Here are some of J-jo's favorite tot school items.
Flipping lids. He needs some help to do this. This was originally for Bear, but J-jo likes it better.
Clothespins on a small whiteboard. The point of interest is getting them out of the little wooden box.
Lacing card.
A repeat of the clothespin color game I made Bear two years ago. He can pinch the clothespins open himself but needs me to hold the canister and maybe twist it a little if he isn't well oriented. His pincer grasp can't hold the pin open for very long so he has to act fast to slip it in place.
After you have clipped them all on the rim, you remove them, put the lid on and push them in the little hole. Much easier work than pinching. He says "ouch" each time he pinches a pin open and acts all dramatic and wants me to kiss his fingers. :) (It's not really hurting him as he is laughing as he says ouch.)
His most preferred activity however (unlike his sister who loved to sit and "work" with me at 18 months and already knew all her letter sounds and numbers) is kicking a ball, feeding and toileting baby dolls, and zooming and vrooming his toy cars and trains.
J-jo is teaching me a lot:
1. Don't compare your children.
2. Play is important and let him just play. He has years and years to learn letters and numbers.
linked to Tot School .
I totally agree! Looks like he's a hands-on kind of kid!
ReplyDeleteI do love hearing how siblings are different, particularly because we don't have another to compare to!
I just put the pinch-open clothespins on G's shelf today. He tried it once but was not all that successful. His current love is playing with his farm, which he spent the majority of his awake at home time doing today. I think I will try the flipping lids at some point too. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteMy little guy is also very uninterested in letters, colors and numbers! I'm going to keep making the letter crafts with him (because he likes that) and a couple letter activities every week but nothing too crazy! He mainly likes to play and run around! We can always start over in 24 weeks, haha! ; )
ReplyDeleteFrom my years teaching, I learned very early on that all children are different. Now my own children are confirming this fact.
ReplyDeleteThese activities look very much like our home. House hold items make the best play. I thought you might like this idea with lids:
http://waddleeahchaa.com/2010/11/02/preschool-sorting-with-household-items-its-free/
jeannine
waddleeahchaa.com
Asher LOVES taking care of the baby! He's borderline obsessed with it. I think he and J-jo would get along well. :)
ReplyDeleteI too have and continue to learn this lesson about not comparing. My first born seemed so much more advanced in all the "academic" and verbal areas, my second born has a will of her own, and is much more "creative" in movement, imagination, etc. It's hard not to compare to your first, but we're taking it one day at a time and I keep reminding myself how different I am from my siblings- that tends to help reshape my perspective quickly :)
ReplyDeleteGreat activities for toddlers! I love the flipping lids! It is always fascinating to see how different each of our children are, isn't it?! I featured your post at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/LivingMontessoriNow
ReplyDeleteWow, have am I learning not to compare my children! My Joe is my most eager and obedient learner by far. That sweet boy is a dream to teach:-). My Hanna is eager in all things she wants to learn--LOL! My two youngest like to do nothing but climb, play and destroy:-). I am waiting on them to want to do some other types of learning. I'd love to say I'm waiting patiently, but patience is definitely not one of my strong points!
ReplyDeleteThank you as always for wonderful ideas Julie. Hope you and your family are doing well. BTW, still haven't gotten dates set for that trip to your neck of the woods, but hoping...
Too, sweet Julie. Sometimes they teach us more than we teach them! It's all a learning process :)
ReplyDeleteLove the work!