B&H Publishing Review: My Christmas List Written By Amy Parker

I had the honor of reviewing My Christmas List written by Amy Parker for B and H Publishing: Every Word Counts. Christmas is right around the corner! Can you believe it's only 3 months away? I am already reading Christmas books trying to decide which ones I will give as Christmas gifts and which ones I will use as part of my Christmas Book Tree Advent Countdown. This book will definitely be considered for our book tree countdown activity this year.  

The book developed after a baffling discussion Amy had with her friend, Frederick, living in Rwanda. She found out that day that people in Rwanda don’t make Christmas lists. They focus on giving rice to the needy and making church offerings. Her book is a great way to spread awareness of the needs of others. 

How do you celebrate Christmas? Have you ever thought about how it might be for children in other countries around the world? Have you discussed it with your children? This book may help you explain the needs of others to your children during the Christmas season. 

The hardcover children's book contains 28 pages with illustrations created by Daniel Fernandez which show familiar celebratory family traditions such as decorating the house with Christmas lights, watching a nativity play, eating a feast, singing Christmas carols, reading holiday stories, and helping others. This Christian rhyming picture book has a simple, clear message that I believe all children must and should hear at some point in their lives. The story focuses on a young boy as the narrator and main character who is preparing a Christmas list. However, his Christmas list may be different from those you typically would see at Christmas time. His letter is addressed to God instead of to Santa Claus which is one of the reasons why I appreciate this book. At the very beginning of the book, the boy states . . . 

"Dear God, this year I’m changing things–
Instead of toys and lots of stuff,
I want Christmas for the whole wide world,
Especially those without enough."

On each two-page spread, the main character asks God for items or things that will bless and change the world around him. His Christmas list is one that focuses on and emphasizes helping others especially those in need. The author mentions one or two countries per two-page spread. This is a great way for homeschool families to integrate geography into holiday lessons. Alyssa will locate the following places mentioned in the book on both a map and a globe. She will also write her own "Christmas List" letter to God. I hope that after reading this book she'll be encouraged to organize more service learning projects on her own. The following countries were mentioned:

• Korea
• Russia
• India
• Uganda
• Guatemala
• China
• Zambia
• Sudan
• Middle East

The boy asks God to help others understand why God gave us Christmas day. This book reveals the true reason why we should celebrate Christmas. It states the importance of how Jesus was a Savior for Earth which began with His birth. 

The unnamed boy makes a commitment to do his part in making the world a better place by giving Christmas to everyone. His Christmas list isn’t a never-ending list of toys - his list comes straight from his heart. Watch the book trailer below if this sounds like a story you'd like to share with your children, 

What I Liked
One of my favorite parts of the book is the “Parent Connection“ Christmas list activity found at the back of the book which consists of a Bible verse to memorize (Matthew 25:40), a Scripture parable to read from the Bible (Luke 10: 25-37), and five reflective discussion questions. Then, your child has the opportunity to make a Christmas list focusing on at least five groups of people in need. After creating your list, you’ll pray for those individuals. I can think of many other extension activities for the holiday using this book. 

The book makes a point that we should all consider during the holiday season:

"As a kid, sometimes it can seem difficult to make a big difference, but watch for the people God sends your way. You may be surprised at how much of a difference those two little hands can make." 

Another book feature that I enjoyed was viewing the back and front inside covers of the book which contained photographs and captions indicating “Worldly Christmas List” suggestions given by others. The suggestions state a few of our favorite activities including Operation Christmas Child, Christmas Carols at Nursing Homes, Clothes for Families in Need, Homeless Bags, and Stockings for Soldiers. This book encourages not only helping those in need during Christmas but helping ALL year long.  

Prices
Lifeway $12.99
Amazon $11.69
Christianbook $9.99

Note: All prices are subject to change at any time.

Recommendation
I highly recommend My Christmas List to anyone that has children especially within the 4-8 age range. However, you may want to consider whether or not your child will be overly sensitive when reading about the needs of others around the world. 

This book will add more meaning to the Christmas holiday and season. I am always looking for high quality Christian books to read during the holidays and this book made our list. I plan on using this book as a tool at the end of November and throughout the month of December hoping to inspire and motivate my daughter to think about others in need as we partake in traditional service learning projects during the holiday season. I truly want her to focus on what she can do for others rather than her personal desires and wants. 

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from the publisher as part of the B and H Publishing Group Book Review Program in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sunflower Art Project

My daughter watched the Van Gogh Sunflowers art lesson on the Kindergarten Home Art Studio DVD which is currently available throughout the Homeschool Buyers Co-op. We bought the DVD at a discounted price. The Homeschool Buyers Co-op is FREE to join. Just click the previous link.

Alyssa (Age 6 1/2) followed the instructions and created this beautiful masterpiece for my sister. My sister and her husband love sunflowers. My sis will be visiting Texas soon - my daughter can't wait to surprise her . . . that is if she hasn't seen this post.

Art Supplies Needed:
Blue, Yellow, Green, and Brown Construction Paper
Plastic Cup
Red and Yellow Paint
Paintbrush
Black Colored Pencil

By the way, Alyssa is participating in the Spelling You See "No Rules Day Photo Contest." She really wants to continue using this spelling program once she completes Americana. Please do us a favor and visit Spelling You See's Facebook Page to vote for her artwork. Thank you for your support! 

Disclaimer: I have used a personalized Homeschool Buyers Co-op referral link in this post for the co-op and for the Home Art Studio DVD's. If you purchase this product through my link, then I will earn 500 SmartPoints. If you join the co-op, I also receive SmartPoints. Thank you for your help supporting our homeschool!

I will link this post up at The Virtual Refrigerator Blog Hop.

Spot It and Disney....A True Happily Ever After Ending!

