What is Vooks?

“Vooks is an interactive reading system that helps kids learn from stories, get along with others, and develop kindness and values.” The streaming library contains ad-free, kid-safe animated storybooks. Movement and sound are added to the original storybook art to create a video.

What I Love About Vooks

Peanut (age 10) took a moment to browse the Vooks website for me and said, “I really like how it takes stories and animates them.” He enjoyed seeing the stories come to life.

This streaming library is ad-free and child-friendly. This is huge!

100+ books in the online library contain lesson plans. Included in the plans are: a story summary, discussion questions, art activities, and other academic worksheets. I found most of the Lesson Plans to be geared towards late preschool to early-mid elementary level.

“Vooks Pause and Ponder” is my favorite portion as the Lesson Plan provides specific times in the book to pause the video and answer questions. For example, in the Slumberkins book, at 0:29 how is the fox feeling and how can you tell? These questions are exactly what I suggest in the How to Grow a Reader Videos for child involvement, comprehension, and pre-reading skills.

My Hesitations about Vooks

The storybook words are written on every page and highlighted when spoken, almost like a sing-along video. This helps children begin to understand the relationship with letters, words, and the words spoken. Unfortunately, due to the movement in the illustrations, I feel most child will be drawn to the illustrations and not the words.

Of the multiple books that I viewed in this review, I found several very cute options. While there are a few Curious George books included in the library, the books available are not considered “classics.” Disappointedly, only about three books from the ABCJesusLovesMe Books of the Week are available on Vooks.

Being a streaming library, use of the website requires an electronic – computer, phone, tablet. There are numerous studies that show the negative affects of extended electronic use in young children. In their “Our Story” section on the website, Vooks reminds parents that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) one hour is the suggested daily screen time limit for children under the age of six. So if you choose to use Vooks (or any other electronic app or video), choose wisely and – based upon the AAP recommendation – watch the media with your child to help them understand what they are seeing.

Self-proclaimed, Vooks creates videos of books using the book’s illustrations and words. While this is neat, an animated storybook is not a substitute for reading books.

Read more...How Much Media is the Right Amount?

When to Use Vooks

If you are looking for a video streaming app that is ad-free and child-friendly, Vooks is a fantastic option. Snuggle your child in your lap and watch a couple of videos together. Use the free Lesson Plans to further the learning and build comprehension and pragmatic skills. It’s a win for everyone!

Try Vooks FREE for 30 days or purchase a subscription.

Giveaway: Enter to Win Vooks for a Year

Click the rectangular image or link below to enter to win the Vooks Subscription ($59.88 value). This giveaway ends on Friday, April 23rd @ 12:00 p.m (CST).  Don’t wait to enter! The winner will be announced on this blog, so be sure to come back and see if you have won!

Or click – www.ABCJesusLovesMe.com/enter/
One entry per household, US residents only. Click to read our Giveaway Rules.

Many thanks to Vooks for providing this product information for review.  Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

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Step #1: The Beginner’s Bible

Hang around ABCJesusLovesMe for a while and you will hear reference to The Beginner’s Bible. Out of all the children’s Bibles that I have reviewed (and it’s been a lot), this one is by far my favorite. Fun illustrations and Biblical truth in a way young children can understand. If you desire to use only one children’s Bible, this is the Bible that I suggest for ages 1 through 4 years. It is the suggested Bible for the 3 and 4 Year Preschool Curricula.

But at some point, children grow up and desire to read the Bible on their own. How do you prepare for this time?

While it is not mentioned in the newest editions of The Beginner’s Bible, Karyn Henley is the author of the original Beginner’s Bible. But, she didn’t stop there. Mrs. Henley has created two more levels of easy-to-read Bibles, perfect to prepare a child to read an adult Bible.

Step #2: The Day By Day Begin-to-Read Bible

Written specifically for children ages 4-8, The Day By Day Begin-to-Read Bible combines children’s favorite stories in a daily-reading format. Each day’s story covers one or two pages short enough for an early-elementary child to successfully read. The stories are written in chronological order (the order in which they happened historically) and contain Scripture references.

Step #3: The Day By Day Kid’s Bible

The next step is the The Day By Day Kid’s Bible which divides the Bible into 7-minute, 2-3 page reading sections. The 365 sections provide opportunity for a child on a 2nd grade reading level to read through the whole Bible in one year.

