Ideas for giving them a learning rich environment.. . . .

[tempus vernum]

I was discussing this with a relaxed homeschooler at the zoo on Tuesday and thought it might be fun to share ideas.

Here are some of the things we do to have a Learning rich environment -- I am sure I am skipping many of the obvious ones ;)

*read lots of books and types of books (poetry, living books, encyclopedias, whatever they are interested in). Toss books on the couches or end tables regularly to catch their eye
*count everything in sight (from shoes to how long it takes water glasses to fill). COunt by 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s 10s, etc.
*Point out things to "catch their interest" in in an excited voice not your teacher voice ;) "wow the buds are forming on the trees, next will be flowers. Spring is here!"
*study things yourself and share what you are learning with the entire family
*talk as you cook explaining measurements. Get kids involved in cooking
*leave school supply catalogues with bright pictures and fun "kits" lying around the house to spark interest.
*board games
*instruments
*play dress up
*use felt boards
*color, paint, modeling clay
*play the sound game regularly
*have toys pared down and organized into "centers"
*Play verbal games like I spy, how many people have blue on in the room, how many pairs of shoes do you see in the room (leading to how many shoes is that?)
*take them to the library
*zoo
*observe nature (get a bird feeder!)
*garden and teach them things about garden as you go
*carpentry skills
*montessori activities


SOME WRITTEN RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME
*Games for Reading, Games for Writing, Games for Math (Peggy Katz
*the 3 R's (great suggestions for "living math" and for sounds games)
*Ready Set Read (Barbara Curtis) -- this is really a method for teaching reading in a relaxed way but has fun games

I can't think of any more right now :O

[michelle]

Thanks for posting, I got some cool new tips :heart

[birthchic]

take advantage of free days or discount days at aquariums, Ren fests, museums and the like.

play great music throughout the day- classical, jazz, folk music, etc.

get book lights and let them read (or look at books for those too young to read) at night after they are in bed

put maps up on your walls-- mark the places you have travelled

use their natural interests as a starting point (once my kids wanted me to buy a coconut-- and we talked about where coconuts grow, and looked it up in the atlas --talked about lines of latitude, and the tropics. We talked about rainforets and plants and animals that live there)

[Marsha]

Here are things we did/do even though we do not consider ourselves unschoolers. This is just our approach to life, we still "do school" on top of it.

*Read,. A lot. Aloud, to yourself, books on tape, etc.
*Watch TV (it's not all bad) and videos
*listen to different types of music (steel band, classical, spanish style, etc)
*take walks and talk about what you see (trees, flowers, cattails, etc.)
*celebrate differnt cultur's holidays (cinco de mayo, chinese new year) and talk a bit about those cultures
*speak a few words of spanish and learn how to say hello and thank you in three or four languages
*point out art. We go to family day at the museum, we watch museum show on pbs, etc. Also picture books with Van gogh and so on, plus we have van gogh and mozart prints hanging in the house
*take your kids everywhere you go. My oldest has gone to my dr appointments, hair cuts, pedicures,church, shopping for church food pantry food and so on. These are great learning opportunities.

[illinoismommy]

:popcorn

[mybodymyself]

Jodi and Everyone Else,

Thank you for starting this thread. Even though I don't have any kids of my own yet, but hopefully in the future I will have. Still, this a good thread no matter what.

[mom2_AthruZ]

Coming back later to add my list. Great thread! ;)

[slingmamaof4]

*puzzles
*blocks
*make a book--My kids like to make their own books. I fold some paper in half and staple it and they color pictures in them...Belle sometimes writes short sentences on each page.
*abacus laying around...and such things...just fun for the kids to play with
*old measuring cups/spoons...can use them for lots of things...playing with rice, water, sand...when pretending to cook...
*card games....Go Fish, Crazy 8's, Uno, Memory, Old Maid...
*collections...my kids love to make collections...rocks, stamps, shells....and let them find why's to categorize them...they may find very interesting ways...by feel (soft, smooth, rough...), by color, by shape...

