Back To School with CCS Pinterest!

Are you ready for school to begin?  

Visit the CCS Pinterest page for exciting ideas and tips to make this

year's back to school transition an easy one!

www.pinterest.com/ccsaz1/school-days/

CCS - More Puzzles!

Puzzles are a great way to boost necessary educational skills during the hot summer months!  Here are additional online puzzle resources for students of all ages:

Tangaroos - a tangram puzzle app for all ages!  Students are encouraged to use seven simple shapes to create new arrangements or solve over 300 puzzle combinations.  Numerous settings can be customized for personalization.  (Ages 3 and up; $0.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Tangaroos

Winky Think Logic Puzzles - build your brain with hours of finger-twisting fun!  Simple matching to complex games packed with obstacles, mazes, and multi-touch action.  (Ages 5 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Winky Think Logic Puzzles

Thinkrolls 2 - a clever maze app that develops spatial relations and asks players to utilize tools to make their way through a vertical maze.  (Ages 3 and up; iPhone, iPad, Android)
- Download Thinkrolls 2 on iTunes ($3.99)
- Download Thinkrolls 2 for Android ($2.99)

CCS Preschool - Even More Pre-Reading!

Although summer is almost over, keep your preschool student engaged year-round with these exciting pre-reading resources:

Kids ABC Phonics - practice letter sounds, match sounds to the correct letter, learn phonetic sounds, and build three-letter words.  (Ages 3 and up; $3.99; Android, Kindle)

- Download Kids ABC Phonics

PBS Kids WordWorld - fun animation and big visuals help students learn to spell.  (Ages 3 and up; Free; website)

- Visit PBS Kids WordWorld website

ABCMouse.com - a subscription-based educational website.  Easy to use computer activities begin the journey to reading!  (Ages 2 to 7; Free; website)

- Visit ABCMouse.com website

CCS Elementary - More Reading!

Keep your elementary brains engaged all summer long with these fantastic reading resources!  Improve already learned skills, develop new skills, and fall in love with reading all over again!

Quik Tap Words - teaches sight words with flashcards and games.  (Ages 4 and up; $0.99; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Quik Tap Words

Read Me Stories 30 Book Library - keep beginning readers inspired with a new book every day!  Features 30 books complete with music and sound.  Develops word and sound recognition to improve reading skills.  (Ages 6 and under; Free; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Read Me Stories 30 Book Library

Dr. Seuss's Seussville - this interactive website features games based on Dr. Seuss's books,  Play games, chat with the Cat in the Hat, win prizes and more!  (Ages 4 and up; Free; website)

- Visit Dr. Seuss's Seussville website

Into The Book - a reading comprehension resource for elementary students.  Interactive reading comprehension activities focus on eight learning strategies:  using prior knowledge, making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, summarizing, evaluating and synthesizing. (Ages 5 and up; Free; website)

- Visit Into The Book website

CCS Preschool and Elementary - More Science!

These science resources are a fun way to keep elementary minds engaged over the summer months!

Crazy Gears - no instructions, just 'make the gear work'!  By attaching things together, students explore the physical properties of motion using gear puzzles.  Puzzles get more difficult as the levels progress.  (Ages 6 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Crazy Gears

Seasons and Weather - educational science games designed to teach young elementary students the difference between the seasons and other weather information. (Ages 7 and under; $1.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Seasons and Weather

Switch Zoo - make new animals, play games, solve puzzles, join a zoo quest, and read interesting and amazing facts about animals!  Also learn about habitats, and build your own biome or online habitat.  (Ages 4 and up; Free; download to iPad, iPhone, Android from website)
- Visit Switch Zoo website

Money Math - for kids of all ages!

