What do you think when you hear the words online preschool? Fun games, interactive stories, getting ready for kindergarten; those are some that come to mine.  And while my children love these programs, it's important for them to gain knowledge through offline experiences too.  

That's why, when I invest in online learning I look for 2 key elements.

2 Things to Look for in an Online Preschool Program

1. Substance Over Entertainment

Yes, it's important for my child to enjoy the program.  Usually, being on the computer is excitement enough.  If the program I'm looking at is loaded with games that requre little critical thinking skills, I'll pass.  

For example, I've seen puzzles that solve themselves,  lots of coloring work, and games where you can push all the buttons until you get the right answer; it still rewards you and doesn't review the question.

EmbarK¹² is different.  The program offers a robust curriculum with plenty of activities and vocabulary that really prepare children for learning experiences offline.

For example, We love the interactive storybooks that feature classic stories and integrate interactive questions on each page.  Emma (age 3) loves Bookseller and the 3 bears.  As the story is read aloud, she's asked questions that improve her comprehension and teach her descriptive vocabulary like smaller, medium, bigger, ext.

You may be lured to other programs that boast about their extensive material.  But it's just unnecessary information that distracts from the fact that the important material is lacking.  

For example, hundreds of facts about animals that will go in one ear and out the other is not as important as having a complete introduction to phonics and other beginning reading skills like EmbarK¹² does.

Another problem with Entertainment value is that it provides a complicated user experience. If I'm having trouble navigating the program, chances are, my unexperienced preschooler is going to too.  

My daughter has trouble with a mouse sometimes so this aspect is critical.  I don't want her to get frustrated because she can't figure out how to start and end an activity.  EmbarK¹² is so simple to navigate.  The main menu displays all of the subjects in one place and they are easily identifiable.  Emma loves being able to do it on her own.

2.  Heavy on Mathematics and Literacy

The majority of the program should focus on these 2 subjects which are the basis for all others.   While teaching ABCs and 123s is important, I also look for comprehension, challenging vocabulary, and memory building.  Once my children learn the basics, those things will propel their reading and math skills.

EmbarK¹² also meets this criteria.  Like I explained before, the storybooks are outstanding.  And more challenging books are available to build vocabulary.  Lots of the games in the program help build memory and all the other subject categories offer games that support those 3 essential skills.

I was very impressed with the program and highly recommend it.  Plus, if you are looking for a program that carries on through higher grades, the Pre-K program is part of K-12 Academy, the largest provider of online education offering public school, private school and individual courses.  

EmbarK12 Online – Over 830 interactive activities to engage your preschooler.  

For a limited time, EmbarK¹² is offering True Aim Readers 50% off their online program.  That means, for less than 3$ a month you can enhance your child's Pre-K learning experience and give them a head start for kindergarten! 

Use code EmbarkSpecial to get 50% off!

To learn more about Kindergarten readiness programs by K12. Try a sample activity today.  Or watch the video below!

The post EmbarK12 Online Preschool Program from K-12 first appeared on True Aim.

To help us remember how much God loves us, we hung our hearts as a mobile at the kitchen table.  It’s festive and every time we sit to eat a meal we read one of the Bible verses on the hearts.  This is such a great way to memorize scripture, we might have to make a new mobile for each month!  Here’s what we did.

Bible Heart Craft

First I made this free heart printable to make it easy. I printed off one copy for the kids to share, but you could have each child do their own set.

 

Here are the verses I included:

• “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” ~1 Corinthians 13:4

• “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” ~1 John 4:7

• “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ~Matthew 22:39

• “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” ~1 John 4:10

• “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  ~Deuteronomy 6:5

• “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16

If you have a specific verse in mind, please email me and I can send you my template in a word document so you can included any verses you want.

Next, we colored the hearts with the Bible verses, being careful not to cover the words up.