Are a few that I didn't notice on the list (could be there though....)

I agree with leaving lots of books around for them. A variety of books and magazines. My ds's favorite book to look at is the Kingfisher Encyclopedia of Animals. He just loves it! He can't read, but he loves the pictures.

[Katydid]

Great ideas! :popcorn

[Mamatoto]

--having play/learning centers around the house from the sandbox to the book corners
--keeping beeswax crayons and main lesson books low and right next to the kitchen table
--our backyard....full of all sorts of learning environments...my kiddos are always working on some sort of project
--tools for ds to use along with lots of wood scraps
--Balls, bean bags, balance beams, trampoline, lots and lots of places to move
--children safe things so they can work alongside of me in the kitchen
--nature games
--lots and lots of great, beautifully illustrated books around
--getting rid of clutter and yucky kid's stuff...like cheaply made books, plastic toys, any sort of trendy cartoony cheap stuff
--watercolor paint always avail on the kitchen counter
--a table avail. to set up in the yard for painting, a painting board for each child, great painting paper
--a membership to a rec center for family swimming. My dd taught herself to swim all on her own. :mrgreen
--strollers, wagons, family walks to the parks
--buckets of all sorts for collections on the walks
--deep inward control to not stop my children from touching dirt, picking grass and stuffing it in their pockets, digging holes in my yard and filling them with rocks, jumping in large muddy puddles, picking up worms, filling my cup holders in my car with smushed danylions, walking into the bay with tights on in January to get a nice rock :shifty , ruining every pair of shoes in a couple of weeks, and *to* read, cuddle, explain, nurture, create boundaries and structure around their day so they can learn best, encourage, pretend to eat sand meals a million times a day, not mind too much when the same sand meal is dumped on top of you :giggle , let them run in the rain, get muddy, clean my entrance floor a million times in a week, fill up watering cans as I try to wash the dishes, let them water weeds b/c it was a good idea to let the pretty flowers grow :shifty , go through 2 boxes of band-aids in a month, kiss lots of boo-boos, watch and catch and duck and run and roll alongside of them.

[geegee]

:popcorn More please!This is great!

[illinoismommy]

these are really good, along the lines of leaving books around, does anyone have one of those bookshelves that "display" the books... I forget what they are called, but I have been tempted to get one. Any clever ideas about a make-at-home one would be cool too

[Katydid]

--deep inward control to not stop my children from touching dirt, picking grass and stuffing it in their pockets, digging holes in my yard and filling them with rocks, jumping in large muddy puddles, picking up worms, filling my cup holders in my car with smushed danylions, walking into the bay with tights on in January to get a nice rock :shifty , ruining every pair of shoes in a couple of weeks, and *to* read, cuddle, explain, nurture, create boundaries and structure around their day so they can learn best, encourage, pretend to eat sand meals a million times a day, not mind too much when the same sand meal is dumped on top of you :giggle , let them run in the rain, get muddy, clean my entrance floor a million times in a week, fill up watering cans as I try to wash the dishes, let them water weeds b/c it was a good idea to let the pretty flowers grow :shifty , go through 2 boxes of band-aids in a month, kiss lots of boo-boos, watch and catch and duck and run and roll alongside of them.



I really needed to hear that! :heart

[Herbwifemama]

--deep inward control to not stop my children from touching dirt, picking grass and stuffing it in their pockets, digging holes in my yard and filling them with rocks, jumping in large muddy puddles, picking up worms, filling my cup holders in my car with smushed danylions, walking into the bay with tights on in January to get a nice rock :shifty , ruining every pair of shoes in a couple of weeks, and *to* read, cuddle, explain, nurture, create boundaries and structure around their day so they can learn best, encourage, pretend to eat sand meals a million times a day, not mind too much when the same sand meal is dumped on top of you :giggle , let them run in the rain, get muddy, clean my entrance floor a million times in a week, fill up watering cans as I try to wash the dishes, let them water weeds b/c it was a good idea to let the pretty flowers grow :shifty , go through 2 boxes of band-aids in a month, kiss lots of boo-boos, watch and catch and duck and run and roll alongside of them.