I didn't really need another reason to love the game Spot It by Blue Orange Games but last weekend I discovered a whole new series of Disney Spot It games.  For me, this is a game changer for some of my kids who are much more resistant to learning their numbers and letters...especially a certain 4 year old little girl I know.  I had to hold myself back from buying every single version of the Disney Spot It games.  Instead I decided to try out the Frozen and Doc McStuffins for now with the intention of slowly adding to my collection.   They have already been used a ton of times and it's been a big hit so far!

Each of the new Disney Spot It games has a different educational focus. While there are alphabet and number Spot It games, I haven't found them to be that motivating for the kids I work with.  Just seeing the letters and numbers wasn't exciting enough for them so when I saw these Disney versions of the game, I was pumped.  In addition to a certain educational focus, there are pictures of your favorite characters and objects from the television show/movies.  The best part is that the variety allows for you to find one that will be good for your child.  There are ones that are targeted to the preschool population and others that are targeted to the older kids.
Frozen-alphabet
Doc McStuffins-numbers, shapes and alphabet
Jake and The Neverland Pirates-numbers and shapes
Sofia the First-alphabet
Planes-alphabet
Disney Princesses-words/pre-reading
Pixar-words/pre-reading

I have written about Spot It before here so I won't go on for long.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the game, it is a card game that requires a child to find matches between two cards.  Even when you don't think it is possible, every single card has a match to another card.  There are several ways to play the game but the simplest form is to hand out an equal number of cards to each player; flip one card in the middle and start spotting your matches.  The first person to get rid of all of their cards first is the winner.  For some of my older kids who are working on organization and sequencing skills, I will have them tell me the directions, set up the game and deal the cards.  This can be tricky but since there are not many steps to the game, it is a good game for them to attempt this task.

Spot It is great for a variety of other skills such as:
Improving Visual Perception/Motor Skills-finding and matching your letters, numbers, shapes, pictures, etc. is the point of the game.  Having good perception skills is important for many other things like puzzles, handwriting, cutting, etc..  A child also has to be able to visually track in order to look at both the card in the middle and the card in their hand.
***for some of my older kids who are working on handwriting, I have been making them write the letter or number that they have found when playing the game.  It slows the game down, but it's a fun way to get the kids to work on their graphomotor skills.
Improving Speech and Language Skills-my speech therapy friends can certainly elaborate much more than I can about all the speech and language benefits of this game.  When I play with the kids, they must shout out their match and not just point it out.
**each of these games comes with a guide of what each picture is so you can go over that with the kids prior to playing to make sure they can identify everything before the game begins
Improve Focus and Attention-this game typically lasts about 10-20 minutes depending on the speed of the kids playing.  I like that there is a definitive end to the game and can encourage my kids to stick with it until someone wins.  Often times, the kids I work with struggle with completing a game, especially ones that are more challenging for them.  If you have children who really have a hard time with focus and attention, don't start with a full deck of cards and work towards being able to play the game with the full deck down the line.
Improve Upper Extremity Strength-looking for a way to work on other goals at the same time?  Try putting a child prone on the net swing while playing Spot It to work on increasing upper extremity strength and head/neck control.  This can be difficult for some kids so I like to give them a goal of a certain number of cards need to be put down or a certain amount of time must pass before they can get out.  Sometimes get so into the game, that they forget they are tired and work through it!
Improve Social Skills-Spot It can be played with as few as 2 people and as many as 8 (I like to start small and build up to more kids/stimulation).  Great game to work on developing good social skills such as compromise, being a good winner/good loser and many other skills.  For older kids, let them negotiate how they want to play the game including the rules.

So if you are looking for some new and motivating ways to work on some of these academic skills and work on a variety of occupational therapy goals at the same time, I highly recommend the Disney Spot It games.  I have already introduced them to my daughter and for the first time, she is asking to play a game that she knows will work on something she typically avoids.  And while she still gets frustrated, we work together to help find the numbers or letters of the alphabet and she is quickly picking them up and generalizing that knowledge to other things.

If you have any questions or suggestions on other ways to use these games, please do share with all of us.  I am a click away and love hearing from you all!

Learning Can Be Fun!

One of the things that my colleagues know about me is that I love using the iPad during my therapy sessions.  I was an early lover of the iPad and what it could bring to a therapy session.  There were many times I felt really bad about my iPad causing a distraction to the other children and therapists around me.  As the years have gone by, many more of my colleagues are joining me and realizing that when used in conjunction with a ton of other therapy approaches, the iPad can be a tremendously motivating and useful.  What I love most about it is that you can combine the iPad with a ton of other occupational therapy goals and kill two birds with one stone.  Have a kid who needs to work on building upper extremity strength and is resistant to those activities?  Place them on the net swing and find a game for them to play; I guarantee you will get them to stay in that challenging position for much longer!  Do you have a child who needs to work on improving handwriting skills or grasping on a writing instrument?  Give them a stylus when doing handwriting apps so they are working on both letter writing and using a proper grip.

Recently, I have been asked to share my favorite iPad apps with my colleagues and the families I work with.  As more people begin to join the tablet world, they want to make sure that they have enough on their iPads to meet the needs of their children.  There are SO many great apps out there and sometimes it's so overwhelming looking through the app store that people get scared away.  While I have shared many of my favorite apps recently, I thought I would share this comprehensive list I created last week.  There are probably a million more apps out there (and please share your gems with me...I am ALWAYS looking for new ones), but I thought I would share my most recent list with you all.    There are a lot here but it's just a sampling of what is on my iPad and what I use during my sessions.

Little Bit Studio happens to have some of the most amazing and motivating apps that I know of.  Not only do the kids that I world with love them, I love to play them with the kids!  They all range in price from $1.00-3.99.  For some, that might seem like a bit of a steep price for an iPad app, but each game comes with about 15 mini games.  

 Bugs and Buttons-18 really fun games that work on a variety of academic skills.  Great game for working on fine motor, visual tracking, visual motor and critical thinking.  

