Letter Cc

Letter Cc for Colors of course! What better books than Harold and the Purple Crayon, and Dog’s Colorful Day?

 

I had intended to put up long sheets of plain white paper for the kids to color pictures on, but I found 50ft crayola color pages in the dollar spot at Target. The kids had a blast coloring on the wall.

We had a little fun with these giant Crayola sticker books we found.

Of course we needed a snack and “C” is for Cherries. YUM!

We set up C shaped race track for the boys to play cars on because “C” is for Cars you know.

The boys each located the correct color spot for Dog as I read the story Dog’s Colorful day.

The boys each made paper bag color books

In addition to these fun activities we read Harold and the Purple Crayon at least 10 times.   Sammy also worked on www.Starfall.com letter B

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Letter Bb

We had fun with Letter Bb. Though we are going to continue using Heart of Dakota’s Little Hands to Heaven, we really did not focus on that for this unit. The boys are loving the themes.

This week we did Batman/Bugs

Sammy and Liam both enjoyed  the Batman Pak I printed for them. Hailey tried her hand at instructing them and the responded really well to her. We may do more of that.

After we completed our Batman pak we changed to a bug theme. The boys love bugs and were thrilled with the activities. We kept it simple and fun. We started with a fun game of Swat the “B” Bug.

And that game turned into hide and find the bug letters.

I thought a little sensory play would be fun.

After the boys found all of their hidden bugs we counted them, then separated them by color, then by kind. Then they played freely with the bugs and sand. One word to the wise, DO THIS OUTDOORS. I’m still sweeping up sand. LOL.

Last but not least we read the letter Bb section from our many many alphabet books.

Simple but fun!

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Choo Choo

This week we did not row any books, we simple did our other studies, and read books, and played outside. It was a great week. Yesterday, we went to a train museum with a support group that I lead. The kids all has a blast. It was a great way to end the school week.

HELP! My Three Year Old is Behind?

 

I’ve noticed something recently in the homeschool world that has really been bothering me. On blogs, and forums, and general conversations, there seem to be a large number of folks who seem to believe that their two and three year olds are behind or delayed because they can’t trace a line, or read, or color a whole picture, or write their name. Just today alone I read these questions by mothers,

• My 3 1/2 year old can do math, but he can’t write, what can I do to help him catch up in this area?
• I’m looking for a curriculum for my two year old. Do I include all subjects (Math, science, history, handwriting, phonics)
• Help! My three year old is behind. He can’t do any of the things I see the children on blogs doing. I saw one child who could write his name, and read and he was 3 1/2, and one child colors in the lines beautifully, and mine only scribbles, and never finishes a page.

Those are only a few of the questions I have seen asked lately. Here’s the thing, sure there are advanced two and three year olds, and that is wonderful, and we should foster that. But, they are advanced. Your child is NOT behind. A tot should play, giggle, paint, make mud pies, and learn through PLAY. PLAY. It is important for you to take the child's lead, especially when they are little.

One popular web site for Tot’s is One Plus One Plus One Equals One. Carissa’s Ladybug is an advanced tot. The problem is that I don’t think mother’s are listening to Carissa when she says this, and they are comparing their children to her little girl, and other advanced tot’s, and then begin to feel inadequate and the PUSH their tot’s to develop skills before they are ready. Here are two great articles written by Carissa.

• Following the Lead of the Child 
• The Advanced Tot

My point is, let you tot be a tot. Let them play. Don’t push. Don’t compare. Just let them be little.

 

Preschool/Tot School Update

 

I have posted several posts about our first grade adventures, and I had someone ask me what I was doing with my pre-schooler, and Tot schooler. What am I doing with them? Hmmmm….. That is complicated. I had big plans. I still have big plans. But those plans are simply not happening the way I had wanted them to. Sammy want’s to “Do School” with us. He wants to do the same things we are doing. If I try to show him how to do it, he gets mad and cries. If I let him do it himself and offer no help, he get’s mad because he can;t , and he cries. So pretty much unless he decides to  play with the iPad, he cries during our lessons. So, my planned ABC units have yet to happen. But I’m working on a new plan to make this happen for him. Liam is all up on the table grabbing stuff, and throwing blocks at us, and all the things an almost two year old does. Were it not for Five in a Row, I’m afraid we would be accomplishing nothing.

It’s not all bad though, that was just me letting you know the side people don’t often tell, so you can know you are normal. LOL. But seriously, although we are having a few minor difficulties there has been some truly great times. Right now Sammy is really into reading books. Not sitting and listening to me read books (Boo Hoo) but making up his own stories, looking at pictures, and listening to Hailey read. Liam is starting to do the same, only you can’t understand what he is saying. Either way I feel like this is a really great thing. Sammy has also enjoyed cutting. He cuts, and cuts, and cuts, and cuts. He has also enjoyed participating as he can with our Five in a Row activities. He is also, really into paining right now. As time goes on, I hope to be more structured in what they are doing, but for now, you will have to settle for a few pictures.