The text has been simplified (e.g. tabernacle to worship tent, God’s people to Jewish people) to help young children understand the truth of the Bible. Various passages due to content (e.g. genealogies, repetitive passages, sexual or graphic scenes) have been excluded. I personally think of this book as a devotional more than a Bible because of the chronological story order, excluded content, and dated sections.

The 14-page timeline in the center of the Bible compares Bible and World events. This is fascinating! I would love to have this as a poster to put on the wall – for the adults and children in our family. The “world events” include events such as: when hopscotch, leapfrog were started, first Chinese dictionary, first trumpet in Denmark, Romans learn to use soap.

Side-by-Side Comparisons – Daniel in the Lions’ Den

The Beginner’s Bible to The Day By Day Begin-to-Read Bible

While more stories are covered in the Begin-to-Read Bible, The Beginner’s Bible stories are typically longer and contain more description. For example, it surprised me that the rainbow isn’t mentioned in the simplicity of the Begin-to-Read Bible story of Noah’s Ark.

The illustrations grow between the two Bibles. For examples, The Beginner’s Bible contains a photo of the foot of the cross while the Begin-to-Read Bible contains a side image of Jesus on the cross. The Beginner’s Bible contains more rounded, cartoonish characters, while the Begin-to-Read Bible has illustrations with more defined edges.

The Day by Day Kid’s Bible to a Bible

As my children and I have read through The Day by Day Kid’s Bible various parts of the story surprised us. My kids have asked me, “Is that really in the Bible?” And to my surprise, when I put the Kid’s Bible next to the Scriptures, I have found the translation to be accurate.

The simplicity of the The Day by Day Kid’s Bible wording has created some disconnect for my children. For example, “God will bring good to people who know they need him. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.” vs. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The kids are familiar with the “blessed are…” wording from the Beatitudes and struggled to make the correlation with the wording change. A quick discussion helped bridge the gap.

There you have it! Three children’s Bibles that prepare a child to read an adult Bible. Isn’t this what every Christian parent desires?

****Want to see more of each Bible? Head over to the ABCJesusLovesMe Instagram page to view a fun video!****

Read more…

• How to Choose the Best Children’s Bible
• Which Bible is Best for Your Child or Classroom?
• How to Transition from a Children’s Bible to an Adult Bible

Thank you to Tyndale for the opportunity to share my honest opinions about these Bibles.

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Some of you may be familiar with the Indescribable kids devotional. While I personally have not used the book, it has come recommended to me by a friend. Now author Louie Giglio has created an interactive, spinoff version for little ones as well.

Highlights

“Spin the wheel [in the cover], pull the tabs [in pages], and explore God’s indescribable creation” as you read through this book.

Next, the full illustrations are engaging and provide ample conversations about animals, landscape, space, and emotions.

Finally, moving through the Creation story, the book ends explaining that “people – like you and me – are the most amazing [creation].”

Book Review

The publisher states this book for ages Baby – 4. I believe Indescribable for Little Ones is better suited for upper preschool. For example, the child is asked questions like:

The highest place in the word is at the top of this mountain. It’s called…. Mount Everest.
Your body uses these to keep you running, jumping, skipping, and dancing. They’re called…Muscles.

It would take a few readings for most children to begin memorizing the pull-tab answers.

Enter to win this book here.

Read more…

Looking for quality reading books for your toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children? I invite you check out the literacy-gold, reading lists provided on the ABCJesusLovesMe website.

Thank you to FrontGate Media for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Easter Treasure Hunt

If you are unfamiliar with a scavenger hunt, a player follows a set of clues to find a “treasure.” Then, each hidden clue leads the player to the next clue which eventually leads the person to a prize. In the Easter Treasure Hunt the child follows a series of Easter eggs which lead to a stone. This find reminds us that Jesus is no longer in the tomb – which is the greatest treasure of all.

Here are some tips. First, the hunt can be done alone, by taking turns, or as a group activity.  Second, prior to starting the game, hide the clues and optional prize. Third, the difficulty of the clues may vary to suit young children up to adults.

To begin, travel to the ABCJesusLovesMe Resource Library to print the FREE Easter Treasure Hunt PDF.  You will find two versions for preschool and elementary-aged children. If you are unsure where the library is click to learn more or subscribe to receive the link! The link will only be available for 5 days to active subscribers. After that point, you can purchase the Easter Treasure Hunt on the ABCJesusLovesMe website.

Cut apart the clues and choose the cards that are best for the child’s age and understanding of the Easter story. All clue or cards are not required.

