public school you can still help teach your child lessons about Christmas . While you can not come out and share the story of Jesus, you can teach them about giving, caring and loving others with a few simple ideas that I will share throughout this month. If you have a great idea, please share it with me!
Help your child make a list of all the people that help make their school a special place...teacher, principal, secretary, etc. Talk about specific things they do to help at school. Then, decorate cookies for the adults on the list and deliver these together. Encourage your child to say thank you and Merry Chrismas to each adult. Surprise your child by giving them a tub full of cookies that they can take home with them since they also help make the school a special place. Thank your child for CARING for others this Christmas!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2008-11-21T11:13:00.000-08:00

Children's writing can be hard to read sometimes because they SMASH their letters together. Here's a trick to fix that...use an orange marker with a thin point for the spaghetti and brown markers with a thick point for the meatball. Model how you want the children to use their markers when they write letters and words.
* Draw a straight spaghetti line between letters with the orange marker (pointing out that if there is enough space between the letters, the orange color shouldn't get on either letter).
* Draw a meatball shape between words to designate a larger space between words.

LOOKS GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT!!!

Something to think about

2008-11-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

"The child must know that he is a miracle; that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him."
Pablos Casals

POST ELECTION IDEA

2008-11-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

Showing respect for our leaders is an important lesson that we can help teach the kids that we mentor. One way you can do this is to help your children write a letter to our new President-elect. Help them include words of encouragement and ideas that they have to help our country.
I am still searching for the address to mail this letter and will post it as soon as I find it...please share it with me if you already know!

Make Math Fun!

2008-11-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

Drilling math facts is important for ALL ages, but it does not have to be boring. First and Second Grade students can pratice their addition and subtraction facts, while third through fifth graders can add multiplication and division to their list. Whatever facts you are practicing, jazz up drill time with a few of these ideas....
1. Let students write on a white board with bright color markers
2. Clap as you say the problem- snap as you say the answer
3. Build up some confidence by starting easy and then work up
4. Whatever day of the month it is, ask your child to answer that many math facts correctly ( i.e., if it is November 6, complete
six flashcards)
5. Let your child quiz you...let them correct your work when you have
finished. Make sure you get a few wrong to see if they notice. Give them
a grading pen and stickers to make it more exciting!

READING OUTLOUD

2008-10-28T06:21:00.000-07:00

Children who can read can succeed, and here is one way to make sure that happens....read out loud to your students! Many of us read to our kids when they are young, but as they grow older and are able to read independently, we stop. Jim Trelease in The Read Aloud Handbook tells us that this is the most critical time to continue reading to your child. You not only model an important practice for them to continue when they are parents, you introduce them to new types of books and vocabulary they many not encounter on their own. Children can get in a rut and read the same type of books over and over. You can be a source of other choices.
So, build some time for reading out loud to your child during your next mentoring hour....it DOES make a difference!

Keep Halloween Safe for Children

2008-10-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Children are eagerly awaiting the chance to go out door to door and collects tons of candy. Here are some tips that mentors can TEACH to their kids so they will be safe as they head out to trick or treat.....don't assume children already know this info.
1- Add reflective tape to costumes ( Mentors will most likley need to provide this for their child)
2- Masks make it hard to see--try a hat instead
3- Avoid sharp and dangerous weapons
4- Use a flashlight
5- Stay with a buddy or a group
6- Only go to homes with a porch light on
7- Stay on the sidewalk or hug the curb. Walk facing traffic.
8- Never cut across yards
9-Do not go in to a stranger's house or car for a treat
10- Eat only wrapped candy
11- Cross the street with a group of people or at a crosswalk