With the other blank hearts, we did a little crayon resist with tissue paper.  Before we started “painting” with the tissue paper, I wrote a secret symbol in white crayon that represents God’s love.

To do this craft, the girls painted their hearts with water and then covered them with small squares of tissue paper.  Adding more water on top, the color bleeds onto the paper creating a tie-dye effect.  I first saw this tissue paper craft on one of my favorite art blogs for kids, Artchoo.

After the water dried, I had the girls remove the tissue paper to reveal God’s love.  It’s a cross, of course!

I hung our hearts above the table with fishing line.  Now, before each meal we review one of the verses to put it to memory so my girls know how much God loves them.  They’ll also know what love really looks like; sacrifice.

If you liked this heart Bible craft, you might like these activities to teach children more about God’s love.

Check out my Bible eBook set for more ways to instill God’s word in the hearts of your children!

For more Bible crafts and activities, like me on Facebook or follow me on Pinterest.  Thanks for your support!

The post Heart Bible Craft and Bible Love Verses Free Printable first appeared on True Aim.

This month start a new tradition and teach your children one of the most important values you can.  Try making these simple DIY thank you cards as a family and show appreciation to people in your community.

Simple DIY Thank You Cards

Materials:

Cardstock or pre-folded cards

Different colored scrapbooking/construction paper or washi tape

Regular scissors and edgers

Glue

Coloring supplies

Printable “Thanks” Tags

It’s crazy how easy these are to make!  First, if you’re using a full sheet of cardstock, fold it in half with the short edge together.  Cut the sheet in half and fold it in half again on the short edge to make your card.

Next, have your children cut long strips of different colored paper and use kraft edgers to make a decorative cut on one end of the strips.  To make this even easier, you could cut lots of strips ahead of time and just have your children do the decorative edge.

Glue the strips with the straight edge lined up with the top of the card.  To make this part even easier, you could use washi tape!

You can print these free “Thanks” tags by downloading the template below.  Cut them out ahead of time or have your children help.

Glue the tags over your paper strip collage and Voila!  Heat up some hot chocolate and make a bunch with the whole family.

Now that you have your cards, make sure you put some in your bag.  When you are out and about this month, have your children give the cards to people in the community like your waiter, cashier, or someone who says something nice to them at the store.

You could also plan a special delivery to the fire or police station; even the family doctor.  These little gestures of thanks go a long way in making someone’s day better and instilling values in your children!

The Giving Thanks November Family Challenge

How are you giving thanks as a family?  We would love to hear about it!  Please leave a comment or grab a button and link up below.  You can also send me a picture of your idea and I will post it to my facebook page.

Need more inspiration?  Follow the Gift of Giving Pinerest board with tons of ideas to help you teach your children how amazing it feels to give to others.

Follow The Gift of Giving by Janine, TrueAimEducation.com on Pinterest

The Family Network

<div align="center"><a href="https://www.trueaimeducation.com/2013/10/diy-thank-you-cards.html" title="christian parenting and education" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.trueaimeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/family-challenge.jpg" alt="christian parenting and education" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Play with Your Family
Fun on a Dime
Serene is My Name Not My Life
LDS Parenting
Mom to Three Babies

The post November Family Challenge: Giving Thanks with DIY Thank You Cards first appeared on True Aim.

Welcome to Mom’s Library!

Filled with parenting tips, activities for young children, craft, devotionals, recipes, and more!

Be sure to subscribe so don’t miss the next Library!
Follow the Mom’s Library Pinterest Board to see all of our featured posts.
Make sure you check out last week’s Mom’s Library for Summer Reading Inspiration!

Our Weekly Giveaway!

My Grand Opening iPad Mini Giveaway!

The best time to start teaching your young children is right now!  If you have a child going into preschool or kindergarten you are in luck!  I’m celebrating My grand opening of Blue Manor Academy with an amazing sale and giveaway!  Use the offer code TrueAim30 for 30% off any Blue Manor eBook in the curriculum store!  If you win, I will give you a full refund.  So, take advantage of this awesome sale while you still can!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

This week’s featured posts…

DIY Children’s Full Coverage Apron

This step by step tutorial and free pattern is perfect for beginner sewers!  

