Fun Schooling

I tend to be a task oriented person.  I always feel as if certain things need to be done before the "fun" can begin.  I'm working on this a lot right now.  With a new baby in our family, we don't always have time to get those certain things done.  So, what?  Are we going to never have fun?!  Well, that won't work! 

 

I feel like the Lord is really teaching me to make some adjustments in my life.  To learn to calm down about some things.  Even simple, small things can make a big difference. 

 

As I prepared to go to the hospital to have my little Snuggle Bunny, I put together an activity bag for my other children.  One item I included in that bag was a Mad Lib book.  We hadn't done these yet with our kids (I guess I forgot about them). 

 

 

What a hit!  The kids love them!  We like to do them together as a family - it's so much more fun to laugh together! 

 

And I am amazed at what they are learning!  Mad Libs Junior offers icon style pictures as symbols for noun, verb, etc. as well as possible word choices for each of those categories.  We started with this, but continued to use the proper terms.  We would explain that a noun was a person, place or thing, that a verb was an action, an adjective describes something, plural is more than one, and so on.  It didn't take too long, before they were coming up with their own word choices, instead of choosing from the list. 

 

And then, on a recent outing to a store, my son picked up another Mad Libs book - a regular one this time (without the symbols and word list).  I was afraid this would limit the other kids from participating.  I knew my oldest son could handle it, since he's already familiar with the terms being used - just needs a reminder sometimes.  But everyone seemed to be taking to it just fine.  Like I said before, we like to do it together as a family - one person asks for words for each category and fills them in, then reads it aloud, while we all crack up! 

 

Would you believe I overheard my 4 year old the other day say, "give me a noun, a person, place or thing", while he was doodling on  plain tablet of paper!  I could hardly believe it myself! And on top of it, he answered himself with the word "dog"!

 

Learning is taking place!  Without formal instruction, without text books, without a sit down lesson with mom.  All from just taking the time to have a little fun.  Setting aside that list of what I think needs to get done first.  Just spending time together, playing and laughing.  Wow!  Thank you, Lord for this great lesson. 

 

I hope you are all inspired to set aside a little work and have some fun!  You never know what your kiddos might learn - or even what you might learn!