The start of the new school year brings with it the start of many extra curricular activities.  Depending on the activity, and the number of children in your household, the cost of those activities can really add up!

So how can you keep the cost down while still allowing your child to explore outside interests?  I’ve put together some great tips for saving money on extra curricular activities.

Purchase gently used equipment.  Whether your child is into sports, dance, or music, you can get a good deal on previously owned equipment.

If you are looking for sporting equipment, Play It Again Sports is a resale store that sells a variety of gently used gear, such as soccer pads, golf clubs, and tennis rackets.  Other consignment shops geared towards kids, such as Once Upon a Child, carry items like soccer cleats and tap shoes.  Don’t have one of these stores near you?  Garage sales, although hit or miss, can be a great way to find inexpensive sporting equipment for your child.  And, if you can’t find the equipment you are looking for this way, you are almost guaranteed to find what you are looking for on Craigslist or Ebay.

When it comes to buying musical instruments, consider checking your local thrift stores, pawn shops, and garage sales.  For large/expensive instruments, renting may be the cheaper alternative, especially if you aren’t sure how long your child will be interested in the instrument.  And, of course, Craigslist and Ebay also tend to have a large listing of musical instruments that may meet your needs.

Organize an equipment swap.   Have outgrown sports equipment or unwanted musical instruments taking up space?  Many school districts have an equipment swap each year where parents and students can exchange their gently used equipment.  Call the local high school to see if your district has such an event.

Limit the number of activities each child participates in.  Limiting the number of activities each child is in will not only save you money on the equipment they need to participate, but it will also limit the number of practices you have to drive children to, saving your sanity and a bit of gas money, too!

Look into alternatives for those private lessons.  Have a child that wants to take music lessons?  Instead of paying for private lessons for a beginning student, ask about group lessons, which are usually cheaper.

Or, by speaking to the music director in your school district, you may be able to find a high school student who is giving beginning lessons at a fraction of the cost you would normally pay for lessons elsewhere.

And once you find an instructor, consider having  lessons every other week instead of weekly.

One other alternative when it comes to music lessons:  check with your local chapter of the Salvation Army.  Not every chapter offers music lessons, but if yours does and you meet the requirements,  your student can learn to play guitar, piano, brass, or percussion from some wonderful musicians.

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School means more than just reading and math.  Whether it’s band, sports, or drama, these tips for saving money on extra curricular activities will help you not spend a fortune this year.

Also check out:

• 12 After School Snacks to Make Them Smile
• First Day of School Books Your Kids Need to Hear
• Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words at Home

The post Tips for Saving Money on Extra Curricular Activities first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Making the decision as to which preschool to choose can be a difficult one.  Several years ago, I got together with some other moms and compiled a list of questions to ask when choosing a preschool.  I’d like to share them with you today.

Here are the top 10 questions to ask when choosing a preschool.

1. The price. (This can be a big issue; some places are outrageous!)
2. The class size and/or student to teacher ratio.
3. Is the program learning through play based?
4. Do I need to volunteer time or fundraise?  (I had never thought of this one!)
5. Do they go on field trips?
6. What are the disciplinary actions?
7. What  safety precautions are taken? (How secure is the building they are in, and is it easy for a stranger to walk in?)
8. Are the teachers all certified through the state?
9. The school’s worldview and what will be taught.
10. What is the sick policy? (Are children to stay home for at least a day after having a fever?)

If you have a little one, I hope this list of questions to ask when choosing a preschool helps.

Other posts you may like:

• The Best First Day of School Books
• DIY I-Spy Back to School Craft
• Cat in the Hat Craft

The post Questions to Ask When Choosing a Preschool first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Imagine this:  your child is in the computer lab at school, researching for a class project.  Suddenly,  on the side of the screen, a half-clad woman appears in an advertisement for weight loss pills.

We’ve all seen the kinds of ads that pop-up when searching the internet, that’s where Bing comes in to play!

(Thank you to Bing for sponsoring today’s post.  I’m proud to support #adfreesearch in schools!  

As always, all opinions are my own.)

When a student uses a search engine at school, it’s highly likely that the ads that pop up not only distract them from their studies, but can also be inappropriate.  With Bing in the classroom all advertising is removed, there are strict filters for adult content and also enhanced privacy protection.

Shouldn’t children be able to research at school without all those negative ads popping up?

Check out this short video for more about using Bing in the classroom.

And, as long as we are helping kids focus on the things they should be focusing on in school, how about helping the school of your choice earn credits toward Surface tablets?

Sign up for Bing rewards now just by visiting this page!  Just select the “Find your school” map in the lower right corner of the page.  Once you find your school, select “Support Your School” and click on the “Try it now, FREE!” section.  As long as you stay signed in as you search with Bing you’ll be earning credits for your school.  (Helping the school with my endless evening web-surfing?  Yes, please!)  

