Super fun, Super cool! homeschool helper!!

I'm really excited to share a link with you all today! You probably know I home-school my children. You may not know however that my oldest son has real difficulty retaining information if there is no tactile stimulation WITH the lesson being taught. He needs it the most, but ALL my children enjoy hands on learning. So I enjoy trying to find ways to give them that tactile response. We have done snack counting activities and crafty learning projects. They're fun, but consumable, which can get expensive when you need it every single time you teach. Sometimes it can be hard to find things that are really useful, and reusable! But this is a project you are going to love!

This is my oldest son, Jon Jr., using cookie cutters to practice spelling.

Holly over at Ches Beeper Bebe has a tutorial, complete with pattern, for counting bean bags! You can find it Here.

these number bags are simply backed with pretty fabric

I think these are great because you can play all kinds of games with them, AND practice math. There are different styles too, one style has a "picture" showing an amount on one side and the other side has the corresponding number. Another mama, Laura from Chicken Counting, did letter bags! You can see her article Here. These can be used for phonics, letter recognition and basic spelling words, as well as games! If you made additional letters you could even take it up to more advanced spelling!

letter bags using natural color fabric and hand drawn letter appliques

This is such a cool idea! The best part is it gives you a way to use up all your super tiny fabric scraps! They are called bean bags, but you can fill them with whatever you have. I plan to add herbs to the filling to make them scented! (Just because I like things that smell good) One more tip I have is for parents of  children who respond well to tactile response. If you make these with lots of different fabric textures the tactile response will be even greater! Your children will have so much fun looking at all the different colors and feeling the many textures of the bags and letters! The hardest part will be letting them go when you no longer need them! The greatest part is, if you use scrap fabrics replacement letters or numbers can always be made. (For those of us who have houses that eat our favorite toys school supplies.) I'm off to dig up some scraps and make some bean bags!

¹⁴"And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful."
Titus 3:14

Blessings to you and yours,
Staci