5 EASY Fine Motor Activities for Your Tot and $60 Target Giveaway!

It is that time again…

Back to School!

And I know for each of us that means different things! Some homeschooling, some sending kids to school, some going to school themselves, some preparing for school in the future… the beginning of school seems to affect us all in different ways!  

That is what I have teamed up with ten other bloggers to bring you the 

BACK TO SCHOOL BLOG HOP!

You are almost guaranteed to find a post that fits you :)  So check them out.  Comment.  Pin.  And have some fun!

ALSO… everyone needs back to school supplies right?  So we have also teamed up to bring you a giveaway for a $60 gift card to Target.  That's right.  Who doesn't want that?  So be sure to enter at the end of the post!  And with out further ado, the blog hop posts…

Our Life on a Budget- 5 EASY Fine Motor Skill Activities

Living in This Season- Creating a Portable Homework Station

Abiding in Grace- School Room

BYBMG- Take Care of the Teacher

All Kinds of Things- Back to School Party

Words About Waverly- Back to School Fashion

Mrs. Couch Sims- First Day of School Traditions

Morganize with Me- Back to School Organization

The Almond Place- Preparing an Anxious Child

Tale of Beauty for Ashes- 10 of the Best Back to School Teacher Gifts

Garay Treasures- Start of the Year Basket

Mila's Milieu- Daily School Readiness Routine

one

Pom Pom Play

Muffin tins, cups, mirrors, Pom Poms… 

explore:)

 two

Sticker Play

Easy to peal Stickers, Paper and/or Sticker books…

explore :)

Three

Bead Play

Pony Beads, other beads, shells, string…

explore :)

This one is for the older child!

four
Container Play

Pom Poms, old spice containers, wipe containers, straws, pieces of fabric…
explore :)

five
Peg and Hole Play

Shoe box or piece of wood with holes drilled in it, straws or markers…
explore :)

              

Yes… I realize our little is playing with sharpies.  She was highly supervised and they will be replace soon! :)

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tot School {1}

You can read about my thoughts on homeschooling our plans for starting tot school here. So how did the first week go?  Well, it was busy and I did not quite keep on schedule, but I knew this would be pretty fluid to begin with…

Activity One-  Balls in a Muffin Tin

Object- just play with the balls putting them in and taking them out.  We talked about colors too. I thought for sure this one would be a hit as Ms. BD is obsessed with balls right now.  The night before we did this she was putting balls into her shoes.  I think she was occupied for an hour.  The next day I brought out the muffin tins… interested for 5 minutes.  That being said we did keep them out and she is still playing with them.

Activity Two- Edible Scented Finger Paint

Didn't get to this one… plan on making some yogurt and trying it this weekend! :)

Activity Three- Pompom Play

Object- just play with the pom-pons on a mirror and put them in and out of the muffin tin.  She LOVED this.  I think it kept her occupied for at least 30 minutes.  We got a bag of pom-poms with all different sizes... she really like the really small one and the really big ones. We tried to do some color sorting, but she is not really there yet.  The great thing about this activity is that we can do it again and again and do different variations! ______________________

What about plans for this week???

here they are…

*Ziplock Back Painting

*PomPom Chute

*Fabric in an Empty Wipe Container

and if I am feeling messy… Oats and Water Sensory Bin 

***Above all pictures is the link to the original source! :)
What activities have you been doing or have done in Tot School?   Any recommendations for me?

Starting Tot School… and some thoughts on homeschooling in general

I taught public school for almost 5 years.  I taught mostly 3rd grade, a year of 2nd grade and a short time in 1st (maybe I should write a post on my teaching experience, but that is another post for another day).  And I loved teaching in public school (well, maybe not the ridiculous hours, but the teaching and collaborating part). I also went to public school- K-12 and all of my college days.  And I can honestly say, overall I had a great experience.  For the record Andrew also attended public school for his entire educational experience through undergrad.

So *obviously* if Andrew and I had kids one day, they too would have a great experience. But, over the past couple of years, my thoughts have changed a bit.  

By no means is this a public school bashing posts, because teachers, I have been there with you in the trenches and 99% of the teachers I have taught with I would be ecstatic to put Ms. BD in their classroom.  But by changed, I guess I feel like I am more open to other options.   Like BD could go to public school, private school, or be homeschooled or any combination of the above over her years of schooling.  It just depends on…

her me Andrew Schools resources jobs and a whole bunch of other things.

But one thing that I have come to no matter what path/paths we choose, is that EVERYONE home schools.  If you are a parent you are the first and primary educator and disciple-maker of your child.

So that might just be a round about way of saying BD and I are starting "Tot School" this week.  The teacher, type A person in me wants to go ahead and do Dibels on her and test her for a power-standard… but I think my 14 month old isn't quite ready for that :).  Since we are doing summer camp starting today every MWF, I think we will start with just some simple activities on Tuesdays, Thursdays and maybe Saturday.   This is what I was thinking for my week…

Tuesday

*Books and Puzzle time- We really already do this.  BD picks all the books and puzzles she wants to do, and I do them with her. *Scented, Edible Finger Painting- Not my idea, taking it from this blog.

*Independent play- BD loves her time to just play… and she is 14 months old so she needs lots of it.

Thursday

*Books and Puzzle time *Muffin Tin Play-  Thought this would be an easy one to try this week!

  *Independent play

Saturday

*Books and Puzzle time *Pom-Pom play

*Independent play

All plans are subject to change.  AND if you are a parent of a preschool age toddler that lives close to me… get in touch with me and you and your little can come play too!

Do you do tot school with your kiddos?  Please send your suggestions and thoughts my way… like I said I am new to this! :)