Lessons

2008-10-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

"Experience is a hard teacher because it gives the test first

and the lesson afterwards." anonymous

Fall Fun

2008-10-12T21:15:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you, but I LOVE fall. The colors in Michigan are simply beautiful right now, but sometimes I get so busy and so preoccupied that I forget to take the time to just LOOK and ENJOY! Take some time this month to look at and enjoy fall with your child...each time that you go to mentor take a picture of them by the same tree. As the weeks progress, talk about the changes you see happening in that tree. This may lead in to a great discussion on the entire subject of CHANGE....while it will be easy to spot the change in the tree, how is the student changing? Encourage them that they are changing every week when they listen to their teachers, show kindness to their classmates, or read a new book.
For those of you who do not have permission yet to take photos of students, let the child draw the same tree each week over the next month. Save all these pictures in to a book and add words together.
And, since we are a national program, I recognize that some of you do not get to enjoy the fall season like I do! If you still want to talk about fall with your child, a good read for lower elementary students is We're Going on a Leaf Hunt, by Steve Metzger. And, be sure to take time to find something else to just look at and enjoy this week!

JAM PACK JAM

2008-10-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

I just found a GREAT game that kids of all ages can enjoy....no reading required, but it still holds the interest of older kids. The game is called Jam Pack Jam and you can find it at the big retail stores...WalMart, Target, Toys R US. You can also go on to Amazon.com, type in Jam Pack Jam, and there is a video description of the game. Kids will get to practice several mathematical skills as they play this fun game AND it fits easily in to your mentor bag. To top it off, it should only cost $15.00. Remember...games are a GREAT way to teach kids social skills as well as academic skills. After you play the game, write a story together about a place you would like to pack a van and go to on vacation. Bring in pictures of this place for your child to look at during your next visit together or take a pretend vacation to this place!

Welcome to my new blog!

2008-10-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

It's been about five months since I last wrote in a blog, and I have missed it! I am looking forward to talking....blogging....babbling with you! Expect to find some ideas, encouragement, and information that you can use as you work with elementary students when you visit my blog. Talk to you soon!

Babbling Brooke

The Eagles Are Back!

Prayer

Santa Hat Game

Money

Christmas Craft- Name Ornament

Turkey Talk

Reading Game- 4 in a Row

Comic Creator Writing Tool

Fall Symmetry Craft

Online Game- Monkey Go Happy

Jumping Jack Flash

He/She Statements

Read and Bead

New Game for Your Mentoring Bag

Summer

Connect your Kids to Nature

Let's Play Catch!

Don't Break the Chain Game

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

Categories

Reading & Writing

Prayer Partners

How to Make Paper Snowflakes

Science Experiement PLUS!

Math Game- Don't You FOR GET IT!

Snowflake Craft

Setting Goals for the New Year

The Judy Moody MOOD JOURNAL

Math- Measurements

BEAT THAT! Math Dice Game

Beach Ball Math

Relationship Building Questions

READING STRATEGY

A BUG and a WISH

Fun Math Game!

Summer Vacation

Baseball Cards

Summer Journal

End of the Year Fun

Mother's Day Ideas for Older Children

Mother's Day Gift Idea

Do your kids understand what they are reading?

Spring Activity

WORD PLAY

Fly Swatter Math

I Gotta Feeling.....

Easter Egg Activity

A Hundred Years From Now.....

Fun Game

How can I learn when my mouth hurts so bad?

Math War

Reading Scavenger Hunt

Valentine's Day Fun

Helpful Websites

Character Building Books

Prayer

Survey Says....

EASY Christmas Ornament- Snowflake

Bad Attitude?

Picture Scavenger Hunt

Thanksgiving Snack Craft

COUNTING UP DICE GAME

Fall Craft Ideas- Acorn Pumpkins

Choosing a book with GOLDILOCK's Method

Three Reasons Why

Learning Styles

What's My Mentor Thinking?

Ten Items to Pack in Your Mentoring Bag

Summer Blog

Power of One

Planning for Summer

READING TIPS

Bird Feeder Craft

Time Capsule

Thank you, Mentors!

Tag....you're it!

Story plus Snack equals YUMMY!!

Stressed Out Kids

HEART LESSONS