MONEY MATH

Learning about money is a great way to practice math skills!  Take advantage of these fun and educational resources:

Peter Pig's Money Coin Counter - practice sorting, counting, and identifying the value of U.S. coins while learning about U.S. currency facts.  (All ages; Free, Android)
- Download Peter Pig's Money Coin Counter

Sheppard Software Elementary Money Skills - matching, comparing, addition, and subtraction skills will all get a boost with these fun, free, online money math games.  (Ages 4 and up; Free, website)

- Visit Sheppard Software Elementary Money Skills website

Learning Gems - My Piggy Bank - a fun, well-rounded, and educational game that teaches the values of coins, how to count and add.  Positive reinforcement encourages kids to build math skills and get excited about money! (Ages 4 and up)

- Download Learning Gems - My Piggy Bank for Android ($1.99)

-  Download Learning Gems - My Piggy Bank LITE for iPhone, iPad (Free)

Amazing Coin:  Educational Money - 9 interactive games about USD coins - practice counting, paying, making change, matching, and more.  (Ages 4 and up)

- Download Amazing Coin: Educational Money for Android ($2.99)

- Download Amazing Coin: Educational Money for iPad, iPhone (Free)

CCS Preschool - Skill Builders!

Here are a few great preschool resources perfect for summer learning fun!

Fish School - this app reinforces basic knowledge of numbers, letters, shapes and colors through fun and colorful thinking and reasoning activities.  (Ages 4 and under; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Fish School

Avokiddo Emotions - playful learning for kids!  This is an entertaining and valuable way to teach little ones about emotions.  (Ages 3 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Avokiddo Emotions

Dexteria Jr. - these simple games strengthen fine motor skills by encouraging young students to tap, drag, and pinch animated vegetables and shapes.  Levels increase in difficulty as control improves.  (Ages 4 and under; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Dexteria Jr.

Leo's Pad:  Preschool Kids Learning Series - designed by education experts at Stanford University to maximize learning and eliminate distractions for preschoolers.  Each of four 'appisodes' feature notable historic figures as young children and help preschoolers learn creative concepts alongside skills like measurement and magnitude.  (Ages 3 and up; Free; iPad)
- Download Leo's Pad

CCS Elementary - Math!

Give those Elementary math brains a Summer BOOST - check out these highly-rated math apps for your phone, iPad, and computer:

Marble Math Junior - Solve a variety of math problems by collecting numbers and bonuses as you navigate a marble maze.  With three difficulty levels and 16 marble styles, this app can be personalized to fit your kid's skills and personality.  It also lets parents customize games to concentrate on unfamiliar skills.  (Ages 5 and up; $3.99; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Marble Math Junior

Let's Do the Math - Keep kids busy for hours with 15 different types of exercises in three categories and 50 word problems that focus on addition and subtraction.  The app can be used either as flash cards or as a series of puzzles to teach basic concepts.  (Ages 6 and up; Free; Android)

- Download Let's Do the Math

Mystery Math Town - Zany characters and a mysterious (but not scary) story use fun and interactive graphics in a goal-based game that provides daily math practice.  Players use numeric fireflies to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems.  (Ages 6 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Mystery Math Town

NRICH - K-12 math activities for advanced problem-solving skills that require mathematical thinking and reasoning.  Students may need adult guidance to find relevant activities, but encourage them to stick with it and "explore, question, notice, and discuss" before submitting their solutions.  Every problem includes links to get started and fully explained solutions.  (Ages 6 and up; Free; website)

- Visit NRICH website

CCS Elementary - Writing!

Whether just learning to write, practicing already-learned skills, or mastering new writing concepts, these interactive programs and apps for iPad, iPhone, and computer will help you stay out of the summer heat and ahead of the game!  

