Cookie Cutters aren't Just for Cookies!

I got a 101 cookie cutter set for Christmas a few years ago...with high expectations...I was going to bake cookies, make crafts, cut sandwiches...you know the basic Super Mom stuff...

I haven't used them yet...until...

We had grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch while doing the letter Rr and I used the "R" cutter to change Baby Girl's sandwich into a letter "R". Which of course, threw Baby Girl for a loop. I cut sandwiches two ways, squares or triangles, nothing more, nothing less.

While working on letter Pp, I had Baby Girl separate the cutters into Piles...shapes, letters, and numbers (which in itself is a bit challenging for Baby Girl...she uses the words "numbers" and "letters" interchangeably).

Once she had the piles, I had her separate them into sub-piles...by color, size, line the numbers up in order, the letters in order...

Who knew....you don't have to raid the nearest store of all the educational toys....just go look for ideas and then go home and look at what you already have...many ideas are hiding in the cabinet!!!

By the way, one of Gator's favorite toys are the empty yogurt, butter, sour cream, and other plastic tubs that I keep in one cabinet that she can open. She'll open the cabinet, pull out all the plastic containers...play with them in the floor...and the latest...just sit in the cabinet.

Math Skills

Baby Girl got math flash cards for Christmas. Addition and Subtraction. She has been eager to get them out and play with them. Not sure how she would understand them, I was a little concerned with her frustration level. We began with her just reading the numbers. She knew there was more to it, so she was quickly asking what else you are supposed to do with them.

So, a few weeks later, I had her sit on the floor and use her blocks to count out each number and add them together. What made things fianlly "Click" for her though was counting it out with her fingers...the fingers, not the blocks, who knew! I haven't seen her pull out the cards lately, but when she goes back to them, I'll try some other counters...maybe beads and string...let her string the math together!! No rush, she's not even 4, so I am just laying the foundations...at her speed!

Pp is for Peace

Well, we've moved on over to the letter Pp. We have already had a picnic in the yard, we've done puzzles, made our Pp prayer lists, and thought about our projects.

We plan to make Peanutty Banana Bread for Mr. Paul, wrap a pretty present of popcorn for Mrs. Paula...

Other Pp activities we will try to get to

• Lacing letter Pp (as long as I get to the Dollar Tree to get the letters I want)
• Push Pin letter Pp (Baby Girl seems to like filling the letters with construction paper better)

• Make a Puzzle out of one of Baby Girl's drawings
• Trace Patterns
• Read If You Give a Pig A pancake
• Make Pencil Pals
• Talk about Patient and Peace
• Work on Pattern using a Muffin Pan
• Hidden P color sheet
• Piles

• Make Pretty Place mats
• Make a paper orchard
• Make Puppets
• Make a Pillow "pet"
• make a Picture Frame

I know...wow...what a list!!! I may or may not get to it all. But you make your goals...right? Some days Baby Girl wants activity after activity. Other days, she sticks with one and doesn't care to move on. Some of the activities depend on whether I will be able to get to the prep work.

I do a lot of the "worksheet" stuff myself...I find printables on line and then copy them by hand....I don't have a printer at home and its just a bunch cheaper than going to my parents house to print.

I'll let you know what we get to and how it turned out!!!

Rr is for Rejoice

Baby Girl has finished another project. I have to say this learning our letters endeavor is going very well. She really gets into thinking of people for our prayer lists. She likes to sit and work on her writing skills. She prefers gluing construction paper pieces in the block letters to the push pin letters and she can't wait to make a "project" for her chosen person.

This week we did a rainbow. First I had her separate fruit loop type cereal into color piles. Then I wrote our Bible verse for Rr on a piece of construction paper. Then I drew lines for her to trace with glue. I put on colored loop on each line to give her the start of the pattern and off she went...it was great...she is so into and intense when she is concentrating on coloring and the such (she has almost always colored inside the lines)

Then later that night she gave her Rockin Reward and Rainbow to her Mrs. Robin...lots of hugs and smiles.

I can't wait to see what we will to for Pp.

Yes, I am jumping around the alphabet...Baby Girl is really set in her orders and ways...so I am shaking it up a little to show her that though order is really nice it is ok to go out of order at times as well.

Vv is for Victory

Still working on our letter Vv.

So far we have talked about Vv, and victory, and the people we know that have a name that starts with Vv.

We did Push Pin Letters. I wrote the uppercase and lowercase Vv on a piece of construction paper and let Baby Girl use a push pin to poke holes in the paper. We did this while Gator took a nap to ensure that Gator would not get the pin. Also, be sure to place the paper on a piece of cardboard or on the carpet to keep your tables safe. (we did this in the living room) After the sun had set, we took the Push Pin Letters and turned off the lights, grabbed a flashlight and projected our letter on the ceiling and walls. Baby Girl thought this was the coolest thing ever.

Today, we picked someone from our Vv prayer list and made Vanilla pudding for them. I just used some mix that I had in the cabinet, but I did find a homemade recipe over at Heavenly Homemakers. I put the pudding in a cleaned out yogurt container. I took a piece of construction paper, wrote our Bible verse on it and let Baby Girl decorate the paper. We attached the paper to the outside of the container. I placed a note on top letter our gift recipient about our project. Now all that is left is to deliver our gift!

After we made the pudding and decorated the container, we read a bit from our Kids Daily Devotional. What a great day!

Vv is for Victory!

From A to Z!

Baby Girl has always liked sitting in your lap "writing". She makes her own grocery lists. She takes her "notes" during a meeting. And on and on.

Then she started wanting you to spell the words so she could "write" them. Then she wanted you to write the word for her. When she started asking how to write each letter I knew it was time. I got her some workbooks from the local Wal-store. She was so excited. She will ask for her "homework" nearly everyday! (She calls it her "homework...I did not start that!)

So, we started. Page 1, prewriting skills. Page 10, Letter A...then B...then C, etc. I would "let" her do a letter or two a day. I didn't want her to get too frustrated, I want her to enjoy learning. Plus, I don't want to put too much pressure on her. After a few too many letters, I can get a bit frustrated. So in an attempt to keep Mama and Baby Girl happy...I set a limit.

Well, we finsihed. A through Z. All capitals. My Baby Girl is growing up.

Now comes the lower case letters...and they are really throwing her mind for a loop. That darn b and d...ugh! But we will set a limit. I tell her repeatedly, as long as you try your best. And really isn't that what is important. Try your best...and if it doesn't work one way, try another...really let the frustrations go...

So, what you accomplished lately? From A-Z, one step at a time.

February Sensory Bin

I have always made sure that Baby Girl has plenty of toys that give her opportunities to learn. She has always been interested in learning. I have looked into homeschooling, and I have come across some great sites!!

One site I came across talks about Sensory Bins. (Totally Tots...see button...) My goal for February is to get a little more schooling into our homeschooling...I mean she is only 3...but on the other hand she is 3 and needs to start some formal leaning. (More about that on another day)

I brought out the Sensory Bin I have made for February, well in process of making, I really need to get some hearts and stuff, any who....first thing that happened...

In their defense...we are new to the tub concept!! I guess we can file this under, the boxes get more play time at Christmas than the toy!!

Well, I will keep you updated on our journey into education.