Hide the Clues

Begin by placing the 1st card (Matthew 21:8) in an Easter egg.   Keep this Easter egg to give to the child to begin the hunt.   Place the second clue in an Easter egg and set it in the coat closet or by the coat rack for the child to find.   Continue until the last card and egg are laid by a stone.  You may add a treat or gift at the final place.

Here are some gift ideas: For younger children, include the ingredients to make Resurrection Rolls, Bird Nest Cookies, or Jelly Bean Easter Bags.  For older children, the Buck Denver Asks: What’s in the Bible? Volume Ten – Jesus is the Good News DVD or The Tale of Three Trees book make great treasures.  Or simply place an empty box at the final destination to create dialogue about the empty tomb.

On a Treasure Hunt

After all of the Easter eggs containing cards are placed, give the child the first Easter egg containing the poem and Matthew 21:8 sentence.  Assist more or less depending on the child’s ability.

Super fun!  I am excited to share this with our kids on Easter Day.  Be sure to take pictures of your family doing this activity and post to Facebook or Instagram for all to see.  Use #ABCJesusLovesMe or tag me (@HeidiFranz) in the post.

Discover more ideas on the ABCJesusLovesMe Easter Ideas Page and the ABCJLM Pinterest Easter Board.

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Becky: One of my favorite holidays to celebrate with my family is Passover. 

Understand that I didn’t grow up celebrating this holiday and had only limited exposer until I met my husband’s family.  And while they are not Jewish, my in-laws have found celebrating the Lord’s Feasts & Festivals to be life-giving.  Since experiencing them myself, I agree that the traditions of the feasts are something that I look forward to each year!

Why should Christians Celebrate Passover? 

When we become Christians, God adds us to His family.  Passover (and the other feasts) is not called “the feasts of the Jews” but “the feasts of the LORD” (Leviticus 23:2).  Because He is also our Lord, as Christians we have the opportunity to celebrate these feasts as well!  Not meant as a way to salvation, the feasts provide a way for us to remember the amazing works God has done and look forward to what God will do in the future. 

Passover is also a beautiful way to celebrate God’s rescuing power…both when He freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and when Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead.   It is a time to remember that we were slaves to our sin, but now we are free! 

When Is Passover? 

Passover, like Easter, falls on a different date each year in the spring.  Use a Hebrew calendar to discover the date.  If you use Google Calendar, you can select to have it added to your calendar automatically. In 2021, Passover begins the evening of March 27th and ends the evening of April 4th.

How Can I Celebrate Passover? 

One of the biggest hesitations Christians have with celebrating the Feasts of the Lord is knowing what to do.  The best way to learn is to talk to a Jewish friend who celebrates Passover.  If you don’t know anyone, here are a few tips I have found helpful for our family to celebrate Passover.

First, Passover is a celebration!  It is not a somber dinner. Passover includes story telling, songs, special foods, and games.  Yes, please!!!  Second, a “script,” called a Haggadah, provides directions on how to celebrate Passover.  Basically, it tells everyone what to say, what to do, when to do each activity, etc.  Many different versions are available to incorporate tradition with what is described in the Bible. 

Because the Haggadah can be too long and extensive for young ones, I create a shorter, simpler version to keep my toddlers engaged.  Enjoy a copy as a free gift to your family!

If you want to hear more of how I got started celebrating the feasts, listen to this podcast episode.  If you prefer reading, the Chosen People website contains a plethora of easy-to-read articles about the Passover, other Feasts of the Lord, and more! 

I love learning about biblical traditions that families are practicing. Thank you, Becky, for sharing your experiences. Whether you want jump in, learn more, or watch from a far, I hope this post has been insightful.

Giveaway Winner

Thank you to all who entered to win the Miss PattyCake’s Easter Bundle shared in this week’s post.  Out of 78 entries, the randomly chosen winner is:

Entry #72 – Briana W (email Bmrosenfeld@…)

Briana W, please contact me within 24 hours using the winning email address.

Thank you to everyone who entered and thank you to Miss PattyCake for providing this fun giveaway.

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One other tool that was very popular when my kiddos were young are the Resurrection Eggs.

What are Resurrection Eggs?

The idea behind Resurrection Eggs is that the items (symbols or trinkets) in the eggs help tell the story of Jesus’ last days on earth, His death, and His resurrection. The activity can be used as a countdown to Easter or as a stand alone activity to do all in one sitting.

