Family Friendly Fun at Busch Gardens Tampa

Disclosure - I was provided free tickets to visit Busch Gardens Tampa with my family as part of a Busch Gardens Ambassador program with Mom Central. All experiences of the park and opinions are my own. 

I LOVE living in Florida. With so much sun and warm weather we have countless opportunities for family fun in the outdoors. One of our favorite family pastimes is visiting theme parks.  FL has so many outdoor attractions to choose from. There's something to do at every turn but our little family loves a good thrill. Nothing provides a better thrill than a theme park adventure. One of our favorite amusement park destinations is Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. 

If you've never been to Busch Gardens or haven't visited in a while, you are missing out on a good time for the whole family. I'll be honest and say that I hadn't been to Busch Gardens in a few years and my girls had never been to Busch Gardens Tampa. As a family we had visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg while on vacation a few years ago and had a great time so we were excited to explore the park closer to home. 

With summer vacation officially underway we thought it would be wonderful to head out for a weekend road trip on a Busch Gardens Tampa adventure.

The Lil Divas were super excited to get on all the rides, see the sights and shows and just enjoy an awesome theme park day. We were not disappointed! There is so much to do at Busch Gardens Tampa and the girls, at 7 and 8 years old, were at an ideal age/height to ride almost everything. 

There are tons of attractions at Busch Gardens Tampa. I'll share some of our favorite rides and shows with you from our visit.  

I LOVE roller coasters so I made sure I rode as many as I could! I was disappointed that Falcon's Fury wasn't open yet as originally scheduled. I had been looking forward to riding it - next time for sure! I did get to ride the Scorpion, Cheetah Hunt, Gwazi, Kumba, SheiKra and Montu. The thrill seeker in me was so happy - I was plunging, looping, twisting & turning to my hearts content. 

The Lil Divas couldn't get on all the roller coasters (that was mommy's terrain for the day!) but they were able to ride a few and there were lots of other kid friendly attractions for them to explore like Treetop Trails a 3-story family play area perfect for kids (and kids at heart) to climb, crawl and explore to their hearts content. Once we were able to pry them from that play area we had a great time riding the Wild Surge, the Jungle Flyers, Air Grover, Congo River Rapids and the Tanganyika Tidal Wave to name a few of our favorites. 

For little ones, Sesame Street's Safari of Fun is definitely a part of the park you do not want to miss. There are rides, a splash pad, a tree house,  character meet & greets, shows and lots of fun playground areas that will undoubtedly thrill your Sesame Street fans. 

What I love about Busch Gardens is that even if you're not into thrill rides, there is so much to see. It really is fun for people of all ages. There are some wonderful animal habitats/exhibits, shows and opportunities for up-close encounters with amazing animals (additional fees are applicable). 

It was truly a wonderful day for the whole family

at Busch Gardens Tampa!

Wishing you lots of summer fun & adventures,

Bern

Ocean, Sea and Beach Themed Crafts for Kids {The Sunday Showcase 6/28/14}

Summer is a wonderful time to explore an ocean, sea or beach theme with children. There are so many wonderful creatures to learn about. For this week's Sunday Showcase I thought it would be fun to share some Ocean, Sea and Beach Themed Activities that caught my eye in last week's Sunday Showcase.

Click any of the links below for the full post and how-to's 

on these Outdoor Activities for Kids shared on last week's linky.

20 Sea Animal Crafts

(There's Just One Mommy)

Ocean Slime

(Buggy and Buddy)

Beach Books for Summer

(The Jenny Evolution)

Icy Ocean Sensory Play

(Little Bins for Little Hands)

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Here are a few of our favorite Ocean, Sea and Beach themed posts:

Beach & Ocean Books for K thru 2nd Grade

Shaving Cream Marbleized Sea Horse

Easy Handprint Fish

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Looking for more ideas?

Don't forget to peruse our Pinterest Board -

Ocean, Sea and Beach Themed Fun Pinterest Board

I love pinning awesome ideas from around the web for my girls to try.

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Now it's your turn to share!

Do you have fun Patriotic Activity ideas to share? 

Please share them with me in the linky, 

by commenting below or by visiting our Facebook page. 

Be sure to link up your child centered ideas while you're here.

I love to see what everyone is doing.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

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The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

JDaniel4's Mom

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links 
& our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

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Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Learning on the Go: Educational Apps for Kids

As part of my Summer Learning Series I am sharing some of my favorite educational apps for kids that are perfect for learning on the go. I know how hard it is to fit in learning time when there are playdates, outings and vacations galore during summer. 

