Krista, Author at While He Was Napping

August 13, 2014 by Krista

Five Sight Word Apps to Help Your Kids Learn to Read

Hey, my friend! Are you trying to help your kiddo learn to read? Me too!

It can be HARD, right?! Even my five-year-old has told me, “Mom, I don’t like English. It’s hard!” And he’s RIGHT! It IS hard. English is incredibly hard! And sight words can be the hardest of all. It’s easy to get discouraged when we get something wrong over and over.

Sight words aren’t long words, or difficult to say or even hard to recognize. But, a lot of sight words are cheater words.

Most of them don’t follow the rules. They are hard to sound out for a beginning reader. The silent -e. The hard -c sound. Words that look like they should rhyme, but don’t. Or words that shouldn’t rhyme, but they do!

Have you had this struggle with your child too? As parents, it’s hard to watch our kids struggle, right? My kindergartner would refuse to practice or even try. Tears, tantrums, the whole nine yards. Until we found something that works for him.

He has always liked his “tablet time”. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there that would hyperventilate with horror at the amount of screen time this kid has under his belt. But, that’s fine.

When he was two-and-a-half years old, he could correctly identify a pentagon, a hexagon, a trapezoid and an octagon in everyday items. My inner mommy would cackle hysterically when people gave me compliments on teaching him such complex shapes at such a young age. If only these people knew he was learning all this from an app on my tablet and I didn’t do much more than encourage him. Half the time, I was just as surprised as they were that he knew them!

This boy learns well with his allotted tablet time and I’m not going to refuse to use the resource when it works so well for him. And I’m so glad there are people out there that develop quality apps that we can use! They are definitely one of my mommy heroes.

In our house, practicing sight words is not a fight anymore!

Does that sound nice? Want to see if practicing sight words during screen time can help your kids actually enjoy the task? Great! But which apps should you try? No worries, Momma! I’ve done all the work for you.

I tried at least a dozen different sight word apps before I let Big J loose. I narrowed it to six and let him play with them. He chose his favorites and now he gets 20 minutes a day of sight word practice.

Best of all, he LIKES it and he’s learning! I don’t get frustrated because he won’t try, he doesn’t get frustrated because it’s hard. He can see that he’s making progress and he likes to read the early readers with me now. And he can pick out some of the sight words, which was the goal all along, right?

Our Favorite Sight Word Apps

Sight Words Learning Games. This is my favorite app. The lite version of this app has two games for your kiddo to play. Both are great. Big J’s favorite is the gear game. This app features the 220 Dolch sight words (plus 90+ nouns) in five skill levels. It also has uppercase, lowercase and combined forms of the words. In the full version, there are six games, including a set of flashcards. The lite version is available for free and the full version is currently $1.99 in the Play Store. Also in the App Store and in the Amazon App Store. I will be back to this company.

- Phonics Spelling and Sight Words. This app is good for after your kiddo has been working with sight words. I wouldn’t use it as an introduction for sight words because it’s geared a little more toward drills and practicing, rather than playing. But now that Big J understands and knows some of the words, it’s good practice. It also works on letter blending. This app has 300 words divided into two levels, Pre-K and K.
  Available for free in the Play Store and the Amazon App Store.
  
  (Some of the reviewers were complaining about the ad content in the app. I personally haven’t had any questionable ads pop up while we’re playing (I usually have to help Big J with this one a little so I usually see everything that pops up on the screen), but you might want to keep an eye on it.)

- Words for Kids – Reading Game. It’s also called Bud’s First Words. This game encourages kids to learn new vocabulary words, as well as begin to recognize sentence structure and recognize sight words. There are over 350 vocabulary words and is a great app for English as a Second Language Learners. This app is targeted more toward younger readers (great for preschoolers, kids with learning disabilities or new language learners) and doesn’t have an intense focus on the actual sight words, but I like that it shows Big J that sight words show up in everyday life. There are in-app purchases in the lite version or your can get the full version ($2). Both versions are available in the Play Store (lite|full) as well as the Amazon App Store (lite|full). It’s also available in the App Store There are Japanese, Korean, and Spanish versions as well in the Play Store. I’m going to have both my boys try the Spanish version.

- Kids Reading Sight Words. This is another app by Intellijoy. I really, really like their apps. They are engaging and entertaining for my kids, but still have a great educational aspect. These are the apps my kids will play and not even realize they are learning. Their sight words app uses the 220 Dolch sight words in five skill levels to identify sight words and common words at their reading level as well as develop reading fluency. Available in the Play Store (lite|full), in the Amazon App Store (lite|full). You can find the app in the App Store as well, though I don’t know if there is a lite version. I couldn’t find it. I love all of Intellijoy’s apps and this one is worth every penny. Promise. (I have purchased the lifetime All-in-One pack that Intellijoy offers on Android. I don’t know if this is an option for Apple devices – I couldn’t find anything in my brief search. But, I love having access to all their high-quality games. And customer service was super helpful when I changed phones and I couldn’t access my all-in-one pack.)