Does your child’s school use Bing’s #adfreesearch?  If not, be sure to tell them about it and help make your school ad free!

The post Bing in the Classroom first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

This Thankful Thursday I will be dropping my daughter off at school for the first time.

Except for the two days my mom watched her while we were at the hospital having child number 2, it will be the longest time I’ve been away from her since she was a baby and I went back to work to finish the school year.

I am forever thankful I’ve had that time at home with my little girl.

And I am thankful for each of you stopping in this week.

Leave a comment letting me know what you are thankful for this week, or link up your own thankful post below!

The post Thankful Thursday — First Day of School first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

My baby girl,

How the time has flown!  I swear it was just yesterday that we pulled onto our road, with you buckled in your little car seat, and tears streaming down my face as I realized we really did get to bring you home from the hospital.

The next thing I knew you were climbing the t.v. set, changing clothes for the upteenth time, and racing across the back yard to catch a ride on Papaw’s tractor.

I can’t believe you are starting kindergarten this week.

So many thoughts have run through my head these past few days.

Do I pick  you up every day, or do I have you take the bus home in the afternoon?

What if someone picks on you on the bus?  What if you miss your stop?

Will you eat all your lunch?

Who will help you up if you fall and skin your knee?  Will someone help you across the monkey bars?

Are you going to miss your snuggie?  Should I try to cut a corner off it and pin it inside your backpack?

Have I told you I love you enough?

You have always been my independent one.

You were getting your own snacks out when you were barely toddling; you were climbing and jumping from the top of the changing table before you were three.

You talk to everyone we meet.  You race towards playgrounds, hoping to make new friends.  You thrive when put into new situations.

So many thoughts have gone through my head this week, but there is one thing I am certain of.

This is your time to soar.

But before you do, before you take that leap out of the nest and test those wings, I have a few things I want you to know.

I will always love you.

No matter what.

When you need someone to listen about your day, I’ll be waiting.

There will be days you get picked to be line leader; there will be days someone may hurt your feelings…  You can tell me about it all.  I will listen.

And if you just need a hug, my arms will be open.

You are special.

You are precious.

Your are perfect just the way you are.

And I am forever grateful to be blessed to have you as my daughter.

I love you.

The post Letter to My Daughter as She Starts School first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

In a few days my daughter starts kindergarten.  No longer will we roll out of bed, play a bit, and then eventually meander to the breakfast table.  Our mornings will be all about waking up on time, getting dressed, and out the door in time to get to school.  This past week I’ve been trying to get organized for school mornings.

There are some simple ways to get the kids out the door a little more smoothly in the mornings.

• Have your child lay out their clothes the night before.  This will eliminate the last minute search for that special skirt that matches their favorite shirt.
• Get backpacks packed the night before.  Skip the drama of looking for last night’s homework or those gym clothes in the morning.
• If your child packs lunch, get that lunch made the night before.

Along with those simple ideas, you can also make school mornings go more smoothly with a bit of organizing.

Organizing Lunch Box Items

It’s amazing how quickly the collection of sandwich boxes, drink bottles, lunch boxes, and other lunch related items you can acquire when your kids start school.  These items need a space of their own where they can  be in one spot instead of spread out throughout the kitchen.  This will make lunch packing go much more smoothly.

We are fortunate to have a small cabinet with pull-out shelves that works perfectly for this.  I like having the cabinet down low so the kids can help put items away once they are clean and can even help pack lunch.

Organizing Lunch Snack Choices

When it comes to lunches, it’s also helpful to organize school-friendly snacks and desserts.  We created a separate place in our pantry for desserts, fruit cups/applesauce containers, and other snack items (Goldfish crackers and dried fruits) to be stored separately.   This makes it easy to quickly find items you are looking for.

I like using what we already have on hand, so I recycled a couple mismatched baskets and even a sturdy cardboard box.  You could always find matching containers at the dollar store if you want a more cohesive look. Having them stored in separate containers also makes it easy for kids to find the snacks they are looking for.  Letting kids have a say in what gets packed means they are more likely to eat their lunch.

Getting Ready for School Checklist

Finally, what I think will be the biggest help in getting us out the door in time is this simple flip chart.

I used some over-sized paint samples I had in our art supplies and wrote out each step of our morning process.  I also included a simple picture on each card to make it easier for my non-reader to follow.

By punching a hole in the corner of each card and threading them onto a large metal or plastic ring, you can make a getting ready for school flip chart.  (I like using what I have on hand, so I recycled a baby toy link and just wrapped a bit of tape around the opening in the ring to keep the cards from falling off.  You can also use a metal binder ring.)

Are you ready for back to school?  I hope these simple tips help you feel more organized for school mornings!

Other back to school posts you may like:

• DIY I-Spy Back to School Craft
• Awesome First Day of School Books
• Questions to Ask When Choosing a Preschool

The post Getting Organized for School Mornings first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.