One of the ways we fit in some learning into busy days is by letting the Lil Divas spend some time using educational apps during car trips. It's an easy way to practice reading, math skills and more when there is little time for formal practice. The best part is since they are "playing" on the iPad it feels like a game or a treat and I never hear a groan of complaint. 

The apps shared below are some of our personal faves. Remember that your child's preferences may be different. I'm sharing some of our tried and true educational apps in the hopes that you may find them useful as well. 

Teach Me (cost = $1.99) - There are various apps: Teach Me Kindergarten, Teach Me 1st Grade, Teach Me 2nd Grade, Teach Me Third Grade and my personal fave for working on "mental math" Teach Me Math Facts. We had the Kindergarten and First Grade version and this summer I downloaded the 2nd grade and 3rd grade versions (those are the grades the Lil Divas will be entering this fall) and they have been a hit. The Oldest Diva is using it to work on multiplication and the Littlest Diva is working on her math facts. They like collecting coins (for correct responses) to spend at the store. The older versions had stickers to build scenes. The latest versions we downloaded have even more rewards including stretchy shaped bands and fun photo props. Each app includes some sight word, spelling and math review making it well worth the $1.99 investment. 

Splash Math (FREE or $9.99 for full version) - There are various free apps available (Kindergarten thru Grade 5) as well as a full version which is wonderful: Splash Math Kindergarten, Splash Math 1st Grade, Splash Math 2nd Grade, Splash Math 3rd Grade, Splash Math 4th Grade and Splash Math for Grades 1 thru 5. The full version allows for lots more play. The app has the ability to assign your child tasks and it even emails progress reports so you are informed of how your child is doing. It's great for identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses as you see you're child's progress on certain tasks or topics.

Starfall Learn to Read ($2.99) - If you have spent anytime on Starfall.com then you know children become engrossed in it. The app is no different. Zac the Rat will take your emerging reader on a reading adventure with engaging activities, songs and movies. I use the website as part of my Reading Centers in the classroom and find the app great for "on the go" learning.

Phonics Fun (FREE) - This app is great for beginning readers. There are lots of free versions of this app that cover a multitude of phonics topics: Phonics Fun 1, Phonics Fun 2, Phonics Fun 3, Phonics Fun 4 are great for reviewing letter sounds in young learners. The apps get more complex with each level thru 10 - reviewing beginning sounds, short and long vowels, spelling, word families, blends and more. 

Rocket Speller (FREE or a Plus version with more words for $2.99) - A fun and engaging way to practice spelling skills. The first few levels are easy and provide the letters needed to spell the word. The levels get harder requiring the letters be put in the order and spelling longer words (up to 10 letter words). Players spell words to fuel a spaceship and collect rocket pieces. This one is suitable for multiple ages due to the levels of difficulty. 

BrainPop Jr. Movie of the Week (FREE) - The Lil Divas love watching BrainPop movies and they learn so much information from them. I use the BrainPop Jr. website in my classroom as a supplement to our curriculum on a regular basis so I'm a big fan. The movies cover topics in science, social studies, health, math, reading & writing and arts & technology. 

Do you have any apps that your children or students enjoy using? I'd love for you to share them with me. I'm always looking for fun apps to add to my learning arsenal.

More learning on the go ideas by my series co-hosts:

Take a Reading Road Trip
(Home Literacy Blueprint)

20+ Fun Games to Play in the Car
(Lalymom)

Audio Books for Kids
(Busy Kids = Happy Mom)

Have fun learning on the go!

Bern

Fostering Social and Emotional Development at Home {Get Ready for K Through Play}

I am excited to bring back the Get Ready for K Through Play series. This summer, I am being joined by 7 other bloggers and we will be sharing 6 weeks of posts centered around helping you get your child ready for kindergarten in fun, easy ways. 

This week we are focusing on Social and Emotional Readiness. Last year, I touched on these topics by sharing my top 5 Social Skills for Kindergarten Readiness and ideas on how to help your child Develop Kindergarten Language Skills. 

When parents think of Kindergarten Readiness they almost always focus on academic skills. While knowing the alphabet, being able to identify shapes and colors, count to 20 and being able to write their name are important and will greatly benefit your incoming kindergartener - to me, they actually aren't the most important things. 

