School Mode

Well I may not be on payroll for Mesa schools anymore, but we are in school mode around our house. I found a fun blog here about simple preschool activities to do at home with your toddler. A lot of her ideas are things most of us do with our kids anyway in some variation. But reading her blog has helped me remember to incorporate more teaching into our everyday activities. Besides, Ty has shown a lot of interest in helping with things like laundry, cleaning and cooking this summer. Letting him help regularly slows down my process, but usually ends up making the chore more enjoyable anyway. I even purchased a lesson plan book from the dollar spot at Target to keep track of our learning fun and to plan weekly arts and crafts. Once a teacher, always a teacher. My poor children.

The author of Likely Classroom also has a link to this article about imaginative play. Oh how I long for a backyard (as usual) with sticks and rocks that can be turned into armies. If you have an extra five minutes, give it a read. It reminds parents of the importance of unstructured play and turning the television OFF.

Sorting blocks by color.

Finger painting. Ty has texture issues so I was proud of him for getting dirty!

Love those eyes. They never cease to amaze me.

And lastly Ty is starting preschool with Miss Maren's Monkeys. She is fabulous with kids, inventive, crafty, and super patient. I'm not sure I am ready to send him to preschool but since both of his therapists suggested it we are going to give it a try. He is the only boy with 5 girls which could be interesting.

First day with Miss Maren

We are debating trying the gluten/casein free diet with Ty to see if it helps his attention span. If you've ever done this with your child or are currently on this diet, let me know. I have oodles of questions.