 Bugs and Buttons 2-follow up game to Bugs and Buttons, another 18 games that work on pinching, counting and letter recognition.  

 Bugs and Numbers-another 18 games that make learning math loads of fun for preschool and school-age kids.  Number/shape identification, sequencing, tracking numbers and learning fractions are just a few of the math skills a child can work on when using this app.

 Bug Mazing-created for pre-school and school age children.  Great for working on reinforcing number, letter and shape recognition while working on fine motor and problem solving skills.  

Binary Labs has created a series of apps that are great for preschool and school age children.  What I love about this company is that they recognize the importance of how good fine motor skills can support handwriting and math skills down the line.

Dexteria-the first app I discovered by Binary Labs has been one of the apps I regularly recommend to other therapists and parents.  There are few apps that work on fine motor skills such as grasping, pinching and fine motor control like dexterity and control skills.  Great for older children or even adults who need to work on developing these skills.

Dexteria Jr-hand and finger exercises that develop fine motor skills for kids between the ages of 2 and 6.  The activities are fun and motivating so the kids don't realize they are working on skills!  Squish the Squash works on finger isolation/using your pointer finger while Pinch the Pepper works on developing grasping skills and improving finger strength.

Dexteria Dots-I have been on the hunt for good math games so was thrilled when I heard about this game.  Fun and intuitive game that work son teaching kids the concepts of addition, subtraction and relative size.  There are different levels so this game is good for children between the ages of 2 and 8.

Dextetia Dots 2-this is a great app that works on fine motor, visual motor and visual motor skills while doing math at the same time.  Helps to reinforce math concepts such as greater/less than/equal to from a conceptual standpoint for school age children 5-10 years of age.

Fizzbrain Apps is a mom and pop company that has dedicated themselves to creating a series of apps that will motivate children to learn.  My favorite ones are their series of Touch and Write apps which . In addition to these apps, they have many apps created for children on the autism spectrum.   

Touch and Write-kids can practice writing the letters of the alphabet using 16 different materials; my kids really love practicing writing with shaving cream or jello!  What I love about this handwriting app is that not only can you practice writing individual letters, but they give you the option of personalizing this for each child and making word lists so they can work on spelling at the same time.

Touch and Write Cursive-for older children who need help with learning cursive.  This app is the same as the original and offers you the opportunity to practice upper and lower case letters and full words.  

**with both of these apps, I suggest using a stylus so you can encourage a proper writing grasp.  I also like to have the children write the letters and words on paper after they have practiced on the iPad in order to generalize their skills.  

Highlights Hidden Pictures-just like the classic puzzles found in the Highlights and High Five Magazines, this app has over 50 puzzles to choose from.  You can change the level of difficulty by turning hints on and off.  Great for working on visual skills such as visual perception, visual tracking and visual organizational skills.  My school age children love this app.  Sometimes, I will have them use the iPad first and complete a puzzle and then give them a page in workbook after to work on generalizing the visual skills.

Whac-a-Mole-I was really excited to see that one of my favorite games to use with my kids was also an app.  There are over 50 levels of play with it getting more challenging as you beat them.  The object of the game it to earn as many coins as possible as you tap and swipe the moles out of your way.  This is a great app for older children who need to work on visual motor skills.  In addition to improving visual motor skills, you can work on executive functioning skills such as organization, focus and visual attention.  

MOMA Art Lab-wonderful app that works on improving creativity and art skills.  Intended for children ages 7 and older, this app allows children to explore how artists can use lines, shapes and colors to create artwork inspired by some of the artwork seen at MOMA.  I love to use this with small groups of older children and watch them work together to create a piece of art.
So many of the kids I work with have a difficult time doing a more abstract art project.  They can be successful with activities that have clear rules and expectations, but get frustrated by more open-ended art activities. This can be a great app to show them that they can be successful and expand their imagination.  If you want to take it to the next level, have materials available for them to make a real life project that resembles what they have just practiced on the iPad.

Pinch Peeps-fast paced and fun app that works on improving fine motor, visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  Pinch and drag together similar peeps in order to score as many points as possible.  The faster you go, the more points you get.  I love using this with my older kids who need a fun way to work on improving executive functioning skills such as organization, focus and attention and following directions.  As an added requirement, I have my older kids tell me the rules and steps of this game before they can play the game.

Faces iMake ABC-looking for something fun and different to work on teaching your little ones their letters?  Faces iMake ABC is just for you then!  This is an interactive game that works on letter recognition and learning the sounds of each of the letters.  What I love about this is there is a puzzle for each letter of the alphabet which works on visual skills, such as tracking, eye hand coordination and perceptual skills.  The kids I work with love how they use every day objects like buttons and different foods to turn them into pictures.
If I have a child who is working on learning how to write the letters, I will let them put the puzzle together first and then they have to practice writing the letter after.  For those who need encouragement for handwriting, I find this to be motivating.
There is a second piece to this game that is more appropriate for older children.  For each letter, the child is asked to find the 5 objects in a field of about a dozen pictures that start with the letter.  This works on improving organizational skills, focus and attention.  

Dipdap-do you have a child who has a really time with drawing?  This is a really fun app that can work on improving drawing skills in a unique way.  Dipdap is a cute character and your job is to help him through 16 different adventures by completing pictures.  In each of the 16 pictures, an object is missing that your child has to draw.  For example, Dipdap is in a car but the whole outside is missing.
For kids who shy away from drawing because they have difficulty with it, I find this to be a non-threatening drawing app that they can be successful with.  I like to talk through it with them before they start drawing; for some kids the planning part is more difficult than the actual drawing part.
As I like to do with the handwriting apps I use, immediately after a child draws on the iPad, I like to get them to practice drawing a picture on paper that they can take home and show off to their people.
Don't forget to have a child use a stylus of your choice when doing this drawing app.  I think it's tremendously important for a child to always be encouraged to use a proper grasp when drawing so find the one that your child is most comfortable with and let them draw away!