I really needed to hear that! :heart
:yes :rockon :heart

[illinoismommy]

that really does take my self control too :yes (thinking about yesterday when ds tracked mud in through the kitchen to his bedroom to get his dump truck to take outside before I even noticed)

[slingmamaof4]

these are really good, along the lines of leaving books around, does anyone have one of those bookshelves that "display" the books... I forget what they are called, but I have been tempted to get one. Any clever ideas about a make-at-home one would be cool too


I don't know what they are called either. They hold a lot less books than a normal bookshelf, but I had one growing up. I would like one for my kids bedroom or playroom.

ETA: These types of book shelves are much easier for little ones to put books back on. I used to fix our normal bookshelf everyday because the kids would take off tons of books and not be able to put them back on neatly. Now I just tidy it every now and then.

[Teacher Mom]

Here's one most moms find new-

tape. Colored electrical tape, double sided tape, masking tape, etc. My son has always had a fascination with tape and how it worked and what he could make or build using tape. Pretty inexpensive thing that keeps him busy for hours. And post it notes. They have always loved them since they were little. Cheap learning toy if you ask me!

I got a big smile on my face about watering the "weeds". When you see a dandylion through a child's eyes, it is never a weed again. Okay, at least to me. They love when they go to seed too.

This is a great thread. Including my kids has enabled me to have the most worthwhile conversations with them. By being with them so much, I am able to be available for the questions that just "pop" into their heads at any given time. You know how kids are........they will be processing something still from two weeks ago and just ask a question out of the blue.

I love learning through the eyes of my children.

[illinoismommy]

these are really good, along the lines of leaving books around, does anyone have one of those bookshelves that "display" the books... I forget what they are called, but I have been tempted to get one. Any clever ideas about a make-at-home one would be cool too


I don't know what they are called either. They hold a lot less books than a normal bookshelf, but I had one growing up. I would like one for my kids bedroom or playroom.

ETA: These types of book shelves are much easier for little ones to put books back on. I used to fix our normal bookshelf everyday because the kids would take off tons of books and not be able to put them back on neatly. Now I just tidy it every now and then.


what type? The kind I am talking about?

[ReedleBeetle]

:popcorn

[slingmamaof4]

these are really good, along the lines of leaving books around, does anyone have one of those bookshelves that "display" the books... I forget what they are called, but I have been tempted to get one. Any clever ideas about a make-at-home one would be cool too


I don't know what they are called either. They hold a lot less books than a normal bookshelf, but I had one growing up. I would like one for my kids bedroom or playroom.

ETA: These types of book shelves are much easier for little ones to put books back on. I used to fix our normal bookshelf everyday because the kids would take off tons of books and not be able to put them back on neatly. Now I just tidy it every now and then.


what type? The kind I am talking about?


The kind you are talking about are easier for kids to put books back on if you are talking about the same kind of which I am thinking. But I think they hold less books generally speaking.

This is the kind of bookcases I am talking about:
http://www.bizchair.com/0538jc-jon.html

http://www.poshtots.com/catalog/213/13450/product_detail.asp

http://www.bizchair.com/cf905-052-chf.html

http://www.bizchair.com/3506jcww004-jon.html

Well, there are a variety of them...but these are what I am talking about.

[illinoismommy]

yeah those, I want *drooool*

I don't know if I'll ever justify the cost though.....

[Oliveshoots]

just wanted to add.....

We have a huge tablet of newsprint that we leave out near my sewing area/dh's desk area with a box of colored pencils and crayons. Many times we will get down and color with them. It's nice because if we are doing something on the computer or if I'm "crafting", they are right there with us and we don't have to make trips up and down the steps to check on them.

