This is the next best thing . . .

Do you remember this post about sandpaper letters?

Or this post about writing in "sand"?

I have just discovered the next best thing, except possibly even BETTER!

The ABC Touchy-Feely Board Book!

Each letter has its own textured feel, and most of the associated pictures have a touchy-feely patch! (See the bee stripes and the car?) So cute! So, not only can your child trace the letters to as a precursor to writing, there is also an association of the written letter/symbol with the correct sound! Remember my post about sounds? :) (I love this book!)


Here's a close up with my super basic no frills digital camera . . . (the bee's stripes are fuzzy!)


There's even a similar book for numbers!

123 Touchy Feely Board Book

Just thought I would share! :)

It's the small things . . .

I'm embarrassed to say how excited I got the other day in the grocery store. I mean, really excited. Over this. I jug of fruit punch. Not because of the flavor, or the price, but because of . . . THIS!!! It is a pint sized jug! How adorable!! Why I didn't buy more, I'm not sure, because it was only 33 cents!! For the two local readers (ha!) I got it at Kroger near the dairy section in a display.

And this reminded me of how important a proper pouring lesson is . . .

Here's what you need: A child sized pitcher/jug of some sort, a cup, and a thirsty child! :)

Here's why you should do it: So you don't have to pour them any more drinks! (Just kidding!) Seriously, independence is a wonderful thing, even if you have to mop your newly mopped floor after finally getting around to doing it in the first place after three weeks. Not that I would know anything about that . . . ahem. Pouring also helps develop concentration and coordination - very important skills! Here is a great small pitcher you can purchase to keep filled in your refrigerator if you can't find a jug like mine. (This linked pitcher would be appropriate for an older two/three year old.

Here's how you do it: Teach your child to grasp the handle with the dominant hand and hold the underneath with the opposite hand. You have to model and/or place their hands at first.

(don't you love the Spiderman costume over his nice shirt from picture day at school? ;)

And the thumbs up and an attempt at a wink for a tasty drink all by himself!

Thumbs up from me, too!

"Witch's Soup"

This afternoon Lawton and I did a little cooking . . . but not dinner! We made some play dough, which was very quick and easy. Here's the recipe in case you have never made play dough at home! I wish I could give credit to someone, but I just had this sheet in my recipe box from who knows where . . . :)

Here's what you need: (This is per color/batch. I doubled the recipe to make what is shown.)
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tsp. food coloring
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 Tbs. cream of tartar
medium pot and spoon
plastic bag or airtight container Here's why you should do it: What an excellent way to work on fine motor skills! Play dough also encourages creativity and exploration, and cause and effect. If your child really digs playing with the gooey dough, then you might be able to get a few things done around the house - if you trust them alone . . . ha!
I'll be honest - play dough has not been a favorite around our house, not because of me, but because Lawton has never really cared a thing about it. Part of it has to do with his dislike of being messy. He quit eating a blueberry muffin just last night because he was getting messy. Aughhh! (Huge progress has been made, though, in his aversion to mess, and believe me, I am NOT a neat freak - sigh.) He also is just not a crafty kid. He sees no "need" in coloring, painting, etc. and I have really had to work with him to do anything crafty. (This greatly distresses me because I love all things "crafty"! One day I'll show you the art table I made to hopefully spur on his creativeness. . .) So I digress . . . just keepin' it real!

Here's how you do it:
Getting Ready:
1. Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a medium pot.
2. Add water, food coloring and oil.

Cooking: (I stirred once the heat was on)
1. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Don't worry if the mixture looks like a globby mess; It'll turn into dough! (see below) At this point Lawton called it "Witch's Soup"! :)
It finally smoothed out . . . (can you see the huge mess my "helper" created?!?)

2. When the mixture forms a ball in the center of the pot, take it out and put it on flat surface. Squish it and roll it around a bit (knead it) once it cools a bit.

3. Put it in a plastic bag or airtight container and store it in refrigerator. Have fun play-doughing!

You want me to do what?

