Download - New Year Survival Kit

Fun activities, printables,

and more to help you and

your family get organized

and get on track for the

new year.

NEW Survival KitYear

NEW Survival KitYear

At Education.com, we give parents and teachers the information they need and the ideas they want to bring learning to life.

Looking for more inspiration? Visit Education.com to discover curriculum-based activities, printable worksheets, articles, videos, a rich community, and school reviews.

For ParentsTen Tips for Smoother Mornings

How to win the War on Clutter

For KidsGet Up and Go! Flip Cards

Kid Friendly Chore Chart

Clock Activity Placemat

For FamiliesMake a Family Photo Calendar

Make a Homework Caddy Kit

Space Saver: Create a Notebook Holder

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Table ofCONTENTS

ForParents

For more parenting help and advice, go to www.education.com.

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Articles ten tricks for smoother mornings

How would you describe the time from when your alarm goes off to when the bus screeches to a halt outside your door? If you’re like most parents it boils down to total, utter chaos. You’re not alone. “We all tend to leave stuff we have to do to the last minute,” says Jamie Novak an organizational expert and author of 1000 Best Quick and Easy Time-Saving Strategies. “A list of seemingly small tasks can easily add up, and because there’s only so much time in the morning, everything becomes rushed,” explains Novak. There are, however, a number of ways you can make mornings go smoothly. Try these tips to give your kids a good, stress-free start to the school day.

Make meals easy. Cut down lunch prep time by preparing lunchboxes while fixing dinner. “You’ve already got a lot of food out,” notes Novak, “And this way, you’ll only have one post-meal clean up.” You can also streamline breakfast by setting the table the night before, and by skipping foods that take lots of time to prepare.

Have some mom time. Get up 15 to 30 minutes before your crew so you’ll have time to browse the paper, feed the dog, or just sit and have a peaceful cup of coffee. If you ease into your morning, you’ll be less likely to feel stressed and take your anxious feelings out on your kids.

Pack backpacks in advance. Sure, you’ve heard it before, but packing up in advance is an essential step to keeping morning craziness to a minimum. When your child finishes his homework, have him pack up all of the books, permission slips, instruments, gym clothes and everything else he may need for the next day. Adding this to the homework routine prevents you from having to worry about last minute scrambles and forgotten papers.

Ten Tricks for Smoother MorningsBy Alisa stoudt

Turn time into a game. Use timers to motivate children. “Kids love the challenge and game of beating a timer,” says Novak. “They’ll sprint around the house completing their tasks just to beat the clock.”

Check the weather the night before. What’s worse than scrambling to find your child’s missing rain boot when you wake up to pouring rain? Get in the habit of checking the weather the night before so you’ll have umbrellas, jackets, and hats at the ready.

Plan transportation. If there is no bus service in your neighborhood, see if you can find other parents to join you in a carpool. When you’re responsible for getting other people’s children to school on time, you’ll have extra motivation to get out the door. Novak suggests using online calendars to organize the carpool so that everyone will have easy access to the latest version of the schedule.

Select outfits the night before. If your little fashionista has to try on tons of clothing before settling on the perfect outfit, start the process the night before--and narrow down her options. “Hang or store clothing you don’t want your child wearing to school in a different place from her school clothes,” suggests Kathy Peel, author of The Family Manager book series. This way, screaming matches over wearing princess outfits in public can be saved for the weekend.

Designate a launch pad. Be it an entryway cubby contraption or just your kitchen counter, establish a place where children can store all of the items they need for the next day. It can be helpful for this spot to be right by the door so items can be dropped upon entering the house and picked up when leaving.

Make it a team effort. Encourage children to help each other get out the door by turning them into a team with some sort of group reward or privilege, suggest Novak. “Kids will think: ‘If we all get out the door on time, something good will happen, so here, let me help you put your backpack on and tie your shoes,’-- it gets everybody involved in getting out the door.”

Think outside of the box. Avoid morning bathroom congestion by storing brushes and hair bands in the kitchen (where you usually end up using them) rather than the bathroom, suggests Novak. Also consider adding a mirror outside of the bathroom or in the kitchen to help alleviate some of the bathroom mirror backup.

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Articles ten tricks for smoother mornings

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Articles how to win the wAr on clutter

Where, oh where, did my tennis shoe go? Has this tune become your kid’s national anthem? Is living with their belongings strewn under the beds and between the sofa cushions causing you to attack and retreat? If so, the time has come to round up the forces and chart a new course. Surprisingly, winning the war on clutter is not as challenging as you might think.Take it from professional organizer Karen Fritscher-Porter, yelling at the kids to pick up their toys, t-shirts, socks, and school books isn’t the answer. Kids are pros at turning a deaf ear when it comes to clean up. Give them a reason to believe there’s fun involved and you’ve got buy-in. With time and patience, you can transform your home from so-so to shipshape. Below are a few tricks of the trade:

Set ground rules. Mobilize the troops and lay down the law. Every item must have a home; discard old items to make room for new ones. If stuffed lions and tigers run rampant on your daughter’s bed, let her choose one or two favorites. The rest go to a non-profit where kids less fortunate appreciate well-loved pets.

