Legos are great toys and one of the most creative tools that children can use.  Since children love them so much, they make for excellent Math and Language Arts manipulatives. For parents looking to offer new challenges to keep their kids learning, Legos are a fun medium to test both the parents’ and child’s creativity.

1. Addition – Write out simple addition equations on a piece of paper.  Leave enough space for your child to match the number of pegs on each block with the written number.  Or you could reverse it, place the pegs on the table and ask your child to write out the numbers that match the pegs.
2. Subtraction – Place one Lego that has fewer pegs on top of another that has more to reveal subtraction concepts.  For example, a 12-peg Lego beneath an 8-peg Lego of the same color that is being subtracted, helps children to put quantities into groups.
3. Recognizing Patterns – Choose two or three different colors, and have your child create various pattern types.  Or create the pattern yourself and have your child to determine what the pattern is.
4. Comparing Numbers – Stack up blocks next to each other, and ask your child which one contains more.  Then demonstrate how the greater than/less than symbol indicates the amount as well.
5. Non-Standard Measuring – Take any toy that your child likes and use Legos to measure them.  Then ask how many Legos long is your toy?
6. Making Perfect Squares – Line up Legos so that they form multiplication arrays that display perfect squares.  For example, 2 x 2 is 4.  Then have your child to count the pegs represented in the answer.
7. Multiplication and Division – Use Legos to show groups.  Three groups of eight make twenty four.  Then write out the equation, 3 x 8 = 24.  You could also write out 8 + 8 + 8 = 24, to show that multiplication is repeated addition.
8. Counting and Number Matching – This next one works better on bigger blocks, like Lego Duplos.  I used a small dry erase marker to write on the blocks.  They erase well with the wipe of a tissue.  Separate the blocks, write the numbers on them, then have your child to match them up.  This will help them learn to relate the cardinal number to the written number, and to the quantity – represented in the dots.
9. Putting the Alphabet in Order – Mix up blocks and spread them out, then have your child to put them in order.  Make this activity more fun by having your child sing the alphabet song while playing the game, or race against a timer.
10. Making Letters – Work with your child to creatively form as many letters as you can with the blocks.
11. Sentence Structure – Write a simple sentence, like the one below.  Mix up all the words, and have your child to place them in order, to form a complete sentence.
12. Prefixes – Write the prefix on the smaller block, and the root word on the larger block to demonstrate how the prefix changes the word.
13. Suffixes – Write the suffix on the smaller block, and the root word on the larger block to demonstrate how the suffix changes the word.
14. Subject & Predicate – Write a basic sentence and then choose two large blocks on which to write ‘subject’ and ‘predicate.’ You can do this with nouns and verbs, or if your child is more advanced, use subjects and predicates.  But use the larger blocks to label the parts of the sentence, and smaller blocks to write the words.
15. Word Families/Rhyming Words – Use one similar color to write a list of rhyming words.  Point out the spelling of these words and point out how they are similar in sound and spelling.  Use the blocks to group them together.

There are so many ways to use Legos to teach or reinforce academic concepts.  We love this as a means to supplemental homeschool and encourage our children’s growth.

Mommies, what are some other ways that you have used Legos in your home?

Запись Legos Unlocked: 15 Ways to Use Legos to Teach Math and Language Arts впервые появилась Baby & Blog | Celebrating Black Mommyhood.

Think I’ve mentioned that I recently moved back home after being gone for a decade. I grew up in Ohio, but so many of these places are new to me.  I love having the opportunity to explore them with my kids who are 10, 8 and 5.
I think most of the activities I’m about to list would be enjoyable for any age.

We spent the summer and fall visiting different Metroparks, and I enjoyed our outings as much as they did.

1. There was the working farm/nature center…

2. Taking a trip back to the 1880’s at Carriage Hill.

3. We had a self guided tour though the Historical Woodland Cemetery.

4. We’ve walked trails at two of our favorite Metroparks.

5. Visited the Children’s Garden…

6. And gone back to one of our favorite parks see how the landscape has changed with the current season.

Most of the places we’ve been over the last four months have been FREE!
I paid $14 to get all four of us into the nature center.

7. I’ve pulled our telescope out several times over the last couple of months. We watched the lunar eclipse, and I’ve been able to get some amazing photos of a quarter moon and half moon.

8. You can get memberships to museums and a lot of them have reciprocity. If your child(ren)enjoy classes there’s the library, you can join a homeschool co-op, and sign them up for various camps such as lego, STEM, art, dance, band.

9. Join the email list for you local libraries, museums, and nature centers, and don’t forget to sign up for the ones in surrounding cities.

10. Macaroni Kid is a email list that you can sign up for and receive city specific emails about upcoming activities.

11. The Smithsonian has a free museum day every year. The Zoo and Museums in D.C. are free year round if you able to make that trip.

12. Take your kids on nature walks, visit a new park once a month.
Look at bugs through a magnifying glass, put grass or rocks under a microscope.

13. Join homeschool groups and set up Skype so your kids can video chat with other homeschoolers.

14. There’s painting, pottery, bakeable clay, cooking classes, baking at home, science experiments, video games,  Netflix and Hulu. 

15. Learn photography, drawing, music, musical instruments, volunteer at animal shelters, set up a lemonade stand, learn to knit, crochet, or sew. Thrift stores are another great place to find trinkets and treasures.

16. Visit a construction site, go see a play, go to the movies, have movie night at home and make popcorn and rice krispie treats.  Take them to a Safari park, Younger kids might enjoy Animal Jam, and don’t forget about Minecraft.

17. You can check out my Unschooling board on Pinterest. There are printables about the human body, links to science and math YouTube videos, quotes, and links to blogs written by various unschoolers.

18. There are also several group boards I belong to for multicultural homeschooling, and year round projects to do with your kids.

There’s a big world out there to explore, and you get to be their tour guide and explore it with them.
Be their partner, learn and have fun with them.
Make your lives as interesting as possible.

Any resources you would like to share with us?

Запись 18 Free and Cheap Homeschooling/Unschooling Resources впервые появилась Baby & Blog | Celebrating Black Mommyhood.