Different set of keys

Away from home
I will be helping a good friend of mine over this long weekend. There will be no blog post tomorrow. The next blog post will be on Wednesday 02 May. Take the time to enjoy this long weekend with your little one :)

Let's pencil it

Handwriting letters
Teaching children to write and write neatly can be challenging. Nowadays, everything has gone electronic. I am still all for the pencil and paper when it comes to handwriting. Pencil grip is so important. It is time to get out the Fine Motor Box (remember the Pipe cleaner Worms?) and grab any cute pencil, let the handwriting fun begin! But where to start? (Thank you for the Happy Handwriters article on the names for the letters) In the following order, learn:












At Counting Stars, I offer Handwriting. If your little one is struggling with this concept, please include Handwriting as part of your chosen package. Please email me on: countingstarstutoring@gmail.com

Happy writing! :)

What Season are we in?

Seasons in Afrikaans
On the Elke Dag Afrikaans tab, it is on Seisoene van die jaar. Seasons are a great topic to discuss with your little one. Keep the understanding of the Seasons visual for young learners. A great way to teach this is to use clothing. A good way to do this would be: Can we wear a scarf in Summer? Which of these items of clothing can we only wear in Winter? Go over the Seasons then in English then Afrikaans. For older learners (ages 8 to 9) use different examples of how trees change to indicate the change in season. Have a look at the tab for a poster that you can place on the classroom wall (poster 1) and then a copy that students can place in their files (Poster 2).


Gelukkige leer! :)

Find the number

Number Charts
Number charts are an important part of learning for your little one. It is important to keep two number charts. One to be kept in their learning file and another to have up on a wall/fridge.

Number charts are important because:
* Help little ones visualize where a number is on a chart
* Helps them understand where the numbers are in terms of which numbers are bigger or smaller than others
* Number charts can help with simple calculation such as moving forward spaces from numbers (adding) or moving back by a certain number of spaces (subtracting)
* Helps understand placement value
* Helps with reading numbers as we say them e.g. 2 and a 5 next to it is read as the number 25



* Recognise number patterns
* Assists with counting by a certain number more easily e.g. Count in 10's from 35 to 55
* If a number chart has missing numbers, filling in the missing numbers helps encourage counting and helps with Skip Counting
* Great a guessing game with a number. E.g. I am thinking of a number between 0 - 10 but it is bigger than 5 but smaller than 9. What is my number?
* Make a guessing game with just giving the value of a number e.g. The unit is a 6, what is the number? So it could be any of the following numbers: 16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86 or 96

Click under the Numeracy Development section for a simple number chart that can be used.

If you don't want to use the chart, remember to find a chart that is simple and not too many colours. The focus needs to be on the practical use of numbers.

Happy counting! :)

Delicious dinner idea

Cottage Pie
As the weather is turning colder, I thought I would put together a simple, warm and delicious dinner you can make with your little one. Any recipe that finishes with topped grated and melted cheese is awesome in my books. Below is my recipe for Cottage Pie:







INGREDIENTS:
500g Ground beef mince
8 potatoes, peeled and quartered
x1 Tomato and onion mix
250g Frozen peas
100g Cheddar cheese, grated
Touch of milk
Touch of butter
Oil

WHAT TO DO:
1. Heat the oil in the pot and cook the mince until brown. Add the frozen peas, tomato and onion mix, allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
2. In another pot, fill half the pot with water. Once the water has come to a rapid boil, add the peeled and quartered potatoes. Cook the potatoes for 25 minutes, so until firm
3. Add the touch of milk and butter to the potatoes and mash until smooth.
4. In a glass dish, add the mince mixture and top with the mashed potatoes. Top the mash with the cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for 10 minutes
5. Once the cheese is bubbling, remove from the oven and serve hot

Happy cooking!