Summer Resources

What to do: (See resources below)

Summer offers a welcome change of pace for your family but also brings challenges.  Below are tips our teachers shared from our Evening of Encouragement in the spring of 2021, Summer of Opportunity, Setting Up for Success.  

For Bible/Devotional time, we recommend the following:
Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent & Barbara Hughes
Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
Children’s Bibles for various ages that are true to Biblical text:
The Christian Focus Story Bible by Carine Mackenzie
A First Bible Story Book by Mary Hoffman
The Big Picture Bible by David Helm
The Action Bible illustrated by Sergio Cariello and accompanying devotional by Jeremy V. Jones (with Marvel like illustrations elementary aged boys will love)

Our teachers also love Leading Little Ones to God by Miriam Schoolland, Big Truths for Little Kids by Hunt whose stories correspond with the children’s catechism, My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God’s Word in Little Hearts by Hunt.

For Play time ideas, follow @busytoddler on instagram

For Academic Review (Not New), all of the teachers said Read! Read! Read!

Think “novels” to read along to your 4, 5 & 6 year olds: 
Little House in the Big Woods, Charlotte’s Web, Trumpet of the Swan & Stuart Little by White, The Courage of Sarah Noble by Dalgliesh, Winnie-the-Pooh by Milne, & Milly-Molly-Mandy by Brisley.

Our teachers suggested:
Limit screen time!
Fine motor practice for all, especially our littles!  (Tummy time coloring forces the elbow and forearm into the proper position.)
We say “limit screen time” but when you do indulge try the Leapfrog: Letter Factory Video for phonics letter/sound review for the 3’s.

We do not encourage focusing too much on “workbooks” and flashcards but instead finding fun games and activities to reinforce phonics and math skills:
Explode the Code 1 1/2 (phonics review)
Summer Bridge Activities  (Pre-K or K-1)
100 Words Kids Need to Read by 1st Grade: Sight Word Practice to Build Strong Readers
Summer Brain Quest (Pre-k and K)