Family Fitness - PE Week 2

Week 2 of Kids workouts!

Last week went so well - we did 4 out of the 5 workouts!  I thought hey lets give it another week and see if we can do it again. 

Day 1 - Watch this video about Why you need good fats!

Workout:  From Crossfit Kids!

Push press demonstration

Day 2 - Watch this video about The Picky Eater Project

Workout:  From Crossfit Kids!

How to do a kettlebell deadlift


Day 3 - Watch this video about How chemicals and dyes are bad for your body

Workout:  from Crossfit Kids

How to do a hang power clean

 Day 4 - Watch this video about How the Body works - Teeth

Workout:  from Crossfit Kids

How to do a wall walk

Day 5 - Watch this video about How the Body Works - Hair

Workout:  from Crossfit Kids

How to do a Hollow Rock



 

Family Fitness - P.E. Week 1

I am hoping to post these weekly for our family to do together.  All workouts are from CrossFit Kids unless otherwise mentioned.  Each day also has a video about health ito watch as well.  I have linked to the workouts rather than copy and post them.  I did try to post how-to for certain moves that you might not be familiar with.

Disclaimer - always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.  You should make every attempt to use proper form so that you do not get injured.


Needed equipment - pull up bar, 4# and 10# weighted ball,  12" - 20" box for stepping up,

Week 1

Day 1 - Read about why water is the best drink to drink.

Workout:  (From Bodeefit Kids)

How to do a proper squat:


 

Day 2 - Watch this video about What your poop says about you!

Workout: (From CrossFit Kids)

How to do a handstand:

Or a handstand:

Day 3 - Watch this video about Why can't I have sugar?

Workout: (From CrossFit Kids)

How to do a proper pull up:

Day 4 - Watch this video about Is Peanut Butter Good for you?

Workout: From CrossFit Kids

How to do knees to elbows:

How to Play World War Z

Day 5 - Watch this video about How to brush your teeth properly.

Workout:  From CrossFit Kids

How to do Monkey hangs:

How to do thrusters:

How to do a box step:

Day 6 -

Kids Yoga workout

Hope you had a great week of fitness!!!

 

Money Chore Chart

I decided it was time to start this.  It was fairly easy to do and I used what I had on hand. 

What I used:

Foam board
**Library pockets
Card stock
Laminator
Glue




I printed this on card stock and then laminated it.  I cut it apart and glued it to the front of the library pockets.  (Click on it to download it).




I then downloaded this chore stick printable and then laminated it and just cut them out with my paper cutter (into rectangles and not just the sticks that would take way too much for me).  She has a slightly different tutorial for how she did it.


Basically I cut the foam board to fit the side of my shelving unit.  I hung it by rings and Command hooks.  I glued on the title at the top.  It was from here.

I measured it so that the sticks could fit in the library pockets and not be too tall.  I glued them on with Elmer's glue.  I kept three pockets at the top and put the kids name on it.

I then printed the sticks and laminated them and cut them apart.  I gave each one a value and wrote that on the back.

I then glued on the money values that I printed earlier to the other pockets.  I just did $0.25, $0.50, $1.00, $2.00, $5.00, $10.00 - to make it easier.

Then I put the corresponding job in its value pocket.  I have one reader and two non-readers but the non-readers just grab one and ask me what it says and I tell them.  If they don't like that one they put it back and grab another one.

I also put a couple freebies in there - if they pick those they get money for no work (just for fun).  If I think of something that isn't on the printable I just grabbed those bigger Popsicle sticks and wrote it on there.

When they complete a chore, they put it in their name pocket and at the end of the week or end of every two weeks - we count up the money and pay them.  I usually do every two weeks.

That is how it works.  So far so good.

There are chores they do that they don't get paid for - things that just help the household run  - like make their bed or empty the dishwasher.  These chores are just a little above the daily chores.  I pay bigger money for things I hate to do like clean out the vehicles or scrub the shower.

**You can find library pockets on Amazon or at a school supply store.

Do you do money chores?  How do you make it work?

 

Wild Kratts Curriculum - Chimpmunk/Squirrel

My kids LOVE Wild Kratts and they learn so much from it that I thought I would build a little curriculum around certain episodes.  If you have Netflix they are on there as well or click the link below to go to PBS' website.