Play-doh (I think that was mentioned before)

Barbara Curtis has an awesome idea in "Mommy Manual" that I have been wanting to create/update for a year now, and haven't done it yet :O....an "art gallery". A collection of famous pieces of art, displayed on their level, that rotates out every week or so. You can talk about who painted it, what they used to make it (also photos of sculptures or other works of art). I went to the poster website (what is it? allposters.com?) and saved a bunch of thumbnails to print out (<<<<ahem>>>>>it's only illegal if I sell them, right? :shifty) and I'm going to make some little cardboard frames to slide the pictures in, and hang them in a little "gallery" at the foot of the stairs. <<<<sigh.>>>>add this to my list of "cool things to do for the kids before they graduate" :rolleyes :giggle

The kids love to "wash dishes". I let them pull chairs up to the kitchen sink, put a little water in each sink with some mild (method) detergent, and put all kinds of plastic/non-breakable items in there. Sometimes even the silverware/serving utensils from dinner. They will play like that for a loooooong time....pouring, wiping, squeezing water out of the rag, etc. I have to watch though for dd to run the water and she likes to pour the water *towards* her which is actually into the floor. :no

We sing/say nursery rhymes *a lot*. My mom got us started on this. She used to teach (assist actually) kindergarten and was amazed at how many children had never even *heard* some of the more popular nursery rhymes or fingerplays. She has a video and a CD and we have some nursery rhyme books. DD calls them "nurshy shrimes" :giggle :heart

We do little silly songs often....I'll make up a random song about what we're doing, or sing a familiar song with each word having the same beginning letter (bary bad a bittle bamb....bittle bamb...) just to be silly, and I"ve noticed that ds will do that sometimes on his own. It's cute to watch him think through how to make each word start with the same letter.

I drive dh crazy with how much I talk, but I talk to the kids about *everything*. What I see as we drive down the road...the sounds we hear...how I'm feeling...what daddy is doing (school/homework/riding his bike/etc.), what grandma and pappaw are doing...what we're going to do tonight, tomorrow, stories about when they were babies. I also try to listen and respond in some way to everything they say or ask. I've done this since they were born....even when it was just me and newborn ds in the car, I would be chatting away about something (not incessantly, okay? but casually, like if there were another adult in the passenger seat, kwim?) I think this has helped both of them develop strong language skills and hopefully some strong social and critical thinking skills.

A few days ago dd and I were shopping at the Habitat Homestore and she found a little Mother Goose book and wanted to sit at all the old school desks and read it. :heart SO CUTE!! I wish I had had my camera! It was just .25, so I had her take it to the counter and say "I'd like to buy this please" (she said "Buy dis pweez") I gave her the quarter and had her hand it to the lady, and then take the receipt and when the lady said "thank you" dd said "wekkum" and I told her to say "thank *you*" and she did. It seems easier for me to do "learning moments" when I'm just with one child. I just focus better that way and I'm not worried about what the other one is doing or getting into.

I have tried to be more conscious lately of what/how I can teach them at any given moment, depending on what they are doing/what they are interested in. I think ds has an interest in learning to make letters, so I might start that with him soon, as well as some basic phonics sounds. :shrug

[BluegrassMama]

Those shelves....recently I saw a blog with pics of somebody's homeschool room....she had screwed rain gutters (horizontally) to the studs in the walls to make shelves. She had them all around the room. It looked really, really good and she was able to display many books. I don't know how sturdy gutters are; I was afraid they would be too flimsy especially for little boys to shelve their books daily :) but she'd had them awhile and they looked to be in very good shape :shrug

[BluegrassMama]

I just googled raingutter bookshelves and found lots of blogs and pics, here's one:

http://www.carriebartkowiak.com/2007/02/20/tackle-it-tuesday-raingutter-bookshelves/

[slingmamaof4]

yeah those, I want *drooool*

I don't know if I'll ever justify the cost though.....