Letterschool-one of my favorite handwriting apps out there.  The more important thing is that it also happens to be the favorite of my of the kids I work with as well.  Not only will your child work on letter (upper and lowercase) and number recognition, they will also be learning the sounds that go with each letter.  For each letter, there are three different choices....tap (this helps a child learn where each part of the letter starts) and watch the lines get drawn; drag (drag the arrow from the starting point to the end point) and draw on the chalkboard.  Once the letter is complete for each game, the letter comes to life....racecars zoom, flowers bloom and a train moves along the tracks are just a few of the fun things that your child is rewarded with after they have completed the letter.
I love that you can change the mode so if you are doing the Handwriting Without Tears program with a child, you can use this app along with it.  For my kids, they know that when they use Letterschool, they will have to practice writing the letter either on a chalkboard or a piece of paper.

L'Escapadou has created two wonderful handwriting apps...one for print and one for cursive...that my kids love to play with.
Writing Wizard/Cursive Writing Wizard-practice writing all the upper and lowercase letters and numbers while tracing them using animated stickers and sound effects.  Once the tracing is complete, they can interact with the letters.
The game is customizable and you can play around with the settings to make it best for your child.  There are two modes:  free and 5 Stars mode.  In the 5 Star mode, the focus is on learning the letter by tracing it 5 times.  Once it's successfully traced 5 times, the child earns a star that is then displayed on the home screen with all of the letters.
Don't forget to use a stylus when using this app with your kids.  Also, anytime possible, have them practice writing on paper or a chalkboard immediately after completing it on the iPad.  

Pepi Play has a series of apps that are ideal for preschoolers that work on fine motor, visual motor/perceptual and other academic skills.  My own daughter can play these games for hours and they are often the go to apps when my children at work have earned iPad choice!  

Pepi Tree-in this educational game, children get to explore a variety of tree-dwelling animals and learn about some of their habits.  They get to learn about where they live, what they eat and what different animals look like.  There are six separate games in this app and each one works on some kind of occupational therapy goal.  My kids really love feeding the caterpillars different foods and watching them turn into beautiful butterflies.  I like the owl who uses his night vision to find all of the other animals who are also away at night.  Highly motivating app that works on improving visual motor, visual tracking, fine motor, bilateral coordination and focus/attentional skills.

Wallykazam!  Letter and Word Magic-this preschool literacy app is a big hit amongst my preschoolers and younger school age children.  For kids who are struggling with reading, I find that they are more motivated to work on this skill when some of their favorite characters are involved.  The goal of the game is to help Wally and all his friends in a variety of adventures.  There are several games built into this app that work on phonemic awareness, letter recognition and letter-sound associations.  Additionally, your child can learn how to write letters by tracing them in the stars.  It is highly interactive and keeps even the most frustrated early learner motivated and engaged.  For some of my older children, I have them trace the letters using a stylus so we can work on proper grasp on writing instruments.  If you have children who are struggling with handwriting as well, this is a good game to use in conjunction with handwriting activities.  After they have traced the letter in the sky, have them write it on paper or on a chalkboard.

Super Stretch-while I am not one who does yoga personally, I recognize and appreciate the therapeutic benefits of it and have used it often in my sessions.  Not only is it great for working on overall body strength, it also works on motor planning, focus/attentional skills and breath control.  Whether you do it individually or in a small group, I have found that my kids love following Super Stretch on his adventures.  I like that you can pick and choose which poses you want to work on so it can work on individual goals for each child.  I have used this in my social skills group many times and I love how the kids look at each other to figure out how to get themselves in the different poses.  If you have a child who has modulation and focus/attention difficulties, you can use this app in the beginning of your sessions to work on grounding them and getting them ready for their session.

I know this is a lot of information...perhaps too much!  I also know that this is just a small sampling of the amazing apps out there that can be used to motivate and encourage children to learn a variety of skills.  I feel like it is highly important for me to repeat that it's important to use the iPad as an addition to your regular therapy sessions and not let it replace the hands on, multi-sensory experiences you offer in your work environment.  For some of my kids, the iPad is used as a reward for doing all of their other work.  For others, it is used as a side-by-side activity when working on handwriting.

If you have any outstanding apps that you would like to share, please let me know!  I am always excited to learn about new apps out there and use them during my sessions.  I also know that many of my readers would be excited to hear what you have to say as well.  As always, I am just a click away!

Virtual Refrigerator: Fall Apple Art

Alyssa (Age 6 1/2) is enjoying her art time more and more every day! The chalk pastels can be pretty messy, but thankfully my daughter cleans up after her lesson. We decided to do Apple Art especially since fall is right around the corner.

Supplies Needed

• Paper
• Chalk Pastels
• Oil Pastels (Optional)

We watched the Apple Chalk Pastel Tutorial at Southern HodgePodge in order to complete today's art lesson.

Apple Art Drawing
Medium: Oil Pastels

Apple Art
Chalk Pastels

I will link this post up at The Virtual Refrigerator Blog Hop.

Thank you for visiting A Learning Journey! God bless! 
Tracey 

Oldies but Goodies

After over a decade at my sensory gym, I am making a move.  Not a big move (just a couple of blocks away) but for me, it's a big move because I don't like change.  Things are working just fine where I am.  I have met amazing people, worked with the coolest kids in NYC and made some amazing memories.  This is just a new chapter of my life and one that will help simplify my life and hopefully lead to a more organized and less hectic me.  While it is hard to imagine that I won't be back at my current gym to work again, I know that I am making a move makes more sense. After two years of being in two gyms and having my supplies scattered between the gyms andhome, I am looking forward to having my professional roots firmly planted in one place.

