Skip to main content

Every Day Counting Tips for Preschoolers and Toddlers

 


I was a teacher in public and private schools for many years. I enjoy challenging my students and watching their progress over the school year. In the beginning of my career, Ive had a couple of students that required me to consult more veteran teachers. I learned so much from these teachers and they helped me to become the educator I am today. My biggest challenge is my OWN toddler. My oldest son is inquisitive, curious, highly intelligent but EXTREMELY STUBBORN. He loves to learn but on his own terms and on his own time. Yes, during learning time he will tell me, "Not yet." He is almost 3 now (in a week) but he has such a dominant personality. Learning at this age should not be in a traditional school type atmosphere. Of course, years of teaching has taught me this. However, I was encountering some resistance if I set up an invitation to play where I am expecting a specific learning outcome. As a mom, I had the unique advantage to individualize and tailor my approach to suit my toddler. This is the beauty of homeschooling your child: No one knows your child better than you!!! You can figure out unique ways to get your child to pay attention without them even realizing!!!


Learning should be natural, interesting, and consistent. Take advantage of learning opportunities wherever they may arise. Check out the video for some learning inspiration.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sensory Play Ideas

  What is Sensory Play and Why is it so Important? Sensory/Messy play occurs when your child is interacting with tactile items that stimulate any of their five senses ( hearing, touch, smell, taste, sight). Sensory play engages your child’s senses which helps them explore and learn about the world. Sensory play builds nerve connections in your child’s neural pathways which develops their cognitive thinking skills. Sensory play allows your child to use their imagination and develop their own creativity as well as self expression. Below you will find some sensory activities as well as recipes.  Adult supervision is always required for any activity. The sensory items below are suitable for children ages 2 and up. However, mamas always know best! Squishy Sensory Bags  Ingredients   1 Cup Flour 6 tablespoons water Food coloring Zip lock bags Duct tape (to secure bags)   Instructions   Mix until all blended  Put in ziploc and remove air bubbles by flattening...

Preschool Transition Tips and Songs

  What is a transition? A transition is a period where you are moving from one activity to another. Transitions can be a trying time and the hardest part of your day. But it doesn’t have to be. Transitions need to be consistent (scheduled) and as short as possible. Children often act out when they are waiting too long for the next activity to start. Minimize your transitions so that your children are not waiting longer than 5 minutes. Fill the time with a song appropriate for the activity- sing a song about food during lunch time, sing a clean up song after center time, sing a goodbye song at dismissal. Planning your transitions in advance will make your life and your child’s life a lot easier. Choose a song or phrase for each activity so your child will know what to expect. Singing the same song or playing a song for a particular activity will provide your child with stability and a sense of control. There are so many things out of a child’s control that they often resist transit...

Magic Milk Experiment and Painting

The Magic Milk Experiment was one of the first science activities my son experienced. I decided it was way past due to post it. I did not have my website at the time I did the experiment. It was cool to go back into time and see how little my boys were. Time truly flies when you are having fun. Young children may be unable to grasp the science behind the experiment but they can still have fun watching the colors dance around!  What is the Milk Experiment?  The milk experiment uses milk, food coloring and dish soap. The magic in the milk experiment is the demonstration of surface tension between molecules. Milk is comprised of   minerals, proteins and fats.  When the milk combines with the dish the soap, it causes the fat molecules in the milk to break up. The molecules on the milk's surface have a strong connection with the dish soap's molecules. At the same time, the soap molecules try to attach to the milk's fat molecules. This causes a "film" or surface tensi...