This is an activity we did during our “All About Me” unit to highlight our sense of touch. There are so many possibilities here, and it’s a ton of fun while also being REALLY simple to do. You’ll notice we’re outside, on the grass, which I highly recommend. Because when you turn around for 10 seconds and one of the toddlers spills the contents of the tub…
Tangrams are great because they teach kids math concepts, visual-spatial, and critical thinking skills. Structured activities like this also allow them opportunities to follow directions, and who doesn’t want that? But keep in mind that unstructured play has value as well. The concept is simple: There’s a mat with a pattern on it, and the children use the shapes provided in order to “copy” the shape. Sounds…
There will be times when your activity feels like a Pinterest fail. Your vision won’t match the reality for miles and while one child may be totally into it, another might be eating your props (yep, the latter was absolutely Bianca this morning). Guess what? That’s life. This happens in classrooms every year, all around the globe, and you have to learn to just try your best and…
Today was our very first day of school together. I haven’t been a classroom teacher for almost a decade, and never for my own child, although we learn from each other every day. Homeschooling or micro schooling is definitely different, but it’s also pretty great. More flexibility, less kids, and more socialization than had we kept her home by herself all year. Today wasn’t perfect, but it…
Fresh air is a necessity, and especially because we spend most of our days indoors, it’s so important to extend the classroom beyond 4 walls. Back in March, in preparation for lockdown, we went to the Dollar Tree and picked up some seed packets. We had never grown sunflowers, but planting them, watering them, and tracking their progress was one of the highlights of our day, every day. They…
Visual schedules provide a way for young children to understand what comes next through pictures combined with print, even if they can’t read just yet. If you’re like me who wakes up and looks at her calendar so that I can mentally prepare for my day, imagine a child-appropriate version of that. Kids love it because it gives them ownership over their day and is…