Princesses Learn Sight Words. Not just for girls, my friends. Although, I’m sure any princess-loving little lady out there would adore this app too. I wasn’t sure if it would be a hit or not with Big J, but he loved the music and the games. While there are definite improvements that could be made to this app to increase the sight word learning process, it’s not a bad way for a kid to spend ten or fifteen minutes. This app allows kids to recognize sight words in a story-based context, which helps them recognize them in other text they see. The games aren’t super educational (memory, coloring, stickers, bingo and songs) but it is fun and the kids are still being exposed to educational content. In-app purchases are available. Get the app in the Play Store, Amazon App Store, and the App Store for free. There are also versions of Princesses Learn Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and more. Check out all the Early Languages Apps in the Play Store.

What are your favorite sight word apps or other educational apps?

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.

August 11, 2014 by Krista

Felted Wool Ball Baby Mobile

Links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links I receive a super small commission of the sale. If you do make a purchase through the links, thank you. The more I can make from blogging, the less my husband complains about it. =) Otherwise, I hope the links will help you know what I’m talking about.

This project has only been on my list since, oh, January? February? Before Baby N was born. His three-week-early surprise threw a kink into some, uhm… kay, many of my plans. I finally sat down on a Sunday afternoon and got this done.

I saw felted balls for the first time back around Christmastime. I was very intrigued, especially with the texture. I started looking into them and found that they aren’t cheap. Then I found you can make them yourself. I almost went that route and even had the Wool Roving in my Amazon cart. And then I found ornamentea,com. They had felt balls on clearance. There wasn’t a huge selection, but their clearance prices were fantastic. And I really didn’t want to make my own felt balls anyway. So, I decided to go with two packages of the pre-made balls in natural colors and greens. It looks like they are doing a closeout sale and only have the natural ones left, but they are 50 pieces for $4. That’s a huge deal.

WOOL FELT BALL BABY MOBILE

Materials:

– Wool Felt Balls (Etsy is another place to find them or use the link to Apartment Therapy’s tutorial above and make your own. It isn’t hard, promise. I just didn’t want to dedicate the time when I was still trying to get ready for a baby)

– 8″ Embroidery Hoop

– Ribbon
– Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
– Needle & Thread
– Scissors

Directions:
– You will only be using the solid embroidery hoop, so pull it out and set the adjustable one aside.
– Wrap your ribbon around the hoop and secure with hot glue. I chose a wide, silky green ribbon to compliment the colors of my felt balls.

– Thread the needle and tie a knot in the end. Push the needle through the ribbon on the inside of the hoop until it hits the knot.
– Push a felt ball onto the needle and up the thread until it is near the hoop. Tie a small knot in the thread to keep the felt ball from sliding back down the thread.

– Repeat the last step until you have as many felt balls on your string as you desire. I did anywhere from 3-5 balls and varied the lengths of the strings.
– Repeat the last three steps all the way around the hoop.
– With hot glue, attach one end of a 10″ length of ribbon to the inside of one side of the hoop and wrap it down and back up over the hoop to make a handle. Attach the other end of the ribbon to the opposite side of the hoop the same way.

– Repeat the last step perpendicularly to the ribbon you just attached. Hang in a safe place and enjoy.

*My older boys want nothing more than to hit the strings of balls as hard as they can and watch them fly all over the place. This would be a huge, tangled disaster and makes me want to cry just thinking about it. So, this is NOT a toy and could pose a choking hazard for small children or anyone silly enough to put felt balls in their mouth. If it’s simply decor to “look at with your eyes and not with your hands,” you’ll be fine.

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.

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August 7, 2014 by Krista

Sonic Copycat Strawberry Lime Slush

We have a thing for Sonic slushes. In fact, we could probably keep them in business based on our slushie consumption alone. What Starbucks is to many Americans, Sonic slushes are to the Wolff household. But even with Happy Hour half-priced slushes, it can get expensive and I don’t have a money tree, a goose that lays golden eggs, or a pot of gold from the end of a rainbow. So, we’ve taken to making our own at home while he continue our search for those elusive trees, geese and rainbows.

SONIC COPYCAT

STRAWBERRY LIME SLUSH

Print This Recipe

Sonic Copycat Strawberry Lime Slush

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Approximately 8-10 whole strawberries, frozen or fresh
8 cups ice
½ cup water (coconut water is a yummy substitute)
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp sugar

Instructions

Blend the ice and water together until ice is chopped into smaller chunks.
Add the lime juice and sugar. Blend until well combined. Add more water if the mixture is too thick.
Add the berries and pulse until they are even mixed with the slushie. Blend until ice is slushie consistency.
Garnish with fresh lime or strawberries if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Since we are desert rats, we have made it a personal mission to find ways to stay cool and enjoy our summer, despite the broiling heat of the sun. Making our own slushes has not only helped the budget, but it’s given us all kinds of options at a fraction of the price it would cost to have someone else make them for us. These are delicious and refreshing. And we can make them a special treat with additional sweeteners or opt for a little more healthy option, depending on the mood and frequency that we consume these amazing beverages. It doesn’t get much better than that.