I received a four year college degree in Elementary Education (169 hours because I was a NURSING major until my Junior year - when I discovered I would never get over my dislike of blood and people hurting) and I had never been told what I am about to tell you until I went through my Primary Montessori training (for ages 3-6). We were all amazed at what our trainers taught us and immediately realized it made perfect sense!

Are you ready for this? You teach sounds of letters way before you teach the "names" of letters. Of course, I am simplifying this A LOT, and preschools and kindergartens are (hopefully) focusing on sounds more than when I went through my college training. As I was reading Carolina one of her alphabet books and playing with this puzzle the other day, I thought I might share this insight with you as well. Even though I have known this since oh, say, 2002, it is still hard for me sometimes to call the "sound" of a letter before the "name" in a book or something. Of course, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom must be read with the names of the letters or it just wouldn't be the same!

Here's what you need: Any time you see a letter anywhere, you can do this. Puzzles, books, signs, etc.

Here's why you should do it: If you think about it, the main goal of children learning letters is to understand that letters make up words, words make up sentences, and sentences make up stories - therefore READING and communicating with others. If a child knows the name, but not the sound, they will not be able to learn to read. If the sound is learned and known, then the reading "mystery" will be unlocked and decoded more easily. The name is an afterthought that they will definitely learn soon enough. Did I confuse you? No offense to all the children that can sing their ABC's, but does singing that song really contribute to their sounds, recognition of letters and eventual reading? (But you should be proud of their singing abilities and memorization of a song and tune! :)

Here's how you do it: Okay, I have included this video, not because I think you can't figure out what sounds letters make, but because there is some confusion sometimes on the correct sound. For example, "L" is not "luh", but "lllll". I have (in my southern accent) shared with you the "correct sounds".

Side note: One of my biggest pet peeves is when alphabet books are published with pictures that have the incorrect sounds. (Owl was for O in a book I just got - which is not correct . . . octopus would be though. . . I think about weird things, okay? ;)

It will be hard to retrain your brain to say sounds instead of the names, but in the long run your children will be rewarded, promise!

A Give-away!

Just wanted to make sure you knew about the book I'm giving away at my other blog! Click HERE to see what I'm up to and to enter! You have until Sunday night . . . :)

Recycling jars

Okay, I have another video for you, and I promised I tried to edit it, but just couldn't quite figure it out. So, if you are really interested, set aside four or so minutes and take a peek. (and I'm so glad you thought Carolina was as cute as I think she is in the last video! Thanks for all your comments! :)

Side note: I obviously should have thought about how I looked before I taped myself. Right after this video, we headed to the Y (for obvious reasons - ha!), therefore I have a slicked back ponytail and no make-up. Don't hold my appearance against me . . . You will see that this is a "one shot" deal - once your child sees it, you really can't do it again, at least not for several months. Soooo . . . there was no retaking the video or it wouldn't be real. :)

This is a good "assessment" of sorts to see how your child is cognitively thinking. I remembered this little activity after Carolina "sorted" all my recycling all over the kitchen for me. What a helper! ha!

Here's what you need: two brown paper bags; two jars, one thin and tall (I used an empty spice jar), and one wider (I used a jelly jar I think); and marbles or some other like object. This is important: fill up the tall, thin jar with the objects and then DOUBLE the amount. You will understand once you watch the video. . .

Here's why you should do it: The technical term is "Conservation of Number" - If they are able to understand that the number is the same in spite of the visual differences once the jars are removed, then "conservation of number" has been mastered.

Here's how you do it: Place the jars in the bags without your child seeing the jars. (In their minds the jars are the same size and shape) The glass jars add a nice "clink" and interest to the activity. . .

Okay, now watch the little video and we'll chat at the end.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Alright, so he got a little bored during the whole process, but then I did, too, making sure each marble went into the jar. :) He was confident that they were the same all along, but when I pulled them out, he wasn't so sure after all. (But I think he did question himself trying to decide.)