Each numbered egg contains a scripture verse (rolled up scroll style) and a corresponding trinket or symbol that relates to that part of the story. When the egg is found, the child is read the verse or Bible story and the symbol is explained. The final egg is empty as the tomb was empty.

Most Resurrection Egg kits contain 12 eggs, but you may include as many as desired. You will find that purchased sets and instructions to make your own vary in their order and contents but the basic concept is the same.

Making Your Own Resurrection Eggs Supplies

With the FREE Resurrection Eggs Printables, it is simple to make your own Resurrection Eggs specifically for preschool or elementary-aged children.

• Preschool or Elementary Resurrection Eggs Printable (Available in the ABCJesusLovesMe Resource Library)
• Symbols or Trinkets (Noted in the Printable)
• 12 or 20 Plastic Eggs
• Scissors
• Marker
• The Beginner’s Bible (Preschool)
• Bible

Making Your Own Resurrection Eggs Directions

Depending on the age of your child, choose the Resurrection printable to print from the ABCJesusLovesMe Resource Library. Gather the plastic eggs and symbols or trinkets. Do not worry if you are unable to find the exact item. Instead substitute with what you have available as all of the items merely represent a part of the story. For example, if you don’t have linen, use toilet paper. If you don’t have a palm branch, use a leaf.

Cut apart the pieces of paper on the final page of the printable. Roll each up as a scroll and place the corresponding slip of paper and trinket in an egg. Then write the number on the outside of the egg.

For example. Egg #1 – Place a toy, sticker, or drawn donkey or craft fur in the egg with the following slip of paper.

Preschool – Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. Mark 11:1-7

Elementary – “The disciples brought the donkey and placed their cloaks on it for Jesus to sit on. Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem.” Matthew 21:6-7

Hide the egg. When the child has found the egg, discuss the trinket and what symbol it represents in the Easter story. Read the coordinating Bible story or verses from a children’s or adult Bible.

Why the Two Different Printables?

Reading in an adult Bible the Easter story provides details that may be too graphic for some young or sensitive children. Using The Beginner’s Bible as the guide, I created 12 eggs that are easier for young children to understand and also skip the graphic details (e.g. thorns, sword).

A few years ago, Bonnie shared with me the ideas behind 20 Resurrection Eggs. These are perfect for elementary-aged children as they provide more details to aid in understand the magnitude of the Passion Week. Use the elementary printable for older children or those who are more familiar with the Easter story.

Explaining the Resurrection Eggs

You may be intimated if you have never done an activity like this with your children. And that is okay. There are several resources that will guide you through the process.

Lily’s Easter Party: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs
Crystal Bowman wrote a book to explain the Resurrection Eggs. Lily’s Easter Party: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs is a story about an Easter egg hunt between Lily and her friends.  Upon opening each of the eggs, the symbolism of the item inside is explained. With 37 pages, this is a long picture book.  The first third of the books sets up the hunt and the rest explains each symbol found in the eggs. While my elementary aged children enjoyed this book, I would break it into small parts for preschoolers.

Miss Patty Cake’s Egg-Strava-Ganza
In this music-packed DVD, Miss Patty Cake discusses the Resurrection Eggs with children. Enjoy fast-paced songs with the truth of the Gospel.

ABCJesusLovesMe Resurrection and Easter Egg Activities
Discover more ideas on the ABCJesusLovesMe website.

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win the DVD and Activity Workbook in a fantastic Miss PattyCake giveaway!

Click the rectangular image or link below to enter to win the Miss PattyCake’s Easter Bundle ($20.99 value). This is a giveaway that will end on Monday, March 22nd @ 11:00 a.m (CST).  Don’t wait to enter! The winner will be announced on this blog, so be sure to come back and see if you have won!

Or click – www.ABCJesusLovesMe.com/enter/
One entry per household, US residents only. Click to read our Giveaway Rules.

Thank you to Miss Pattycake for providing this giveaway.

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I wonder if this fear is what leads so many parents to question the “what” and “when” of teaching their children. After seeing the frequently asked questions in the ABCJesusLovesMe Facebook Groups, Becky offered to share her experience and what she discovered her fear was rooted in.

Whether you use the ABCJLM Curriculum or not, Becky’s wisdom will speak to many aspect of parenting and how fear drives our decisions.

What Holds Us Back?

Becky: For the past four year, the ABCJesusLovesMe Community has been a large blessing for me.  I’ve used all of the ABCJLM Curricula multiple times with my four children (ages 2-7) and have fallen in love with both the content and how simple it is for me to use this life-changing and life-giving curricula.