My parents got ours from a yard sale when I was little! Loved that bookcase! Ours was big and did hold a fair number of books.

[slingmamaof4]

I just googled raingutter bookshelves and found lots of blogs and pics, here's one:

http://www.carriebartkowiak.com/2007/02/20/tackle-it-tuesday-raingutter-bookshelves/


oooo...those look very cool!

[hopefromgrace]

:popcorn
great thread!

[jtidwell]

Just want to say I am loving all these ideas! We have no idea yet how we're going to school Matthew (or not), but these are good regardless. I love the fact that you mamas pay so much attention to your kids -- talking with them, including them in your daily activities, etc. This is the kind of mother I want to be, and these learning ideas sound like the kind of home I want to create.

Keep 'em coming! :popcorn

[Mamatoto]

I've seen those bookshelves out in front of stores for free. Maybe you could ask around at thrift stores. We put books in baskets.

[stbmomof1plus2]

My son is very young, but here is what we do (by the way, I am a "future" homeschooler because we don't have to declare until right before he turns six, but we are definitely homeschooling our 3 kids - I'm pregnant with twins)

1. We have a "child friendly" home that invites exploration. No real "off limits" areas, lots of books, puzzles, and games as child level.

2. Encourage our son to be an active part of our day. He helps to clean up his messes, brush his teeth, bathe, etc. He is "learning" how to be an adult in our society.

3. Words, words, words - we discuss everything. We talk about the weather, the trees, clothing.

4. Books, books, and more books - We have a library of over 100 children's books so far - and I can't stop buying! We have books for almost every age and stage.

[slingmamaof4]

I've seen those bookshelves out in front of stores for free.
:jawdrop Really!?!?!!? O haven't even seen any of these bookcases in a long time except at the local library.

[illinoismommy]

I've seen those bookshelves out in front of stores for free.
:jawdrop Really!?!?!!? O haven't even seen any of these bookcases in a long time except at the local library.


Me neither.

I love the rain gutter idea, I may use that someday when I am ready.....

[Mamatoto]

Yes, I didn't pick it up b/c it wouldn't fit in our car. :/

[Marsha]

this might sound kind of stupid, but what about just having the kids stack the books on the shelves? That's what we do. Mine are four and one, though, so there ability to put books in "properly" is limited. They have two shelves (and older dd has an additoinal one in her room) on the big bookshelf and the books are just stacked in their shelves so they can put them away themselves. We don't have space or money or anything else for special shelving and we have TONS of books! (I'm a book freak)

[slingmamaof4]

this might sound kind of stupid, but what about just having the kids stack the books on the shelves? That's what we do. Mine are four and one, though, so there ability to put books in "properly" is limited. They have two shelves (and older dd has an additoinal one in her room) on the big bookshelf and the books are just stacked in their shelves so they can put them away themselves. We don't have space or money or anything else for special shelving and we have TONS of books! (I'm a book freak)


That is what happens to the books when my kids put them away...they are stacks. But it still makes it harder to find a certain book and get books out that are toward the bottom of the stacks. We also have tons of books...some in the kids playroom, some in the livingroom, some in the kids bedroom.

[Oliveshoots]

Another idea is using little tubs or plastic/cardboard/basket containers. We did this when I was teaching, and we would divide the books out by science, Bible, poetry, fiction, etc....whatever themes we wanted, and put them in tubs. I have sort of done this with dc's....we have one small basket that has 10 or so books about dinos/underwater creatures/animals/science. Another has many (not all) of their favorite board books or mini books. Another one has flashcards and card games. This is not something they can maintain on their own, but it does put a little more organization than just all of them lined up in the book case. I also have a basket next to my bed for bedtime story books, a basket in dd's room for "her" books, and probably will add a basket in the bathroom and in the living room for books there. We have books strewn all over our house all the time, so might as well have some "book receptacles" all over the house, too. :giggle

