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