Free printable Shel Silverstein lesson plans, poetry writing prompts, activities | Examiner.com

Shel Silverstein is a beloved poet, children's author, musician and artist. He's given the world of children's literature dozens of books, poems and funny illustrations to enjoy. Shel Silverstein passed away in 1999, but children's literature will never forget his charming, silly poems and books. A Light in the Attic, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Runny Babbit, The Giving Tree, Don't Bump the Glump, Lafdacio, the Lion Who Shot Back, A Giraffe and a Half, The Missing Piece, Falling Up are just a few of his delightful works of wit and whimsy. In Shel Silverstein's poems, animals talk, grown-ups are silly and children rule the world from cardboard pirate ships. If you would like to play in his wonderful world, here are free printable Shel Silverstein activities, coloring pages and lesson plans.  Free printable Shel Silverstein lesson plans, poetry writing prompts, activities | Examiner.com

Free printable Valentine's Day coloring pages, crafts, worksheets, activities

Valentine's Day, celebrate Feb. 14, usually represents a party, candy and cards for children, So how about some free printable Valentine's Day coloring pages, cut and paste, games, lessons, puzzles and activities? Here are some websites to check out for free Valentine's Day printables. Use in school or homeschool. Tie in with your regular curriculum.   Free printable Valentine's Day coloring pages, crafts, worksheets, activities | Examiner.com

Free printable Stations of the Cross coloring books: Catholic Lenten devotions

In the Catholic liturgical calendar, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday continues for 40 days up through Holy Week, the Easter Triduum and Easter. Catholic Christians try to imitate Jesus with prayer, fasting or sacrifice and almsgiving (charity). A Catholic prays the rosary and Stations of the Cross on Friday (and as often as possible). Here are free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages to guide Lenten devotions. Each year during the Lenten when our family was homeschooling, the children drew images, one for each of the Station of the Cross. We used these images to guide Lenten devotions and prayer. We created Stations of the Cross in our home and yard, placing the images in order along a path. One year we hung them in the hallway. This way we had our own Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross, or Way of Sorrows). The children would begin each Friday in Lent praying the Stations of the Cross. Older children can draw Stations of the Cross coloring books for younger children to color. Or you can use free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages. A favorite source were the Fr. Lovasik coloring books. Here are free printable Stations of the Cross coloring books. Print a booklet for CCD, VBS, religious education classes, Catholic school, homeschooling and family devotions.   Free printable Stations of the Cross coloring books: Catholic Lenten devotions | Examiner.com

Snow day kids crafts, homemade games from recycled stuff, power outage friendly | Examiner.com

An epic nor'easter winter storm is thrashing the eastern seaboard. This is one angry blizzard, so snowy and blustery they gave it a name: Winter Storm Juno, said the Daily Beast Jan. 26. Winter storms take out electricity, close school, ground travel. Being stuck with snowbound kids in a power outage is no fun. So here are kids' craft projects and games made with recycled stuff--no special tools or supplies, trips to the store nor electricity needed! Keep children productively occupied during this Snowmageddon.  Snow day kids crafts, homemade games from recycled stuff, power outage friendly | Examiner.com

Pizza pie math lessons teach geometry, fractions, decimals, percents for Pi Day | Examiner.com

 March 14 is Pi Day. It's not a spelling error for pie day. Pi is a Greek term denoting the mathematical portion 3.14 (or 22/7 in fraction form) used in geometry. That's why it's celebrated on 3/14. And Pi Day 2015 has math nerds especially geeked because it's pi to the 4th place value: 3.1415, reported WBEZ on March 13. Pi Day celebrates geometry and math. Take a bite out of math anxiety with these hands-on pizza "pie" math lessons for Pi Day.



Teach shapes, numbers and colors with pizza. Cut differently-shaped and colored pizza toppings: mushrooms (white or brown discs or cylinders), onions (white cubes), sausage (brown spheres) pepperoni (red circles), colored peppers (cut in triangles) pineapple (yellow rectangles), cheese (cut as trapezoid, rhombus). Describe and discuss topping colors and shapes. Give each student a plate of pizza toppings and a small crust (or tortilla shell). Teach with food. Tell students to put five circles, two red things, three green rectangles, etc., on their pizza.  Pizza pie math lessons teach geometry, fractions, decimals, percents for Pi Day | Examiner.com

Holiday parenting: At-home family fun for sick kids on Christmas vacation | Examiner.com

Wouldn't you know it--Christmas vacation is finally here and your child gets ill. Holidays can be miserable for sick kids (and parents who must care for them). Missed parties, curtailed activities, everyone stuck at home, more work, extra worries, two weeks of caring for crabby children who can't enjoy the fun--it kinda takes the "merry" out of "Christmas." But it doesn't have to--here are at-home family fun activities that sick kids can enjoy, too. Here are ways sick kids can be involved in holiday preparation from their sick bed. These ideas are so much fun your sick kids might not want to get well!  Holiday parenting: At-home family fun for sick kids on Christmas vacation | Examiner.com

Free printable Christmas paper toys, holiday activities, paper crafts for kids | Examiner.com

Are you channeling your inner Scrooge this holiday season? Got a bad case of the Grinchies? Did your Christmas spirit fly the coop? Sounds like someone needs a holiday cheer fix and for that you need to visit The Toymaker. Get ready for free Christmas printables like you've never seen before. Because The Toymaker has a sleighful of free printable Christmas paper toys, holiday activities and 3D paper crafts to make. The pictures look child-like but don't be fooled. As we've recently seen, adult coloring books are good therapy for adults and so are cut and paste paper crafts.   Free printable Christmas paper toys, holiday activities, paper crafts for kids | Examiner.com