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.

August 4, 2014 by Krista

Olive Garden Inspired Garlic Shrimp Alfredo

I actually wanted to call this post Olive Garden in a pot, but didn’t think that was real professional… so there you have it. “Olive Garden Inspired” it is. Olive Garden is one of my favorite restaurants. I have a thing for pasta smothered in creamy sauces… have you seen my hips? Yeah, me neither. But I definitely don’t have the budget to frequently eat out. So, it comes down to making it at home.

Mr Napping bought a whole bunch of meat last summer and included in it was some precooked jumbo shrimp. Like the kind you eat cold and dip in marinara sauce. Okay, the kind that other people eat cold and dip in marinara sauce. I don’t cold shrimp or marinara sauce, it makes me shudder. Anyway, obviously, I had to come up with some other way to use this shrimp. And, if I may, I totally scored with this dish. It was amazing… we fought over the leftovers.

OLIVE GARDEN INSPIRED

GARLIC SHRIMP ALFREDO

Ingredients:

– Pasta (I used 11.5 ounces of tri-color rotini because my kids will eat green noodles… any kind of pasta would work though)

– 5-6 Baby Portabella Mushrooms

– 5 green onion (shallot) stems

– 3-5 garlic cloves (We love garlic and tend to go a little on the heavy side. It you prefer a hint of garlic instead of a strong garlic taste, use fewer cloves)

– Approximately 5-7 ounces of shrimp

– 15 ounce bottle Alfredo Sauce (Clasico is our go-to brand)

– 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and Parmesan blend cheese. I believe ours was actually called a “pizza blend” on the bag.

Directions:

– In a medium pot, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.

– Slice up the mushrooms and green onion stems.

– Peel and mince the garlic cloves.

– In a large pot, use approximately a teaspoon of olive oil or butter and saute the mushrooms, onions and garlic on medium to medium-high heat until tender.

– Add the shrimp. Mine were frozen, so I threw them in the pot for a couple minutes and let them thaw. Then I pulled them back out and pulled the tails off and cut them into smaller pieces, so my kids wouldn’t choke on them. Saute for 1-2 minutes.

– Add the Alfredo sauce. You absolutely can make your own, but I was making dinner at 8pm (I don’t know why, but I was) and it was the easy way for this meal. Combine well.

– Add the cheese and mix well. Turn down to low heat.

– Let simmer for 2-3 minutes while you drain the pasta. Rinse pasta in warm water.

– Add pasta to the sauce. Evenly coat the pasta with the sauce.

– Remove from heat and allow to set for 5-10 minutes for the sauce to thicken.

– Serve. Garnish with more green onions or cheese if desired.

Serves approximately 6

Store any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.

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August 1, 2014 by Krista

{Printable} How To Pack a School Lunch

Hey! Thanks for stopping by today!

Are you in a lunch rut? Do you wish the kids could pack their own lunches? Me too!

Whether you’re packing lunches for your kids to take to school, the hubby to take to work or even if you are prepping lunches at home, it’s easy to get stuck in a lunch rut. While my husband would be just fine with eating sandwiches every day, I am not. And neither are most of my kids!

Do you want:

An easy way to vary your lunch routine, without having to do extensive meal planning?
The kids could pack their own nutritious lunches? Not just junk and sweets?
Ideas for lunch and snack time for your kids that are still at home with you during the day?

You need my How to Pack a School Lunch printable! It does all of those things!

Just click the yellow button below and download your high resolution printable! You’ll be sent to the download page where you can save and print it as many times as you need to.

How To Pack A School Lunch Cheat Sheet Printable

MAKE SCHOOL LUNCHES A SNAP

Can your kids read? If so, they can pack their own lunch with the How to Pack a School Lunch printable.

Just choose one item from at least three of the boxes and you’ve got the makings of a great lunch. We have a rule that the treat box doesn’t count as one of the three items – it’s a bonus!

Keep the printable in the sandwich bag drawer, on the inside of the cupboard or even on the fridge so everyone can find it easily. Soon, the whole family will be packing their own lunches with just a quick look at the ideas in each box.

We use this printable ALL. THE. TIME. My kids get themselves lunch and it isn’t one more thing that is on my to-do-list every day. It’s the perfect way to add some variety to lunches that can get boring quickly so you provide nutritious lunches for your family without a lot of effort.

Cute and easy to use, the How to Pack a School Lunch printable isn’t just for school lunches either! Use it when you’re scrambling to get lunch for your {picky} toddler or yourself too!

Did you get your printable copy? Get it now!

Now you’ve got lunch covered, but what about those busy morning breakfasts? Click the photos below or the next arrow to see some delicious grab-and-go options. Make them on a Sunday afternoon and breakfast is covered for the whole week! After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, even on the days you are running late!

What are your favorite sight word apps or other educational apps?

You need my How to Pack a School Lunch printable! It does all of those things!

MAKE SCHOOL LUNCHES A SNAP

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