Jeanie1 Sandra Nardoni is a home educating adoptive mother of three. Sandra mentors adoptive homeschoolers who are struggling to teach children with attachment issues and severe behaviors. You can visit her site at www.adoptioncounts.com/blog View all articles | Contact author

Hands On Learning Tips and Tricks--3 Surefire Ways to Facilitate Learning Without Tears!

1.  If you need to learn beginning and ending sounds, cut some 3x5 cards in half, write the beginning sounds on one set and the ending sounds on the other.  Then, get a dowel rod and tie a string with a magnet on the end to it.  Put paper clips on the cards and go "fishing" for sounds.  Catch a "fish" from each pile and put the sounds together.  You can do the same thing with math facts, science facts, or whatever-- and they love it!  Plus, they don't have to write, which is hard for most kids under six anyway.

Even my nearly twelve year old son complained the other day that the younger kids get to do the fun stuff.  When I asked him what he felt he was missing out on, he said he didn't ever get to go fishing!  Tomorrow, I'll be letting the kids fish for facts about the solar system and matching them to the correct planet.  Very fun!

2.  Having a hard time drilling spelling words?  Try this--

Have your child stand in front of a blackboard or whiteboard facing away from you and toward the board.  Slowly "write" a spelling word on his back with your finger.  See if he can guess what letters you are writing and write them on the board at the same time.  Pretty soon he'll be spelling like a pro and you will be celebrating the lack of tears!

3.  Sensory integration disorder can really throw a wrench in learning.  We have discovered starting the day with a sensory activity can help kids adjust to their day and be ready for the "hard stuff" when it's time to start.  Set a timer for 20 minutes and let your sensory challenged child play before she starts her reading or math lesson.  Here are some suggestions--

Play Dough

Moon Sand (available at Target and Walmart)

A bowl of popcorn seeds or rice

A sink full of clean water

Give them cup measures,  bowls and other fun stuff to pour with and BE SURE TO SET THE TIMER!!! (A Time Timer is the best kind of timer.  You can get one at timetimer.com.)

Want to know more?  Register for my Hands On Learning Explosion Workshop and walk away with 3 hands on tools you make yourself during the workshop that you can use right away to help with homework or motivate learning in your homeschool.  Two dates are available--register here.