How to support physical activity in children. Is being 'physically active' enough, or is there more to P.E. education?

How to Support Physical Activity in Children

in Physical Ed.
by Scott Vanderlee

Being a physically active person, I know firsthand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Physical fitness, simply put, is a general state of health and well-being that allows an individual to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities without the feeling of exhaustion that may be felt by someone who lives a more sedentary lifestyle.   The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that people who are physically active live longer, healthier lives. Active people are more productive, and more likely to avoid illness and injury.     How Much Physical Activity Do Young Children Need?   Children aged 5 – 11 over the course of...

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Believe in the importance of free play in athletics! Can we begin to develop a growth mindset in children at an early age? And what is "executive function"?!

The Importance of Free Play in Sports

in Outdoor Ed., Physical Ed.
by Scott Vanderlee

Free play is all the rave these days.     From unschooling methods to play-based learning, students all over the world are benefiting from this style of education.  But how can we bring this into our physical education programs?   Providing a structured environment for children when trying to teach them a new concept or skill is often seen as a good thing. Children know what to expect and can prepare themselves for a change in activities, and it allows anxiety levels to be maintained when working within a challenging task.   And yet, when it comes time for the physical education aspect of your...

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How do you inspire your children to develop a spirit of giving, especially throughout the Christmas season? Use these great ideas to teach young ones to give of their time, talents, and even money.

How to Teach Children the Spirit of Giving

in Education
by Yvonne Vanderlee

  A Spirit of Giving   The Christmas season is one that brings joy and excitement to many families around the world. It is a time to celebrate traditions, spend time with loved ones, and to give and receive gifts.   As a child, I remember clearly scouring the Sears Christmas Catalogue, dog-earing each and every page that contained a toy that I was even remotely interested in. I circled items without the slightest bit of hesitation. And I am sure that I circled many.   I knew that I would not receive each and every gift that I requested, but I did know that Christmas would...

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14 books to inspire creativity in children. Perfect for homeschooling families, creative educators/teachers, parents, and grandparents. Wonderful Christmas gift ideas for the creative teacher in your family!

14 Brilliant Books to Inspire Creativity

in Art, Child-Led Learning, Reading, Science
by Yvonne Vanderlee

    Scott and I consider ourselves creative parents, always with a project on the go. Our children are naturally keen to create as well, and because of their desire to tinker, draw, paint, and build, we enjoy gleaning loads of inspiration from other creative educators.   Related: How to Recognize Creativity in Children   I myself have a well known love for collecting beautiful texts that provide activity after activity for our children (and their parents!) to engage in. Writing centre ideas, activities for outdoor play, tinkering, creating stories, dramatic play, arts exploration, and more.     This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Team V Education!   While so...

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Eclectic homeschool kindergarten curriculum for child-led learners. It is possible to find a balance between the two.

Eclectic Kindergarten Curriculum that Supports Child-Led Learning

in Child-Led Learning, Homeschooling
by Yvonne Vanderlee

There seems to be a growing trend amongst homeschoolers to identify oneself with not just one style of learning; however, to gather up bits and pieces of various learning styles and models to create this glorious masterpiece that we have come to describe as “eclectic homeschooling.”  An eclectic kindergarten curriculum allows the parent/educator and student to dabble in various learning styles to develop a feel for what is right! It is difficult to argue against taking the best of the best to guide the learning of our most precious little ones. Each one of our children, while most definitely created in the image...

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DIY Toddler Busy Board with peek-a-boo doors, latches, locks, and more!

Win Parenting with the Ultimate DIY Busy Board

in Handmade Gifts, Parenting & Life
by Yvonne Vanderlee

A DIY Busy Board is a great way to introduce children to the art of tinkering.  With peek-a-boo doors, latches, locks, and more, this do-it-yourself gift is perfect for busy little hands.  Read on to see how it's done! As creative educators, we are continually searching for ideas that interest our children, capture their attentions, and meet their individual needs and curiosities. Having journeyed through toddlerhood now three times, we are finally recognizing that less is more, toys are not entirely necessary, and that these toddlers sure love to tinker! For example, for this upcoming Christmas, we were asked what our current toddler...

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Do you have a creative learner? This fun and open-ended literacy activity provides your child with the freedom to demonstrate their understanding of the alphabet in a creative way. Drawing the alphabet - try it out!

Drawing the Alphabet – A Child-Led Learning Experience for Creative Learners

in Child-Led Learning, Literacy
by Yvonne Vanderlee

As early educators, whether as teachers in the classroom or as mama teachers at home, I would be willing to assume that you are much like I am, constantly considering how to intrigue our children with various learning activities, and enticing them to move forward in their learning!   And as a mama who is passionate about child-led learning (or the “Reggio Emilia Approach” with which I often associate our learning style), I am beginning to understand the importance of providing materials and tools that can facilitate my children’s learning in a positive and natural way.     WHAT 'READING' LOOKS LIKE IN KINDERGARTEN   Our five-year-old...

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When the baby is screaming, the toddler is whining, and your kindergartener won't stop nagging, it is easy to want to quit. You NEED these verses NOW! Commit them to memory for those parenting days when you want to throw your hands up and scream! | The Prudent Homeschooler

20 Verses That Parents Need to Memorize NOW

in Faith, Parenting & Life
by Yvonne Vanderlee

  Yesterday was a TOUGH day.   You know the kind.   Where it seems that every single moment is filled with at least one child whining, crying, or screaming.   That day where honest-to-goodness you want to throw in the towel, lock yourself in your room, curl into the fetal position, and take a nap!   That day when you surrender and make yourself not just one homemade hot chocolate, but two, even though you know your belly will ache hours later because dairy just isn’t sitting well this pregnancy. But you MUST have that hot chocolate NOW (or coffee, or whatever it may be!).   That day where a...

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How to deepen your child's understanding of the world around them. Observe & document with children! Children seem to notice everything around them and share an excitement that can even be overwhelming at times. Use these tips for observation and sketching to help children to see and understand their world as it functions.

How to Deepen Your Child’s Understanding of the World Around Them

in Homeschooling, Science
by Yvonne Vanderlee

Is it just me, or do children seem to notice everything?   They notice the beauty of the leaves blowing in the trees on a windy day. They notice the fans spinning overhead in church, and pause in wonder at their speed.   They notice the flatbed truck 600 metres down the road and ask what it is carrying before you even recognize that a truck is approaching!   They recognize a change in your hairstyle, or that you wore a skirt today instead of pants. They recognize the intonation of your voice and become more deeply immersed in the story you are reading with them.   They recognize that...

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Looking for Preschool Curriculum, but not sure where to start? These three steps are your keys to success, and your bank account will ultimately thank you! | The Prudent Homeschooler

3 Keys to Success for Creating the Perfect Preschool Curriculum

in Homeschooling
by Yvonne Vanderlee

The other day I shared a very short history of our family’s journey of how we came to homeschool our children, from beginning as classroom teachers, to attempting to recreate “school at home,” to fully embracing the belief that our children are designed to learn and do it naturally and in their own time. It has been years of adapting our philosophy of teaching to the apparent needs of our children, and simply being open to change, no matter how unchartered this new territory of education may be.   Together my husband and I believe that learning is natural, organic, and simply...

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