Writing Wizard - Learn to write letters and words!  Highly customizable, this engaging and thorough app practices tracing letters, numbers and words while teaching letter names and phonetic sounds.  Parents can adjust settings according to child's progress and reinforcement needs.  (Ages 4 and up; $4.99, iPad, iPhone, Android)

- Download Writing Wizard

Kids Writing Pad Lite - a basic, large-lined writing pad useful for practicing letters, numbers, and beginning words.  Draw letters for practice, erase and draw again!  Paper style can be selected from different options.  (Ages 5 and up; $0.99; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Kids Writing Pad Lite

Storybird - Create beautiful books to share online and in print!  Choose from a variety of illustrations and build a story around them.  Users under the age of 13 must provide a parent's email address to become a storybird. (Ages 6 and up; Free; Website)

- Visit Storybird website

StoryBuilder - Using both auditory and visual prompts, this app asks questions about a picture, then knits answers together into a story.  Kids can also record their own story without prompts.  Stories can be saved and shared via email.  Each level builds on the previous level.  (Ages 6 and up; $3.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download StoryBuilder

CCS Preschool - Writing!

Below please find valuable links to writing practice resources for students who are learning to write.  During down time this summer, encourage students to learn and practice writing skills using these fun games and activities!

Letter Tracer Preschool Letter Writing Practices - teaches pre-readers how to draw and identify letters and numbers to aid in the development of reading and writing skills.  (Ages 3 and up; $0.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Letter Tracer

LetterSchool - engaging, animated features encourage letter writing and formation.  Parents can adjust settings to add lowercase letters and numbers.  This app saves settings and progress for up to three students.  (Ages 3 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download LetterSchool

Little Writer - a tracing app that's done just right!  Little Writer is fun and so easy to use it makes letter tracing is a game rather than a boring chore.  (Ages 5 and under; $0.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Little Writer

CCS Preschool and Elementary - Puzzles!

Does your student love to solve puzzles?  Puzzles and games are a GREAT way to reinforce previously learned information as well as learn new skills!  Check out these puzzling resources for students of all ages:  

Shape Builder - The Preschool Learning Puzzle Game - this app contains over 100 simple puzzles that include the alphabet, numbers to 20, foods, instruments, vehicles, and other exciting themes.  Puzzle activities encourage the development of many basic preschool skills.  (Ages 4 and under; $0.99; iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle)

- Download Shape Builder

Highlights Puzzlemania Kids - this website is designed for elementary students with games and puzzles that include seek & find, picture Sudoku and more!

- Visit Highlights Puzzlemania Kids website

Kids Puzzles Puzzingo - Learning Puzzle Games for Toddlers - this app is full of interactivity, animations, and sounds for many repeat plays.  Builds vocabulary, memory, cognitive skills, spatial recognition, matching, and fine motor skills.  (Ages 4 and under; Free; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Kids Puzzles Puzzingo

Summer Activities - CCS Pinterest

Are you looking for activities to keep your youngsters busy during hot summer months?  

The CCS Pinterest page is your one-stop idea shop 

for interesting and unique activities for Preschool and Elementary students!  

www.pinterest.com/ccsaz1/summer-activities-for-kids/

CCS Preschool - Reading Practice Skills!

Encourage pre-reading development during car or stroller rides!  Keep your youngster busy this summer with these highly-rated, fun, interactive educational activities for your phone, e-book reader, computer, or iPad:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Friends – First Words – Eric Carle illustrations in a digital pop-up book that teaches words.  (Ages 2 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)

· Download The Very Hungry Caterpillar…

Alphabet Fun – A printing primer that makes learning the alphabet, numbers and colors fun!  Playfully drawn animals illustrate each concept; kids use their fingers to trace the letters on a background that looks like lined paper.  (Ages 3 and up; $2.99: iPad)

· Download Alphabet Fun

AlphaTots – Filled with creative and clever interactive activities, this app introduces letters in uppercase and lowercase forms and demonstrates phonetic pronunciation as well.  Engagingly builds letter identification skills and recognition.  (Ages 4 and under; $2.99 on iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle, Nook)   

· Download AlphaTots

Metamorphabet – A stunning approach to introducing and playing with letters.  Interactive animations captivate and encourage continued discovery about each letter.  (Ages 4 and under, $3.99 for iPhone, iPad)

· Download Metamorphabet

CCS - Healthy Recipes Kids Will Enjoy!

As you get ready for Independence Day festivities, remember to give your child's brain a nutritious boost!  