When we choose to use the ABCJLM Preschool Curriculum as our guide for our child’s academic learning, there is always the question of which curriculum to use.

• Use the curriculum written for the child’s age. For example, the 2 Year Curriculum for a child 24-36 months old.
• Backup to an easier curriculum, just in case the appropriate one is too hard.
• Skip the age-appropriate curriculum so the child isn’t bored and can excel in learning.

As I wrestled with these thoughts for my children, I realized the opposing options of using an easier curriculum and skipping head were based on three fears:

1. The fear of boredom.
2. The fear from comparison.
3. The fear of failure.

See the info below if your child has developmental delays.*

Fear of Boredom

Society has told parents that children need to be entertained and boredom should be avoided at all costs. This fear of boredom has led parents to shy away from repetition.

First, children learn through repetition. This is why children want the same book read 5 times a day and want to sing the same song 13 times.

Second, academic learning is spiral, not linear.  This means that children are exposed to the same content multiple times from birth through high school.  Each time the content contains more depth. Review and repetition are required to build a solid framework for the coming learning.

Third, when a child is having fun, familiarity breeds confidence and develops comfort in the learning process.

Last, the ABCJLM Curriculum is play-based learning. And, if a child has been taught how to play, play is never boring.

Fear from Comparison

While there are average developmental milestones, children learn and develop at different paces…even within the same family!  How the enemy tries to steal our parenting joy by tempting us to get on the comparison train. 

It’s easy to tie our self-worth to our children’s achievements.  It’s tempting to push our kids academically, because deep down we believe we will feel successful if our children are advanced.  Or, fear that our child won’t “get it” right away stops us from challenging them at all.  Fear from comparison can lead to either perfectionism or passivity.  

Our worth as a person and our success as parents are not based on our child’s performance in school.  The pace at which a child learns academics, Bible, and developmental objectives is ultimately up to the child and their God-given abilities. 

Setting aside the fear from comparison can help both you and your child learn together with confidence and grace.

After reading the post, Becky shared the following wisdom on the ABCJesusLovesMe Facebook Group.

I choose the curriculum that is developmentally appropriate to the area the child needs the most work on. I can always find a way to extend the learning in the areas the child excels in. But if we skip those skills the child needs extra help with, the gap just gets bigger.

Fear of Failure

While we all want our children to shine in the academic world, young children are not expected to master all objectives prior to kindergarten.  The best teacher in the world can’t force a preschooler to learn all letters and numbers if the child’s development isn’t ready to master the standard.

The pressure for children to perfectly master a skill before moving on can build a lot of frustration for both the adult and the child.  Set aside any fear of failure and focus on helping your child develop a love for learning.  One day the learning will “click” and you’ll be amazed at what your young child can do!  

Because of the fear of failure, sometimes we as parents can unintentionally be the limiting factors of our child’s learning because we aren’t ready to expose them to new things. 

Here’s an example from my home. My youngest son’s vocabulary isn’t as developed as his older siblings were at the age of two. So I wasn’t sure what he’d pick up during learning time…he still seems like such a baby to me!  Within the first week’s activities of the 2 Year Curriculum, he can say/draw circles, loves the book of the week, and is saying the days of creation!  If I had “held him back” and reused the 1 Year Curriculum because he hadn’t mastered the objectives covered, he would have missed growth and development opportunities the age-appropriate curriculum offers him.

Which ABCJesusLovesMe Curriculum Should I Choose?

Want your child to develop a love for learning? Using the recommended ABCJesusLovesMe Curriculum provides ample amount of play-based learning experiences*.  

Want to be intentional with the precious preschool years? Let the activities provided in the age-appropriate ABCJesusLovesMe Curriculum guide your day.  

Want to grow a well-rounded child with a solid foundation of learning and the Bible? Glean age-appropriate ideas through the research-based instruction provided in the ABCJesusLovesMe Curriculum.

Don’t allow fear to keep you from making the choice that is best for your child.

Thank you so much to Becky for sharing these much needed reminders! From II Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

*This post speaks specifically for the children who are meeting their developmental goals. But some children (like Heidi’s) have significant educational and developmental needs. Thus, choosing a curriculum at a different level than their age is more appropriate.  Chat with Heidi to discern what would be best for your child.

Download the Christmas Activity Workbook and other FREE documents

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But Easter can be a tough holiday to explain to children.  Between the Easter bunny, loads of candy, Easter baskets, and Easter egg hunts, the true meaning can be easily lost.