Gasp! Did I just say that? Yes, I did. Do you want to know why? A child who doesn't know those things will learn them during their year in kindergarten. Most kindergarten classes start at the beginning and help your child build a solid foundation (unless they are in a more advanced class). Kindergarten is filled with so much learning and it happens in leaps and bounds. We take children who may not know all their letters and sounds and turn them into beginning readers in our 180 days together. (Ok, not all children learn at the same speed so some may not be reading by the end of kindergarten but on average most of them will.)

In my experience as a teacher, what makes the biggest difference is a child's social and emotional development. 

When a child can:
1. Participate in a structured class schedule
2. Follow directions
3. Work cooperatively with others
4. Express themselves without resorting to being physical 
5. Adjust to new situations and environments appropriately

They are able to learn and that makes a huge difference in the classroom.

How can you nurture and encourage your child's social and emotional development so that they will be successful in the classroom?

1. Provide structure or some sort of daily routine at home this summer. It doesn't have to be rigid. You don't have to account for every minute like we do in the classroom but there should be a schedule they can identify with and count on. For example,

8:00 - 9:00 Breakfast and Get Dressed
9:00 - 9:30 Activity Time (something you have set-up & they must complete)
9:30 - 10:00 Free Time
10:00 - 12:00 Outdoor Activity
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch 
1:00 - 2:00  Reading Time & Extension Activity
2:00 - 2:30  Quiet Time Activity

Please keep in mind - this is merely an example of a possible schedule. You will have to come up with something that works for you and your child. It doesn't have to be adhered to rigidly each day.  I know it's summertime and there are day trips, vacations, play dates and fun to be had. I'm doing all of those things with my girls to. It's important for children to play and socialize. Just know that it will help your child make the adjustment to being in a structured classroom all day when they begin kindergarten if they have had some experience with following a schedule in their day. School is all about schedules. We follow the same schedules all day, every day, all year.  

2. Provide opportunities for social contact with children of the same age. This is a big one! It touches on so many important skills - learning to make friends, working cooperatively with others, taking turns, sharing and figuring out how to regulate their behavior (talking versus hitting, thinking of the feelings of others, etc).  Head out on play dates, take a trip to the library during story hour, hit the park on a sunny morning and/or visit a splash pad to beat the heat. While you're out enjoying summer, encourage your child to venture out of their comfort zone and meet a new friend, invite a child to play with them or simply strike up a conversation with a nearby child. Many children do these things on their own but some may need encouragement.  It will help them adjust to meeting so many new faces in kindergarten. A child who can play well with others will be able to work cooperatively in the classroom.  

Don't worry if your child appears shy or even anxious at first - it's normal. The more opportunities your provide for them to practice their social skills, the easier it will become for them. Your child's teacher will help the students in his/her care get to know each other over the first few weeks of school.  It's always helpful if as parents, we provide them with the tools they need. You are your child's first and most important teacher.

3. Provide your child with age-appropriate chores. Teach your child to take care of their belongings and encourage them to help with common household tasks. A few age-appropriate tasks include:
- helping set the table
- helping clear the table
- matching socks after the laundry is complete
- dusting
- help in the care and feeding of pets
- make their bed
- straighten up their room and/or play room daily
- sweep or vacuum (you'd be surprised how much kids love doing this!)

Doing these things at home encourages their independence. This is important once your child begins school because we nurture and foster their independence from the beginning.  It also encourages a sense of community ownership which is crucial in the classroom. As a kindergarten teacher I quickly establish in my classroom that it will take teamwork to keep things tidy, organized and available for everyone. Finally, having and completing chores will help your child be able to follow simple directions in the classroom. A child who is unable to follow directions not only disrupts the overall flow of the classroom but also impedes learning - both their own and the learning of those around them.  

For more info on children and chores read our Wk 3 post - Foster a Child's Independence with Chores at Home.

You'd be surprised at how doing these 3 simple things at home will positively impact your child's transition to kindergarten. A child who is socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten = a student who is ready to learn.

More ideas on how to help your child be socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten by my Get Ready for K Through Play co-hosts:

Get Ready for Kindergarten by Playing School

(Coffee Cups and Crayons)

(Here Come the Girls)

Kindergarten Social and Emotional Intelligence

(Mamasmiles)

Help Kids Deal with Hurtful Comments

(Mess for Less)

Preparing for School: Visual Timetables

(Rainy Day Mum)

Cooperation Colors: A Cooperation Game

(The Pleasantest Thing)

(Toddler Approved)

Be sure to follow the Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board for even more ideas from around the web to help you get your child ready for K in playful and easy ways. 

