The small things...

The joy of Christmas is clearly felt here in the middle of NYC when the tree is lit. Not one person is frowning around this tree. If only this happiness and joy could be seen and felt all year long. Why don't we find the small things enjoyable more often? If we can learn to see the beauty in the things that mean more than a new iphone or new pair of shoes I think we can find ourselves on the mend to more meaningful and fulfilled futures.

Make a new tradition this year with your family, friends or co-workers. You will see how much it means each year to repeat what you did the year before. That moment in time becomes almost impossible to ruin or break and only becomes more meaningful with each passing year.

Stars

Reach for the stars the sky is endless....

Hopscotch is an old "girly" past time, played on a black top with chalk. But who says you can't use the concept of hopping and jumping to learn how to spell.

This is a great station or classroom activity for all elementary grades.

You can use it for short, long and rhyming words. 

On floor dots or on card stock paper write down the word you would like the child to spell out on one dot  and then put all the rest of the individual letters in the word and some extra on the rest of the 10 or so dots or card stock. Have the children line up and hop on each letter saying the letter aloud as they land on it.  For the hopscotch below the child would say " C, A, T" and then jump on Cat and say that aloud "CAT". They may only hop on one letter per line.

Picture for example:

4               CAT

3           Q    R    T

2             A     G

1                 C

You can change the words up, you can change what the child has to do when they get to the dot (jump with one foot, hop on dots with two feet together, say each letter aloud when on it, ect.)

This is also a great progressive activity where the children can start to make the games up for themselves and peers. 

An activity that needs little space, little materials, but get children moving, spelling and working on coordination and balance all at the same time!!!

Education is something that I have always desired for myself. I have also wanted to teach what I know to others. Not teaching in a school at the moment is something that keeps my mind working, always coming up with new ways of teaching kids and adults of all ages to learn and move. What most people do not realize is that "gym class" is not Physical Education class. I want to spread the word that you can LEARN during P.E and that it is a necessary class for all children in schools to have. I am going to start posting lessons on how simple it can be to get children moving and learning at the same time, as well as making it simple for classroom teachers to implement some of these lessons in their own classes and not needing a gymnasium.

Education is never wasted. It is one thing that once you acquire it no one can take it away from you.

Shoes to fill...

We all have big shoes to fill...how we choose to fill them is what makes us unique.

Dreams...

My dreams for this blog are to share information and inspire others.  I hope you will follow me on this journey of learning, laughing and loving yourself and the great opportunities that life brings.

Having a passion for family and close friendships is what drives me to wake up and be a motivated person.

Being thankful and grateful keep you grounded....when all else seems to fail look inside yourself for the answers...

Take time out of your day to move...