Color code the kids. Crates, containers, and closet organizers come in a rainbow of colors. Go shopping for storage supplies and let them color code themselves. Red bins for fire trucks, puzzles, and color crayons; pink for Barbie dolls, swim fins, and dress-up clothes. Don’t forget desk organizers and hangers for their closets.

Bring on the fun. Make it easy for the kids to remember what goes where. Let them design their own labels. They can either write or draw a picture identifying contents. Attach labels to containers with clear packaging tape. Laundry bins go under a kid-sized basketball hoop; CDs are stored in holders resembling ladybugs.

How to Win the War on Clutter By Patricia smith

Create a mini-museum. Stacks of paintings, drawings and paperwork stifle desks and homework space. Kids love to display their creativity. Frame a few pieces of favorite artwork and hang them up. Add a cork board to display birthday cards, postcards, buttons, and photos.

Once is not enough. Putting everything in its place goes a long way toward keeping a tidy household. Designate a “Clean Up” day once a month and your kids will develop good housekeeping habits that will serve them well - all the way into adulthood.

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Articles how to win the wAr on clutter

For more worksheets and printables, go to www.education.com/worksheets.

ForKids

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worksheets get up And go! flip cArds

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worksheets kid-friendly chore chArt

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Missouri FUN Page!WORD SEARCH

Can you find the words from the list below? They might horizontal, vertical or backward.

Unscramble the letters to make

the capital of Missouri:

N O F R J E S E FT Y C I

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _

ANSWER: JEFFERSON CITY

HawthornSt. LouisSoy BeansOzarksLake WappapelloAlgonquianMissouri WaltzMule

Color the Missouri State Flag:

Color key:

A F S Y O R R J X Y O T M B P H

N E T J O B F O T X V O X U A E

S M L L B D P I X H K T D E I S

M H O N A I U Q N O G L A Y S J

O X U H H A W T H O R N E G W M

Z G I Y H S N A E B Y O S K N X

A Q S M I S S O U R I W A L T Z

R N B C O H Q T R W M A A A I Y

K V L K B Q B E S G M U L E D F

S O L A K E W A P P A P E L L O

QUIZWhat is Missouri’s

nickname?

ANSWER:THE SHOW ME STATE

The Look There StateThe See This StateThe Show Me State

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What time is it?Let’s practice telling time with

this Clock Placemat.Use a fork for the hour hand

and a spoon for the minutes hand.

What time do you eat breakfast?

What time do you eat lunch?

What time do you eat dinner?

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Worksheets CloCk ACtivity PlACemAt

Miss ouri FUN Page!WORD SEA RCH

Can you fi nd the w ords f rom the list bel ow? They m ight hor izontal, ver tical or backward.

Unsc ramble the letters to make

the capital of Misso ur i:

NOFRJESEFTY CI

_____________

ANSWER: JEFFERSON CITY

Hawtho rnSt. LouisSoy Bean sOzarksLake Wappape lloAlgonqui anMiss ouri WaltzMule

Color th e Miss ou ri State Flag:

Color key:

AFSY ORRJXY OTMBPH

NETJ OB FOTX VO XUAE

SMLLBDPIXHKTDEIS

M HONAIUQNOGLA YS J

OX UHHA W THORNEGWM

ZGIY HSNAEB YO SKN X

AQ SMISSO UR IW AL TZ

RNBCOHQTRWMAAAIY

KVLKBQBESG MU LEDF

SOLAKE WA PP AP EL LO

QUIZWhat is Missouri’s

nickname?

ANSWER:THE SHOW ME STATE

The Look There StateThe See This StateThe Show Me State

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Tape or g

lue first pag

e here.

What time is it now?

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What time do you go to school?

What time do you go to sleep?

Worksheets CloCk ACtivity PlACemAt

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For more worksheets and printables, go to www.education.com/worksheets.

ForFamilies

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Activities mAke A fAmily photo cAlendAr

What You Need:

13 sheets of colored card stock 12 copies of our calendar month template Three-hole punch 3 small metal rings Variety of family photos Glue stick Craft Supplies (markers, glitter, embellishments, etc.)

Compile a Family Photo Calendar

Making a calendar is a great activity to prepare your family for the coming year! It gives your child an opportunity to reflect on the past year, and to make plans for his near future.This particular calendar will feature your child’s favorite family photos, making it an ultra-special keepsake for family members! It will also assist your little one in remembering the order of months, the dates of specific holidays, and even when important birthdays fall.

By Melanie williAmson

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Activities mAke A fAmily photo cAlendAr

What You Do:

1. Go online and find a printable monthly calendar template for the next year. Print that out on white paper to use for the calendar.

2. Instruct your child to use the glue stick to glue each printed month to one piece of colored card stock.

3. Have your child put the months in order as they would appear in the calendar. When he is done, December should be on the bottom of the pile with January on the top.

4. Ask your child to use the three-hole punch to punch holes in the top of each sheet including the 13th sheet, which your child did not glue a month to. The 13th sheet of card stock will be used for the front cover.