Visit the CCS Pinterest page for easy ways to jump-start your brain-boosting nutrition program this summer - including ideas for healthy summer meals, kid-friendly snacks,  brain-boosting breakfasts, and even healthy lunchbox suggestions! 

www.pinterest.com/ccsaz1/healthy-recipes-for-kids/

CCS Preschool - Math!

Keep your preschool student entertained while learning during summer downtime!  These engaging resources encourage number recognition and early math skills practice:

Tally Tots - an educational app designed to help toddlers learn to count up to 20.  Fun, interactive activities reinforce development and goals.  (Ages 4 and under; $2.99; iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle, Nook)
- Download Tally Tots

Kids Math - pass all eight levels within a certain time frame by answering a set of ten questions at each level. Dynamically generated questioning means that students get new questions every time they play.  (Ages 4 and up; Free; Android)
- Download Kids Math

Counting Caterpillar - gorgeous colors and stunning visuals keep young math students engaged as they progress mathematically through more than 45 levels. (Ages 3 and up; $1.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Counting Caterpillar

CCS Elementary - Math!

Math skills are often not practiced during summer months, leading to a lack of retention and the need for review at the beginning of each school year.  Use the resources below to encourage your math student to learn and practice critical math skills during the slow days of summer!

Cool Math 4 Kids - is a math site specially designed for what kids like and how they learn!  Math really CAN be fun and easy to learn!  Fun math puzzles, games, and exercises for kids of all ages.  (Ages 3 and up; Free; website)
- Visit Cool Math 4 Kids website

Einstein Math Academy - four different game modes allow beginning students to familiarize themselves with numbers and symbols while older students can practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  Students are led through problem sets; correct answers are rewarded with gold pieces that add to the overall score.  Music, sound effects, and colors keep students of all ages entertained and engaged.  (Ages 3 and up; Free; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Einstein Math Academy

Mathmateer - voted one of the top 10 best apps for elementary students by Appolicious (the app directory), this app appeals to each student's innate creativity.  To build a rocket ship to launch into space, students must earn money by completing basic math challenges involving patterns, shapes, time - even fractions and square roots.  (Ages 3 and up; $1.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Mathmateer

CCS Preschool and Elementary - Educational Websites

WEBSITES

If you're looking for some additional educational online games and activities for kids, try these websites:

PBS Kids - games, activities, coloring worksheets, and music from favorite PBS shows.
- Visit PBS Kids website

National Geographic for Kids - games, activities, photos, and information about animals, nature, geography and more.
- Visit National Geographic for Kids website

Childtopia - games and activities including art, crafts, worksheets, reading, listening, and writing.
- Visit Childtopia website

Funbrain - play games while practicing math and reading skills!
- Visit Funbrain website

ABC Ya - practice math and reading skills while playing fun, interactive games!
- Visit ABC Ya website

CCS Preschool - Pre-Reading Skills!

Brain development research shows that reading aloud to your child every day increases the brain's capacity for language and literacy skills and is the most effective way to boost pre-reading skills in children under 5 years of age!  Here are some summer resources designed help develop these essential pre-reading skills:

Storyline Online - www.storylineonline.net - Famous voices read familiar stories - read along and practice word recognition skills.  Great for car rides or bedtime!  (Ages 4 and under; Free, website)

- visit Storyline Online website

ABC Magic Reading - teaches basic reading skills to beginning readers using games that encourage early reading skills rather than picture-based word recognition.  (Ages 6 and under; Free: iPhone, iPad)

- Download ABC Magic Reading

Early Reader - Helps beginning readers develop their reading skills.   (Ages 6 and under; Free; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Early Reader

CCS Elementary - Reading!

