Tot "School"

So I've become obsessed with reading other blogs of toddler moms and all the creative things they do with their kids.  Virginia is at an age where she enjoys doing different things and as a teacher I am really enjoying putting together "lessons" for her to do.  I've always felt that for the most part learning can be fun so the "lessons" I'm borrowing from other Moms have a fun factor while they still have a "learning" factor too.  Not everything I try is a hit and it could just be the day I introduce it or the way or the time.  If it's not I'll just file it away and pull it out later.  I'm trying to put together "lessons" too before hand.  Meaning have a stash of things put away for when Chris deploys again and Virginia and I are looking at each other wondering what to do today.  Some of the "lessons" Virginia can do by herself and others she may need my help. 
You may be wondering why I'm putting all these details here on the blog BUT I started a weekly posting on another site of our "lessons" and I forgot my password for the picture page to put them there so I'm just putting it all here and linking them here.  So here's Virginia's Tot School this past week!

Okay so I'm mainly showing this because I LOVE these paint containers and easel.  Nana and Papa got Virginia this easel and paint containers/brushes for Christmas last year and they really work great.  I like the easel because it's a small tabletop one so we either use it at the kitchen table or on her play room coffee table.  These paint containers do what they say and don't spill the paint.  They do get a bit messy because when you pull the brush out paint gets on the opening which then gets on the handle of the brush which then gets on Virginia's hands but these are washable paints and it all so far has come off Virginia's hands.  I'll post the link to where Nana found these but I think I may have seen them out in stores (she bought online).  And we don't do it often but Virginia loves to paint and it is always a treat for her.

BUT if you aren't into making a mess that day (or ever!) then the next activity is for you!

This activity was one of those that didn't HOLD Virginia's attention for as long as I would have liked!  I mean honestly while some of the activities are fun things for us to do together some of them should be by yourself activities and this one just didn't interest her much this particular day.  But there are a few things I might do differently that might hold her attention for longer.  So all you do is squirt water soluble paint into a baggie with equal parts baby oil.  Try and get all the air out.  Seal the baggie and then seal again with tape and then let the kids "finger paint." 
What was wrong?  I was a bit stingy on the paint.  Let's face it paint is expensive and I wasn't sure this would work so I went sparingly on the paint. 
I'll link at the bottom of this post the website that I found this idea.  The Mom who I borrowed this idea from also cut out a pretty decorative folder like a picture frame to go around the edges of the baggie and taped the baggie to the folder. 
And added bonus is that the baggie smells really good from the baby oil!!

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Okay so I am starting to learn more and more about the Montesorri approach to learning.  My interpretation of it is a more hands on type learning environment.  That is a very broad statement on what Montesorri learning is but as many of you know even in my high school Social Studies classroom I tried to do lots of activities that were hands on.  I think it truly engages the learner in the concept being taught.  I also saw part of the Montesorri concept put into place in the Special Education pre-school classes I subbed in alot in Virginia.  They would have different activities on trays that at a "special time" the students could go and select which tray they wanted to "play" with.  The trays had all sorts of different activities (and were often changed out) that included lacing, beads, sorting, puzzles, sorting using different things like scoops and tongs that help with fine motor skills.  And there are some WONDERFUL websites out there that have some great ideas! 
So I was in a hurry the other day and threw together the above "activity."  Many of you know I LOVE TJ MAXX (thank you Aunt Sue for opening my eyes to tj maxx!) and you can find awesome things there for dirt cheap.  So I happened to have picked up this hop scotch game probably a year ago thinking I could use it at some point but had no idea how.  Then I stumbled upon a blog where I saw a Mom and all the different ways she was using it.  The circles come apart or if you are playing hop scotch you can attach them in different figures ( we did this outside but I didn't get any pictures).  So I put different "things" inside a box and gave Virginia a set of tongs from the kitchen and had her use the tongs to put the pieces inside the right colored circle.  I had way too many things in the box and the tongs were cooking tongs and hard to open so I would look for some salad type tongs at the dollar store and put fewer items in the box.  Because of my haphazard attempt at this (and the difficult tongs and me not really helping her) she didn't focus very long.  Again sometimes the time of day isn't right or how it's put together.  I'm also going to link you to an amazing website that is FULL TO THE BRIM of AWESOME AND AMAZING ideas that go along with books, the alphabet, montesorri ideas, ect.....I mean seriously I could spend days on this website!!  I'm working on putting together some activities with some of the children's books we have for the upcoming seasons!  Oh if only there was more time in the day!!!  I'm also going to put on here the sheet that I've borrowed from another Mom on how to keep track of things you are looking for while out doing other shopping.  Does that make sense?
Okay here are all the links.
The easel and paint cups are at http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/
http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TraysforTots.html
The above link is where you can see the tot trays (montesorri learning), things to put on trays, and organizing your trays and shopping lists!!
http://totallytots.blogspot.com/
The above link is an AMAZING site that has so many activities for kids of ALL AGES!!  I mean literally ALL AGES!!!! 
Alot of the blogs I find things on are homeschooling Moms.  So while many of these are "learning" activities I also try to pick out ones that I think will be fun for Virginia.  Many of these you can set up outside if it's nice.