Day 1: 

Watch Wild Kratts episode - Season 1 Episode 20 - "The Blue and the Gray"  (**The kids could color one of these while they watch or save them for later in the week.)
Ask kids to narrate the episode for you - summarize it in 2 to 3 sentences and copy their answers onto this notebooking page.  (Use one of these free printable pages.) If they are old enough to write then you can let them write it.

Start on your Draw Write Now Chipmunk drawing.  You can use 1+1+1=1 printables that go along with these books if you would like.  Click here and scroll down to Book 6 and click on it.  You can print page 4 or 5 if you want practice copywork too.  You could also print this Wild Kratts Activity page (from Different Dog Blog) to do your drawing on and write vocab words too.

Lapbook - start on a lapbook if you would like to.  There are free ones from Homeschool Share - a chipmunk or squirrel.

Project Squirrel **Become a Citizen Scientists and each day observe squirrels and click on this link to submit what you have observed.

Day 2:

Talk about yesterday's Wild Kratt episode.  Read one of the books from the book list below.

Talk about where the chipmunk's habitat is.  Look up squirrels in The Kingfishers First Animal Picture Atlas and talk about their habitats.

Work on your chipmunk drawing.  Finish it up or color it in.  Work on drawing the background (habitat) where the chipmunk lives.

Work more on your lapbook if you choose.

Project Squirrel **Become a Citizen Scientists and each day observe squirrels and click on this link to submit what you have observed.

Day 3:

Read another book from the list below.

Work on or finish up your drawing and put it in your Wild Kratts Creature Notebook.

Use The Kingfishers First Animal Picture Atlas to talk about what countries chipmunks and squirrels live in and point to them on a map.  Print off a world map and circle or color in spots where the animals live.  Put that in your Wild Kratts Creature Notebook as well.

Project Squirrel  **Become a Citizen Scientists and each day observe squirrels and click on this link to submit what you have observed.

Day 4:

Read another book from the list below.

Finish up your drawing (if it isn't done).  Finish up your lapbook (if it isn't done).

Project Squirrel  **Become a Citizen Scientists and each day observe squirrels and click on this link to submit what you have observed.

Print Creature Power (31) and put it in your book.  *optional

**If you want to be really ambitious you could prepare some of these activities ahead of time for your smaller ones.

You can also make these Wild Kratts action figures for your younger ones. Here is the link for the printables.

Here are more printables you can use.

Book list:

Main texts:

The Kingfisher First Animal Picture Atlas
Draw Write Now Book 6 - Animals & Habitats by Marie Hablitzel and Kim Stitzer

For Squirrels -
Fun with Nature by Mel Boring
Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert
Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter
Merle the High Flying Squirrel by Bill Peet
A Squirrel's Tale by Richard Fowler
Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo and Still-Mo: Lessons in Living from Five Frisky Red
Squirrels
Busy, Busy Squirrels by Colleen Stanley Bare
Hello, Squirrels! Scampering through the Seasons by Linda Glaser

For Chipmunks -
Non-fiction
Young Naturalist’s Field Guides:Rabbits, Squirrels, and Chipmunks by Mel Boring
Squirrels and Chipmunks by Allan Fowler (Rookie Read About Science)
Chipmunk Family by Lois Brunner Bastian
Fiction
Chipmunk Song by Joanne Ryder
Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane by Victoria Sherrow
Chattering Chipmunks by Janet Piehl
Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant

Free Squirrel books:

Amazon – Tale of Timmy Tiptoes (Kindle Edition)
Amazon – Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (Kindle Edition)
Amazon – The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel (Kindle Edition)
 *Free Book list is from here

*Book lists are from lapbook sources above

You could also check out the Wild Kratts Math App for more fun with Wild Kratts.


 

Help your kids do their own laundry - with a cool easy project

I decided that my kids were totally old enough to help me so I wasn't so overwhelmed with laundry.  I really mainly only have my 8 year old and by 6 year old do theirs.  I have them dump their stuff in the washing machine and I take it from there - I do the soap and I transfer it to the dryer but once it is dry I have them bring our green basket and take it from the dryer to the living room.  My four year old brings his too and I at least have him fold his pants but the process takes.a.long.time.

They  have their ways of doing it.  My son dumps it all in a pile on the floor while watching TV.  I have encouraged him to do what my daughter does to make it easier.  See the picture below.

So here it is:

Step 1.  Take laundry from dryer to room where you are going to fold it.

