Tot School Week 18: (April 12th-18th)

Alyssa will be 29 months old tomorrow
This probably goes without saying PLEASE do not use the pictures on this blog without prior permission.  Feel free to borrow ideas from this blog, but PLEASE link back to my blog if you found something useful.  The use of small items requires close parent or teacher supervision at ALL times.  Thank you and enjoy your visit!!!!

This week and most likely next week will be leftover Easter activities that I planned that we never got to do (including rabbits, eggs, etc.).  The last two weeks we ended up focusing more on the REAL Easter story, but I really did not want the supplies that I bought to go to waste.  We only had two short tot school days this week, but she did have a lot of opportunities for socialization as she played with her friends and family.  I don't usually post play date pictures.  Sorry.

BEWARE THERE ARE A LOT OF MATH ACTIVITIES!!!!   

Here's What Our Week Was Like:

Monday - No Tot School 

Tuesday - Slow Tot School Day, Cousin Born, Visited Hospital, and Play Date with Haydn

Wednesday - No Tot School, Play Date with her friend Logan

Thursday - Some Tot School

Friday - Appointments, Play Date with Daddy

Saturday - Daddy's Birthday and Family Party (Play Date Cade)

Reading
This week Alyssa has wanted to practice her reading skills ... SHE wants to read to us and her stuffed animals ALL the time.  So, we have been encouraging her.  She's doing GREAT!  I just need to figure out what step I want to take with her next.  She has also noticed and asked me about the different punctuation marks as she reads her books.  I also realized that after she asks me for help with a word; she'll reread the entire sentence using the word given (pointing to each word as she reads).  I cannot tell you how many books she has read this week!!!  I am SO happy that she still enjoys reading with mommy and daddy too.    

Sight Word Basket

Alyssa pulled out a colorful egg from a large basket.  She opened the egg and if she could read the word inside then she was able to keep the egg and place it in her bowl.  If she could not read it, then it was put back in the basket. I made a sight word game for our Noah's Ark Flood theme and decided to create a version similar to it.  Three of the eggs contained black rotten eggs.  If Alyssa were to pull that egg out then she would have to put back all of her eggs and start over.  The words that were placed inside the eggs can be found at Making Learning Fun: Chicken Sight Word Game or the Easter Basket Sight Word Game.  We used all of the number, color, and sight words.  The actual idea for this activity was inspired by  combining the Easter Basket Sight Word Game using real baskets and eggs instead of paper ones.  I also used the terminology "rotten eggs" from a game that was posted on My Montessori Journey, but this game is very different.  Alyssa was able to read almost ALL of the eggs - there were a few sight words that she could not pronounce properly.      

Math

Egg Counting Baskets

First, Alyssa placed the baskets in numerical order.  Next, she counted out the correct amount of eggs for each basket based on the number stick.  The counting sticks came from Childcareland instead of using cups we used baskets.  The baskets were found at Big Lots, but I also saw them at Hobby Lobby.  Last month we used black pots for St. Patrick's Day.  Please ignore the clutter! 

Gummy Bunny Patterning and Counting

First, I arranged an ABC bunny color pattern and Alyssa told me the pattern.  Next, she opened each bunny to reveal a number tile.  She used Gummy bunnies as counters.  She counted out bunnies from 0-10.  We talked about which bunny had more (the most) bunny babies and which bunny had less (the least amount).  I also mixed up the rabbits and asked her to place them in numerical order.  The Bunny Peep containers were either found at either Dollar Tree, Big Lots, or Hobby Lobby.  Sorry it was so long ago - I can't seem to remember (like I said last week I bought a lot of my Easter supplies when they first came out on the shelves).    

Bunny Sweet Tart Counting

We did the above activity again using different candy counters (Sweet Tart Bunnies) and the number tiles 0-9.  The last four pictures show Alyssa rearranging the bunnies so that they will be in numerical order.      