[illinoismommy]

yup we've used individual shelves and clear plastic bins -- but I still want one of those shelves where it shows the cover someday if I can find a cheap way to do it :)

[Oliveshoots]

:yes I know what you mean, Janet. We have a couple of those in our church nursery and they are just awesome! I also love love love the gutter idea, but right now, we just don't have the space for it (plus we rent, and I really don't want dh to have to patch all those holes when we move.) BUT when we get a house and a playroom, I'm definitely doing the rain gutter shelves. It's just so kid-friendly and looks more organized, to me.

Are any of your dh's good carpenters? I wonder if you could find plans/instructions for the display shelf you're wanting? :think

Has anyone looked to see if Ikea has anythign similar? It would be way more affordable than the daycare furniture catalogs.

[GrowingInGrace]

For around $5, you can get a tub of buttons of different colors and shapes for older dc. It's a great sorting and counting manipulative. I am amazed at some of the cool buttons that are in there.

I also love "wonder bottles" for the smaller dc. Filling up water bottles with different materials - water, food coloring and sequins/glitter/baby oil; food coloring and corn syrup; rice and a bunch of small toys or items found around the house (paper clip, penny,buttons, etc). I have bottles filled with colorful buttons in one, and dried beans of different types in another. Super glue the lids to the bottles and then just leave them at child height. They are great and inexpensive.

Seashells are great too. I have some in the house for exploration, but I want to get some more and put in the sandbox outside for treasure hunting.

I hunt the remnant section of fabric stores for textured/patterned fabrics. I've gotten some really cool fabrics for really cheap - curly fur, soft fake fur, silky material, tulle, scratchy fabrics. If there's a Hancock fabrics going out of business near you, they have decorator fabric swatches (large ones) for 99 cents a piece. I bought some neat ones - a red herringbone, a light blue satiny one, a dark blue weaved cotton/poly blend, a chocolate brown striped textured one. And they have finished edges so they won't start unraveling.

Paint swatch cards are great for color identifying, sorting and sequencing from light hues to dark. I like the big ones from dutch boy since they are perforated and will separate easily. And the best part - they are FREE!

[illinoismommy]

I also love "wonder bottles" for the smaller dc. Filling up water bottles with different materials - water, food coloring and sequins/glitter/baby oil; food coloring and corn syrup; rice and a bunch of small toys or items found around the house (paper clip, penny,buttons, etc). I have bottles filled with colorful buttons in one, and dried beans of different types in another. Super glue the lids to the bottles and then just leave them at child height. They are great and inexpensive.



Those were great ideas, I want to make some of these when Maya is old enough

[mon]

Wow, I love this thread :rockon

Suscribing :yes

[fairolivia]

I'm so inspired! Subbing. :)

[lonibelle]

loving this thread!
1) for an art gallery, it is hard to beat fine art calendars purchased in February for a $1! just take them apart and hang only the picture part.
2) we love books-on-cd in the car. we've done most of the Classical Kids and many by Jim Weiss and others.
3) if you sew, knit, crochet, whatever, teach your kids, all that stuff turns out to be great for brain development and helps with both reading and math skills
4) get fish, tadpoles, spiders, butterflies, ladybugs or other critters and keep in your house for a few weeks
5) magnifying glasses (good ones) and a decent small microscope (pond and puddle water will never be the same for you)
6) chores! best done together with lots of singing (especially ones involving lots of water!)
7) a good family song book (we love Song night! in addition to Game night, Movie night, and many family Read-aloud nights)
8) lots of time with nothing to do and nowhere to go, (this last one is the one that I think is THE hugest gift you can give your kid)
9) oh, and letting your kids see you pray and turn to the bible when in need

[tree_hugger]

This is a great thread! :yes Thanks for all the ideas. :heart

[MrsLisaE]

Involving the child in general life!