DIY Recipe Photo Book

Start making Christmas Presents early.  It turns a recipe into a priceless gift of memories!  This one has the cutest cooks!  

DIY Decorative Organizing Boxes

Now, whenever I see an empty box all I can think of is this genius project and what I am going to organize with it.  I’m thinking of tackling my utility drawer.  What would you organize?  

DIY Rolling Stamp

Let your children create unique wrapping paper or their own art creations.

DIY Kid’s Chalk Board

This project is too easy!  Don’t buy your children a chalk board, make it!  

DIY Super Flyer Toy

This project is perfect for children to do on their own!  They’ll love making and throwing these.  

DIY Water Wall Activity

Children love to play with water.  This activity will have your children experimenting for hours!  

DIY Patriotic Busy Bag

Teach your children about the flag and use this set for 2 other games!

Would you like to participate?

If you were featured please grab a button.

  

The post 8 Simple DIY Projects and Mom’s Library #49 first appeared on True Aim.

Preschool & Kindergarten eBook Sale!

Give your child a tremendous head start with Blue Manor Christian Preschool and Kindergarten Curriculum eBooks. They are easy to teach and easy to learn!  All book sets come with a comprehensive teaching manual to help you educate your child at home. Take advantage of this special price.  Use offer code: TrueAim30 to receive 30% off any Blue Manor eBook Set in the Curriculum Store!

See the Curriculum in Action!

iPad Mini Giveaway!

The Grand Prize winner gets an iPad mini and our Full Prek & K eBook Sets.  A $410 value!!!  4 runners-up will win our complete Prek & K eBook Sets.  If you have already purchased an eBook set and win the giveaway, we will give you a full refund!

To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter Below.  For more information, please read the official rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free Printables!

Visit the Grand Opening Sale Page for 15+ Free Homeschool Printables and Curriculum!  You’ll find free eBooks, activity packs, planners, and more!

Who is Blue Manor?

We believe that an Elite Education begins in the Home.  We are on a mission to help parents raise sons and daughters, whose legacies honor their families and glorify their God.  We create learning books for kids ages 1-12 and early learning curriculum – new books are added every month!  We inform and inspire parents and homeschoolers through our two blogs:  Blue Manor Homeschool  &  True Aim.

We need your support because WE are in this together.  Please  join the Manor Homeschool Community today!

The post Grand Opening iPad Mini Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.

Welcome to Mom’s Library!

Filled with parenting tips, activities for young children, craft, devotionals, recipes, and more!

Be sure to subscribe so don’t miss the next Library!
Follow the Mom’s Library Pinterest Board to see all of our featured posts.
Make sure you check out last week’s Mom’s Library for Summer Reading Inspiration!

Our Weekly Giveaway!

ANY 2 Prints from the All Our Days Print Shop!

Filled with artistic reminders of God’s love and the power and importance of family, any digital print from this shop you will be proud to display in your home.  And 50% off all profits go to a fellow Mom Blogger’s Adoption Fund!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

This week’s featured posts…

Preschool Monster Book

 

 

Fourth of July Activity Pack

  Celebrate the holiday with fun themed learning activities!    

Teach Number Patterns

  Children will love making their own math book!    

Creation Activity Book

  Teach your children about God’s Amazing Creation with these free printables, a lesson, and more!    

Strawberry Themed Math Game

  Simply use clothes pins to write addition problems or numerals on and see if your children can match the clothes pins to the right answers on this free printable game board.    

Book Marks the Spot Printable Book List

  Take this list to your local library to find some amazing pond themed books, or use it as a Summer Reading Challenge and reward your children for reading all of the books on the list with you!    

