A is for Apple

I finally completed week one with KM, after a 2 week delay.  I decided to postpone it because she had swimming lessons everyday in the afternoon along with her gymnastics on Tuesdays (we keep her busy) lol.  I didn't want her to get overtired, overstressed, or over anything.  This is suppose to be a fun time for her.

When I decided to do Tot School I knew that I wanted it to be a fun thing.  I wanted to do child directed learning, so that she would always be able to enjoy the new things that she was learning.  She so loves to learn new thing :)

So we have started a rough schedule, if you could even call it that, to include learning time throughout the day.  I have gotten the majority(and all my printables) from 2 sites. 1+1+1=1 and ABC JLM

 

 

 

 

Week 1
Theme: A is for Apple
Letter: A
Number:1
Color: Red
Shape: Circle
Book: The Giving Tree
Bible Story: Day 1 &2 of Creation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is how our first Tot School week went

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Motor Skills-  Put out the Fire

 I drew a ladder and fire with chalk.  Set a bucket with a sponge at the bottom.  KM had to "climb the ladder and then squeeze the sponge in order to "put out" the fire. (ABC JLM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fine Motor Skills-  Red Circle   I love that this one included not only a fine motor skills activity, but also that it included the color and shape of the week.  I taped the circle on the wall and then she colored it red.  By taping it on the wall it works a different part of there arm then the standard way of coloring.  (ABC JLM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craft- Coffee Filter Earth         KM loved this and I wish I had gotten pictures of her face.  After we had read the bible store, about the first two days of creation, on Monday ( I read it every morning during the week) we made the land and the water on a coffee filter and then sprayed it with water.  So much fun (ABC JLM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activity book
I leave the pages in her room with dry erase crayons.  She is able to pull it down whenever she wants and color on them of just look through them.  During dinner prep I would pull out a page and stick it on her easel or have her work on the puzzle or lacing.  It would keep her happy and entertained for the few minutes that I needed to get something cook. ( 1+1+1=1)

 

 

 

 

Sign Language

Since me and J got together, J has been teaching her ASL. I decided to include signs when making the plans for the week because she does enjoy them.  Not only is she learning new signs but also new words ( and I can understand what she is trying to tell me better).  I had it planned out for her to be introduced to 3 new signs a week, of course she wanted to learn more.  So thanks to Google on my phone this week she learned:

• Red
• Circle
• Apple (she already knew this one but I reemphasized it)
• Ant
• Alligator 
• Gymnastics

I was so impressed with how she did, and how much of it was Child-led.  I would suggest things to her once or twice a day and that would keep her attention for like 10 minutes.  Once she figured out the new things that she was learning she would want me to go over them with her all day long.  I figured out how much she had absorbed in only a few short days this morning.  I walked by her circle that was taped on the wall and asked her what it was. "Red circle, mama" I felt proud but that could also been because of the repetitiveness of the week.  Later when we were in the kitchen I asked her to draw me a circle and she did :) Okay it is a 2 years old circle, but heck I can't draw a very good circle myself anyways-- who am I to judge :p

 

 

 

 

 



 Side Note:   Our weeks are different from most, due to split custody.  So TotSchool is done 3 days a week, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  Saturday is our snack making day. And Wednesday morning is the review day for the week before she goes to her father's.