Category: Homeschooling
The Homegrown Preschooler
Back in March, Tony and I attended the Great Homeschool Convention in Greenville. I mainly went to hear Sarah Mackenzie, who is just as lovely and fun in real life as I imagined her to be from reading her blog, Amongst Lovely Things, and listening to her Read Aloud Revival podcast.
I also love her Read Aloud Revival Membership Site! Please go listen to her podcast and check out this site!
I also anxiously anticipated hearing and meeting Christopher Perrin and Andrew Kern. Both amazed me with the wisdom they shared while maintaining down-to-earth attitudes!
While there, I also met the creative and FUN ladies from The Homegrown Preschooler, Kathy and Lesli. I listened to sessions from each of them and I was impressed with their thoughtful ideas for how early education SHOULD work for young children. I knew everything they were saying to be true from my years teaching in a preschool classroom and from the absence of play based learning that my oldest two boys experienced when they started public school.
They have written a book, The Homegrown Preschooler: Teaching Your Kids in the Places They Live
We have used paint and shower cream so far, but I can see many potential uses for learning and fun! As the weather cools I envision us using this more and more!
Thank you for this wonderful idea, The Homegrown Preschooler! #sayyes
Counting Fun
When I saw this container I knew there just had to be something fun I could do with it.
I used a punch like this one
to make circles and then I numbered them.
Then I worked with Essie to put the correct number of fuzzy balls into the holes.
Counting Fun!
You could also use this tray to sort things by color or as a mixing color experiment. It could additionally be used by a child outside to collect things on a nature walk!
Book Making
When I was at the Great Homeschool Convention in Greenville, I met two fun ladies who have started The Homegrown Preschooler. They were full of fabulous ideas and encouragement for working with younger children through play instead of workbooks and worksheets. I knew everything they said to be true from my days as a preschool teacher, but it was a reminder that I needed to hear! Essie loves workbooks and worksheets but I know that she also needs to learn by doing and playing.
During one of the talks, Kathy talked about making books and letting kids make their own books. Eli has always loved to do this so I decided I would work with Essie on making a counting book. We started out by finding things at the park such as 5 flowers:
12 sticks:
and 6 sticker balls:
Then when we got home I found some cute printable numbers and made the book by gluing one number on each page. Over the next few weeks we added more pictures to match the numbers in the book.
Essie’s language is delayed and since this is a counting book, I decided to use the same beginning for each page of the book so she could “read” it herself. So each of her pages says, “I found….” This makes the pages consistent and allows her to read it on her own.
When we finished all the pages, I laminated them and used my GBC ProClick P50 Desktop Binding Machine (2515650)
to bind it all together like a real book. Essie loves it and so proud of her counting book!
#playskillfully
Noah’s Mock Trial
Noah’s CC class has been working on their mock trial presentations. They have put many hours into preparing and Friday was their day to go to trial. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend as children under 12 weren’t allowed. However, some other moms took pictures and texted me updates. Apparently Noah did a great job and one mom said he should be an attorney when he grows up!
So proud of all of his hard work this year in his Challenge class!
Sensory Rice
After seeing The Homegrown Preschooler and hearing it’s founders speak, I’ve been reminded of the importance of providing a larger variety of sensory activities for Essie. We have gotten in a rut of playdough and a rotation of about 7-8 developmental toys that we own. When she first came home we did lots of sensory bins and I decided it was time to get back to it.
So I bought some rice and colored it using alcohol and food coloring. I added some essential oils, as well.
I set up a box with the rice and some toys.
And I set Essie to playing.
She has loved it and asks to play regularly. I’ll be working on some other ideas for sensory box ideas to add to this rotation!
Easter Fun
I came up with some fun games for Zeke with eggs and we used crayons to decorate our still warm boiled eggs this year. It worked really well!
Eggs hunts and family fun:
Our family photo! Probably the last one with only 6 of us!
Dr. Suess Day
Green eggs for breakfast!
Memory match with rhyming words:
Fun day!
February Homeschooling Pics
I have done a poor job of picture taking this month, but here are a few.
I try to plan at least a few hands on activities for Essie each day. Sometimes it only ends up being playdough or dot markers, but something schoolish, because she begs to do school every day. Of course, I do think she likes the idea of school much more than they actual doing of school 🙂
The last one is working with Noah to learn how to make a cake.
Noah’s Challenge Class
We invited Noah’s Challenge class over to watch a movie that coordinated with a book they are reading. It was so fun to have the kids and some of the moms over!
They enjoyed hanging out in addition to the move and food!
Homeschooling Snapshots
Working on counting by making snowflakes for the snowmen.
Essie knows her colors but this activity was good to work on hand strength of clipping the clothespins onto the card.
A Union Soldier takes math lessons from me!
Cutting. I don’t know if we’ll ever get cutting.
Popsicle stick letters.
This is the kind of messes you will find all around the house after a day of homeschooling around here.
And this one just because she’s so darn cute with those pigtails 🙂
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