With this new chapter comes a cleansing of sorts.  I will admit it here...I am a toy hoarder.  It's impossible for me to walk away from a cool new toy or game without trying it out. I love finding new toys that will get my kids to work on things that they typically avoid.  My work closet it busting at the seams.  BUSTING!  I have gotten rid of so much stuff the last several years but have held onto much more than I have thrown away.  I'm using this move as an opportunity to really take a look at what I have, what I use and what I still need and I must admit, it feels good to get rid of things.

As I have been sifting through my treasures, I have realized how some of the best stuff I have are the most simple of toys.  Many of them have been in my closet since they were placed there when I first moved in.  The saddest thing is that many of the games I am about to talk about are no longer available. Those that are available have been updated in a way that don't compare to the original game.  I'm not sure why they tried to fix something that wasn't really broken and still have hopes that they offer the original game soon.  That hope is re-ignited as I have seen versions of the original Monopoly and Candyland in local toy stores in the last few months!

Out of all of my "treasures", the ones listed below are my favorites.  More importantly, the kids love them and they work on so many occupational therapy goals.

Fisher-Price Matchin' Middles

Still a favorite amongst my toddler, preschool and younger elementary school kids and in near perfect condition!  A shape has gone missing here and there, but between extra sets, I still have a complete set of this game in the box!  This game was really well made and has withstood being played with literally thousands of times the last 10 years!  It's a great game because it can be easily modified depending on the skill level of all children. There is no right or wrong way to play this game which is one of the reasons I think my kids don't get bored with it.  

My favorite way to play this game is by combining it with some kind of strengthening activity.  I either have the kids sit on a large ball and work on improving trunk strength by going back to pick up a piece or work on increasing upper extremity strength by having them match the shapes while lying prone on a net swing.  For the older children, I have them stand on a balance board or the platform swing while putting the cookies together to work on improving balance skills.  

Improve Bilateral Coordination-great simple game to work on using two hands together.  In order snap the cookies back together, a child has to use two hands.  For the more complicated shapes (heart, star, etc.), one hand must hold one side of the cookie while the other hand is used to twist the other side until it snaps into place.  If you have a child who doesn't consistently cross midline during activities, set the game up so a child is forced to cross midline to find the match. 

Improve Visual Skills-perfect for children who need to work on visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  Place all the cookie parts (choose either the brown or the white part) in one place and a child will have to scan them to find the matching shape. 

Improve Shape Recognition/Matching Skills-this is a great game to introduce shapes to the younger set and to help older children learn some of the more complex shapes.  

Improve Social Skills-if you are working in a small group, this is a perfect game.  You can use it more like a memory game or modify it to work on whatever skills you are focusing on with the children you are working with.  

Barnyard Bingo

Another very simple game. No batteries required and really well made.  The object of the game is to take the animals out of the barn and match them to their animals. This game can also be adapted and modified to work on whatever it is you are focusing on with each child.   There are two playing sides to the matching boards; one is just colors and the other is colors and animals.

I tend to use this game with my toddlers and preschoolers more than any other age group.  Like the cookie game, I tend to have the kids play this game while doing some kind of other activity on the ball or on a swing.  Work on increasing upper extremity strength while lying prone on the net swing; place all the animals on one side of the "field" and they have to rescue them and place them back in the barn.  If you have a child who is working on motor planning skills, use this as part of on obstacle course.

Other skills that can be worked on while playing Barnyard Bingo are:

Improve Color Recognition/Matching Skills-fun game to introduce young children to colors.  I like that you can start very simple by having the kids matching the animals to the right color board and then as they master it (which is quite quickly for many kids), you can flip the cards over and they can work on matching both the animal and the shapes.  

Improve Fine Motor Skills-I encourage my kids to use their "pinchers" when placing the animals in the barn or removing them to then place it on the matching picture.   

Improve Bilateral Coordination Skills-no matter how you play this game, the kids favorite part is taking the animals out of the barn.  I often have all the pieces in the game already so they are motivated to play the game and get the animals out of the barn.  Encourage a child to hold the barn with one hand while using the other hand to take the animal out of the barn.  

Improve Social Skills-while this can be played with just one child, it can also be a great game to begin working on game playing with the younger children.  Each child can take two colors and they have to match all their shapes.  Great for working on turn taking and how to be a good sport.  If the kids get an animal that doesn't match for them, I encourage them to hand it off to their friend and help them.  This can be very hard for some kids but a great way to begin teaching kids how to be a good friend.  

Perfection

I don't think I have ever been more disappointed by any game update more than when I saw new Perfection game.  The original, pictured below, has 25 different shapes to match.  The new version has 9.  Maybe 25 was too many for some kids but 9 is just ridiculous.  The good news for me is that I still have a pretty intact version of the original.  It's missing a few of the pegs from the shapes, but for the most part, the game is in great condition.  For those of you who want the older version, you will have to shell out a little more money but you can still find a new/gently used game on Amazon.com.

I love this game because it can be adapted to suit the needs of so many children.  It's easily adaptable for many ages and skill levels.  I rarely play it the traditional way which is to get all of the shapes in their matching spot before the timer runs out and all the pieces pop out.  For many of my sensory kids, the popping sound can be upsetting so I have them put all the pieces in; if they don't mind the sound, we will let them pop out after they get them all in.  For my older kids who are up for the challenge, I tend to wait until they have about half the pieces in before starting the timer so their is a greater chance for success.  Like the other games, I like to pair Perfection up with some kind of strengthening activity.  This is a great game to play while lying prone on the net swing or place the pieces at the top of a scooter board ramp and have the kids pull themselves up to the top to retrieve them.  

Other skills that can be worked on while playing Perfection are:

Increase Grasp Strength-I love killing two birds with one stone when working with the kids.  With this game, I take the pieces and hide them in theraputty so they can work on making those little hand muscles stronger.  Take a look at this link at Fun and Function to choose the right resistance putty for your child.  For some of my kids, I will have them pick up the shapes using a pair of the Zoostick chopsticks as another way to increase grasp strength and also promote proper grasping patterns. 

