Tot School

Meet Mr. T

I've been watching this little man for about the last year. He's super adorable and such a good little kid. He's now closing in on 18 months and very curious about his world. I decided, impulsively, yesterday to start "tot school" with him. 

I've done "tot school" with five kiddos up to this point - my two youngest boys plus three little ones I watched in the past. Since I homeschool my own boys, I need a way to integrate the little ones in my care into our day. I can't always count on naptime giving us enough time to get our school work done. Thus "tot school" was born.

It's been over two years since I've had a little one to watch and I didn't think I'd once again be babysitting so I ended up getting rid of all of my supplies. I am now remaking my stash and trying them out on this little cutie.

Today's offerings - 

quickly put together 10 minutes before we started our school day

I'm in the process of changing Mr. T's nap schedule. Previously I would give him a snack around 8:30am and put him down for his morning nap around 9am so we could start our school day. He is getting to the point though were one nap seems to be working a bit better. 

For the past week I've been having him join us at the table while we begin our day. We spend the first hour doing various read alouds and reading together. It's a great time for the little guy to join us. He's been doing wonderfully. He goes down for his nap now around 10-10:30 and sleeps until 12:30-1pm. This gives us plenty of time to finish school as well as gives me time to help my youngest son with his school work. So far, I think this schedule is working.

However, now I need to figure out something other than food to keep him occupied! I did much better at this with my youngest son. I used to have a basket full of activities he could use throughout our school day to keep him occupied. I'm aiming to do that with this little one as well.

The first activity I offered him were two Ziplock baggies full of colored shaving cream. He wasn't all that sure of it. He only played with it for about five minutes, but I think this is something he'll get in to once he's tried it a few times. 

I did catch my boys playing with the baggies during our read aloud so I may have to make enough for them as well. ::grin::

Using food is always a fun activity - especially when they are small. No worries about them eating the manipulative. I gave him a full bowl of Cheerios and an empty one. I also gave him a small measuring cup and a tablespoon. Then I showed him how to transfer the Cheerios. 

 Such concentration on his face!

He tried my way a couple of times and then opted to just use his fingers and, of course, taste test as needed. 

For the next activity, I grabbed an ice cube tray I had on hand. Then I discovered that the cotton balls I have fit in each round spot perfectly. I only filled half the tray. I threw in a pair of training chopsticks just to see what he would do with them. 

I showed him how to move the cotton balls with his fingers. He seemed to like this activity and I'll be sure to continue it for a bit to see if he'll transfer more of the cotton balls.

He's not really ready for the chopsticks, but he did like trying them out and just playing with them. He was getting tired at this point I think.

Lastly, I gave him some blank paper and crayons. I found a couple packages of large triangle Faber-Castell beeswax crayons while doing some deep cleaning recently. They are perfect for little hands. At this point he was getting very ready for his nap so he only colored for a few minutes.

Doesn't this face just scream...

"Put me down for my nap already!!!"

I also gave him some stickers. Stickers and little kids are just fun!

I'll be adding some more activities soon. I will start raiding my recycling bin as that is always a great place to find things (milk jug caps, empty plastic containers). Then next time I have some free computer time, I'm sure I'll also head to Pinterest - always a great place to find more ideas.

Tot Time Fun

I'm been working on adding more things for J to do when we have school. I did a workshop last year for my mini-homeschooling conference about adding in games & fun during the day for your children. One thing I discussed were activity bags. I even made up samples & handed them out to everyone. Anyone attending my workshop walked out with two toddler activity bags, some game bags for older kids, some craft kits, plus a CD full of file folder games to print out & make.

One of the samples I had put together was called "Snip 'N Cut". It was part of a free sampler I had received through CurrClick I think. The items included in the bag were about a dozen one inch strips of construction paper, a pair of safety scissors, and a paper bowl. The child is to cut the strips of paper in to small bits making sure they land in the bowl.

J loved it. He is getting better & better with his cutting skills & really enjoys using his scissors. This was a fun activity for him. He did 2-3 strips before he was done.

I also had both girls today so I was switching them up with us. Miss L had some table time with us & she had fun playing with the Busy Bugs. I think the texture always throws her & she has fun putting them & taking them out of the nut can.

