Here is another video of how I explained the activity to my kids. Essentially, the Function Finder is a "machine" where you put in a number (Input), and then it spits out another number (Output) according to a Rule (can be given or unknown for the child to figure out). Even for me, it is still neat to see a different number come out from the one you put in! The two variations for this activity include:

1. Given: Input and Rule // Unknown: Output (easier)
2. Given: Input and Output // Unknown: Rule 

I love that this tool can be used to practice multiple subjects. For Math, you can use it to practice counting with one to one correspondence, subitizing, solving math facts, finding patterns, etc. For Language Arts, you can use it to work on phonics, such as identifying beginning sounds, or even identifying parts of speech.

Below are different examples of how I used it with my preschooler and first grader.

Full disclosure, I am still trying to work in the time to blog more. If you are interested in learning more about other activities I do with my kids, please follow me on Instagram or Facebook.

Thanks!! 

Wow, thank you for still reading! As I wrap things up, I just wanted to leave a final note about environmental print. These are the eye-catching wall decorations and reference materials you often see set up in classrooms. When I first started teaching, I had visions of how amazing my classroom space would, and my walls were COVERED in this vision. However, I soon learned, brain-based research found that having unnecessary “visual distractions” in the classroom environment was not only NOT helpful to student learning but could be counterproductive. That is not to say all environmental print is bad. Resources that reinforce new skills and concepts your child is learning can be a great help. However, keep in mind that some drawbacks of environmental print include distracting children and causing them to become off task and offering too much scaffold by helping them in areas where they do not need help. While we may see a beautiful surrounding, the child’s growing brain might only see a lot of distraction and clutter. Here are some tips when deciding what environmental print to put up in your learning space.

• Less is more: Only put up what is relevant and necessary. Avoid putting up information about things they already know (e.g., the alphabet and numbers if they have mastered those). You want them to access that information from their brain, not the wall.
• Let Purpose, not Aesthetics, determine your choices. Remember the resources are there to HELP your child build a stronger understanding of concepts. They are not there to give them all the answers, nor are they there to simply make the space look pretty.
• Not sure? Check In and see if your child references and uses these resources. If not, take them down.
• Add as you go. Think of it as an ongoing project. If you are not sure what to put up, follow your teacher’s lead. Best things to add are materials the teacher gives you, so that you are using the same references to reinforce their learned skills and concepts. Also consider just printing out the teacher’s materials and keeping them in a file folder. This can actually be more helpful for your child’s learning, while making things easier for you.
• Avoid placing visuals directly in front of their sight line. Place them to the side, so your children will only access them when needed.

You Got This!!
It's been a week of distance learning for us, and I would be lying if I said it has been all smooth sailing. However, what has been helpful is reminding myself things are not fixed. All of this is new territory for everyone, teachers included. When something is not working or feeling unnecessarily stressful, I try to think of what changes I can make to help things go more smoothly. I admittedly am coming at this from a place of privilege, where we have the flexibility and resources to make these modifications. My heart goes out to everyone out there who is struggling. While I definitely don't have all the answers, if you're ever needing someone to spitball some ideas, feel free to shoot me an email, and I would be happy to talk about some ideas with you! Good Luck!!  

Pencils
Erasers 
Scissors
Glue Stick
Dry Erase Markers
Highlighters: cute and regular 
“Erasable” Rainbow Gel Pens
Notebooks: college ruled and wide ruled 
Composition Books: wide ruled and primary (3 lines) 
Twistable Colors: Crayons  and Colored Pencils 
Markers 
Colored Pencils  and Watercolor Pencils                
Crayola Crayons + Markers + Colored Pencils Pack 
Construction Paper 
 
For all the parents finding themselves becoming home teaching assistants this fall, I highly recommend you look into these items as well:
Paper Cutter 
Pencil Sharpener 
Sheet Protectors 
File Folders 
Laminator  (don’t forget  pouches  )
5 in 1 Laminator/ Trimmer/Corner Rounder 

Okay! So with all that tech stuff out of the way, Let’s move onto organization. Although our home learning space is designed to be portable, I still felt it was important to keep everything organized, consistent, and functional. I was pleasantly surprised with how many things I could store in the table cart. I love that all of my daughter’s school workbooks, notebooks, and materials are easily accessible, literally right under her nose! This picture is pretty self-explanatory, but I wanted to share some additional details for the organizers I used and how everything is arranged.

​Choosing to use the living room as a homeschool space came with its set of challenges. First and foremost, I wanted to still be able to use it as a living room. I did not want to have it taken over as a classroom. Because of this, I needed furniture and technology that would let us set up a functional learning space when we needed it, then easily convert back to a living room when we did not. Our big splurge was the technology. We decided this was worth the investment for us for a few reasons.

1. We wanted the teachers to be able to see and hear our children clearly, especially in the context of being in a virtual sea of children’s faces.
2. We wanted our children to be able to hear their teachers’ voices as clearly as possible, without having to blast what they were talking about for the whole house to hear.
3. This was equipment both my husband and I could reuse for our work.