Improve Fine Motor Skills-each piece has a little peg which is perfect for working on improving grasping skills.  I encourage my kids to use a fine pincer grasp when picking the pieces up from a flat surface.   If you want to work on in-hand manipulation skills, you can have the kids pick up more than one piece at a time and have them move the pieces from their palm to fingertips; increase the challenge by increasing the number of shapes they have to pick up.  

Improve Visual Motor/Perceptual Skills-great game for working on matching and visual scanning.  No matter how many times the kids play this game, they still need to scan the playing board in order to find the matching shape.  I don't have a single child who has been able to memorize the board and know exactly where each shape goes without scanning it first.  

Whac-A-Mole
Who doesn't remember playing the arcade game Whac-A-Mole growing up?  I still have visions of playing that game for hours!  I was really excited when I discovered that it was a game that I could play with my kids.  And when I say play with my kids, I mean I really like to participate in playing this game!

Whac-A-Mole is great because it can be played individually or with other people.  I like to to get my kids comfortable with the rules before having them play with a peer.  There are three levels of play:  Solo, Easy and Difficult.  Solo (which I actually find harder than the actual difficult mode) allows a child to try and beat the game (which I have never done EVER) by hitting all of the moles.  Easy mode gives each player a sound that will go off every time the mole lights up.  Difficult mode gives each player a sounds but no light will go off; this requires a tremendous amount of attention and I rarely play on this mode.  Because of the different modes, this game can be used with children of all different ages.

Once the kids master the rules of the game, I like to pair it with a strengthening activity.  It must be clear to all my readers that my favorite swing is the net swing.  It allows you to work on improving upper extremity strength, increase neck/head control and improve wrist control/stability.  What I love most about the net swing is that you can pair it up with so many different activities, such as playing games like Whac-A-Mole, and you can distract kids from the hard work that it requires.

Like Perfection, Whac-A-Mole has gone through a bit of a facelift since I first purchased mine.  I haven't really tested the new one out so I have no idea how it compares to the one that I have had for years.  I'm not sure why they had to change it since this one was so good to begin with, but I'm happy to know that you can still find new/gently used games on Amazon.com as well.

Other skills that can be worked on while playing Whac-A-Mole are:
Improve Eye-Hand Coordination-fun way to work on improving visual motor skills, especially eye hand coordination.  I start with having kids only being able to use their hands when playing the game and tell them they get to earn the hammer only after they have shown me they can play by the rules.  I like to use hands better because so many of my kids do well with the sensory input from hitting the top of the mole's heads with the palm of their hands.
Improve Modulation/Regulation-I am surprised I haven't lost my voice telling kids to not hit their moles before they hear their sound and see the hat light up.  They get so excited about winning that they just start hitting away.  This game is also great for helping kids work on modulating how much pressure they use when they hit the moles on the head.  It is the kid's instinct to hit as hard as they can.  I want this game to last forever and tell the kids that they might break the game if they use all their muscle power on hitting the heads.  I encourage kids to be gentle which can be quite difficult for them once they get excited, and sometimes anxious, about winning.
Improve Focus and Attention-it can be very difficult for a child to focus and attend to only their mole.  They often get distracted by the other flashing lights/sounds and miss the chance to hit their mole on the head.  I don't know of many games that require such visual attention as this one.  As they master the simple mode and move onto the difficult mode, it requires a tremendous amount of auditory attention.
Improve Social Skills-my older kids love playing this game against each other.  I let the kids decide amongst themselves what color mole they will be and what level of play they will tackle.  Choosing a color can be difficult for many of the kids I work with; they get stuck on only being able to play their favorite color and need to be flexible about their choice sometimes.  As with all other games, this is a great game to work on being a good sport, especially being a good winner (and a good loser).

So now that you have gotten a taste of my oldie but goodie favorites, I would love to hear from you guys about some of your favorite occupational therapy toys, games, etc. that have played a role in your therapy sessions.  I focused on just the games, but must say that there were so many other things I found while cleaning out my closet that I have used for years and years.  What do you have in your bag of tricks that hold a special place in your therapy heart?  More importantly, what do you have that you won't part with because your kids love them year after year?
I look forward to hearing from you.  I am always a click away and loving getting emails and comments from you all.

A happy holiday weekend to you all.  May you spend some special time soaking up the last days of summer and enjoying time with those you love before the craziness of a new school year hits us all!

Spelling You See Americana (Level D) Review PLUS an Awesome Giveaway

Are you still searching for a spelling curriculum that will meet your child's needs and learning style? If you are, then you may want to consider Spelling You See. Several months ago, I was contacted with an offer to review the recently released Spelling You See Americana (Level D) curriculum created by Dr. Karen Holinga. The timing was impeccable! Spelling You See is a brand new, research-based spelling curriculum published by Demme Learning. Demme Learning is also the publisher of the well-known Math-U-See curricula that we've been successfully using for years. I am excited to finally have the opportunity to share this review with you after using the curriculum for several months. Be sure to enter my Spelling You See giveaway at the end of this review. The winner will choose the level!

Spelling You See currently carries five levels of their curricula. They are currently working towards adding two more levels. I will tell you about our experiences with Americana.

Five Levels

• Listen and Write (Level A)
• Jack and Jill (Level B)
• Wild Tales (Level C)
• Americana (Level D)
• American Spirit (Level E)

Each level has a required Instructor's Handbook and Student Pack. The Instructor's Handbook is reusable. However, the student pack is consumable therefore you will need to purchase one for each child working at that particular level.

The Philosophy Behind the Program
The philosophy is based on the premise that ALL students move through five developmental stages as they learn to spell at their own pace including Preliterate, Phonetic, Skill Development, Word Extension, and Derivational Constancy. The Spelling You See program guides your child naturally through the five stages of learning how to spell. More information about each stage can be read at the Spelling You See website. The spelling program does not use spelling lists, memorization of rules, or spelling tests.