Something new that I added today was stickers. Oh.my.goodness! It was a blast watching her with these. It took her about five minutes to figure out how to put them on the paper and they are teeny-tiny ones. I was working with the boys & could just hand her one. One side of the paper was practice (i.e. I helped place some) but after a few minutes, she had it down & put about a dozen on all by herself.

She also loves to color but will eat the crayons so twist-ups work great. I gave her a crayon & she had fun adding green to her sticker page.

In the afternoon, I was attempting to snap a photo of both girls together. For some reason, they love sitting on the dog bed. I have no idea why. They will plop right down & sit & play and if one girl is there - watch out - because the other will join her quickly. They are so very competitive!

I kept trying to snap the photo, but one of them would always get up & move. Finally, I plopped Miss L down & told her to "stay!" and snapped a quick photo but it really doesn't show how they usually do this. They literally almost sit on top of each other. In fact, Miss H was trying to sit on Miss L & I had to move her.

Then a few minutes later I look over and saw this....

She's sitting all nice & pretty for her picture. Say "cheese!"

Tot Time Fun

One of the suggestions some had given me for tot activities was to use an old spice container with toothpicks. It really works on hand/eye coordination. I finally got a little one & I have some blunt tipped toothpicks.

I showed Miss L how to do this today. To say she loved it might be an understatement! After a few minutes, she really had it down well & it was so fun watching her. She could pinch the little toothpicks between thumb & forefinger & get them just right in the little holes.

Miss L trying to get the toothpicks back out. Sometimes it worked & if it didn't either I or N would help her out.

I did end up cutting the cover off. The toothpicks were just a touch too big so that it didn't close correctly & I was afraid she'd break off little pieces. She didn't seem to mind when it was gone.

This is definitely a keeper. I may try it with Miss H but she is still only 15 months so some of these types of activities don't work as well. Aside from that, she still is putting everything in her mouth. Miss L will at least not do that if I tell her not to. At 18 months, she is developing at a rather fast pace lately. It's been a lot of fun to watch.

A Good School Day (+Tot Time)

J is thoroughly enjoying doing school this year with me. We are working on writing skills & doing some preschool things. He enjoys his little workbooks & willing sits with me for a bit to work. I had been doing his school first & then having the older boys do their school. However, lately I've had him sit at the table with us & it's working so we'll keep trying it that way. Above he is working on his writing readiness workbook which is a lot of tracing but he likes it.

I discovered that Miss L loves to color. She gets very excited when she sees crayons or a coloring book. I let her try it one day but she kept eating the crayon - literally! I mentioned it to her mom who said that twist up crayons minimize the eating. I happen to have a bunch of little packs of those that I picked up for $1 each so I tried that with a page torn out of the coloring book. She's doing much better with this & will keep up with it for quite some time. She does try to take the crayons apart but can't do much since there is only a bit showing. That is until she figures out how to twist them.


Here's N working on copying his AWANA verse. I have him say his verse and write it out each day. He's doing very well with this. It also acts as copywork.

Miss H was so funny on this day. I gave her an empty margarine container and a regular spoon. She sat there for a good 15 minutes and "ate" - feeding herself her imaginary food. And apparently it was very good as she made sure to get all the bits off the spoon that were there. ::grin::



Overall it was a good school day.

Tot Time Fun

It's amazing how I view "trash" these days. ;-) My hubby loves to snack on trail mix & I've started putting it together myself so I have lots of nut cans these days. I've been using them for tot time with the girls. I've also been saving the tops off milk caps. They are sturdy plastic, round, and colorful. We buy 1% milk so have a blue top & the Miss H's mom sends whole milk for her to drink which gets us red caps. I just run them through the dishwasher to be sure they are super clean & we're good to go. I've been saving them now for a few weeks.

This morning I took a nut can & cut an extra large roundish hole in the cover. Then I gave Miss L the milk cap covers. She had a blast with them. She stacked them, held them in her hand, and yes, even put them in & out of the can.

This is when I knew it was time to dump them out again for her. ;-)

After about an hour of playing with various items in her high chair, I switched her out with Miss H. Miss L went in to the playpen for some play time and Miss H joined us at the table. I decided to try the same activity with Miss H to see how she did. Simply put - she did amazingly well. I just showed her once what to do & she took off with this.

