Lots of homework!

All week JV has been telling us that he is going to stay home with me on Friday because, "I have a lot of homework to do!"  So I stayed up Thursday night printing out work for him to do today.  We started out with near-point-copying and cutting work (no pictures, sorry!) Followed by Do-A-Dot worksheets.  JV worked for about 45 mins, but made sure to take breaks like dad did, who also got to work from home today.

FYI: these paints are "Do-A-Dot"



Making a "Daddy" snowman.  Notice the green eyes like dad.



"S is for Snowman."

 

JV's first maze.

  He tried to go over the line, so I had him use his finger to find the snowman's mittens before using the paints.  He really had to think about this one!

 

 



Now he's quizzing me!

 





Ok, now you're just showing off!

Farm Week 1

During nap time, aka, break time for MamaRach, I found this website: Everything Preschool .  It has a few sample lesson plans and lots of ideas.  I was so thrilled that I attempted to follow their lesson plans titled "Farm Week".  I made my own changes since my charges (nanny kids) are on 1.5 years old. 

Little People Barn and Farm Animals

Above:  The boys LOVED these!  I was lucky enough that there were 2 barns.  Even with both barns there were times that we had to work on sharing and 'gentle hands'.

Coloring a farm picture

We also worked on fine motor skills through artwork.  Here, I had the boys color a picture of a farm.  As they colored we talked about the the objects in the picture and the sounds each animal made.

It snows on the farm too!

Too cold to play outside?  Bring the outside in!
Honestly, I had high hopes for this but it just didn't work out as well as I had hoped.  Although my oldest charge (5.5 years old) loved it!  The plan however was to have the boys play in the snow with the Little People animals.  Next time I will set up cookies sheets with snow.  The little guys (1.5 years old) just couldn't reach the animals in the tub.

Painting a horse

Don't interrupt.  He's very focused!

I love texture play, and the easiest way to do that is with paint.  Dump a little paint into a bowl.  Give the kids paint brushes, a picture to paint and you have an instant master peice!  (This is also good for fine motor).
*tip: Use painters tape to hold pictures in place

'P' working on his puzzle

Little Man working on the puzzle with 'P' there for support.

These Melissa and Doug puzzles from Target proved to be a big hit.  I specifically like that the are thick for little hands and have the picture on the puzzle board.  It only took one or two times of working with the boys before they started figuring it out on their own.  'P' was able to complete a whole puzzle by himself!

Mama Rach



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A Reader After All

I’ve been trying to get Jackson to sit and read with me for months.  Then this morning I decided to read The Help while he played with his toys.  After playing with all the toys that I had set out, he started pulling his children’s books off the self.  This time he wasn’t just pulling them and making a mess of thing but actually ‘reading’ the books. 

One by one he began to bring them over to me.  I asked him if he wanted to read them.  I, of course, expected to read 1 to 2 pages and then have him move on to something different but he didn’t.  He placed himself in my lap and remained there not only through one book but 3!  Maybe I’ll have a reader after all.

Mama Rach

Summer Bucket List

It's summer time!  I have roughly two months off work, and I plan on jam packing it with lots of fun activities for the family.  Here are a few things on my summer bucket list...

teaching J more sign language signs

ECing

practice using utensils

TOT school

swim pond

splash pad

Thursday outdoor kids music

zoo

underwater swimming at the pool

get to know all the parks in MG

1 year pictures

summer photo project

scrapbook year one

lunch with dad

playdates

ediable sensory table

children's museam

pick strawberries

story time at the library

spending a weekend in Duluth, MN

camping

biking around the lake

cookout with friends

Celebrating Jackson's 1st birthday!

Mama Rach

How to catch a rainbow

B, 4 years old, is allowed to watch a tv show after doing his homework.  This week he choose a recording of Cybercase.  The subject?  RAINBOWS! 

Science Experiment: How to catch a rainbow.

This is one of the coolest experiments I've done with B (4 years old).  You will need 1 cup of milk, food color dye (preferably the primary colors), and dish detergent.

1.  Pour 1 cup of milk in small bowl.
2.  Drop about 3 drops for each color of food dye in a triangular pattern like we did below.

3.  Pour a small amount of dish detergent in the center of the bowl. 

The detergent floats on tops of the milk to mix the colors together. 

 I had B fill out a worksheet found here: http://www.kidzone.ws/science/rainbow.htm  He usually doesn't like doing worksheets but he was actually excited about this one.

Mama Rach





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Best Buds

These two weren't too sure about one another when I began my current job.  There were days where Jackson (9 mths. old) would cling to me, and P (11 mths. old) just glared at Jackson.  After a few short weeks of us coming to P's house the two have become best buds.

Here they are working on sharing the napkin holders:

Making their escape plans.

Working together to escape to the great outdoors.

BEST BUDS!

Not long after these shots were taken we joined older brother on the deck for a picnic lunch.   

Mama Rach

A Rainbow of Colors

Here is a quick and simple art project that I call "A Rainbow of Color".

First, I set out primary colors for P (11 mths. old) knowing that they would all blend nicely together.

Next, I put a dab of each color on finger paint paper.

Then, I let P splat, squish, and rub the paint as he wished.

And here is the finished product:

A Rainbow of Color!

Helpful Tips:

1. Give young children pacifiers (if they will take it) to keep paint out of their mouths.

2.  You could have older children make a rainbow shape, but let young children experiment with the paint.

3.  A bowl of warm soapy water and baby wipes make clean up a snap.

4.  Above all, HAVE FUN!!!

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