Tot School Week 1- Letter A

Last week Max and I started our latest adventure...Tot School.  Basically it's the entire curriculum his older friends in VPK are learning with some twists along the way.  So far, we're both loving it and Max wakes up excited to see what activities we're going to do.  I figured in the words of Julie Andrews "let's start at the very beginning.  It's a Very good place to start." So we started with the letter A. I (thankfully) got some fantastic advice about teaching the letters out of order so if you were expecting a post on the letter B next week, you'd be wrong.  BOOM.  Mind=BLOWN.

The Palm Beach Library System is awesome for starters.  I can go online, request the books I want, they put them together and I pick them up at my preferred branch.  They even take care of transferring books between branches...so one trip and I have all of my books for the week.  Minus, of course, the 10 that Max will pick out on his own.  And if you're a parent reading this and considering tot school, or if you have kids in general, get your child his/her own library card.  It teaches them deadlines, borrowing and responsibility.  I highly recommend it.

Back to books.  I picked eight books for the week at two per day (it was Labor Day so we only did four days).  All of the books had "A" words in them.  As Max and I have a goal to read 1,000 books by spring break, I'll be numbering all of the books we read.

1.  There's an Alligator Under my Bed- Mercer Mayer

2.  Zack's Alligator-Shirley Mozelle

3.  Zack's Alligator and the First Snow-Shirley Mozelle

4.  Hey Little Ant-Phillip & Hannah Hoose (this one has a song to it.)

5.  How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World-Marjorie Priceman

6.  The Apple Pie Tree-Zoe Hall

7. The Lady with the Alligator Purse-Mary Ann Hoberman & Nadine Bernard Westcott

8.  Alexander Anteater's Amazing Act-Barbara deRubertis

Alexander Anteater's Amazing Act is part of the Animal Antics series.  I just recently discovered this and while the stories are a bit long, We really enjoy them.  There are 26 students in Alpha Betty's class and there is a book on each of them.  All of the books have an alliterated title such as this and come in really handy for less frequently used letters like Q, W and X.  They're super cute books so if your little enjoys longer stories, I highly recommend them.  They're awesome.

We try to do at least one art activity to go with each book.  I'd show you our egg carton alligator, but it's truly embarrassing.  as in my 3 year old said "don't take a picture of that, mommy." embarrassing. 

In addition to Books and Art, I have incorporated Montessori style "trays" into our daily routine.  While I don't fully agree with Montessori style teaching for older children, it has its merits in tot and elementary schooling.  That's just my opinion please hold off on the torches and lynch mobs.  The trays vary from sensory, fine motor skills, to literacy and mathematics to  practical life skills...I cannot stress the importance of that one.  I try to set out between three and four trays a day.  He can do them in whichever order he chooses, but he must do them all.

So prior to the week starting, I made a bunch of rainbow rice.  It's pretty simple, 1 cup of rice, 1 Tablespoon of vinegar and a few drops of food coloring.  Mix it all up in a ziplock bag and dump it on a cookie sheet.  Let it dry for a bit and put it all in a bin.  Good times.

I then buried small "A" items in the bin.  Decorative apples, toy airplanes, acorns, etc.  I handed max the bin with a spoon and a shovel and told him to have at it.  Seriously hours of entertainment.  

Other bins he really responds well to are the practical life skills.  Things like cutting zigzag lines out of paper, using a broom to sweep beans onto specific areas, pouring liquid from large containers to smaller ones (learn from my mistakes and put a towel down first).  

We also did a lot of sorting.  This can be as simple as taking a handful of Fruit Loops and having your child sort by color.  Just be prepared for them to ask you every 30 seconds if they can eat them.

I also get pretty creative and make puzzles...and yes, even apple shaped PB&J.  That's just how I roll.

I have many people asking me about his socialization.  This takes some work but it's imperative to homeschooling.  Max is currently in a music class...and let me tell you, dear reader, you have not LIVED until you have spent your Monday mornings in a room of two to four-year-olds in an instrument parade.  It's as louder than you're imagining.  I also take advantage of many of the free events around town and at the various libraries in my area.  Last week for example was National Teddy Bear Day and a local library was having a Teddy Bear Picnic where every child could bring their lovies, hear stories, have snacks, sing songs and do crafts.  So yes, this part requires real planning and effort on your part, but you've come this floor.  The dishes and laundry can wait.  Go play and learn.

Until Soon,

Kate