Here is a snapshot of the equipment we used, as well as a list of those I would recommend:

* Please note this post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through these links. I only link to products I've used or think will be a helpful resource to you. Thank you for your support. ​

Table Rolling Cart: If you need a portable workspace, I cannot recommend this Table Rolling Cart enough. The materials are sturdy. The storage space is generous and is magnetic if you want to add magnetic organizers. It has a clean, minimalist look. When both sides are propped up, it can easily accommodate at least 2 people.

Chair with Footrest: This Ikea Langur seat is the perfect height for this table. I love that it is made with children in mind, with footrests at two different heights to catch those dangling feet that can sometimes trigger kids to become more distracted.  They are also stackable, which is an added bonus if you are creating a convertible workspace. Please note, the seat cushion, which I would recommend for long periods of sitting, is sold separately.
 
Microphone: This Blue Snowball USB Mic came highly recommended, and we have been pretty happy with it. I like that the “plug and play” feature makes it pretty easy to use, and we felt that the round design, was a little more “user friendly” than a directional mic, that might pick up sound unevenly if children were not facing it correctly. While not an essential tool by any means, this was an important one for us because my daughter speaks quietly, so we didn’t want the teachers misunderstanding what she said or not hear her and think she was not participating. We tried using a headphone with a mic first, but felt the sound quality still sounded muffled, and decided to use an external mic instead.
 
Webcam: We originally were on the fence about getting a webcam. However, I noticed our laptop camera was really wide, and since it was placed in the living room, it captured evverrrything that was happening in the background all the way to the dining room and hallway. This need for more privacy, along with wanting our daughter’s face to look clearer and larger on her teacher’s screen is what made us decide to get the webcam. However, since we hesitated, all the more affordable options were sold out and prices were increased for what was left. My preference was the Logitech C615, which was sold out everywhere, so we ended up buying this Logitech C922 instead. I admit, this is a splurge we made on a late night after a long day of troubleshooting technical difficulties, so our heads were a little loopy, but we have been happy with it. It came with a little tripod that we use instead of mounting it on the laptop, so that our daughter's sight line can be better aligned with the TV.
 
Headphones: Headphones felt like an essential purchase, since our daughter was going to be doing her classes in a shared space without doors. I wanted to get her a cordless one in case her teacher did movement activities with the class. I found these highly rated ones on Amazon. The only issue I had were that we felt the microphone did not sound as clear as we would have liked. We got my son a different set of headphones and prefer these. We like that the on/off is a switch, which was a little easier to use than a button in the headset. 
 
Blue Light Glasses: This purchase is more for peace of mind. I have heard mixed things about whether blue light glasses make a difference. I also know a lot of kids who find it uncomfortable to wear both their headphone AND glasses at the same time. My daughter says it does not bother her, which is interesting because she is very sensitive to how things feel on her skin. I’m not sure if it is because the specific headphones and glasses she has her “fit” better together, but I’m glad it’s not an issue for her. Update: after hearing me talk about the glasses bothering other kids, they now bother her too, so she only wears them occasionally. 
 
External Keyboard: This is actually a keyboard we purchased years ago. I personally find it easier to type on a regular keyboard with a number pad, so I got this one to help my kids learn how to type. The keys can feel chunkier compared to a laptop keyboard, but I like the visual color coding to help the kids find and memorize the keys more easily.
 
Computer Mouse: I really like this mouse for children. The smaller size fits more comfortably in their smaller hands, and I like the standard design and that it has 2 different colored buttons with a scroller.
 
Mouse Pad: Nothing particularly special about this mouse pad except my daughter absolutely LOVES it and thinks it’s so beautiful. So I just wanted to share it in case anyone else appreciates it as much as she does.
 
USB Splitter: Between the microphone, webcam, keyboard, and mouse, the laptop does not have enough USB ports. Something to note is we actually opted to use the laptop instead of the iPad also because we were having trouble connecting the mic, webcam, and television to the iPad. I purchased this USB Hub to connect everything. Having all the cords in one hub also makes it easier to disconnect and connect the laptop when I need to move it off the table.
 
Table Protector: With all the coloring and drawing one does in first grade, I also got some clear place mats to make it easier to keep the white tabletop clean. This was the largest one I found on Amazon. Something to note is I originally got softer silicone ones, but my daughter’s pencil kept poking through the paper. So if you go this route, make sure you get a firm material, such as plastic.  

Who has questions about this distance learning stuff??
 
Last week, my daughter’s teachers held their virtual Back to School night, where they presented the parents with their plan for the year. They thoughtfully asked parents to submit their questions beforehand to ensure they addressed all of them, and could use the additional time for any other questions that come up later. I wanted to share the list of questions I compiled in case it can be helpful for other parents navigating this 2020-2021 school year.  
 
Please use these 20 questions as a starting point. It is a somewhat detailed list, so I would recommend only asking the questions that pertain to your situation, and not bombarding your teacher with irrelevant ones. Hope you enjoy this FREE download! For more updates on Back to School and educational resources, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter. Thanks! 