Placement Guidelines
First, I viewed the placement guidelines under the Getting Started section to determine which level Alyssa would complete this year. I love that the program is not based on grade levels and that I could choose the spelling level that would meet Alyssa's needs best. I decided to place my daughter in the Skill Development stage of spelling. The hardest part of choosing the correct level was trying not to base my decision on her actual reading level. Her reading level is much higher, but I needed to focus on finding the appropriate spelling level based on her spelling abilities. She's a natural speller. I also didn't want to choose a level too difficult or too easy which is why I decided on Americana.

It is suggested that this level be used with children who are proficient 8-year-old readers or students over age 10 who are struggling with spelling skills. My daughter is 6 1/2 years old, but she is a fluent and established reader who has written stories several pages long. The next step was to have Alyssa complete the quick skill assessment. She could easily read the passage, misspelled very few dictation words, and the dictation was completed in less than 10 minutes. She probably could have worked through American Spirit, but I wanted to have room for growth and give her time to become familiar with the approach. I also want to keep things light during the summer months. An added bonus was that the words studied were related to and in the context of stories about the events and people of American History. This spelling curriculum correlated well with her American History summer lessons.

Spelling You See: Americana Curriculum Description
Spelling You See is a unique spelling program designed to naturally teach spelling using visual memory as a key to learning. There are 36 weekly lessons arranged and divided into five parts (A-E). Two facing pages of the student workbook are completed each day. Americana contains non-fiction American history passages which are read together in order to help the child familiarize and imprint the new spelling words from the passage to memory. The following picture shows Alyssa pointing to each word as we read aloud the passage.

Three Core Activities
The program is based on three core activities which take 10-15 minutes to complete. The core activities integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

• Chunking
• Copywork
• Dictation

CHUNKING
During the daily chunking exercises, Alyssa was asked to identify and highlight the letter patterns within the context of the passage after reading it twice. A different color was used for each type of letter pattern during chunking exercises. The passage was read by the parent first and then a second time together. Check out the highlighted reminder box listing the vowel chucks which can be used if your child needs assistance!

(Week 1 Chunking)

(Week 9 Chunking)

COPYWORK
The next core activity was copywork. Copywork was completed on the first three days of each lesson (Lesson A-C) enabling Alyssa to imprint the word and letter patterns into memory repeatedly as she gained familiarity with those patterns on a daily basis. Her job was to focus her attention on the sentences from the passage as she carefully copied one line at a time.

The copywork is completed using the lined paper in the workbook and a digital timer. Please note that the lined paper consists of only two lines instead of three. There may be an adjustment period as your child learns to write using this type of lined paper. Some letter formations may differ from the style you use in your homeschool. If letter formations differ from what you are currently using, then you can always tell your child to write the letter the way they were taught before using the program.

There was ample space for the copywork exercises which was one of my concerns when I first received the product. My daughter still tends to write big for her age but thankfully she had plenty of space to write. A blank line was provided after each printed line of text which means she could focus her attention on one line at a time. You could easily cover the other lines if a child is overwhelmed with the length or amount of writing required.

Alyssa also had the task of circling the chunks in her copywork passage. My daughter's confidence level with regards to spelling has improved each day. She also recognizes the letter patterns better with each lesson. One other important thing to note about the copywork portion is that errors can be erased and cursive penmanship is not allowed. Printing enables children to make visual connections to the printed words in other books.

DICTATION
Alyssa was allowed to ask for assistance during the first dictation lesson if necessary. The final dictation on the last day is meant to be done without any help. Don't forget to cover the passage with a piece of paper during dictations. We used a piece of black construction paper so that she couldn't see through it.

By the end of the week, I noticed that my daughter knew how to spell all the words. I know these words were stored for longer periods of time, because I played spelling games using the words from the passages towards the end of the review period (months later) to make sure she could still spell them. What did I find out? She could still spell the words!

Color-Coded Letter Pattern Chunks Addressed
Vowel Chunks -YELLOW
Consonant Chunks - BLUE
Bossy R Chunks - PURPLE
Endings and Silent Letters - PINK or RED
Tricky y Guy - ORANGE

Note: Overlapping may cause a little confusion as the lessons progress and become more difficult. Be sure to read the tips and FAQ. If you still have questions, customer service is top-notch. They will answer your questions promptly so shoot them an e-mail.

Passage Topics
A variety of American History topics were covered in both workbooks including but not limited to:

• American Flag
• Harriet Tubman
• White House
• Declaration of Independence
• Davy Crockett 
• Homestead Act
• Martin Luther King
• Rosa Parks
• George Washington Carver
• Underground Railroad 
• Pilgrims
• Colonists
• Paul Revere
• Liberty Bell 
• Statue of Liberty
• Gold Rush
• Abraham Lincoln

What You'll Receive
This sweet package will safely and promptly arrive in the mail.

Set of 10 Erasable Colored Pencils

Student Workbook 1
This workbook contains Lessons 1-18 each having 5 parts labeled A through E. The workbook pages are perforated. The perforated pages enable you to remove the pages for the child to work on. You also have the option of adding a page to a portfolio.

Student Workbook 2
This soft cover book consisted of Lessons 19-36 using the same format.

Instructor's Handbook
I love the organization of the 52-page softbound parent handbook! The handbook begins with a detailed introduction to the unique and innovative spelling approach developed by Dr. Karen Holinga, an explanation describing their philosophy, a thorough discussion of the five developmental stages of spelling, placement guidelines mentioning the curriculum sequence, and an essential "Getting Started Guide" for the Americana level. "Instructions for Americana Lessons 1-14" follow the "Getting Started" section. I appreciated the use of bolded subtitles in this section. The subtitles divided the lessons into groups based on the concepts being addressed. The resource section contains the 36 dictation passages and color-coded answer keys for the chunking exercises, a glossary of terms, and a bibliography. I believe this handbook is essential to the program as it contains helpful information and tools for parents.