I had to pull out the poker chips I have because Miss H was going through this so fast I couldn't keep up with her! This kept her occupied for at least 30 minutes - which in one-year-old time is the equivalent of two hours. In fact, she had such a great time with it we showed it off to her mom when she came to pick her up & I sent the milk caps home with her so she can make one of her own.
I also tried large popsicle sticks with Miss L with the other nut can that has the smaller slot in the top. She did pretty well this & we'll probably try it again. I pulled this out near the end of the morning so she only did this for about 15 minutes, but it seemed to work well.

More Tot Fun

I'm still working on things that really engage Miss L during our school time. Miss H still seems pretty content to sit in the playpen & play & such. Although, today I did switch them out for a bit & gave Miss H some time in the high chair & Miss L time in the playpen during school. That seems to work okay, but not great. Miss H is still pretty young & I find it hard to find safe things for her to do at 14 months old. I think another couple months will show great changes in that area though.

So today I cut down the tall Pringles can that we have been using for the straw activity. Miss L loves using the straws & can. When I made it smaller, it was that much easier for her to manage it now. The straws now stand a couple inches above the top of the can & that seems to be a good size for her. She isn't constantly having to pull it down to peer inside. ;-)

However, today I think I hit on a new love....

I cut a wide hole in the top of a nut can. I happened to have some state disks (not sure what they are really made for. I got them from my aunt who used to teach fourth grade). Miss L loved this! She spent at least 20 minutes playing with it.
She spent some time trying to figure out how to get the top off. She never did figure it out. So this is what would happen when it was full...
I was always happy to help her.

I did switch out the state disks for more durable poker chips. I didn't mind if she put these in her mouth since they are heavy plastic while the disks were just cardboard. She wasn't thrilled that I switched them out. I think she liked the colors of better on the state disks.
I love the look on concentration on her face in this photo.
I even managed to get sort of a smile out of her! She's a tough one. ::grin:: I pulled this out again in the afternoon for her & she was just way too cute. She saw the can & started doing her "uh-uh-uh" noises when she wants something & started flapping her hands. She spent quite a bit of time in the playpen putting the chips in & out once more.

I also found out what does not work for Miss L...

This is a matching game that I got in a preschool activity bag swap a few months ago. I knew she wouldn't be able to match it yet. I didn't even try teaching her that part. I just wanted to see what she would do with them. She smashed them on the tray & she picked up all the cards & held them in one hand. It did keep her busy for about five minutes.

I also put a bunch of liquid soap in a baggie (within another baggie). Then I gave her a matchbox car. I showed her how to squish it around, drive the car on it, just had fun with it. She wasn't impressed. She wanted the car but did not want that soap baggie at all.

I'll continue to try things out with her & make a list of what works and what doesn't. I'm hoping to have a nice long list of activities to keep her happily occupied for the three hours it takes us to get through our school day.

Texture Touch

This is another idea I gleaned from Trish Kuffner's book The Toddler's Busy Book. It's called Texture Touch.

To make you need the lids off of juice cans. (Thanks Tammy & Phil for bringing juice on Saturday!!!) You will need white glue, scissors, a pen, and various items for different textures. I am using sandpaper, fabric, fun fur yarn, feathers, rocks and cotton balls.

Fill the juice lid with glue. (Okay, I probably went overboard as these are still not completely dry two days later, but I want to be sure they are on there well so the babies can't yank them off in one pull.)

Place your item on the lid. I started with the fun fur. Some tips about the other items. Fabric: I cut a large square & glued it on to the lid. When it was relatively dry, I used the scissors to trace around & cut off the extra. Sandpaper: I drew a rough circle on the back using the lid as a guide & cut out. My sandpaper was folded & kept popping off the glue so I used a soda can to hold it down while it was drying. I just placed some wax paper on first so I didn't glue the can to the sandpaper. Feathers: Cut them down to fit the lid. Rocks: Only allow your toddler to use these under supervision in case a rock comes off.

Here are my final lids. I may or may not put some magnets on the back. Miss L loves playing with magnets on the fridge so I may go that route.