5. Help your child slide three small metal rings through the holes to attach all the sheets of card stock together.

6. Pull out your family photos for your child to look through. As you are both looking through the photos, you can spend a little time sharing with each other what you remember was happening in the photos. 7. Encourage your child to pick out one photo for each month. Encourage him to pick photos that go along with the theme of the month. For example, he can pick a picture form the previous year’s Thanksgiving to use for the November page. He can pick out a picture of the family going to see fireworks for the July page.

8. Open the calendar so that the back of the front cover and the month of January are visible. 9. Instruct your child to use the glue stick to glue the picture she chose for January to the back of the front cover. 10. Allow your child to use the craft supplies that he picked out to decorate the sheet around the photo. Encourage your child to get as creative and colorful as possible for this part! 11. Continue through the calendar until all the pictures are matched up their appropriate months, and your child has done all of the decorating that he wishes!

12. Have your child pick out his favorite family photo to glue on the front cover, and then decorate the cover with other art materials.

13. Go through each month of the calendar and help your child decide what events he wants included in the calendar. For example, you can write in the birthdays of each family member, all the major holidays, and any other important family dates.

Once the new year starts, hang the calendar where the whole family can see it, and allow your child to flip over the page each month! Give your child the spotlight for a moment each month: Have him take a minute and explain why he chose each particular picture and go over any important dates that fall within that month.

Activities mAke A homework cAddy kit

What You Need:

A plastic “tool caddy” with a sturdy carrying handle and at least one pocket large enough for a clipboard, and several small pockets the right size for pens. (Note: you can find these at both hardware stores and craft stores)Clipboard with two kinds of paper: binder paper and plain white paperPens, pencils, colored pencils, pencil sharpener6” rulerWhite-outGlue StickScissorsSmall staplerTape Dispenser5x8” Index cardOptional: sticky-back felt shapes and glitter glue

Make a Homework Caddy Kit

Parents, you’ve probably noticed by now: it’s a rare kid these days who will always study at a desk. Sure a desk is a nice idea, but if you ask kids themselves, many will give you some pretty convincing arguments about why they do their best thinking when they’re flopped on the floor or the couch. Or both!

If that’s the story in your house try meeting your kid halfway with this creative and practical “traveling desk.”

By Julie williAms

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What You Do:

1. To get started, invite your child to decorate the outside of her caddy. If she makes it personal and makes it snazzy, it’s much more likely that this practical homework helper will be used a lot! Have your child write her name on the 5x8” index card, and decorate it brightly with colored markers, foam stickers and glitter glue if she likes.

2. Tape it securely to the front of the caddy.

3. Load up! The biggest pouch of your caddy will hold the clipboard, a crucial part of the kit. Choose a clipboard in a color your child likes (and consider decorating it, too—see our related activity!), and load it with several sheets of paper.

4. Place extra paper upright in the caddy, behind the clipboard, so it’s convenient for future use.

5. Pens and pencils are also crucial parts of the kit. For subjects like math and science or for first drafts of essays, there’s nothing like good old fashioned erasable pencil—but be sure to pack in a manual pencil sharpener for emergencies. For final essay drafts, blue and black pen is usually required, so include those as well. Finally, make sure you’ve included a generous pack of colored pencils or pens. Throughout elementary school, kids draw as well as write, and when lab sciences start in middle and high school, they’ll just keep going. You and your child can load her kit together and decide where she would like things and why.

6. Finally, you’ll need to add those other basic tools that your child may not use all the time, but are still good to have on hand: a 6” ruler, small stapler, small pair of scissors, white-out, and a roll of tape. You can do all the shopping together when you’re stocking up.

7. Keep the caddy in a convenient spot, on shelf or table, and invite your child to pull it out whenever it’s homework time. No matter where she flops, you can relax: she’ll have what she needs to get the job done!


Activities spAce sAver: creAte A noteBook holder

What You Need:

Empty cereal box X-acto knife or craft cutter Ruler or straightedge Pencil Glue Decorative paper or fabric Markers, colored pencils, or pens Variety of decorations like buttons, motifs, sequins, etc.

Space Saver: Create a Notebook Holder

For some kids, it’s hard to keep track of all the homework that goes home. Even harder, if papers are loose and notebooks are scattered all over the place. Does your child have a hard time keeping track of her notebooks? Here’s an easy project that has your child organizing her space by upcycling empty cereal boxes to create a handy, one-of-a-kind notebook holder.

By Amy BrAyfield

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What You Do:

1. Using your knife, carefully cut the top off the cereal box.

2. Use the ruler to draw a diagonal line down the front and back of the box, from the top corners to about 3” above the bottom corners.

3. Draw another line across the short end of the box where the lines are lowest, connecting the two lines. Use your knife to carefully cut along the lines.

4. Now decorate the box however you wish to match you or your child’s own style! Use the paper or fabric and glue to line the box; it’s nice to use contrasting paper to line the inside and cover the outside. Add decorations or draw motifs and designs on the paper as you see fit. If you want to recycle old objects, wallpaper scraps are also good for this project.

Voilà! Now your child doesn’t have to hunt for her lost notebooks again with this fun and personal organizer. You can also use this project as a great by-the-door spot to store things like picture money and PTA forms.


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