Notice I didn't tell him, "Of course they were the same because you said it the entire time", but I let him prove and discover on his own by counting that they were indeed the same. This is an important step because it solidifies in a concrete way what he saw and then believed once the jars were revealed.

Go through your recycling and try this out! :)

She makes her Momtessori debut!!

Well, I figured it was about time that Carolina debuted on the old blog! ha! She has been getting into my cabinets and playing with my muffin tins the past few weeks . . . so I decided to "make" her an activity!

Here's what you need: a muffin tin, twelve like objects (I used these fun, sparkly, soft, colorful pom-poms that I had on hand) and a bowl to hold the objects.

Here's why you should do it: It helps increase concentration and coordination and teaches one-to-one correspondence. (and toddlers love repetition so your kiddo might do it over and over and over and over again and you might get ten minutes peace - just change out the objects periodically!)

Here's how you do it: Watch this little video . . . what you see is what you get! I just laid it in front of her for the first time and she went to town! (and notice how she is "counting". ha!)

We're on pins and needles around here!

I had my sewing stuff out the other day and I remembered this simple activity from my Practical Life training. Yes, a two or three year old can handle this if you teach them properly. Pins were on my shelf in my classroom and three year olds (some two at the very beginning of the year) would do this!

Here's what you need: a shaker of some sort (salt shaker, Parmesan shaker, etc.), a pincushion, and the exact number of pins that correspond to the holes.

Here's why you should do it: To help increase concentration levels, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Here's how you do it: Place the pincushion with pins on the left and the shaker on the right. (pre-reading skills . . . left to right!) Insert the pins into the shaker holes.

Voila!

And then stick the pins back into the pincushion! Repeat as long as your child is interested!!

Here are some other alternatives: Use the "fancy" toothpicks instead of pins or put wooden skewers, plastic stirrers, or those little plastic swords (like for cocktails, maybe?) into a Parmesan shaker that has bigger holes.

Recycled Printing

First of all, my apologies for being so absent. (if any of you really even care?) Anyhow, my last geography stint was pre-scheduled for the two weeks that we were on vacation (fabulous!), and I just haven't gotten back in the groove lately. . .

We have had a rainy week, so I pulled out some paint for my non-artsy boy the other day and had some fun!

Here's what you need: Some of those recycled Styrofoam trays that hold your meat/poultry from the grocery store, (of course washed and sanitized), paint, paper to fit the tray, a writing utensil, and a brush of some sort. And find some cute, antsy, I-need-to-do-something-before-I-drive-my-momma-crazy kid around somewhere, too. ;)
Here's why you should do it: Ummmm. . . we desperately needed something to do, first of all. :) However, it does help with fine motor coordination, writing skills, artistic expression, and you could even get technical I suppose and explain the mirror image concept.

Here's how you do it:
First, draw on the Styrofoam tray. We just used a pen that didn't write (by not clicking it down). You could actually write on the Styrofoam, just make sure that you are really etching a design.

Lawton chose to write his name - but ran out of room. . .

Then cover the Styrofoam with a thin layer of paint.

Press down the paper and rub it all over, being careful not to shift the paper around.

Ta da! But wait, Mom. Why is my name backwards??? Hmmm. . .

I had to convince him to actually "draw" a picture on the next one . . . (You might as well wait to do this until you have more than one tray since you're getting all the supplies out!

Oh, and look what my sister brought for Lawton the other day? An atlas puzzle book of North America! He loves it because it has his three favorite things in one - maps, puzzles, and books! As Maria preached - Follow the Child! ha! Thanks, Aunt Kathryn!

Some of my favorite geography books

Just wanted to share some books around our house . . .

Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney

Noni and Dandy gave this book to Lawton for his birthday because of his infatuation with maps. I love it because it starts with a very present and real location (the bedroom). . .

and then works up to the house, the neighborhood, the city, the state, country, world and then all the way back down to help gain an understanding of how we fit into the big, gigantic world.

Usborne Animal Sticker Atlas

I LOVE this book! We have done a lot of this together, but now he can do it all by himself.