Dictation Passage (Lesson 9)

The best part about the teacher's handbook was the answer key! I asked my daughter to state the letter pattern and the word it was found in as I checked the answers. This activity also served as a review allowing for even more exposure to the letter patterns.

Answer Key (Lesson 9)

How We Used Spelling You See

I used the Americana spelling curriculum with my 6 1/2 year old daughter in conjunction with American History music books for several months. We did take a short "no school" summer break for a couple weeks. I read through the Teacher Handbook the weekend before starting the program to gain familiarity with the approach. Everything was self-explanatory. Any questions I had were answered either from the online FAQ or in the teacher's handbook. We began lessons on the following Monday. We completed one part of each lesson every day working five times a week. One full lesson was covered each week. 

Overall Thoughts
I am 100% impressed with this "open and go" spelling program. The program was extremely user-friendly requiring no prep or planning time. The lessons were quick lasting no more than 10-15 minutes a day which is perfect if your child has difficulty sitting for longer time periods. The short historical paragraphs were concise yet informative. I think the simplicity of the program will bless any busy homeschool family.

Alyssa is definitely learning how to spell difficult, more challenging words. I have seen evidence of it during the first week. I started using Exit Cards to find out what history facts my daughter remembered from each lesson. On the first day using Spelling You See, she asked me how to spell "colonies" when filling out her exit card. By the end of the week, she KNEW how to spell the word without assistance. She could visualize it! We didn't have to do any extra spelling activities to practice the words each week. However, I did review previously learned spelling words using spelling games later on just to check in and see if she still remembered the spellings long-term. The visual memory method definitely worked! I also notched that my daughter would identify the previously learned letter patterns in books during her independent reading time.

I didn't really need to help my daughter with finding letter patterns in the beginning, but I sat beside her to provide guidance when necessary. The letter patterns were always provided. The clear and concise instructions provided were straightforward and to the point. The directions also explained that vowel chunks are highlighted first, followed by bossy r's, and then consonant chunks if there was ever a question about which to highlight. Dictations became easier over time as she gained confidence and familiarity with the program.

A Weekly Glance
The activities are exactly the same for the first three days as seen below.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
The chunking and reading activities continue for Days 4 and 5. However, dictation was added to the lesson.

The following picture is an example of her first weekly dictation for Lesson 9. She had a difficult time remembering how to spell "except." I noticed that she closed her eyes and visualized the word each time she wrote it. This strategy eventually lead to the correct spelling. She had the opportunity to ask for help, but she wanted to figure it out on her own. She simply drew one line through the errors until she found the one that looked right. After her 10-minute dictation, she checked her work using the original passage. The number of words spelled correctly is documented at the bottom of the page at the end of the lesson. We never count the first word since it is given. I love that Spelling You See encourages you to remain positive and emphasize the number of words spelled correctly instead of focusing on the number of words spelled wrong.   

Friday

What We LOVED

• The curriculum is not based on grade levels. She started at a level based on her spelling abilities. 
• The lessons are short and quick only requiring a maximum of 10-15 minutes each day.
• No prep or planning is required. Enough said - right! 
• It utilizes a Classic or Charlotte Mason approach towards spelling by implementing copywork and dictation exercises which are two methods we enjoy using in our homeschool.
• The reading passages are slightly below her reading level which means that she focus on learning the spellings instead of being frustrated with reading the passage.
• She can pay close attention to words within the context of a story or factoid based on history.
• Alyssa learns spelling patterns through chunking exercises which give her hands-on exposure to letter patterns.
• I am pleased with the inviting, colorful images used to represent each passage. My daughter particularly liked the White House images. She liked being able to see an inside blue print of how the White House was divided into three parts. 

Alyssa's Thoughts (Age 6)
I crazy love it! You get to practice spelling while learning about history and copying passages. My favorite part of the curriculum is reading the passage and highlighting the chunks. I like how colorful the page is when I'm done. I am learning about America too! My mommy gives me an exit card at the end of the week to see what history facts I've learned. Those are fun too!

Price 
Americana Instructor's Handbook $14
Americana Student Pack $30

Visit the Spelling You See store website to view sample lessons, read about each level, and purchase the appropriate level for your child.

Recommendations
If you are looking for a easy-to-use spelling program for a visual learner that takes very little time out of your day, then look no further. Spelling You See Americana may be the perfect solution to your child's spelling needs. I highly recommend this program especially to homeschool families that utilize a Charlotte Mason or Classic homeschool approach. Children that dislike writing may not be particularly fond of this program, because it emphasizes daily copywork or dictation.

Spelling You See is suitable for elementary-aged children or for older students needing remediation. If you have a struggling reader or a child with learning difficulties, then this curricula may help. Trying a new spelling curriculum gives your family the opportunity to address a different learning style, prevent boredom with lessons, and might meet the needs or difficulties of your child better.

I will MOST DEFINITELY continue using Spelling You See Americana for the rest of the year. I pray and hope that we can continue with the next level, American Spirit, upon completion of Americana. I look forward to seeing the newly developed levels in the future!

Social Media
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It's Time for a GIVEAWAY! 

Demme Learning has generously donated one physical copy of the Spelling You See curriculum. The randomly selected winner will receive a full curriculum set of their choice including the Instructor's Handbook, Student Workbooks, and the Colored Pencils. Good Luck to all who enter and please help spread the word! If you do not see the Rafflecopter widget, please give it time to load or click on the link provided.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Disclaimer

Many thanks to Spelling You and Demme Learning for providing the prize for this giveaway. Choice of winners will be randomly selected. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. You must be 18 years old to enter and a resident of the US. Demme Learning will fulfill the prize.

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of the Spelling You See Americana (Level D) curriculum from Demme Learning in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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