Preparing to Head Back-to-School

This time of year for families with school aged kids can easily be described as something just short of chaotic. It’s the time of year where you need to prepare the kids to head back into the classroom while you figure out how to facilitate managing lunches, schedules and more! How will you handle it all in the fall? Let us know at the Math Blaster blog and check out our tips for preparing yourself and the kids for the new school year.

Photo by: US Department of Education

Here are our top tips for staying on top of the back to school season:

Pick up the supplies: Your kids will need new gear before hitting the classroom. From clothing or uniform items to classroom supplies and the like, make sure you have a list from the school outlining the necessities. After all, you won’t want to go overboard with the shopping if you have a strict budget to maintain.

Plan out the meals: The key to having healthy meals for each day and kid in your household for that matter is by preparing ahead of time. Cook and pack meals during the weekend. - separating them into container for each day of the week (if you go by this route, make sure not to let anything sit for too long to avoid spoiling).

Create a family schedule: Once the kids are back in school, you’re going to have to coordinate pick up and drop off times. While doing this, it might also be helpful to research extra curricular activities that they might be interested in. That way if they are stuck on campus later in the day, you can plan accordingly or figure out the most efficient way to get then to and from off-site events.

Sharpen their skills: Have them get back into the swing of things in regard to their education by challenging them to play learning games or complete free learning resources like worksheets or activities that will make learning fun, interactive, and most of all effective. Swing by MathBlaster.com to find ones that fit their interests.There are a ton of great finds waiting for you at our Cool Math page!

Kitchen Math: Back-to-School Breakfast Recipes

Some say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So there is no better time than those mornings before school to get your kids brains moving and ready for action. Invite your little ones to employ their math skills in the kitchen by helping gyou prepare breakfast. Between calculating quantities, measuring ingredients and more, math plays a vital role in cooking for a full household. Here’s a quick recipe to help get you started -

Quick smoothie recipes
Kicking off the morning with a fruit-filled smoothie with energy generating ingredients and lean protein options can be a great way to start your day. In addition to your oatmeal, pancakes, cereal or other breakfast foods, try blending up this quick and easy smoothie recipe!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie (serves 2)
1 ripe banana
1 ½ cups frozen strawberries
3 tablespoons almond butter
¼ cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups soy milk

Have the kids calculate the amount of ingredients needed according to the number of people in your home and then have them measure them out accordingly before you blend them together. Its a delicious way of incorporating education into everyday routines! Best of all, this recipe was borrowed from JumpStart.com, so be sure to visit the site for more delicious smoothie and breakfast ideas!

Linking Icequakes and Earthquakes

How much do you know about icequakes? The terminology is not nearly as common to hear as ‘earthquakes,’ but in fact the two have some undeniable links. In its most basic form, icequakes or frost quakes are the breaking up on large frozen masses like ice sheets, glaciers and the like. So what does this all mean and how are these things linked? Read on to learn more!

Recent studies have linked the high impact 2010 Chilean earthquakes to noticeable changes in Antarctica in the form of these ice quakes. What makes the link between this case of earthquakes and subsequent icequakes is the 3,000 mile between the two areas. Not Studies since the 8.8 earthquake in 2010 have revealed that the ice in Antarctica is vulnerable to seismic waves even originating from remote locations.

This ripple effect can be explained to young learners through basic cause and affect principles. Learning about links like these can help them understand how science and the environment work through interlocking systems. Ultimately when one major even like high magnitude earth quakes occur, they can still have repercussions thousands of miles away.

Share this bit of knowledge with your kids to spark their interest in science!

Kick Off Summer in BIG Ways!

The official start of summer is upon us! Kick off the start of the season with these amazing family activities that will invite the kids to enjoy some of the season’s most popular offers in outdoor activities.After all, there is no better time than now to start planning for the season ahead! Are you ready for the first day of summer?

Photo by: Deb

Sidewalk Chalk Art Show - invite your kids and their friends to throw their very own art show by using the sidewalk as their canvas. Buy a selection of washable sidewalk chart and assign them areas to decorate. You can plan a simple BBQ or neighborhood block party to celebrate their work!

Water works - Visit the beach, a local pool or even a water park to splash around and beat the heat. Remember to bring the proper tools to protect the kids skin from the summer sun. For younger kids, the start of summer is the perfect time to learn to swim. After all this skill is of immeasurable value if your family finds itself around water often.

Craft some garden ornaments - Settle into the great outdoors by grabbing the kids to decorate a space to call their own in the yard or garden. From homemade bird feeders and the like, these cute creations are ones that you are sure to cherish for seasons to come.

Park Games - Plan a sports day for the kids and their friends to compete in a few fun and festive activities under the sun. You might even plan a picnic or BBQ to make sure that everyone is fed and hydrated throughout the day’s festivities.

 

Worksheet of the Week

Percentage Printable – Percentage Worksheet for Kids - Math Blaster

Worksheet of the Week

memorial-day-count-and-circle

Prepare for National Teacher Day!

May 6th is National Teacher Day! How will you be celebrating? Recognize the important roles and contributions that your teacher makes by thanking them for all of their hard work. Here are some ideas to get you started on thinking about how you and your Blaster can thank a teacher.

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From DIY thank you cards to small gifts, your Cadet can show their teacher that they appreciate their dedication to education on National Teacher Day! For more inspiration on gift ideas for teacher, visit our Pinterest page and share your favorite ideas with us below!

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