Step 2.  Separate clothes into categories.  My daughter had me make signs for her - pants, shirts, skirts for the girls, pajamas and socks and undies.



Step 3.  Fold.  Below is a video of a little invention I made for them to make folding easier.

* I got this idea from reading I Heart Organizing's blog a long time ago.  She had a picture of this thing.  It is a FLIPFOLDER from the Container store and it costs $21.99. 



 Get one if you want or if you happen to have a thin, long box that used to hold wipes like this one:

from Sam's Club

Then you can do this on the video below.  I used these basic instructions but really I just kind of figured it out myself.  




Step 4.  Put away - "Please, put them away.  Please put away your clothes.  Could you please put away those clothes.  Can you get the clothes off the Futon and put them away in your drawers?  Please."  Let's be honest that is how it usually goes.



 

More Random Acts of Christmas Kindness - cookies, cookies, cookies and the Fire station

The last few days we have been making cards and making cookies for our RAOCK. 

We did the Dollar Store on Monday and on Tuesday we made cards to the military and I mailed them today.

I showed the kids this video to make it a little more real to them about what they were doing.

Today our "wrestlers" told us we were making cards.  I chose the wrestlers because my 4 year old son is obsessed with them and basically plays with them all day and sleeps next to them every night.

We made cookies on our homeschool co-op day and we wrapped them and took them several places.

Yesterday was the day we were to bake cookies and take them to our neighbor but I had a cold so we made cookies on this day instead.

Those crazy wrestlers

 And this was the day the wrestlers "told" the kids we were taking cookies to the firehouse.

I've been talking with the kids about giving and why we should do it - expecting nothing in return.  But today they got such a blessing. 

We made the cookies.

We took them to the firehouse.

And guess what?  They invited us in and let us tour the place and get on the fire trucks.  The kids were beyond excited!

See the kid in the yellow coat?  My son - he was that excited!

I know its blurry but they were very interested in the axes.  The guy that worked there was so great to answer all of our questions.

My son especially wanted to know what this missile-like thing was.  It is what they use to break through floors to get to basements and such and it has holes in it to spray out water too.

The girls loved the big kitchen.

The boys loved the XBOX.

It was incredible and we are going to try to make it more of a monthly ritiual.  The firemen said they'd love for us to come back because it breaks up the monotony of the day plus I think they might have liked our cookies.

We then took some cookies to our local police station.

One of the boys decided they loved the one way mirror and wanted one for their room.

Then we went to a favorite local mechanic and the town hall.  The nice lady at the town hall gave the kids all suckers - again, something they weren't expecting.

We also stopped on our street and handed a plate of cookies out the window to some men working on our street.  

Lastly, we took cookies to our elderly neighbor lady who can't really get out.  We made cards too and she told us she really loved the card.

There were some great teachable moments for the kids.  It was cold out and kind of rainy but they all wanted to get out at every stop and hand out the cookies. 

It was so neat to see them in action today.  We must make this more a part of our daily lives.

 

First Day of Random Acts of Christmas Kindness - the Dollar store

We started our Random Acts of Christmas Kindness today. 

We are using toys they have around the house to bring messages about how we are going to give to others that day.  It is kind of our take from Elf on the Shelf.

 My 4 year old loves his little wrestlers so I've been using those.  Today we went to the Dollar store and taped dollars to some candy and toys.  I used the printables from my post last week.

Here the kids are putting them on things.

Honestly, this was a lot harder than I thought.  Not the putting on of the money but the explaining things to the kids.

My youngest wanted to use the dollars for himself at first.  I had to really explain to them what we are doing and why.  I had to go over it several times.  This just tells me this is a much needed project for the kiddos!

They were so excited though when we actually did it.  I told them it was like a spy mission and we didn't want anyone to notice what we are doing.  We just needed to get in and get out.

We will see how tomorrow goes.

 

December days of fun with kids in central Indiana (some free)!

I wanted to do something fun with the kids in December like everyday.  I posted yesterday about the random acts of kindness we have planned so I tried to plan things to do while we do those.  There are some fun free things to do in Indy this month so I have included those too!  Thanks to Indydt.com for some of these ideas.  Indy with Kids has great ideas too.  Some are educational and some are just fun.  I tried to do things that didn't cost much. 