Bubble Alphabet Matching Cards

  Help your preschooler distinguish between lower case and capital letters with this free printable game.    

My Curriculum Store Grand Opening

  I’m having a big sale and giveaway for my eBook store with lots of featured freebies too!    

Would you like to participate?

  Please Follow me!   Support your fellow bloggers and visit 2 other links.   If you would like to be a Librarian please contact me!    

If you were featured please grab a button.

  

The post Free Preschool Printables and Mom’s Library #48 first appeared on True Aim.

Welcome to Mom’s Library!

Filled with parenting tips, activities for young children, craft, devotionals, recipes, and more!

Be sure to subscribe so don’t miss the next Library!
Follow the Mom’s Library Pinterest Board to see all of our featured posts.
Make sure you check out last week’s Mom’s Library for 10 Boredom Busters.

This week’s featured posts…

Summer Reading Board Game Chart

  Do your kids love games?  Mine do!  So I am definitely trying this one out.

Summer Reading Challenge

  Kids love competition!

 Caterpillar Reading Chart

  This is a cheerful motivation.  Add prizes and it will become a summer tradition.

Homemade Listening Center

  Make your own books on tape for young readers.  

Tips and Tricks for Reading to Toddlers

  I’ve used many of these tricks and they really work!

Children’s Books for Summer

  Some of the best picks for early childhood.  

Summer Devotionals for Busy Moms

  Summer reading is for adults too!  If you aren’t subscribed to these 1 minute devotionals, you are missing out! For more reading and writing activities like me on Facebook or follow me on Pinterest!

Would you like to participate?

Please Follow me! Support your fellow bloggers and visit 2 other links. If you would like to be a Librarian please contact me!   If you were featured please grab a button.

The post Summer Reading Inspiration and Mom’s Library #47 first appeared on True Aim.

Games are universal learning tools!  They are effective for all ages, and cultures because they turn learning into entertainment.  And there’s no need to spend extra money on learning games for your kids when you probably have a ginormous game closet already!  Simply use a little creativity to alter the game and turn math, reading, and writing into an experience your children will never forget.

How to Turn Any Board Game into a Learning Game

Board games can be educational by themselves.  But if you want to tailor the game to fit your lesson, just add flash cards.

Here are some of the games we altered and played:

Risk

1. Find your man.  Pass out 5-7 soldiers (or use small toys) to your children and have them place 1 soldier in a country space.  Tell them that their men are lost and they must complete all the missions to save all of them.  Have them read a flash card (missions), numbers or letters, to be able to retrieve one man.  There can be multiple winners in this game or you can make it a cooperative game and have everyone help save the soldiers.

2.  Conquerors.  Play the same way as above except, instead of saving the soldiers, you can take another player’s soldiers away.

3.  Country Find.  Use the risk country cards to play a matching game.  Pass out the cards to your children and see how fast they can match their soldiers with their country card.

Monopoly

1.  Counting skills.  Use the original rules minus the money.  Roll the dice, count the dots and move your piece, seeing who can collect the most properties.  If you land on the property first you get it!

2.  Sight Word Practice.  Again, play without using money.  Place flashcards on all of the spaces and see who can read the most!

3.  Matching Game.  Deal some of the property cards to your children and see who can match their cards to the right properties on the board first.

Candy Land

This game isn’t an adult game, but my kids love it!  I, on the other hand, would throw it out if I didn’t see a post about using it to practice sight words.  The Blogger has some special cards you can buy, and I did!  But then I realized that I didn’t need the special cards and could use the flash cards I already have and the color cards that already come in the game.  Face palm!

1. Secret Pass Word.  Simply tell your children that in order to get a color card and move their piece they have to figure out what the secret pass word is.  The beauty of doing it this way is that you can use any kind of flash cards or even just ask them questions to make it a math, history, even a geography game!