Bern

Patriotic Books, Crafts and Recipes {The Sunday Showcase 6/21/14}

The 4th of July is just round the corner. 

How will you be celebrating our nation this year?

We always enjoy whipping up a few crafts and treats in honor of our country.

Here are a few Patriotic Crafts 

that caught my eye in last week's Sunday Showcase.

Click any of the links below for the full post and how-to's 

on these Outdoor Activities for Kids shared on last week's linky.

Patriotic Paper Plate Hat

(Tutus & Tea Parties)

Patriotic Sequin Bowls

(Enchanted Homeschooling Mom)

American Flag Bead Pin

(Rock-a-bye Parents)

Galaxy Play Dough

(Munchkins and Moms)

For even more ideas check out this

  4th of July Round-up 

(Play 2 Learn with Sarah)

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Here are a few of our favorite Patriotic Posts:

Whip up a Flag Fruit Kabob Snack - it's always a hit!

How about enjoying some 4th of July themed books together?

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Looking for more ideas?

Don't forget to peruse our Pinterest Board -

Patriotic 4th of July Pinterest Board

I love pinning awesome ideas from around the web for my girls to try.

---------------

Now it's your turn to share!

Do you have fun Patriotic Activity ideas to share? 

Please share them with me in the linky, 

by commenting below or by visiting our Facebook page. 

Be sure to link up your child centered ideas while you're here.

I love to see what everyone is doing.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

JDaniel4's Mom

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links 
& our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

-------------------------------------------------------------

Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up

15 Ideas for Summer Learning at Home

Summer is here which means it's time for parents to keep their kids learning at home now that school is out. It is possible to sneak in learning time amidst all the carefree frolicking and fun and you don't have to be a certified teacher to do it. I promise!

Today, I am kicking off a Summer Learning Series with some of my blogging friends. Over the next 3 weeks we will be bringing you easy, doable and fun ideas for learning at home, learning on the go and learning while on vacation. 

This week I'm excited to share 

Reading Activities

1. Encourage summer reading by enrolling in fun Summer Reading Incentive Programs. 

2. Make reading part of your summer routine with these Top 10 Ways to Get Kids Reading. 

3. Play Sight Word Games - I have 100+ activities pinned on my Sight Word Fun Pinterest Board. 

4. Read Together! Delve into a new series, explore more books featuring favorite characters or read a children's classic together. Time spent reading at home together in invaluable. I have hundreds of book suggestions on my Reading (for kids) Pinterest Board. 

5. Engage children in Phonics Activities that will help them build a solid foundation for reading. I have compiled some great hands-on activities on my Phonics Fun Pinterest Board.

Writing Activities

6. It is equally important to keep children writing over the summer. I'm not stuck on grammar lessons but I am a huge proponent of journaling and exploring different forms of writing (letters, poetry, paragraphs, stories, etc). I have some awesome writing activities on my Kid Writing Ideas Pinterest Board.

7. For younger children it is important to spend time on developing their overall  handwriting skills - forming letters and writing legibly. You'd be surprised at how little time there is to spend on formal handwriting in school. Practicing at home is ideal. 

8. Sneak in some hands-on, active and engaging spelling activities. 

9. Make your own mini books using 1 sheet of paper. Then get creative - write a story, create a comic or become the author of your very own book. 

10.  Make a Summer Scrapbook/Memory Book. Encourage children to write about each picture they include - Where were they? What did they do? Who else was with them? 

Math Activities

11. Grab a beach ball (you can find them at the Dollar Store) and play math games to practice basic math - addition, subtraction, multiplication and number recognition for younger children. 

12. Use a deck of cards to play more math games.

13. Head outside on a hot day and play Water Balloon Number Number Target Practice. 

14. Learn multiplication with these 10 hands-on games.

15. Check out a free Math Website for kids. 

For more Summer Learning at Home ideas 

visit the ideas shared by my series co-hosts: 

Summer Reading: Graph 1000 Minutes!

(Busy Kids = Happy Mom)

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree Activity

(Lalymom)

Summer Learning: Fun, Fast & Fresh

(Home Literacy Blueprint)

Simple Reading Charts for Kids

(Toddler Approved)

Have fun learning at home this summer!

Bern