Early on we included our daughter. She was 3mo old on her first campout/fishing trip. By two she was casting. She caught more fish than her daddy last weekend! We taught her how to use machines in the home and how to cook. Her daddy taught her how to break down a computer and he's going to teach her how to rebuild one this month as a gift for her aunt. She's 8 now and just naturally interested in everything it seems. Library trips started as soon as she could walk and I was reading to her before she was born. She's an avid reader. Just the other day we packed home 40 library books to devour.

We were walking out of the BOA where we just moved..I was tired and just ready to get home but low and behold we stepped outside the door and were swarmed by lady bugs! She had a blast catching and studying them for at least fifteen minutes as we stood outside the BOA..

Also, just letting her explore anything she wants and not holding her back..Watching "Night at the Museum" led to a full study of the characters in the film..She couldn't wait to get to the library and start studying Historical characters! We just let her try and study what she wants and as much or as little as she wants...If she stops short of learning from frustration or boredom, we let it drop and she'll usually try it again at a later time..

[MamaLovesDaddy]

I Loooooooovvvvvvvvve it!!!!

[Momma2Luke]

oh my goodness - such amazing ideas!!!! I've printed them off! Thanks ladies!

[AngelBee]

taking notes

[HummusDip]

I also love "wonder bottles" for the smaller dc. Filling up water bottles with different materials - water, food coloring and sequins/glitter/baby oil; food coloring and corn syrup; rice and a bunch of small toys or items found around the house (paper clip, penny,buttons, etc). I have bottles filled with colorful buttons in one, and dried beans of different types in another. Super glue the lids to the bottles and then just leave them at child height. They are great and inexpensive.



Those were great ideas, I want to make some of these when Maya is old enough


Me too!!!!! I love the color swatch idea too, and it's free which is fantastic!

[Autumn]

Awesome ideas!!

[tinyheaths]

Back to the bookshelves (not to highjack) I use a kitty litter pan the cheap ones. The books stand up and my dd1 can put them back in even if they take them back out. The best part is you can get one from the dollar store. I am loving the "wonder bottles" have to make those:cheer:cheer

[Quiltingmama]

This is such a cool thread! I definitely have to come back and read through it more carefully (and take notes!) when I don't have a fussy little one ... :yes

[Cat]

bumping this so i remember to take notes-and in case anyone has more ideas!:heart

[Gigi's Mommy]

So many wonderful ideas and reminders ... I'll come back to this again and again!:heart

[high speed wobble]

just wanted to add.....

We have a huge tablet of newsprint that we leave out near my sewing area/dh's desk area with a box of colored pencils and crayons. Many times we will get down and color with them. It's nice because if we are doing something on the computer or if I'm "crafting", they are right there with us and we don't have to make trips up and down the steps to check on them.

Play-doh (I think that was mentioned before)

Barbara Curtis has an awesome idea in "Mommy Manual" that I have been wanting to create/update for a year now, and haven't done it yet :O....an "art gallery". A collection of famous pieces of art, displayed on their level, that rotates out every week or so. You can talk about who painted it, what they used to make it (also photos of sculptures or other works of art). I went to the poster website (what is it? allposters.com?) and saved a bunch of thumbnails to print out (<<<<ahem>>>>>it's only illegal if I sell them, right? :shifty) and I'm going to make some little cardboard frames to slide the pictures in, and hang them in a little "gallery" at the foot of the stairs. <<<<sigh.>>>>add this to my list of "cool things to do for the kids before they graduate" :rolleyes :giggle

The kids love to "wash dishes". I let them pull chairs up to the kitchen sink, put a little water in each sink with some mild (method) detergent, and put all kinds of plastic/non-breakable items in there. Sometimes even the silverware/serving utensils from dinner. They will play like that for a loooooong time....pouring, wiping, squeezing water out of the rag, etc. I have to watch though for dd to run the water and she likes to pour the water *towards* her which is actually into the floor. :no