2. Memory Game.  You can use the color cards to play a simple memory game.

There are so many other possibilities!  Have you changed your adult board games to play with your children?  How did you do it?  I would love to read your comments!

For more learning activity ideas like me on facebook or follow me on Pinterest.  Thank you for your support!

The post Turn Any Board Game into a Learning Game first appeared on True Aim.

Want to teach your children values?  

Below, you will find tips, tools, and resources to teach them about Empathy.

Definition

Verse

• Seeing is believing.  The more your children are exposed to people who are suffering, the more they will identify with them.  Volunteer or serve others with your children.
• Pray with your children for people who are less fortunate.
• If you have more than one child, chances are one has been hurt by the other.  Take the opportunity to discuss not only the bad behavior, but how the hurt child feels.  
• Many accidents happen throughout the day.  If one child hurts himself, do not let your other child ignore him.  Make sure he stops what he is doing right away and helps his sibling.

Have any tips on teaching empathy? Leave a comment below!

Books that Teach Values: Empathy

Franklin’s Friendship Treasury

Included in this storybook are four tales: Franklin’s New Friend, Franklin’s Bad Day, Franklin Has a Sleep Over, and Franklin’s Secret Club.  All the stories talk about feelings and how to be a good friend.  Ages 2+

The Good Samaritan 

The classic story from the Bible can be reinforced with this activity and coloring book instant download.  You can also get the Animated DVD with this book included.  The activities vary in difficulty to apply to different ages.  Print off as many as you need! Ages 4+

Free Book of Virtues
This eBook is filled with the most important virtues for children.  Explanations are simple and Classic works of art will capture your child’s attention.  Ages 3+

Activities that Teach Values: Empathy

A Wrinkled Heart Activity

Empathy in a (Shoe) Box

Teach older siblings The Virtue of a Bee Sting

Click the image to see more Values for Children

For more Parenting and Education resources, join us on Facebook or Pinterest!
Thank you for your support!

Check out our Free Home Education Resources!

Linking up Here

Get the newest posts by email

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

The post Values for Children: Empathy first appeared on True Aim.

Definition

Beauty is a combination of cleanliness and attitude.  People who are beautiful take care of themselves, are modest, and confident.  More importantly, they possess a kind heart and love God above all else.

Verse

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles, and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.” 1 Peter 3:3

“May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.” Psalm 90:17

Activities

Let’s Talk About Beauty

• Establish routines with your children to help them have good hygiene   Explain that it is important to do those things because it shows that they care about themself and appreciate what God has given them.  Compliment them when they have done a good job and look nice.
• Explain the two kinds of beauty; superficial and eternal.
• Expose your children to good role models; people that share your ideas on what it means to be beautiful.
• Remind your children that some people may look different, but that does not mean that they are not beautiful.

Books that Teach Values: Beauty

Beauty and the Beast
This book is based on the original French Fairy tale and includes enchanting illustrations.  It emphasizes the importance of looking beyond physical appearances.  Ages 4+

Let’s Talk About Being Shy
Author Joy Berry helps children understand what being shy is and how they can over come it.  I love the “Let’s Talk About” books because they are simple and offer great explanations for a lot of questions your child may have about all sorts of situations.  Ages 3-6

Beauty In A Bag
Father volunteers Natasha for a job that is more than she can handle. However, the real challenge comes when Father decides to teach Natasha a hard lesson about true beauty. Will Natasha rise to the occasion, or collapse in humiliation? Ages 6+

Activities that Teach Values: Beauty

Sing a Song

Let the Beauty of Jesus be Seen in Me

“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,

all His wonderful passion and purity.

Oh thou spirit divine, all my nature refine

’til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

~Orsborn, Albert, Jones, Tom

You’re so Very Special
Audrey, Audrey, Audrey dear
You’re so very special.
Your Hair is () and your eyes are (too, blue, ect)
and that is how God made you!

Modesty for Young Girls

The post Values for Children: Beauty first appeared on True Aim.