Summer is a great time to work on reading skills for next year!  Whether your student is a beginning reader or voraciously reading their way through a series, keep them engaged and excited about improving their reading skills with these excellent resources:

Starfall Learn to Read - an app version of the website!  15 mini-books focus on a specific vowel, using videos and activities to enhance early literacy learning and basic phonics concepts.  (Ages 4 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle)
- Download Starfall Learn to Read

Smarty Pants School - tests and develops early reading skills.  Students take an assessment and then are directed towards activities that best match their needs and skill level.  Five categories of games include letter knowledge, phonics, phonemic awareness, phonetic words, and sight words.  (Ages 5 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download Smarty Pants School

K12 Timed Reading Practice - works with reading skills to improve reading fluency, timed to track student progress and words per minute.  + Comprehension improves the ability to understand what is read.  (Ages 5 & up; Free Lite Version; Full Version = $2.99; + Comprehension = $3.99; iPhone, iPad)
- Download K12 Timed Reading Practice Lite
- Download K12 Timed Reading Practice (Full Version)
- Download K12 Timed Reading + Comprehension Practice

CCS Preschool and Elementary Science!

Young scientists need to be challenged year-round!  Give those scientific brains a boost with these summer learning resources for students of all ages:

Busy Shapes - an exploring-to-learn activity to help toddlers develop an awareness of how objects relate to each other.  Kids see how objects are influenced by their actions and the environment.  (Ages 2 and up; $1.99; iPhone, iPad)

- Download Busy Shapes

Sid’s Science Fair – an educational app based on the TV show Sid the Science Kid on PBS Kids.  Three different science stations teach a variety of early science concepts.  Interactive activities encourage ‘scientists’ to find, identify, or organize objects.  (Ages 4 and up; $2.99; iPhone, iPad, Android)

- Download Sid’s Science Fair

Highlights Kids Science Experiments – this is a great place to find easy and exciting science projects designed to spark the imagination! Conduct cool science experiments and check out other exciting Highlights online resources. (Ages 6 and up; Website)

- visit Highlights Kids Science Experiments website

BEAT THE HEAT this weekend - cool off and turn on your brain at the same time!  Kick-start your summer learning adventure at one of these local brain-boosting destinations:  

Children's Museum of Phoenix - hands-on, interactive exhibits designed to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children!  Engaging and immersive programs and exhibits invite kids of all ages to learn through play and include experimental activities with art, balance, gross motor skills, spatial awareness, cause & effect, role-play and social interaction.

Location:  215 N. 7th Street, Phoenix 85034  (602) 253-0501
Hours:  9 am - 4 pm daily
Admission: $11 per person; $10 seniors; free for members and children under 1
Website:  www.childrensmuseumofphoenix.org

Arizona Science Center - experience the wonder of nature and other special engagement adventures!  Arizona Science Center's mission is to inspire, educate, and engage curious minds through science.  

Location:  600 E. Washington Street, Phoenix  85004  (602) 716-2000
Hours:  10 am - 5 pm daily
Admission:  Members and guests 2 and under - Free; Adult - $18; Children 3-17 - $13; additional charge for IMAX and Planetarium
Website:  www.azscience.org

i.d.e.a. Museum - explore your imagination through design in art, science and technology!  Interactive opportunities engage senses and encourage creativity.  Features art exhibits and hands-on activities with diverse appeal for children 12 and under!

Location:  150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa, AZ  85201    (480) 644-4332
Hours:  9 am - 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday; Noon - 4 pm Sunday; closed Mondays
Admission:  $8 per person; free for members and those under age 1
Website:  www.ideamuseum.org

Dear parents,

In an effort to engage students and improve learning retention over the summer, Christ Church School has assembled a collection of reading, math, and technology resources designed to give young brains an active boost during the slow summer season.

Join us here for new updates on activities, resources and apps throughout the summer.  While you are enjoying those relaxing summer days with friends and family, be sure to take some time each week to give your children's brains a boost!

Today's CCS Summer Brain Boost:  

Check out these links for ideas on Summer Learning Fun! 

• Seize the Summer: Keep Kids Active & Engaged in Learning from the U.S. Department of Education

• Get Ready for Summer Reading from the National Education Association

• Simple Tips for Summer Math Learning from PBS Parents