Enjoying Warmer Weather

I knew today was supposed to be warmer out so the plan was to stay outside as much as possible! 

Since I had the ingredients on hand, I decided to make a cornstarch and water mixture for some sensory play. 

Turner really doesn't like his hands to be dirty but he was receptive to this project. 

He really enjoyed squeezing the mixture to make it hard...

and then opening his hands to let the mixture flow. 

We talked briefly about things that were liquids and things that were solids. He was pretty interested!

Eli, on the other hand, was more interested in painting himself...

SQUIIIISH

Make a ball, but stop touching it and...

Turns back in to a liquid.

Chasing bad guys.

Painting trees.

Swabbing the deck. I think they had the most fun doing this!

Got My School Work Ready?

 This week I decided to try out a lapbook from Homeschool Creations. Some days the baby wants to nurse when I don't expect it, Eli needs waaaay more attention that the day before and Turner is dying to do something other than play cars. He's always asking for school work or something interesting and now we have it. 

This week's focus letter is P so I searched around until I found a police theme. 

He absolutely LOVES catching the bad guys.

Saying "pa pa pa Police" is helping Turner say the word correctly
(it sounds like "fa leece" when he says it).

He really loves having "work" that he can choose to do any time he'd like.

Here Fishy Fishy

While sitting down to learn your ABCs is just dandy, around here it's got to be interesting. With the boys' ages, it's hard to keep Turner engaged and not feeling like he's being grilled AND keep Eli happy and sort of involved. 

So...

Let the games begin! 

This idea came from Eli. He's always trying to use sticks or belts as a "fishing cool" and Turner needs to keep practicing letters. It's better If they can play a game together so I can work with Turner without "working." (He does his work boxes but I try to limit the sit-down time to 30 minutes so neither of us end up frustrated.)

I made this ABC fishing game using Dollar Store foam pieces, googley eyes, magnets, dowels and hot glue. Oddly enough, I had everything on hand. That never happens; I'm usually missing something!

Our Beginnings

It was never my intention to home school. The thought of my sweet boys going off for a few hours each day so I could go for a long run, or grocery shop in peace was very (very) enticing. Turner has attended the Seaside Playgarden for almost a year now and it's been a wonderful experience.

As the Navy would have it, we're moving from Florida to Virginia and, when faced with all of the rather expensive Montesori, "big box" and run-of-the-mill church schools I ended up here...

Home school. 

Why not? You are you child's first teacher, right? 

  

The plan is this: a very basic curriculum provided by Brightly Beaming Resources and Little Acorn Learning. 

Tomorrow is Turner's last day of Preschool at the 'garden. He is so excited that I'm going to be his "teacher" that he giggles. 

The possibilities are endless.