We sing/say nursery rhymes *a lot*. My mom got us started on this. She used to teach (assist actually) kindergarten and was amazed at how many children had never even *heard* some of the more popular nursery rhymes or fingerplays. She has a video and a CD and we have some nursery rhyme books. DD calls them "nurshy shrimes" :giggle :heart

We do little silly songs often....I'll make up a random song about what we're doing, or sing a familiar song with each word having the same beginning letter (bary bad a bittle bamb....bittle bamb...) just to be silly, and I"ve noticed that ds will do that sometimes on his own. It's cute to watch him think through how to make each word start with the same letter.

I drive dh crazy with how much I talk, but I talk to the kids about *everything*. What I see as we drive down the road...the sounds we hear...how I'm feeling...what daddy is doing (school/homework/riding his bike/etc.), what grandma and pappaw are doing...what we're going to do tonight, tomorrow, stories about when they were babies. I also try to listen and respond in some way to everything they say or ask. I've done this since they were born....even when it was just me and newborn ds in the car, I would be chatting away about something (not incessantly, okay? but casually, like if there were another adult in the passenger seat, kwim?) I think this has helped both of them develop strong language skills and hopefully some strong social and critical thinking skills.

A few days ago dd and I were shopping at the Habitat Homestore and she found a little Mother Goose book and wanted to sit at all the old school desks and read it. :heart SO CUTE!! I wish I had had my camera! It was just .25, so I had her take it to the counter and say "I'd like to buy this please" (she said "Buy dis pweez") I gave her the quarter and had her hand it to the lady, and then take the receipt and when the lady said "thank you" dd said "wekkum" and I told her to say "thank *you*" and she did. It seems easier for me to do "learning moments" when I'm just with one child. I just focus better that way and I'm not worried about what the other one is doing or getting into.

I have tried to be more conscious lately of what/how I can teach them at any given moment, depending on what they are doing/what they are interested in. I think ds has an interest in learning to make letters, so I might start that with him soon, as well as some basic phonics sounds. :shrug
the poster website was a crazy good idea! Just saved some of the pics to refer to w/my ds. I love the thought of having him make his interpretation of the classic art pieces or showing him all the diff. types to broaden his artistic ability. He loves to draw, and I think it's important to inspire. So excited about trying this out w/him. Of course since it's not math or history he'll love it!

[SarahH2]

I was discussing this with a relaxed homeschooler at the zoo on Tuesday and thought it might be fun to share ideas.

Here are some of the things we do to have a Learning rich environment -- I am sure I am skipping many of the obvious ones ;)

*read lots of books and types of books (poetry, living books, encyclopedias, whatever they are interested in). Toss books on the couches or end tables regularly to catch their eye
*count everything in sight (from shoes to how long it takes water glasses to fill). COunt by 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s 10s, etc.
*Point out things to "catch their interest" in in an excited voice not your teacher voice ;) "wow the buds are forming on the trees, next will be flowers. Spring is here!"
*study things yourself and share what you are learning with the entire family
*talk as you cook explaining measurements. Get kids involved in cooking
*leave school supply catalogues with bright pictures and fun "kits" lying around the house to spark interest.
*board games
*instruments
*play dress up
*use felt boards
*color, paint, modeling clay
*play the sound game regularly
*have toys pared down and organized into "centers"
*Play verbal games like I spy, how many people have blue on in the room, how many pairs of shoes do you see in the room (leading to how many shoes is that?)
*take them to the library
*zoo
*observe nature (get a bird feeder!)
*garden and teach them things about garden as you go
*carpentry skills
*montessori activities


SOME WRITTEN RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME
*Games for Reading, Games for Writing, Games for Math (Peggy Katz
*the 3 R's (great suggestions for "living math" and for sounds games)
*Ready Set Read (Barbara Curtis) -- this is really a method for teaching reading in a relaxed way but has fun games

I can't think of any more right now :O




What is the sound game?