So, this week, after surfing some really incredible blogs - this one being one of them - http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/ , and having had some awesome friends inspire me as well, I finally sat down and decided to do what I've been wanting to do for a while. Get organized. And by that, I mean, to help Kaleb get organized, mainly!
He is getting to the age where he needs a LOT of different activities to do, and if he's not given one, he will do things he shouldn't, just like any child.
So, we started "Tot School"! I am such an amateur when it comes to these things, and I have no schooling when it comes to teaching.
But I think that God gives us all the ability to teach our children. :)
It's not anything big, but it's something, and it's going to help us (in the family) to feel more organized in our day...
This is his desk! You can't see what the notebook says but it is called his "Tot School Notebook" and it has his name on it!
The first day, and the only day I've done it so far :), we covered the letter "A". We talked about what sound it makes and colored the page. I helped K trace the A's. You can find some great worksheets for toddlers and more info. on toddler school at http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/TotSchool.html.
His Tot School Notebook has a page for every letter to color. It's great!
Then, we searched for the "missing" objects in the box!
The info. on the 1+1=1 site suggests making what are called "Tot Trays," for your little ones around the age of 2 1/2 to 3, and this is kind of where I got the idea. "Tot Trays," are simply just a place for your toddler to explore and learn using different objects and various things like sand, beans, rice, etc. The lady on 1+1=1 suggests writing down about 14 ideas, then using like 6 trays (or tubs) for your ideas.
This one K is doing, I named "Hide and Seek Beans and Rice". Lol! I hid a few little things like toy trucks in there for him to find. The idea is for the toddler to use their fine motor skills with these "trays" or "tubs".
We quickly transferred them to the outside! It got messy! Here, Brookelynn is also playing in the rice. We used measuring cups and red plastic cups, too, to play and "measure" and scoop.
We don't have a sandbox outside, either, so they loved it!
I plan to get some regular tubs soon but I just used what we had to begin. It really is fun!
I plan to do this starting now, and on into our school days. I have also created a "schedule" to stay on track. It's something like this:
Wake up, eat breakfast. Then, at 10 a.m. we sit down and say our memory verse and do our Tot School Notebook sheet of the day, with whatever letter is for that day.
Then, following, we will do some sort of Tot Tub, or a project of some sort. That is about it, actually, then comes lunch and the rest of the day. I am going to shoot, like I said, for a couple of days a week.
We meet with a friend on Tuesday mornings, and then Thursdays are bible club days. So, those days are out as far as "school" goes. But, there you have it.
Like I said, I've gotten my inspiration from the amazing web site 1+1=1. (Don't ask me to explain the name - she does it so much better than I can!). But it is a Christian homeschooling site and it's great. SO much awesome information.
I really feel like this, combined with a loose "schedule" for K and B and MOMMY (Lol!) is going to be an awesome change for us. I even went and wrote down a "schedule" for myself during naptime.
I have found myself, some days, overwhelmed, exhausted, and asking, "How does a mom do it?"
I think this is an awesome answer to that question.
I think Justin and I have a very smart, yet very, very active young man on our hands, and this is the answer to helping him fulfill his potential right now in life.
Now, ask me in a couple of weeks, and I may have a different answer! Lol! But right now, this works for us!
Blessings,
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