But don’t worry.  I’ve created a FREE Easter Activity Workbook to help you lay a foundation of truth for your entire family.

The Importance of Easter

After creating the Christmas Activity Workbook, I realized that we place a lot of emphasis on Christmas.  We focus on countdowns, crafts, decorations, and family activities to help our children understand the importance of the birth of Jesus.  For whatever reason, Easter sneaks up on us without much fanfare.  Sure there are the Resurrection Eggs, but I found my kiddos were so inundated with them that the delivery method lost its educational factor.

Also, I realize that it isn’t enough to be able to retell the Easter story.  Or any story from the Bible.  I don’t want my children to simply know the facts.

I want them to know our Savior.

Creating the Easter Workbook

This led me to my knees asking the Holy Spirit for a way to help children understand the incredible sacrifice and love that occurred during the Passion Week.  Led by the Lord, I created a seven-lesson, countdown to Easter Activity Workbook with the purpose of pointing children to the cross and understanding the salvation that comes from it.

Now several years later I have completely remodeled the workbook and the 2nd Edition is now available! And you will love the updates.

Easter Activity Workbook, 2nd Edition

For children ages 3-12, this workbook includes seven lessons, a supply list, and specific tips to guide learning of such Bible stories as Palm Sunday, Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet, and the Resurrection. Each lesson includes activities, a memory verse, a Bible song, and fun learning to teach your child about Easter. And the whole family will love the surprise cross activity included in each lesson.

Begin on Palm Sunday and equate each Lesson per weekday, or start earlier and spread it out to cover several weeks.

Start Today Teaching Your Child About Easter

But don’t just take my word for it!

This Easter Activity Workbook will be a blessing to you and your little ones. It will deepen their understanding of what Jesus did for them. This moves them beyond egg hunts and bunnies, and points them to Jesus and His victorious resurrection. This is a keeper!

Kim

Travel to the ABCJesusLovesMe Resource Library to print the FREE Easter Activity Workbook for your family. If you are unsure how to access the library, click to learn more or subscribe to receive the link! If you desire to use the workbook in your preschool or church, Licenses are available to purchase.

Then, enjoy the intentional time to Take Your Child to the Cross.

Download the Christmas Activity Workbook and other FREE documents

This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure.

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Today’s post will provide ideas to practice and then release the child to demonstrate the learning.

3. Practice Kind Words

After the child has been taught what kind words are and has seen the positive (and possibly negative) modeled, it is time to practice using kind words. One idea is to use a Kindness Jar.

Fill a jar with candy (good use for Halloween, Valentine’s, or Easter candy). Label the jar with the words “Kindness Jar.” Sit down with your child(ren) and explain that your family is going to help each other use kind words by using the “Kindness Jar.”

Every time anyone is “caught” being kind with his/her words, he or she gets to take out a sweet treat from the jar. Encourage the kids to look for other family members being kind as well.

Another idea is to begin with an empty jar. Add a cotton ball or a coin to the jar with each kind word said. When the jar is filled, celebrate with a fun activity or treat. This activity works great in a classroom setting as well.

4. Independent Practice Using Kind Words

Once the child has practiced using kind words and has received positive encouragement, it is time for the responsibility to be transferred to the child.

Now…we all have moments where we say something we regret. When this occurs, I ask my child “Do you want to try again?”. Then we rewind and try the conversation again with a different choice of words.

And then there are times when our mouths release poison and our hearts are not remorseful. This is when discipline is needed. With consistent correction and high expectations for kind words, a heart can be molded to use kind words.

FREE “Teaching a Skill” Printable

Whether you are working on manners, spiritual training, academics, or work ethic, for a skill to truly be grasped by a child every step in this four-part method is required.  I oftentimes find the process breaks down because I either skip a step or don’t give each one enough time.

If you are a subscriber to this blog, print the FREE “How to Teach a Child a Skill” printable in the ABCJesusLovesMe Resource Library to remind you of each step.  If you are unsure where the library is click to learn more or subscribe to receive the link!

Giveaway Winner

Thank you to all who entered to win the Bax and His Bubbles book shared in last week’s post.  Out of 198 entries, the randomly chosen winner is:

Entry #18 – Hailey W (email haileywood…15@gmail.com)

Hailey W, please contact me within 24 hours using the winning email address.

Thank you to everyone who entered and thank you to author Sonia Amin for providing this giveaway. Even you didn’t win, I highly encourage you to add Bax and His Bubbles to your home library!

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