Whose child is going back to school this week?? 🙋🏻‍♀️

I am already one of those sentimental moms who documents everything, but the first day of school holds a special place in my heart. It hits me with a roller coaster of emotions from the sadness of realizing how fast my child is growing up to the excitement of anticipating all the new things they will be learning. There are MANY great ideas out there, and after scouring Pinterest for the past few years, I have found my four go-to activities for memorializing this special moment. I chose simple activities that require minimal effort because I plan to do them every year. I am a sucker for those time lapse videos where you see the child grow before your eyes and hope to create those kinds of videos and memory books as my children get older. I also appreciate being able to reuse my purchases and having everything on hand without worrying about needing to buy more things or researching new ideas. These activities are also varied enough to make me feel like I’ve captured these memories in thoughtful ways and will be fine if I never go down the Pinterest wormhole of researching First Day of School ideas again. I now present to you how we celebrate my children’s first day of school!

* Please note this post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through these links. I only link to products I've used or think will be a helpful resource to you. Thank you for your support. ​

#1 Reusable Milestone Chalkboard.
I purchased this Back to School chalkboard from Etsy . What I love about this particular one is that the back also has something written out for the last day of school, so it makes for a nice side by side picture at the end of the school year. I opted not to get one that includes the child’s favorite things and stats because I have a Birthday Milestone Chalkboard that includes that information. I like that this keeps things nice and simple without being redundant. I recently purchased another one from the same vendor for my son to maintain the same aesthetic, but I have seen other affordable chalkboard options on Amazon, Target, and Michaels. You can also find editable, printable ones on the Internet like this one. 

#2 Adult “Class Of” Shirt
I think this is so adorable. Definitely triple checked my math to make sure I got the graduation year correct. The idea is to buy an adult size shirt with your child’s graduation year. Take a picture of them wearing the shirt every year until their senior year, when it will hopefully fit just right. This is another one with a lot of different options. I got this one from Amazon for my daughter, and this one for my son. ​

#3 First Day of School Interview
There are different ways to do this one. I created an Interview sheet with questions specifically for the First Day of School. I left off some typical questions like favorite and least favorite subject because I use those questions in my Last Day of School Interview. I was inspired by this touching video a father made of his daughter, so the original idea was to just record the responses on video. However, after thinking about it some more, I thought it would be fun to have a hard copy of the answers and put them in a memory book (I got this binder to store the print outs for the next 12 years).  I really like the idea of documenting my child’s handwriting and drawing over the years too. Feel free to download a FREE copy of my printable and use whichever method works best for you. I am making copies of the same form for every year, so I can have a more direct comparison between the different grades.   

#4 Handprint Keepsake
To create this memento, you need sturdy, decorative paper, so I used leftover scrapbook paper. After you trace and cut out your child’s handprint, have them write their name, age, and grade on the plain (not decorated) side. What you do on the other side is up to you. I decided to paste an inspirational quote. Then I laminate it, hole punch the bottom, and place it on a key ring or binder ring. Add another handprint to the ring each year, and over time, you will see your collection of tiny hands grow into bigger ones. Download a copy of the instructions and some inspirational quotes that I found here.
 
There you have it! My four annual traditions to commemorate the first day of school for my little ones! One question some people ask is “What if I forget and don’t do these activities on the first day of school?” No biggie, do it as soon as you can. Fudge the date if you want that to be correct. This is about making more memories, not about making more stress. I hope this post gave you some ideas for things to do with your littles. If you use any of these ideas, please tag me at @ErinTriesParenting on Instagram or Facebook. I would love to see your back to school shout outs! The world is a mess right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t maintain some consistency and have celebrations. I sincerely wish you and your family the best of luck in navigating the new school year!

The game Bump is usually played as a math game, where you match the sum, product, or numbers to the game board. Players take turns trying to get rid of all of their markers. If another player's marker is already on that spot, you can "bump" it back to the player. If someone lands on that spot twice in a row, they can secure it with two markers, and no other player will be able to take the spot. More detailed directions are in this video below: 

Use Bump to Teach Math AND Reading
Did you know Bump can be easily modified to teach other content areas too? All you need is a dice or Blank Spinner and Blank Bump Game Board. Here are some examples:

• Match Number or quantity (on spinner) to number (on game board).
• Roll 2 Dice and match the sum (add) or product (multiply) on the game board.
• Spin a letter and find the matching letter on the game board. Say the letter sound or a word that starts with that letter to get the point. 
• Write sight words on the spinner. Read the word correctly and find the match on the game board. 
• Match shapes on spinner and game board. 

Fun for ALL Ages
What I love about this game is that it is easily modifiable for different ages to play AT THE SAME TIME. In my video example, you see how my 2 year old identifies letter sound while my 6 year old says a word that starts with the sound. For numbers, the younger child can match numbers while the other child solve equations. Print out this FREE blank template to personalize the game for your own children!