Each animal sticker has a number on it and you find the corresponding page with the number and name of the animal. Then, you match the sticker to a black and white outline of the animal and then learn where in the world (literally) the animal lives. This is definitely for an older child who can recognize and numerate large numbers (in the hundreds) or be prepared to do most of the work yourself. Here's an example of one of the pages (click to enlarge)

My Town by R. Treays

This is a cool little book that shows a map of the town and has cut-outs where you open a fold-out page and can see where each building in the town is located on the actual map.

More about maps . . .

There's a Map on My Lap by Tish Rabe
and

Kids' U.S. Road Atlas by Rand McNally

I just picked these up in the dollar bin at Target a long time ago. Not really for reading, but fun to open the flaps and name the states, etc.

Rubbings around the world

Did any of you happen to make the cards like I showed you from this post? (Like you aren't busy hanging out at the pool and having fun this summer! ha!) Well . . . here's why I said that I liked cutting and gluing the continents on the card. :)

Here's what you need: these cards or a cut out of the continents, paper and peeled crayon(s)
Here's why you should do it: Yet another reinforcement to imprint the shapes of continents and their names. This also helps with fine motor skills and qualifies as some art for the day (and they might not even realize they're learning. :)

Here's how you do it: Place the paper over the cards and have the corresponding crayon (if you're doing the whole color corresponding thing)

Make a rubbing of the continents . . .

. . . and even write the name if they can write! You could staple them together if you do them all to make a booklet or stick them in a folder, too.

Animals around the world

This is somewhat of a continuation of the last post. . . so fun!!

Here's what you need: A map of some sort - you can make your own out of felt like I have, make one out of paper (which I wouldn't recommend because of storage AND the usage. Why go to all the trouble if it won't last?) or just use a printed paper map. OR, (I just thought of this one), you can draw it on the driveway in chalk!!
You also need animals!! The little animals they sell in the tubes will work great or any plastic animal you have around the house. You can also find animals online, print them out and use pictures if you don't have any other resources.

I happen to personally love the Schliech brand of animals for several reasons.
1. They are extremely life-like and have minute details.
2. They are basically indestructible and have no hard plastic edges to hurt teething babies. :)
3. Amongst each other, they are sized appropriately. (the meerkat and the elephant are somewhat proportional to each other.)
4. There is a very wide selection of animals - perfect for finding animals around the world!

Where are these animals found you may be asking? Well, when Lawton was about eighteen months old, his grandparents bought him some farm animals from the local co-op. He loved them so much, family members, Santa, and occasionally we would add to the collection by going to local toy stores. They also now carry Schleich at Target in a limited selection. If all else fails, you can always get them online! They are pricier than buying the animals in big buckets or tubes, but I think they are well worth it. Animals are so open ended (for creative play, for language building, and now for some different activities that I am doing now.

Did you happen to see this activity with animals? Or what about this post as a great language building tool? Just in case you're new here . . . :)

Here's why you should do it: Again, this is a great tactile way for your kiddo to categorize animals and the world around them.

Here's how you do it: Lay out the map (however big or small)

This is what Carolina was doing most of the time . . . walking all over the maps, loving the scarf on her head and playing with her instruments. (oh, and terrorizing Lawton by picking up and moving all of his animals. ha!)

Place animals on the corresponding continents. Obviously, many animals will fit on multiple continents. Just talk through it and decide where they should go. Next time they can go on a different continent and you will never know . . . hmmmm. . . where should this camel go?

For the young child, I would just pick out one animal per continent at first. Too many can be overwhelming!

Sister finally settled down when I gave her a baggie of small animals to look at, pull out, and chew on!

North America

(which I didn't realize until later is backwards) but that's okay . . . it didn't hinder his learning!

South America

(we had to stretch on this one . . .)

Antarctica

Australia

Africa

Asia

Europe

Have fun visiting around the world!

And the winner of the small felt set from last post . . .
(I promise I use random.org, but don't know how to show that I do . . .)

#8 - Candie!