Everyday Teachable Moments

The Random Toy Collection

Doesn’t it seem like toys come out of the woodworks to find their way into your playroom and toy chests?

I am assuming every household has an assigned place for random toys, or maybe you make frequent trips to your local donation drop-off.

But, I have found that there are definitely uses for your toy bin (full of happy meal toys, childhood toys, birthday presents, and more.)

Here are a few ideas….all sorting activities:

(Remind yourself that I am NOT a photographer and I am NOT fancy)

1 .   Write down the beginning letters that the majority of the items in the box start with on project paper or a sketch pad.  Before you ask your little one to help you sort the beginning sounds TALK about the items and name each one first.  For example, “here’s a /d/ /d/ duck and a /s/ /s/ swing, what is this (picking up a new item)?”  Then, TALK about each letter: “This is the letter “S” it stands for the /s/ sound….are there any toys in our bin that start with that sound?”

2. Write as many color names as you want on a sheet of paper and name each color or ask your little one to help you sound out the color names that are listed.  Then ask your little one to sort/group the items by their color.  Ask questions about the “data” afterwards: “How many orange toys are there?  How many more red toys than yellow?”

3. Write one digit numbers and their number word in a clear and organized chart.  Ask your little one to find something (a person, a car, an animal) that has more than one of it’s kind in the toy bin.  Give an example first like “There are only 2 cars in this toy bin so I will take them out and place them in my “two” square to show that there are two of the same kind of toy in my bin.  Can you find something else in our toy bin that has a match that would make a pair?”

4.  Write down size words in an organized chart, choosing whichever words you want to focus on such as “big/little,” “small/medium/large,” “tall/short,” etc.  Then 1) demonstrate an example, 2) have your little one “help you” find another example, and 3) have your little one come up with an example on their own.

Have fun creating your own sorting charts and ALWAYS feel free to share photos of your mommy teacher “style” of doing things with The Mommy Teacher Fan Page 🙂

 

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Old Fashioned Card Games

Simplicity is my middle name so expect nothing less from today’s activity…QUALITY simplicity.  You will learn nothing new and inventive, but I will refresh your daily agenda with something I am hoping you will incorporate in today’s time with your little one.

Last time my friend Casey stopped by with her precious little boys we had some adult talk time and then she spent some time on the floor with James playing cards.  I love this about Casey….she is so intentional.

I saw the wheels’ turning as James was recognizing the numbers on the
cards, problem solving, and strategizing.

So, today or tonight, play “Go Fish” with store bought or hand-made cards, and incorporate good old fashioned family time into your night.  You can substitue any skill set based on what cards you choose (colors, shapes, alphabet, numbers, etc.)  Click Here for a description of 5 super traditional card games I found at about.com

This activity provides great opportunities for social development to teach your little one how to be a good sport, to encourage other players, and to be a positive player who does not have self pity in poor luck.

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Take 5 more bites…

Some children have no problem going to town on a meal, while others are more selective about what and how often they eat.  Once your little one is old enough to communicate with you about these things, it is important to be clear and consistent at dinner time.

Dinner time can be super frustrating if you have a little one who is very stubborn when it comes to eating what you have prepared.  This post is NOT the end all – be all for what works and what doesn’t because you definitely have to INDIVIDUALIZE when it comes to meal plans.  Some children are over-eating and you have to help them with portion control, while others are not getting enough nutritional value in their day.

Here are a few of MY tips:

1. If you plan to eat dinner at 6, don’t let your little one snack later than 3:00…Come on, I am rarely hungry at 6:00 if I have been munching prior to dinner time.

2.  Allow them to choose:  would you like to take 4 bites of green beans and 5 bites of chicken or 5 bites of green beans and 4 bites of chicken?  It sounds meticulous but just by their ownership of their caloric intake you might have slightly less of a battle.

3.  Make a little placemat – laminate it and put it under their plate as a constant reminder….each night put a star next to each food group they ate, or a star next to how “happy” their plate was, or whatever incentive plan you choose (maybe dessert).

4.   Provide a little variety for the food groups they dislike, don’t completely cater to their taste buds, but find out what veggies your little one actually likes by varying your side dishes.

5.  Be clear and consistent when it comes to the promise or loss of privilege of dessert.  If they have to eat a certain amount of bites before dessert, don’t give in when everyone else is enjoying their dessert – stick to your consequence.

6.  Make you or your spouse out to be a champion “Daddy has big muscles because he eats his chicken!”  or “Mommy is so healthy because she eats her green beans!”

7.  Bring some reality in to the picture: “I would hate for you to have to go to the doctor because you didn’t give your body what it needs.  We need to take care of the bodies that God has given us.”

8. Come up with a fun family incentive, “Let’s eat all our dinner in the next 10 minutes so that we can clear the table and play a game!”

If you don’t agree with these tips or they don’t apply to you then try new modes of motivation, but stick to what works!  Try to make dinner a positive experience so that family dinners are a special event rather than a dreaded occasion.

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Late Night Root Beer Float

This pregnancy my cravings are getting the best of me! I will have very specific cravings and then feel the need to feed my craving immediately…my last pregnancy this wasn’t really the case so I thought pregnant women who did this were a little crazy haha. But the other night, I somehow put it in my head that I wanted a root beer float even though I really haven’t craved many sweets this pregnancy, I decided I needed it at that moment. So, a little after 9:00 o’clock I told my husband I’d be “right back” and he laughed when I came back home with ice cream and root beer and didn’t hesitate for a second because I made my root beer float the second I walked in the door.

I wonder how many other Mommy Teachers are pregnant, trying to keep up with your little one and a meal plan for the week. This “Mommy Moment” made me think about one of the cutest Story Cook Books I have ever seen. My best friend made a cookbook that told children’s versions of recipes word for word. So for root beer float it might have said something like “Well, you need some ice cream and maybe some chocolate syrup if your mom will let you have it. Then you scoop two, no three, scoops of ice cream in a cup and pour the chocolate and root beer over it until it bubbles up and makes it foamy. Then you can eat it, but you have to hurry so the ice cream don’t melt!” So, to make a Cook Book of these “recipes” you would write each “recipe” – in your child’s own words and maybe ask some other questions to add to that page in the Cook Book like “When do you like to eat root beer floats?” or “What other kinds of ice cream would taste good with root beer?” or even “Does this recipe fit into one of the food groups?” haha that would be an interesting answer. And then you could put a picture of your child eating a root beer float on that page of the cook book.
I think that this activity is SUCH a great collection of your child’s thoughts. While it is a keepsake it also reveals their understanding of sequential order, how they use their senses to make observations, memory recall, quantities (if you ask them specific questions like “how much root beer?” etc.
Have so much fun with this and share pictures on the Mommy Teacher Facebook Page if you make one or already have something similar to this!

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Sorting Numbers

Are you the type of person who likes to play around with fonts in a Word Document before you “feel” like you have picked the right one.
Well, if so, you will love the concept of this post.
I have made a template of numbers in several different fonts that you can print onto cardstock for your little one. Cardstock is much more durable than computer paper so I definitely recommend investing in some for free printables 🙂
Then, you can cut out the numbers – or let your little one practice their scissor skills and cut them out.
Explain to your little one that the line under the number needs to be at the bottom so you know that the numbers aren’t upside down.
Then, let your little one sort by number….putting all the ones together, twos, threes, etc.

This is a great activity to practice sorting, number recognition, and concentration on number formation! So here is your free printable: Number Font Sorting

 

 

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