1 - Church - its free and I think its fun
2 - Martinsville Candy kitchen to watch candy canes being made and maybe go to Hunter's Honey Farm for some honey
3 - Wonderlab museum
4 - Fire station tour when we go take sweet treats
5 - Indiana Historical Society (Get a great rate on Groupon. http://www.groupon.com/deals/indiana-historical-society-8)
6 - Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium
7 - Christmas fun in Brown County
8 - Church - its free and I think its fun
9 - Visit Grandma or other relatives (see yesterday's post)
10 - See a puppet show at Peewinkles Puppet Studio
11 - Conner Prairie - I've never been at Christmas time so this might be a splurge!
12 - Monkey Joes  - bouncing place (in the evening for a school fundraiser - you can come too)
13 - Kids free at the IMAX for Polar Express!

14 - FREE Ice Skating at Pan Am Pavilion 
15 - Church - its free and I think its fun AND We are so doing this one!  FREE Elevator Ride to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Monument Circle - 
16 - FREE Admission to Indiana State Museum
17 -  FREE Admission to James Whitcomb Riley Museum
18 - FREE Admission to Morris Butler House
19 - FREE Admission to Indianapolis Museum of Art's Winter Solstice
20 - FREE Admission to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
21 - FREE Admission to the Indiana History Center
22 - FREE Admission to the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
23 - FREE Admission to National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS)
24 - FREE Admission to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
25 - Merry Christmas

If you have more ideas let me know by leaving a comment!

 

25 Days of Random Acts of Kindness for the Christmas season you can do with kids!

I have been wanting to do this for a long, long time but never put anything together.  This year we are doing this!  I'm so excited that my kids are old enough to do this too and to understand it (most of them are anyway).

We are doing homeschool light in December - just the three R's in the afternoon so that in the morning we can do our service projects.  I am also planning fun outings to go along with these and I will post that tomorrow!  We are doing service projects at our church each Sunday so I didn't plan anything for those days.

Here is our plan for the month of December:

1 - Service project at church
2 -Dollar store Dollars - tape dollars to toys at the Dollar store
3 - Make and Send cards to the military (or family in the military) and/or sponsored child
4- Bake and take cookies or other baked goods to local fire station.
5- Cook and deliver a meal as a surprise to a mom with lots of littles
6 - Buy and take crayons and coloring books and put them in maternity ward waiting rooms
7 - Bake and take cinnamon rolls to neighbors and family and friends just because . . .
8 - Sunday service project at church
9 - Go visit Grandma (or an older relative or friend) and clean something for her and bring lunch
10 - Go buy several $5 Starbucks gift cards and hand them out throughout your day
11 - Take cookies to neighbors or those that can't get out much
12 - Take treats to our local post office
13 - Tape quarters to carts at Aldi
14 - Take treats to husband's work for the other workers
15 - Sunday service project at church
16 - Feed meters downtown
17 - Take thank you notes and Starbuck cards to Animal shelter workers and Pregnancy care workers
18 - Take goodies to nurses at my sister's work
19 - Pay for the food for the person behind us (or drink or coffee) at stores
20 - Taping quarters to vending and toy machines around town
21 - Donate cans of food to a local food shelter
22 - Sunday service project at church
23 - Write a letter to an elected official thanking them for their hard work.
24 - Take drug store workers notes and gift cards that have to work on Christmas Eve
25 - Take drug store workers notes and gift cards that have to work on Christmas

There are so many ideas out there - you can check Pinterest Boards and many other places for more ideas.

There are also printable cards that you can print.  Click on the link and it will take you to the blogger's website where you can print the cards.  You can also make it an Advent activity.



 

Here are some plain ones if you'd like.

Darling Doodle's cards
Blank ones to personalize
A Holiday one

 This blog has cards, calendars and bookmarks to download for free.

If you have more ideas I would LOVE to hear them especially ones to do with kids.

 

Animal Classification

We did animal classification for science.  My stepmom got these cards at Target.  I am doing some other printable ones but I haven't had a chance to complete those yet.

They put them in the correct categories.

Then we took out some of our Safari TOOB animals and used those too.

My oldest decided he wanted to know more about the Gila Monster so we looked it up in a book that we had and read about it.  Then we googled a video about it and learned more that way.

Once again the kids took it a step further for more learning.  It is what I love about Montessori.

We did more for my older son from here.

I started printing the cards from Walk Beside me.

I also started buying more Safari TOOBS!  The younger ones love them and they love to play with them.