Sorting Bunny Colors

Alyssa was given a lid with a variety of colorful candy bunnies to sort by color.  She sorted them in bunny containers - the bunnies actually matched the candy colors, but I already know that she can match and sort by color.  This was a review activity.  After sorting them by color, I asked her to  count each color and see how many bunnies she had for each color.  We talked about which bunny container had the most and least amount.

Bunny Sort and Count

First, Alyssa sorted the bunnies by color in three bunny containers.  I asked her if she wanted to use a spoon or tongs for sorting.  She wanted to use her fingers today.  Next, she looked in the containers and knew how many were there by sight (2, 4) and placed a number tile on top.  Then, she counted the bunny container with 8 candy bunnies and placed the number 8 tile on top.  I have been inspired by My Montessori Journey to create MANY Sort and Count Activities for Alyssa since I first saw her Pumpkin Sort and Count Activity.  

Bunny Counting Cards  

First, Alyssa placed the number cards in numerical order.  Next, she used Easter erasers found at Dollar Tree to count out the correct amount for each number (she preferred to count them in her hand before placing them on the number cards).  She's doing much better with the placement of items she's counting.  I have been working with her on using the Montessori placement when counting.  We will continue to work on this.  But, she is REALLY good at counting 0-10 ... I probably already should have moved on to 11 through 20.  Oh, I almost forgot ... Alyssa decided she wanted to jump underneath each number while counting aloud.  

Easter Eraser Patterning

I have been using ice cube trays for quite some time now for a variety of math activities including counting, sorting, patterning, graphing 2 items, etc.  They REALLY DO come in handy!  Anyways, this week I used the Easter erasers from Dollar Tree for patterning activities.  First, Alyssa matched ANY pattern that I created in the top row of the ice cube tray (first four pics).  Next, I decided I wanted to see if she could extend patterns and she was also able to do that (see bottom three pics) Then, I asked her to create a pattern for me.  Ah ... Ha ... now I know what we will be working on.  The other activities were too easy for her, but we will continue doing them as a review.  I may have her practice creating her own patterns in the future.

Rabbit Mat

I found a rabbit dinner placement mat at Big Lots and I knew that I would use it for a counting activity.  I placed number tiles next to each rabbit and Alyssa counted out the correct amount of carrots (orange jellybeans) for each rabbit.  We also did this activity using REAL carrots cut into smaller pieces.  She preferred the real carrots.  Afterwards she was able to eat the REAL carrots as a snack.  We also did an activity where I placed three number tiles on the mat, she counted out the correct amount of carrots (orange jellybeans), and pointed to the one that had the most or least amount.        

Fine Motor

Bunny Beading

I found lacing bunnies at Hobby Lobby.  First, Alyssa sorted the bunnies by color.  Then, we mixed them up again and she laced the bunny beads onto a yellow string in a ABCD color pattern (purple, blue yellow, and pink).  She thought the little bunnies were cute and she kept kissing them.  She's been doing that a lot lately.  I would ask her, "What color comes next in your bunny pattern?"  Below are pictures of her telling me the pattern as she figures out which color is next.  I didn't include a sorting picture.  

Other Things That Happened This Week

Science

Butterfly Changes

About 6 or more months ago ... Daddy brought home a rock with a chrysalis on it that Papa gave him.  I placed it in our butterfly pavilion to observe any changes.  For the longest time nothing happened.  So, I brought the pavilion in a warmer room and one day I looked down and a butterfly was flying around.  I ran upstairs to get Alyssa so that she could see it and release it outside.  She was so excited!  Crazy thing ... two days before that ... I almost threw the rock outside because my hubby thought it wasn't going to make it.     

Hanging Tomatoes 

Daddy bought a Topsy Turvy and tomatoes to plant with Alyssa.  She didn't get to do too much, but she gave her Daddy kisses for sharing the experience with her.  So sweet!  He wasn't quite sure what she was about to do as you can tell from the picture.  

For more tot school or preschool ideas visit Carisa's 1+1+1=1 blog or Jolanthe's Preschool Corner.  

I hope you enjoyed your visit!!!!

Tracey