Book Recommendation: Games for Writing by Peggy Kaye

This is one from the archives that I wanted to endorse again. We follow a copy/dictation/from-memory writing plan.  On Fridays, we've been using a game from this book for Elizabeth's writing lesson, just to mix things up a bit. She is always so excited when it's a "Games for Writing" day!  Parents, I highly recommend this book, especially if you have a hesitant writer in your family and even if you don't.  I'd be happy to lend this book to you if you're local and want to check it out!

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October, 2010

I bought this book last year because it was recommended somewhere. I enjoyed using the activities a little here and there, but didn't get into it much.

Last week, I was thinking our writing routine was getting a little monotonous and returned to Games for Writing. We played two games this week and E wrote up a storm! One reason these games have been fun, is her current writing level: she knows how to form all of the letters (though not always in the correct orientation!) and has attempted a little writing and invented spelling on her own, outside "school time." As her teacher, I picked a couple of games I thought might really get her going.

For the record, this is a book full of fun activities you could do with a child in school; it's not a homeschoolers book or part of any curriculum. Many of the games grew out of a desire to inspire kids who hated writing and is geared toward children in Kindergarten through third grade.

I'm sure you're wondering, so here are the two games we played this week!

1. A Race of Words - Race the child to write as many words as they can naming things in the room in 10 minutes. You can give the child a head start and she suggests a scoring system.
2. Do it! - Take turns writing down something for the other to do, and then they have to do it! For example: jump up and down three times, crawl around the table like a crab, go up the stairs and slide down, etc. (Both of these games are writing, NOT spelling, activities.)

I think the games in this book for after the child already knows his letters and can do a little writing are more fun than the "getting started" ideas. That's not a fault of the book, just a personal observation; I'm mostly excited to see my girl writing!

And why not let it be fun?

Reading

My daughter is almost six-and-a-half and really beginning to read.

This is SO MUCH FUN!

As our first child, she's our first reader, which adds to the excitement. Oh the possibilities that open us to us when we learn to read!

What I've learned over the last year and a half:

Learning to read takes a lot of work;

teaching someone to read takes a lot of patience.

This book has helped me to take it all in stride and let Elizabeth learn at her own pace.

These books really got E started confidently reading whole books:

Now we're going to try to read all of the Beginning Readers that the library has to offer!

Teaching someone to read is cheap! There's really no need for bells and whistles. BOB books are inexpensive. Using purchased or homemade flash cards are great for practicing sight words or word families. (I did a group of 5 - 10 most weeks throughout last year.) And the library has lots and lots of books - it's kind of their thing.

Keep reading good wholesome books TO your child, as well. This book is a good resource for quality, age-appropriate literature for the whole family!

Time for a cup of coffee and some personal reading time while the kids rest!

Time to Process & Let's Pray!

Wow, what a weekend!

My mind is swimming with all the information acquired. The short story is that we were all spurred on in Christ (spiritually filled and up-lifted) and also taught brilliant strategies for improving our speaking and writing.

Sally and Me

I have a better understanding of Sally Clarkson's goals and desires for MomHeart ministries and look forward to attending one of her conferences in the future. (The one closest to Pittsburgh is in NC in the spring - who's coming with me?! There are others in TX and CA. Contact me for more info.)

Our time together could not have been more bathed in prayer or better designed. Seriously. I'm sure they'll make improvements for future Leadership Intensive Trainings, but I was in no way disappointed!

Given that the weekend was so full and so beneficial, I need time to process my thoughts before I do anymore blogging about it. Right now I'm thinking about starting a series of posts about what was taught, who spoke, what I learned, etc. What do you think? Please post any specific questions in the comments.

For now, I need to go spend some time with or Good God. I feel a renewed energy to pray: for my kids, for our marriage, for my neighbors, and for old and new friends. Will you join me?

With God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26b

Let's see what our Great and Loving Father will do in, through, and around us. I'm pretty sure His plans are better than anything we can come up with, even on our best day!